The Significance of Collaboration
In my years of business, I have collaborated with many mighty entrepreneurs and this week I want to introduce you to one of them. Gervon Abraham is the owner and operator of Fenceline and I asked him to share his perspective on the significance of collaboration. This is what he had to say…
I am going to risk showing my age here but hopefully with it comes some wisdom. Does anyone remember Run-DMC and Aerosmith’s “Walk this Way” or my all-time favourite Puff Daddy, Sting, and Faith Evans performance of “I’ll be Missing You”? If you do you will understand what I think about a great collaboration. If you don’t… well google it.
As an entrepreneur, you are often preoccupied with growing your customer base. We are not alone, we are never alone, we have suppliers and customers. That’s in the least is the basic model of entrepreneurship.
They are as many agents of your growth as you are theirs. Approaching collaboration with this attitude helps spread your unique ideology or selling position. Further, it creates a boomerang in your universe. Your collaborative colleagues will call on you in the future and recommend you to others once the collaboration is well executed.
Create sustainable partnerships
Creating sustainable partnerships is a fancy way of saying solidifying your revenue stream. Collaborating helps you build complementary relationships,
- based on ideology,
- based on products and markets,
- or most import based on customers and your ability to constantly satisfy their needs.
Such relationships which may be derived from collaboration can’t hurt. They generally redound to improvement in efficiencies, quality of delivery, and customer service. The more we develop such positive partnerships the more we understand the nuances of how we operate and the keys to unlocking customer satisfaction. To deliver your best you have to understand how they get the best input to create the best output.
I should also tell you that collaboration is not only good because it has been tried and proven. You may find it equally fruitful if you approach collaboration as a means of exploring new frontiers, breaking the mold, or the proverbial “thinking outside the box”.
Innovation cannot happen from doing the same thing the same way over and over, no matter how profitable your business is. Pivot your offer by looking around and seeing what is working further afield. Understand your customers and find ways to collaborate with other entrepreneurs to let them know you understand their pain and are constantly trying to ease it.
You do not have to do it alone
As entrepreneurs navigating the ever-changing world, your survival will be based on your ability to be resilient. While at times it may seem to be a lonely road, it will not always be and certainly does not always have to be that way. Our resilience is based on our ability to thrive. Can you thrive alone?
WHO IS FENCELINE
Fenceline is built on supporting local talent and assimilating elements of our artform (specifically calypso) into Corporate Social Responsibility endeavours. Who have we collaborated with? Calypso Monarchs, upcoming artistes, Non-Governmental Organizations, Charitable Organizations, Musicians, and Corporate entities. How has it worked? We seem to keep getting work, success, interviews, write-ups, and sponsors, even during the pandemic. Are you ready to collaborate? Check out Fenceline Consulting on Facebook and drop us a note. Check out my artistes’ website at www.staceysobers.com
