Grow Your Business and Get Your Time Back

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal and business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Tracy Cherpeski, President and CEO of Tracy Cherpeski International, located in Chapel Hill, NC, USA.

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

We are a business coaching and operational consulting company serving medical and dental practice owners and their teams. We help our clients take back an hour each day and avoid or recover from burnout.

Tell us about yourself

I fell into coaching after being told by several different people over a two-year period that I would make a good coach! I first started working as a generalist with high-level professionals who own their businesses. Over time, I was working with more medical and dental providers than any other profession, so I decided to deepen my niche and work exclusively with provider owners and their teams. I am motivated to support my clients in providing care in a different way and to help them fall back in love with their practices. The business side of running a practice can be challenging, and that's where my team and I come in. Watching our clients relax and enjoy their work, take unplugged vacations, and live a robust life is gratifying for us, and it means that our clients are able to be more present and connected with their patients.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I'd say my biggest accomplishment as a business owner has been doing my own inner work. I joke that if you ever want to encounter multiple, unsolicited dark nights of the soul and 3:00 am cold sweats, you should start a business. Getting and staying clear about why I do what I do has been my North Star, and that helps me support my clients without my judgment interfering with their growth. Also, my clients are amazing and do great work while taking back their time and getting to have a full life outside of their careers. How can it get any better?

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

For me, the hardest and, conversely, most exciting part of being a business owner is all of the unknowns. Most people who have their own businesses desire a certain amount of control and command over the way things go. The unknown can be scary, so my approach has always been to come back to my "why" - what gets me out of bed and why I want to support my clients in doing their great work. This is part of the inner work I referred to, and it helps me take leaps of faith that might not make sense to others but always have a great payoff.

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

Get crystal clear about why you want to have your own business. Make sure you write this down in multiple locations and come back to it regularly. Clarity helps you avoid unnecessary mistakes and stay focused.
Beware of "SOS Syndrome" (Squirrels and Shiny Objects). Stick to what you can monetize in the simplest way first. Build from there.
Implement a system of the "3 Cs" - Constant Course Correction. Test, track your data and feedback, and make incremental adjustments rather than sharp turns. We use an 8-week timeframe in my company before we make adjustments.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.tracycherpeski.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tcherpeski/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracycherpeski/

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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