SALISBURY — Minority business leaders mingled and heard from Hank Alston, president at Transworld Business Advisors, at the third annual Minority Business Council Meet-and-Greet on Monday at Livingstone Hospitality Center.

Alston offered his list of tips for being successful, starting with doing research about a community business before meeting one on one with the owner or manager. He recommended doing the research before and arriving early to get a sense of what the atmosphere is like.

“It gives you that opportunity, if you’re there early. You can have a conversation with the workers on the desk, ask some questions about the business, get some information about the company,” Alston said. “It gives you a chance to just look around that office, see the plaques on the wall or things like that. Once it’s time to meet with that owner, that president of that company, you’ve got something to talk about.”

He said being knowledgeable can set you apart.

“You’re separating yourself from you competition, because you’re taking that extra step to learn more and find out more about that business,” Alston said.

He asked about goal setting and how many attendees know their goals and have them written down.

“Profess your goals,” he said. “Are you speaking those goals daily? Continuously throughout the day? Verbalizing what the objective is? What you’re looking to accomplish?”

He said he writes down his goals and puts them in multiple locations to constantly remind himself of them. He said he talks to others about his goals.

“The more that you hear yourself verbalize and confess those goals, the more it gets to the inside of you,” Alston said.

Alston said he surrounds himself with people who have the same motivations he does. He recommended associating with people who have the mindset of someone you want to be, not of who you are currently.

“Not everyone that claps for you is for you,” he said.

Alston emphasized these tips are not necessarily just for a career but for personal life as well.

The meet-and-greet allowed members to chat and enjoy appetizers. Barbara Hall, director of the Small Business Center director at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, thanked attendees for taking advantage of the program and Rowan Chamber President Elaine Spalding for kickstarting the Minority Business Council.

“We know that owning a business can be very rewarding but also very challenging, and that’s why we have so many resources that are available to small business owners in the area,” Hall said. “First, I wanted to mention the Rowan County Chamber and thank Elaine Spalding for starting this group.”

Hall closed with a call to use the services and resources the Rowan Chamber has and to join the Minority Business Council.

The council will meet at 9 a.m. Oct. 16.