Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1262525
Business Leader of the Year (Family) Miriam, Gregory and Edna Hyder, Co-owners, Ed Hyder's Mediterranean Marketplace • Always do the right thing, even when it means losing money. Honesty is the best policy. • Don't take things personally. Be open to criticism and feedback from everyone. • Embrace change. It can be scary, but you must do it to keep your business alive and well. • Have an open line of communication with your staff. Make them feel comfortable coming to you with ideas. All of our best innovations have come from employees. It keeps people engaged and raises morale when someone sees one of their ideas on display. • Understand the importance of community, and how you help shape it. Give as much support to your community as you can, through donation of your product, time, or expertise. • Spend time with as many business owners as possible- even those who you consider competitors. You will learn a lot from each other, and there is always an opportunity to collaborate. • Get to know your customers, and encourage your staff to do so. It will set your business apart, and will add to the experience of shopping with you. • Lift other businesses owners up. Reach out to say hi, or let them know you think they are doing a great job on a product they just launched. Today, it is as easy as a follow, a mention, or a message on social media. • Don't forget the people who helped get you to where you are. While your business may have changed over the years, don't close the door on your oldest customers. • "You don't know what you don't know." When we walked into our first day of the Interise "Small Business MBA" program five years ago, the graduates of the previous class were asked to give us one piece of advice. This line was yelled out in unison. Meaning, there is so much knowledge and information out there that you have no idea exists. Seek out information. Ask for advice. Join discussions. Read! There is no business owner who knows everything there is to know about sales, marketing, finance, and products. Be open to learning new things. • You have the ability to make someone's day, every day. Smile. Lend a listening ear. Go the extra mile. Don't have something a customer or client needs? Help them find it elsewhere. Something that took an extra minute of your time, will be remembered by the person you helped for years to come. Business Leader of the Year (Nonprofit) Stephanie Page, Executive director, Abby's House 1. Love is a powerful force for change when it motivates what we do as leaders. You can be a light in the world if you act from a place of love and hope. 2. Leadership is about serving others. We exist to help one another, and we can all be leaders and help individuals and communities around us. 3. When you need help, look up and out and pull in resources to find a way to get something done. This is how breakthroughs often happen. 4. Leaders are not perfect and are always learning. Be willing to recognize your mistakes and learn from them, but don't let your mistakes inhibit your willingness to lead. 5. We are all fragile human beings and never know what another person may be experiencing. While we are resilient and have the strength to persevere through pain and adversity, it is wise to be gentle with yourself and with others as often as you can. 6. We each have unlimited human potential. It is a gift to help people to realize what they are capable of and to help people to experience it. 7. Believe in what you do and give yourself wholeheartedly to it, and your passion will serve you in many ways. 8. Don't forget that life is full of mystery and wonder. Take time to revel in the mystery of the ocean, a sunset, or a blooming spring flower. It will put perspective on whatever difficulty or challenge you may be facing in the moment and will help you through it. 9. Collaboration is powerful. Great things happen because people work together. Engage people in a shared purpose and accomplish great things together. 10. Hard work matters, and rest does too.