Ramon Ray

Calm down.

Do it tomorrow.

You know, Hala, I think that we know the large brands, take your pick, a famous car company, coffee shop company somewhere, whatever it is, the brands that, and I don't mean this disrespectfully, we don't really care who the founders were.

We go get our transactional item from them in some way.

But I find that for the smaller business owner, Ramon included,

Our smile, our handshake, how we show up, how we sound, it was Southern accent, Northern accent, all those things, it goes towards our brand.

And as I said before, right, our relationships.

So I'm a firm believer, I think, for the smaller business that your biggest weapon, your competitive advantage, it very well could be you because relationships.

Now, when you're growing a $20 million business, $10 million business doesn't mean that that doesn't matter, but it's a different game you're playing.

If you wish to be on big stages, making big impact, are you really good on stage?

Honest with yourself, not your mama said it, but are you really good on stage?

Number two, is that really good on stage, validated by the audience and by your clients, by your sponsors, others calling you back?

Number three, videotape yourself.

Watch yourself on stage.

You may cringe a few times.

Number four, if you're really good at it, I would suggest people do the power of self-promotion.

And I know you know this well.

Take now the good videos, you know, edit them a bit, showcase them out.

So I can go on in this, but I'll pause a bit.

But I think that between being very good at it, self-promoting yourself, there are people in your circle who are going to say, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock.