Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
Sometimes your super-power just finds you. That’s what happened to Dawn Monroe as she began her first job out of college helping others learn how to use Word Perfect and Lotus. From there, she shares with Don and Ebony how she built her own technical education business, Dawn Monroe Training, from the ground up.
Explore the world of business and entrepreneurship in Wichita. Learn from local business owners from a variety of industries as they share their experiences with hosts and Evergy leaders, Don Sherman and Ebony Clemons-Ajibolade, who are also small business owners. You’ll learn how they have built and grown their companies and the challenges and opportunities they encountered along the way. This podcast is brought to you by the Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce and is powered by Evergy.
Dawn Monroe
===
Don and Ebony: [00:00:00] Welcome to another exciting edition of the WCBA, powered, of course, by Evergy. And if you have a small business story tale, please reach out by contacting communications@wichitachamber.org. First, thank you for listening and don't forget to like us. Let us share us.
We truly appreciate it. Today. We have in the studio, Dawn Monroe training, and she's going to tell us her small business story. Miss Dawn Monroe. Welcome.
Dawn Monroe: Hello. Good morning.
Don and Ebony: Good morning. You like that
Dawn Monroe: Yes. I love it.
Don and Ebony: for you? I was unscripted. Tell us a little bit about who you are and your business.
Dawn Monroe: Sure. So I'm Dawn Monroe and I am a certified Microsoft office specialists Master. So it took a lot of tests to get to
Don and Ebony: I like it. So is that that's an M O
Dawn Monroe: M O S. M
Don and Ebony: So when you sign things, so you put that at the end of your
Dawn Monroe: Well, it is on my email signature.
Don and Ebony: Very nice. Very nice. So how'd you get started
Dawn Monroe: Right. So I actually have a degree in journalism. I went to K U And when I got in the workplace, it was the early nineties.
People were just starting to get computers around the workplace. And what happened was I found myself running around, helping people with these new computers that they were getting. I was helping them make a. Document files and word perfect. I was helping them figure out how to make a chart in Lotus. And pretty soon I realized I just had a skill and a passion there.
So I began working with a small mom and pop computer shop and whatever they would sell and set up, I would learn it and teach it and their little classroom. And this was down in Corpus Christi, Texas.
And so that's where that story began. And then I, when we moved here and let's see it, would have been maybe 94 95 I began working.
I was the first instructor hired here at executive train was a very popular international training brand at that time. And I worked For them Often on over the years until they closed a few years ago. So had a long relationship with them. And I've also taught out it Butler. I was an adjunct for maybe five, six years.
Don and Ebony: So after exec you train that's when you decided to open up the Dawn Monroe training?
Dawn Monroe: Well, yeah, what happens with training is that we contract so. I would know way ahead of time, what days we're on the schedule? Like I know I have an Excel intermediate class on whatever day and word and PowerPoint and all those things would be coming up.
And so if the class filled, I showed up and talked.
and if it didn't, I did something else. So in the something else, time, I started picking up my own clients, helping people with their small business. needs And it just grew from there. And at some point I decided, well, maybe I can just do this.
Don and Ebony: So you started the term side hustle.
Dawn Monroe: I've been side hustling for a while, I think. Yeah. Yeah.
Don and Ebony: I like that. That's nice. So I see. Okay, so you're on.
Okay. So you're on social and insert a table and utilize the total row for better management of your data list in Want more question mark. Join my next Excel workshop. I think Don needs to sign up for that. I'm just saying it's free, right?
Dawn Monroe: need to do some charts
Don and Ebony: go down that trail with her.
No, I think this is pretty awesome.
I've literally not type of advertisement or posts other than from you offering
Dawn Monroe: Yes. So so a lot of a lot
of
experts or subject matter experts have been posting a lot through the pandemic and maybe I missed an opportunity. I should have been building my YouTube channel during that time.
I think But I found myself really. You know, reaching out and helping a lot of people get going on their zoom in their teams. I, I, I really feel like I was called to do that.
Early in that pandemic, I just opened [00:05:00] up the doors and said, come on. Let's let's talk, come on into my zoom meeting and I'll show you how so I, I think I was able to keep a lot of organizations interact.
In that timeframe, but yeah, you're right. I mean, not, I, post all kinds of things. I teach all kinds of topics and right now, like you saw on my Facebook, I'm trying to share more little tidbits to get some interest out there.
Don and Ebony: I like it. Excellent. And we started talking about your entrepreneurial story, AKA side hustle.
