Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in leadership development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Tanveer Naseer, Founder and CEO of Tanveer Naseer Leadership, located in Montreal, QC, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Tanveer Naseer Leadership is a leadership corporate training and consulting firm that works with leaders at every level - from first-time managers to seasoned executives in the C-suite - to help them develop practical leadership and team-building competencies to drive organizational growth and development.
Tell us about yourself
One of the things that always surprises people to learn about me is that I don't come from a corporate background. Instead, my background is in the medical sciences background, specifically pathology. But I think this vantage point has proven to be my advantage as I tend to look past what others might focus on - what I call the obvious symptoms of a problem - and instead work with leaders to identify what's the real problem. What's the underlying condition that's creating those symptoms?
It's happened a few times where I'm hired by an organization to give a workshop or a keynote on a particular subject, and as I ask questions to understand what their pain point is, it becomes clear that what they thought was the issue that needed to be addressed is not the real issue. That what they're focusing on is really just a band-aid solution to solve that symptom that's getting everyone's attention.
It's the best feeling in the world after I give one of my leadership keynotes or workshops where some of the leaders in attendance come up to me and say, 'thank you for helping us to have this conversation. I don't think we really understood how much we needed to have it.'
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Without question, one of my biggest accomplishments as a business owner is being recognized as one of the Top Leadership Experts and Speakers in the world by Inc Magazine. It's given us brand exposure that has helped us secure several Fortune 500 and multinational organizations as clients, as well as opportunities to work with leaders and organizations across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
I think one of the hardest things people don't talk about when it comes to being a business owner is how you always have to be hungry. That as much as it's important to celebrate those accomplishments, you never stop pushing yourself to do more. To do and be better. That you ask yourself, "Now what? What's next?" It can be exhausting, but when you look at the journey it takes you on, it really is a fulfilling experience.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Ask yourself what's your why. Why do I want to start and be responsible for running this business? Starting a business is hard, and it's going to demand everything you got. If you're not working on it, you're thinking about it. It takes a lot of your bandwidth and attention. So if you don't have a compelling reason for why you're doing it - and why others would want to buy it from you - then you're just setting yourself up to fail as a business owner.
- Build a support network of people to help you with your journey. You can't succeed on your own, and you need people who will not only be there to support and encourage you but also tell you those painful truths you need to hear at times. Success is very much a team sport, and having the right people by your side makes a world of difference.
- Stay curious and always keep learning, whether that's through reading books, taking courses, listening to business podcasts, and so forth. The past decade has seen so much change, and that pace of change doesn't look like it's going to let up. So you can't afford to stick to what you know - you have to keep broadening your horizon, your knowledge base, and your understanding of the world.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://tanveernaseer.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tanveernaseer.mtl/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TanveerNaseer
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanveernaseer/
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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