The evolution of my business from a bare-bones startup to a robust nationally recognized enterprise has been an impactful lesson in manifesting one’s dream. I’d like to say that it was all part of a grandmaster plan. But it wasn’t.
In my first ten years, I was my sole salesperson. Cold calling was my only way to grow my business in medical records. A few guidelines were established from the very beginning, and I followed them until my first client. These served me well, from the time 22 years ago when I was just starting out with a copy machine at my kitchen table, to eventually providing a foundational set of values for MediCopy’s 200-plus employees across the country.
It was instinctive that when I created the business concept, it was crucial to follow common sense principles that aligned my expectations with those of patients, customers and clients. All three needed to be addressed. These rules became our core values as MediCopy evolved. They’ve proven key to the company’s success.
Every decision made is based on our core values, whether it’s hiring or firing, bringing on new clients, choosing a vendor, or creating KPIs for our team. They are the foundation of everything we do.
Our success is based on these seven core values
1. Approve 100-percent of your commitments.
This simple, commonsense but effective rule comes down to holding ourselves and our co-workers accountable for deadlines, projects, hiring, sales, and every other element of fulfilling our company’s role. This doesn’t just apply to large projects, but extends to every simple task, such as replying to emails or returning calls in a timely manner and demonstrating/valuing urgency in business and follow through.
2. Communicate openly and honestly
Again, it’s common sense that “honesty is the best policy,” but so many people either hide the truth, lie, or are too timid to express themselves openly. Some may evade the truth for fear of hurting someone, stepping on someone’s toes, or confronting an uncomfortable situation. Dishonesty can make a situation more difficult. My motto is to “Live so you don’t have to explain,” and that means adhering to honesty in every situation.
3. The best way to continue your professional and personal growth is by continuing to learn.
My favorite core value is this. It’s born out of my own realization that defining and pursuing dreams will make them come true. I believe that the only thing that’s constant is change, and if you’re not growing, you’re dying. It’s a wonderful feeling to get up in the morning and have a clear vision for what your day will look like, how you can achieve it, and what actions you can take towards achieving that vision.
“Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value.” – Albert Einstein
4. Establish trust and rapport with your clients
We are still proud of our excellent communication skills and our ability to reach clients even after nearly 22 years. Every MediCopy client has my number. MediCopy’s trust with its clients has been built on communication and accessibility over time. People aren’t used to open and honest communication, accountability, and accessibility in their vendor relationships. By providing these as the basis of all our relationship with clients, we establish a rapport that’s appreciated and valued — as evidenced by the enduring allegiance of my first 10 clients throughout the company’s 22 years in business.
5. Respect and care for staff.
The company’s employees are scattered across the country. We’re a diverse group, with 77 percent women and 49 percent BIPOC. 60 percent of our leadership team are BIPOC/LGBT. We are proud of the culture’s core value which recognizes and celebrates diversity. We believe it’s important to have all backgrounds at the table to voice their opinions. It’s also important to be compassionate with our team members. We all have personal problems or obstacles that we must overcome from time to another. Your company’s response to such situations will reflect your character. Respecting and supporting your team builds trust and encourages them to do the same.
6. Standing out above the rest
From our combined core values, we’ve created a reputation for our company — what I prefer to call a personality. Living our core values shines whether we are giving sales presentations, interviewing potential employees, networking at tradeshows or receiving awards from associations. Adhering to our core values results in projecting our company personality so that, often, when my sales team and I are presenting to prospects, they’re more impressed with WhoWe are then able to provide the services and products that we offer.
7. Give your time and money.
Whether it’s time or money, my staff and I continually step up to provide support where it’s needed. We’ve built houses and playgrounds, we’ve served at the Nashville Rescue Mission and, on one occasion when they needed water, we sent over 3,000 bottles. We will continue to be a part of the core values that give back to our community.
