Not everyone can say they’ve built a successful career for themselves as an entrepreneur and in corporate America for the last 30 years, while being a devoted mother and grandmother, but Patricia Burgess can. Patricia has been very successful in multiple avenues including, but not limited to, Supply Chain Management, Consulting, Software design and implementation, Building Start-Up Companies, Mentorship, and being devoted to supporting her family. How does one break through to that next side and get what they want? Thankfully I was able to get a minute to talk with Patricia recently, and she was able to help shed some light on the topic.
Patricia, What do you do?
“I am co-founder of a company called AnswerSpring. I show people what’s possible and help put money back in the pockets of independent consultants. I’ve had my hand in so many businesses, and finding success in most of them, for me it boils down to being very clear about who I am, who I can help, and what solutions I can help them create.”
Did you go to college, and would you recommend it?
“I was blessed with 2 children by 21, so traditional college was not my path. Instead of college I resorted to self-education, with some advanced education to master most of my skills as I blazed a trail through corporate America and on to building my own successful consulting career. I would only recommend college if it helps you master a skill faster than learning on your own, and if it is free, or required to practice or sell your skill (i.e a doctor or a lawyer). Otherwise I would self-educate, while working, and find mentors that have blazed the trail before you.”
What are some tips for someone starting in Supply Chain?
1. “Find the best company, aligned with your values, that produces or distributes, products/services that you can stand behind…and go to work for them saying yes to every experience that can stretch you and increase your knowledge.”
2. “Self-educate along the way to master the skills necessary to set yourself apart from the crowd. Focus on leading edge concepts like big data analytics, rapid sense and respond software, and robotic process automation.”
3. “Find a mentor. Find many mentors along the way. Learning what not to do is just as important as what to do. Why reinvent the wheel?”
4. “Find a tribe. Surrounding yourself by likeminded individuals that align with your mantra or values. People that will lift you and hold you accountable to do what you say you are going to do; and can celebrate the highs and sympathize during the lows.”
Are you currently mentoring anyone in business right now?
“Yes, I am mentoring/coaching half a dozen people at varying stages in their business/career/life journey.”
What would qualify a person as someone you would take time to mentor?
“This someone: has a growth mindset (willing to learn); a passion to make an impact (in it for building massive wealth to help make that impact), and is aligned with my core values.”
What are your core values?
1.“How you do anything, is how you do everything.” – Jim Rohn
2. “Keep it simple-simple.” – Patricia Burgess
3. “Be all in, all the time.” – Patricia Burgess
What would you tell an aspiring entrepreneur right now?
1. “Get comfortable being uncomfortable, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.”
2. “Never stop learning to master a skill, it’s good to know enough about a lot of things but go deep on the one that lights you up.”
3. “Say yes and keep saying yes to new experiences.”
4. “Protect your time, be intentional on how you use it, you can never get it back.”
5. “Never be satisfied with average, be obsessed to become a better version of you than you were yesterday.”
6. “Don’t compare yourself or anything to others.”
Is there any advice that you would give to someone who aspires to go into business?
1. “Master a skill that can be monetized.”
2. “Build a network that you can serve.”
3. “You can be classy and stand behind your beliefs at the same time, never compromise your values.”
4. “Save money to pay the bills until your business can pay you.”
5. “Remember, kindness is not a weakness, it is a superpower, use that power for good.”
Who are some people that you have tried to model their success?
“Not so much modeling their success, but more looking up to as mentors before “mentor” was a buzzword. Oprah Winfrey, Dale Carnegie, Stephen Covey, John C. Maxwell, Jack Canfield are a few that rise to the top of my list.”
Do you have any daily routines or habits? If so, what are they?
1. “Gratitude journaling”
2. “Growth mindset”
3. “Goal getting”
4. ‘Intentional with time”
5. “Intentional with food”
6. “Intentional with relationships”
What are some ways one can scale a business?
1. “Expand capacity, build your team.”
2. “Increase the value you provide in services or products.”
3. “Expand your network, build more relationships, serve more people”
Any closing statements?
“Your past and adversity in general can be used in 1 of 2 ways. It either fuels you to pivot and become relentless. Or breaks you and becomes the excuse that you hide behind. Which way will you pick? Will you pivot and stand strong? Or will you allow yourself to fall?”