Top Advice for Service-Based Start Ups from Seasoned Small Business Owners

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of interviewing dozens of successful small business owners in my Fabulous Small Business Owner Interview Series, where they shared their struggles, triumphs, and hard-earned wisdom. These conversations provide top advice for service-based start-ups, catering to entrepreneurs and solopreneurs. Keep in mind that if you are an established business, this advice may also be beneficial to you. Here’s a comprehensive roundup of the key topics and advice, organized by the brilliant minds who shared them. Let’s begin.

I have included the original post so you can visit them if you want more information about the business owners and their businesses.

Full disclosure: Some of these interviewees have since retired and moved on from their businesses, while others continue to be involved with them. All of them had over 10 years of experience in running and creating successful companies. Some were solopreneurs, and others were small business owners/entrepreneurs.

Business Strategy & Growth

First, let’s talk about tips on business strategy & growth. To grow, you need a clear strategy. But what plan do you have to have? Below are some insights my interviewees shared about their struggles and what they learned from them.

Peter Bort (Bort Law) – Key Topic: Strategic Growth Planning.

Peter emphasizes the importance of honestly examining your business goals and understanding what will bring you happiness before accepting growth opportunities and new directions. His legal background brings a structured approach to strategic decision-making.

Bryan Fulop (My Custom Closet)- Key Topic: Simplicity in Business Operations

Bryan’s approach focuses on maintaining streamlined and straightforward business operations. As a custom closet installer, he’s learned that complexity often creates more problems than it solves.

Christian C. Hoyt (PayUSA) – Key Topic: Customer Service Excellence

Christian advises that excellent customer service should be the primary goal of any business. His payroll company experience shows how service quality directly impacts business success.

Organization & Productivity

In your company’s organization, productivity is key to any long-standing business. Below is advice from other seasoned entrepreneurs.

Daria Harvey (Your Organized Life With Daria) – Key Topic: Delivering Client Value

Daria focuses on giving exceptional value to her clients (affiliate). Her organizing expertise translates into practical advice about creating systems that truly benefit your customers.

Janet Barclay (Organized Assistant) – Key Topic: Process Creation & Systemization

Janet’s expertise lies in creating efficient processes that streamline business operations. Her background as an organized assistant provides valuable insights into systematizing workflows.

Linda M. Clevenger (Organization Direct) – Key Topic: Delegation & Task Management

Linda’s biggest struggle was taking on all tasks herself. She learned that listening to her intuition and delegating effectively were crucial for reducing stress and growing her business.

Deb Lee, CPO®, Digital Productivity Coach – Key Topic: Realizing you can not do it all

Deb found that getting help made a significant difference. She has a group of small business owners whom she relies on to assist with tasks that take too long to complete or that she doesn’t want to do.

Janet M Taylor – Key Topic: It’s OK to let go of areas of your business.

Janet found it was better for her to be in the creative space than in the business space. So, she got help with the business part.

Jamie Steele (Tidy Your Time, LLC) – Key Topic: Time Management & Technology Integration

Jamie specializes in helping busy professionals find order in their day through time and technology organization. She struggled with outsourcing but found success with automated online services.

Andi Willis (Good Life Photo Solutions) – Key Topic: Personal Time Management

Andi faced challenges in managing her own time throughout the day while handling client tasks efficiently. Her solution involved creating comprehensive lists and implementing time-blocking strategies.

Geralin Thomas (Metropolitan Organizing) – Key Topic: Technology Management

Geralin focuses on staying current with technology while keeping both the tech and processes simple for herself and her business operations.

Marketing & Networking

As a small business owner, marketing and networking are crucial for gaining visibility and advancing your business. Below are experts who mentioned marketing and networking tips to help your business.

Nancy from OnTask Organizing – Key Topic: Speaking in Public works well.

Nancy found that speaking in public about various home organization and time management topics helped educate people in her community. She also felt blogging weekly helped get her name out there.

