Meet Jessica Millhiser | Business Operations Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jessica Millhiser and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessica, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
I guess I’ll start by saying, as an entrepreneur, I believe that our personal and professional beliefs are very closely linked as our businesses are an extension of us. So for me, I have 3 main core values for my business, but they are also important to me personally. These three core values are: Authenticity, Reliability and Collaboration. It’s hard for me to pick just one that matters most between the three because they are all valuable and important; but if I had to pick one, I would say Reliability is huge for me. I am a very “I will do what I say” kind of person. I commit to something and I follow through. I hold everyone I engage with to those same standards. I need to know that you’re going to follow through and do what you say you will do. I need to be able to trust that.

It probably stems from a bit of a rocky upbringing where reliability wasn’t always present. So over the years it’s really become quite a crucial value/standard for me and those I engage with. It seeps into punctuality too. Oh man, I’m absolutely NUTS about being late. And strongly dislike it when others are late as well. I’m not sure if this makes me inflexible at times? I do think about that. I don’t want to be so rigid that it becomes viewed as inflexible, but yeah, Reliability is a HUGE value for me.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My job, at it’s core, is to help entrepreneurs and business owners run their business better. And I do that by focusing on the internal structure of the business. How does the business function logistically, so-to-speak. I look at Business Identity (who you are, what you’re about and where you’re going), processes, procedures, documentation, manuals – all of those things that build the foundation of a business. I know these aren’t the “sexy” or fun aspects of running a business, but they are absolutely vital to the success of your business. Whether or not you will be able to sustain growth and thrive.

This work is absolutely my zone of genius. I work with people to figure out where improvements can be made, what can be made more efficient, and how we can make things easier. Because that’s the goal, right? Making things easier and simpler.

I think some of the unique things I bring to the table are:

1.) I do the work with you – it’s very collaborative
2.) We get things done real-time
3.) Given my hospitality background, my soft skills have been well-honed over the years and I approach this more analytical work from a place of empathy and compassion

When I do this work with people, sometimes they’re a little embarrassed, or unsure or feel vulnerable. And that’s OK! I joke that half my job is being a business therapist, haha. I want them to feel seen and heard so I take the time to listen, to pay attention to what’s going on underneath what’s being said, and to work with them in a way that makes sense for them so that we can be productive and make real improvements; gain real traction.

What am I excited about? Gosh, honestly, I’m really excited for what this year will bring. My plan this year is really consistency and visibility. I feel like last year I really laid the groundwork on my own business foundation and am feeling really solid about what I have in place. I’m hopeful that I’ll see real traction this year. The energy already feels vibrant and promising!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Love this question! There are a few entertainment spots we’d definitely hit up: Meow Wolf, obviously, because it’s something unique to Denver. I’d also want to go to Louisville Underground, which is a cool music/comedy spot in the Louisville neighborhood. That area also does a music festival in the summer. We really enjoy going to the Botanical Gardens as well – it’s a great way to spend a few hours.

With a week long trip we could certainly do a couple days in the mountains so we’d probably head up to Breckenridge because that’s our favorite little getaway location. Red Rocks is a must because it’s so beautiful. So if it was in season, we’d see what was playing, music or movie-wise.

We also really enjoy downtown Golden and downtown Arvada – both super cute little areas that have lots of shops and sights to see. On that same note we’d probably try to check out Boulder too. We love walking Pearl St. and grabbing a bite somewhere to people watch. People watching is literally one of my most favorite activities.

Food wise – hmmmm. We love El Five, we love Union Station (Cooper Lounge is a MUST especially during the holidays), we love Larimer Street. We’ve had great experiences at Fifth String and Rioja as well. Doing a brewery crawl through RiNo is a must – so many great breweries over there. Run For the Roses is a cool speakeasy we went to recently – they have excellent cocktails.

I could go on and on. There are so many different spots so really it’s just whatever fits your vibe in the moment. It can be done. That’s one of the things I love so much about the Denver area – there are just so many different types of experiences and activities. Something for everyone.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
So many people! I would NOT be where I am today without the support and guidance of so many others. Obviously my husband, Josh, he’s the main reason I’m able to do this. He is so supportive, engaged and really helps me work through things when I’m struggling. He has a past life as an entrepreneur himself so he understands a lot of the challenges I come up against. But he never doubts me, helps push me, but also helps provide perspective on things. He is my rock.

Obviously my family. My past experiences while growing up really shaped me into who I am today and I am so very grateful for that. And my family has always been very supportive of everything I’ve done over the years because my path has not been straight, haha; it’s been FULL of twists and turns.

My Polka Dot Powerhouse Community!!! I attribute a lot of my success to this AMAZING group of women!! Holy moly. I truly feel like I’m living this life that I never thought was possible. They opened my eyes. They opened doors. They have given unwavering support and encouragement. It’s an INCREDIBLE group of women and I am so unbelievably grateful to have them in my life.

I’ve also had really fortunate opportunities to work for some amazing people over the span of my working years. I’ve had a lot of great bosses and great mentors in various stages of my journey and that has also helped shape me. My time in D.C. working at CFRE International – Perry Hammock and Janet Ginn were on the Board of Directors and were incredible mentors for me. I worked at KidSwim for many years with Lisa Cook and she was instrumental in helping me really find my voice and find my leadership style. I’ve also had wonderful opportunities to work in different industries which really opened my eyes to how different businesses operate and how different people manage and lead. All of this, really, has led me to where I am today.

Website: https://www.jmillsconsulting.com/

Instagram: @jmills_consulting

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicamillhiser/

Image Credits
Studio 37 Photography