Can you, what, was there something that made you say, I want to do this. When I'm not doing my full-time was there a moment that made you say I want to
Dawn Monroe: I just think I, I realized that I couldn't negotiate it myself with corporations, businesses, and I could bring them exactly the training they wanted.
We didn't have to go by the standard. Step-by-step book all day long. You know, if you want to learn something else, cause that's what your business needs. Let's talk about that. Let's do something that makes sense for your business. So it doesn't have to be a full day long thing of all these things that other people need to be able to take exams.
let Let's, focus on the needs of your business and make it more. efficient for your phone.
Don and Ebony: Excellent. So when you were you mentioned about all the Microsoft things last year, we were thrown into the zoom teams like quick, and I don't think everybody up was up to speed. I know I wasn't. And, and what, what was the predecessor of teams?
I forgot what the predecessor and teams was that we were all. Skype. Thank you.
Dawn Monroe: the Skype calls.
Don and Ebony: Thank you. I mean, so we, when we at Everett G when we had to do all this, we had just migrated from Skype to teams and then we had to go full board teams, went to pandemic.
How did that affect you? Did you have more business than you could handle or was it coming at a pretty good control?
Dawn Monroe: I had a lot of business. And like I said, I, I offered a lot Two people that I just wanted to help them. So I didn't always charge for that. I was simply helping people get online. So teams is a beast.
It is, it is such a huge program. It's really, you know, zoom is just zoom meetings. But teams there's a whole ecosystem, you sign in you're on it all day. It's got your calendar and everything. You're Chatting and interacting. And the, the, the virtual meeting is one piece of that. And I think when, when people start working in teams and a company tries to adopt it, it can be a tough transition.
Don and Ebony: Exactly
Dawn Monroe: there's so much to learn in it. And then where are my files going? Do I one drive? Do I share point? Is it on the network? What do I do? Right. So there's a lot of layers to that that people need some, some guidance when they get started.
Don and Ebony: So what is
Dawn Monroe: Well, just so you know, put your own stuff in your wonderful. If you're going to share it, it can live somewhere else, but yeah,
Don and Ebony: free tip
Dawn Monroe: Got a lot of tips.
Don and Ebony: Excellent. And I think you shared it already, but I want to make sure our folks are clear. What does your business solve?
Dawn Monroe: Well, I help people improve workflows. I help them look for knowledge. gaps. Aye. And can speed up processes.
People do things very inefficiently. I feel like and it's my own assessment, but I feel like people use about 5% of Excel.
It is an amazing powerful program. And Saying that it doesn't get utilized. Like it could be. and People do things manually and the hard way, and they trying to build yucky formulas. And a lot of those things can be automated if someone just shows them how so I try to show them how
Don and Ebony: so you can show them how,
Dawn Monroe: yes I can,
Don and Ebony: Cause I've seen some red sheets that are they, they referred to another sheet and this, that, and there's a bunch of formulas that said, oh my God, I didn't know Excel did all this, but you're saying that can be odd.
Dawn Monroe: I like to do things I've been showing people a lot [00:10:00] lately. How to do something called pivoting where you take a lot of people use Excel for a data list, right?
Like row after row of transactional data. And I like to show people how you can make a summary of that
without hurting or damaging or changing that raw list of data. We do something called a pivot. We've heard pivot a lot this year.
right. But this is a different, different kind of pivot, but we, we summarize it. And if you, if you know how to talk to Excel, Excel will do the heavy lifting for you. It will do the math for you. It will do the function building. It will summarize the groups of things and in. that That's those pivots. And I I'd love to show anybody that wants to learn those.
So,
Don and Ebony: wow. That's pivot.
Dawn Monroe: I have people that Tell me that they have saved hours, hours off a single report. Maybe they do a monthly report and once we figure out how to pivot it, so Excel is doing the hard part of it. Then, then they're saving hours. And If you start adding that up over a year, that's an amazing,
Don and Ebony: Excellent. One quick question. Before I turn it back to eat.
I heard you said you did some work for folks and didn't even charge I I'm interested in what do you, or how do you define success as an
Dawn Monroe: Great question. Well, I, I like, I like people to be able to say that I help solve a problem for them, or I saved them time that they they had value in the time spent with me.
It gave them a return on investment. Sometimes they didn't even realize they need
So to me, success is a lot of it's that verbal feedback I get from people or testimonials.
Don and Ebony: Yeah. Starting out in the nineties. we are in You've been in the game for some time. Right. some ups and downs successful, what
Dawn Monroe:
Losing internet connection.
Don and Ebony: That's real.
Dawn Monroe: Hey yeah.
Don and Ebony: That is real losing internet connection.
