Local First Arizona’s new board members on business, community and their ideal summer day…
Two new members have joined Local First Arizona’s board, bringing with them decades of experience in business, leadership and giving back to their community.
Andre Whittington is executive director of Growth Partners Arizona, a mission-driven Community Development Financial Institution committed to building an inclusive economy for local nonprofits and small businesses. When traditional lenders and big banks say no, Growth Partners Arizona helps organizations meet their financial goals.
Jonae A. Harrison, Esq. is chief operations officer for Adelante Healthcare, a certified community health center with nine locations in Maricopa County that serve a diverse mix of patients, regardless of a person’s background, status or station in life. Adelante Healthcare cares for communities through accessible, sustainable and affordable healthcare.
Here’s what they love about Local First Arizona, plus advice for entrepreneurs and their perfect summer day…
What drew you to Local First Arizona? What motivated you to join the board?
Whittington: The amazing work that the Local First team is doing. When I started my consulting business a few years ago, Local First was the first organization I found that was helping small businesses on a scale that resonated with me. When I had the opportunity to join the board, it was a full circle moment because I always admired their work from a distance, and now I have the honor of playing a small part in it. That is awesome.
Harrison: What drew me to Local First is their pure steadfastness and fortitude to chip away at issues affecting the local economy and businesses. It’s almost like everywhere you turn, wait, Local First was a part of helping clear that path. I wanted to be a part of that.
Tell us one thing you've learned since being on the board that has surprised, inspired or impressed you.
Whittington: The amount of work, talent and passion that the entire Local First team has in supporting communities throughout the state. I honestly had no clue how far-reaching the work goes and the different type of projects, programs and resources that Local First brings to our communities.
Harrison: She would hate this but… Kimber (Lanning, Local First’s founder and CEO). I don't know if she sleeps. Her tenacity and her fervor to make ideas become reality. Her fundraising development chops, not just because she can write a grant but because she actually is leading an organization that has outcomes. The ability to lead from (idea) to implementation to success is phenomenal.
What is one piece of advice from your career that you would share with entrepreneurs just getting started or working to grow their businesses?
Whittington: Don’t do it alone. Do not build in a silo. Take full advantage of organizations like Local First and enroll in their business development programs. One of the biggest challenges I faced when I started my business was similar to the challenges I faced when I stepped up to lead Growth Partners Arizona – I needed partners and a community to be successful. So my advice would be to remember: You can go further together.
Harrison: Development (of your business) is not a linear path. It’s not A, then B, then C. Or 1, then 2, then 3. It’s more like 1, 7, 3, 22 and now we're in the alphabet G, Q. Sometimes we face obstacles not to derail us, but to see how committed we are to the process of growing and evolving and developing in our personal lives and our professional lives and our businesses.
We have to be OK having setbacks and things that get us off track, but not to miss the lesson in it, which propels us forward. I have to say it over and over and over again to myself. And then I do some yoga.
If you could design your ideal Arizona summer day, what would it be?
Whittington: An ideal Arizona summer day would be a staycation in one of the rural towns in northern Arizona, checking out a local restaurant and staying at one of the boutique hotels.
(Planning a roadtrip? Check out Local First’s ready-made itineraries to make planning a breeze! www.RuralAZ.com.)
Harrison: Nighttime swimming. It's my favorite thing to go in when there's no backyard lights, no light from the sun, and just float and be quiet. The moonlight casts different shadows on the water.
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