1. What have you found most challenging as a leader of a small or medium enterprise?

The biggest challenges I have had are building systems to run the company smoothly and finding the right talent to work with.

2. How did you become a leader of an SME? Can you please briefly tell the story?

I have been entrepreneurial for as long as I can remember. Conned the pastor's wife into letting me sell her Avon to all the Grandmas at Church when I was a kid and I never stopped selling something. Later I had the opportunity to transition into more of the marketing side and found I could magnify what I could produce in sales and gain more control of my time as a business owner.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

My ideal and what really happens are sadly different. However, I use time blocks where I set aside time for certain tasks. One of those tasks is figuring out the tasks for the day or week. I direct them into specific blocks of time and do my best to stick to those designated time blocks.

4. What's the most recent significant leadership lesson you've learned?

Ask for help much sooner. Find a coach or join a mastermind so you can make breakthroughs at a more rapid pace.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

As a creator, I struggle with staying focused. The book by Jack Canfield and others called The Power of Focus really helped me see both the reasons I need to focus but also some strategies to help me do just that.

6. How do you build leadership capacity in an SME?

One of the challenges I and others face is what to delegate and whom to delegate it to. You must first identify the need, and then identify the skill sets needed to fulfill that need. Once you have done this, look through your organization and have a conversation with the proper team or individual that can help. Set clear expectations, look to gain buy in and then assign the task. At the agreed interval, review, adjust and then complete the project. After the project, make sure appropriate praise and thanks are given.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader of an SME so far?

A person came to me via a referral that found herself unemployed from a very high-paying position. With a great conversation and digging deep we uncovered a great path for her to pursue. As a best selling author on LinkedIn marketing I knew an amazing profile on LinkedIn with clear messaging would be amazing for her future plans. Very quickly she was employed again and has since sent me several friends to help them as well.