Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Dancia Kendra Susilo, Owner and CEO of Dancia Susilo Services, located in Ottawa, ON, Canada.

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

Dancia Susilo Services is a business coaching business that specializes in startups and brand development/management. I grew up working in the media/arts and entertainment industry, so I learned what it takes to market yourself as a person, as well as how companies create and develop their brands. Most customers are people interested in starting a new business or nonprofit organization, but we do also work with established companies looking to expand or recreate themselves.

Tell us about yourself

I started and sold my first business at age 15 and realized my favourite part is the startup process. I began coaching performance artists at age 17 and started helping with small startups at age 19. Now we are expanding to assist in nonprofit startups as well, but instead of a coaching service, we are shifting into brand development and business plan development services.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I grew up under the poverty line and anticipated having years of student loan debt as I wanted to get my doctorate. I completed my undergrad with about $39000 in student loans that I was able to pay off in full. I went on to study at Wharton for a postgraduate certification and am currently an international student at King's College London, UK. Despite the high costs of these schools, I have not needed to take any loans.

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

Balancing work and life can be a struggle because you want to constantly work on your business. You get worried you'll lose out on clients if you don't respond fast enough. It's stressful, and thus why it's important to invest in therapy. Allowing yourself as a business owner to shut off your brain is important to ensure you don't burn out. At the end of the day, self-care is caring for your business.

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

  1. Write a business plan, even if you think it's rudimentary. You can always update it later. As much as business plans can seem unnecessary, they are great strategic roadmaps to ensure you are reaching key milestones. It helps you think about what you want your brand to be and how to maintain it. It becomes your go-to information booklet when you want to apply for grants or need to present a pitch.
  2. Learn to communicate. This goes beyond putting your thoughts into words. Enunciate when speaking to people and over-enunciate when speaking into a microphone. Microphones can warble the sound of your voice, making it more difficult to understand you. Learn how to pace your speech. Having filler words such as "like," "um," or "uh" can be distracting. This occurs when your thoughts can't keep up with your mouth. You can train yourself to speed up and slow down your speech based on how fast your thoughts are going to make the transitions smooth and unnoticeable. Communication also includes body language. Keep your back straight and chin parallel to the ground. You want to exude confidence even if you don't feel confident.
  3. Network. Connect with fellow entrepreneurs, meet with nonprofits, and attend events to talk to elected officials. This will expand your resources and ability to connect people with each other. Collaboration and partnership is a growing need amongst businesses for success. Nobody can be great at everything, so humble yourself and use these opportunities to learn from others.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://danciaks.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanciaKS/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danciaks/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/danciaks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danciaks/

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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