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

The hardest thing has been finding the right talent. People often say they want to work for a startup or small business, but when it comes to actually working for them certain individuals struggle.

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

I never wanted a traditional 9-5 and always knew I wanted to work for myself, so I just went out there and did it.

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

Mornings are all about getting back to clients and making sure the team is on their game. The afternoons allow me to do actual work and not be in calls. I also like to schedule out one day with no calls or interruptions to get work done.

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

A leader helps guide their people to a goal. A manager instructs their leader. It’s not my job to tell my team exactly what they need to be doing, but rather inspiring them to get there. They are all adults and know their responsibility. No one likes a micromanager.

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?

Honestly, none. You just have to go out there and do it. Books are great to help you avoid mistakes of others, but I’ve found mentors do a much better job of that and the best thing I have learned about leadership is just by doing and failing.

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

Trust your team. Get the hire right and your team will have leaders within that trust your visions and will execute on your goals.

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

We had a case of an individual who really struggled to fit it. He was new to the startup world and had a lot of “corporate” tendencies, which we don’t have. So it was an adjustment period for them. We knew the potential they had and knew it was our job to find a way to extract that. So through frequent communication, trusting them they eventually became the best performing individual in the whole organization. Not very inspiring.... But true.