PICA Member Spotlights

Q&A with independent consultants who successfully “made the leap” and created the consulting career of their dreams

 

Q: Introduce yourself. What is the name of your business and your consulting specialty?

A: Hello! My name is Molly Coskran. I am the principal and owner of Heed Environmental Health, LLC. Heed supports manufacturing and chemical companies by assessing product and workplace hazards to chemicals and noise.

Think of it as exposure science. Workers and customers handle and come into contact with various materials when performing their duties.  Heed evaluates the impact of that exposure, based on the equipment, task and condition of use.

Based on this assessment, we recommend taking measurements to quantify the risk and recommend workplace controls. We will recommend personal protective equipment (PPE) as an interim until the workplace controls can be implemented.

We also assist with the development of data for product registrations and documents for the safe handling of chemicals. This is a similar process of assessing the components of the materials and how they will be handled.    

 

Q: How long have you been independent?

A: Fourteen years.

 

Q: How did you get your first client? How did you get your second?

A: My first job as a subcontractor came via a former colleague, with whom I had worked for a number of years. It was much harder to acquire my second client. In between, there were many months of meetings and proposals that went nowhere. One of my network contacts had a last-minute vacancy on an environment, health and safety auditing team. This led to additional opportunities with this client and then at another company when my contact changed jobs.

Q: What advice would you give to someone who’s thinking about making the leap to solopreneurship or who is just starting out?

A: Gather information, seek helpers, and then get out there even if you think you are not ready. It’s important to avoid analysis paralysis. I believe we learn more from our mistakes and failures than from our successes. Get going!

Q: What’s surprised you the most about being self-employed?

A: I knew I could work independently. I was surprised by how much I missed being in an office with colleagues. Taking advantage of professional meetings and volunteer opportunities has helped provide that sense of belonging that was missing. Getting to be onsite with clients is always a treat.

The generosity of other solopreneurs surprised me. Whether lending an ear, providing advice, or cheering me on, I am grateful.

Q: What have you had to figure out and how did you do it?

A: Determining the minimum amount of information that can be shared via a proposal without giving away the secret sauce. I believe that many of my initial proposals explained to the prospective client how exactly they could complete the project in house without hiring Heed. Of course, if the client has a detailed request for proposal it must be completed. I am specifically talking about my early statements of work which gave away too much information.

Q: What is something that many aspiring solopreneurs think they need that they really don’t?

A: To be perfect! For example, don’t wait for the perfect company name or logo. Call it “ABC” or “My Company” and keep moving. The name will come to you as you work through your organizing documents and customer research.

Q: Is there a particular quote or saying that you use for personal motivation?

A: In June of 2023, I discovered an article in Management Consulting Connection. The article on the website Successful Independent Consulting referenced a PICA webinar with Stacey Brown Randall titled “How to Generate Referrals Without Asking”. Towards the end of the article is a quote about Behavioral Economics: “Be helpful. Be kind. Be thoughtful. Be generous. And you will get the same back in return. It’s still not about you though. It’s about the space between you and your client. It’s about your relationship with them.” This succinctly articulated my approach to business. It also introduced me to a great resource called PICA and its indefatigable leader, Liz Steblay.

Q: How can people learn more about you or your business?

A: Heed Environmental Health, LLC has a profile on LinkedIn and a website www.heedenvironmental.com.

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