From BizLaunch: Business Resolutions

PROFILE: Ellen Onieal Little

Ellen Onieal Little has quickly become the go-to person in Brevard County for business consulting and entrepreneurial growth. She spent over 20 years in leadership and development with The Home Depot: as a store manager and leadership trainer. In December 2010, Ellen opened a corporation and 2 companies; Business Resolutions, a coaching/consulting company and Studio You, a training company. Just recently she opened a presentation coaching company for executives, Talk About It. Ellen has helped over 160 small business startups including independent contractors, health care professionals, retail, restaurants, virtual and internet businesses’ and multi-level marketing teams and service providers. She provides strategy for multiple streams of income, operational effectiveness and optimized profitability. Ellen is a keynote speaker on Real World Organizational effectiveness, Business Strategies and Technology Skills. She also facilitates team building workshops, leadership seminars, marketing effectiveness and software training. She has described entrepreneurship as “best roller coaster ride ever” and when she’s not out changing the business world for the better, she’s playing music or enjoying one of her many other hobbies/talents.

This month we sat down with Ellen to find out a bit more about how she caught the entrepreneurial fire- and how she stays stoked!

• What ignited the spark in you to start your business?
The fact that no matter how big the businesses that I worked with- there was a confidence gap, an organizational challenge of some sort and always HR issues to deal with. The bigger the business – it was just the same problems – just more people were involved – and the more people you had to involve to fix the problem.
• What motivates you?
I feel like it was my purpose to stimulate the economy. I wanted to make a difference in my community and when I see businesses hire and supporting families in the community – it keeps me going.
• How do you define success?
My happiness – I try to keep a good balance of work and fun. When I do it well, I feel successful. There are pockets of time that I am not so good at it- and then I don’t feel so successful.
• Who has been your greatest inspiration?
My mother was an entrepreneur in 1948, when most women weren’t. She never encouraged me to do traditional things – she was the ultimate example of enjoying life, seizing the day and never ask for permission.
• Where you see yourself and your business in 10 years?
I practice what I preach, I am currently enrolled to complete my BA in HR, and I want to change the face of HR to create companies’ cultures and training plans that work. More keynotes and training. I love what I do. Funny, when people say, “how can I ever repay you?” I say, “get me backstage passes when you win the Nobel peace prize – and a shout out” in 10 years I hope to get a lot of those. I’ve worked with incredible people. I’m so very proud of “my people”.