What do you consider the most important leadership trait a small business owner must possess? We asked several Jacksonville business owners and asked them to describe how they develop that trait in their business operations.

Vision: Key to growth

Joe Murphy

Great small businesses are led by visionary leaders. Employees of visionary leaders have a clear picture of where the company is going, and what the rewards will be for them if those goals are achieved. I strive  to be a visionary leader by creating a collaborative work environment in which communication is clear; successes are celebrated; and mistakes are not repeated. Only when all team members feel that their work is meaningful and important can any company reach its peak performance.

—Joseph Murphy, Lifeware TEK, www.lifeware.com

Ann Sabaag

Small business leaders need have a clear and compelling vision about their company and what it contributes. They need to pursue that vision with passion and share it with their people in a way that captivates and inspires them to want to be a part of it.  A well defined vision provides unity and energy keeps everyone focused .  It’s particularly powerful when a leader stays true to their vision through periods of adversity.

—Ann Sabbag, Health Designs, www.healthdesigns.net

Consistency: Important for everyone

Many factors determine the success of a small business, but most successful small business leaders share

Mary Ann Magers

a common trait— consistency. Customers often leave because they are surprised about something, such as a price change that was not communicated properly or a customer-service experience that did not meet their expectations. Inconsistent operations also place a great amount of stress on employees. This results in high turnover, high training costs, and poor customer experiences.

I strive to maintain consistent operations by having a clear mission statement and a written plan that clearly communicate the vision and purpose of the company. I find that written policies and procedures empower employees, and ensure that every client has an excellent experience with no surprises.

—MaryAnn Magers, CPA, Magers & Associates, LLC, www.magerscpa.com

Sincerity: Secret to long-term relationships

Curtis Osmond

I believe that the single most important leadership trait for  small business leaders is sincerity. You have to truly care about your customers and your team — and about building long-term relationships. That means being accessible and taking the time to really listen to what people are saying.

I work on showing I care by sitting down for a “family”meal with my staff before each shift. We talk about past successes and opportunities for improvement. It’s a time to celebrate and a time to plan— and we do it every day. We try never to take things for granted. Sharing good food and conversation helps create a tight-knit team with a genuine desire to provide memorable dining experiences for our guests.

—Curtis Osmond, III Forks Steaks and Seafood, www.IIIforks.com

Jacksonville Small Business Advantage asked a number of small business executives about the top challenges they will face and deal with in their businesses in 2010. Here is what they told us.

Filling available capacity

We have been lucky. Our business—Internet strategy—remained steady throughout 2009. The main difference, however, is that normally we have a backlog of work extending two or three months. That was not the case in 2009. We have available capacity we would like to fill. We do expect, however, that business will loosen up in the first quarter of 2010.

—Joe Lemire, ELYK Innovation Inc., www.elykinnovation.com

Reducing costs

The biggest issue facing my business is reducing costs without impacting the ability to attract and retain a quality workforce. Keeping a team comprised of highly skilled professionals who approach their careers with integrity, a strong work ethic, and a desire to grow with the firm is critical to our success. Our survival is a testament to their unwavering dedication to our valued clients, to this firm and to each other. 

— Greg Clary, Clary & Associates, Inc. Professional Surveyors & Mappers, www.claryassoc.com

Location

I have issues with scheduling, weather, and getting my phones answered. But my biggest challenge is to find a place where we can provide swimming lessons throughout the year. My goal is to make to help more people learn to swim so that senseless drownings do not occur. Drowning deaths in Florida of children less than five years old are more than double the national average. We need to change this!

—Joani Maskell, Swimming Safari Swim School, www.swimmingsafari.com

Keeping positive

Keeping a positive attitude in the wake of recent and significant downturns in revenue is challenging. I do not accept the “new normal.” The right prescription is getting back to work—working on those fundamentals that made us successful.

