We were lucky to catch up with Vanessa Matibag recently and have shared our conversation below.

Vanessa, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

At the outset of 2023, my career took an unexpected turn that left me feeling unsettled. I lost the position I held for 17 years with the organization and found myself experiencing a range of emotions – anger, fear, and sadness. I went through all the stages of grief and was unsure of what my next steps should be. Until then, I had envisioned spending the rest of my professional life with that organization and preparing for retirement. The sudden change left me confused and feeling unprepared. My initial response was to find another job to secure a steady income and continue building my retirement nest egg. However, upon reflection, I realized that this wasn’t what I really wanted at this point in my career. I wanted to have more flexibility with my time, enjoy the autonomy to make my own decisions and be 100% responsible for the work that I would take on. I started to entertain the idea of becoming an independent consultant but still could not commit to it. It was totally out of my comfort zone, and I didn’t know where or how to begin. I had so many questions and wonderings like “I don’t a network to do this kind of thing”, or “what if I don’t get any projects?” It was a big risk but something inside was pushing me to go for it, listen to my heart, and trust myself.

So I spoke to a dear friend and colleague who introduced me to Danielle Pickens. Danielle runs this cool 10-week program called Solepreneurship and I decided to give it a shot. I went to the first session without any preconceived notions and opened myself up to what I might learn and take away from. During that first session, I told Danielle and the group that my biggest concern was finding projects because I thought I had a no or limited network. It’s been 10 weeks now and I am surprised at how I am building up that network and sending out couple of proposals. I am still new at this game and have yet to close a project but where as I saw only risks I now see possibilities and I am hopeful.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am an HR professional with over 15 years of experience and founder of Outside Lead HR Solutions. I was born and raised in the Philippines and my background gives me a unique perspective on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, which I’m very passionate about. My insights in this space have been invaluable in creating workspaces that are welcoming and inclusive and have supported organizations to attract and retain top talent. My knowledge in various areas of Human Resources includes talent acquisition, learning and development, team leadership, and project administration.

I believe people are the most important asset of any organization. That’s why I offer a personalized HR consulting approach. I cater my services to fit the individual needs of each client and come up with tailored solutions for every step of the employment journey. I established Outside Lead HR Solutions with the goal of providing start-ups and non-profit organizations with human resources capacity, focusing on the areas of Recruitment and Onboarding, HR Administration and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

I am also an amateur ballroom dancer and that discipline has added another dimension to how I work. There is the fun element and there is the attention to detail, precision, and timing that I have honed through dancing.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Making the switch from being an employee my entire career to becoming an entrepreneur was a 360 degree pivot and a complete game-changer for me. I dove into this new adventure without any formal training or a clear starting point, armed only with my HR expertise and over 15 years of experience. After committing to this new path, I enrolled in a workshop to learn the basics of launching a consulting business. While I’m still quite new to the world of independent consulting, it has already taught me a lot about myself and presented numerous valuable lessons.

For anyone in a similar situation, facing multiple choices along their career journey, my advice is to trust yourself, listen to your heart and gut, and don’t hesitate to seek guidance from friends and colleagues. Their insights might surprise you.

Embracing new life adventures will lead to self-discoveries. Six months ago, if you’d asked me how to build a network and pipeline, I wouldn’t have had a clue. But now, I can share several tips, such as staying active on LinkedIn, joining Slack communities, etc.

Always keep learning – gain new skills, take on new projects, and connect with new people. And remember, patience is key. The fruits of your labor won’t appear overnight.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

I came across this book called “The Tools” by Phil Stutz when I was in a career crisis earlier this year. I was feeling all sorts of emotions because of what was happening, but this book really helped me get over it. It taught me about the “tools” or higher forces that I could use to help myself get out of my funk.

Now that I’ve got my own business, I still rely on these tools to help me deal with the challenges of being a business owner. The book doesn’t offer any specific tips on running a business, but the tools have been super helpful for me.

For example, when I’m stuck on a proposal or avoiding a tough task, I use the tool called forward motion. The tasks seem less intimidating and my energy is revived. I am “pushed forward”.

And then there’s the tool called self-expression, which I use when my confidence is failing me or I become anxious if I was about to make a presentation or sit down to meet a prospective client. The tool helps me find my voice and puts me in the zone.

But the most important tool for me is the “grateful flow”. Starting a new business can be scary and there are moments when I get overwhelmed by negative thoughts. That’s when I take a step back and meditate on all the things I’m grateful for, no matter how small they may seem. It helps me see the prospects and possibilities and appreciate all the little wins I’ve had along the way – like meeting new people or learning new skills.

If you see my book, it has a lot of scribbles, notes, highlighted pages because it has definitely been my tool.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.outsideleadhr.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-matibag-bb94a02/