Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Betty Rhoades, Founder and CEO of She Speaks LLC., located in San Francisco, CA, USA.

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

I'm a professional speaker, coach, and consultant, primarily focusing on women and women-driven organizations. I love working one-on-one to help women improve their public speaking skills, but I also engage with individuals and companies on leadership development and career coaching, public service and advocacy, and women's empowerment. My customers, generally speaking, are women who want to speak confidently and convincingly to make big things happen!

Tell us about yourself

I earned my law degree in 2005 and began my career with the Department of Veterans Affairs as a Presidential Management Fellow. After 12 years in government, I transitioned to the nonprofit sector. During my 17+ years serving the military-connected community, I worked hard to make a difference, published numerous articles, and spoke and presented at various conventions and events. In 2021, I was even selected as a George W. Bush Institute Stand-To Veterans Leadership Program Scholar, which included the opportunity to present a Personal Leadership Project to a broad audience of colleagues, stakeholders, and funders.

Unfortunately, during those 17+ years, I also experienced a great deal of sexism and misogyny. I watched otherwise smart and successful women shrink themselves down, change into unrecognizable versions of themselves, or otherwise sacrifice authenticity to have a seat at the table. Heck, I did it myself, especially earlier in my career - and it was VERY unpleasant. That kind of dissonance is terrible for our brains AND our hearts.

I eventually mastered the art of public speaking to influence government policy, taught multiple teams to better communicate with and serve stakeholders, convinced donors and partners to contribute to impactful organizations, and mentored countless other public servants and nonprofit professionals to do the same. So, when it came time to close that chapter and start the next, I decided I wanted to help women find and hone their true voices so they can achieve the careers and lives of their dreams.

I founded She Speaks with a straightforward mission: empower women to speak up with confidence, amplify their authentic voice, and multiply their influence and impact.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Honestly, just getting started was a monumental accomplishment! I spent nearly 20 years working for someone else, so the thought of doing something fully on my own was downright terrifying. I'm so grateful that I had family, friends, colleagues, and mentors who helped me work through that fear and come out the other side with a business I'm really, really proud of. Oh, and my husband and I moved across the country (from DC to San Francisco) right after I launched my business, so I'm especially proud that I kept going and stayed married during all that stress!

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

For me, it's the isolation. I'm a super-extrovert, so COVID already took a lot of wind out of my sails! And I don't think I realized how much solo, behind-the-scenes work really goes on every day - so I have to be really intentional about adding things to my calendar that involve other folks. Networking events, coffee chats, after-work drinks, training and development opportunities - not just socializing, but also interfacing with and learning from other people who are either in similar fields or who might be interested in what I do.

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

  1. Hire a coach! I cannot overstate how incredibly important it is to have a truly objective third party to talk to, brainstorm with, and bounce ideas off of. My business coach is one of my most trusted advisors, and she looks at and thinks about things in ways I never could, which is such a huge benefit.
  2. Be really honest with yourself about your capacity, especially if you're starting your business "on the side" (in other words, while you're still working full-time). It will help you set more reasonable expectations, which will ultimately help keep you going even when things are hard.
  3. BE YOU! It's important to learn about what other businesses and business owners do, especially in your niche or sector. But you don't have to do everything like them! Take what works and leave the rest, or adjust it slightly to better reflect your unique talents and offerings. Authenticity is key to success!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.shespeakscoaching.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shespeakscoaching
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bettyrhoadesspeaks/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bettyjoan
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bettyrhoadesspeaks/

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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