Richard Berry

Richard Kyle Berry is the current Senior Vice President of Retail Strategic Operations of RAB Professional Services, Inc. – a strategic operations company. RAB is a consulting services company that is located in San Diego, California, and serves small to medium-sized businesses.

In his current role, Richard is using all the extensive knowledge and experiences that he gained all throughout his 30-year career to efficiently deliver his duties. He oversees RAB Professional Services’ business direction, leads efforts to foster B2B relationships, and develops sales, marketing, and staff management strategies.

During his latest business engagement, Richard or Rick Berry helped spare an 80-year-old business from being bankrupt and led it to profitability within 90 days.

He began to build his career by working as the Corporate General Manager of TAG Employer Services from 1989 up to 2009. His role focused on acquisition negotiations and training and building a team that will be assigned to the company’s regional locations. As the Corporate GM, delivering a peak annual revenue of 118 million dollars is one of his greatest accomplishments.

During his time there, Rick also received two promotions. First, as the Executive Operations Manager in 2009 then as Vice President of Retail Operations in 2014. He continued to build partnerships and lead negotiations and the development of an AI-powered SaaS application that helps predict consumer behavior.

After being with TAG for three decades, he decided to explore the horizon by seeking an opportunity to further his growth as a business administration professional. He then began to work with RAB Professional Services where he has been serving as the Senior VP of Retail Strategic Operations for two years now.

Outside his established career, Rick Berry is a responsible member of his community. Throughout the years, he has been a huge supporter of organizations and clubs like Boys and Girls Club, Boy Scouts, and YMCA and donation drives.

Where did the idea for your career come from?

The roles I held during my stay in TAG allowed me to lead company initiatives, handle operations, deliver and manage $118M annual revenue, build and provide professional training to more than 300 team members, negotiate large acquisitions, and develop B2B relationships. Additionally, hI was also part of the historical construction and launching of an AI-powered SaaS application that can predict consumer behavior. My experience helped me have the confidence needed to climb the ladder, so to speak at RAB Professional Services, Inc.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

When I wake up, I check on my emails immediately to see if there are important emails I needed to respond to right away. This way, I am able to set my goals and priorities and plan for the day. Also, seeing my role to be very important to the company’s direction, I make sure to find time to read books that spark ideas and challenge me to improve myself and the business.

How do you bring ideas to life?

Finding the right group of people to help you turn ideas into projects is very important. Because when you find the best people, it will be easier to trust them with specific tasks based on their expertise and expect great results.

What’s one trend that excites you?

The ever-evolving nature of technology always excites me because new technologies translate to more ways of delivering the best services for our clients. They enable me to develop strategies that will set us apart from other companies in the industry.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

I take my planner and journal seriously. Because I believe things exist for a specific reason. We have planners and journals to help us lay out our plans, foresee possibilities, reflect on what happened in the past, identify our points of improvement, and think of solutions that we can try.

What advice would you give your younger self?

You’re doing a great job. Don’t ever give up on your dreams because your determination will set your destination.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

A trial is something we should be thankful for. Why? Because when we are faced with a trial, we are given the chance to prove that we can be better and like diamonds in the rough, we are yet to achieve the best version of ourselves.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

As a business administration professional who oversees staff and operations, I make sure that my learning doesn’t stop. Because these learnings guide me in making informed decisions and help me develop innovative strategies.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

One strategy that I always find to be effective is prioritizing your people. If you put them first, they will genuinely care about your business too.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

Years of experience do not guarantee success in everything that we do. Sometimes, strategies don’t work the way I want them to. But it doesn’t mean that I have to give up. There will always be room for improvement and learning. With this in mind, I look at one failure as a chance to identify a weakness and think of a way on how I can improve on it.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

Invest in yourself. No matter what venture you seek out, make sure it is something you believe in and can pursue with passion.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

I recently purchased three books for $113. I always see them like gold because they offer and help us develop new ideas and make comparisons that will help us decide which way to go.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

I find Google Workspace very helpful because it allows real-time collaboration on different types of projects like presentations and documents and stores files in one place. Aside from that, we use the calendar to schedule and invite people to meetings and create forms when needed.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

I’d recommend The Positive Organization: Breaking Free from Conventional Cultures, Constraints, and Beliefs by Robert Quinn.

This book is so good for visionary leaders because it teaches people to value one of the fundamental aspects of a business operation – the employees. It explains how strong relationships, rewards, and inclusion can lead to maximizing the potential of each member.

What is your favorite quote?

Winners are not people who never fail but people who never quit.

Key Learnings:

• Start by getting important tasks completed first thing in the morning, it will set the tone for the rest of the day.
• Be thankful for trials and other opportunities for growth and improving yourself.
• Prioritize people over profit.