Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in career development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jess Feltner, Founder of Jess From HR, located in Kansas City, MO, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am a Job Searching and Career Coach who helps my clients navigate the job searching process to land not just a job but the right job. Let's face it, we spend a lot of time at work, and our jobs can have a big impact on the rest of our life. This is why it's so important to find a job that meets your individual wants and needs (yes - they do exist!)
At Jess from HR, our mission is to empower our clients with the tools and resources to gain clarity on what they are looking for and learn how to navigate the job searching process confidently. Resumes, LinkedIn, job searching, interviewing, salary negotiation.... we cover it all!
Tell us about yourself
After graduating college, I was so excited to start my career! Unfortunately, I quickly realized my first job may not be the best fit. I became lazy, uninspired, and unmotivated not only at work but also in my personal life. I soon realized there were many things I forgot to ask about or overlooked in the hiring process. So, I decided to make a change. After a full year of being unhappy in my career, I made a switch and pursued my passion for working in Human Resources.
After working in corporate HR for 5 years, I've watched thousands of applicants and job seekers unknowingly self-sabotage themselves! It wasn't that they weren't quality candidates or didn't have enough experience, but they were slipping up in easy, fixable ways. I decided to take my knowledge as an HR professional and start helping people through the job search process. After all, our career is something that impacts a huge part of our life, yet we're never taught what to do or how to navigate it. Because of this, I set out with a mission to help people find their voice and the confidence to find a job that meets their individual wants and needs. I provide my audience and clients with insider tips, secrets, and resources to succeed in resumes, interviewing, LinkedIn, salary research and negotiation, and more!
My motivation and success stories always come from seeing my clients recognize the value in their experience and realize they are worthy of finding a career that meets their unique individual needs.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Honestly, there isn't one moment or accomplishment that stands out to me. Instead, I'm really proud of myself for navigating the unknowns of being a business owner. I've come across many challenges I never even dreamt of and have had to pivot quickly to make a decision or change plans. I've been the business owner, the content creator, the bookkeeper, the coder, etc. (the list goes on and on!). Building the foundation of my business on my own and learning the skills needed to continue its growth has been a huge accomplishment for me.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Being able to adapt! It sounds easy on the surface, but it can take many forms within your business that you may not expect. For example, maybe you really love one of your products, but that isn't the one that resonates best with your customers. Perhaps you enjoy creating content on TikTok, but your followers engage way more on your Instagram platform.
I am Type A and love to have a set vision and plan of how things will go, so I had to learn that I can't plan my way into absolutely everything as a business owner.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Don't invest in just anyone!
As a business owner, you'll get approached for many different products or resources. If you are outsourcing or looking to invest in another company - do thorough research. It may sound obvious, but there are a ton of sales techniques to make the offer sound great and have you signing a contract 5 minutes later. Understand the offer, the investment, and if it makes sense for your business. - Don't get distracted by what you're NOT doing.
It can be easy to get excited about all the possibilities when you start your business. By no means do I mean to disregard those possibilities or ways of thinking, but instead, make sure what you're already doing is done well. When it is, you can move on to the next avenue. Otherwise, you'll end up with a million product lines that are all done okay-ish. - Don't lose sight of YOUR vision.
Emphasis on the YOUR. Remember why you started, what's important to you, what you want it to look like, etc. You started a business because you had a dream, vision, or passion that is important to you. You should still be enjoying your business years down the road, and it should look like what you want it to look like at the end of the day.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.jessfromhr.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessfromhr/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jessfromhr
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itsjessfromhr
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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