Eddie Hill Consulting Group

04/09/2022

“Leadership Promises for Every Day” - “On the Rosters of Every Team”

There are anywhere from 22 to 25 players on a baseball team roster, 9 of which are starters; There are anywhere from 53 (and sometime more on a college team) players on a football team roster, 11 offensive and 11defensive players of which are starters; and There are anywhere from 12 to 15 players on a basketball team roster, 5 of which are starters. But there’s many more who help backup or help control the outcome of the game. There are the owners, backroom staff, managers, the coach and coaches, the assistance, and medical staff. You get the picture.

This is what is meant by the statement from the “Leadership Promises for Every Day” and its Author John Maxwell, “on the rosters of every sports team, the starters are far outnumbered by the other players.” He states, “there’s a team of people working quietly in the background of every successful story.

Have you ever thought about what it takes to produce a movie, a television show, build a building, run a state, run a country, shoot a rocket into space, run a church, run a successful business or company, and so many other examples? Maxwell states, “No one does anything worthwhile alone.”

I can thank God for my career as a corporate employee that held a great amount of responsibility; nothing was possible without the people who were on my staff, my executive management that supported me, and so many of the suppliers I was able to assist with the help of God. I was able to run a successful business that was prosperous. Today I still have this company, even though I faced many challenges, personal and financial.

But even more important was what God provided me with before all of this began: a loving mother and father, great grandparents full of knowledge and wisdom, a brother and sister, loving aunts, uncles, cousins, pastors, teachers, friends; but even greater, a loving wife and children.

All these elements work together for who I am today. Roman 8:28 states, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose”. For His purpose we will face many challenges, some will be good and some not so good; but they will all work together to define who we are.

Max Lucado states, “No one can do everything, but everyone can do something”. What really bothers me is to see all the talent God has instilled in each of us and we walk around with a defeated attitude; not taking advantage of “the God give talents” we each have. What even a greater shame is to deny people an opportunity to use them, there is no greater sin. 1 John 4:20 states, “If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. Denying anyone to have a fair and equitable opportunity goes against the “Will of God”; yet we see this played out every day. If we would only practice what is already written, we could solve word hunger, create more jobs (better paying jobs), redistribution of wealth, and build better communities and cities.

Lawrence Mbogoni, an African studies professor, wrote: "Proverb or not, 'It takes a whole village to raise a child' reflects a social reality some of us who grew up in rural areas of Africa can easily relate to”. I believe the same is true for raising a good man and woman. The same applies to a “Team” as pointed out by John Maxwell, “there’s a team of people working quietly in the background of every success story”.

What is a Team? A team is a group of individuals who work together to produce products or deliver services for which they are mutually accountable. Team members share goals and are mutually held accountable for meeting them, they are interdependent in their accomplishment, and they affect the results through their interactions with one another.

When we think of being a good leader, we often think we need to be a bold, visionary, risk-taking type of person. As a good leader, we are always searching for a good team. It’s like the note states in the letter from Maxwell, “If you’re not one of them, we’re always looking for more players to get in the game.

11/24/2020

$200 MILLION GRANT OPENS TODAY FOR COVID-AFFECTED BUSINESSES Governor Kay Ivey announced Revive Plus, a $200 million grant program designed to support small businesses, nonprofits and faith-based organizations across Alabama that have been impacted by COVID-19. The application opens at noon on Monday, November 23. Learn more here.

The Birmingham Business Alliance staff stands ready to help you with this application as needed. Please click here to reach out to anyone on the BBA’s COVID-19 Business Response Team.

11/19/2020

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Eddie Hill Consulting Group, LLC has expanded it services to place Diversity, Equity & Inclusion under our umbrella of Business Development. Our efforts will be to work with organizations, corporations, municipalities on training executives and employees about the importance of hiring and utilizing diverse suppliers.
We will look at Diversity from a 360-degree view. I have found that “It is easy to say you are committed and do nothing; it is hard to really be committed and do something” – Eddie Hill
Achieving even the simplest of goals requires us to learn the meaning of commitment. Throughout our life, we are reminded of commitment, whether it’s related to personal or business goals, and we realize that without committing, we can’t achieve anything.
My associates and I hope we can make a difference in having the “hard conversations that it seems no one wants to have”. This will be a part of every session we have. It will be how we will help make a difference.
Eddie Hill, Jr., President & CEO - Eddie Hill Consulting Group, LLC

06/18/2020

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/18/facebook-commits-200-million-to-black-owned-businesses-and-organizations.html

Facebook on Thursday announced it will commit $200 million to Black-owned businesses and organizations.

