In times of struggle, we are often advised to look to our Forefathers so we might benefit from their experiences to find our own solutions. But what about our ‘Foremothers?’

As a third-generation woman entrepreneur, I have a unique perception to share with other entrepreneurs, particularly with regard to weathering a business through challenging times. My grandmother, mother, and I have each lived this experience – literally – from the Great Depression, through the stagflation and energy crisis of the ‘70s, through post-9/11 and economic challenges today.

My grandmother’s life in the US began in 1908 as a frightened girl from Italy who stepped off the USS Nord America in Ellis Island, not able to speak a word of English. She opened her first business in 1931, failed, and kept struggling until she became the driving force behind four successful businesses in southwestern Pennsylvania.

My mother continued the entrepreneurial tradition by operating her own ‘mom and pop’ farm market/grocery store from the mid ‘70s until she retired and successfully sold her business in 1995. My professional path took a slightly different turn than my forebears. I worked for more than 10 years in various executive marketing positions at Pittsburgh-area technology companies, and in 1996, started CommuniTech in the basement of my home and grew the business despite economic downturns.

How did we accomplish this? The odds certainly weren’t in our favor. But my grandmother, mother, and I have a few things in common. We share four key qualities that ensured our businesses survived turbulent times.

The motivation.
For my grandmother, it was building a productive life in a new country, without depending on others for survival. For my mother, it was providing a college education for her four children; and for me, it is the desire to carry on the work ethic and entrepreneurial tradition of my family. Call it a purpose, an obsession, a calling: Whatever the terminology, building a successful business means having a mission for which you feel real passion. This mission, in my opinion, separates success from failure.

Be good to customers.
Being good to customers isn’t just about customer service; it’s about being human. Despite working tirelessly in her first business in the ‘30s, my grandmother’s dedication would prove unsuccessful because when her patrons couldn’t afford to buy food for their families, she forgave their debts and ultimately lost her business. Years later, however, her kindness would be acknowledged. One of her original patrons drove 20 miles to her home to thank her personally and repay the money he owed. Similarly, two of my mother’s most loyal customers were an elderly couple who had problems walking. My mother instructed me that when they pulled into the parking lot, I was to go out to their car, take their order, and carry the items to their trunk. They came back once a week because, to them, the friendly, dependable service was worth a few extra dollars. And ultimately, it was compassion that set even a small ‘mom and pop’ apart from the large grocery chains. Remember to follow your human instincts.

Implement marketing to raise awareness and sales.
The single, largest mistake that many businesses make, especially during an economic downturn, is not marketing. If you don’t market, you lose sales. Even back in the ‘50s, my grandmother implemented an integrated campaign to promote her new Dairy Queen franchise. She held a grand opening event, complete with a band, and advertised through print and broadcast media. She then declared Mother’s Day as her promotional holiday. Each year, she gave a free strawberry sundae to every mother who stopped (and, by the way, the mothers brought their entire families with them). These promotions were tremendously successful – and gave her a ten-fold return on investment. My mother also was a strategic marketer. She competed with one-stop-shop grocery chains, so she decided to open new distribution channels. Instead of waiting for customers to come to the store, she took the store to the customers. Every weekend, she sent 2-3 trucks to sell fresh fruit and produce in neighboring towns, strategically selecting distribution points in front of bustling businesses, factories, and in the hearts of busy communities. By doing so, she doubled, even tripled, her sales. When my firm was suffering the aftermath of 9/11, I doubled our own marketing efforts, just as I was urging my clients to do, and funded a more aggressive campaign. The results netted a 92 percent increase in 2003 revenues. Instead of marketing your businesses by fear and conservatism, increase your efforts to communicate with your publics, share your products and/or knowledge, and build brand awareness. If you do it right – and consistently – you’ll build a loyal following and your investment will pay off.

A healthy relationship with money.
A trait passed down from my grandmother is that money is one of the vehicles for living; it is not the point of living or being in business. How else could she give food away to customers in need during the Depression, especially when she so desperately needed the money herself? The answer is simple. She wasn’t in it solely for the money. If you’ve started your business just for money, chances are, you won’t be around long.

Lessons learned
Let’s face it: Many businesses fail within their first few years – they always have and always will. Getting a business successfully off the ground requires a combination of motivation and passion, exemplary customer focus, sound financial perspectives, and skillful sales and marketing strategies.

When you look at business from my family’s perspective, you realize that not much has changed since the Great Depression.

(left) Anna Cherico Phillips (Rak's grandmother) in the Summer of 1952 working at the Phillips' wholesale/retail Fruit Market on the River Hill in Clarion, PA. (right) Phillips secured the Dairy Queen franchise for all of Clarion County in the early ‘50s and operated the business until her death in 1972.

(left) Anna Phillips Selker (Rak's mother) with her mother, Anna Phillips at the Phillips' wholesale/retail Fruit Market. This photo was taken in the late ‘40s. (right) Anna Selker's (Rak's mother) retail business, Garden Fresh Market, in Brookville, PA, which she operated from 1975 until she retired and sold the business in 1995.

(left) Pam Selker Rak poses with her mother, Anna Selker, at the award ceremony for 50 Best Women in Business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in Hershey, PA. Rak received this honor in 2002. (right) CommuniTech's current offices in Bridgeville, PA. Rak founded CommuniTech in 1986.