Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jennifer Hargreaves, Founder of tellent, located in Thornbury, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
tellent is a diversity recruitment and social impact company. We connect women's limitless potential with the professional world. We work with women and other marginalized genders who are considering their next professional move and inclusive employers looking to access experienced women's talent.
Tell us about yourself
I started my career working in International Business Development. I loved my job and the company I worked for. I was on track to BE, DO and HAVE what I wanted in my career. It was amazing. In line with that growth, I moved to the UK with my finance. When I got there, I struggled to find a job. I didn't have the network or experience they were looking for. The job search was difficult, with many rejections.
But I got there! I landed a job I was really excited about. They started me clipping coupons and organizing travel. They told me the role wouldn't suit someone looking to have kids anytime soon. They actually joked about it a number of times. Then they laid me off four days after I told them I was pregnant. I share this because, in the span of three years, I went from believing I could BE, DO or HAVE what I wanted at work to simply not believing it anymore.
Maybe I wasn't as good as I thought…
Maybe the world wasn't as progressive as we were led to believe.
Maybe I couldn't be a mom and have a career.
Maybe I should just be realistic and take what I can get now.
Maybe I should settle for lower pay and less growth to get more flexible hours.
All of us have very different journeys and very different beliefs and narratives about ourselves and our opportunities that have been shaped by our parents, our culture, our workplaces, and our society. My experience fundamentally changed what I believed was possible and available in my career. Somewhere along the way, many of us consciously or unconsciously disconnected from what we truly wanted and stopped believing in our true and full potential. We adopted new stories about what was possible and available to us. Stories that came from authentic experiences of bias and discrimination, stories told to us by our parents, and stories imprinted on us by culture and norms.
When I became aware of this, I realized something had to change. I cannot change the Peters and Pauls of the world or the real and systemic challenges that women, especially women of colour, experience in the workplace. But, what I can do and love to do is reconnect women to their professional potential through programs like the Propeller Experience. We take clients back to believing in themselves, their possibilities, and their ability to BE, DO and have what they want out of their careers and lives. This is what gets me out of bed every day! Watching women step into the career and life they want and deserve. It is Ah-mazing!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My impact. Creating a community of women from all different backgrounds, industries, and interests who show up for each other and themselves.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Turning off! Vacations - true vacations where you don't bring a laptop or phone!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Explore! Give yourself permission to dream.
If anything is possible, what do you want to create? Who do you want to help? What activities would you want to do on a daily basis? Who do you want to surround yourself with - customers and colleagues? How much money do you want to make? Write it all down. Giving yourself permission to explore and dream without judgment will feel hard, but it is a critical step in developing your aiming point or direction. What do you want? - Talk about it!
Put your idea out in the world. You don't have to build anything yet; in fact, I would suggest building nothing at all. Connect with potential customers, talk to other entrepreneurs about their journey and share yours. It can feel scary, and you may feel vulnerable putting yourself out there but just remind yourself that you are not committing, just exploring, refining and learning. Chances are, those first connections will end up becoming your community, your biggest cheerleaders, and possibly your customers along the way. - Do it.
When I say "do it," I mean test it, prototype. Get one person to purchase your product or services. It can be a friend or family member or someone you spoke to during your research calls. Test the offer before you build out your final message, website, and product. Your customer will help you develop all of those.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://wearetellent.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wearetellent
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wearetellent/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tellent/
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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