Diana Wong: Retooling Corporate Skill Sets

By Bud on July 20, 2009 Comments (15)

Shifting gears is designed to help corporate professionals overcome three challenges they will face as employees in small businesses: (1) The need to play soup-to-nuts roles because there is not much staff depth; (2) The scarcity of resources inside most small businesses; (3) The ambivalent business environment faced by most small businesses.

Filed under: Ann Arbor, MI | Diana Wong | Getting Hired | Innovative Employment | Shifting Gears

Shifting Gears is a program for retooling corporate professionals' skilsets to better meet the needs of small and medium businesses. Diana Wong, Shifting Gears' creator and Professor at Eastern Michigan University, lays out the rationale and benefits of the program:

Small, growing businesses need the skillsets corporate professionals have to offer, but cultural issues prevent matches being made.
In this buyers' job market, it's up to corporate professionals to sell themselves if they want to transition into a small business.
In order to do so, corporate professionals need to retool their skill sets in the following ways:
- First, they need to get a firm grip on the skills they possess and the value those skils can bring.
- Second, they need to understand that they are no longer just a role player on a larger team but often a one-person band.
- Third, they need to adapt to the scarcity of financial and other resources often prevalent in small businesses.
- Fourth, they need to be able to deal with the less well-defined business environment that most small businesses face.

In future installments, we'll cover how the Shifting Gears program helps corporate professionals meet the challenge of retooling their skills.

15 Comments

Melissa Mello on November 16, 2009 3:37 PM

My name is Melissa Mello and I am a student at Eastern Michigan University, and I am currently enrolled in Dr. Wong’s Entrepreneurial class. In Dr. Wong’s interview she discussed the difference that one business professional would need to take when going from the corporate operational mindset to a small business operational mindset. And when taking this step a shift in how one needs to think, interact with other and produce work wise efficiently need to take place. By retooling an individual skill set to match its new environment is key to a successful relationship with the new owner, clientele and personal performance. By understanding what skill one can bring to a new organization that may be of smaller size can be hard, however it’s the way an individual approaches it and how they fell on asking for assistance when needed. Dr. Wong states in the interview that understanding that there is no longer a certain role that one plays in an organization but one that plays all roles. Knowing that you may need to understand things that you might not need to know or be concern about is essential to ones success rate in the small business area. Wearing multiple hats and not relying on anyone by yourself to get the project or initiative done is something that many people can struggle with. So knowing your weakness is also key to yourself and the business you work for success. By the end of the interview it was clear to me that if someone who want to take a step out of the corporate life style and into a less bureaucracy small business world, one needs to understand that most of what they are used to in the fast corporate business world does not apply anyone, and it’s up to the individual to find where they fit in the organization, what KSA they bring and how they can help, and lastly they need to know a small business is only as successful as the employees it has and their dedication to the company’s mission and success. I personally feel that working for a smaller business bring more exciting challenges and opportunities then large Corporations. Small business care about their employees, while most big business only think about the bottom line and how they need to make it even bigger. Along with that, those who work in big businesses like I currently am, tend to get caught up in the money and job aspect not the passion and career aspect that most people who start out in the business world want. Basically, what I am alluding to is that we lose sight of the real purpose and the things that really mean the most to us; and if we use the Shifting Gears retooling programs that Dr. Wong discusses then almost all business professional will be better off and better grounded in the end.

