Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Morag Barrett, Founder of SkyeTeam, located in Broomfield, CO, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I firmly believe that you can't be successful in business or in life unless you are successful in cultivating winning relationships. Whether it's professional relationships across your industry or organization or within your team, it's the people skills that really matter. Soft skills are foundational to achieving hard goals.
SkyeTeam is in the people business, helping to develop leaders at all levels in organizations; we work as a team and executive coaches. Our customers are predominantly IT, Technology, and Engineering professionals who are:
- Looking to take their career to the next level and are unsure how.
- Frustrated that their team is not firing on all cylinders (especially in a hybrid world), and business results are at risk.
- Finding themselves acting as referees between colleagues where relationships have become frayed, and teamwork and innovation have stalled.
- Looking to raise the collective leadership & management skills in their organization.
Tell us about yourself
I spent more than 10 years in finance, focused on the what of business. I supported companies in different industries and at different stages of their lifecycle. All the leaders of those companies thought they had it made, the product, service, and widget that would result in profits and stellar results. I loved the poetry of the numbers and yet realized that something was missing in the equation, that if it were as simple as having a great cash flow forecast, every company would be successful.
I realized that the missing element was a lack of focus and investment in the people skills and how business gets done. As a result, when things didn't go to plan, the politics, silos, and turf wars took over and slowed to decision making and undermined success for everyone.
I started SkyeTeam 15 years ago and have now supported more than 15,000 leaders from 20 countries and on 6 continents. The soft skills are what help us all to achieve the hard results, and the impact has been amazing.
What motivates me every day is my passion for helping others succeed. To help them identify that special something inside that makes their dreams a reality - and makes them one of the colleagues others want to work with and for.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I was going to give SkyeTeam a year and see what happened. In the blink of an eye, it is now 15 years later. I have an amazing team of allies; we have written three books and impacted the lives of thousands of people around the world. The biggest accomplishment is the messages we receive from graduates of our program sharing their successes.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Being a business owner is the hardest I have ever worked in my career. Being in a corporate role was easy by comparison. As a business owner, the to-do list always exceeds the time available, and the temptation to try and do it all myself rather than delegate or outsource is tempting. However, being a business owner is the most fun I have had too. I love my work, I love my clients, I love my team, and I can't imagine doing anything else.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Focus - I now have three sticky notes with my 2022 priorities. These are color-coded, and every meeting in my calendar aligns with those three priorities. And if they don't, my team has permission to kick me! #1 of the tips is to be clear on what MUST be done and focus.
- Flexibility - even with the best-laid plans, you need to be flexible. When the pandemic hit, we switched to virtual facilitation and invested in quality cameras, lights, and microphones. We upskilled and, as a result, saw our business grow substantially. Even as travel and in-person events have restarted, we always have a backup plan that can flex to a virtual or a hybrid model to ensure a quality experience.
- Invest in your strategic relationships and partnerships - even as a solopreneur, you are dependent on others for your success. Look for opportunities to cultivate your professional relationships, whether potential clients, existing clients or vendor partners - these relationships will be invaluable as you grow.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Being a business owner isn't for everyone. The best leaders and organizations make it look easy. Be prepared to roll up your sleeves, to need to ask for help, and take it when it is offered. However, if you thrive as an entrepreneur, then go for it - define success by YOUR measures (not anyone else, and not just financially) and have fun.
Remember, you can't be successful in business or in life unless you are successful in cultivating winning relationships.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: http://skyeteam.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/skyemorag
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moragbarrett/
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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