Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Sarah Barnes-Humphrey, Founder and Host of Let's Talk Supply Chain, located in Milton, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
At Let's Talk Supply Chain, we focus on digital content that will make a difference in and make the daily lives of supply chain professionals easier. From podcasts to live shows, we elevate voices in the community. Our customers are brands in supply chain and supply chain professionals.
Tell us about yourself
I am a warrior, a survivor, and a work in progress outside of the company and in. From an early age, I had to learn how to fight, which has led me to always be able to pivot my business mindset. When I'm not working, I'm an avid sports player (and fan!), dog-lover, and family person. You can catch me at the baseball fields or spending time with my husband, Allan, eating good local food. It's a joke of mine, but I grew up talking about supply chains at the dinner table, not boys and trends like your average teenager.
After graduating from high school, I went straight into the family business in logistics. Working reception and taking night courses, I worked my way up through operations and sales to my position as Director of Sales and Marketing. Through my education and hands-on experience, I was able to create Let's Talk Supply Chain in 2018. While I was the Director of Sales and Marketing, I decided we needed to do something for our brand to stick out. I was listening to many podcasts at the time and thought, "hell, if Lewis Howes can do that, why can't Sarah Barnes-Humphrey?" That's when I asked a peer from the customs department to join me as a co-host.
Let's just say that marketing in the supply chain wasn't very good at that time. So, tongue-in-cheek, we called the podcast 2 Babes Talk Supply Chain. That was in 2016; by November 2017, the company shut down, and I was out on my own with guests paying to come on the show. That's when I got serious and learned graphic design, social media, and website design. In January 2018, I started the Women in Supply Chain Series, and by April 2018, no women would come on a show called 2 Babes Talk Supply Chain, so I re-branded to Let's Talk Supply Chain within a week, and the rest is history.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
A team of freelancers that really love working for the brand. They are proud of what they do and how we are making an impact. I think the other one would be that I face my stage fright head-on every single time I am on stage, and I keep doing it.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The mental gymnastics of everyday entrepreneurship life, as the face of the brand, I have to be on a lot and there is added pressure that comes with that but keeping your thoughts and mind right is probably the hardest thing. Remembering to celebrate accomplishments is a close second.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Set realistic expectations in the beginning and be consistent.
- Be yourself.
- Get a therapist.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://letstalksupplychain.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letstalksupplychain/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahbarneshumphrey/
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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