My Passion for Giving Back: An Excerpt from My Book, “SUCCESS! Grit, Guts & Integrity”

If you know me at all, you know about my passion for giving back. Whether it’s investing in the next generation of entrepreneurs, or offering my services to local causes, I am always looking for ways to help others around me. That’s why I felt it was so important to highlight this element of my own personal journey in my book, “SUCCESS! Grit, Guts & Integrity,” and encourage other entrepreneurs to do the same.

Below is an excerpt from the chapter of my book dedicated to the topic of giving back. Please do let me know what you think, and find the book in its entirety here.

Once established, your business should be giving to the community in the form of money, your time, or your talent.

For years, I would assemble my team for monthly service, such as helping build Habitat for Humanity houses. During this time, money was tight for MZM, but I talked the guys into contributing volunteer work. For us, it was also a teambuilding exercise and a morale booster. There was a job that needed to be done and my crew could do it well. We once helped build a homeless shelter in Newark, and I continue offering my construction services for similar causes.

I also decided to start a scholarship fund. In the beginning, I was able to offer a $500 college scholarship, and as my business grew, I’ve now given from $15,000 and up year. This is split between my undergraduate and graduate alma maters: Kean University in Union and the New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, both located in New Jersey.

Additionally, I offer my time to sit on panels and contribute to the forums that provide new entrepreneurs and business owners with advice. I participate in programs to motivate students, press for diversity, and bring light to women's issues and other causes I care about.

I serve as a mentor, just as others have served me, so that I can provide advice to those who are starting up their own enterprises. Giving back is one of the primary reasons I'm writing this book — so that you can build your business with success.

If someone asks me, "Why should I give anything? What's in it for me?" I find it hard to continue in the conversation. Yes, giving is good for publicity, marketing, and recruitment. The experts will tell you that when you sponsor something, people in your community see you in a positive light, and there is a business benefit to that. Potential customers may like to do business with those who play an active part in the community and people feel good about working at a company with a charitable reputation. Your giving might even attract the kind of star employee a small company would otherwise lose to a big corporation. Experts agree that giving your time and money reaps brand recognition.

But to me, giving is not about getting a payback. I don't know anyone in business who has not benefited from someone offering them advice, encouragement, a hand up, or a shoulder to cry on. I hesitate to start naming those who helped me because the list is long, and I would not want to leave anyone out. Where would any of us be if others had not reached back in some way to lift us up? You should want to pay it back and pay it forward.

In addition, businesses are a special type of citizen. Through our charity and our participation, our businesses bring others to the table for a cause. We can, through our involvement, make others see that some unmet need matters and must be addressed. We can help change the world.