“As much as we all want to say bye bye to last year, 2020 presented a unique opportunity to learn a lot about ourselves and how we adapt and respond to change.”
Karissa Cameron started her business, Lead with Purpose, after working as a Mining Manager with a group of Supervisors reporting to her, who led a department with over a hundred people. They had been great operators who were promoted to a role where they were leading others, but they had not been given the skills that they needed to be as successful as they could be in their role.
Karissa found that this is common across many different industries.
She set to work, developing a leadership program for the people that reported to her.
When the company undertook a leadership development program for its leaders, Karissa remembered looking at the people delivering the program and thinking “that is what I want to be!”.
Karissa delivers customised frontline leadership development programs, sharing what she had learnt to help others be as successful as they can be.
Who’s your favourite entrepreneur and why?
Pru Chapman – I love listening to her podcast, and that her business fits her lifestyle, not the other way around!
What do you enjoy most about running your own business?
I love seeing the development of the people that I provide training to, as well as learning about their organisation, its values, mission and culture. This enables me to deliver a customised development program specifically for their people.
What three pieces of advice do you wish you’d been given when you started?
- Spend time at the start getting clear on your business model.
- Dont be afraid to reach out to your network, let them know what you are doing.
- The only person telling you you can’t is yourself. If you are dreaming about it, go and do it!
What advice would YOU give someone thinking about starting a business?
Start small, but think big.
Marketing, social media and putting yourself out there are all important aspects of building your business that you will need to overcome.
What skills and knowledge areas would you recommend those starting out in business get acquainted with quickly?
Marketing. It’s so important and was a big blind spot for me. It is still an area where I have a lot to learn.
There are so many options for getting yourself out there, especially on social media. Please don’t feel like you have to do all of them. Find where your audience hangs out and do that one as well as you can.
What does your IDEAL business look like? Even if you’re not there yet.
One on one time directly with clients as well as an ever green online course.
What problem does being a Member of the HerBusiness Network solve for you and your business? And, how?
I am building my network, having other business owners to learn from and being able to ask anything.
Learn more about Lead with Purpose here.
