Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal and business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Minette Norman, Founder of Minette Norman Consulting LLC., located in Fairfax, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I help leaders cultivate inclusive team cultures. I offer workshops, keynote speeches, and ongoing consulting engagements to help leaders create a culture where diverse teams can thrive, and everyone can do their best work. My customers are primarily but not exclusively tech companies.
Tell us about yourself
I have an unusual career story. With a degree in Drama and French, I planned to be a professional actor but quickly realized I didn't have a thick enough skin to audition/get rejected/rinse/repeat. I found my way into the software industry in 1989, when Adobe hired me to write the Photoshop version 1.0 tutorial. I spent the next 30 years at various Silicon Valley software companies. Twenty of those thirty years were at Autodesk, where I had a series of leadership positions, including five years as VP of Engineering Practice.
As I progressed through the ranks of leadership, I found myself less and less interested in technology and more and more interested in human interaction, collaboration, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. I saw how few leaders knew how to fully leverage the talent in their teams, and I wanted to do something about that. In 2019, I left the software industry and did some soul-searching. In early 2020 (just as the world was going into lockdown due to the pandemic), I launched my consulting business.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I was convinced I didn't have an entrepreneurial bone in my body because I had spent my entire career in the corporate world, so my biggest accomplishment has been launching a consulting business and having clients from big-name Silicon Valley companies.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
It can be lonely, but I mitigate that by having a strong network of trusted friends and colleagues I can bounce ideas off of. One of the things I struggled with the most and still find challenging is pricing my services.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Find something you love to do that will get you up in the morning excited about the work ahead and will leave you energized rather than drained at the end of the day.
- Get advice from people who have done something similar. You don't have to make it all up yourself.
- Outsource the work you're not good at, or that will take time away from the work only you can do.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
I'm constantly learning and iterating, which keeps everything interesting. I am so happy being my own boss!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.minettenorman.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/minettenorman
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/minettenorman/
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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