Business Problems Solved - An Interview with Connecticut's Business Solution Guru, Tom Fleury

HARTFORD, Conn. - July 2, 2016 - PRLog -- We recently got together for an informative interview with Tom Fleury, Co-founder of Proactive Business Network, and Principal of Executive Management & Business Care, LLC

Mr. Fleury has extensive process re-engineering and business development experience, and has been active in the entrepreneurial space for over 20 years. He is currently working with Small Business USA developing opportunities for new and existing businesses in identifying who they uniquely are in the market and helping them establish a path to high growth.

Tom is a noted business problem solver, business mentor and leader of several business owners groups. We dove into what makes Tom tick, what he is involved with and what kind of business help he provides.

ROB: Tom, thank you for taking time from your busy schedule for this interview.

TOM:  It's my pleasure. I appreciate the opportunity to answer any questions you have and for any chance to help the business community.

ROB: You worked with many entrepreneurs, startups and executives helping them connect-the-dots in their businesses. Briefly explain what that means.

TOM: Too often business people go it alone and, as the saying goes, they wear many hats. One of the things in which I pride myself is the ability to view and hear business owners from their exact perspective - not from mine. As I look out through their eyes and listen from their vantage point, I quickly learn how they think and how they communicate. Once I understand all this I can easily figure out how best to get them to do the things they should do and avoid the things they shouldn't. I enable them to better market themselves by connecting them efficiently and effectively with the proper resources, people, events, etcetera - the dots, so to speak - that match their exact needs in the way they'll best utilize them.

ROB: Besides financial resources, what are common stumbling blocks you come across for startups and small businesses?

TOM: Marketing, sales and marketing! Once in a while it's an employee issue but it tends to be 85% marketing and the remainder mostly sales!

ROB: If you could give only 1 or 2 words of advice for budding entrepreneurs or small business owners, what would that be?

TOM: Find out the true reason why someone would pull a Benjamin out of their pocket, for your goods or services, and say "thank you" at the same time! If you cannot tell your customer why you are different and allow them to "want what they can't have", then you are toast. I fix these kinds of issues.

ROB: So, discovering the key differentiator is very important, and it makes sense to avoid being a "me too" business. Where or how should a start-up or small business start to find their uniqueness and communicate that effectively?

TOM: Usually they know this intrinsically at the onset. Two problems occur, however. The first one is they tend to be unable to communicate that uniqueness effectively so their customers can understand it and realize that they are the services they want or the place to purchase their goods. Right out of the gate, the marketing message is blurred.

Second, the lucky ones will get this right in the first place. However, once they get going and sales start to slow, and they will, the owner will stray from their original passion, tend to panic and the unique reason they started the business becomes a distant memory. At this point, any marketing message will appear attractive and their communications not only becomes muddled, it becomes lost.

One of the things I do is to cement that message and force them to put their unique trait in writing so the owner can step back and ask, "Would this business do this thing or do that?" It allows the owner to reflect on the base from which he began. One can measure your customer reactions and market changes against that base and make changes that are appropriate - not a random throw-stuff-on-the-wall kind of approach. The spaghetti on the wall is what gets most small businesses in trouble.

ROB: You are currently putting together exciting groups of peer advisors, or boards. Tell us about that.

TOM: Small businesses tend to go it alone. Even if I work with them one-on-one, they tend to lapse back into their old ways if I am not there, and no one can be there with them every waking moment of their business lives. These groups, or Small Business Boards, are meant to do a number of things.

For example, the boards allow people to get perspectives from other business owners who are not in their line of work. This fresh, experienced perspective is often times eye-opening and valuable for members.

Our Small Business Boards provide a 52 week, full boots-on-the-ground, top-notch, supportive marketing program. It tells the marketing story from a customer or consumer perspective, with not a hint of Corporate or Academia to confuse folks. It's the real thing. All my members have gained insight from just the first several dozen classes.

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Read the entire original interview transcript at http://www.d-m-p.us/blog/business-problems-solved-an-inte...