Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in career and leadership development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Suraj Ethirajan, Founder of GROUNOW, located in Pleasanton, CA, USA.

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

Grounow’s purpose is to get tech professionals to become the leaders they wish they had. Professional athletes have coaches who help them win championships. It is time professionals in tech got the edge over those they compete with. I coach professionals to exceed their desired career outcomes and repeatedly get the impact, purpose, and increased income they deserve without working longer hours. I specialize in the Software and Semiconductor industries and extend services to my clients in other industries that need leadership coaching.

Tell us about yourself

I’m a parent to 2 kids and a spouse to a brilliantly accomplished tech professional. It brings me great joy to help tech professionals realize success beyond their perceived potential. I’ve successfully led global high-performing teams in customer experience by keeping people first and delivered to business outcomes under challenging situations. Through GROUNOW I operate as a career coach focused on learning my clients’ unique situations and ambitions to develop and guide them to achieve customized career outcomes.

October 15th, 2021, was my last day working within corporate America in Silicon Valley, leading a global customer experience team responsible for training end users to advance humankind by building solutions for data center, communications, industrial, and medical market segments, to name a few. To my best awareness, I felt the team got the visibility to display their strengths and was equipped with tools to further succeed beyond my presence. My aim to make myself obsolete and pass the baton was achieved, and it was time to invest in the next stage of my professional life.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Delivering tangible value to my clients within months of working with them. My current clients have acquired out-of-cycle promotions with 15%+ pay raises, lateral moves with 5%+ pay raises, and external offers with a 30%+ increase in total compensation, to name a few. Helped leaders who hired me to retain critical talent. It is gratifying seeing them win over difficult situations and tough conversations, as well as setting healthy boundaries. With the tools and practice, my clients have become leaders or strengthened their leadership footprint and drive projects and technology with increased biz outcomes and confidence. In the process collaborated with clients and potential leads to donate $1700+ towards charities supporting children, mental health, and the environment.

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

Staying disciplined while riding the motivation rollercoaster. As a business owner, one needs to wear all hats at different times within a day - designer, author, student, marketing, sales, finance, leader, and manager. Knowing to remain consistent in building value and not getting discouraged by customer rejections, especially the harsh ones.

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

  1. Greatness exists in all, and it takes each of us with the help of a few others to reveal it. Asking for help is smart and it demonstrates strength. Fail fast and fail forward. If you don’t try, you are guaranteed to fail. If you try, you may succeed. Learn to increase your chances of success through trial and error, learning from others, and independent studying.
  2. I thought being comfortable with what makes me uncomfortable was my superpower. Instead, it was my kryptonite. My new adapted superpower is seeing the best in others and simultaneously protecting my own boundaries. Find your healthy superpower.
  3. Not everyone will resonate with you and what you are doing. That’s ok. For others, it will mean the world that you came their way. Opportunities come from where you least expect them. You’ll get cuts and bruises, but you’ll also get satisfaction when someone who needs your service benefits from it.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://grounow.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kindersuri
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/surajethirajan/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/surajethirajan/

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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