05/06/2020

What is the best business to start during and after the Coronavirus outbreak?
Tough economic times often bring about innovation. What new business opportunities are available during the Coronavirus outbreak? What about after it ends? What opportunities have you seen or heard about?

This is a great question. When so many small businesses are wondering if their business will survive this Pandemic.
As a business consultant, business coach and business development manager, I have received a slew of calls from concern businesses and clients. I was interview on a pod cast earlier this week and this same question came up. I explained that this Pandemic will be devastating to small businesses, if the government is not willing to ensure that the PPP reaches these businesses and particularly the undeserved business such as minority owned businesses. The other redeeming grace would be for corporate and government procuring and contracting agencies to ensure that they include these businesses in the revitalization efforts that are already being implemented and planned.
I have advised my associates and clients to look where the need is right now. If they can re-adjust their businesses to supply products and services that are desperately needed, this would be a good start in bringing in income. I advised them to dig deep into their skill sets and reshape the busy based on their expertise.
We all have been dealt a sour lemon; let's take it and make lemonade. We all know when larger businesses are on oxygen, we as small and especially minority owned businesses are on life-support. The sad part of all of this is that we as citizens of the U.S. have received a terrible blow of loss of life as have the world. We must pick ourselves up and use the God given talents that God has given each of us.
I have talked with several businesses that are in deep depression. Now is the time to rely on the Spiritual Being in our lives, regardless of your religious belief. Faith and Trust is where we need to be currently. Having a deep belief that we can overcome this. God has brought us though catastrophe after catastrophe; and he will do it with this Pandemic.
The other advice for small businesses is to pool their resources. Working together to overcome this Pandemic will be essential. We all have various talents and skills; coming together now would be one of the best things we can do as a survival tool.
It has to first start trough communication with one another. We must use social medial and the mediums that exist such as Zoom and Skype since we are not able to have face-to-face meetings at this time. We must use the availability of email, our phones, and U.S. Mail to keep in close communication with associates and clients. We must constantly look for new opportunities.
I believe if we practice these areas of good business practices, we will survive and be even better in the upcoming year.
I especially appeal to my minority business associates. to take heart in what I am saying and build support around one another. Wherever you can be help, please do so.
Eddie Hill, Eddie Hill Consulting Group, LLC

07/10/2019

The Difference Between Sales and Business Development
Business development entails tasks and processes to develop and implement growth opportunities within and between organizations. ... Business development is the creation of long-term value for an organization from customers, markets, and relationships.
Almost daily, I run into the misconception that the function of sales and business development are interchangeable, from co-workers to industry peers. This stems primarily, I believe, from the shift in titles of salespeople to business development -- which has been done in an effort to avoid the negative connotation that surrounds it. In reality, the two are very different.
When you think about the function of business development, it should be thought of as a marketing function. Yes, there are some soft sales skills (qualification, negotiation, etc.) that are necessary to become a good business development professional, but at the end of the day, it's a marketing function.
If you were to think about it on a sliding scale between a pure function of sales or marketing, it would wind up somewhere around here.
The reason behind this, is that typical goals of business development include brand placement, market expansion, new user acquisition, and awareness -- all of which are shared goals of marketing. The slight slide towards sales is simply because of the tactics business development employs to achieve those goals.

Simply stated, the function of sales is to sell directly to the end customer. The function of business development is to work through partners to sell to the end customer, in a scalable way.
That last part is key.
Scalability is the differentiator. It allows a company to use pre-existing sales teams or communities that a partner has developed to reach new audiences. Sales is very much an equation of capacity, which is why sales teams tend to grow so large. Business development teams, on the other hand, are typically very small, maintaining their small size by working through existing partner infrastructures. The art of business development comes in identifying partners that fit that description, while finding a way to provide value to the partner's end customer and business.
You can see this relationship in a few of the examples I laid out in a previous post on the role of business development at a startup.
Now, all of this isn't meant to de-value the function of sales. Truth be told, I really respect good salespeople. It's an extremely difficult career, one with constant denial and pressure to succeed. Sales is hard and should be respected when it's done at a high level.
But the two are very different, despite their apparent overlap.

11/05/2018

Tomorrow You Can Make a Difference! Get Out and Vote!
“Every American citizen must have an equal right to vote. There is no reason which can excuse the denial of that right. There is no duty which weighs more heavily on us than the duty we have to ensure that right. … It is wrong—deadly wrong—to deny any of your fellow Americans the right to vote in this country. There is no issue of states rights or national rights. There is only the struggle for human rights.” —President Lyndon B. Johnson, from The Voting Rights Act Address

11/01/2018

Get Out On Tuesday, November 6th and Vote!

