National Entrepreneur Center President Jerry Ross shared his thoughts on fostering entrepreneurship at the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce’s annual breakfast, held March 4 at the Renaissance World Golf Village Resort.
Addressing the several hundred local business and community leaders in attendance, Ross noted that 99 percent of all U.S. businesses have fewer than 100 employees.
“We’re a small business country,” he said. “So anything we can do to move small businesses to the next level is critical to strengthening communities.”
The key to reaching that next level, Ross said, is collaboration. Ross pointed to the St. Johns County Chamber’s recent initiatives – including merging with the Ponte Vedra Beach chamber, moving to new offices, increasing communication and government advocacy efforts, and implementing a three-year strategic plan – as examples of how businesses can embrace the unity of purpose that transforms “cooperation” into “collaboration.”
He also encouraged chamber members to collaborate with one another, sharing their successes and their setbacks so that others may benefit from the lessons they’ve learned.
“There are people in this room who have already gone through what you’re going through right now,” Ross said. “Business is not a solo sport. It’s a team sport, and you can’t play it alone.”
