Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Craig M. Jamieson, owner of Adaptive Business Services, located in Boise, ID, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My love is training outbound B2B sellers. I offer a mix of old school and new school selling, including how to weave social selling strategies and techniques into the mix. This includes using CRM, and I am a Nimble CRM Solution Partner.
I have also owned and operated a for-profit B2B Networking Group since 2007. At one point, I had three groups. Ultimately, my goal is to see others succeed, and doing so is my greatest reward! Recently, I have been formulating a suite of service offerings for the electric sign industry. This is a natural vertical market for me. If you can, find a vertical market for you and then own it!
Tell us about yourself
I started my B2B sales career in 1977 with a national company. Since 1979, over 90% of my time has been spent in a sales management or ownership capacity, including being a partner in a very successful local electric sign company. In 2006, I made the decision that I no longer wanted to work for someone else, and I also did not want to have anyone working for me. This was a part of my “heading into retirement” plan, and I have been in a state of semi-retirement for the past 10+ years with no current plans for full retirement. I love what I do!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I have a “failure is not an option” mindset. Mind you, I have had my shares of ups and abysmal downs, but all have been learning experiences. You have to be able to adapt and adjust. The trick is to know when to do each.
Still, I have managed to build upon any endeavor, which, for me, means taking the parts that work, discarding the parts that don’t, adding new parts to the formula, and then creating a better offering.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
In the immortal words of Kenny Rogers… “You’ve got to know when to hold them and know when to fold them.” As a rule, I think pretty hard before going in a new business direction. However, there have been times when I have gone against my gut instincts, and almost all of those decisions have been mistakes.
However, you can’t just throw all of that time and money away. What can you do with the bricks from a crummy foundation? Find better bricks and mortar and rebuild from there. I think that you need to have equal parts of persistence and competitiveness in order to achieve any long-term success.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Define what your ideal client looks like. This might include size, title, industry, location, or many other factors. Now focus on these people. This is particularly important with social selling on LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.
- Build a network of power partners. These folks can refer you to the people who have the highest likelihood of needing your services.
- You have to be perceived as being different from your competition. I call it R.U.M. - Remarkable, Unique, and Memorable. Your goal should always be to exceed client expectations. Anything less is unacceptable and could be fatal.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
If you would like to discuss sales training or Nimble CRM, please book a free 30-minute Zoom consultation with me. Just go to this page to do so! You can also visit my website, and you can find the link below!
I have also written two books and published a number of free eBooks. Please ping me at craig@adaptive-business.com to learn more!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://adaptive-business.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/craig.jamieson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CraigMJamieson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigjamieson/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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