I believe in Liberty for all men: the space to stretch their arms and their souls, the right to breathe and the right to vote, the freedom to choose their friends, enjoy the sunshine, and ride on the railroads, uncursed by color; thinking, dreaming, working as they will in a kingdom of beauty and love.

W. E. B. Du Bois

People died that we might have this right!

04/13/2018

8 ideas to help you grow your customer base:
1. When it comes to your pitch, get out of your comfort zone
If you’re having trouble expanding your customer base, you may be inadvertently narrowing your focus—and with that, missing the mark with potential new customers
2. Leverage your existing network
Your existing network may be the best place to reach out to, as their good word of mouth will help grow your customer base.
3. Build a “relationship map”
Leading and Finding the Niche and building a “relationship map,” which will match your strongest relationships with the areas where there is the greatest need for your product or service.
4. Continue expanding your network
While relying on your existing network to expand your customer base is great, you may eventually wind up out of new leads. When you find yourself in this situation, you may need to look to expanding your network.
5. Speak at an event or host an industry gathering
You have plenty of expertise in your field—why not get involved in the community? By sharing your experience and getting involved in your industry at a local level, you’ll have the opportunity to grow your connections, as well as your reputation as a thought leader in your industry.
6. Add calls to action
On a smaller, more immediately actionable level, there are plenty of strategies you can take with your marketing that can potentially draw in new customers. Add a call to action for every piece of marketing you send out—whether that be an Instagram post, a weekly newsletter, or one of your offline marketing strategies.
7. Try offering free trials to new customers
Another practical tactic to acquiring new customers? Offer them a free trial of your product. “Free trials are a great way to market, since they attract new customers and garner good reviews and testimonials”.
8. Provide your service for free in exchange for a case study or in-depth testimonial
If you are a service-based business, offering your service for free, in exchange for the client serving as a “case study” or providing a detailed account of the benefits of your service can be a great way to get new clients.

04/09/2018

Mark Cartwright

Supplier Diversity leader at Virginia Tech. The views expressed are my own & do not reflect the views of my employer.

If your boss is still asking about the “business case” for diversity, your company’s in trouble

"...anyone who questions the “business case” for D&I is likely not ready to commit to the hard work required to cultivate a diverse and inclusive workplace. I can project, with a degree of certainty, we’ll spend countless hours revising the proposal and proving the business case using the most compelling evidence, only to be left hanging while they “finalize their company priorities.”

03/20/2018

5 Trends that Will Impact Small Businesses in 2018 and Beyond

By Alex Chriss

Chief product officer, Small Business Group at Intuit
For many entrepreneurial individuals, the change of the calendar year presents the helpful push needed to launch a new business. If you're thinking about starting a small business in 2018, you aren't alone. In fact, an estimated 42 million small businesses will be in operation in the U.S. by 2026.
As you formulate a plan, it's important to keep tabs on the macro trends that could impact your new business. Here are five major trends that I believe will have the biggest impact on the small business landscape in 2018 - and beyond.
1. Artificial Intelligence is a Friend, not a Foe
While previously viewed as territory best left to the tech titans with vast amounts of customer data, artificial intelligence (AI) is now accessible to even the smallest of businesses through third-party tools. In 2018, more small business owners will embrace AI as an important competitive tool, using it to automate mundane administrative tasks, unlock customer insights, and much more.
Opinions are already looking up: A new study prepared by my company, Intuit, and Emergent Research found that half of small business owners are enthusiastic about automation technology, and of those, 87 percent believe it will have a positive impact on their business over the next five years.
As you develop your business plan, consider not only how to incorporate third-party tools into your business strategy, but also how to market your business in an AI-driven world.
2. Fluid Workforces on the Rise
The rapid rise of the contingent workforce of freelancers and other on-demand talent is making a big splash in the small business world. Increasingly, small business owners are turning to on-demand workers instead of hiring full-time employees to handle project needs because of the incredible flexibility it affords. Businesses can easily scale up or down based on demand. Moreover, a variety of tech tools and platforms has made finding and hiring these workers painlessly simple.
Today, 42 percent of employer small businesses already use contract workers, and you can expect this number rise in 2018. If you're interested in scaling your business with fluid workers, browse a variety of talent marketplaces like UpWork and Wonolo to find the right platform for your business needs.
3. Niche Markets Rule
Consumer interests and appetites have long been marching away from the mainstream and directly into fine-tuned niche markets. Millennials in particular, with $200 billion in annual buying power, are passionate about their niche brands, driving the growth of things like microbrew beer and artisan coffee over the big names that have dominated for decades.
In 2018, small businesses will continue to find themselves uniquely positioned to take advantage of these specialty markets. With lower operating costs, access to internet tools like Amazon and Etsy's marketplaces, and deep customer knowledge, small business owners will find it much easier than their big business rivals to serve niche markets. The key: Identify your niche, and hone it with precision.
4. Digital Payments
Our transition to becoming a cashless society has been underway for decades, with smartphone-based payment systems only hastening the trend that started with credit cards in the 1960s. There's no slowing down: from 2012 to 2015, the number of non-cash payments increased at an annual rate of 5.3 percent.
Going cashless is great for small business. It streamlines bookkeeping, creates a safer business environment, and gives customers more payment options. It's how customers want to pay. Fortunately, cashless payments are getting easier. From Apple Pay to Square to QuickBooks GoPayment, you now have a plethora of options if you want to explore digital transactions. And you should: Come 2018, more customers than ever will expect digital payment options from businesses of all sizes.
5. An Increase in Crisis Preparation
From Hurricane Harvey, to the California wildfires, the natural disasters of 2017 have been a wake-up call to many who were unprepared for Mother Nature's wrath. An estimated 25 percent of businesses never reopen again after a major disaster, and more than half of small business owners say they aren't prepared for the data loss associated with a disaster.
I believe this heightened awareness will encourage more small business owners to prioritize crisis preparation in 2018. To get started, check out The Small Business Administration's disaster checklists and tips - an essential toolkit for diligent small business owners as they prepare for the worst in the year ahead.
Looking Ahead
Some business trends may be loose and ephemeral, but these five are here for the long haul, and are sure to have a significant impact on your business in 2018. Don't wait for the need to arise - start shaping your own unique strategies around them today, and you'll be sure to beat your competition to the punch.

