Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Lawrence Brown, Business Coach and Consultant - Execution Strategy and Finance of AngelytiX, located in Los Angeles, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We are a business consulting company that does advisory work, outsourced CFO work, and digital marketing for start-ups/small businesses. Our clients are founders of companies (typically less than $5M in revenue per year) or those looking to start a company and need help with strategic next steps/raising capital.
Tell us about yourself
I have a background in finance and business, having worked in banking and in start-ups. I realized there was a need that was not being met for start-up founders to get access to the help that they needed prior to being able to hire employees, and I have always been driven by helping others. My three professional passions are finance/numbers, teaching, and motivating people, and I am fortunate to have found a way to combine these in a way that fulfills me to empower founders to build their dream no matter what their background is.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Honestly, it's the smaller wins that feel most fulfilling to me - from when a client says to me, "ahh, you make me really understand my business in a way I would not have thought about it," to when a client has an idea, and we see it launch. "Biggest" accomplishments might include helping an e-commerce company turn profitable within a year of working with them, helping customers impacted by COVID completely shift their business model and land up doing 10x better, or helping a client raise an $85M round of capital.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Taking time off. As a business owner, you take on a responsibility to always keep the lights on. Time off is extremely important, as is finding ways to recharge and not burn out. Doing this in creative ways that ensure everything is still running smoothly is a challenge that every business owner needs to figure out.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Make sure you care about the result of what you are trying to achieve - there are many things you can be interested in or that you a see a gap in the market for, but care is what will get you through the hardest times, not just interest.
- Break out phases of scale - clearly define stages of your business so that you can progress through achievable milestones as opposed to an ever-changing ultimate vision: even though you will at the same time keep that vision in mind to drive the stages, it is important to build instead of stagnating until things are perfect.
- Leverage - do not think you have to have all the skills yourself. No one can achieve much alone, as the world is not designed that way. It is also not worth your time as the business owner to do most things. Value your time and leverage others. Leverage applies in many other parts of the business as well, but in the beginning, leveraging skills is most valuable.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://angelytix.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angelytix
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelytixdotcom/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/angelytixconsulting/
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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