Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Todd Dewett, President of TVA Inc., located in Houston, TX, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I'm an educator! I help people through books, speeches, and online courses. My audience is made up of professionals of all kinds, from young professionals to senior leaders around the globe.
Tell us about yourself
My business started as a side hustle. It just happened as a natural outgrowth of being a management professor. I had to choose to grow it or neglect it, so I chose to grow it to the point that I had to retire as a professor. I am motivated each day to find new, fun, and practical takes on ideas that help adult professionals become happier and more successful.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I suspect my biggest will involve my new book, Dancing with Monsters, out in April but now open for pre-sales everywhere. But excluding what's brewing with Monsters, I'd say the biggest to date is my library of online courses. I work mostly with LinkedIn Learning. Shooting in their studios and independently through my home studio, I've authored over forty leadership and personal improvement-related courses that are enjoyed in many languages by millions of learners around the planet.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Accept that the buck stops with you. Ultimately, you have to maintain a strong sense of motivation and purpose, accept (in my case) the natural ups and downs of creative work, and never allow yourself to become too content lest you become lazy and irrelevant!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Become a proven expert before giving up your paycheck. Don't assume your business will work.
- Make a plan, get a mentor, build the side hustle, and then quit when the concept has real data to indicate sustainable success, your finances have been prepped to withstand a challenge, and the key people in your life are onboard and supportive of your effort.
- Be willing to work extremely hard, be willing to fail, and be ready to learn and adapt.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Just remember that the winners aren't usually the smartest. They are the hardest working and most willing to embrace learning and growth. Just remember that more is always possible.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.drdewett.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrToddDewett/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdewett/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrDewett
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdewett/
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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