How to Stay Resilient When Obstacles Hit
By Nina Kaufman, Esq.
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Building a business that’s resilient and has “legs” means it can withstand the storms that come. In Sonia Clayton’s case, literally–as she started her multi-million-dollar business intelligence and training company just after Tropical Storm Allison hit Texas in 2001. And then 9/11 hit … everybody. And a few years later, like a one-two punch, she was hit with a cancer diagnosis. Not to mention the “normal” challenges of starting and growing a business … in an industry that isn’t exactly known for welcoming women.
Does your business have “legs”? How can you stay resilient when it feels like you’re always on the losing end of a boxing match? Tune into this episode of Business Breakthrough, where seasoned entrepreneur Sonia Clayton shares her secrets for mental toughness while building a team, giving back, and keeping the faith.
How to Stay Resilient When Obstacles Hit…
- Share your intellectual wealth. Build and hire a team you trust, with members who have unique skills and talents. That way, you can rely on the strengths of your employees, while giving yourself the space to focus on your own. You can’t–and won’t want to–do everything yourself.
- Use philanthropy to transform your business. Yes, it can be good for marketing. But it also instills a sense of purpose and pride in your employees that invigorates their work. Explore the opportunities to find a mission that’s bigger than you, bigger than money, and bigger than your company.
- Find gratitude in the little things. The employee who pulled the extra hours, the grandparent who funded a loan, even the person who held the door for you. To withstand the storms, you can’t be driven every single moment in pursuit of that final paycheck–it’ll wear you down. Accept support. Take a moment to look for the goodness in others. And when you can’t see it …
- Pull out your shiny suit of armor. When an obstacle stares you in the face, you don’t have to run cowering in the closet. Stand your ground. Marshal the resources of your team. Look for other ways around. Show the world what you’re capable of.
Sonia Clayton is a firecracker and did not hold back. Make sure you block out time to listen to this episode of Business Breakthrough.
Sonia Clayton was born in Colombia during the violence of the Narco-Guerilla period. Eventually, she moved to Venezuela with her family, seeking refuge from the Colombian violence, where she grew up in poverty. She studied Business Administration and arrived in the USA in November of 1984, unable to speak English and with $50 in her pocket.
Now, she is the president and CEO of Virtual Intelligence Providers, LLC (VIP-Global), which has contributed over $45M to the U.S. economy since inception. The firm specializes in Solutions Architecture for ERP (SAP & Oracle) Implementations Support, SAP/ Oracle Training, Staff Augmentation, Project Management, Change Management / Communications, e-Learning, Technical Writing, Documentation, Translations, Localizations and End-User Training.
Sonia is also a philanthropist and the recipient of over 20 awards and recognitions, which include White House and State acknowledgements. Sonia is today “The Oracle of The Hispanic Business Women in America,” as quoted by US congressmen and senators while being recognized for establishing an IT practice in the traditionally, white-male, dominated technology world of ERP Systems within the Oil and Gas Industry. A 6 year cancer survivor, Sonia has visited and conducted business in over 60 countries and is fluent in 4 different languages. She is also a proud advocate for our men and women serving and who have served in the U.S. Military.
FAVORITE QUOTE:
“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.” Albert Pike
INTERVIEW LINKS:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniaclayton
https://www.facebook.com/sonia.clayton.9
https://plus.google.com/u/0/101954303674039825148/posts
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