Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business services but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jana Tulloch, Founder of Tulloch Consulting, located in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Tulloch Consulting, and our service branch Snap-HR, provide strategic and fractional HR support to small businesses across Canada and the US. We work with companies that usually have no in-house HR and are struggling to manage their people processes. We are able to come in and set up a strong HR foundation from which they can scale and then provide ongoing fractional HR support so the owner can focus on growing the business.
Tell us about yourself
I used to work in large, enterprise, hierarchical, red-tape-heavy organizations and really felt like I never fit. I wanted to be able to try new things and, if something didn't work, try something else, but in those companies, it was layers and layers of approvals. You never saw the impact of your work. Going out on my own has been amazing. I get to work with a vast array of companies across industries and have a direct impact on their bottom line. It is far more satisfying for me.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Learning to sell! That is one thing I think business owners underestimate. You go into something because you have expertise in that area, but you need to be able to sell to get clients, and it's a totally different skill set. I had to learn to really put myself out there, not get too worked up over rejection, and how to really put what we were doing into a value proposition for prospective clients. If I hadn't learned how to sell, we wouldn't be as big as we are today.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Time - and focusing where that time is best spent. When you're an owner and your team is small, you're wearing multiple hats: CEO (strategy), CFO (money), COO (operations), and CRO (sales, marketing, client success, etc.). I'm also a Mom (like many other entrepreneurs), and I want to be sure I have a balanced life, so time management is one of the hardest challenges. You want to be efficient and impactful in where you spend it.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Don't wait! Do it now! I think that's what most entrepreneurs say - just go for it, and don't worry about what others will think; claim your space.
- Figure out your ideal customer. Don't try to be everything to everyone - determine your niche and your value proposition, and who your target audience is.
- Network. Talk to people - potential customers to figure out their pain points. To others in the field to see how they got started, to experts outside your area of expertise but skills you need to learn (see the sales comment above). Don't be afraid to lean on others for support; most people want to help others succeed.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.tullochconsulting.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tullochconsulting/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tullochconsult
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janatulloch/
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.
Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.