Primed for Growth

On April 3, 2008, NY Report hosted the “Strategies for Achieving Double-Digit Growth” event at the CUNY Graduate Center in Manhattan. The event featured a panel discussion with three highly successful business owners whose companies have consistently achieved an enviable level of growth. Lisa Bodell of futurethink, Julie Levi of Progressive Promotions and Crystal McKenzie of Crystal McKenzie, Inc., shared valuable information with a crowd of business owners and decision makers eager to take their business to the next level of profitability.

For Lisa Bodell, much of the success of her consulting group, futurethink, relies on making sure her staff is happy and challenged. She instituted one of her own company’s products — an innovation model — to achieve a great culture within her company. Some of her unique ideas are giving people their birthdays off and leading her staff in “idea treasure hunts,” where each employee is given $10 and 30 minutes to find the most innovative product they can find in a particularly common store (such as Duane Reade). “Make sure you plan [innovative] things and don’t just spend your time on salary and contracts and the regular benefits,” says Bodell. “Add some fun into it.”

Crystal McKenzie emphasized the importance of marketing and how it has helped her branding and strategic marketing firm stand out in a crowded field. She believes in marketing aggressively and consistently to push your brand above your competitors. “Marketing,” she said “is [a company’s] key differentiator.”

Julie Levi’s company, Progressive Promotions, provides branded promotional materials for many large corporations, such as American Express and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. It differentiates itself from the competition by providing a quantifiable value to the promotional material it sells. Instead of a magnet being just a magnet, she shows her clients how a magnet on the refrigerator will be seen an average of 20 times a day in a typical household and how a coffee mug on a desk is year-round advertisement for the company. Another key factor in her sales success has been her passion for her products and her ability to project her passion onto her team. “Passion sells,” she told the crowd. “I urge you to be excited about your products, because that’s contagious.”

To watch videos of the “Strategies for Achieving Double-Digit Growth” panel discussion, visit nyreport.com/stategiesvideo.