Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Lois Banta, Founder & CEO of LJB Seminars, Inc., located in Grain Valley, MO, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My business is a retreat and/or Masterclass focused training. It is designed to work with Dentists and their Teams to improve their bottom line, improve leadership, fine-tune effective communication, and so much more.
Tell us about yourself
I worked on the administrative side of the dental industry for over 25 years. What lit the flame of becoming an entrepreneur was to teach my employer's dentist friends teams to get the results I was getting in our office. The lightbulb moment was realizing this was an actual potential business. I joined a professional organization called The Speaking Consulting Network to learn the entrepreneurial skills needed to sustain my business. That was 1998. I set a 5-year goal to be able to quit my full-time job and work full time on and in my new business...Banta Consulting, Inc. 2 years later...I HAD to quit my full-time job...I was too busy. I continued to attend SCN and started mentoring people in my profession on how to have this career in a business. In 2010, I bought SCN and grew the organization organically. 1.5 years ago, I sold Banta Consulting and formed LJB Seminars through my parent company, Healthcare Enterprises, Inc. 1 year ago, I sold the majority interest in SCN to a colleague, a millennial. That was the exact right next step. My colleague has introduced amazing technologies to help the people in my profession become even more successful. I am now in the "3rd act" of my amazing career with no intentions of retiring.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishments are:
- Being a part of helping dentists grow a successful and rewarding career on the business side.
- Mentoring consultants and speakers in the dental profession to design successful careers in the business of dentistry.
- Publishing 2 books, with a 3rd one coming in the spring of 2023.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
One of the hardest things about being a business owner is maintaining integrity, ethics, and growth while navigating the tricky waters of owning a business. I learned that trust is easy to break and very hard to earn back.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Plan ahead and set milestone goals.
- Failure is a future success...don't be afraid to fail...learn from it, grow from it, and move forward from it.
- Surround yourself with smart, integrity-oriented people.
- Networking the right way can be very rewarding.
- Never give up!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://ljbseminars.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lois.banta.37
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loisbanta/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Banta57Lois
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loisbanta/
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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