Terri Alessi-Miceli, President and CEO of HIA-LI, shares insights on the Long Island small business community, which has 100,000 businesses, of which 90% employ fifty or fewer people. Terri emphasizes the importance of seeking mentors, prioritizing customer service, and building strong customer relationships.

She has spent years with Dale Carnegie and discusses the sales role in generating revenue, emphasizing the need for businesses to embrace continuous learning and open-mindedness. Terri also highlights the significance of hiring for attitude and culture fit. She concludes with a discussion on the value of doing what you love and being kind to others in achieving success.

**Takeaways**

☛ Seek out mentors and learn from those who have experience in your industry.
☛ Ignore the naysayers and believe in yourself and your business.
☛ Humility is key in leadership, as well as recognizing that you don't know everything.
☛ Focus on the basics and the simple principles of running a successful business.
☛ Customer service is crucial for building a strong reputation and attracting customers.
☛ Sales is the lifeblood of any business and should not be seen as spammy or pushy.
☛ Developing relationships with customers and treating them well is essential for success.
☛ Businesses need to embrace AI and understand its potential impact on marketing.
☛ Continuous learning and staying open-minded are important in business.
☛ Hiring for attitude and culture fit is crucial for building a strong team.

Connect with Terri on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/terria1/

Connect with Terri on the Web:
https://www.hia-li.org/