After 7 years of working for major corporations, I
decided that I needed to complement my engineering
professional experience with something more
challenging and more rewarding: running my own
business.
My name is Juliana A. Khalil, member of the Ordre des
Ingénieurs du Québec, with seven years experience
in manufacturing at General Motors and Pratt &
Whitney Canada.
I run a consulting and project management business
in industrial engineering and process optimization.
Montréal based and operated since September 2003,
PROgrès Consulting has the mandate to help small
and medium sized manufacturing companies to
improve their process, increase their quality, reduce
their scrap rate, and more. Our competitive edge lies
in our work methods: seeking internal involvement of
stake-holders and creating a dynamic environment
for change.
Launching my business was very easy! I actually had
the opportunity to launch my business with a big
contract: I was available for work after an MBA
degree and a friend called me for a temporary
contract that has changed my way of looking at and
managing my own career. I took the opportunity and
the next day, I was the owner of a project
management and consulting business.
Having my own business has helped me grow in many
ways: from understanding the importance of
networks and contacts to conducting strategic
planning and daily operations, running a business
covers a whole spectrum of tasks that brings me new
learning experiences every day.
As in every burgeoning business, the primary
challenge is building trusting, long lasting
relationships with your clientele. This task is time
consuming and requires perseverance and most
importantly confidence in your own skills.
Networking is a key ingredient to seeking out
opportunities and partnerships. WENS enables this
and helps women to grow as entrepreneurs. I hope
to achieve long and durable partnerships and
mentorships through fellow WENS members.
Read the rest of Julianna's story here
