Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Cole Sperry, Founder of Optim Resume, located in Riverside, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We started out as a professional coaching and development company serving a diverse range of professionals. Like many businesses, it took us some time to test the market and find our home in it. Today we've grown the business into what is known as OptimResume.com, a resume-writing company that services professionals across over 20 different industries and job functions.
Tell us about yourself
Prior to founding Optim, I was a recruiter and quickly advanced my career to the Director and VP level overseeing entire recruitment teams. In 2019 I founded Optim and created what today has evolved into the Optim Resume Framework that makes our resumes unique and effective. What fuels my motivation is being a part of so many different people's stories. No two stories are ever the same, and watching people achieve their career goals is life-changing for them and also for me.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Starting a new business right at the beginning of a global pandemic was quite the learning experience. The biggest accomplishment is by far navigating the market, listening to our customers rather than focusing on competitors, and being able to find creative solutions to other's real problems. Doing this has built a solid foundation for Optim that has positioned us for growth going forward. I like to think of the past two years as the firm foundation, establishing scalable processes and repeatable successes for our clients. Take care of people, and the money will follow. And that has really rung true for us.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
I think the hardest thing that comes with being a business owner is knowing when to pull the trigger on hiring and new systems. Anyone can scale rapidly, but ensuring that scalability is sustainable can be incredibly difficult. As a bootstrapped start-up, you don't want to burn cash too quickly, but you have to know when to invest your resources appropriately. I think of it like making a fire. Too much fuel on top of a small flame and the fire will die out. Not enough fuel and the fire will die out. It's all about timing.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Have a plan, but be flexible.
- Ignore your competitors. They are the thief of your success. Rather, focus on your customers and what they really need to solve their problems and find ways to solve those problems. Ignore what everyone else is doing - it's just noise.
- Surround yourself with others smarter than yourself. You'll need smart people on your team from an early stage, either as advisors or employees. Don't do it alone.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.optimresume.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/optimcareers/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colesperry/
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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