Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jessica Thomas, Owner of Omani Hope Consulting, LLC., located in Evansville, IN, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My name is Jess Thomas, and I own a small consulting company that provides grant management, compliance, program development, and process improvement services. I work across industries but have expertise in hospitality, behavioral healthcare, and not-for-profit organizations. I also provide strategic planning sessions!
Tell us about yourself
No matter what job I am working, whether in a frontline or leadership position, I am always looking to improve processes, policies, and workflow. I love "fixing" problems and have found that I am incredible at leading a team to impactful and sustainable change! I decided to leave the comfort of my career to start my own consulting business because I wanted to impact more than the organization I was currently at.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Oh my gosh, can "not giving up" be my answer? Starting my own business has been the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. It has made me extremely uncomfortable and forced me to grow in ways I never knew was needed or possible. So yeah, the biggest accomplishment has got to be my grit this past year!
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
It's the marketing and follow-up piece for me. I have never been in sales, and selling yourself is not exactly the best starting point. I prefer to help people and not bother people, so I really struggled at first to get my business out there. Even a year later, I still haven't figured out how to generate leads and build my pipeline! I just keep working on it and learning everything I can!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
My tip for starting a business would be to do a lot of research, create a business and marketing plan, obtain a couple of mentors that can assist you with your journey, and utilize organizations like the small business development center to ensure you are checking all the boxes and starting on the right foot.
One thing that I think is important in growing and sustaining is consistently reviewing the way things are being done within your business. I am a process improvement junkie, so of course, I think that the key to running a successful business is constantly looking for ways to improve!
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Continuous improvement means that we never perceive current success as our final achievement. - John Hunter
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.omanihopeconsulting.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/omani.hope.consulting
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omanihopeconsulting/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessthomas1919/
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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