Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Adriele Parker, Founder of Adriele Parker LLC, located in Brooklyn, NY, USA.

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

I'm a diversity, equity, inclusion thought partner and work-life integration coach for Black women.

Tell us about yourself

For as long as I can remember, I've been in spaces where I was one of few Black women. More times than I can count, I've been the only Black woman in many professional spaces. And it was always apparent to me that those spaces weren't structured or designed with someone like me in mind. I wanted to change that. Not only for myself and other Black women but for all people belonging to historically, systematically marginalized groups.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Being a business owner, lol. I launched my business in March 2020 (what a time, right?), and I've been going full speed ahead since then. This is by far my biggest accomplishment.

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

As a solopreneur, juggling all the things (i.e., business development, creating content, facilitating workshops, coaching, invoicing, etc.) can be challenging. But, I'm constantly seeking ways to make things easier, and I also hired someone part-time to help me juggle some of the tasks. They've been a HUGE help!

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

  1. You MUST have a growth mindset. In my coaching work, I've often encountered people who are really, really hard on themselves when they make a mistake or fail at something. It's important to allow yourself some grace and space to be human. And most importantly, it's imperative to use mistakes and failures as learning and growth opportunities.
  2. Network network network! I'm so incredibly grateful for my network. Because of them, I haven't had to do any formal marketing or sales efforts to secure clients. My network has connected me to all of my clients. Having a strong network will help you secure clients/customers and sell your products or services. Tell people what you're doing, ask for help or connections, offer help or connections, etc. Talking to people is a great way to build up your interpersonal skill set, which is also important.
  3. Have a plan and structure your business. And I'm not talking about writing a 50+ page business plan (although, in some cases, you may need to), but simply having your goals defined and outlining the steps or actions you need to take to make things happen. And as far as structure goes, having systems and processes in place early on can go a long way as you scale up or expand your business. For example, organizing your notes in a way that makes it easy and fast for you to refer back to them. Or color-coding your calendar.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I offer both group and 1-on-1 coaching for Black women on a pay-what-you-can basis. Details are on my site (https://www.adrieleparker.com/coaching).

I also share videos about my entrepreneurial journey and other things on Youtube (https://youtube.com/adrieleparker).

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.adrieleparker.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adrieleparker/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/adrieleparker
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrieleparker/

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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