EFBC President’s Message: Clarity

Dear EFBC Members, 

I am back with another themed letter, and this time I am thinking about Clarity.

In business, we often strive for growth, efficiency, and opportunity. But there’s another factor that plays a critical role in our success – Clarity.

It’s not just about knowing when things are going well – it’s about understanding the full picture, even when the news isn’t ideal. We all know that we live in an ambiguous world, but that uncertainty can slow us down. Clear answers, good or bad, allow us to act with confidence.

Take the recent back-and-forth on tariffs. Regardless of the impact on your business, positive or negative, the most challenging aspect for me has been the daily back-and-forth and unexpectedness. Once we have clarity, we can plan much more effectively. We might not like the answer, but at least we know how to move forward.

I’ve also recently experienced this in my own business while evaluating a large transaction. Very recently, there were still many unknowns. But after a key discussion, the options became clearer. And while that development wasn’t all positive, the clarity itself is a win – it removes guesswork and allows for decisive action.

So, I’ve been making an intentional effort to get clarity. One of our Core Values at Specialty Sales is Honesty and Transparency, which can seem obvious – “Don’t lie”. But more importantly, we seek clarity in our communications with our customers, vendors and partners. We communicate clearly and ask direct, clear questions to have more effective relationships and conversations.

As we navigate our businesses going forward, I encourage all of us to seek clarity – in our decisions, our strategies, and our conversations. Once we see the path ahead, we’re already in a stronger position.

As a reminder, the EFBC is celebrating our 30th anniversary this year, and GALA REGISTRATION IS OPEN. I am looking forward to seeing you all there.

Warm regards,

Darrin Shillair – EFBC President 2024-2025