We recently connected with Meenakshi Iyer and have shared our conversation below.

Meenakshi, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

Years ago, I remember hearing in a talk that, “…as adults, we don’t need to be ‘taught’ as much as we need to be ‘reminded’ of things we have already learned…” That stayed with me, and when I started think of a name for my business, it came back to me. My WHY for my business is to help organizations and leaders become change-ready and get set up for sustainable success in an ever-evolving world of work. I want to help them, support them, guide them, but on their terms, in a way that makes most sense to them. I want to help them see their own strengths, lean into what they already do well, and use that to propel themselves into their desired future. The word ‘guide’ made me think of a ‘guiding star’, which led me to NorthStar! I offer Coaching and Training Services to individuals and teams, AND tailor-made professional development programs to companies i.e. Solutions. That’s how NorthStar Solutions and Services was born!

Meenakshi, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I choose to describe myself as a T-shaped leader fluent at the intersection of People, Business, and Technology. My 25-year portfolio career in technology and people development, and business process transformation, spans IT, Healthcare, HR, and Training, in India and the US. Two notable annual events I host are the Annual World of Work Virtual Conference, and Building My Runway – a Global Mentorship program for mid-career Women in Tech.

I am also the host of two livestream shows: Exploring Intersections, and The NorthStar Café, simulcast on LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube, where I speak with guests around the world on topics relating to Inclusive Leadership and the Future of Work.

My own first-hand experience is in being that mid-senior level leader who is always asked to do more with less, and who does the ‘triple duty’ of managing up, down, and across! Plus, with the lived experience of an expat, a Woman in Tech and as someone who speaks English as an additional language, I realized that I need to constantly code switch to keep up in a culture that’s different from my own. I also noticed that the emotional labor that folks like me put in, while working in predominantly English-speaking corporate environments, is hardly ever acknowledged, or talked about! This is why I do what I do now!

I am all about Unpacking Leadership™ at the ‘Messy Middle’ using Lean-Agile principles and practices. I am committed to helping Mid-level, Women, and similarly underrated Leaders, lead Self + Teams + Change with Intention + Influence + Impact. I believe that these leaders are an organization’s backbone that supports sustainable business outcomes AND work environments where everyone thrives.

As an ICF-certified Leadership Coach and Gallup®-certified Strengths Coach, I help organizations create personalized learning experiences for their teams and leaders; and to help them build teams that are agile, change-ready, engaged, inclusive, and resilient. My services include:

• Leadership Development Coaching – Groups and 1:1
• Tailored Leadership and Communication Skills Training
• Learning & Development and Change Leadership Advisory Services

With my support, my clients learn how to: prioritize amidst uncertainty and ambiguity; engage with their teams with care and candor; and skillfully balance their attention between people and performance. They transform into become the self-aware, self-assured, empathetic, and inclusive leaders the world needs more of!

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

To me building an audience on social media has been about choice, consistency, and community.

I chose to limit my social media presence to LinkedIn and YouTube with some presence on Facebook.
I dealt with FOMO early on, and decided to go with what works best for me.
Vanity metrics don’t mean anything to me.
I show up consistently and with the intention of adding value and creating impact.
I am a community-builder at heart, and social media is no different!

Here are a few of my personal ‘NorthStar’ pointers for building an audience on social media:
It is showing up to serve, to connect, and to contribute to the collective wisdom meaningfully.
It is about respecting your own and others’ boundaries. This means claiming and owing your own humanity and showing up with respect and authenticity and with integrity. If you wouldn’t say something to someone’s face, don’t put it on social media.
Think about how authentically you show up – if someone were to meet you in person, will they be equally pleased OR puzzled?
Building an audience on social media is a rewarding experience and journey. It’s a marathon, not a sprint!

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

I am 100% self-funded, bootstrapped! Being my boss on all fronts is important to me. I used my savings from the time I used to work full-time, to fund my business. From the beginning, I have used the MVP (Minimal Viable Product) principle in all aspects of my business. For example, for the first couple of years, my business was organized as a sole proprietorship. That was enough for the scale of work I was doing at the time. I saved on a whole host of costs associated with setting up and running an LLC – business insurance, tax prep etc. I went the LLC route when I was ready for it a couple of years later.

I am also creative about diversifying my revenue streams and saving costs. I regularly take on short-term contract work to generate the required funds. I use my tech background to vet tools and technology carefully before deciding to invest in them. I am also very mindful of my expenses and will often use free versions of technology-based tools to save on costs. I keep my business workflows simple and that helps me optimize costs without compromising on client experience.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.northstaratwork.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/@northstaratwork
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meenakshi-iyer-northstar-unpacking-leadership-at-the-messy-middle/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@northstaratwork
• Other: NorthStar LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/northstar-solutions-and-services/?viewAsMember=true