Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Nicole Kalil, Founder of Woman's Work, located in Andover, MA, USA.

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

My passion for eliminating gender expectations and redefining "Woman's Work" is both what keeps me up at night and what gets me up in the morning. Well, that, and an abundant amount of coffee. Being an in-demand speaker, author of Validation is For Parking, leadership strategist, respected coach, and host of the "This Is Woman's Work" Podcast, my stalker-like obsession with confidence sets me apart from the constant stream of experts telling us to BE confident. I actually share HOW you build it and give actionable tools you can implement immediately.

Maintaining some semblance of sanity in my different roles of wife, mother, and business owner successfully is an ongoing challenge… in whatever free time I have; I enjoy reading and wine guzzling, am an avid cheese enthusiast, a hotel snob, and a reluctant peloton rider.

Tell us about yourself

I'm a fugitive of the C-Suite at a Fortune 100 finance company, who decided the time had come to bet on myself, so I stepped down from my lucrative and safe position to focus on what I was truly passionate about advocating for women (but not at the expense of men). I do this in two ways! First, by working to eliminate gender expectations so we can all live authentically and bring our true gifts to the world. And second, by telling the truth about the confidence con, we stop seeking confidence through external validation (which doesn't actually work) and start building it internally (which is the best way to build trust in ourselves).

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

That's simple! BEING a business owner. So few people choose to take that risk and trust themselves, and it's something I'm proud of every day. The accomplishments seem to keep building on themselves… I am speaking on bigger and bigger stages; my first book, Validation Is For Parking, is being published in late September '22, and I have a top 2% podcast, This Is Woman's Work, where we host some of the most incredible guests. The more risks I take, the more I seem to accomplish (and the fewer hours I need to put in, which is exceptionally important as a spouse, mom, and someone who requires downtime!)

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

I'm a fairly independent and decisive person, so it was a great surprise to me to discover that one of the most challenging parts of being a business owner for me is the feeling of loneliness I often experience. While I love having ultimate ownership, I miss brainstorming, having a large team of people with varied expertise, the feeling of collaboration, and the ability to bounce ideas off of people that I had in my corporate life. It has been imperative for me to create this in my business by leveraging coaches, masterminds, mentors, and peers!

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

  1. Invest in yourSELF right away… this could be hiring a coach, joining a mastermind, or really anything that helps you grow and gives you outside perspective. Far too many business owners invest in things before people… and the most important person in your business is YOU.
  2. Get into ACTION. The action builds both confidence and success. Beware of overthinking, worrying, and letting fear and doubt into the driver's seat. Put one foot in front of the other, and learn as you go.
  3. ASK for the support you want and need. People are busy and can't read your mind. So get really clear about what you want from the people around you and ask for it. They can always say no, but then ask how they're willing to help (let's assume they want to!). If someone isn't willing to support you in any way, those just aren't your people. NEXT is my favorite four-letter word in business.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://nicolekalil.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolemkalil/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolekalil/

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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