Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business and consulting services but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Nathalie Heywood Smith, Owner of Heywood Smith Consulting, located in New York, NY, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I build businesses from the POV of Human Capital. From start-ups to enterprises, companies hire me to level up and diversify their teams. I primarily partner with business leaders to attract talent, drive organizational effectiveness, identify the potential and then maximize the potential of their teams. I'm a strategic business partner, coach, and consultant. I equally enjoy being a thought partner as well as being hands-on doing the work. I am curious, driven, and infinitely charming.
Tell us about yourself
I started because I had nowhere else to go. I had come to the end of the line with the company I spent most of my career with. I wasn't growing anymore - and neither were they. We'd built an amazing company but hiring leadership that didn't believe in it - fighting every day, pushing against mediocrity - didn't make sense. Fast forward - I've done good work and am happy for the people I've come to know.
The Thank You. I meet people somewhere along their journey. I think of my role as the person who opens the next door for them. My motivation each day is the people I meet and the relationships I create.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Building an executive team that had been short of talent for almost a year.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
I think balancing the reason you started the business, i.e., your passion and the operations of a business.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Start it right - get the tax id, corporation papers, and an accountant set up. Make sure you have funds set aside for emergencies.
- Build a circle of trust - people you can lean on.
- Build your professional network.
- Bonus tip: if you have partners, define the roles, rules, responsibilities, and distribution of earnings in writing and legally documented.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://heywoodsmithconsulting.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nathaliehs
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nheywood/
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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