Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Corbin Ball, Owner of Corbin Ball & Co., located in Bellingham, WA, USA.

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

It is a speaking, consulting, and writing firm dealing with events and exhibition technology. My clients are event planners and suppliers working in these industries.

Tell us about yourself

Originally, I was a meeting planner running international, citywide technology meetings for a high-tech association. In 1997, I transitioned to form my own consulting business working in an industry that brings people together and being a primary educator of adults in the industrialized world.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

In 2018, I was inducted into the Event Industry Council's Hall of Leaders, the most prestigious honor in the meetings, conventions, exhibitions, and events industry. This was an acknowledgment that I have made a difference in these industries.

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

You need energy and focus (while targeting a specific marketable need) to build your business. The biggest challenge at the start was to figure out how to direct my focus — to figure out how to market and direct my resources most effectively.

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

  1. Find a niche about which you are passionate that, additionally, has a market base.
  2. Use technology to fully digitize your business processes. Utilize CRM systems and other business productivity tools to streamline and personalize your efforts.
  3. Become a content producer (books, articles, blogs, video posts, social media). The more visibility you can gain, the more business you will receive.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

If you are not in a business that you thoroughly enjoy, keep looking for a better match.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.corbinball.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/corbin.ball
Twitter: https://twitter.com/corbinball
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corbinball/

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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