Kelly Culross on November 18, 2009 4:52 PM

Hello, My name is Kelly Culross and I am also enrolled in Dr. Wong's Intro to Entrepreneurship course online at Eastern Michigan University. I was unaware that in addition to her curriculum at EMU she also has her own business that she partakes in, Shifting Gears. After reading about Shifting Gears I have to say I found a definte need for such a program. I personally have worked for a small business, which I have put 10 years in and various corporate companies whom I have invested at most 4 years time into. There is a major difference in how things are run. I think it takes a certain type of person to work in either type of business and if they are not right for the job, they will have little success or little happiness. I believe that downsizing from a specific position in a corporation to working for a small business and having many general duties where you almost need to be an expert at many different things to succeed is hard if you have mastered one and only job for the past 5-20 years. I also thought it was interesting to comment on how corporate employees come to the table thinking about what they deserve and how much value they have, due to the corporate reward system. It is very difficult for small businesses to compete with such a high status, especially when you have corporations run by 100-1000 people and a small business has less than 100 and generally less then 50. I think this program is a good way for people to understand that their outlook does need to change and this is a gradual yet still fast way of learning what changes are important and how to incorporate them in a working atmosphere. I would be curious to know the reasons why people actual leave the corporate world to accept positions for less pay and more responsibility. I realize there are many obvious reasons and I can understand if you were going to start your own business. This course seems to be designed to work with people who are not really starting their own business but working for someone who has. I do believe that anyone who does make the shift from corporate to small business will initially have to deal with major changes, but I believe the corporate knowledge one has can be an asset to a small business. Working for a corporation can put you in contact with numerous people in various fields, which many small businesses lack that kind of networking. I would also like to say that from my own personal experience I have found that you inherently learn much more about business and business functions working for a small company even if you have just a specialized position. Things are right there for you to view, there are not 50 different departments where different parts of the business are handled. I believe when teaching corporate workers how to shift gears it is important to make them understand that in order to succeed your employees need to be the backbone of your business. Their input and knowledge is very important to consider and Shifting Gears should cover ways to talk to a small business owner as they are different than corporate chain of command.

Gail Baird on February 15, 2010 1:13 PM

Hello, my name is Gail Baird and I am a current student of Dr. Wong’s entrepreneurial class. In Dr. Wong’s interview she discusses how Shifting Gears innovative program, targeted at corporate professionals that want to “shift” into small business engagement, is a great resource to reconfigure the mindset of the professional. I believe this type of program has many benefits in today’s economic condition for corporate castoffs (those who have been stricken by corporate downsizing) and for corporate dropouts (those individuals who have lost trust in the corporate structure and would rather “jump ship” and create their own business before their job is cut); this has led to many new entrepreneurial attempts that could use the expertise and guidance of a program that educates entrepreneurs in small business. Shifting Gears is a valuable resource that retools the individuals skill set to compliment the transition from corporation to small business. The structure of the corporation with many levels of management and teams does not exist in the small business world; therefore, professionals must learn to handle many different business aspects such as marketing, accounting, and hiring of employees. Transitioning to a small business, the professional will also need to learn to adapt to reduced security they felt from corporate benefit packages (or maybe none at all); The extra benefits that corporations offer such as health insurance, vacation pay, and 401k programs simply do not exist for most small businesses. Shifting Gears helps the professional learn adapt to how decisions are made in small business and the ambiguity that is often a strong characteristic for the small business world.

Christina Harris on March 24, 2010 6:29 PM

I believe that Dr. Wong's vision of "Shifting Gears" is an amazing idea for people in corporate America to turn goes to a small business. I think this is great because having your own business, you can do things you way and not have many superiors. The business world is demanding and the three different gears or steps are wonderful tools to have in the proper transition from big to small. There might be many various reasons why people chose to work for an established company. I know that the startup cost of a up and coming business is quite large and the risk is quite higher. People will get jobs just to save money for their dream business; I feel this is a big reason people working in established businesses that want to own their very own companies are there. I am sure that many people that are working for huge corporations and conglomerates sometimes just want to learn the tools that would be needed to do things their own way. It is amazing the wonderful ideas that individuals come up with. Reading over the program description, it seems as though the steps are intense and quite thorough. The in-class sessions and workshops would bring out the kind of leader and manager that one would be in their very own business. I can see it helping a person learn what their strengths and weaknesses are, and also, what they need to succeed. The 3-day simulation sounds very interesting. I am very intrigued on to how exactly this will work. I believe very much that hands on knowledge is the best. Myself, personally, I learn the best and the fastest when I can actually do what it is that is needed. This is a great idea for the program. The third step of the program is the best for first time business owners; knowing how to conduct an interview. Most likely people that are "transitioning" have never had to interview anyone. This will give them the special tools to do this efficiently and effectively. Overall, I am highly impressed with this great idea and consept. Thank you for allowing me to respond. -Christina Harris

