Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Diane Bailey-Boulet, Owner of Scale Excellence, located in Prospect, KY, USA.

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

Scale Excellence is a consulting and coaching business partnering with leaders and teams across organizations to transform the people and culture experience. I provide Consulting centered on Diversity-Equity-Inclusion-Belonging and inclusive mentoring practices.

I also provide executive coaching, specializing in mental fitness practices and partnering with first-generation professionals to grow career opportunities and well-being. I'm also the author of the book "Poverty to Possibility: Snapshots from a Yorkshire Boyhood"--a family memoir and call to action on the benefits of inclusive talent practices.

Tell us about yourself

My purpose centers on being a champion of opportunity for all. I love to partner with others on growth and achieving meaningful goals. I've lived my purpose in a range of settings from Diversity-Equity-Inclusion-Belonging talent practices in a Fortune 50 healthcare company to consulting, coaching, and facilitating workshops to help businesses make daily writing their competitive asses, to fundraising for non-profits to teaching English to speakers of others languages.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment has been, despite launching my business at the start of the Covid 19 pandemic, forming an inspiring network of supportive peers who motivate me and help me see possibilities when I feel stuck. Creating this support network has been a beautiful learning and growing experience as I evolve my business.

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

It's important not to get lost in the weeds: At least initially, the learning curve of figuring out the right tools for the job and learning how to use them could take time away from my core focus. The most important thing about that is to stay clear on why I am in business and what's important to my customers--and to get comfortable being uncomfortable.

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

  1. Build a support network - whether through group coaching experiences for new businesses or tapping your existing network.
  2. Give yourself grace as you figure things out. Celebrate the wins. I do this with a weekly Victory Journal practice.
  3. Develop a referrals network -- I took a class on this, and it helped me get to focus on how to talk about what I do and have others talk about my business for me!

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

The opportunity to partner with a range of people toward growth and opportunity gets me out of bed every morning!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.scaleexcellence.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poverty_to_possibility/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianebaileyboulet/

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.

Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.