At this two-year mark of (re)starting my Consulting company, I believe it’s time to reflect upon my learnings over the various assignments and work during these unusual times. I’ll continue this later in September, as yes, there has been no shortage of self-observations.
Those who know me well know that I am an individual who likes to focus inward on development and improvement opportunities first before tackling successes. Be it myself, a team, or a company, it is rare when a situation involving two parties goes sideways that both haven’t played a role in the situation (albeit maybe to different degrees). When this happens, I always believe in looking at what I could have done differently. It is akin to the “throwing rocks at a glasshouse” analogy, albeit from an improvement perspective. So, I will begin these reflections on my personal development and where I need to enhance my skills.
Business Development. Sales. Marketing. Do those terms bring a shiver to those who work in Operations, IT, or any non-customer-facing, internal role? How about those who have a bit of an introverted personality? Do you feel nervous when attending a party or conference without knowing anyone? My hand is firmly raised for the latter two. A majority of my inward focus is due to a 30+ year career built on improving a business or department specializing in change leadership, people development, new projects or products, and bottom-line attainment. I’ve commonly had customer interactions, though never as the central part of my role.
Since I resumed consulting, I underwent a role reversal of sorts, at least until opportunities were in place. I have reached out to people I hadn’t spoken to in years. I’ve knocked on doors to introduce myself, had lunches and drinks to talk about my offerings, vision, career passion, and life in general. I have attended conferences and webinars (virtual and in-person) primarily to network, meet people and exchange ideas. I’ve examined the local market, various sectors and industries, and tried to be very deliberate in those I approach. This is not a scattershot effort. Some people asked me about my lack of Business Development skills and how I would overcome it moving into the world of entrepreneurship. My answer was three-fold: identify my expertise, understand the market and needs, and, of course, be willing to stick my neck out and venture into new situations. I still do not consider Business Development skills a strength, though I am getting better.
Sales and Marketing, yes, those are equally significant challenges for me as well. Do I sometimes miss the chance to discuss (I don’t like the word pitch) my service offerings? Absolutely. Mine is a laid-back, more casual approach to Sales and one that makes me comfortable. I am no longer the wallflower at conferences that I once was, though I’m hardly the life of the party. Nowadays, when I venture into the unknown, I consider myself successful if I have met a few new people and exchanged some backgrounds (work or non-work). I don’t need to sell myself during those introductions. I only want to meet people and understand a bit more about them and their business. If it begins to open up further dialogue, all the better. I know I am a great listener and can often contribute new ideas to a current problem. That, on its own, is a win-win situation.
The entire customer-facing relationship, from BD to Sales to Marketing, is something I am still working on. COVID has thrown a few wrenches into it with all the virtual meetings, though sometimes I think it has helped me. I need to chat more at virtual meetings, offer ideas and ask questions. I need to provide more content (originating or responding) on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and jewal.ca to share more of my insights. I need to challenge myself to meet more people and venture into industries that I haven’t considered. I need to get more involved in community partnerships (TechAlliance, LEDC, EMC) and NPOs. I need to connect with more former colleagues to check in on them and have a two-way mentorship. All this will come. It is about building relationships. I have done it often from an employee perspective, so why not from a customer perspective?
Another initial failing on my journey towards being a successful entrepreneur has been trying to be everything to everyone.
Operations, business, strategy, technology, and continuous improvement are all broad topics. When I 1st launched JEWAL, I tried to be the right person to as many customers as possible. A key driver was to form the initial client base and gain more experience to get that proverbial “foot in the door”. I relied on my previous roles – I reached out to those in the Manufacturing, Service, and IT sectors, wherever I had knowledge and experience.
Working in many sectors and industries, I have always considered my diversity of experiences a strength. However, by relying on this diversity, I’ve downplayed some of my specialties. Aerospace and Healthcare (how is that for variety!) are the two sectors in which I have gained the most experience. I’ve spent almost ten years working in each and have learned a great deal about these industries and segments. Essentially, an ever-evolving SWOT analysis includes growth strategies, risk mitigation, business metrics, and transformational projects. Even beyond that, I’ve worked with many highly motivated, successful, and compassionate people. The ability to identify, nurture, and develop people for future successes is overarching across these companies. Both sectors are very demanding but equally rewarding. For me, other sectors haven’t consistently shown the drive for excellence with the products, processes, and people that these two sectors have. Your mileage may vary, but I hold Aerospace and Healthcare in very high esteem.
Though I’ve recently spent time in other service and manufacturing sectors, I wouldn’t claim to have anywhere near an SME-level of expertise. I do view this generally as a good thing. I have read several books and articles recommending specialization in one industry (or vertical) within a sector. The argument presented is to help establish your reputation and your relationship with the key players in that industry. I don’t agree with that type of restriction. Initially, I likely spread myself across too many sectors, not maximizing my expertise. I believe in limiting the verticals aligned to your strengths, though that limitation doesn’t have to be only one.
I believe things will begin to return to normal soon, and I will adapt my Management System. I need to improve identifying, communicating, and approaching those professionals who could benefit from my niche expertise and services. If opportunities don’t always arise, chances are, knowledge sharing and relationships will still be an outcome. That is still positive in my book and a core requirement of any successful entrepreneur.
I hope everyone (entrepreneurs, professionals, individuals) takes the time at some frequency to think about their development (in life and career) opportunities versus relying solely on feedback from others. It is a great way to reflect and make course corrections.
What is your focus for the rest of the year and into 2022?
Darren