I have now been a small business owner for 11 years. It has been an enriching journey and, at times, very challenging. This is no news to anyone with any knowledge of sole proprietorship.
When I started up, I used to say with a giggle that I had many meetings scheduled in the day – one with my Marketing department (myself), one with my boss (myself), another one with Sales (myself), and then I had a tough one at the end of the day with my Administrative department – yes you guessed right, which was with myself.
Once I started to have my widely different roles under control, I realized that I needed to study my chosen topic of expertise at a much more profound level. And honestly, that will never be concluded. The field of cross-culture is complex, multifaceted, and ever-changing. New perspectives and research emerge all the time. Colleagues come with new ideas, tools, and approaches, calling for re-assessing and rethinking concepts. Clients’ needs shift and diversify. And then the world changes. In culture, there is not much of a constant.
Soon after I set out on my new career path, I realized that teaching is a profession of its own. I underestimated how much you need to learn to become a good teacher/trainer. Then the demand for a high level of interactivity came about, and I learned about the following professions I needed to master – the Coach and the Facilitator.
Throughout the years, I have dedicated resources for my professional development, and Advanced Facilitation was one of the courses I embarked on a few years back. I constantly look back on the notes and course material; to date, it is one of my best investments, and I am still working on becoming an even better facilitator.
The decision in 2011 to start my own business was the best career move I ever made. I love every minute of it; great clients, fabulous colleagues in the field, and constant learning have given me the most rewarding work life I could have asked for.
Now, if you excuse me, I have a meeting with my boss…(yes, myself)
Eleven years with CueMe
