We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rhonda Brown a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Rhonda, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about the best advice you’ve ever given to a client? (Please note this response is for education/entertainment purposes only and shouldn’t be construed as advice for the reader)
There is a question that I always asked at the end of a client meeting is “Are you on the train or not, you cannot have one foot on the train that will lead you to success and one foot hanging off the train in denial.” This question has hit home with many small businesses’ owners.
I asked that question to an entrepreneur, who left corporate America to start her own business. I met her one day when she was visiting my office, who at the time, had a small business center, where people could come in and use computers. While sitting there, I notice she had a look of frustration on her face. Even though I did not know her, I asked if I could assist her with something. She stated she was trying to complete a bid packet for an opportunity with the school system. I shared with her that I could not assist, due to my organization would be a conflict of interest, however, I referred her a partner organization to assist.
Weeks later, I saw the same entrepreneur at my office, and asked how things worked out with the bid. During our conversation, I asked her to come to my office so that I could learn more about her business. I learned that she had just started a commercial janitorial company, which I also had at the time. I shared with her some best practices that I had learned over the years, also being a small business owner, however, she was still in denial that she was not going to become a successful business owner. It was at that time I asked the question, “Are you on the train or not, you cannot have one foot on the train that will lead you to success and one foot hanging off the train in denial.” When I asked the question, the look of frustration turned into a look of confusion. I shared with her that becoming a successful business owner would not happen overnight. I also shared that there are stages of being a small business owner from growth to maturity. However, if she listened, the pathway to success would be closer than she thought and she would be a successful business owner.
Over the course of a year, and with my recommendations and advice (also making her attend networking events, etc.), I pushed her from commercial janitorial, to construction clean-up. I then assisted her in helping her to obtain her State of Tennessee Home Improvement License, State of Tennessee Limited Residential Contractor License, and other certifications, which led her into residential renovations. Because she took my best advice of “Getting on the Train to Success,” and staying focus on the end goal, she now has a successful General Contracting firm with 47 employees, doing work in Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama!
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My career started in the banking industry, many, many years ago, where I work for major financial institution here in Memphis, Tennessee. In banking, I was able to build a great list of cliental that consisted of small business owners, doctors, lawyers, etc., which many will still reach out until today for advice. Those are relationships that will last forever. That is what lead me into Economic Development and lead me to work I love today.
Being in the Economic Development, my proudest moments are when a small business owners reach out me and say, “I started my business or I did it, I open my brick and mortar.’ I often get calls stating, “I finally stop straggling on and off the train and step out on faith.” I love hearing, because of you, I am to be a developer and build affordable housing.” However, mu proudest moment is “I am passing the knowledge you gave me to others.” That makes my heart sing!
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Again, I go back to I “Shoot from the Hip.” I do not give a small business owner, entrepreneur, or a developer false hope. If something does not look, sound, or feel right, I will let them know before they decide, whatever that decision is, will set the tone of who and what they are and represent. My goal is to help them to succeed, and sometimes that may be sharing something they do not want to hear, In the end, and if they listen, they will be successful.
If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?
Yes! I love what I do! In the beginning, when I first went off to college, I first wanted to be a doctor, and quickly learned that I didn’t want to pursue that as a career. I then shifted and wanted to go to law school. However, when I was in college, one of my closest cousins, who grew up right next door to me, unfortunately passed unexpectedly a month before his college graduation. That hit my family hard. Growing up, he always talked about becoming a bank president. If you can recall, I started my career in banking. I think I took on what he wanted to do as a career, and even though I did not become a bank president (I was very close as Vice-President), I rose up the corporate ladder and work in almost every division of banking expect mortgage banking. That foundation in banking lead me to the career in Economic Development that I love today. It also led me, as well as my parents into being a successful business owner. I don’t regret growing to law school. I feel that I lived out my cousin’s dream going into banking, and my beautiful 15-year-old daughter, Kennedi will live out mine as she has plans to attend law school, which I am creating that pathway of success for her! She is my HEARTBeat, and will be the ESQ. in our family!
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