We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Charlie White a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Charlie, thanks for joining us today. What do you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry? Any stories or anecdotes that illustrate why this matters?
I think Corporate America underestimates the power of human connection and relationship building. The numbers will come if you invest in the right people and if those people invest in getting to know their community colleagues on a deeper level. In my industry, people refer to people…not the company they work for.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I worked in medical sales for many years before transitioning to the behavioral health industry in 2018. I have worked for various mental health and eating disorder treatment centers, while also running the 501c3 nonprofit, Eyes Not Forgotten. In 2021, ENF began a refreshed mission dedicated to empowering individuals affected by mental health and eating disorders. We offer funding assistance to persons in need of inpatient and outpatient treatment.
In 2022, I opened my own marketing firm, The Char Network. At TCN, we partner with businesses to market, manage and develop their products and services. This also includes website development, custom marketing collateral, graphic design work and social media strategy. “We are your one-stop-shop for business growth!” Our clients include, artists, personal trainers and my bread-and-butter, inpatient and outpatient mental health and eating disorder programs.
I feel very blessed that my hobbies and personal interests overlap with my business ventures. For example, I work with a fabulous south-asian artist, Janak Narayan through The Char Network. But I also just love art! I get to mingle with talented artists, view their works and attend exhibits and openings all while promoting my client. I get the best of both worlds!
I am most proud of the fact that my line of work allows me to help others. Helping others has always been a constant theme in my life. I feel that giving back to one’s community is imperative for the success of an entire community.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
A lesson I had to unlearn was that if you work hard, you will be successful. That is not always the case. Other people are working hard too, technological advances may negatively impact your career…and life happens! I have found that you have to add the word passion into the mix. If you work hard at something that you are passionate about, regardless of external factors, you will find success in the ups and down. You will also measure success differently because you are loving what you are doing.
We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.
I keep in touch with my clients and community colleagues through weekly emails, social media posts, in-person coffees / lunches / happy hours, and an old fashioned phone call. There is a lot you can accomplish through social media and emails, but there is no match for the human connection you get from a phone call or an in-person meeting. The calls and meetups are less rehearsed, so you get to know people on a deeper level. They are more personalized and relationship building is ultimately one of the keys to success.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thecharnetwork
- Instagram: @thecharnetwork
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-white-46084a42