This article was initially published in Smart Business.
The only thing that is constant is change. Over the years, I’ve learned, in times of change, a company can thrive if the team remains true to its strengths and values, while staying open to new ideas and adapting as needed.
Because we embrace this philosophy at Dismas, we’ve evolved and grown as our clients’ needs and businesses change.
Hold true to culture and core values
Especially in times of change, commitment to the organization’s core values and a strong culture should always be a top priority.
Over the years, we’ve changed as a company. Some of these changes included enhancing our technology, advancing our capabilities in sewing and e-commerce, relocating, as well as increasing our staff. Despite the way we’ve evolved, we never change or compromise our culture or core values. We stay transparent and remain open to new and better ways of doing things. Most of all, we communicate early and often to the team.
Maintain a flexible mindset
Staying open to new ideas is crucial. At Dismas, we’re very clear about our niche and core strengths, but we always look for opportunities to adapt our services and capabilities to best meet client needs. We have deliberately innovated our internal processes and technology and even changed our facility to support our clients.
A few years ago, as e-commerce growth began to accelerate, we responded to our clients’ need to partner in the face of such a dramatic rise. We took steps to find a new location that gave us the flexibility to take on new and different types of projects. As a result, we solved a problem for our clients and strengthened those relationships, which was very beneficial for Dismas.
Understand your clients and build strong relationships
In my experience, if you take care of both your external and internal customers, the business will thrive.
I’m very intentional about listening to our clients, learning from them and helping them to solve their problems. The same is true for our employees. The trust and relationships Dismas has built as a result are invaluable.
Stay connected to the outside
As a small business owner, it’s easy to get caught up in your daily roles and responsibilities. I take the time to look outside my business, however, to understand the trends and changes in the markets we serve.
At Dismas, we learn by attending events, staying connected to social media, and communicating with clients, potential clients, and partners. We’re fortunate to work with some of the most progressive brands in the world. The more I interact with others outside of Dismas, the more I understand our clients’ goals and trends, which helps us continue to evolve our services.
Leading a business through times of change presents many challenges. However, by staying true to your strengths, core values, and your customers, while also taking the time to look up and out and remain open to new ideas, you’ll not only survive these times, you’ll thrive.
Bob Parsons is the managing partner and CEO at Dismas Distribution Services, a third-party value-added service provider that serves some of the world’s leading retail brands. Bob was recognized as a Smart 50 honoree in 2017 and, under his leadership, Dismas was named one of the 50 fastest growing companies in Central Ohio in 2015 and 2016.