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Success Magazine: Ed, you have been very successful in starting and leading new companies to becoming profitable entities. To what do you owe your success Ed Mitzen: I honestly feel my success has been due to aligning myself in business with some really talented, passionate people. Hiring people smarter than I am, giving them the tools and work environment to flourish, and empowering them to make decisions has been a big reason why our companies have done so well. I also try to make sure we always focus on customer satisfaction. Happy clients make for great long-term business success.
SM: Palio Communications was your greatest success thus far. What made Palio so successful EM: Palio continues to be a great company because of the people that work there. They are a bunch of really talented individuals that work together so well. In addition, when we started Palio, we instilled a sense of appreciation for the clients that hired us. Advertising is a very competitive business, especially healthcare advertising, where Palio competes. Clients feel valued and understand that doing great work is a constant goal of the company. SM: What skills do you have as a leader and business owner that have helped you to become successful EM: I always try to be nice to everyone I meet, and treat people as friends as well as business colleagues. I'm a firm believer that people choose to work with people they genuinely like and trust. We all like to think our businesses are the best… but the truth is, there are a lot of wonderful companies out there that do great work. Whether you are a restaurateur, accountant or advertising executive, I feel kindness goes a long way in building your company, establishing a positive culture, and earning and keeping clients. SM: How do you build a team from scratch What do you look for in an individual that will help you form your new company EM: I look for people with passion that have a strong work ethic, and are trustworthy. I also look for people who are kind to others. In the past, when I have interviewed potential employees, I would often ask their car service driver or the receptionist at the hotel where they stayed how the person treated them. If a candidate didn't treat everyone with the respect and class they deserve, I wouldn't hire them. Life is too short to work with talented individuals who don't play well in the sandbox.

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