Welcome to another edition of the Unusual Entrepreneur Interviews and today we have here with us unusual entrepreneur Bernadette Jiwa. She is the founder of the story of telling, a brand consulting business that helps entrepreneurs make their ideas matter. I’m so excited to have her on the unusual entrepreneur interview series as she is going to be the third femalepreneur interviewed!

If you are just joining us for the first time, this is the unusual entrepreneur interview series. It is a parade of unusual entrepreneurs who are changing the world and profiting from purpose. Profiting from purpose by changing the world isn’t an impossible dream as many tend to think of it, but a realistic one as many unusual entrepreneurs have extraordinarily proven. Click here to read more unusual entrepreneur interviews.

How Unusual Is Bernadette Jiwa?

She’s a business writer, idea catalyst and brand storyteller. She helps the entrepreneurs behind emerging brands to stand out and show them how to communicate their difference to customers in today’s noisy, crowded marketplace.

She does this by crafting strategies and stories for passionate companies and visionary brands who want to make meaning and money, by building legacies alongside businesses. She also creates brand names, product names and book titles, with words that paint a thousand pictures.

She is the author of You Are The Map Maker and the co-creator of striking truths. She’s been named as one of The Top 100 Branding Experts To Follow On Twitter . Her writing has been featured in guest posts about Brand Naming on Women 2.0, the female founders website and Building Your Business on the popular branding blog; Logo Design Love.

She collaborated with author Seth Godin as the project manager of the What Matters Now print edition and has written articles included in several of Seth’s Triiibes eBooks. She was an expert panelist at TEDxPerth Pitch School and her blog was voted Best Australian Business Blog 2012.

Take it away Bernadette!

Interview Questions Part One

ENTREPRENEURSHIP – Awakening the Spirit of business

 

1.       Can you please tell us a little about yourself and your business? What do you do? How do you do it? Why do you do it and who do you do it for?

I craft strategies and stories for passionate entrepreneurs and visionary brands who want to make meaning and money, by building legacies alongside businesses.

2.       How would you describe your entrepreneurial journey into the world of business? Where there any key incidents or life changing events that inspired your decision to become an entrepreneur?

I don’t think it was a conscious decision, just a series of small choices that layered themselves upon each other over time.

3.       When you started out in business, what specific idea, purpose or vision was your key driving force?

To help people communicate the best of themselves, and inspire them to build the bridge from where they are to where they want to be.

4.       What is your take on the general notion that entrepreneurs should build a business around what they naturally love to do?

I believe that you should do things you care about. If you’re lucky enough to be able to make that choice why wouldn’t you?

5.       What is your personal life mission as an entrepreneur? That is; what contributions do you want to make with your life or what would you like to be remembered for as an entrepreneur through the businesses you create when you die?

I want to help as many people as I can to do things that they thought were impossible.

6.       What would you describe as the purpose of entrepreneurship? That is; what role do entrepreneurs play in the world?

The world needs people who are not only capable of imagining the future, but those who know how to go out and create it. Dreamers that ‘do’.

Interview Questions Part Two

STRATEGY – The unusual execution of business best practices

7.       How do you identify business opportunities and what metrics do you use to measure their viability?

Mostly by using gut instinct. Learning from past experiences, trying, failing or succeeding. If it’s a project I’m jumping out of my skin to work on then I know it’s a good fit.

8.       Do you have mentors, business coach or external consultants that you work closely with to grow yourself and your business? If yes, to what extent would you describe their impact on your business? If no, are there any particular reasons?

I have heroes. People I watch closely and I work hard to make even a fraction of the difference they have made. If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing today.

9.       How do you strategically use your time as an entrepreneur? What key activities would you recommend entrepreneurs use their time for?

Spend most time on the things you care most about.

10.   How do you generate profitable customers for your business? What unusual approaches do you adopt for marketing your products/services?

I like to use a pull rather than push method and out-teach the competition. I work hard to create what others might find valuable.

11.   Many entrepreneurs complain about not succeeding in business due to lack of adequate funding, what is your take on this matter and how do you cope with funding issues in your business?

Funding might have been an issue a couple of decades ago, I don’t believe it is any longer. Most ideas can be tested on a tiny scale for next to nothing. Think big, start small. Plan for big, if it works, scale.

12.   When starting out a new business, who are the likely possible partners or professional service providers you would recommend every entrepreneur work with?

 People who can help you communicate the best of your idea to the world. Designers, copywriters.

13.   The pricing of products/services is always an issue for entrepreneurs, what unusual approach do you take when it comes to pricing?

Don’t compete on price. Compete on value.

Interview Questions Part Three

MISCELLANEOUS – Resourceful Recommendations, tools, books, and ideas for unusual entrepreneurs.

14.   Since you became an entrepreneur – someone who solves problems for people profitably; what has been your most outstanding accomplishments in the context of business?

I’m most proud of working out how to speak and write to people in a way that resonates. Helping people to tell stories about their business ideas is something I’m really grateful to be able to do. Having the opportunity to work with Seth Godin, who is my hero.

15.   What would you describe as your major setbacks and what lessons did you pick from them?

Choosing the wrong things to focus on at times, failing to understand the problem I wanted to solve. The importance of understanding the problem to solve!

16.   Where there any particular questions you expected me to ask that is beneficial to entrepreneurs and I didn’t? Kindly share with us such questions and their relevant answers here.

No. You did a great job!

Your Turn

What more would you like to know about the Unusual Bernadette Jiwa? You can ask her further questions below in the comment section and I will be sure that you will get an answer directly from her.

Also, what did you learn from this unusual entrepreneur? What lessons, what philosophy of his strike you the most?

Bernadette has shared her unusual story with you, now is time to hear from you. Can’t wait to hear what you have to say!