Workplace Challenges
Trust your decisionsYou can't go wrong in business by helping other businesses to make more money. "We are dedicated to seeing our clients grow and consider them to be more like partners," entrepreneur Carissa Reiniger says. ROGER PIERCE -- www.bizlaunch.ca |
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 [ 2006-10-18 ] |
Reiniger is the founder and president of Silver Lining Ltd. (www.silverlining.ws), a business development company focusing on small to medium-sized enterprises.
Silver Lining works with small businesses to develop a "personalized silver lining plan," which includes setting clear one-year marketing goals and double-checking to make sure the business is targeting the right market. Then, the company employs innovative communications strategies to reach those goals, including tactics such as re-branding, direct mail or referral campaigns.
"We create a measurable action plan, implement marketing activities and provide weekly progress reports to our clients," Reiniger says. "Our system is designed to let the client return to what they do best -- running their business."
Reiniger saw an opportunity to help small businesses while working for a big one.
"I was working at a global advertising agency and got really interested in the fact that small businesses do not have the same resources as large corporations," she recalls. "I wanted to create a business that helps small businesses to reach their growth goals."
Silver Lining was incorporated in September 2003 and has grown to include offices in Toronto and Edmonton. It has plans to open a third office in Las Vegas in September and a fourth in Vancouver next year.
Along her path to success, Reiniger says she's learned some valuable lessons. "Never take the easy way out," she says. "All of the hard work you put into your business does get rewarded, just not as quickly as you want."
She also advises startups to focus. "By focusing on a certain service, product or target market, you'll become an expert in that area and, ironically, your business will grow quicker.
"You've also got to learn to trust yourself and to believe in the decisions you make along the way," she adds.
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