Monique Farmer Of Avant Solutions: Five Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started My Consulting Business
I wish someone would have told me that creating a business is essentially creating a mini-economy that can be used as a vehicle to build generational wealth. When I started my business, I did not start with the end in mind. After I went through the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, I understood that creating a business is creating an asset that could one day be sold. That is an entirely different mindset than being an individual contributed with limited financial potential. Ownership is the more lucrative option, for sure.
As a part of my series called “Five Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started My Consulting Business ”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Monique Farmer.
Monique Farmer, APR, is the Vice President of the Omaha (NE) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated where she accepted the call to Linkdom in 2018. She runs a PR/Communication Consultancy, Avant Solutions. Farmer also teaches public relations courses for the University of Texas at Austin. Her career began in federal government public affairs in 2001. She then worked in corporate communications for ConAgra Foods (now ConAgra Brands) prior to serving as the director of communications for Nebraska’s largest school district.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
Absolutely. I’ve always believed in the power of storytelling to shape perceptions, bridge understanding, and drive change. Growing up, I was fascinated by the way messages could inspire action, shift opinions, and unite communities. That curiosity led me to study communications, where I realized that the art and science of crafting messages was more than a skill — it was a calling.
My teachers from third grade on always encouraged me as a writer–because I loved writing and it was a talent they helped me identify. So, from high school, I became the editor at my college newspaper and concurrently discovered the field of public relations. So, I earned a bachelor’s degree in Advertising and Public Relations.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began at your company?
My company stands out because we have the opportunity to augment communication teams and become a partner with our clients. Our experts have decades of experience and we can connect with the communication challenges our clients face and are working to overcome.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
My first boss, Kevin Quinn, was instrumental in helping me hone my skills as a writer. He would take the time to mentor and coach me one on one to help me understand my strengths and weaknesses. He pushed me to get additional training when I worked for the Department of Army. That first opportunity in my career was crucial in helping me build my confidence. Then, I worked under Teresa Paulsen, a brilliant strategist, when I was with ConAgra Foods. I have stayed connected with them for the past decade and can always reach out when I encounter that novel communication challenge and need a brain partner.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
Ok super. Thank you for all that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. We’d love to learn a bit about your company. What is the pain point that your company is helping to address?
We help clients create their communication strategy (internal and external), be prepared to navigate media interviews, including difficult interviews and we support leaders with their thought leadership platforms through executive communications support.
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
My company stands out because we have the opportunity to augment communication teams and become a partner with our clients. Our experts have decades of experience and we can connect with the communication challenges our clients face and are working to overcome.
When you first started the business, what drove you, what was your primary motivation?
When I started my business, I was looking for flexibility and freedom. I had worked in so many roles that required me to be on call essentially perpetually and there was never a way to truly unplug or turn things off. I have also had some bosses who seemed to delight in dumping a load of work on me that was next to impossible to manage. It was time to break away and take control of my work/life balance.
What drives you now? Is it the same? Did it change? Can you explain what you mean?
Today, I am still driven by the desire to create and shape my own future and to ensure that I am designing a life that aligns with my values. I appreciate the opportunity to do the same for my employees.
Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?
In March, I published my first book, Chart Your Path. The book helps readers learn a 9-step process that is designed to help them make crucial changes in their lives to create the life they want.
In your specific industry what methods have you found to be most effective in order to find and attract the right customers? Can you share any stories or examples?
Referrals are the most beneficial method for bringing in new customers. Word of mouth and social media have also been great lead generators.
Based on your experience, can you share a few strategies to give your customers the best possible user experience and customer service?
I am a huge fan of client avatars because they force me to truly understand my customer and cater to the needs they have versus creating a solution they may not even need or want. This requires lots of paying attention to the client and listening to what their challenges are so we can bring solutions that relieve those pain points and help them overcome their challenges.
Thank you for all that. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “Five Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started My Consulting Business”. Please share a story or an example for each.
1 . I wish someone would have told me to spend the years leading up to launching my business steeped in improving my business acumen and financial literacy mojo. What I have learned in these 5 years of being in business is that there is a story in the numbers and the better I can understand that story, the more equipped I can be to pull certain levers in business that push the business forward. From understanding the strengths and weaknesses in service offerings to learning how to forecast more realistically, financial literacy is key.
2 . I wish someone would have told me to ensure I had a certain dollar amount in savings and that that savings amount needed to bootstrap my business is actually a lifeline vested in time. In other words, the amount of money I have in savings, coupled with my burn rate tells me how long I have to stay alive in the event our business does not bring in another dollar. In his book, Simple Numbers, Greg Crabtree describes this as the core capital target. And, he warns that a business owner should never dip below that amount. Or business death could be pending.
3 . I wish someone would have told me that growth is on the other side of my comfort zone. In other words, our fears can paralyze us. I remember how scared I was to make the decision to jump off the clip and abandon the security of getting a paycheck every other week. Visceral, I was terrified. But, what I have learned is that I needed that discomfort to break the addiction of getting a check every two weeks and learning how to create that check for myself through my business.
4 . I wish someone would have told me that creating a business is essentially creating a mini-economy that can be used as a vehicle to build generational wealth. When I started my business, I did not start with the end in mind. After I went through the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, I understood that creating a business is creating an asset that could one day be sold. That is an entirely different mindset than being an individual contributed with limited financial potential. Ownership is the more lucrative option, for sure.
5 . I wish someone would have told me to make sure I remember to take care of myself. While I feel like I have done a good job of pouring into myself first, I meet so many other business owners who feel as though they must work themselves into the ground to be successful. There is the belief amongst some that the candle MUST be burnt at both ends in order for a person to achieve financial success. I have learned that belief is a myth. I have learned that you can follow your dreams and passions. Hard work is required, yes. But, there is no requirement for one to feel as though they have neared burnout mode and that it is the cost of pursuing financial freedom and success.
Wonderful. We are nearly done. You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
I would inspire each business owner to teach three business owners movements. In my experience as a woman of color, it is difficult to find a mentor who is willing to truly be honest about things like access to capital and how to conquer spaces such as government contracting. Winners learn and then many tend to keep the information close to their vest. There are businesses who charge thousands of dollars to share the knowledge. My movement would be to inspire those who have made it to diligently coach and mentor a minimum of three business owners each year to continue to pay it forward. There are so many unknowns in business. Having authentic access to someone who has been there can be a game changer.
We are very blessed that very prominent leaders read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them :-)
Having breakfast or lunch with Indra Nooyi would be a transformative experience. She’s not only a trailblazer as the first woman CEO of PepsiCo, but she’s also a visionary who changed the face of global business with compassion, grit, and foresight. For any leader — especially women navigating traditionally male-dominated spaces — her journey offers rich, practical lessons on achieving success without compromising one’s values.
I remember reading a HBR case study about her work. Sitting across from someone who led a Fortune 50 company for over a decade, reshaping its portfolio to focus on sustainability and health, long before these ideas became mainstream in corporate America. Beyond her business acumen, she is known for her authenticity and commitment to family. Her experiences balancing an intense career with her role as a mother highlight the sacrifices and hard choices many leaders face but seldom discuss. Lunch with her would be a rare opportunity to learn about the inner resolve it took to make these choices and the mindset shifts necessary to succeed at the top.
Thank you so much for this. This was very inspirational, and we wish you only continued success!