“Entrepreneurship isn’t a leap into the unknown—it’s a leap into who you were becoming all along.”
I was recently on a fantastic podcast with Brian Lofrumento. His podcast is called Wantrpreneur to Entrepreneur.
My podcast is available on December 8th.
As I reflected on the podcast, I thought I would share my thinking about my own career. Perhaps it will be of help to you as you consider your own journey, and it is a journey. Ask yourself: Are you, like me and my husband, Andy Simon (yes we have the same name), capable of a career in a corporate setting, but not really happy with the structure of a corporation? He and I both left our corporate careers to form our own companies. Entrepreneurs at heart from the very beginning.
When I founded Simon Associates Management Consultants (SAMC) in 2002, I didn’t simply set out to start a business. I set out to help organizations transform through a new way of seeing—using corporate anthropology, culture change principles, and later on, through my Blue Ocean Strategy work. My vision and purpose were to guide leaders toward meaningful growth. Over the years, this work has evolved into a practice serving mid-market companies, healthcare systems, nonprofits, and women entrepreneurs who are ready to rethink how they lead, innovate, and thrive.
Entrepreneurs See, Feel, and Think in New Ways
My own entrepreneurial path wasn’t linear. After years as an executive, I realized the work I loved most—helping companies rethink their strategy and reinvent their culture—didn’t fit inside a traditional role. That realization pushed me into entrepreneurship and into work that fully blended anthropology, leadership development, and business transformation.
What we do at SAMC is simple, yet profoundly powerful: we help leaders see their organizations as cultures, not machines. By revealing patterns of behavior, hidden assumptions, and untapped opportunities, we help teams reshape their strategy, strengthen their leadership, and build organizations prepared for the future. The impact shows up in business growth, renewed purpose, and cultures that support innovation and collaboration.
Entrepreneurs Are Curious. Capitalize on Your Curiosity
As my business grew and my own sense of purpose expanded, it was time to tell our story. People kept asking me what does a corporate anthropologist do? They would say: I thought anthropologists study small scale societies. What they did not realize, and what propelled me, was that companies, small and large, were small scale societies. Think about your own organization. Aren’t there rituals that have become rather “sacred?” I suspect that your habits are culturally reinforced and relationships guided by implicit rules. They become your culture and that becomes the way you get things done.
As I developed the business, it was time tell the story. Writing a book became a difficult but necessary part of who I was becoming.
I found that composing books and using them to share our approach, and our stories, helped me grow and helped others better understand how a “little anthropology could help their business grow.” My first book, On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights, allowed me to share the tools of the trade and illustrate the application to clients, small and large, who had become stuck.
Then there was that one tool that changed everything: podcasting. At the beginning, I was curious about podcasting and was on several podcasts. Few impressed me. But I wanted to see what I could do.
Mine began after the publication of my first book and we branded it: On the Brink with Andi Simon. The podcast was recently ranked #18 of the top 100 podcasts on the topic of change by MillionPodcasts.
This podcast became my platform for exploring culture change, Blue Ocean Strategy, women’s leadership, and innovation with remarkable thinkers across industries. It expanded my reach, deepened my research, and brought clients into our world who were already aligned with our mission. Podcasting became a strategic engine for thought leadership and business growth.
There is No Straight Line!
Of course, the journey included its pivots. Early on, I believed that data alone could drive organizational change. I soon learned that real transformation requires emotional insight—leaders must feel the need for change, not just understand it intellectually. That realization reshaped my work and became the foundation of how I help companies today.
I also learned early on that people had a story in their own minds about their problem and how I could help them solve it. I had to learn how to listen differently and not sell my approach until I could caste it into a solution that fit their own stories.
One unconventional strategy guided me from the beginning: approaching every organization like an anthropologist entering a new culture. By examining rituals, communication patterns, values, and behaviors, we uncover the very human forces shaping performance. This method has differentiated our work for two decades and continues to drive breakthrough results.
My Advice to You
If I could offer one piece of advice to emerging founders and leaders, it would be this:
You don’t need a perfect plan. You need curiosity, courage, and the willingness to reinvent yourself as you learn.
Your greatest opportunities will come from listening deeply, observing keenly, and staying open to what your clients and culture are telling you.
Entrepreneurship is an ongoing journey of reframing, rediscovery, and purpose. When your work is grounded in human-centered insight, transformation becomes possible—both for your clients and for yourself.
Share with a friend or colleague who’s ready to think differently
And read our book, ““On the Brink: A fresh lens to take your business to new heights.”
We are here to help you. Let’s Talk
Here’s to seeing, feeling, and thinking in bold, new ways — together.
