By: Jill Draper – President, Marketsmith Inc.
Marketsmith recently returned from an informative and inspirational experience at this year’s Women Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) National Conference and Business Fair at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
As a nationally certified WBENC, and WPEO NY organization, we strive to be inclusive and diverse. Our employee base is 54% women, 34% millennial, and 25% minority – with 75% of our executive team and 80% of our board members made up of women. To attend this conference with individuals and organizations that not only believe in, but actively support the expansion of women’s business opportunities in the marketplace, we realize that if one succeeds, we all succeed.
Over the course of three days, we immersed ourselves in robust programming that included presentations from industry thought leaders, engaging panel discussions, networking receptions, one-on-one Matchmaker sessions, and a notable business fair. One particularly memorable moment came during the closing remarks of the conference. Scholar, author, and entrepreneur Dr. Randal Pinkett offered his own interpretation of success, specifically how the definition may not fully encompass everything that we as women business enterprises undertake on a daily basis.
“I define success as doing something for yourself. I define greatness as doing something for someone else.”
Is it more important for organizations to be successful, or great? We often look at these terms as interchangeable – that success will lead to greatness, or vice versa. But what if we took a step back and considered the work we as WBE’s do? We foster and promote diversity. We look for continuous growth and sustainability. We encourage engagement and innovation. We push the needle forward by facilitating business opportunities that may not typically be available to smaller, female owned and operated businesses. But most importantly, we support each other.
At Marketsmith, our foundation was built on the idea that “we do great work, so we can do good things.” That great work comes across in many ways – whether for our clients, our communities, or ourselves. We are a culture of individuals that believes our role in the world is to create opportunities that allow for greatness. We aim to raise the bar higher in every aspect of the work we do, not just for ourselves or our clients, but for those around us.
This collective greatness is demonstrated across a wide array of efforts at Marketsmith. Jules, the revolutionary new development in predictive marketing and media analytics from our proprietary i.Predictus platform, can forecast future sales with 93% accuracy – providing our clients with the greatest optimum return on their investment. With our Bring Dinner Home initiative, we supply impoverished children and families of Camden Street School in Newark with food, clothing, diapers, books, a STEAM room, and access to on-site family facilities – ensuring that local communities have resources available to thrive and excel. Our Employee Action Committee equips employees with what they need to live their best lives – whether through fitness programs, educational courses, or growth opportunities. And our commitment to programs such as the WBENC and WPEO ensure that barriers for WBE businesses will be broken and progress will continue to be made.
Our success as a company is driven by the desire to achieve greatness in everything we do.
As I reflect on my experience at the WBENC National Conference, I am left feeling engaged, and most importantly, inspired by the work that has been done and will continue to be done on behalf of WBE’s. By joining forces, we will succeed and thrive together in the world of commerce. And through continued support and encouragement, we will turn our individual success into collective greatness.
To learn more about Dr. Randal Pinkett, visit his website at www.randalpinkett.com.