Meet Karena Bell | Founder & CEO

We had the good fortune of connecting with Karena Bell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Karena, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
At ProfitLinz, we are financial experts who help businesses make more money. We do this by finding and fixing profit loss, hidden costs, lost income, and inefficient processes. By understanding each business’s financial situation better, business leaders can make smarter decisions that lead to higher profits.

In order to clearly understand the true health of a business, you need to get down to the line item level of details in the business. This data will clearly tell us where the problems are and what we need to remediate to increase the monthly cash flow of a business.

In short, we can help a business make more money and improve its bottom line.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
ProfitLinz is a specialized advisory firm dedicated to optimizing profits and implementing strategic solutions. Our approach involves conducting an in-depth financial analysis akin to a forensic investigation, delving into the minutiae of a company’s financial data to uncover the who, what, where, and why behind profit losses. We collaborate closely with our clients, crafting remediation plans and guiding them through the implementation process until tangible benefits are realized.

After optimizing profits, we adopt a comprehensive perspective encompassing the entire organization. This involves assessing areas for cost reduction, implementing cost containment strategies, identifying tax incentives, and uncovering potential new revenue streams to maximize monthly cash flow. Past clients who have partnered with ProfitLinz have witnessed substantial monthly increases in cash flow performance, often six to seven figures.

In its infancy, ProfitLinz emerged as a small advocacy and business solution advisory firm when it was less than three years old. However, it rapidly transformed as we discerned the extensive and unmet needs of our clients, ultimately evolving into the thriving organizational profit optimization firm it is today. We remain dedicated to ongoing growth and expanding our solutions to facilitate our clients’ progress.

What sets us apart in this industry is our distinctive approach to each engagement. Our process begins with comprehensive foundational assessments, which we adapt as information unfolds, allowing us to tailor customized recommendations for each client. At ProfitLinz, every team member is empowered to offer the best solution, prioritizing our client’s needs over convenience or one-size-fits-all approaches. Our solutions are often unconventional, reflecting our commitment to being professional profit problem solvers. We go to great lengths to explore every available option to benefit our clients’ objectives and goals.

I take immense pride in the substantial impact our services have made on businesses and organizations of all sizes, spanning from $1 million to over $10 billion in annual revenue. Our initial approach remains consistent, with the extent of our engagement tailored to the unique size and requirements of each business we serve. What truly ignites my enthusiasm is when I engage in conversations with business owners or executives regarding their plans for the additional cash or capital reinvested in their operations. It’s particularly gratifying when their immediate response is, “We’re going to reinvest it in our employee programs, enhance employee wellness, reduce their healthcare premiums, and provide more training,” among other possibilities.

There is a profound sense of accomplishment when leaders recognize the importance of rewarding the individuals who have contributed to their business’s growth and will continue to play a pivotal role in their future development. Prioritizing the well-being and professional advancement of their employees and knowing that we played a part in making it happen is genuinely fulfilling.

How did I reach my current standing in the business world? Was it easy? Well, that’s a compelling question. I’d say that I’ve achieved some remarkable feats on my own. However, my most significant accomplishments and proudest moments have been when I collaborated and worked alongside others to conquer challenges that many considered too complex or unattainable. Early in my career, I adopted the reputation of being a “problem solver.” While some might shy away from difficulties or issues, I embraced them and eagerly stepped up to the plate. I sought the opportunity to take my shot.

I surrounded myself with like-minded peers who brought diverse knowledge, backgrounds, and perspectives to the table, all sharing the same attitude: “How many ways can we solve this problem?” Then, we rolled up our sleeves and got to work. Little did I know that this approach, both then and now, would prove to be more valuable and transformative than even my formal education. Some of the most formidable challenges I encountered became my most profound learning experiences. It didn’t take long for me to gladly anticipate challenges and struggles because I recognized that they held invaluable lessons on the other side. With each challenge I overcame, I acquired more skills, knowledge, and resilience to confront the next one, and the one after that, and so on.

