Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sherry Dial. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Sherry , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Any thoughts about whether to ask friends and family to support your business. What’s okay in your view?

Thank you; I appreciate the opportunity. When it comes to seeking support, my thoughts are to put family and friends at the top of the list. I say that because I am here today because of the financial and emotional support from my own family. Even as a young child of divorced parents, I always felt supported.

My parents worked hard to instill in my three siblings and me a strong work ethic, a zeal for education, and a love for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Growing up, I always believed the sky was the limit. I graduated from high school with honors. I earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina with a double major in Accounting and Marketing. After obtaining my bachelor’s degree, I completed my graduate degree at the University of Maryland in College Park with a focus on Internal Auditing.

My family and friends have a proven history of inspiring me to keep moving forward in faith. Consequently, I am not willing to embark on my entrepreneurial endeavors alone. To further illustrate my point, let me share a story of how Dial Services, LLC was created.

I was sitting at our kitchen table in an “ah-ha” moment during a 10-day quarantine, when my husband, Brent, encouraged me to start my own consulting business. Taking his advice, I was encouraged to return to my passion for internal auditing through my own company. Fueled by an entrepreneurial spirit, core values, and a growth mindset, in 2021, I started my business, Dial Services, LLC.

Most business owners will attest that the entrepreneurial journey comes with its challenges. Building Dial Services, LLC is no exception. Just recently, I experienced a moment where the support of family and friends buoyed me and propelled me to keep going.

A couple of months ago, Knoxville Voyager highlighted Dial Services, LLC in their November 2023 Community Spotlight. Unbeknownst to me, my husband, Brent, shared the article on our social media page expressing his admiration. From there, sparked an outpouring of love and support from family and friends. I was humbled as our children’s school, Tate’s, as well as members from our church, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, expressed their encouragement. I felt immense gratitude at this pivotal moment.

God has a plan for my life.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am the owner of Dial Services, LLC – a consulting business – located in Knoxville, Tennessee. Established in 2021, Dial Services, LLC is a trusted partner on a mission to help individuals and businesses of any size and industry reach new heights.

We provide internal audit services and strategic roadmaps. Internal audits are actionable insights that provide decision-makers with better information. Internal audits act as a catalyst for change within organizations. They are not intended to merely point out flaws but to illuminate pathways for growth. Whether it’s identifying cost-saving measures, enhancing customer experiences, or exploring avenues for innovation, internal audits unravel the possibilities waiting to be seized.

Working hand in hand with management teams, we have helped a small tech startup business annual revenue increase in a pandemic, from 1,000 paid subscribers to 15,000 paid subscribers boasting a 1,500% rise in revenue growth! We’ve turned data into actionable results for a:

• private manufacturer, saving $200,000 on the company vehicle fleet
• sole proprietor, increasing revenue from $850 to $11,000
• small startup helping expand from a single app to include two apps, a growing line of physical products, a community of more than 200,000 individuals, and revenue in excess of $1.7M
• virtual event, helping increase online registrants from 13,000 to 67,000

Before I started Dial Services, LLC, both my husband and I worked outside the home. I took career breaks whenever I felt the usual push and pull of work and family life begin to feel more like a tug of war. Being a mom is a full-time job and balancing a fixed working schedule proved to be more challenging than I was willing to sacrifice.

However, after years of this back and forth, I decided to permanently exit the workforce. Or so I thought. In the role of an entrepreneur, I am able to spend time with my children, gain unlimited growth potential, be in control of my time, earnings, and ultimately my future, more than ever. In this role, I am my own boss. Finally, I have decided to invest more into my own dreams.

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

Initially, I created and funded my LLC online within days by spending a few hundred dollars from my personal checking account. I am a single-member LLC, and I work from home. With some resourcefulness from my college best friends, Nivia and Marie, I drafted a client agreement, had it reviewed by an attorney, filed for a Taxpayer Identification Number, DUNS number, secured my articles of organization with the Tennessee Secretary of State, purchased a Google domain, and reached out to two sisters, Alexis and Chanté, whom I had interacted with previously in a non-profit event called I Am Mom Summit.

Shortly after that, my older brother, Shawn, helped me set up my business website. I repurposed my personal Instagram page and began sharing behind-the-scenes stories as I built my new business. Several months after organizing my LLC, while still working as an analytics manager at a tech startup called 99 Walks, I secured additional clients. I had no idea the revenue growth for my LLC would progress so quickly.

I purchased a new laptop to keep up with the pace of the growing roster of virtual clients, Docusign to easily manage all my contracts, and Shora Foundation to provide virtual office solutions. I spent almost a year at that velocity. Metaphorically speaking, I thought I could successfully create an airplane while flying it. Once I seceded from the notion that this pace wasn’t sustainable, I made the difficult transition to leave the tech startup and primarily focus on my mental well-being, family, and my LLC. Armed with all the knowledge I gained upfront, I am making intentional choices to grow my business on my terms.

In my second year, I focused on developing professionally. I highly recommend Thrive Local Marketing for SEO solutions, GLU Consulting for brand awareness strategies, Porch Swing Musings for website copy improvements, obtaining a business logo, and attending business networking associations. As of right now, I have not utilized business loans or credit because outside of recurring taxes and insurance. I strive to practice a conservative approach to my business expenses. I reinvest profits back into expanding my business. I am continuously reminding myself that I am the master of my journey.

Now that I am in my third year, my plans are to work with a strategic business coach, a landing page expert, and a social media strategist. My goals this year are to make Dial Services, LLC scalable and sustainable. Currently, I offer a variety of services, including but not limited to managing talent for virtual events, project management, executive virtual assistance, and contract negotiations, and I need help.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

I have found the most effective strategy is building and cultivating relationships of mutual trust. So far, the majority of my clientele has been word of mouth and people I have interacted with in a different capacity. I also leverage LinkedIn for short-term contracts. I utilize my Instagram to slowly build a community in which I share things I am interested in.

I have a few favorite brands that I often shout from the rooftop on my Instagram – faith-based books from Deseret Book, the Aro app and home device that helped me break my phone habits, and Jetti walking poles that offer a full-body workout while I am simply walking through my neighborhood. With Christ at the helm, I am feeling stronger, more focused, balanced, and energized to keep growing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://dialservicesllc.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dialservicesllc/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dialservicesllc/
• Other: https://linktr.ee/dialservicesllc

Image Credits
Sherry Dial and Joey Odom, Sherry Dial, Tema Laussen and J Teresa Davis, Tanika Harper, Jasmine Newton and Sherry Dial, Shawn Johnson, Andrew East, Fatty and Ben Dedrickson, Jamie and Mike Taylor, Lexi Prillaman, Caroline Hill, Taylor, Brooke and Sherry Dial, Heber and Erica Rivera and Sherry Dial, Michelle, Brooke, Jamie and Sherry, Michelle Love-Day and Sherry Dial, Alexis Bradley, Chanté Stutznegger and Sherry Dial, Brent Dial and Sherry Dial