We met with Cape Town based Business-of-One owner, Natalie. Despite her family thinking she is in IT and dabbles in graphic design and development, she is ACTUALLY an astute UI Design specialist with the added advantage of truly displaying a human-centred and UX approach to all she touches.
She tells her story through the eyes of Dumbo the elephant who thought he needed a feather to fly, when in fact, all it took for her to see Business-of-One success was belief in herself. The funny thing about self belief is that you have to do the work first. It emerges from experience, learning from others, and deep self-reflection. True self-belief blossoms and strengthens after you've taken a chance and proven to yourself what you're capable of.
Very early in her career, the Imposter Syndrome she faced was coupled with being locked into an employee position with a boss at the time who believed power lay in breaking people down. There is little to no growth possible in a toxic environment and when finding oneself in this position, her advice is to just get out. This does not necessarily mean taking the leap to entrepreneurship just yet, but taking a smaller jump to a business environment that can foster growth, one that can positively prepare you for the ultimate leap of faith down the line.
It’s funny how both good and bad leadership can push us towards a positive change in direction. Natalie's next move placed her in a fortuitous position with leaders who believed in her more than she believed in herself. The influence of such leaders and the environments they cultivate can be transformative, propelling individuals down paths they never dreamed possible. These positive influencers bring wisdom if we are open to absorb and learn from them, and Natalie learnt to appreciate her innate key traits and skills that would ultimately keep her pushing for what she wanted. Dubbed by teammates as “The Complicator”, she embraced who she was and for that, those working with her knew what to expect, and also learnt how to bring out the best in her. Authenticity is about owning your flaws (we all have them!), without pretence, there is growth.
"I have learnt how important it is to always explore your creativity, cultivate discipline, maintain a sense of humor, and above all, be true to yourself."
Sometimes a jump from employee to entrepreneurship is a mixture of being pushed, and taking the leap from your own doing. This was the case for Natalie and serves as inspiration for anyone who finds themselves in a job where they feel stifled, as a calling to face the music and see this as an opportunity for change.
Becoming a "Business-of-One" has given Natalie options: a diverse client base, broader creative outlets, and both personal and professional growth through a constant influx of learning opportunities. BUT, one cannot be passive, it takes effort and hard work at putting yourself out there and developing professional relationships. In doing this, she experiences the freedom of choice in the clients she works with and projects she works on. Very particular about working with clients who share her values to heighten the ‘feel good’ factor when engaging in work, Natalie determines the impact she wants to have on the world.
Looking back, she describes her experience as a "Business-of-One" as one of independence, empowerment, and significant personal growth. She also acknowledges the realities and dispels the myths—it's definitely not easy. She believes that earning a living doing what you love, without burning yourself out, is achievable. This comes from working with the right clients, whose respect and appreciation of your talent translates into higher-value work for your business. As a solo entrepreneur, this infers less ‘cheap and dirty’ work maximising all hours in a given week. Even more important is the creative satisfaction of doing work you love. She believes the transition from freelancer to "Business-of-One" is a nuanced and evolving process, one she is still navigating. However, she notes a key advantage in being perceived as a partner and advisor to clients, rather than simply someone who executes tasks.
Natalie refers to her journey as a lucky one. However, the sense of kindness, talent, dedication, ‘curious’ empathy, generosity and care one feels in her presence, it is quite clear to us that she created her luck from being true to her inherent nature. It is certainly a magnetic trait she unknowingly encapsulates. Natalie teaches us the lesson of how important it is to listen to our inner voice, to take control back and drive our own professional destiny.
“You don't have to have all the answers at the time, but you will get there. It's life experience that makes you wiser. Trust the journey.”
“Solving niche challenges Founders face”.