This entrepreneur leverages her contacts to find and drive prospects to her consulting business. Read her tips on networking and planning for slow periods, and learn how she pushes herself to succeed.
Louise Musante, entrepreneur and regulatory compliance consultant, grew up in a love-filled home. Along with five siblings and a mom who worked nights as a nurse. Her upbringing instilled two distinct values in her: a respect for hard work and a passion for health care innovation. After studying at the Waterford Institute of Technology, she worked as a regulatory compliance specialist in the health care industry. Inspired by her mother’s ability to juggle a large family and a career she was passionate about, Musante stepped out on her own as a consultant in 2016.
Her list of services is vast, covering everything from quality management system development to acting as a Food and Drug Administration representative for medical device companies outside the U.S. She explains her new career path with excitement, saying, “I am passionate about medical device innovation and am excited to live in Silicon Valley, where medical device technology is cutting-edge.”
As a consultant, standard marketing practices aren’t exactly practical for Musante. So, she relies heavily on networking to get her name out there and find new prospects. She delves into her process, saying, “Networking is key. Build your LinkedIn account and connect to as many former colleagues as possible. Don’t be shy—request endorsements and recommendations to build your profile.” She also stresses the importance of prioritizing networking, saying, “Respond to all messages in a timely fashion. While some opportunities may not fit right now, never close the door completely, as something could present itself in the future.”
Despite 10 years’ experience in the field and an endless array of contacts from her previous positions, Musante faces many of the same challenges as other freelancers and consultants, including the dreaded slow periods. “Contracts come and go. Demand for services is not consistent year-round and so the temptation is always there to overcommit to balance the slower periods. This can be very stressful,” she says.
To overcome this, she works diligently to plan ahead. “I am reaching out to existing and potential clients a month or two in advance so I can forecast my work schedule. While not perfect, I find this to be the best approach to organizing my time and reducing the pitfalls of overcommitment,” she explains.
Between planning for slow periods, networking, managing current clients and maintaining her home life, Musante’s day amounts to one complicated juggling act. But she has quite the example to motivate her. She explains, “I draw inspiration from my mother. As a nurse, she made many sacrifices for her family, including working night-duty so she could be there for us before and after school each day. I can only strive to make her proud of me as I manage my own juggling act,” Musante says.
Her key piece of advice to others? Perseverance. “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again! Don’t give up—have confidence in your experience and abilities,” she stresses.
Interested in learning more about Musante and her services? Check out her website at www.louisemusante.com.
