From the SSWBN Newsletter Editor

‘We Turn On the Lights’

Once in a while, you come across an unexpected experience that compels you to share it.

Phyllis Godwin’s (Granite City Electric Supply Company) presentation at the April breakfast  rises to that level of experience.  For those unlucky enough to have missed it, here are a few of the many gems from this accomplished entrepreneur, whose humor and contemporary thinking outdo many successful people 50 years her junior.

Calling the SSWBN Founders “visionaries” for providing a forum for women in business to learn and succeed, she said, “It is amazing, the vision and the risk that entrepreneurs take.”

Reluctantly agreeing to take over her aging father’s multi-million electrical supply business in 1969 at age 42 and after having followed other career paths, having to ignore an employee’s comments that she was merely “an over-educated broad,” she determined she needed to augment her college degree with an electrical technology education.  “No,” said her father, “Your job is to protect our assets:  employees, accounts receivable and inventory.”  The Executive MBA she earned gave her “a new sense of confidence,” she said.

Recognizing that the current economic climate as the worst recession she has seen, Phyllis never-the-less identified the 1970s as “tough times … with 18 percent interest rates,” and the “really difficult” 1990-91 recession as one that forced 16 electrical supply companies in New England to close.  Granite City Electric managed to survive both by expanding its geographical presence.

Building the business on values of “high integrity, honesty, a huge inventory, and extending credit to our (contractor) customers,” she recently turned the business toward a branding campaign.  In 2004, Granite City partnered with the “the strongest brand in New England,” she said, the Boston Red Sox (We get to say, “We light Fenway Park.”), and shortly thereafter the New England Patriots (“We get to say, “We light Gillette Stadium.”), Phyllis loses no time in reminding us that those were the years of long-awaited championships for both teams.

Now, Granite City gives back to the communities from which it had drawn so much success, in a similar way:  they get to say, “We light the Bridgewater (and Pembroke, and other towns) ball fields,” having instituted an annual contest to provide lighting systems, just to give kids a chance to play baseball or softball under the lights.

Recounting her many experiences as “the first woman on many Boards” of Directors, she advises those of us willing to follow the difficult path she blazed for women:  “Be quietly assertive, learn the rules, and be one of the boys,” to maintain the respectful place that pioneers like her have created.  “Women bring a different perspective … not better, not worse, just different,” she said.  “In the spirit of sisterhood, help other women.”

Finally, Phyllis expressed her “wisdom and observations” that her time has earned for her.  Paraphrased, they include:

Number 5: Be yourself.  But first know who you are, your strengths and weaknesses.  Being authentic always works.

Number 4: Stick to your core values, for your business, for your country, for your personal life.

Number 3: Play golf.  It teaches you patience, good sportsmanship, it gets you outside … and you can learn a lot about a person while playing 18 holes of golf with them.

Number 2: Give back to your community.  It will come back to you one hundredfold to enrich your life.

Number 1: Recognize that the older you get, the less you realize you know.  There is so much in the unseen that we don’t know, and recognizing that keeps you on a path of learning.

Contact Patty at Laser Light Skin Clinic at 781-871-2224 or at plfunder@yahoo.com