Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Deanna Singh, Founder of Flying Elephant LLC., located in Brookfield, WI, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Flying Elephant is a holding company for four social impact companies: Purposeful Hustle, Uplifting Impact, Story To Tell Books, and Birth Coach Milwaukee. The companies were created to shift power to marginalized communities. We want to re-imagine what social enterprises, businesses that are built to solve a social issue, can and should look like.
Through our companies, we are able to help transform lives by building purpose-driven leaders training on how to bring diversity, equity, and inclusion into everyday business practices advocating health equity for women and babies, and changing the narrative in literature. Our work is having an immediate and generational impact on the communities that we serve alongside. Our customers differ based on the company, but the thing that they all have in common is that they believe in creating a more inclusive world!
Tell us about yourself
I have always followed my purpose in life. I define my purpose as shifting power to marginalized communities. As a result of that purpose, I have had a very eclectic career path. I’ve taught elementary, middle, and high school and at the postgraduate level. I’ve done things in politics, practiced law, started a legal clinic, and run a school and three foundations. Social entrepreneurship is the best way to describe my life’s work. I love using business practices to create social change.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment changes every day because I don’t measure myself based on any one thing. I was taught early on that the best measure of success is not to look at what you have done but instead to look at what impact you have made in the larger picture. In other words, I am only as successful as those around me. So, what I evaluate at the end of every day is whether or not I have done anything to have a positive impact on someone else’s life.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
You have to make hard decisions every day, but the hardest ones are around termination. I care a lot about the people on our team. And I always want people to thrive. Sometimes that means letting someone go and finding a place that suits them, but it is never an easy decision to make.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- You don’t have to wait for permission to live in your purpose.
- Don’t take yourself so seriously.
- Let failure be your market differentiator.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Yes! My new book, Actions Speak Louder, was released on May 31st, 2022. This book is a step-by-step guide for managers, teams, and DEI leaders looking to create impactful, lasting change in their organization, from recruitment to retention and beyond.
Learn more about my book here: https://www.upliftingimpact.com/actions-speak-louder-book
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.deannasingh.com/flying-elephant
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/purposefulhustle/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deannasingh1/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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