One of my favorite parts of the Savannah Small Business Conference was that they got so many great speakers! The round table discussions were chock full of major locally owned businesses.

• Moderator: Bea Wray, Executive Director – The Creative Coast
• Gary Brand, President – Brand Ferland Advisors
• Lori Collins, President – Savannah Coffee Roasters
• Sylvester Formey, President – Vanguard International, LLC
• Ruel Joyner, President – 24e

As the participants introduced themselves, Lori Collins said a phrase that quickly became the motto of the day:

“Savannah punches way above its weight.”

And Sylvester Formey followed that up with another gem:

 “Customers don’t buy what you’re selling. They buy what they need from who they like.”

-Sylvester Formey

 

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Here’s some of the comments and Q and A the team shared during the round table discussions:

Biggest mistakes made in business?

“In general, focus more on creativity. Business owners stick at it, but if it’s not flowing easily, use some creativity.” – Gary Brand

“Too little capital, can’t get where you need to go.” – Sylvester Formey

Sylvester also mentioned one of the biggest mistakes he made in business was he forgot he had a little boy and girl, and spent too much time on the road. “Don’t forget the family.”

How does a small business get funding?

“Small business rearistance – find out what resources are out there and use them.” – Lori Collins

How can small business prepare for emergencies?

“When things go wrong, don’t speak about it. Engage professionals and think about what you say.” – Lori Collins

What are you doing now that you didn’t do in your past?

“Focus on the whole brand, and communicating now in ways we didn’t in the past. Communicate your brand vision. You need a web presence. Soft sell things via video. People want content, they want to be educated. Build your brand/army that way.” – Ruel Joyner

How do you combat big box stores?

“Small is the new big. Being nimble & customer service is how you can battle em all day. As a small business, you can throw things on the wall to see what sticks.” –Ruel Joyner

“Focus on what you can do and what’s your point of difference. If the local area supports the local business, we’re better off.” – Lori Collins

Tips for service providers on how to find clients

“Work on your process. What do you use to keep promises to clients?” – Gary Brand

How can small business get to big corporations for procurement?

“Look into the Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council” – Sylvester Formey

“Ask What can I do for you? When you put your hand out and help folks, they’ll find you.” – Ruel Joyner

Parting Encouragement from the Round Table Discussions

“Less hours and hard work, more creativity.” – Gary Brand

“Shop downtown.” – Ruel Joyner

“Life’s too short for bad coffee. Start with your why, know your why.” – Lori Collins

“Act dyslexic. When they say no, you tell them it means IT’S ON.” – Sylvester Formey

Don’t miss my other notes from this conference!

Savannah Small Business Conference 2013: Growing Your Business

Savannah Small Business Conference 2013: Keynote Speaker Address