With a mission to provide opportunities for the most challenged populations, Merry Korn built Pearl Interactive Network. And now, she shares her motivation and success story as a clinical social worker turned businesswoman.

BACKGROUND

Merry Korn is an experienced clinical social worker with over 30 years of experience and a bachelor’s degree of Applied Science and master’s degree in clinical social work from Ohio State University.

She had once worked in the Wellness Systems and then moved to American Health Holding, Inc which is a single-source provider of medical management services.

After working for more than 20 years, Merry Korn  founded Pearl Interactive Network, a social enterprise that has a mission to provide job opportunities for the most challenged populations while also earning profits out of their comprehensive contact center services and end-to-end telehealth solution.

ABOUT PEARL INTERACTIVE NETWORK

1. SERVICES

The company is primarily providing services to both commercial and federal marketplace when organizations don’t have the necessary resources to do an activity within their internal management.

Their core competency is contact center services and under that main umbrella are  providing help desk, inbound and outbound call center, and administrative services.

Then, they also provide innovative telehealth solutions through Pearl TLC. They provide vital signs and chronic conditions monitoring via smart phones or through their own technology, a 24/7 call center services managed by nurses and support care coordinators, transportation, and in-house support from social workers, nurses, and others.

2. GOAL

Apart from this, one of the main things that Korn also highlighted is the fact that a huge portion of their employees are from the most challenged populations including skilled and talented military spouses, disabled veterans, people living in economically challenged areas, and people with disabilities. 

“I’m a clinical social worker that loves business and very early on I learned that you can absolutely marry a business and a for-profit mission. So we are considered a social enterprise, because from day one till now, our hiring priority is always populations with challenges to work.”

LEARNINGS IN NAVIGATING THE FEDERAL ARENA

As Pearl Interactive Network grew, they decided to venture into the federal marketplace but the transition was not easy.

“There’s such a huge investment in this federal infrastructure that it actually makes sense because it’s… just once you figure it out and you become an expert, there’s a lot of reasons just to stay focused on the federal.”

1. CREATE A VISION

One thing that she learned is that there are different paths for different people. What might work for the others might not work for them. So, she made her vision intact and worked hard to make their goals and direction together. 

“I think success is a combination. Yes. Hard work is a big part of it. And then I think hard work, great team and luck. But it all starts with a vision. And I always had a vision of having a very large company, always.” 

2. UPHOLD INTEGRITY

You need to operate with a level of integrity because once you do anything wrong, it will make a mark out of your paper. 

“It’s such a small world and if you do anything wrong, that whisper turns into a yell. You have to be so impeccable with everything you do, the service you deliver, the quality of what you do and how you engage with people. And I like that. I like being a part of industry that for the most part, integrity is critical.” 

ADVICE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

She wanted women in the business industry to become politically active and to get involved regardless of where they are located. There are tons of opportunities that are being provided for women-owned businesses and she wants them to get involved and pay back to the community. 

Then, she also advised businesses to prepare for opportunities and be very strategic about their processes. Trace opportunities that have deadlines year prior. Go to networking events and meetings. Most importantly:

“Take a realistic assessment of who you are and who your team is and as much as possible try to outsource your weaknesses.”

RESOURCES

If you want to watch the full video of the interview with Merry Korn as she shares her motivation and success story as a clinical social worker turned businesswoman, then be sure to click the links below:

From Social Worker to 1,000 employee firm w/ Merry Korn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1BiJc9zPD8&t=1853s

036: Merry Korn – From Social Worker to Experienced Businesswoman

https://govcongiants1.wpengine.com/podcast/merry-korn-from-social-worker-to-experienced-businesswoman/