Adventures of an unlikely entrepreneur

I began my business owner adventure this year to live a more fulfilling and aligned life. But I never thought this would be my path, despite people telling me for years that I should consider 'going out on my own.' I remember saying things like, "I'm just not the entrepreneurial type," and "I'm better when I'm part of a team." In truth, I was afraid I would fail on my own.

When I left my corporate job, I intended to return to something similar and started applying for executive HR roles in corporate settings. I spent time participating in the ‘Interview Olympics,’ only to turn up with many silver and bronze medals. The consistent feedback was that my long tenure in financial services was "concerning" to companies and industries that were less regulated, faster-paced, and more innovative.?

These setbacks were frustrating, but the lengthy interview processes helped me realize that I didn't want more of the same. Instead of chasing a title or function, I wanted to pursue a path that would allow me to live a more autonomous, values-based life, where the essential things would no longer be compromised.?

With support from family and friends, I launched a strategic HR practice offering project-based consulting and fractional (part-time) HR leadership. I started with the most visible things, like the legal and financial setup, followed by a DIY?website?proofed by my trusted friends. I also had a mental list of my HR superpowers and this idea that I could help businesses with anything on that list. I soon found that describing my work and value to others was difficult because I was used to being ‘all things to all people’ in the corporate world. I needed to find a way to get more targeted in my approach so I could better help smaller companies with different challenges.

The best thing I did was to start making friends in new spaces. I joined multiple virtual meet-ups with other entrepreneurs and listened to how they talked about the problems they solved and the people they loved to work with. On average, I met 14 new people per week over a three-month timeframe and learned so much from these conversations. This generous community of people shared their stories and helped me learn to share mine more confidently. Through their examples, I found that business development is about building community, listening with curiosity, and adding value instead of trying to sell services and gain referrals.?

Although I was growing a rich network of contacts, I sometimes worried my efforts would never bear fruit. I started to prepare myself for the possibility of another job hunt, and things began to shift. I started to hear back from prospects that wanted to pick up conversations, and I began to receive introductions to new clients from folks in my network. This pattern continued, and within a few weeks, I had more opportunities for client work than I could take on.?

It could be easy to load up with the work hours and follow old patterns. But I won't do that. While growing the business is important, my genuine pursuit is to live with greater intention, prioritizing what and whom I value most. I'm thankful for clients and projects that allow me to be connected and creative. And I'm grateful for all the people who helped me find clarity and confidence on this new path.

Those months of business development bore fruit after all. I gained the sense of team that I was worried about losing, and I realized that being an entrepreneur is more community-oriented than I ever expected. I also gained the ability to do meaningful, inspiring work on my terms. This isn’t where I thought I’d end up, but I’m so glad it is where I landed.

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To explore more of my writing, visit?https://drsummermiller.substack.com