Working with government agencies and various organizations in helping small businesses in managing their business, Orlando Espinosa shares his ideas in terms of entrepreneurship, brand building, and leadership!
BACKGROUND
Orlando Espinosa is the co-founder of Emineo Media, an organization that designs, develops, and implements business and outreach curriculums for various government agencies and organizations with the goal of educating and training small businesses.
He is also an advisor to various organizations including the Miami Bayside Foundation, US Southern Command, Homestead Air Force Base, Cambridge Innovation Center, and Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses.
He has also developed workshops and hosted events that are aimed at small businesses for the SBDC, SCORE, Biz Nest, City of North Miami Economic Development, Beacon Council, City of Doral Economic Development Council, FIU, Mercantile Bank, and Town of Miami Lakes.
Due to all of these, he was recognized as the 2016 and 2018 State of Florida Small Business Advocate of the Year and continues to provide value to various small businesses organizations.
ADVICE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
1. Build relationships.
One of the key things for your business to be known in this lucrative marketplace is to be present at events and communicate with the people that are there.
There is no easy way inside this marketplace so if you really need something, you have to be the spokesperson of your own business.
“You know, these are people that have a wealth of information, come up to them, talk to them, communicate with them and say, ‘Hey, listen, this is what I’m planning on doing.’”
Remember, there are a handful of people that have the same experience as yours and these people are accessible as long as you sit down with them.
“I think that it’s that relationship and that collaboration that has allowed us to be where we’re at right now.”
2. Tell your story.
Everyone has a story to tell and as business owners, you need to understand the story behind your brand.
“Why did you go into business? Why did you choose the colors for your business? Why did you choose that logo? What’s the meaning behind it? Because a lot of times, that’s how we start a conversation.”
This is of utmost importance because only talking to other business owners and your client for the purpose of selling is not good for business.
So, instead of performing a pitch to get someone’s attention, tell your story and build a relationship with your target market.
3. Share value.
In building your network of people, you need to share valuable information that could help them in a way that it had helped you.
“What I want my legacy to be is that all the information that I have gathered where I’ve simplified my life, I want to just give it back to the people that actually need it. Because sometimes we hoard information with the purpose of what?”
Also, it’s okay if you are giving information to people in exchange for an amount of money but that information should be valuable enough and your price is equal to the value of your message.
“Well, remember what’s the media? It’s a message that you provide and our message is a message of education, it’s a message of resources, it’s a message of relationship.”
RESOURCES
If you want to watch the full video of the interview with Orlando Espinosa as he shares his ideas in terms of entrepreneurship, brand building, and leadership!
013: Orlando Espinosa – State of Florida Small Business Advocate of the Year
