Senator Tim Scott answered the questions below. Please watch the full conversation here.
How has the Pandemic impacted your daily and weekly routines? What has been your biggest adjustment?
Ten at the Top recently recognized “Unsung Heroes” in the Upstate, so we know that people here are resilient, hardworking and have adapted quickly and well. The stimulus package was vital. There are questions now about the next round of stimulus. The House has passed a stimulus bill already, the Senate is talking about it, a bill has been proposed yesterday. What are the chances for success and what do you see happening?
How do you make sure that those who are going to be provided additional funds can show the losses specifically due to the pandemic and economic shutdown resulting from it?
Do you see anything happening before the end of the year or before the end of the current administration? If not, what timeframe do you see for future stimulus or is it possible no future stimulus will be passed?
There is possibility of a government shutdown if a new spending bill is not approved by December 11. How likely do you see a shutdown happening? What do you expect to see passed to avoid a shutdown? Could a new stimulus bill be tied to the general funding bill or are they being treated totally separate?
You were a major supporter of the opportunity zone program. How do you think it has been working? Do you have ideas for expanding or tweaking the program moving forward?
When will Republicans come up with a formal healthcare plan in addition to challenging various aspects of the Affordable Care Act? What policies are the Republicans looking to enact that would protect people with pre-existing conditions, especially if the Affordable Care Act is thrown out by the Supreme Court?
County Updates
Cherokee: Dalton Pierce, Town Administrator, Blacksburg:
A strategic plan (17-year outlook) is being developed
Hopefully the NC casino expansion will generate business in SC too
New website launch planned this year
Christmas parade December 12
Oconee: Ken Sloan, Executive Director, Visit Oconee
Due to some unforeseen events, hotels and short-term rentals have been booked during COVID (Duke Energy contractors, contractors doing repair work after the tornado, and tourism due to people wanting to recreate out of populated areas)
Oconee has many natural areas to enjoy with waterfalls, lakes, trails, etc. and encourages people to come out and have safe outdoor experiences
Spartanburg: Courtney Oliver, Marketing & Special Events Manager, Spartanburg Philharmonic
To continue their mission, SP spearheaded “Together Spartanburg”, daily social video content
Drive in experiences continue on December 12 with Fireside Collective
Their biggest challenge was trying to re-engineer classics concerts, so in September they recorded three concerts that are available online
‘Burg Bound includes presentations from Spartanburg Little Theatre and Ballet Spartanburg with household passes available online and to stream through the end of December
James Bennett, Founder, Upstate Home Health Care Solutions
If you’ve ever been to a theme park, you know that roller coasters are generally the main attraction. In order to appeal to everyone, most parks have varying degrees of roller coasters ranging from the kiddie rides to those that nearly defy gravity. Usually, the thrill of the roller coaster ride lasts no more than 5 minutes; however, for the life of an entrepreneur, they experience the emotional ride of a roller coaster every day. In 2011, I made that leap into entrepreneurship when I started my home care company. There have been many loops, dips, twists, highs & lows on this entrepreneur journey and I have discovered a few essentials that will hopefully help the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Stay focused on the why! There is a plethora of reasons why entrepreneurs start their own business. Desire to build something from the ground up, corporate burn out, financial independence, solving a new problem, bad experience from a service or product and thought they could do it better, etc. No matter the reason, one of the keys to success is to always remember why you started your business. This is especially important in the start-up phase of your business. The road to building something great is long…. very long and it will challenge you physically, emotionally, and financially. It’s important to keep your “why” ever before you to help through the challenges you will face in operating your business.
Don’t Be the Hero! Everyone loves a great movie; especially when the hero is able to overcome incredible odds to achieve the goal. Every movie, no matter the genre, are structured the same way. Each movie has a hero, a nemesis, and a mentor/guide. The sooner an entrepreneur understands they are not hero, the more likely they are to succeed. No matter if you are providing a service or producing a product, the role of your business is to be the guide for your client/customer. Your clients are the heroes and you are there simply help them write their own story.
Utilize your community resources! As the business grows, you will experience challenges and face obstacles that may seem insurmountable; but remember you don’t have to face those challenges alone. There are resources in the community to help guide you through these obstacles so you are not re-inventing the wheel. These resources include but are not limited to the Small Business Development Center, local chamber of commerce, and Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE). The sole purpose of these organizations is to equip, educate, & encourage small businesses to be successful in their industry. They are available to help the entrepreneur overcome challenges and assist in creating strategic plans to help grow your business.
Establish your team! As an owner, you bring certain strengths to your business. You’ve developed that strength whether through your professional career, educational background, or just natural ability. However, when consider building your team, build your team around your weakness and add people based on their ability to fit within your company culture vs only their skill. Having a diverse team and a company culture where team members can thrive in their strengths can produce dynamic results.
Never Stop Learning! As an entrepreneur, your employees are depending on your leadership. You are the person that is setting the direction and providing the vision for the company. Your employees need you to be best version of you; therefore, you should never stop learning. One of the best investments you can make is to invest in yourself. The most economical way is to read books that will stimulate your growth. It’s been said that all readers are not leaders but all leaders are readers. Attend conferences, workshops, and seminars that are specific to your industry to discover innovative strategies to grow your business. Also consider attending conferences on leadership development to ensure you are becoming the best leader you can be as well as attain the skills to train the leaders in your organization.
Define your success! Quite often, society dictates the definition of success. Usually, it is based on some quantifiable factor such as gross sales, net profit, number of locations, number of employees, etc. These factors are great and are necessary for growth; however, have you truly defined what is success to you? Have you ever asked yourself what makes you happy? What gives you joy? When are you most satisfied? What does success look like and how will you know when you reached it? These are just a few questions any entrepreneur should asked themselves to determine their own definition of success. “Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out you own inner voice, heart and intuition” – Steve Jobs.
When will Republicans come up with a formal healthcare plan in addition to challenging various aspects of the Affordable Care Act? What policies are the Republicans looking to enact that would protect people with pre-existing conditions, especially if the Affordable Care Act is thrown out by the Supreme Court?
