Debra Schindler-Boultinghouse, President

Have you ever had one of those seasons in the life of your business when things seem to be just a little stale? Not bad, per se, just not as fresh as you remember in years, or even decades, past. That’s how I felt last spring. Genesis was humming along. We’d just had a very successful 2011 – selling record numbers of VoIP phone systems, with promising increases in video conferencing sales. But I could tell Genesis needed an energy boost.

Last summer, I got the opportunity to take part in a Goldman Sachs Small Business Program, being held in twenty cities across the U.S., including Houston. It was an incredible program, with a goal of building entrepreneurs’ strategic abilities, skills, and contacts, and ultimately bolstering America’s economy from the ground up.

The program material was provided by Babson College, a Boston entrepreneurial college, as well as Harvard. HCC provided the faculty, organizational efforts, location, and multiple related programs. The classes have about 20 per class and there was much role play, active listening, studying, forecasting, planning, dreaming, writing, and completing a business opportunity plan as your final project. We were in class over 100 hours in that time frame and it was a stretch to get it all done and done well. But you know how stretching your mind and ideas creates something better than was before. That is how I feel.

It was a great three months, as I was able to work on my business more, which helped me to be more effective as I work in my business. What a refreshing pleasure, too, to take a small step back from the day-to-day operations in order to get to focus on strategy.

The program was both refreshing and energizing. It empowered me to take Genesis into new industries, and hire staff more strategically. I’ve always been one to work long hours and I still am but there is new energy and a shared direction that makes the efforts of this experience valid. We are revitalizing and I am glad I took that step.

Boiled down, what I’ve learned is that working on your business, not just in your business, is vital for each entrepreneur, their employees, and their company’s vitality and success.

I’ll keep you posted on exciting things we’ve got coming in 2013!

-By Debra Schindler-Boultinghouse