Dawn Monroe: my power going, right.
Don and Ebony: We can do that.
Dawn Monroe: Yeah. So so those are the kinds of things, you know, I'm, I'm, I'm going live webinars. I'm doing a lot of simultaneous where I have people in the room and people on a zoom call with me, we're all interacting.
I'm trying to engage both audiences. I don't have a stepchild when I, when I've got those kinds of situations. And so. Things that worry me are around technology and just issues with my audience in, in live settings.
Don and Ebony: So you've experienced that once
Dawn Monroe: Well, I always have a backup named Charlie.
Charlie is my backup computer comes on each of these programs with me, even if I'm asked to. speak. For another group virtually, I ask if Charlie can come to the meeting too, because just in case something happens I just like to be prepared and you wouldn't even know it. If my main computer died on me, I would just, Charlie's RA. the cohost Charlie's already got my PowerPoint Charlie's already got my Excel file on there and I would just switch it up and You wouldn't even know it. So. Now I'm afraid to go on anything without having my backup computer. So
Don and Ebony: wish I could Did you bring Charlie.
Dawn Monroe: Charlie's not that exciting. just sits next to me.
Don and Ebony: Yeah. Well, you've been at Wichita since
Dawn Monroe: Well, I've been back and forth, so let's see. So I went to K. U we,
Don and Ebony: Can you say that again, please? What, what school did you go to?
Dawn Monroe: I went to the university of Kansas.
Don and Ebony: I love hearing that even though I didn't go, I just, for the benefit of my partner.
Dawn Monroe: Gosh, rock chalk fan.
Don and Ebony: my God.
Moving right along.
Dawn Monroe: Yeah. So so w so we lived in. So my husband's from Newton And we have lived in Wichita. Let's see. So maybe 2000. We, we lived here in like 95 to 2000 We went to Kansas city. We lived in Dallas for a while. And then we came back to Wichita. We've been here about [00:15:00] 16 years.
Don and Ebony: It's wonderful. What keeps bringing you back?
Dawn Monroe: Well family, we're close to family here.
I grew up in the Kansas city area and we've got adult children that are close by. So we love it here. I love Wichita actually. And I think people are always surprised when they come and And move here and they're like ah, I'm not sure about Wichita, but it's a great community to raise your family. in And and to run a small business in.
for sure.
Don and Ebony: So what are some of the things that the attributes has you come back and
Dawn Monroe: Well, I, you know, the chamber has been so supportive. I'm really glad that I joined the chamber. I'm big fan of the chamber and you know, other organizations in town, like we BA and You know, there's a lot of networking groups that I participate in I'm in Wichita, professional communicators.
And I just I, I just enjoy the the camaraderie among the different businesses. I've enjoyed going to some things at Gruver labs lately. They've been offering a lot of particularly technical focused businesses. So that's been good. And then as far as the, the bigger community, I really enjoy the live music, the breweries, the things like that around the community.
Don and Ebony: Nice, nice. I enjoy Yeah,
I was going to say something, but you beat me to it. The Latin pretty popping. That's not what I was talking about, but that's okay. Well, friends, we're here with Dawn Monroe of Dawn Monroe training. We need to go to a break and hear from our sponsors, but we'll be back
Welcome back friends right here. Learning a little bit about the Don Monroe training. So specialized and pretty awesome. I'm really curious. You've been talking about your journey in Wichita and how you've helped Can you tell us, you know, some specifics on who you look for to, to train who's your audience what is it that you can help
Dawn Monroe: Okay. Well, I have found a real niche in working with administrative professionals. So I'm talking about those high level assistant to the CEO assistant to the president, those gatekeepers, those go-to people in your business.
Most businesses have somebody like that. And they need to go to, and I can be the go-to for them because I will dig in at a deep level and we will figure it out if something is not working. You know, and I can, I can walk them through processes that really, really can save time. Things like learning how to do a mail merge.
which You take a single letter and then you take a massive address list and you bring that together. So everyone on the address list has a copy of the letter, and I can do it in a few weeks. Whereas if you did that manually trying to add all those people into your letter, you could spend hours on a project like that.
Things like that. Particularly right now. I like to focus with people on getting their virtual environment, right. The zoom calls. I don't just do Microsoft things. I also teach Google and I also teach them. Yeah.
kind of in their own category, like MailChimp. I get asked to do a lot of LinkedIn topics and.
and It was something like linked in, you know, a lot of people talk about building up a profile and whatever, but I'll get in there and show you. I will show you how to do the survey. I will show you how to find the right companies, the right people, and really make genuine connections. And in, in a way that will bring you value.