—Ron Autrey, Miller Electric Company

Surviving the housing slump

In our business, the biggest challenge is the housing slump. When the new home buyers’ tax credit runs out a low point will follow, just as it was in the cash for clunkers program for auto sales.

—Craig Page, Magnolia Blind and Shutter, www.magnoliablinds.com

Positive thinking

I believe we attract what we focus on and think about all the time.  We can spend time evaluating the loss of revenue and all the things we don’t have now, or we can wake up in the morning and decide to make the most out of our current situation.  My challenge is to spread my enthusiasm for life to my entire team and keep them motivated and positive.

— Lynn Lamoureux, owner Pet World, www.petworldpets.com

Creative business building

To assist in continually building my clients’ overall revenue in a recession is a real challenge. Keeping positive and always working a whole lot harder than the average, which used to be able to cut it. It takes partnering and reaching out for help if you need it nowadays!

—Camille Clement Gregg, Outside the Box Consulting LLC

Take a look around the table when you go to your next business luncheon. You’ll catch people sneaking a peak at their smart phones to text, twitter, check e-mail, or catch up on news. Cell phones are becoming as indispensable to business people today as the PDA was just a few years ago. But, what kinds of applications turn cell phones into micro-computers? Jacksonville Advantage asked readers to tell us about their favorite “apps” that make their lives easier.

Easy listening

I have an iPhone, and my favorite is Pandora Radio, a free personalized radio (www.pandora.com/on-the-iphone). It is nice to have the radio and the variety when I’m at the gym without having to carry a separate radio with me.

—Terrell Holman
Executive Director and Co-founder at NetWorth

Real GPS

I have the Samsung Instinct cell phone, and I love its GPS feature. It’s a real GPS, not just an online map. I used it when I visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. The GPS search feature helped me find coffee (Starbucks and others), breakfast cafes, and restaurants around the city. Since we decided to walk everywhere and it was cold, it was nice to be able to choose from a search list and get specific directions.

— David Sturgis
Bank of America

Keeping up-to-date

There are a lot of iPhone apps, but I like two especially: I’m addicted to news apps for the iPhone and the maps app when I travel, of course.

— Paul Giroux
Owner at Snob Hollow Designs

BlackBerry business apps

Some of my favorite apps include Pandora Radio, ScoreMobile (everything sports-related), and Facebook. I’m a bit biased since I work for a BlackBerry app development company, but I love the following four BlackBerry (BB) apps:

• IntelliLaunch. This app quickly allows you to launch any file, contact, or app on your BB. The smart technology remembers what you use most often, which helps you sort through all of your contacts and other apps with incredible efficiency. I couldn’t live without it; it is a major time-saver.

• Google Maps. It helps me find my way easily.

• QuickPull. Have you ever rebooted your phone by actually pulling the battery out? This is really good for your phone to help it run optimally, but it’s a pain to do. QuickPull simulates a battery pull for you and allows you to schedule reboots each night of the week when you aren’t using it.

• Edocrab. Edocrab is “barcode” spelled backwards. This app can scan a product UPC barcode for the purpose of finding competitive prices at hundreds of stores online. It also gives you product reviews and other pertinent product information such as images, videos, and music, etc. Edocrab helps you to avoid buying overpriced products as well as others that have not received good reviews.

— Brian Baggs
Steelthorn Software

 Easy e-mail

My favorite application is checking and responding to my e-mail. I’m looking forward to the day I can check my client files too.

— Robert Roldan
The Holmes Org. of Florida, Inc.

On the Street: Readers assess the importance of customer service today

The sagging economy caused many businesses to cut back on staffing. Reduced manpower, however, often sacrifices customer service. Jacksonville Advantage tapped into the resources of LinkedIn and asked in discussion groups about the value of customer service compared to price in a down economy. The consensus was that good customer service is possibly more important today than ever before. Several business owners gave their opinion:

Out-service your competition

I have never been afraid to re-evaluate my convictions, one of which is to be successful in business you must out-value and out-service your competition. My father ingrained in my brother and me that a solid work ethic pays off in the end. He would also say, “If you’re not going to do the job right, then don’t do it at all.” He was also a fan of the famous Lee Iacocca statement, “Lead, follow, or get out of the way.”

