Lead With Purpose - Nia Consulting

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal and business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Maryssa Hall, CEO of Nia Consulting, located in The Bay Area, CA, USA.

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

Nia Consulting is on a mission to change the world! Nia Consulting envisions a world of collective liberation where Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), womxn, folks outside of the gender binary, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, queer, (LGBTQ+) folks, people with disabilities, working people, and immigrants are free from oppression, can be their full selves, and create transformative change in their communities.

We provide organizational leadership development and specialize in strategic planning, organizational growth, culture change management, and innovation. We support organizations and individuals in their commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice through one-on-one and group coaching, training modules, and ongoing assessment.

Tell us about yourself

I am an experienced organizational leader and strategist with over a decade of experience in leadership development. I specialize in strategic planning, organizational growth, culture change management, and managing diverse and inclusive teams. My approach is rooted in intersectional and transformative justice. I have led grassroots leadership development training across the country and supported individuals and organizations with operationalizing their social justice work in their communities.

I have worked with a wide breadth of communities, including those who identify as people of color, first-generation college students, immigrants, disabled, neurodivergent, trans* and queer, and outside of the gender binary. I believe that everyone is capable of being an effective leader—with the right training, resources, and support. From executives to line staff, each member of an organization has leadership potential.

Nia Consulting supports teams in identifying that potential and nourishing it to achieve success for their company and stakeholders. I am committed to training, providing resources, and supporting organizations and individuals in doing transformative work that shifts culture, power, and our world for the better.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment is increasing the capacity to do diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice work for my clients. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice are more than buzz words. Through a comprehensive assessment of policies and procedures, organizational climate, and focus groups/meetings with leadership and line staff, Nia Consulting discerns organization’s training and coaching needs and designs a uniquely tailored curriculum and plan to strengthen their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. My clients are all doing deeply important change work in the fields of immigration, healthcare, union organizing, civic engagement, gender, and racial justice, and I love supporting them to do it even better!

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

The hardest thing about being a new business owner is doing the role of every employee. I am the CEO, the finance department, communications department, operations/administration department, and everything else! Once you get a feel for all the different roles, don't be afraid to outsource some tasks that take you away from your highest and best use.

For example, instead of struggling with figuring out how to do my taxes (and risk being in violation with the IRS), one of the first contractors I hired was a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Hiring her took a huge amount of stress off my plate and freed up time for me to focus on my current clients and generate new business.

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

A few lessons learned:

Take advantage of every networking opportunity you can—even those that may feel outside of your comfort zone—you never know who will be or connect you to your next client or opportunity.
Businesses cost money to start and run— make sure your budget includes overhead costs, licensing and registration fees, etc. Get a business account and do your best to keep your personal and business finances separate.
Build a community of folks doing similar work to you that you can learn & grow with and from—being a business owner can be lonely sometimes, so it's important to have folks in your support system.

Bonus: Breathe. You got this.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.niaconsulting.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/niaconsulting/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NiaConsulting
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryssa-hall/

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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