Was it easy? Absolutely not, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. You see, the “easy” path is often crowded, and the simplest answers are not necessarily the best for business; they are merely the most convenient. Taking a little extra time to ask and assess, “Is this the best solution?” can make a world of difference. One of my favorite mottos is: “If it’s easy, give it to someone else; if it’s challenging, I’ll tackle it today; if it’s impossible, it might take a bit longer.” If we find ourselves in challenging situations, we can find our way out. It’s our responsibility to seek the optimal solution and act upon it.

This same mindset and approach are deeply ingrained in the very essence and culture at ProfitLinz, shaping how we serve and the clients we assist. Our mission is deliberate: to empower business leaders to not only survive but to genuinely thrive by optimizing their profits. Achieving this goal can take various forms and necessitate diverse solutions to achieve individual objectives. In many cases, this leads us into exceedingly demanding circumstances that most would shy away from, yet that’s exactly where we eagerly step in.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Charleston, SC is an absolute gem of a city to visit, steeped in American history, architecture, and food.

We would start at the Magnolia plantation. Walking the various winding and scenic gardens that are intricately designed around many marshes and waterways. It is the oldest American garden, capturing over 350 years of history and horticulture.

The second plantation would be the Boone Plantation. Home of one of the most comprehensive curations of Gullah history and culture, the Avenue of oaks and has been named America’s most photographed plantation.

There is the first manned combat submarine that was commissioned in 1864 and recovered from the bottom of the harbor in 2000 funded by American Novelist Clive Cussler named, The H.L. Hunley. Honoring the courageous men who manned the submarine. There are a couple of replicas of the Hunley that can be seen and explored. However, the real Hunley resides in a 75,000-gallon saltwater tank to maintain the current state of preservation, when not being restored.

A visit to Charleston is not complete with a guided horse-drawn carriage ride through the city—another opportunity to learn about the city’s history, tragedy, culture, and revival.

As rich as Charelston is in history, culture, and food it is equally rich in the variety of music she provides as well. The Forte Jazz Lounge is a must-experience if Jazz is your swing. There are a number of restaurants and clubs that continually feature locally talented musicians of just about every genre. The Charleston Music Hall is an intimate venue where advanced reservations are always recommended.

Now if you are lucky, you may catch one of our local celebrities Bill Murray, at a local coffee shop or restaurant out having a good time with fellow locals. Bill Murray is also part owner of our local minor league baseball team The Riverdogs. They are a fun, family-friendly event that everyone will have a blast at. The stadium is set on one of the most beautiful areas overlooking a gorgeous Carolina marsh. Be sure to catch the view at sunset, it is one you won’t soon forget.

Lastly, there is only one way a person should experience all things Charleston, and that is to eat your way through the city and all of its culinary charms and delights. Chefs compete in the Charleston space for real estate as Charleston is known to be one of the biggest little “foodie” cities around. You may go to 39 Rue De Jean for a bit of French food, or Hanks’ Seafood for your favorite crustaceans, Or Hall’s Chop House for a premium steak or Prohibition for the best Orange Old Fashion in Charleston. Ask any local walking down the street, and they are happy to share their recommendations and their favorites.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We can only achieve great feats when working and collaborating with others whose talents exceed our own. I want to dedicate this article to an amazing individual who had a profound impact on my life, Miki Dinh. Back in the late 90s, we were working together, and he saw potential in me and asked if he could mentor me. In my pursuit of continuous improvement and self-development, I said “Yes”. In our time working together, Miki taught me how to not just think outside the box but to live and work outside the box in everything I do. To look for the correct answer, not the quickest, to question things with an endless curiosity approach, that for every situation there are always multiple solutions, it’s up to us to find them. Become a professional problem solver, be creative, innovative, and forever intrigued by how we can always learn more, do more, and be more without boundaries in every role we hold and to those who rely on us the most.
What Miki helped me see was what I already possessed. Through his guidance, I was able to discover, own, and apply the characteristics and qualities that have defined my success to date and continue to define the success that is in my future.
As a homage to the impact Miki and his guidance have had and continue to have on me, I feel it is my obligation, duty, and responsibility to continue mentoring and revealing to others the characteristics and qualities they owe to the world to get out there and share.

Website: https://www.profitlinz.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenambell/

Other: Karena@ProfitLinz.com