Liana George (By George Organizing) – Key Topic: Targeted Marketing & Networking

Liana initially struggled with marketing and networking, but discovered that smaller, more focused networking groups were better suited to her business model and personality.

Personal Development & Mindset

When you start, you will learn many new things. And, it can be overwhelming. Small business owners often tend to want to learn more and grow their businesses. Below are some additional advice you may wish to consider from these experts.

Seana Turner (The Seana Method) – Key Topic: Business Tenacity & Persistence

Seana’s key message revolves around tenacity in business – the ability to persist through challenges and maintain momentum even when facing obstacles.

Susan Sidoriak (Silverbox Creative Studio) – Key Topic: Continuous Learning & Forward Movement

Susan advocates for allowing yourself to continue learning and moving forward. Her creative studio background emphasizes the importance of staying current and adaptable.

Catherine Offner (Catherine’s Music Studio) – Key Topic: Overcoming External Judgment

Catherine’s advice centers on not worrying about what other people think about your business. She emphasizes the importance of staying true to your vision and persevering despite skepticism.

Linda Samuels (Oh, So Organized) – Key Topic: Time Management & Learning Boundaries

Linda learned that while she loved continuous learning, she had to accept that time is not limitless and prioritize her educational investments.

Hazel Thornton(Organized for Life) – Key Topic: Don’t Be Afraid to Pivot.

Hazel found that she can do what she can within herself. Remember, if people like what you have to say, they may also like what you have to say now.

Leslie Josel (Order Out of Chaos) – Key Topic: Make a change when you find the right people.

Leslie spent some time figuring out what to let go of and what wasn’t working to determine the right person to bring on board who has the skills she needs for those tasks.

Trust & Client Relations

There is nothing like having loyal clients (affiliate), especially in a service-based business. Here is some advice from small business owners.

Ilene Applebaum (Positive Paws Pet Services) – Key Topic: Building Client Trust

Ilene emphasizes that client trust is the cornerstone of her pet services business. Her approach demonstrates how trust-building can become a competitive advantage.

Janet Schiesl (Basic Organization) – Key Topic: Visual Proof & Referral Systems

Janet emphasizes the importance of obtaining referrals and utilizing before-and-after photos in service-based businesses. She believes in showing rather than telling potential clients (affiliate) about her capabilities.

Diane N. Quintana (DNQ Solutions, LLC) – Key Topic: Professional Development & Expertise

As a Certified Professional Organizer and Master Trainer, Diane offers valuable insights into building credibility through professional certifications and ongoing skill development.

Key Themes Across All Interviews

I must not overlook the fact that a theme runs through all these interviews. Several common threads run through these expert interviews:

• Systems and Processes Matter: Nearly every expert emphasized the importance of creating repeatable systems.
• Client Focus is Everything: Whether it’s trust, value, or service, putting clients first has emerged as a universal success factor.
• Personal Boundaries Enable Growth: Learning what to say no to, how to delegate, and when to simplify are recurring tasks.
• Continuous Learning with Limits: Balancing the need to stay current with the reality of time constraints.
• Persistence Pays Off: Every expert faced significant challenges but succeeded through tenacity and strategic thinking.

Ready to Dive Deeper?

Each of these interviews contains much more detailed advice, specific strategies, and personal stories that can inspire and guide your entrepreneurial journey. I encourage you to visit the individual interview posts to get the full benefit of these experts’ wisdom.

Whether you’re struggling with time management, like Andi, working on delegation, like Linda, or building client trust, like Ilene, there’s an expert in our series who has walked your path and found solutions.

Let’s Connect! Have any of these expert insights inspired you? Which business challenge resonates most with your current situation? Have any of these expert insights inspired you? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below!

If you’re a small business owner interested in being featured in our interview series, please reach out – I’m always looking to share more success stories and practical wisdom with our community.

Struggling with your business? We can help! Check out our suite of small business support services.

Related Posts:

• Clever Small Business Google Web Story Topics
• 3 Important Things You Need To Know About Data Entry
• How to Have an Effective Small Business Meeting
• Small Business Interview Series featuring Linda M Clevenger