Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Beth Wonson, CEO of Beth Wonson & Company, located in Carmichael, CA, USA.

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

How communication has evolved over the past several decades is creating a dangerous trajectory for human existence. We have become disconnected from each other even though we are dependent on each other for innovation, complex problem solving, and the ability to develop into our best selves, both individually and collectively.

It is not entirely our fault. Working against us is our brain's innate desire to protect us from perceived threats to our beliefs, values, and sense of self. This process protected us back in the days when the saber tooth tiger was trying to eat our babies. But in today’s world, most of these threats are psychological and less transparent to others. And when activated, it leads to unnecessary conflicts, drama, and chaos.

My company is focused on changing this dangerous trajectory through a set of tools that increase self-awareness and the ability to communicate with clarity and emotional balance. Even when there is disagreement. This tool is called the Navigating Challenging Dialogue® Process.

Our customers are primarily mid-sized companies who are committed to improving workplace culture and helping their leaders and emerging leaders empower themselves and their teams to use their unique strengths, talents, and skills to do their best work with minimal drama and chaos.

Tell us about yourself

I was someone who was very good at my job. So good, in fact, that I was promoted to lead the team I was part of. The challenge was that I had no mentoring or understanding of what it takes to inspire, empower, lead, and hold humans accountable. Most days, in my high-pressure job, my emotions were leading my decision-making. My employees were spending a significant amount of time working around my emotions. If things were going great, I was happy and optimistic. If things were challenging at home or work, I was likely to be sarcastic, curt, critical, or otherwise frustrated. It was a roller coaster for all of us.

I knew I needed help, so I began my informal study of social and emotional intelligence, how the adult brain actually works, what motivates adults, and learning about my own leadership and communication styles. After 13 years, I left that position for another leadership position, but this time I was better equipped to manage myself and my own emotions and determined to understand the impact on those who were working with me.

As that position came to a close, I wasn't sure what to do next. But people who knew me and my leadership began contacting me to have me help them build teams and communicate in the ways they had seen me do. That was in 2015 and when I began formalizing Navigating Challenging Dialogue® as a training and a leadership coaching methodology.

Now, with our systems, organizations, and governmental leadership in chaos, people are becoming less connected and more divided. It has become apparent that the NCD skills have the ability to help us all stay connected and communicate - no matter how challenging the topics.

What motivates me each day are the results and feedback that I receive from people who learn and apply the process. A woman who was expecting her first child during the pandemic was at odds with her only brother over vaccinations. He was refusing to be vaccinated. It also meant that he would not be able to meet the baby. This woman was heartbroken but feared talking to him about the consequences of not being vaccinated because their last conversation had turned into an argument and hurt feelings. After she and I worked through the process together, she was able to have a clean and clear conversation with him. She wrote excitedly to tell me that he too valued being an uncle to this baby and got his vaccines so he could meet the baby right away. The outcomes are magical and impactful and save relationships both at work and at home. That's why I love my work.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is taking a need that I had, researching, and developing a solution that thousands of others have not only learned but are practicing every day. My heart fills when I even consider the impact of this.

My second biggest achievement is that I've been finally able to take the time to put pen to paper and author the Navigating Challenging Dialogue Book, which will be available in September of 2022. This will make the process available to so many more people.

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

For me, one of the hardest things about owning a business is that while I can seek guidance and consultation from my mentors and coaches, at the end of the day, the risks that I take are on me. I have a small team, but every decision I make, I weigh through the lens of how that will impact all of us. And while my success feeds my confidence, mustering the confidence to keep pushing the envelope, putting myself out there, and doing the work I do, courage. And that courage is mine to find within me. Some days it is easier than others. The stories like the woman who used the process to rebuild her relationship with her brother, even through their disagreements, and come to a solution for all of them and her unborn son, feeds me.

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

  1. Be willing to try and fail a few times. That's how you find your sweet spot.
  2. Don't spend money on anyone who promises you a quick path to making millions. They are playing on your dreams and insecurity.
  3. Find your person, be it a coach or a mentor, who is non-emotional, confident, and will give you their fact-based, honest counsel. Family, friends, and loved ones want to protect you, and their advice can be deeply flawed.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Remember to rest. The days of working yourself to the bone to get ahead are over. Creativity, innovation, and your best problem-solving come from play, meditation, and sleep. Trust me.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://ncdsolution.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bethwonson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethwonson/

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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