Business Secrets from 3 Award Winning Entrepreneurs

NY Report readers and other attendees got a “treat” when three successful business owners from Queens shared their insights in a presentation titled “Secrets of Running a Healthy Business.” The panel was hosted by Aetna, The New York Enterprise Report, 1010 WINS Business Connect, the Queens Chamber of Commerce and the Queens Economic Development Corp. More than 100 small business owners came to hear successful entrepreneurs Stephen P. Levin, Veronica Rose and Lisa Dolan. Rob Levin, editor-in-chief and publisher of NY Report, served as the moderator.

In discussing how to find, retain and motivate new employees, Dolan, who is president of Flushing, N.Y.–based People’s Accident Information Service, Inc. (Securit), a security and investigations firm, said she uses both federal and other online job boards to find new employees. Stephen Levin, president of Long Island City, N.Y.– based Webline Designs, said he finds good people via applications submitted on his company’s Web site and through inexpensive job postings on Craigslist.

Rose, who is president and chief executive officer of Aurora Electric, Inc., a Jamaica, N.Y.–based data communications and electrical installation and maintenance company, noted that her challenge in motivating staff members lies with the union training program, because everyone went through the same class. “I pay a person the same pay and benefits who graduated at the top of the class as the one who graduated at the bottom of the class,” she said. To attract better hires, she offers flex time to meet workers’ needs as well as 100% of all educational costs if they have three years with the union. The latter perk, she noted, has helped with retention, “with 70% telling us they want to work for us again.”

Dolan said that for her two union sites, she leaves it up to the shop steward to motivate the workers. To motivate non-union workers, she has her supervisors consult with them to give them the shifts they want. She said she also “huddles” with her supervisors every Friday to get feedback and discuss ways to motivate employees. Stephen Levin said that keeping your staff motivated and inspired starts with a competitive salary and benefits package. “We look for job candidates with the right personality for our company,” he said. “We try to extend the concept of ‘family business’ to our staff. This includes having lunch with them, going on family outings or even fishing.”

Strategy & Leadership

On the topic of strategy and leadership, Dolan acknowledged that it is hard for her to let go and that her advice is to listen to your employees, because they know what they are doing and will get things done. She also lets her employees see the growth and forecast for the company. Her company also offers classes and management incentives.

Rose, on the other hand, said her greatest challenge is letting her employees do the day-to-day work down in the trenches. “They’ll do it to the best of their ability. It may not be the way I would do it, but they’ll do it nevertheless. I have a business plan that lets me stay focused on the goals of the business. I stay at 30,000 feet and try to convince my employees it’s all a crusade, and they’ll do the best they can do. They get a destination — a feeling of belonging. I do it once a week when I deliver paychecks. I give them their reward and they give me their strategy. I listen and keep my input to three minutes or less.”

Stephen Levin added that when he started his business, he did the early design work. But as the Web grew, he needed graphic artists and moved to a project management role. He also carves out time every day for strategic planning and is involved in The Alternative Board, a peer group, which, he said, helps him focus on strategy. “To some extent, I let my employees make mistakes. You have to give your employees the opportunity to step up and put their best foot forward.”

To read about these entrepreneurs’ sales secrets and toughest challenges click here, or to hear the entire event, go to nyreport.com/aetnaudio.