This past week, the Floridian entrepreneurial community was treated to a wonderful panel at Synapse Converge, Synapse Florida’s 3-day interactive digital conference. The panel discussed the topic of Your Entrepreneurial Toolkit – Starting and Scaling in the New Reality. Andy Hafer (founder of DCE Productions) moderated the discussion featuring Lilian Myers (Executive Director of StarterStudio), Brian Sallee (CEO of Avorit) and Jeff Whalen (STEM Entrepreneur in Residence at Florida State University’s Jim Moran College).
Of paramount focus was the post COVID-19 business reality. The seasoned entrepreneurs turned panelists offered that the proliferation of the virus brought about many concerns in driving growth in enterprises, from supply chain shortages to increased risk aversion in potential customers. But, as Jeff Whalen offered, entrepreneurship effectively involves itself with the same concerns as before: finding pains of potential customers, and finding ways to alleviate those pains.
Brian Sallee pushed a message to encourage start-ups and more established businesses to think critically and reevaluate their message. He pushed firms to know what they are about, know what they can do, and convey their problem-solving capabilities in a clear and concise manner. Lilian Myers encouraged new firms to continue to grow and find companies that love whatever product or service they provide; after all, testimonials are one of the best ways to drive business growth.
One of the core themes of the panel discussion was that, while the new business world presents new limitations and challenges that may not dissipate for a few years, growing your company continues to call for a focus on knowing your sales message, making connections in your local networks, providing quality goods or services, and being open to opportunity when it presents itself.
Brian Sallee, CEO of business growth consulting firm Avorit, stated: “In the current landscape, don’t look in the rear-view mirror, but have your turn-signal on. Just be ready to change lanes as an organization.