I believe these philosophies and practice them the best I can. I probably always will.

— Howard Stockdale

Jacksonville IT Services

Persistence pays

Hard work and good customer service are critical to success. I would also add persistence. The simple truth is that there will be tough days, weeks, and months in which these types of philosophies will seem to have no positive affect. Be persistent and stay the course. Very few companies stay true to their mission, vision, or values over the years, and they suffer and at worst go out of business.

— Shaun Ginter

Solantic Walk-in Urgent Care

Go the extra mile

Going the extra mile with customer service is valid in today’s business environment, even though we are getting mixed signals because our clients (and their clients) are cutting costs, which forces us to lower prices and drives our attention to delivering our service cheaper.

Staying true to your mission, vision, and values in the current climate will ultimately lead to long-term success. That’s the beauty of having a clear vision and mission: When things get foggy, it focuses you on why you exist and what you do better than your competitors. This, of course, is easier said than done at a time when a lot of companies are in survival mode and looking at just their numbers. But it is the best time to separate from your competitors.

— Brian Quinn

Aerotek

More than ever

Hard work and good customer service are more important today than ever. Customers and prospective customers have so many choices that you must find a way to differentiate your product or service from the rest of the pack. Now is the time to hire the best and brightest and shop around for any technological edge that could help serve customers better. You will receive better service from your vendors, have more time to make a more informed decision, be in a better negotiating position on price, and help your vendors—something they will not forget in the future.

— Doug Apelian, consultant

Flexibility is key

My company’s success through this recession is due to flexibility and outstanding customer service with my clients/customers. I have had to modify some of my pricing, but it allowed me to continue to generate business.

—Thea Jeffers
T-works Interior Decorating

Balance is important

A company does not have to choose to quality over customer service over price. Success is dependent upon a company’s ability to balance all three. Choosing one over another is a recipe for failure.

—Brian Smith
Th(Inc), LLC

Value from the customer’s perspective

Value should be described from the customer’s perspective—looking at a benefit received instead of price paid to obtain full satisfaction. I believe achieving a customer’s perception of value has a huge significance in customer retention.

—William G. Mora
GM Consulting/Gamma Brands

Value is key

Value seems to be the key for my business, which appears recession-resistant (if not recession-proof). I actually raised prices in January 2009, and business is increasing. People always want a good price, but demand value.

—Mark Goldwich
Gold Star Adjusters, LLC

By Amy Mitchell        

In recent months several companies, large and small, have reported profits related to their use of social networking Web sites. News stories and business magazine articles indicate that this new medium has promise for promoting and developing small businesses. Jacksonville Advantage asked five small business owners their impressions of online networks such as Facebook or LinkedIn as a way to publicize and build their business.

Targeting their market

Kimberly Deppe

We do some advertising on Facebook because it allows us to pinpoint our messaging to specific groups of individuals. We don’t have an active Facebook page, but we are in the process of studying that to see how it might make sense and how it would best serve our members. We are piloting a small social networking project with Twitter and are eager to see the results.

— Kimberly Deppe, vice president of marketing,
Community First Credit Union,
 www.communityfirstfl.org

Choosing the appropriate site

I just recently heard about LinkedIn. I like the concept and am willing to try it out. I’m not convinced Facebook is going to promote business. It seems more appropriate for personal socializing. However, I do think Facebook has staying power. It will be interesting to see if the novelty of some of these sites fades. I still like the idea of picking up a telephone and actually talking to someone.

