Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Stephanie McColm, Founder and CEO of Juniper Management, located in Whistler, BC, Canada.

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

I am an online Business Strategist on a mission to bring balance and sustainability to the online business world. I work with entrepreneurs who want to bring clarity and ease into their business. I show them a guided path forward to live at their best with sustainable strategies, systems, and support.

Tell us about yourself

I launched Juniper while living in a 14-bed dorm room in Tasmania, Australia, and working as a bartender on the side. I knew that I wanted to travel full-time, but unfortunately was miserable in hospitality and didn't know how to sustain my goals. With a background in Event Coordinating and planning Children's Festivals and Holiday Markets in Whistler, BC, I discovered that I could integrate these skills online. My business has always been backed by wanting to live in alignment and helping others to create more experiences for themselves. I am motivated each and every day by the beauty that our lives can enable if we allow it to. They don't teach this in school. You have to build it to know it!

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

For me, my biggest accomplishments aren't measured in money but measured in minutes. I believe that time is our greatest resource, and we find fulfillment when we are able to measure our time as abundant. For the first couple of years in business, I was in the weeds. Now, I find myself traveling and working, launching a retreat in Cabo, and living with ease in the synergy of business and life balance.

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

The hardest obstacle as an entrepreneur has been walking alongside relationships of the past and speaking a different language. The extent of my growth is outstanding, and I see this over and over in the online space. So navigating the relationships I hold with my friends and not being able to share my excitement and success with them has been difficult. Of course, that is what group programs/masterminds/coaches, etc. are for!

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

The number one thing to do when looking to start and grow a business is to start internally. We often look at the vibes - colours, fonts, logos, etc. - and not the internal operating structure. So begin with solid foundations of self. Your why, your values, your mission, and your target audience before looking outwardly. The second is sustainable practices. Begin developing and knowing how and when you operate best, how you respond and experience work (knowing your Human Design helps), and what systems, strategies, and support you need to get there.

Finally, I would suggest limiting your scrolling - we get so stuck in comparison mode and looking at what everyone else is doing that it limits our creativity. So scroll social media with intent and a grain of salt!

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

As an entrepreneur, you get the complete freedom to design and build a business that empowers you and impacts others. Never forget how important it is to have both.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://junipermanagement.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/virtuallyjuniper
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/junipermanagement/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-mccolm-b46b17a0/

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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