Behind every successful business lies an intricate web of operational needs, and today's Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur Spotlight features someone who's mastered the art of untangling them. Meet Liz Wiatt, founder of Exec Hub. With a keen understanding of what businesses truly need to thrive, Liz has built a company that provides custom-tailored solutions through Executive Assistants, Social Media Managers, and Client Success Managers. Her story demonstrates that sometimes the best business ideas come from deeply understanding the challenges other entrepreneurs face, and you'll see from our interview that her path to success was paved with patience, community involvement, and the courage to take that final leap into entrepreneurship
Hi, Liz! Thanks for joining us today. Tell us about your business. Who do you serve, how do you serve them, and what's the impact that your business and work makes?
My company Exec Hub serves small to medium-sized businesses. We mainly work directly with business owners, founders, or executives. We outsource Executive Assistants, Social Media Managers, & Client Success Managers so they don't have to hire someone full-time in-house. We custom-build our services based on each business's needs. Sometimes the client needs all three positions or sometimes they might just need a Social Media Manager to write the content, design the images, and post on all platforms. We bring a lot of value as we can meet several of their business needs without them having to hire three full-time positions. We offer 10 to 20 hours per week of services so we can fill in the companies' gaps where needed.
Tell us about the moment you finally felt like you went from wantrepreneur to entrepreneur.
I launched my business Exec Hub on LinkedIn and my first client reached out interested the first day of my launch. I got a few clients quickly but it wasn't until I had more than a full load of clients and realized I needed to hire an employee to help that I felt like I was truly an Entrepreneur. It has been a fun and exciting journey!
Describe the moment or period in your life/career that motivated you to make the entrepreneurial leap.
I worked closely with several serial entrepreneurs for years and helped launch several businesses from ground zero. I was working on completing my MBA, and in the final months, I had the idea of Exec Hub. I built my website, opened a business bank account, and had my business license.
Honestly, after all that I wasn't 100% sure if I was going to take the leap and launch my business, Exec Hub. It took me two months to get the courage to launch my business and take the risk but I am so glad I did! I am thankful for all our amazing clients that have come on board!
Describe a tool, service, or software that has been a game-changer for your business. How does it contribute to your success?
We use the Riverside software to record our Exec Hub podcasts. It uses AI to automatically edit your video and it produces short clips with AI for Instagram or Facebook reels. It saves a lot of time and looks good.
We know that success is very often a non-linear path. Tell us about a failure, pivot point, or lesson that changed your course or direction and helped to get you where you are today.
I actually worked for non-profits and churches during my first few years out of college. I didn't know I would enjoy the business side of things but over time I realized I did so I made a pivot and took a job as an Executive Assistant at a company where the owner owned several businesses. It was at that job that I began to become interested in starting my own company one day. You have to be open and willing to pivot and try new things to grow and learn even when it is uncomfortable or challenging.
What unconventional strategy did you employ that significantly impacted your business?
Joining the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce and getting active in networking events has really helped my business as I have gained new clients, connected with other business owners, and been able to refer clients to other business owners. It takes a community to build a company.
What’s something you wish you knew sooner that you’d give as advice for aspiring or newer entrepreneurs?
It can take time or several conversations for people to decide to move forward with purchasing your product or service. Just because someone is delaying their decision doesn't mean it is a no. It has been neat to see some of my clients come back to me and sign a proposal after some thought. It takes time for people to make decisions so just keep working hard and be patient! :)
Want to dive deeper into Liz's work? Find out more on the links below:
- Visit Exec Hub's website execworkhub.com
- Follow Exec Hub on Instagram: @exechub
- Connect with Liz on LinkedIn: Liz Wiatt, MBA
- Follow Exec Hub on LinkedIn
- Find Exec Hub on Facebook
- Listen to the Exec Hub Podcast on YouTube