03/20/2018

Whether needed for growth or startup business funding, here are the top 10 small and minority business grant programs available:





1. The FedEx Small Business Grant Contest is a nationwide competition that will award $50,000 in total to six deserving U.S-based entrepreneurs and business owners. Go to www.businessgrants.org/opportunities/fedex_small_business_grant_contest.html



2. The National Association for the Self Employed (NASE) Growth Grants Program allows business owners to apply for financing a particular small business need. Past recipients used funds to purchase computers, hire part-time help, and create marketing materials. Visit www.businessgrants.org/opportunities/national_association_self_employed_nase_business_grants.html



3. The Dare to Dream Grant Program encourages students to move through the business creation process by offering business development seminars and up to $10,000 in funding. Learn more at www.businessgrants.org/opportunities/dare_to_dream_grant_program.html



4. The Miller Lite Tap the Future Business Plan Competition (formerly known as the MillerCoors Urban Entrepreneur Series) is an annual competition for minority business owners sponsored by Miller Lite. Designed to economically empower minority businesses, the program continues to invest in entrepreneurial dreams to empower urban communities. Learn more at MLTaptheFuture.com



5. The Small Business Administration (SBA) administers several competitive business grant programs, ensuring that the nation’s small, high-tech, innovative businesses are a significant part of the federal government’s research and development efforts. Check out www.businessgrants.org/opportunities/sbir_small_business_research_innovation_grants.html



6. The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) organizes various angel investors with the primary objective of supporting minority businesses with mezzanine and second round financing. Learn more at www.businessgrants.org/opportunities/minority_business_development_agency_mbda_business_grants.html



7. The Rural Business Enterprise Grants (RBEG) Program provides grants to finance the development of small and emerging businesses in rural areas. The funds can be used for land acquisition, construction, renovation, technical assistance, project planning, and more. Visit www.businessgrants.org/opportunities/rural_business_enterprise_grants_rbeg_program.html



8. The Huggies MomInspired Grant Program awards grants and business resources to moms to further the development of original product ideas and startup businesses. Learn more at www.businessgrants.org/opportunities/huggies_mom_inspired_grant_program.html



9. The DOT Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program is intended to ensure nondiscrimination in the award and administration of DOT-assisted contracts in the Department’s highway, transit, airport, and highway safety financial assistance programs. Learn more at www.businessgrants.org/opportunities/dot_disadvantaged_business_enterprise_program.html



10. The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program provides grant funding to small businesses to engage in biomedical or behavioral research/development that leads to a potential for commercialization. Go to www.businessgrants.org/opportunities/sbir_small_business_research_innovation_grants.html

The FedEx Small Business Grant Contest is a nationwide competition that will award $50,000 in total to six deserving U.S-based entrepreneurs and business owners.