Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Stephanie Silverman, owner of Silverman Speech Consulting, located in New York, NY, USA.

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

For over 20 years, I have provided high-impact coaching and workshops for individuals and groups to grow public speaking, communication, and executive presence skills. Many talented people aren’t able to excel professionally simply because they lack the skills to represent themselves better. I’m the secret weapon for talented individuals to gain an edge and develop the leadership qualities required for advancement.

Tell us about yourself

I was trained as an actor, earning an MFA and working in the performing arts in New York and Los Angeles. I shifted my focus when offered a job as a speaker for a national organization. There, I began working with challenging material and discovered my training was very helpful in my success. The president of the organization took notice of my results and asked me to begin training the other speakers and creating new material for national conferences. From there, I’ve been refining my approach and expanding my offerings to a broader leadership development clientele. This work is deeply rewarding, and I enjoy meeting people from all walks of life.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

When I started, I knew little to nothing about running a business. Through trial and (a lot of) error, I’ve found my way to growing from a single, first client to a client list I am very proud of with deep corporate relationships. I still have much to learn and probably always will, but I’m very proud of building from the ground up and from a single $1.

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

It can be very difficult to juggle the various priorities and requirements of running a business. It’s also tough to entrust these responsibilities to others. But learning to let go is very important in scaling a business.

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

  1. Study the competition. Ask yourself: What do I respond to? Why? How am I different?
  2. Get as specific as you can with who you are marketing to. You can’t get all the business, and you’ll lose your edge if you try.
  3. Charge what you’re worth. Studies have shown that people make decisions about spending largely based on perception and trust. Charging less than competitors will often attract clients looking for a deal - not a quality product or service. Fewer, high-value clients are the goal.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

No matter the business, the better one becomes at it, the more likely they are to be asked to speak on the subject. It’s never too late to grow your communication skills!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://silvermanspeechcoach.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SilvermanSpeechConsulting/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/silvermanspeechconsulting/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/silvermanspeech
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniesilverman/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.