Photography: DarkroomFoto
Emerson said, “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.”
We at NSIDE have the great fortune of being around a lot of people who have either made a significant impact in our community or are on their way. We often remind our advertising partners that while we cannot deny the importance of the print ad itself, we also encourage – and in fact, work very hard to provide – opportunities to market one’s products and services outside of the print ad alone.
One absolutely essential way of doing that is through the good, old-fashioned handshake and introduction. These days, we call it networking, and it is just as vital a skill today as it always has been. Every aspiring business owner, community leader, politician or individual seeking to make a difference has to be comfortable with shaking lots of hands and getting to know lots of people.
If it is uncomfortable for new business owners to walk up to a complete stranger at a networking mixer, for instance, introduce themselves and ultimately wind up plugging their new venture, that will have to change.
Emerson’s statement can be applied not only to the person, but also to the goals, hopes and dreams of that person. One has to make a conscious decision to break out of the comfort zone and do what is necessary to advance one’s position.
It may be uncomfortable at first, but growth is not always easy, and every business owner eventually realizes that owning a business is not always as glamorous as it seemed in the dream. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication, and the ability to cultivate the relationships necessary to support one’s growth.
NSIDE recently challenged our readers to push themselves beyond their comfort zone, competing with others in a networking contest at one of our monthly mixers. The challenge was to convey the passion each had for their respective products or services in a room full of professionals all looking to bridge the gap and make their own mark.
The contest winner holds that the key ingredient of her victory was her belief in “the value of people and relationships more than things.”
Sue Patillo, owner of Green Life Interior Plant Design and Maintenance, made an impression on the judges, who remained anonymous to the participants so as to negate any bias on both sides of the equation.
With a motto of “give more than you take wherever you go, and no matter the weather, bring your own sunshine,” Patillo balances her career with a quality personal life by setting realistic and worthwhile goals and minimizing clutter.
Understanding what it takes to succeed as an entrepreneur, Patillo wears many hats in addition to the marketing variety she wore at the networking mixer. She has to juggle sales, design consultation, inventory management, quality control and customer satisfaction, but says, “I enjoy my business because it’s a natural extension of my creativity and personality … and I can dictate my own schedule.”
Ideally, Patillo would like to see Green Life develop into the premier wholesale/retail source for interior plants and exterior/interior plant containers in South Texas.
“I would like to be viewed as a partner, not just a vendor, in helping businesses add value and ambiance to their customer and employee experience.”
She also hopes “to give back to the community by supporting charities … and to use my career experience to inspire others to begin and to succeed in small business.”
Carrying on in the essence of Emerson’s “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be” philosophy, Patillo is moving forward with a clear vision and brimming with confidence.
We wish her the best and trust that Green Life will be as successful as she has already decided it will be.
Green Life Interior Plant Design and Maintenance is located at 20770 Highway 281 N., Ste. 108, San Antonio, Texas 78258. For more information, call 210-274-7138, or send a fax to 210-822-3780.
