Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in training and development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Karin Hurt, CEO of Lets Grow Leaders, located in Laurel, MD, USA.

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

We help human-centered leaders resolve workplace ambiguity and chaos, so you can drive innovation, productivity, and revenue without burning out employees. We're an international leadership development company. We work with a wide range of customers, from fast-growing start-ups to well know brands like Nestle, Albertsons, and the National Institutes of Health.

Tell us about yourself

Why in the world," people often ask us, "would you leave successful executive careers to start a leadership development company?"
The truth is, we (David and I) didn't set out to rid the world of cynical, dehumanizing leadership. We just hit a point of such utter frustration that I started to blog.

We had witnessed too many examples of executives and managers destroying themselves and their teams with a win-at-all-cost mentality. Others were so focused on being liked by their teams (or pleasing their bosses) that they failed to speak up or hold people accountable.

We plainly shared two passions:

  1. Convincing leaders that you can get breakthrough results without losing your humanity.
  2. Giving managers the practical tools to make the change–and to make the change stick.

Now we help tens of thousands of leaders all over the world by providing very practical tools and techniques to get breakthrough results and grow human-centered leaders across their organizations.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

The significant, sustained culture change we've been able to help our clients achieve.

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

When you're passionate about the work you're doing, it's easy for it to be all-consuming. It's tempting to be always on. It's so important to maintain the same work-life integration we encourage for our clients.

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

  1. Differentiate your brand: Know who you are, who you serve, and why what you do matters. Time spent here up front helps you show up with integrity and to make a deeper impact in the world.
  2. Your competitors make great strategic partners. Show up generous, curious, and ready to collaborate.
  3. Be scrappy and patient. Building a strong business takes time. Yes, work hard, but don't get overly stressed by the rollercoaster. Enjoy the ride.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

You can download free chapters of our books here.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://letsgrowleaders.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/letsgrowleaders/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letsgrowleaders/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LetsGrowLeaders
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karin-hurt/

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.

Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.