Page 97 - The Magic of Tiny Business
P. 97
Part III Practice Your “How”
He knew what I didn’t know yet: getting access to money
is easier if you have a good credit score and an established
relationship with a banker.
The CEO I hired to get us out of our GRH (Great
Recession hole) was referred to me by someone I’d had
coffee with who was referred to me for a reason I cannot
even remember. When you talk to people about who you
are and what you want to do and how you want to grow,
sometimes they listen.
“
When you build business relationships,
you are building your fan base too.
”
A long time ago, my first and only customs broker for
decades, Guido Zhender,1 gave great advice:
“If you get into trouble or need something, don’t
go silent or drop out. The best thing you can do is
pick up the phone, stay connected, work out a
solution together. Talk to your suppliers. Work
out terms. It will make your relationship
stronger.”
And that’s what we did. While we were struggling to
adjust our business during the recession, so were our part-
ners, suppliers, and customers. Instead of avoiding our
commitments, we called everyone and let them know what
was going on. We prepared for the harder conversations,
having notes on financials to reference if needed. We did
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