— Tim Blin, president,

Premier Garage,

www.premiergarage.com

A necessity, along with traditional methods

Brent L. Paris

Online networking is a must in today’s environment. However, one must do so with caution and purpose. Though Facebook may be an appropriate marketing method for some types of businesses such as retailers, I prefer to categorize it as an informal venue of communication. It is a means of personal expression and a way to stay connected with friends. As such, the information shared is not within one’s control, and can, at times, not be appropriate for business relationships. Therefore, Facebook is not a business networking tool for me. On the other hand, LinkedIn is a powerful and required business networking tool. My favorite attributes are the weekly update on my contacts and the “People You May Know” section.

My advice: Don’t lose site of the impact of face-to-face networking. Shaking a hand, enjoying a meal, or sharing a laugh can build memorable relationships.

— Brent L. Paris, president,

PVB Capital LLC,

www.pvbcapital.com

Translating into ROI

Myron Pincomb

We have plans to implement a small-scale social network campaign in August. My concern with this has been determining how to track the ROI out of the investment in time and resources required. The common answer from people involved in this space is “It will drive Web traffic” or “It’s not about ROI.” In today’s economy, that is not the answer most business owners are looking for. I am very intrigued by this medium and I think if someone can show how it directly contributes to the bottom line it will become a major advertising medium.

— Myron Pincomb, president/CEO,

Educational Tools,

www.educationaltools.com

For now, traditional methods

Aaron Marston

We currently do not use social networking to promote and build our business. However, we do a great deal of more traditional social networking. Since the inception of our business, we have made a concerted effort to attend events that our clients are involved in. Whether it is a triathlon, a weight-loss support group, athletic events, high school graduations, or even weddings, we like to be there to encourage and support the clients that are supporting us. We are looking at ways we can better use technology to build those relationships.

— Aaron Marston, executive director,

The HIT Center of Jacksonville,

www.thehitcenters.com

By Amy Mitchell 

With the challenges the economy has presented, many small business owners find themselves working longer hours, trying to do more with fewer resources. This can lead to burnout. Advantage Magazine asked five small business owners how they personally avoid burnout and establish a good balance between work and the rest of their lives.

Cultivate support

Natalie Edmonton

I have learned to surround myself with other business owners I can lean on and trust; then I have a built-in support network that understands my challenges. Do not be afraid to ask for help. If you need help meeting your next client, ask for it. If you need help cleaning the shop because you can’t afford the cleaning company anymore, ask your friends or family to help. Engage your support system and utilize their talents and resources. For me, work becomes less of a burden and it helps to free up my time to enjoy the little things like dinner with the family or a mini-vacation.

— Natalie C. Edmondson,
president/managing partner,
Sign Depot LLC,
www.shopsigndepot.com

Mind, body, and spirit

Michael Hodges

I start my day with prayer and exercise in the morning. As I go through the day I stop to meditate and pray periodically, during breaks or when I get in the car. Affirmation cards with Bible verses or words from positive authors are helpful. I relax my body as much as possible, especially my shoulders, where I hold a lot of stress. Finally, I try to eat a healthy and balanced diet.

— Michael Hodges, president,
First Place Management, Inc.,
www.rentalsinjax.com

 Schedule the balance

Lori Wishard

The current economy has increased business for our marketing and Web development company, since more people are turning to the cost efficiency of promoting their business online. We are keeping up the demand, but have struggled with the balance of work and general life. I try to schedule time each week to regroup and catch my breath, helping me to maintain creativity for my clients and sanity for my family. Having a commitment to this time is hard, but critical in keeping all balanced.

— Lori Wishard, vice president of sales,
Media Rapids, www.mediarapids.com

A purpose-driven life

Steve Goranson

What is the real cause of burnout? It’s the feeling you get when you put in the effort but don’t feel you are progressing; you’re just spinning your wheels. To avoid burnout you must have clarity, focus, and purpose.

By working with burnt-out business owners to clarify their vision and purpose, and at the same time create worthwhile, meaningful goals, I help them become motivated and re-energized doing the same activities that made them feel burnt out in the first place. If you stay focused on your goals, you will maintain your motivation and avoid burnout.

