About Sheri
Founder and CEO of Saplings Consulting, a coaching, mentoring, and advisory company for leaders and founders to build state-of-the-art products and grow their teams
Expert in Residence at Greentown Labs, the largest climatetech startup incubator in North America
25+ years of engineering experience at HP, GE, Bose, and multiple startups
Key ‘a-ha’ moments from the podcast
Listen to yourself - sometimes in the moments you feel your lowest, you will realise that there is another opportunity awaiting. So, never stop looking out for learning opportunities
“I realised that I am tired, I am burnt out, I needed to refill my buckets and I gifted myself an executive coaching class….and it ended up as I love this, and I want this to be a part of my life”
Start with the smallest step of naming your company, and you’ll be surprised by how much it pushes you to get going
“I put a name on it, and that was enough for me to get on the business. We were walking around a Souvenir’s store and it said ‘have big dreams and grow into them’, and it was the little bit of push I needed to say let’s just do this”
Always check-in with your values, they will guide you on your next step when evaluating the right time to become a full-time founder
“It was terrifying - I was starting to make some income and building a startup network. I was at a point in my career where my work was changing and mis-aligning with my value systems. Hypothetically, I asked myself if I could make my side-gig (Saplings) my full time job, and I knew I had to make the leap”
Manage your personal finances like a pro - it not just helps you manage money, but also helps you contextualise your goals
“We ran our budgets over and over again (me and my husband), and I gave myself a runway of 8 months, like all other startups”
“For my business, the upfront costs are barely anything. But doing this evaluation of what I needed to make was 2 numbers: the bare minimum we needed as a family and my goal of what I needed to call this successful. I am a recovering perfectionist, so I set a reasonable goal so that it felt less scary to jump it”
Test the waters before your scale - it not only tests if the market exists, but also is a great boost to your confidence
“In 2021 when I paid for the LLC, I put a goal for myself to do a fundraiser. I was volunteering / donating mini coaching packages for anyone who donates to my chosen charity. I got 10-20 people who signed up, and it kick-started my confidence that there is a customer base there. I felt like I was giving back, and I got the change to practice my work”
Sheri’s advice to women who want to build businesses on their own terms
“Build your business leveraging your strengths and your values, and what you are passionate about. Don’t pick a business that only makes you money, because then it would be work”
“Test your business plan with small goals. It’s easy to get caught up if you set big goals. Get confidence and momentum from small goals”
“Surround yourself with strong advocates - the support system will cheer you on and make sure that you keep growing. Have big dreams, and grow into them!”
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