Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Anne Shoemaker, founder of Anne Shoemaker, LLC., located in Greensboro, NC, USA.

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

My personal and professional mission is to support and elevate career women into positions of power and influence. I do this through one-on-one coaching relationships, small group work such as webinars and workshops, and the provision of digital resources such as workbooks and online courses.

Tell us about yourself

I have been passionate about gender equity for as long as I can remember. However, my passion was ignited in the late twenty-teens when a confluence of factors spurred me to take action. We have spent centuries tapping into just HALF of our population's talent when it comes to the workplace. All too often, there is a pipeline of potential stuck behind a bottleneck of self-doubt and systemic barriers. Imagine how much further along we could be if ALL women brought the full strength of their ideas to the world. I help women unlock their potential so that they can reach new levels of impact and fulfillment.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner has been running my business full-time. Despite starting it as a side-hustle in 2019, I managed to make it my full-time job as of 2021. Serving women every day has been wildly fulfilling. There are so many ambitious, talented women just like me doing this work to help advance women's standing in the workplace. Being in the community with them is inspiring to me as well.

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

One of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner is shutting down for the day or the weekend. There are always so many things that can be done to advance this work, and my passion for it is neverending. This can make it hard to step away to take care of other things.

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

  1. Start before you're ready.
  2. Start a business on the side. Do not rely on it as your sole source of income until the numbers (not the feeling) prove to you that it is sustainable.
  3. Network, network, network. Being a small business owner means you are in sales every single day.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://anneshoemaker.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnneShoemakerDotCom
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/careeradvisoranne/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnneShoemaker
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-shoemaker-greensboro/

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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