Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Charles Gunn, Co-Founder and COO of The NiVACK Group, located in Loomis, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
The NiVACK Group is a boutique consulting firm focused on partnering with clients to improve operational and financial performance by solving complex problems. We serve public and private sector clients across industries ranging from technology to consumer products to public health. We’re a certified small business, but in many respects, we act like a Fortune 500 company. That’s because most of our experienced staff spent their pre-NiVACK careers as senior leaders in massive corporations like Hewlett-Packard. In fact, one of our co-founders spent about a decade as the Chief Procurement Officer of a Fortune 50 company!
Our Strategic Advisory services are primarily focused on transformation. We take the approach of understanding where your organization is, where it wants to go, what capabilities it currently has, and which ones it will need. Then, we work with you to develop and execute a strategic plan to transform successfully.
We are also incredibly passionate about workforce capabilities development. What does that mean? We cover everything from workforce assessments (Maturity assessments, Leadership assessments, Capabilities assessments, etc.), Talent Program Development & Execution (talent pipeline, career progression, professional development, leadership development, succession planning, mentorship, internal networking, etc.), and Strategic Workforce Development (Organizational Design & Selection, Diversity Equity Inclusion & Access, etc.).
Over the last couple of years, we’re proud to have partnered with public health entities within the State of California (Department of Public Health, Department of Health Care Services, and Department of Health Care Access and Information) to develop people-centered capabilities that will deliver sustainable value to stakeholders despite the uncertainty and instability we’ve seen across economic, social, and public health settings.
Tell us about yourself
I’m someone who is extremely curious. I love to try new foods, travel to new places, and learn new things. (Google, in my opinion, is the greatest invention ever because it allows me to explore my curiosity and learn about anything with just a few clicks and keystrokes!) Wanting to learn more about the way the business world works, I began my first career in accounting. I spent a few years as an auditor, which is basically a professional question-asker. After earning my credentials as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), I was given the opportunity to work at The NiVACK Group with my dad. Fast forward three years, and we now have a staff of about 20 consultants. Some of these staff have 30+ years of experience in corporate management, and I take advantage of every chance I get to learn them. I’m also extremely motivated by the idea of building something bigger than myself that will endure long after I step away.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
To date, I think NiVACK’s biggest accomplishments are the contract renewals we’ve won with our existing customers. In my opinion, the most flattering bit of feedback you can possibly get is a customer telling you they are thrilled with the way you handled the last challenge and they’d like to continue working with you on a new challenge!
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
One of the hardest things that come with being a business owner is the sense of responsibility you feel for your employees. You also have a responsibility to ensure your employees are engaged, challenged, and rewarded. With this comes the responsibility to create a culture and an environment where your employees feel they can grow both personally and professionally. One of the more challenging aspects of this is balancing the short and long term.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
First and foremost, understand how much risk you’re willing to take on. Give yourself an honest assessment and think, “am I financially willing to take on the challenge of putting my own time, energy, and money into this endeavor?” Everything takes longer than expected, every project you take on will consume valuable energy, and often you’ll have to spend a lot of your own money before you begin to turn a reliable profit.
Second, don’t do it alone. Get yourself a business partner to share in the risks and rewards. As great as your ideas might be, it’s always best to bounce them off someone else before you try to put them into action.
Finally, have fun! There are a lot of stresses and downsides that come with starting a business, which makes it even more important to enjoy yourself when you can and celebrate the little wins you have along the way. Progress can be extremely slow and non-linear, so taking the time to appreciate even the smallest of successes is extremely important!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://nivack.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNiVACKGroup/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenivackgroup/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thenivackgroup
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-nivack-group/
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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