DeWayne Danyele-Geeter Burns on March 24, 2010 10:17 PM

Hello, My name is DeWayne Burns, and I am a student in Dr. Wong’s Eastern Michigan University class, Introduction to Entrepreneurship. Dr. Wong’s Shifting Gears program will definitely benefit large-corporation employees who are entering the business world. Corporate castoffs, individuals who suffered job loss from layoffs or downsizing, can bring a lot of positives to a small business. Castoffs can bring a wealth of experience, working knowledge, and work ethic to a small business. However, these castoffs may not have the skills or desire to take a few steps back (or in some cases, extra steps) to adjust to a small-business environment that has less structure. However, there are some castoffs that are willing to take a deep breath and embrace the role changes of their new small-business role. At the small company that I work for, our Director of Engineering was a senior-level engineer for General Motors. Most employees from GM, Ford or Chrysler know how structured and organized these companies are, so succeeding is only a matter of developing skills and education, and following a prescribed format. As Dr. Wong mentioned, not only do you walk into less structure, but you are asked to do tasks that may be out of your skill set (or comfort zone). The Engineering Director can master his new managerial role off of his engineering skills, but now he has to be a key role-player in Quality Department procedures, while the Quality Department is establishing and upgrading dimension policy. Will the Director go back to school to learn Quality Control and/or Management? Is the Director willing to work extra hours to build a stronger communication bridge between Quality and Engineering? Will the Director be upset if he’s asked to fill up the first-aid kits or be a fire-drill coordinator? Our Engineering Director gladly learned from and communicated with our Quality Department about inspection procedures, and he took the extra time to do so with no complaints. He also fills up the first aid kits and coordinates fire drills without saying “I have a masters degree and 15 years in engineering under my belt, ask a janitor instead!” The Engineering Director’s input allows our Quality Department to grow and learn. The departmental blending resulted in a smooth transition, which may not exist in most small-business cases. So our Director not only used his professional strengths to enhance our Quality Department, but he also used his personal strengths (selflessness, flexibility) to help not only our department, but the company as a whole. I am also hopeful that Shifting Gears can help entry-level workers who are transitioning from formal-authoritative corporations to relaxed, 21st century-management environments that are more commonplace in small businesses. In this case, these castoffs may have the flexible skill sets that small businesses welcome, but are used to strict policies from larger corporations that prevent an open forum for feedback or creativity. So Shifting Gears will be a good program to help boost our state’s economy, as we transition into creating job growth from smaller businesses. I thank you for your time, DeWayne Danyele-Geeter Burns

Kaleigh Zebari on March 28, 2010 8:37 PM

Hello my name is Kaleigh Zebari and I am currently enrolled in Dr. Wong's Management 388 course at Eastern Michigan University. I think that this operation is very needed in today’s society, this is because we do get so many cases of the big CEO individuals who may be laid off or want to step down and then they have no where to go. Especially today with all the eliminating jobs here in the country CEO sometimes feel very lost because it is like starting all over for them, they are used to giving the orders and not doing very much as opposite to a smaller business owner who has a list of items that they need to accomplish before the end of the day or week that is much more hands on. Shifting Gears is a great concept because it makes people feel like they are wanted in the working community once more. Like a new fresh start. Small businesses are one of the hardest businesses to run because it is so hands on, daily work and progress need to be put forth or it will not succeed unlike in Cooperate America where there are number of people doing the same task, small businesses have sometimes one or two. When an individual is wired to do such a thing than it is very hard to learn how to once again do certain things when it comes to business. I would agree that one of the most difficult challenges, not just the cooperate professional but a lot of business people have are developing relationships and knowing when and how to form them, especially when you were taught in the large business world to do it a certain way, which is not necessarily the same way that you are taught to in the smaller business setting, keeping the relationships after you leave a certain company is also ideal because we all know that the business world is all about networking and who you know. It is difficult just like Dr. Wong mentioned for the cooperate professional to loose that name that is associated with them and there position that they hold. Along with the name also comes with certain drawbacks that I could see why they could be an issue to somebody who is not used to working in a small business setting, like the Expanded Role like I mentioned earlier, the lack of resources, and of course the transition period that they have to go through.

