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It takes hard work, dedication and sometimes good old fashion luck to build a strong, profitable business. One of the best pieces of advice for entrepreneurs and emerging business owners is to get smart insights from people who have been there before.

See what Sally Pace, CEO of Connect Healthcare Collaboration has to say on how she keeps her business growing. 

What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?

 

The best piece of advice came from my husband, Ashley, and it has to do with presentations. He told me to never put the “about us” at the front of a presentation or slide deck. People don’t care about you, they care about what you can do for them. So, right out of the gate, make it clear that you are here to help others solve their problems. I’ve been able to apply that not only to presentations, but to our entire approach to business.

 

What keeps you motivated?

One of my most favorite quotes comes from H. Jackson Brown, Jr., “Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.” When I think about what those incredible people accomplished during the hours of their days, I am challenged to be thoughtful in how I am filling mine. We all have the potential for greatness, and the same amount of time to accomplish it.

 

What’s your best time management hack?

I know many people subscribe to the theory of tackling your toughest issues first, but it’s just never worked for me. Instead, I start each day with a list, and I arrange the list according to the blocks of time I have available. If I have an 8:30am meeting, I look to see if there’s a small task I can tick off between 8 and 8:15am. Approaching my day in this way lets me get more things done, while also accounting for the roadblocks that will inevitably occur. And, I’ve also found that I can only manage about 10 actual tasks a day – both personal and professional combined – so I keep my list at that limit. (I also line up all of my clothes for the week on Sunday, so I can do a “grab and go” each morning and don’t have to worry about what I’m wearing.)

 

We’ve asked business owners from across the city to share some of their best advice on starting and growing their small business. Want to learn more insights from other Chamber members? Follow the hashtag #MemberAdvice on our social media channels and read more here on our blog.