Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in training and development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Chloe Gow-Jarrett, founder, and CEO of 3fold, located in North Vancouver, BC, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

3fold is a leadership development company. We support leaders to generate clarity of purpose, build powerful culture, and develop resilient people as their organization grows and changes. Our clients lead a wide spectrum of sectors and industries — from food and beverage, retail, and tech to automotive equipment rental and leasing, professional services, and wealth management. What unites all of them is their commitment to creating resilience in the world by investing in people. We design and deliver programming that supports people at all organizational levels to first lead themselves, then others, and then entire organizations. We often serve as an arm’s length leadership development department, supporting organizations that aren’t yet ready to hire for full-time accountability in leadership development.

Our clients are fun to work with and, at their core, care deeply about developing people well beyond task-at-hand responsibility to consciously create cultures of care and clear communication.

Tell us about yourself

In 2015, I was celebrating my thirteenth year at lululemon athletica. I had worked primarily on the company’s training and leadership programs, supporting our expansion from 2 to over 200 stores. I loved leadership development and, after the birth of my second son, desired new flexibility and autonomy that would align with my values as a new mother. I was also inspired by the connections I’d been making in the social venture community. My partner encouraged me to explore whether my expertise could be of value to other organizations.

My decision to leave lululemon was one of the hardest I’ve ever made. I had a great salary with a company I’d helped grow and a team of people I loved. I also knew that it was time for a change, and I was excited to share my experience in culture, communication, and leadership. So with a handful of desirable prospects from our collective address books, my partner and I launched 3fold out of our home office and haven’t looked back!

I am incredibly passionate about the work that we do because of the approach that we take. We consider our program experiences to be co-created. Although our facilitators lead the groups that we work with, it is the groups and the facilitators — working together — that share responsibility for creating the depth of learning we share. I love to learn and care deeply about the topics that we touch on in our programming (like integrity, change management, emotional intelligence, and setting expectations). I’m constantly learning new things based on what different groups discover together, making every program different and exciting. I am motivated by those moments when individuals (including myself) and groups truly connect to a deeper understanding of themselves or others.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner has been the assembly of the incredible team with which I am privileged to work. 3fold’s team is attentive to creating an exceptional experience for clients and is very committed to both individual performance and overall business success. We care deeply for one another and show it through our communication. We are a team that learns together and from each other, inspired by the impact we make on our clients.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

I find that toggling between working in my business and working on my business can be very challenging. I head up product design and delivery and am also 3fold’s CEO. I naturally tend to dig into the design and delivery side of our client work and can easily take my eyes off of the important task of running the business as a whole. This year one of my professional goals is to spend 20% of my time working on the structure of our enterprise: communication strategy, future-focused thinking, HR processes, and financial reporting. —With a conscious concentration on these areas, 3fold’s team can enjoy clarity and focus while I can make decisions based on a solid understanding of all aspects of our business.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Know your strengths and weaknesses, and be honest with yourself. What do you know you will do because you love it and are good at it? What do you know you will likely not do because you don’t have the experience or aren’t interested in learning? When planning how you get things done, make sure you plan for the areas where you aren’t strong or aren’t willing to learn, and always ask for support where you need it.
  2. Build culture intentionally. How do you want your team to treat each other? What kind of work environment is important to you? What do you want your day to look like, and how will you extend that type of thinking and flexibility to the rest of your team? Get clear on your vision, mission, and values now. This helps you and your team to have clarity, know where your organization is headed, and understand what’s expected of everyone individually and together. These important choices and declarations create your organization’s culture and seed the positive everyday experience of coming to work, galvanizing your team, and supporting consistent and aligned performance.
  3. Find a community of support. Who do you know that you want to learn from? What communities of entrepreneurs and business leaders already exist of which you could become a part? Lots of people have started businesses and have come across challenges that are similar to the ones that you are and will be facing. You don’t have to do it alone. Even if you are a solopreneur, reach out and find a community that is committed to teaching, learning from, and uplifting each other.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Our ultimate goal is to support individuals in finding their unique expression of leadership so that they can navigate the challenges that their lives present with greater ease and grace. It is important to us that entrepreneurs with businesses of all sizes and budgets have access to this opportunity. We offer 3fold’s foundational leadership programs Leading Self and Leading Others, twice a year as online open programs.

Each program’s cohort maxes out at 12 participants and consists of solopreneurs or individuals from smaller businesses interested in their individual growth and team leadership with others who represent larger organizations who are searching for consistent support. If you are curious about this kind of programming, we accept registration in the springtime and again in the fall. You can check out our website to learn more, and feel free to be in touch with any questions.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://3foldpartners.com/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.