Richard Rich on March 29, 2010 12:38 PM

Hello, my name is Richard Rich and I am currently a student in Dr. Wong's introduction to entrepreneurship class. I have never thought about a business designed to re-condition corporate employees into small business jobs, but after listening to this interview I understand the possibilities. Decommissioning corporate professionals from their niche jobs would be a rather difficult task, but would equip them for jobs in the small business market that are much broader and less specific. Training the corporate professionals to lose their sense of entitlement also would make them a greater asset for the growth of a small business. Some questions that I have that this video did not comment on are how, where, and how much? Is this an after work program that is done while they are in their corporate jobs, in their small business jobs, or a full time five month program where customers cannot hold a job? Is this program done at a commercial location, online, over the phone, or is it a private lesson? Finally, how much would it cost and who would pay for it? If these questions have insightful answers, than I see great potential for this business. Best of luck Dr. Wong, Richard Rich

Katherine Quitmeyer on March 30, 2010 12:24 AM

In the past few years due to the current economic times, I am sure that quite a few people have needed the services of Shifting Gears. Going from a corporate work setting into a small business setting is a very large change. I personally did it the opposite way, small business to corporate, and I feel that that change was very difficult as well. All in all switching from one form of work environment to another is going to be very different no matter what. However, what Shifting Gears does seems to be a little more on the normal side due to all of the cutbacks from major corporations that our country, let alone the greater Detroit area have seen recently. Diana Wong mentioned a few of the major changes that individuals will find or go through when moving from the corporate setting to the small business setting. The one that hit me the most was the concept of the expanded role. It kind of sounds funny that you would have a larger role in a smaller company, but it makes perfect sense when you think about it. In a larger company you have your daily tasks and goals that are expected of you, but how much do they contribute to the larger picture? In a small business, you have more responsibilities because there are fewer people to accomplish them. In essence you are a stronger part of a team. The work that Shifting Gears does has to be extremely beneficial to corporate professionals when they are in need of learning how to cope with a new work environment.

Karen Tachian on March 30, 2010 10:27 AM

I was quite surprised to learn what this company was about. Never would I have thought of the gap between the corporate world and the entrepreneur’s small business. Certainly a mismatch exists, and I think the idea of creating a program to help the transition from corporation to small business is a great idea. The tools needed are provided through the program, and the part I really enjoyed reading about was that it was only 5 months long. Anytime there is a goal set in a measurable time span, I find important that not only does a vision exist, but also a time limit to complete it in. Otherwise, focus can easily be lost along with motivation to achieve the goal. Having a structured program must also benefit a corporate professional, who are often organized and quite methodical. I found the company name to be quite clever, as it fits perfectly. Shifting Gears sounds like a fresh start and a new beginning, but in a positive manner. The interview was very honest, which was something I greatly appreciated. While no one likes to admit it, there is definitely that sense of entitlement that comes with a corporate professional. They like to see results in real time, and often for the work to be performed by others. They are used to delegating and seeing the big picture, rather than spending time on daily, routine tasks. I can only imagine the culture shock switching gears to a smaller, more private firm. I also find that Shifting Gears truly prepares new entrepreneurs for their new ventures. Since the corporate environment no longer applies after changing into a small business, entrepreneurs must have a solid understanding of their needs, skills, and goals. It is helpful to know which aspects of running a business one should improve upon, as well as their strengths they can maximize for best results.

Randy Wiltshire on June 11, 2010 2:15 PM

My name is Randy Wiltshire and I am a student in Dr Wong’s Introduction to Entrepreneurship class at Eastern Michigan University. In addition, to being a student I am in the unique position of also losing my corporate job the first week of class in the summer semester. I have been actively looking for a job since the first week of May and just recently interviewed with a small, but successful property management company. Speaking from personal experience the name Shifting Gears is an excellent name for this venture since the three major points mentioned were all experienced in my interview. The expanded roles issue is undoubtedly at the top of the list of issues to be confronted. In my case the business owner did not have a job description, or a list of duties to be performed, which is one of the first items I would be accustomed to receiving on the corporate side. I don’t mention it in a negative way, just pointing out that the owner had performed everything up to that point and now was growing to the stage where that was not possible. In this case the idea was to take over responsibilities in stages as the owner and I felt acclimated to the new environment and work flow, however the only thing for sure was that there were many different jobs that would need to be done. The Lack of resources was not obvious to me at the time of the interview; however during the two hour interview it was made clear that the job in this smaller company required a roll up the sleeve attitude that would require a “do whatever it takes” attitude. In listening to Dr. Wong I began to realize how accurate the underlying reason was a lack of company resources. The location as well as the office equipment was purchased with the idea of maximizing efficiency and the investment with little or no room for overflow. In the corporate world I had one department with our own specific resources to manage. A small business will not have departments and would have to manage with whatever resources are currently available. This is not an easy thing and is probably what separates those who can innovate to succeed on their own and those who cannot. Neither I, nor many other people coming from the corporate world would be able to integrate easily into that mode of operation. I also have to admit that I walked away with a very distinct sense of entitlement. The corporate environment has pay scales, benefits, organizational charts as well as levels of authority to work within. Shifting Gears by understanding the frustration and chaos that that can cause for the ex-corporate executive allows for adequate mental and professional preparation. Knowing that there isn’t always a clear sense of work direction in the small business and knowing that there will be ambiguity in the work place reduces the stress levels and greatly improves the chances for success. I’m not sure how to de-program from my corporate position, but I am interested in learning more. I plan to do my own skill set list ASAP and begin to think about what is valuable to the small business and what needs to be added to make myself employable to the small or medium business. I would think this service would be extremely valuable both to the ex-corporate executive that is looking for a job with a small company, but also to one who is possibly considering their own business or franchise purchase.

