Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business services but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Joslyn McIntyre, Owner of Outside Eye Consulting, located in Guilford, VT, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I'm a freelance copywriter in the tech industry, working remotely for the last 15 years. My clients tend to be bigger startups and companies that have IPOed recently. They're doing extremely cool things to bring the best of tech into the mainstream with applications like VR-based immersive learning and industry-worthy cloud content management.
Tell us about yourself
I had a long string of supposedly great jobs that I dreaded waking up for in the morning. I was a yoga teacher for years, a waitress at a few groovy places, a user interface designer for early dot-coms, and — probably most critically, I managed a few other people's small businesses.
That last experience convinced me that if I could manage a business for other people, I could probably do it for myself. Eventually, I went back to the two things I always had truly loved: writing and being by myself.
At first, I wrote for clients that were close to my heart, like small wellness businesses, but at some point, I got an intro to the tech industry, and I never looked back. I work for and with people who are crazy smart, excited about innovation, and typically very professional. As someone who has always been a bit of an introverted geek, it's the perfect job for me.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Taking a scary idea and no capital and turning it into a functional, successful, lucrative business I can do from anywhere, with complete autonomy.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Honestly? People asking me to have lunch in the middle of my workday. It takes me a while in the morning to get into my writing groove, so I can't afford to break it in the middle of the day to go do something social. I am lucky to be a pretty regimented, disciplined worker. But I am bad at saying no to friends!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- If your motivation is to have lots of free time and flexibility, forget it.
- Establish discipline in your schedule early on and stick to your "hours."
- If you don't have paying work to do right now, use that time to improve your marketing and reach out to prospects. Ultimately, it all pays off!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: http://www.outsideeyeconsulting.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/outsideeye
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/outsideeyeconsulting/
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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