Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal and business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Rosie Ward, CEO, and co-founder of Salveo Partners, LLC., located in Plymouth, MN, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Our purpose is to rehumanize the workplace so that people can bring their best selves to work - and home - each day. We do that through consulting with organizations to help them clarify and operationalize their purpose and values and create and maintain thriving workplace culture. We also focus on developing leaders at all levels from the inside out to be more self-aware, courageous, humanistic, and effective and build high-performing, psychologically safe teams. Additionally, we pay it forward by providing professional development opportunities to equip others with our tools and programs to support their work in creating workplaces where everyone can thrive.

Tell us about yourself

The first iteration of Salveo Partners was born out of frustration one day at my current role and seeing a better way to grow, serve others and make an impact that my leadership at the time didn't see. Then it was put on hold for many years while I went to work for a consulting firm. Eventually, I came back to it with the hopes of helping other professionals and organizations working to support employee and organizational well-being be more effective and move past outdated approaches that treat people more like predictable, controllable machines. What motivates me each day is an opportunity to have a ripple effect with our clients, graduate community, and people who read our books and listen to my podcast where they can help one person, one team, or one organization be more humane and effective. We spend so much of our time working, and it shouldn't be a source of stress, anxiety, or worse. We all deserve to feel valued as we authentically are, belong, have opportunities to make a difference and be fulfilled leveraging our gifts and talents, and be supported in our ongoing growth. Knowing I can help play a part in this and create a better world for my son and our children keeps me going - even when things get hard.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Having hundreds (perhaps thousands) of people say their lives have been impacted for the better by our services - whether they've found more fulfilling work and know they're making a difference (graduates of our programs) or are becoming better versions of themselves from our consulting, coaching and workshop services and maximizing their impact in all areas of their lives. There's not a monetary value you can place on that. And, we've steadily grown and evolved (anchored on our purpose and values) - even with the challenges the pandemic and disruptive world have brought.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Being diligent about boundaries and self-care. It's easy to pour everything into work, but that leads to burnout and many other consequences, and it doesn't role model sustainability and longevity for your team. It can be hard to do when you have the pressure and responsibility of other people's livelihood on your shoulders and can see all that needs to be done. There is a lot of stress, pressure, and challenges that come with being a business owner. I've learned that I can't be effective in navigating them if I'm depleted.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Be clear about your purpose first that fuels passion and serves as your North Star or compass. Then look at how your product or service effectively furthers that purpose in a unique or impactful way that the market and people need (and be ready to regularly adapt and flex your products and services).
  2. Be clear and realistic about what it will take (money, time, support from loved ones, etc.) to start and build your business.
  3. Invest in meaningful networking and relationship-building. Get involved in organizations with other business owners and find a mentor who can help you. This isn't a solo journey, and you don't have to have it all figured out to leverage community and others' wisdom and lessons learned.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

There are so many great models and movements to help show the way to building an effective, humane business. Look into Conscious Capitalism as a start and learn from other companies who are breaking the mold and finding success by approaching business in a thoughtful, humanistic way.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://salveopartners.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drrosieward
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drrosieward/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrRosie
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rward/

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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