In the spring of 2020, I was on the frontlines of the battle fought by small businesses worldwide. I am the owner of a small business that serves small businesses. Here are a few excerpts from my writings over the last few months. I hope they will provide the knowledge that we are all in this together, a few insights on how to continue forging forward and the reassurance that we will indeed persevere.

I started my company in my guest bedroom 13 years ago from one idea: put people first, and the rest will follow. From the time I hired my first employees, I have put the team first. When we are well, we have the energy to be good as gold to our clients and our clients stick with us. When we put people before projects, we all have a more positive experience, build lasting working relationships and, I believe, produce better marketing outcomes. The philosophy served us well from day one, and especially now as we serve clients through this crisis.

Sales is generally thought of as a job function, yet it’s really a human function. At its core, the art of sales is about connecting with people. The book Sales EQ reminds us that sales is the simple act of transferring emotion from one person to the other. The education system may still miss the mark on formally teaching sales, yet more and more we are seeing schools teach children about emotional intelligence.

You don't have to retire early. You don't have to hold a prestigious position. And if your work-life balance feels off, there's a good chance your family is understanding of the pressures you're facing.