Good Business Tips with the AACC of Wisconsin

Near West Side Partners’ executive director Keith Stanley recently sat down with Kermiath McClendon of the African American Chamber of Commerce. McClendon is the business outreach specialist. Inside the Ambassador Hotel’s lobby, the two had an in depth conversation about good business practices. They hand out tips and general knowledge about how to run a business correctly.

Not mentioned in the video above are a couple points. First, the two talk about staying in your lane. When it comes to your business, do not try to be too ambitious or far reaching. “Stay within the core of your business” says Kermiath McClendon. While it is always good to have ambitious ideas and to be striving for more, it will hurt your business if you try to do tasks that you need a certification for or tasks that you do not know how to do.

Going along with the stay in your lane tip, the two mention unrealistic jobs. If you do not have the capacity for a job or for a project, do not make the agreement. If you do really want to work on the job, then collaborate with another company or with your network. It also is not a bad thing to tell the client that you need to take some time off to research exactly what you need to do, then get back to them. If you make an agreement with someone and do not come through with it, then your reputation will be hurt.

Many of urban business owners also seem to have a mentality of getting over on each other. People believe that the only way to get ahead is to step over other people. We need to change this narrative. Creating relationships will always be more important than destroying them.

Finally, having certifications and licenses will put you ahead of the rest of the crowd. Faking it until you make it will not get you anywhere in this realm of business. These certifications will open more doors for your business, so it will pay off in the end if you decide to take time off from your business to obtain the license.

To contact the African American Chamber of Commerce, you can visit aaccwisconsin.org. To contact Kermiath McClendon directly, you can call (414) 462-9450.