By Wendy Mackie, Advisory Board Chairperson
Starting and running a business requires an immense amount of faith and fortitude.
When I look back at 2022, one of the best pieces of advice I got was to step into a new role on the Polaris MEP Advisory Board. Â Serving as the chair of the Board meant I was able to visit with exceptional manufacturers across the state and see our team in action, partnering on solutions.
A small business owner myself, I find that learning about how others run their businesses and why they are successful is both inspiring and educational. As we embark on this new year, I encourage you to strengthen a relationship with a fellow business owner, learn about their successes and failures and share yours. Networking and mentoring are powerful tools for business development.
I asked our team how they think manufacturers could make 2023 more successful. They delivered some great pieces of advice!
7 Ways Rhode Island Manufacturers Can Make 2023 More Successful
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1. Aarin Clemons, Workforce Manager |
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2. Chris Cinieri, Project Manager |
Your competition has already started asking these questions.
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3. Lindsey Brickle, Senior Workforce Manager |
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4. Nathan Bonds, Project Manager |
Determine if the load is necessary and find out what you need to do to teach yourself or someone else in the organization to carry the load. Consider what will be a result of you doing that on the objective, yourself, others, and production.
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5. Erin Read, Marketing Manager |
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6. Kayla Viveiros, Programs Manager |
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| 7. My advice! | Diversify Your Revenue Streams. Think about how your current products can fit or retrofit into another industry or serve another purpose. Challenge yourself and your team to think outside of the box. |
Hope
In 2023, go beyond 
Communicate more openly with your employees at all levels. Seek feedback proactively – open office hours – and encourage people to chat!
James Clear wrote that “You don’t always get to choose the load, but you can choose how to carry it.”
Put your customer where they belong — at the center of your decision-making. It’s easy to get swept away with marketing ideas that seem cool, but you’ll be on a more solid footing when you to align messaging with a deep understanding of your buyer’s wants and needs.
Learn the concept of multipliers, which can be a game changer. For example, A Bonus Tip: Invest in Your Most Important Asset
Your employees are the power behind your brand, your product and your bottom line. Take advantage of incumbent worker training funds and other resources to keep your team on the cutting edge of new technology or help them to reach their personal professional goals.
Your investment will pay back dividends through increased employee engagement, retention and satisfaction. They will be your best brand – and workforce – ambassadors to fuel continued growth for your company.
YOUR Turn!
I’d love to hear what you think of this advice for the New Year. Will you pursue any of these actions or ideas? How can Polaris MEP’s team help you make a successful start to 2023? Email me with your thoughts!
I look forward to learning more about you and your ideas for a successful 2023.