— Steve Goranson, president,
ActionCOACH, www.actioncoach.com

Revitalization three ways

Lewis Hunter

People ask me how my business is doing and I just say, “I am working harder for less.” Here is how I avoid burnout:

1. Intellectually I know that “this too shall pass.” Knowing this makes short-term sacrifices less burdensome.

2. Exercise, five or six times per week, keeps the endorphins flowing. Even if it is for just a half-hour, never skip two days.

3. Hanging out with a 2-year-old and an 80-year-old. I have a granddaughter, age 2, and parents and in-laws in their 80s. Just being with either requires that I downshift and slow way down.

— Lewis Hunter, CPA,
Hunter & Associates, PA,
www.huntercpa.com

Amy Mitchell is a contributing editor. She can be reached at amyjmitchell@comcast.net.

By Amy Mitchell  

In this difficult economy, small businesses in Jacksonville are finding practical ways to stay in business. Advantage Magazine asked five small business owners if they have you made changes in their business to accommodate changes in the economy. All five said they had, and told us what they have done.

3-point formula

Since you’re asking about change, I thought I would share my favorite “change” quote with you: “Change is good, you go first!” We made some decisions to weather the storm using the following formula:

• Informed. We stay abreast of what is happening in the marketplace. We listen to experts and economists and we make plans based on the marketplace data.
• Cash is king. We monitor our cash position religiously and take all necessary actions to maintain a positive cash flow.
• Training. When times are slow, this is a good time to sharpen our saws. We are using this downturn in the economy to improve the skills of our people.

— Greg A. Edmonds, president/CEO
Ellis & Associates Inc., consulting engineers
www.ellisassoc.com,

Buying opportunities

Like many companies, we [Army Navy Outdoors] started with cutting expenses and inventory. To combat declining sales in some categories, we have been taking advantage of buying opportunities so we can offer more values to our customers. This economy has created a vast surplus in manufacture deals if you know where to look.

We are expanding categories that are more value-orientated and specific to our brand. In departments where our competition has decreased in the market, we are growing our selection, which gives us greater market share. We are making sure our sales staff create relationships with customers to bring them back into the stores.

— Peter Litsky, owner and cofounder
Army Navy Outdoors
www.armynavyoutdoors.com

Cash-flow watch

We are watching our cash flow more closely, in both accounts receivable and accounts payable. From the accounts receivable standpoint, we are continuously expanding our customer base in both new product development and manufacturing, just in case one of our customers is not able to pay his or her bills. Accounts payable has also been overhauled, and we switched our phone service to VoIP (voice over Internet).

— Peter Schönning, president

Polyhistor International, Inc., product developers
www.phi2.com

Become debt-free

Here are a few tips I’ve shared with my clients and utilized myself in my practice:

• Control the things you can control so you can cope with the things you can’t.
• Research your job, company, expertise and other related fields. Stay aware of what is happening around you.
• Become an expert. This is the time to stand out from the rest and shine. What is your added value? How can you become an invaluable resource to others?
• Pay off your debts. Take control of your finances and question every charge or expense you have. Reconnect with friends and family. Most people think the work/life balance is a luxury. Now, more than ever, it is a means of survival.

—Sheila Green, founder and president,
Green Productivity Solutions, custom productivity solutions
www.sgps.biz

Back to basics

As a business owner, I’ve faced some tough decisions recently as a result of the economy. One large client’s decision to offshore the work that my staffing company was doing was a big reason to downsize and simplify. I find that it’s good to set aside the trappings of building a corporate entity and allow myself to get back to a simpler time. I find myself going back to the basics of my business services. And to the reason I wanted to work for myself — and really by myself — at the beginning. 

I think all of us are reassessing our priorities. The changes at Agency a la Carte just reflect that process.

—Mary B. Harvey, founder & CEO,
Agency a la Carte, staffing services
www.agencyalacarte.com