Shauntel Bowman on June 12, 2010 7:36 AM

My name is Shauntel Bowman. I am a student at Eastern Michigan University. I am currently taking Dr. Wong's class, Introduction to Entrepreneurship. Shifting Gears is an excellent program. One of the main reasons for small business failure is lack of skill, knowledge and management experience of the small business owner. Our economy is moving from an industrial economy to a knowledged-based economy so it is important for small business owners to have the knowledge about how shifts in the economy impacts their business. Small business owners must also be knowledgeable about every aspect of their business to manage it well. This program gives small businesses a chance to succeed by providing knowledgeable corporate professionals who have the skill-sets to help small businesses. It also provides learning opportunities for both the corporate professional and the small business owner. It provides growth and employment opportunities for corporate professionals. This program contributes to the economic growth of our country because it keeps people employed and keeps small companies in business. Small business employ over half of our private sector workforce. It is also very important for corporate professional to know what skills they have. A small business that wishes to decrease its production costs, does not necessarily need a marketing professional. This program will also work for not only small businesses, but departments within corporations as well. Many departments within corporations lose funding because they are mismanaged. Eventually, services are outsourced and people in those departments lose their jobs. A corporate professional could be hired to look at business strategies and processes and make adjustments. Used in this way, a corporate professional would not only have to know his own skill-set, but be able to identify the skill sets of others as well. Shauntel Bowman

Lori Bradshaw on June 12, 2010 6:01 PM

The idea behind Shifting Gears is really quite novel. There are certainly many executives in this day and age losing their positions. The target of corporate professionals is becoming a vast market. Many of them are striking out on their own, but they do not actually have the skill set that is needed for such entrepreneurial ventures. Shifting Gears has definitely keyed in on a need in the employment market – the need for transitions. Most corporate professionals, I would venture, have never run a one-person business. They typically have started out as employees and worked their way up the ladder. They are used to having departments and chain of commands. They are not used to the fact that when you are in business for yourself, you may have to do everything yourself. If you don’t do it, it doesn’t get done. Changing the role you play in business is a difficult thing to do. The idea of taking an inventory of your own skills is a great one for prospective entrepreneurs and current ones as well. In business there is a constant need to assess what you do well, whether it is personally or as a company. Once you realize where you stand, you can discover what you need to change. I think it is fantastic that Shifting Gears has tools to educate these professionals on the areas they may need to change. One of the interesting views that Dr. Wong discussed in the video was the need for entrepreneurs to be able to tolerate ambiguity and chaos. I had not thought about how big of a transition that would be for someone who is coming from a big company. Most corporate professionals have many people to consult with and resources to use when making decisions. When you are on your own, it is tough to make a choice. Corporate professionals definitely have a lot a business sense in their background. I think that Dr. Wong has seen a great need in the market to be able to assist these professionals with transitions. Lori Bradshaw

