It’s been almost a week since I experienced one of my greatest achievements…setting a new personal record at the Minneapolis Half Marathon. With the support from friends, family, and the C.E.L. team, and the passion I have for running, I finished at a sub 8 pace…a pace of 7:56 minutes per mile to be exact. To describe the emotions and thoughts that went through my head for 1 hour and 43 minutes would be impossible to share. But the run that encompassed adrenaline, nervousness, excitement and determination to accomplish my goal was a challenge. And I was up for the challenge. If you would like to check out the results from my Half Marathon, click here. (link: http://www.mtecresults.com/runner/show?rid=7657&race=34)

I believe the moments in life that challenge us are the moments in life that define us. If you have a fun story of how you were challenged or reached (or exceeded!) your goal, please share!

I have noticed lately that successful businesses don’t do business with other companies simply because they are the cheapest option, or because they promise to be the fastest – the quality of the work and customer service are what count. I talked to Cindy Leines, Founder and Strategist at C.E.L., about what she has seen as an example of a successful small business that she chooses to work with for those very reasons. She gave me the example of one company’s secret that begins with its founder, Joseph Reilly. Joseph “Joe” Reilly is the President of Payroll Control Systems and the TwinWest Chamber of Commerce 2010 “Entrepreneur of the Year.” So I had to ask, what do Joe and his team have that gives the company success?

Cindy was very confident in the fact that selflessness and generosity are two of Joe’s characteristics that have led to success for Payroll Control Systems, which is a leading provider of payroll, payroll tax, time & labor, and human resources solutions in the Upper Midwest. A business owner herself, Cindy is aware of the challenges that a down economy can bring. But even in hard times, Joe has never made an excuse, nor has he compromised quality of work or customer service.

“Joe is resourceful, and he’s a giver,” Cindy said. “He is always willing to go above and beyond for others, and I will continue to do business with them because of their honesty and their quality of work.”

Joe’s recent award for “Entrepreneur of the Year” proves that there is more than just a handful of people who, along with Cindy, will vouch for Joe’s character and his business. It also proves that selflessness and generosity are two things that no business owner should be without.

So what do you think leads to success for small business?

I grew up in a family and environment whose strongly held beliefs included that you do your best and be humble about what you do well. One didn’t expect or ask to be recognized with awards or notoriety. (How, you ask, did I decide to get into the promotions and public relations field? I’ll leave that discussion for another time…) However, I’ve since learned about the power of outside recognition.

The recent announcement of Plymouth, Minnesota as the #1 city in the country by Money Magazine has already made a difference in our business. Two days after the announcement, I made a call to the East Coast. For twenty years my response to the question of where our office is located has been “Minneapolis” as I found it easier than having to provide supporting evidence that an office in Plymouth, Minnesota had credibility. This time I decided to respond to the question “Plymouth” as the answer. Suddenly, the voice on the other end of the phone spent the next five minutes congratulating me on the award for our city and inquiring about details of the area and our services. This change in credibility all because an outside source found Plymouth, Minnesota to rank above other cities of similar size in a somewhat subjective perspective?

Perhaps awards DO matter.