Sally Talmi is a speech and language pathologist specializing in children. She wanted to start a business to create an online course for parents of children with auditory challenges.
“It’s called ‘Let’s Get Chatty’ and it is a self-directed video course for parents of infants and toddlers,” explains Sally. “What it is really doing is teaching the parents everything they need to know about their child’s speech and language development.”
Sally had no entrepreneurial experience. Two cousins who recently launched their own business recommended that she joined JVS SoCal WoMentoring program. That’s how she met Janet, who helped her lay the foundation of the business.
“She’s such an incredible multifaceted woman, it’s been really, really wonderful having her as my mentor,” says Sally, “At first I was curious to see what it would look like because Janet is not a speech pathologist, she doesn’t really know my world too much, but she was invaluable to starting the business, helping me make decisions, helping me be in the right direction”.
Janet is a businesswoman who has had a few careers throughout her life. Sally describes her as an incredibly motivational person who would not let her be discouraged by all the facets of starting a company, including registering her business, picking a name and defining the brand to make it marketable. “Given that she’s had such wonderful careers and has so much experience, she was really helpful in the sense of entering the professional world,” said Sally. “She gave me guidance on how to work, so that it would sound best to parents, how to word emails to other businesses, ask them if I can come in and do screenings of my course for parents in the hope that they will later buy my course. She really helped me fine tune that professional etiquette.”
WoMentoring is a six-month career development program that offers women with defined career objectives the unique opportunity to be paired with a mentor who has an established career in the participant’s chosen field. Each mentee works closely with her mentor and the WoMentoring staff to reach individually designed career goals.
Sally admits that without her mentor, it would have been very difficult to get her business started. “I always was so amazed by her problem-solving ability that it really helped expand the way that I think,” adds Sally. “For example, if I needed someone to edit my video and I’m thinking either I could do it myself or hire some professional. She would have such wonderful suggestions like hiring students at the local community college.”
With the foundation laid down, Sally was able to launch her business as scheduled. “My goal was to have everything up and running by the end of the year,” explains Sally. “So far everything that I set out to do during the mentorship, those goals I have met and it’s progressing really, really nicely.”
If you’re inspired by Sally Talmi’s story and would like to help someone else achieve their dream, please donate today.
