Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in human resources but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Marci Schnapp, Founder of Opusuna, located in Boca Raton, FL, USA.

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

Opusuna is the Only Bias-Free Behavioral Assessment & Integrated StrategicTeam-Building Platform. We have customers from various industries, including manufacturers, home builders, logistics, not-for-profit, financial services, event management, professional services, management consulting firms, staffing firms, independent coaches, recruiters, and HR consultants.

Tell us about yourself

My name is Marci Schnapp and I am the Founder of Opusuna. I am responsible for Opusuna's vision to be the premier method of assessing talent and building teams. In 1998 I founded and built New Media Links, a successful recruitment firm dedicated exclusively to Internet-related jobs; clients include MSN, Microsoft, AOL, Bell, Dell, US Bank, MacLaren McCann, Rogers Communications, CIBC, and ING Direct. Over the next ten years, I launched several successful divisions of New Media Links, Xsearch-Executive Search for eBusiness, @Work Solutions for contract employees & RPO. My company completed searches from entry-level to C-Level, including CMO, CIO, VP of Digital Services, VP of Technology, VP of Sales, VP of Creative, and VP of eBusiness.

In 2010 by aligning New Media Links and its divisions, I created TeamQuest Advisors encapsulating the assessment and team-building strategy to provide an innovative, bias-free, team-based approach to talent solutions. In 2019, I decided to relocate my family to Boca Raton, Florida, a place I had always dreamed about living; later that year, I purchased the assessment called Teamability. First, I hired a team to update the outdated front-end user interface then I created new services and a platform with new features and benefits. Then I changed the name to Opusuna, meaning "work together," to reflect the purpose of my company.

My goal for Opusuna is to help customers attract, retain, and develop people and teams according to the diversity and culture of their organizations. In addition, the Opusuna platform facilitates recognizing and encouraging each others' talents and skills, ensuring long-term value for the organization's future.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

• In 2011, re-positioned the company for strategic advantage in a changing market. Developed new strategy and branding to leverage Teamability, now called Opusuna assessment, as a critical differentiation amongst competitors creating a unique value proposition in the marketplace.

• Won acceptance of this new 'technology of teaming' within several visionary firms, which are now realizing the business value of Opusuna utilization within their organizations.

• Purchasing Teamability - Founding Opusuna, updating the assessment software, etc., and becoming the SME.

• Active in raising the standards for effectiveness in hiring and team building through new tools and methods that can ameliorate chronic 'people problems' (high turnover and low employee engagement) that are not being significantly impacted by traditional talent measures (skills, experience, career path, personality testing, etc.). This strategy has substantial positive implications for competitive advantage in the marketplace and for increasing the strategic value of the Human Resource function.

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

The sole responsibility for the success or failure of the business.

  • Putting your time and money at risk.
  • Raising Funds and getting buy-in.
  • Managing budget and cash flow.
  • Sales & Marketing.
  • Hiring People.
  • Being your own tech support.

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

  1. Make sure you know yourself - and do a deep time into your strengths and weakness and find people on your team (paid or unpaid) who can help you - don't try to do it all by yourself.
  2. Know who to go to for what - not everyone can do everything.
  3. Don't take setbacks personally.
  4. Be cautiously optimistic and confident.
  5. Engage legal and accounting professionals from the start - make sure to have a good foundation

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I'd like to share that having my own business has allowed me to transcend the traditional roles and opportunities for women of my age - gen X - in business and my personal life.

It's taken me places and taught me things I never dreamed of. I've met and worked with people I never thought I would meet, let alone work with, who would look to me for guidance and advice.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.opusuna.io/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/opusunaofficial/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/opusuna_io
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcischnapp/

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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