How She Made It: Lori Luis, Project Management Extraordinaire and Entrepreneur
MN: How important has maintaining previous business relationships you developed throughout your career been to the success of LoriLu Consulting? Also, would you recommend that women sever previous business relationships and start fresh when launching their own businesses? Why?
LL: Maintaining previous business relationships is essential – as they say, don’t burn your bridges. These contacts can always provide references or act as a sounding board for your new ideas. You may be surprised how their network can help in your new venture. When I started my business, I spoke with several of my former managers and colleagues. They helped to confirm what my strengths and weaknesses were and led me to the decision to start my own consulting company. I continue to maintain relationships with them, discussing new ideas and keeping them abreast of my accomplishments and challenges. A few of them have started their own businesses and have asked for my help as they make the transition to entrepreneurship.
MN: For women who are presently going through a career shift, what advice would you give them in regards to continuing to move forward when they may not be able to see what’s ahead of them?
LL: My best advice would be to take some time to get to know yourself. Identify your strengths and weaknesses and validate them with people who know you well and whose advice you value. Then decide what you like to do, what you are good at, what you need to achieve (financially) and what you are willing to give up (emotionally). For me it was my passion for organization and technology, working with concerned people to achieve results and being able to manage my own time. I knew I never wanted to work 10 – 12 hour days again, so that was a primary factor in entering the consulting game.
MN: In what ways have you surprised yourself since you made the switch from employee to employer?
LL: I think the biggest surprise has been how receptive organizations and businesses have been to adopting the project management methodology. The challenges that small businesses and community organizations face due to a strained economy, limited budgets, advances in technology, unavailable skill sets, and variation in demographics of their local target audience all require a fresh look at the business or organization. Strategic Planning has helped many existing groups to revisit their plans and redesign their approach. Startups realize that they need to do some groundwork and develop a plan before funders will even entertain their ideas. As an employer, I work with other consultants, freelance graphics artists, web designers and print companies. I’m amazed at the number of talented individuals who have launched their own enterprises and we work well together and share business. This is why I have become such a big fan of partnerships within communities, working together to achieve success for all.
MN: What’s on the horizon for Lori Luis? Where do you envision yourself at this time next year?
LL: I would like to see LoriLu Consulting employ two to three junior project managers. I also want to continue to mentor young people who are starting careers in Project Management and in Human Resources. Those studying for their CAPM (Certified Associate Project Manager) or PMP (Project Management Professional) would assist me with client meetings, market research, planning and documentation. Working with me they could gain “real world” project experience and log the required number of project hours for achieving certification. Afterward, I can connect them with my network of business professionals to move on as project managers in a corporate environment.
Rhonda Campbell, an East Coast journalist, is the owner of Off The Shelf radio and publisher of Long Walk Up and the forthcoming Love Pour Over Me.