Stephanie Schade on June 13, 2010 6:26 PM

Shifting Gears is an innovative company that is geared towards the corporate professional and their need to shift from a large scale operation to a smaller one. This company that Dr. Wong has created is much needed in today’s society more than ever. As Dr. Wong pointed out, many from the corporate world have been slowly been transitioning to smaller arenas. Many are either opening their own businesses or simply working for one. I think that moving from a larger corporation to a smaller one can be a difficult thing for many individuals to do. There are many qualities that a corporate employee possesses that can be extremely helpful to a smaller business if applied and utilized right. However, many corporate individuals don’t know how to apply those talents and skill, which is where Shifting Gears comes in. I believe that it is understandable to have a program that is five months long to help, as Dr. Wong states, “to deprogram” the corporate individual. I think that this is a hard task to do because once someone has been doing something a certain way for a long time it can be challenging to change that habit. I understand that it is also important to know what talents or skills one has and how those can be applied to a smaller business. Not every business has a HR department or an accounting department and some skills might not be needed. I think that it will be hard for a person coming from a larger corporation to understand that in many smaller companies, they will be the one to sometimes do everything, Dr. Wong make reference to that as well. I would also agree about the attitude that some individuals may have about their positions or status. This can be challenging for not only the person with the entitlement issue but everyone that they work with. I think that in some sense that person may need a sort of reality check or a kick from their high horse. I think that before someone decides to leave the corporate world and wants to become a entrepreneur, they should understand that there will be long hours, stress, and many other factors that come with being a entrepreneur. Is where Shifting Gears comes in and helps with that transition.

Shanika Maye on June 14, 2010 4:17 AM

Hello, my name is Shanika Maye, I am a senior business management major at Eastern Michigan University’s College of Business and I am a student in Dr. Wong’s Introduction to Entrepreneurship course. Shifting Gears looks to be a great idea as there are many differences in the skills needed when working at a large corporation and working in a small business. I believe that there is a clear need for a program like this as there are many corporate professionals who have left their previous positions as a result of many large companies downsizing. Shifting Gears is an important resource that retrains the skill set of a person to make the move from a large corporation to small business easier. The structure of most large corporations with many organizational levels doesn’t exist in small businesses, so these professionals must learn how to maintain the many different aspects of small businesses such as marketing, accounting, and human resources themselves. Multi-tasking and not having others to rely on to get tasks done is something that many can have trouble with. Small businesses are one of the hardest business sectors to be successful in because they require so much work. All daily work and productivity must be monitored closely or it may likely fail. This is not like the practices at large corporations where there are a number of people completing the same tasks and depending on one another. When a person has been trained over time to perform one specific function it can be very difficult to adjust to performing the many functions associated with small businesses. I agree that one of the most difficult challenges is developing interpersonal relationships and knowing when and how to form them. Also keeping the old business relationships that one has is important because networking is essential to maintaining success in the small business world. Shanika Maye

Evan Villeneuve on November 19, 2010 9:23 PM

Diana Wong’s business called Shifting Gears presents a fresh concept that seems to really hit home when it comes to satisfying a growing niche market. Targeting the training of corporate professionals who are transitioning from large companies to small businesses is an idea that many people may not have thought to capitalize on. There is a shifting trend in recent economics. More and more people want to start their own businesses or want to increase their direct roles within the small business sector, as opposed to aspiring to work for larger companies and corporations. This type of service would help corporate professionals in many ways. Whether it is helping professionals adjust to various types of company cultures, enhance their skills as leaders and not just managers, and will also help entrepreneurs and business owners find the right employees for hire. For example, Shifting Gears can help aide corporate professionals in adjusting to various types of small business company cultures. Corporate professionals may be used to receiving certain types of reward benefits and compensation packages as an entitlement for being part of a team member within a corporation. However, small businesses may require the employee to reap benefits and rewards solely based on the performance of that employee. Sacrificing benefits and adjusting performance to be more personalized are often elements that must be endured when leaving a corporate culture and entering into a small business culture. Corporate professionals may also have to get used to treating customers a certain way. Where an employee within a large corporation might have rarely, or even never, directly interacted with customers, small businesses often require employees to engage in customer service on various different levels, and in many different scenarios. Shifting Gears sounds like they can help play a role in helping the way workers act towards customers on a more personable level. Another important issue for corporate ‘dropouts’ is to prepare them to be leaders and not just managers. Leaders must make important decisions that often will dictate the course of the business. They must be confident, willing to take risks, and be innovative with ideas. Managing comes after leadership and both are important. However, a corporate professional may very well have to take on a leadership role. A requirement for small business may not just be to know how to manage, but how to be a leader. Shifting Gears sounds like a company that can help prepare professionals for what to expect and how to handle these kinds of roles within the work place. This is an interesting idea for a business. It’s a concept that could only probably be materialized by someone who has experience with both corporate and small businesses. I never really thought about what it would be like to transition from a corporate type job, into an entrepreneurial position or into a small business work atmosphere, and how varied the positions might be from each other.

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Diana Wong: Retooling Corporate Skill Sets

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