Skills carryover helps startups hone ventures - Washington Business Journal:

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Elliott, 45, spent 18 years as a technical writet for and community relations managerfor . Five years ago, sensing change with her position at Lucenwas coming, she left. Two years using $80,000 in persona l savings and a credit Elliottopened . In the market for a springh jacket? Shoppers at her store are likelty to find one adornedwith colorful, buttons and belt What about baubles? Young ladies on the fence abouf getting their ears pierced are sure to be pushefd off by a set of tiny cupcake-shaped earrings. Elliott says she believesz that ifmerchandise isn’t different enougj to warrant a customers are likely to bypass it as oppose d to making a beeline to the cash register.
The shop owner never read this in a book but knows it by instinct – something she honed and learnes to trust during her days at AT&T and “I am always on the lookout for qualityu products that are feminine and stylish; there also has to be some sort of twisft – something that’s going to give customers a little bit more bang for their buck,” says who targets teenagers and women interested in versatiler apparel, jewelry and handbags. “It’s all about knowinv your audience, which is something I learnedr back when I was writingoperations It’s a skill I now apply to this business.
” in fact, made it a pointr to bring her corporate communications background to the table to help maximizde her investment and attract “As Lucent Technologies Columbus Works communit relations manager, I was in charge of specialp events, which means I know how to begin with a vision and implement ever detail,” she says. “These days, one of my primary methodws of getting people through my door revolvees aroundspecial events, including private shoppingv parties, girls’ nights out and breakfast mixers for women business owners in New Albany.
” she offers up her store for networkingy and events, even up to the point of makinh the invitations and providing refreshments. “It’s all stuffd I learned how to do when I worked at my old she says. The idea is to introduces her shop to potential customers withouy breaking thebank – something else Elliott pickedx up at Lucent. “The companyy encouraged us to managde its departmental budgets as if the monehy wasour own. These days, the money really is my she says.
It’s not uncommon for professionalsa to take stock of their careeras when they see job functions consolidatefd and coworkers losing their jobs because of number as it didfor It’s especially difficult when mid-life sneaks up and passion for the job givexs way to stress and pressure. For a few of thesde people, the answer can be found in entrepreneurship, says Pierrer Daunic, president of . “I wouldn’t call it but given the statew ofthe economy, more and more people are considerinv (self-employment) as an option,” he says.
Daunic, whose six-year-ole company specializes in cover letter andresume development, says entrepreneurzs who possess certain fundamental skills, includingv leadership and communications skills, are in the best position to use thoswe talents in meaningful ways even when the startup is unrelatee to the career that developed thosre talents. “For example, I started out as an Air Forcse officer, moved into commercial and then started teachinyg atthe ,” Daunic “What I do today, in particular, revolves around the teachinvg skills I learned at the academy becausr I teach clients how to markety themselves.
” Prior to becoming a businessd owner, he stumbled into a high-tech recruitintg career thanks, he says, to the eclectic skillzs he gained in the military.