Author name: Stephanie Tillison

Jim Collins: “I believe the key to success lies in your work ethic. It’s important that work ethic includes family values and consistent follow up. This involves devoting the time, energy, and focus to reach a goal or successful conclusion. The goals, tasks, and efforts must be continually evaluated, updated and reevaluated as we go through life changes.”

How do you define “excellence” in business? Jeff Sandefer: “Find a deep customer need that makes the world a better place; deliver on your promises and have some cash left over in the end.”

“Excellence is putting others in front of you in an effort to grow the business and ensure success of the company for everyone’s benefit. So often we want instant gratification, and it can be tempting to cut corners. But that won’t build a sustainable business. Customer service and customer loyalty are often a measure of excellence, so I believe you start with your employees. If you treat your employees with loyalty and dedication, they will be your biggest and most passionate advocates. That treatment and behavior gets passed down to the customer, creating a positive experience for everyone.”

“I define excellence by having sincere empathy for and taking the time to understand who you are serving. What are their needs? What problems are they facing? Why does this product matter to them? You take all that and use it to create something that can help them. Excellence starts with caring about people and finding a way to add value to their lives.”