Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in leadership development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Shereen Sater, Founder, and Co-Owner of Thread Coaching & Consulting, located in Chicago, IL, USA.

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

The shortest way of saying who our customers are: organizations/ teams/ leaders that are invested in supporting their employees. They're not the organizations that ask, "what happens if we train them and they leave?" They're the organizations that say, "what happens if we don't train them and they stay?" At Thread, we focus on intentionally creating the culture organizations want by developing their leaders through workshops, courses, and culture assessments. We help make sure that organizations and their leaders are walking the talk.

Tell us about yourself

I started my career in the marketing/technology world after graduating with a bachelor's degree in psychology. Regardless of my company, there were a few things that were really apparent to me as I started working...

  1. As a leader, I noticed that higher-level leaderships were always trying to solve people-problems (attrition, low morale) without talking to employees. I realized there was a need for conversation that touched/ surveyed all levels of an organization, which is why we developed our culture analysis.
  2. As a first-time manager, I had gone through very few personal development trainings that were worth my time. They all gave me an understanding of where I needed to be, but no explanation of where I currently was and/ or no tangible tools to get to "where I should be."
  3. As an entry-level employee, I was SO lost. I went into the marketing/ technology world with a background in Psychology and not a single business bone in my body (or vocabulary). My experience varied based on my manager, and as I grew in my career, I realized the same for all of the younger/ greener employees that came after me.

At Thread, we really created what we wished we had -- better trainings and an opportunity for all voices to be heard. It motivates me every day to know that we get to partner with organizations that are committed to doing the same for their employees, so they don't experience what I (and so many others) often felt.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

It's knowing that the tips, tools, and tricks we share actually impact people's daily lives. I left graduation from a management course earlier this year, and one of the participants came up to me and said, "What you taught us changed my work life, but it also changed my life at home. I'm more patient with my wife, and I'm more patient with my kids." Hearing from people after that the work we've put in to build these trainings has had a profound impact on their lives -- outside of their job -- is just an unexplainable feeling.

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

The self-doubt. It's so easy to be distracted by all the reasons you shouldn't be doing this and why you won't succeed. It's high-highs and low-lows. You're building the plane while flying it. On the same day, you're a pilot, a stewardess. Heck, sometimes you're the chair. Sorry, but it's true. It's a really glamorized job in the sense that you get to create your own schedule and you have freedom, but we don't talk enough about the ugly sides of it. It can be lonely.

The beginning is the absolute hardest. Even if you're leaving a job you hate, and you've dreamed of freedom, it's a hard transition. You can be both excited that you're starting something new and sad that you've lost whatever you had before - coworkers, impromptu happy hours. Know that you can feel both and that's very normal. I think that's the one thing that we don't talk about enough and I make sure to highlight with every entrepreneur that's looking to start out.

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

  1. Figure out why you're doing this before you start. Come up with a list of non-negotiable items because when you're starting, any money dangling in front of you is enticing. If it isn't in line with your company values - as hard as it is - it's a no. One of our non-negotiable items is that if we are running a culture analysis and we don't get access to all levels of the organization, we won't do it. It would compromise our ability to deliver the best results, and that would compromise our integrity. "The idea is to do business with people who believe what you believe" - Simon Sinek. I repeat this to myself daily. The non-negotiable list makes it easier for us to know if the organizations we are talking about partnering with are the right fit for us or not.
  2. Just start. Don't wait until your website is perfect. Don't wait until your marketing language is completely defined. Don't wait until you build a product. Know that you can iterate as you know -- that's the beauty of having your own thing! There's no "secret sauce" to launching a business. You start telling people. That's it.
  3. Find thought-partners. I cannot emphasize this enough. Have people you can bounce ideas off of, find people you can commiserate AND celebrate with. In my opinion, entrepreneurs are the best for this because they're going through something that others won't understand.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://threadcc.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shereensater/

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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