It may go against what we’ve all been taught about business, but I have come to believe that collaboration, not competition, is the key to business success. There are guidelines and limitations, of course. For me, the most important one is finding like-minded people, who share a vision of the right way to live and conduct themselves, and who are eager to contribute something of value to the world. I recently learned a new word for this– Evergreen®.

My story started like many, with a chance meeting. I was running my home repair business, Redeemers Group Inc., in Memphis and, through some friends in the East, I was contacted by a product supplier in Connecticut who was seeking a partnership. They had a basement waterproofing business and some high-quality products and wondered if I might be interested in learning their method for reaching new customers and their process for waterproofing. In exchange, as my business increased, I would sell their waterproofing products to my new clients. We didn’t have a contract, but it made sense and I trusted them, so I agreed. It led to significant growth for my business and, as a result, increased sales for them. Our customers got great service and great products. It was a win-win-win. This experience opened my mind to a new world of possibilities.