2016 In Review

by: Dr. Ronald G. Shapiro, PhD

Professional Growth for the Entrepreneur: 2016 in review

 The 2016 Professional Growth for the Entrepreneur series presented a series of articles designed to help Rhode Island Small Businesses, their owners and employees to grow. The series showed that there are many types of learning organizations in our state, including colleges and universities, not-for-profits, profit making franchises and microbusinesses. The ten Rhode Island based learning professionals and organizations interviewed included:

  • Patti Avin of Tutor Doctor®2 of Rhode Island which recruits and secures tutors for clients of any age and for any subject matter
  • Cameron Ennis of The Education Exchange which prepares adult learners from diverse backgrounds to be productive employees and/or successful students in vocational or college programs.
  • Ronald G Shapiro, a speaker and consultant who offers Education by Entertainment programs in career development, leadership development, learning and systems design.
  • Guisela Pinto Caballero, LCSW, LLC, a coach and professional speaker who helps business professionals and aspiring business professionals to achieve their dreams, in part through their business successes.
  • Rich Austin, an expert networker and networking consultant, speaking coach, teacher and writer.
  • Brian Trahan, owner of the Center for Phenomenological Leadership, works with businesses and individuals to help them to achieve their goals.
  • Jamie Palmer, owner of Outlier Marketing Group, LLC, educates and advises clients on optimizing their use of social media, manages social media, and helps to create brands.
  • Dennis Rebelo, Assistant Professor of Industrial Technology, Technology, Leadership, Management and Director of the Higher Learning Programs at Roger Williams University.
  • Taino Palermo, EdD, Program Director of Community Development in the School of Contunuing Studies at Roger Williams University and principal consultant at Palermo Consulting and Nonprofit Solutions in Cranston, RI.
  • Shannon Rebelo, owner of Burst Learning, which makes digital web based interactive courses.

While many of these organizations serve different clients and different business needs there were over 50 recommendations presented, most of which would be beneficial for most small businesses, their owners, employees and clients. Thus, it would be useful to review any articles you may have missed. As a quick review, some of the more important recommendations include:

  • Business Planning
  • Think of innovative ways to perform work, and ways to better serve your customers. Be sure every person understands their role in the business and is working strategically.
  • Know what your staff is doing and be sure staff is cross trained so the temporary or permanent loss of one member has minimal impact on the organization.
  • Marketing
    • Know what your team members like to do, what your clients say about you and what makes you and your organization unique.
  • Develop a brand ecosystem. Know and communicate what you want people to do.
  • Communicate a great story in appealing ways. Be certain people really understand what you are communicating.
  • Professional Development
    • Education is everywhere. Participating in it needs to be part of everyone’s mindset including business leaders, employees, and clients.
    • Think about how you can use new opportunities to help your employees develop.
      • Develop formal plans for learning and faithfully follow them doing
    • Be an authentic, deep listener, proactively receiving information. Be curious. Explore!
    • Think critically and set aside personal assumptions.
  • While some people consider that learning ends and work begins when one earns their college degree, in fact learning only begins when one enters the workforce. College merely provides a base upon which to begin learning.
  • Team Building
    • Be sure all members of your team are the person you want to do business with: be confident, patient, have realistic expectations, faith in yourself and have a positive attitude about learning, even when you have some setbacks.
    • Be an authentic, deep listener, proactively receiving information. Be curious. Explore!
    • Celebrate your successes as people learn, complete projects and achieve goals.
    • Remember, reaching the best solution to a problem is not about being right. It is about conveying information, listening, reaching agreement and gaining respect.
  • Working With Clients
  • Understand who your clients are.
  • Maintain an outstanding digital presence while you keep up to date with technology.
  • Build collaborative partnerships and diversity.

Rhode Island small businesses are encouraged to develop a plan to incorporate these recommendations into their business plans, if they have not already done so, to increase their product quality, productivity and employee satisfaction.

 

Dr. Ronald G. Shapiro, PhD

Independent Consultant in Human Factors, Learning and Human Resources

 

[i] I would like to thank Industrial Consultant Dr. Margarita Posada Cossuto for helpful comments.

2 Tutor Doctor ® is a registered trademark of Tutor Doctor Systems, Inc. of Wilmington, DE

 

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Avatar About the Author: The Rhode Island Small Business Journal is a printed monthly magazine and an online resource for the aspiring and start-up entrepreneur and small business owner.

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