Sue E Wilburn
Sue E Wilburn, SPHR, (Senior Professional in Human Resources), is certified by HRCI.
She tells us that, “The benefit of being an entrepreneur is you can balance priorities that work specifically for you. Instead of being controlled by an employer’s regular schedule, an entrepreneur is in control of their schedule. And since I am doing work that I truly love, it doesn’t feel like work.”
When faced with unexpected hurdles in your business, how do you stay strong?
There are numerous ways, but it starts with your mindset. I have adopted the philosophy that perfect is the enemy of good. I am not saying I want to settle for mediocrity, but rather by doing good and meeting my clients’ needs I will continue to grow in quality. If I waited until everything was perfect, some of them might not get my support promptly.
The other key element to my resilience is I am learning to accept help from experts. The more I can be around others who are smarter and have more experience than me, the better I have the potential to be.
How do you determine the success of your business beyond financial metrics, focusing on factors like customer satisfaction and community impact?
Customer satisfaction is one measure along with the outcome of their success–has the growth I help facilitate and are they equipped to move forward independently using the techniques and tools I shared in coaching.
I think the other is reaching the right client. A coaching relationship will only be beneficial if it is the right coach for that individual. By right I mean am I the best coach to help with their specific needs? A key part of my business is “marketing” through content that is crafted to get the “right” client. Who responds to me is a great indicator of how much I truly understand them and how effective I am in communicating I can help them.
Can you recount a pivotal moment in your business journey where you saw remarkable growth or witnessed a transformative change, showcasing the impact of your products or services?
I don’t think it is one specific incident, however, one day it occurred to me that there was a common denominator that led to evidence of the impact of my services. I noticed commonalities in the clients who experienced the most transformational outcomes, how they received coaching, and how I felt working with them. So, the pivotal moment for me was just how critical it is not only for them but for me as well that we are in alignment with methodology and goals.
In your view, how crucial is mentorship for the success of small businesses, and how have mentors influenced your own entrepreneurial path?
I believe it is very important. They can be so helpful in sharing what they have learned that they had not expected, providing inspiration and encouragement. We can be narrow in our thinking, so it is important to have different inputs as we are learning.
What is your business focused on, and how does it contribute to making a positive difference in the world?
I am a Career Coach and Human Resources Consultant. In my coaching, I refer to myself as a Self-Doubt Slayer. In my 30 years of working in HR, I learned that once an employee has learned the knowledge and skills to do the job, the piece that causes them to stifle or worse, fail is often not knowing their strengths and how to best use them, lack self-confidence and possess a limited mindset. Through a process I call R.I.S.E. I help them overcome these. This can make a significant difference in an individual’s ability to perform better and have great self-worth which will make them not only more effective at work but in all aspects of their lives.
In consulting, I am proud to be able to share my years of experience and knowledge to help fellow HR leaders and organizations be able to provide the necessary culture and interventions necessary for both the employee and the employer to be successful. Of course, that is not always possible, a win/win I mean. I try to bring a level of sensitivity and compassion to what can be very stressful and difficult situations that may not result in a positive outcome for both parties but done with civility and compassion.
What special ability do you wish you had to make your job easier?
I wish I was more technically competent. I am learning a variety of platforms to assist me from marketing, and content creation to resources and courses, so it is helpful to make those and the process of my client’s journey with me automated.
If you could invite three fictional characters to help you plan your next project, who would you choose, and why?
I cannot think of any fictional characters, but I can see non-fictional characters. I would invite Hilary Clinton (not because of her politics, but because of her intelligence, resilience and self regulation), Jackie Denewitt, she is one of the Entrepreneurial experts in the Business Accelerator I am a part of. She is so wise in the area of building and growing an online business and she understands technology at a mastery level. And the third would be Oprah Winfrey. Her story is inspirational and her growth has not been easy. One could learn a lot from someone like her.