Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Chris Maisto, Managing Partner of Sideways8 Consulting, located in New Hope, PA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Our expertise is rooted in: Portfolio Management, Transformation Advisory (Digital, Cloud, IT, Sales, Workforce), Process Optimization, PMO / TMO Standup & Operations, Value Stream Mapping, Hypercare/War Room Design, Governance, Strategy & Planning, Business Readiness, Change Management, Vendor Management, Innovation Accelerator, RFx Design, Executive Presentations, Integration Management. The 'perfect engagement' for Sideways8 includes portfolio, product, and program strategy development and orchestration, ownership of multiple strategic focus areas, vendor management, and driving the organization to deliver substantial impact to the business by aligning strategy and execution – specializing in PE-backed carve-outs, M&A integration, startups, business & technology transformations. Typical roles are Strategic PMO Leadership, IT Portfolio Director, IT Transformation Director, Program Director, Portfolio Governance & Operations, Fractional CIO, and Chief of Staff to CIO/CTO/CDO.
Tell us about yourself
After consulting for one of the Big4 and large consulting organizations for 20 or so years, I had a health issue and was forced to take some time off. During my time recovering, I began to recognize what clients needed in a dedicated, independent consultant - and what they didn't. Clients demand consulting talent that knows their business as much (if not more) than they do – and have the technical know-how to architect solutions that extract value from the business. Consultants need to define new and efficient ways of working and roadmap the journey to success - a strategic approach to managing large-scale implementations. Clients don't need (but often get with larger firms) the feeling of being lost in a sea of other important clients. They need to display mastery of establishing a loop of people, processes, and technology, providing an unmatched user experience with access to any app and data needed to successfully grow the business.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
After a year of searching for a full-time job that fit my skill set and lifestyle, I took the advice of my life partner, Linda, to go the route of consulting independently. I developed a business plan and model and created a profile on several independent consultant / freelance platforms (Graphite, Catalant, BTG). What took me 12 months to find has now taken just 2 weeks! Landing that first role was a confidence builder, an idea generator, and a business platform for what would happen in the following few years.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Keeping up with the everyday bookkeeping and daily tasks for the business itself. I spend my days orchestrating these activities for clients – so keeping extremely organized and operating an ecosystem of tools (Quickbooks, Salesforce, Asana) to help me reduce repetitive tasks gives me more time for my family and clients.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Find your niche and pursue your passion.
- Remind yourself every day what your goals are – write them on a piece of paper and tape them to your mirror.
- You'll never get ahead without taking risks - just make them calculated ones.
- Constantly seek self-improvement, education, and certifications to stay relevant and forward-thinking.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.thesidewayseight.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismaisto/
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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