I think. So, I don't just talk about it in theory, I, I usually start with a couple of slides and say, this is what I'm about to talk about. And then we jump into the program and we do the things so you can see
Don and Ebony: How many sessions a person have to come back, immediate ROI? We have like an hour and a half together and then I'm off to
Dawn Monroe: I do a lot of one hour webinars right now. And the reason I did that as I kind of boiled down hot topics that I [00:20:00] feel are really significant to make an impact for somebody. And we just focus. It's a, it's a quick hit in a focused area.
So depending on what your focus is, could you take an hour to get better at something in Excel? That may save you a couple hours a week on a report, you sure can. and it'd be worth it. So I like to, to just offer these targeted chunks right now, and I'm working on a new website and adding some more online content and taking some of this stuff that's recorded and, and build out some things that people could buy a course to watch any time.
But I really there's something about. the Live interaction to me that I really like. enjoy watching someone get it.
Don and Ebony: Excellent. Do you do you think, let me back up prior to the pandemic, were you doing more online versus in person or was it half, half or,
Dawn Monroe: I was doing some of both, I mean, really,
The the webinars are really kind of a marketing effort.
I like to just stay in the public eye and to have an offering that anybody could sign up for any time. Obviously corporate training is slow right now. I mean, businesses are not going to be bringing me in to teach a room full of employees right now.
probably looking like spring before. That's really back And conference events really slowed down. I have had some go virtual. So while that is happening, I'm going to stay busy, offering a lot of one-on-one. If You came to me and said, my thing is Excel. Everyone in the office knows more than me. I feel sick. Can you just show me what they're talking about? I don't want to ask them anymore.
Right. And then, and we could work together in a one-on-one situation. And right now I think I'm in a market that a little bit more actively right now. Let's just work one-on-one we can do it by zoom. We can do it by teams. If you're comfortable, you can come to my office, have a little classroom and just kind of trying to meet people where they are.
right now.
Don and Ebony: That's what I was wondering how, how you are doing that. So, excellent. You've been around in Wichita quite a bit. What local businesses, entrepreneurs do you a tank inspiration from?
Dawn Monroe: So,
well locally, I really, I, you know, I value education so highly. I really like. what I see Dr. Utash doing at WSU. tech. I see some really neat programs coming out of there.
I think very valuable to this community.
as far as entrepreneurs, I really think Jennifer McDonald is amazing. I think she's one of the hardest working people in town. frankly. And, and, you know, there's just so many, I it's there's, there's a lot of growth happening right now. There's there's, there's good things happening.
The thing is I can really help all kinds of people. It doesn't matter a big company, a small company, a solo preneur. A lot of those skills that I teach, it could be something like helping you organize your. email, Using a digital calendar better. It could be learning how to do an email marketing on MailChimp.
It could be learning how to do some designs on Canva. There, there's all kinds of things that are outside those Microsoft products. That really are my, you know, my main focus for companies but there's a lot of ways I can. help, Individuals. too.
Don and Ebony: Excellent. And look like you mentioned some new things that I hadn't heard about, but what's next for you?
What's what's the next frontier for
Dawn Monroe: Well, I'm busy teaching myself a product called Kajabi it's a, it's a, a website designed really for speakers and coaches and consultants. And I can build my online courses there and I can have a membership. And it's pretty involved behind the scenes, but it would allow me to get rid of a product, like say Eventbrite and MailChimp and have it all embedded in one thing.
So right now I'm building the website behind the scenes for that. So I'm teaching myself, which is what I do.
Don and Ebony: Okay.
Dawn Monroe: I get exposed to a product and I think ah, that's interesting. And [00:25:00] then I dive in and make myself use it until I'm crazy. And That's how I learned it. And then I could turn around after that and teach someone else.
Don and Ebony: And I haven't used mail Chimp before. Is it like constant contact? Yeah,
Dawn Monroe: is. It's, a, it's, a really an identical competitor product.
Don and Ebony: Okay. But this Kajobi combines.
Dawn Monroe: Yeah, it would, it, it, like I said, really focused on coaches and consultants kind of thing, where you can offer an online product for your, your your learning services.
So,
Don and Ebony: One quick question. What business would you like to partner with locally here?
Dawn Monroe: Hmm, I would really like to get more connected with any. tech Companies that are setting up computers and networks for folks. And, you know, they may set it up, but they may not really want to teach people how to use it and I can step in there.
So any partnerships like that would be X.
For me. And I do know a lot of the tech folks, but if you're out there and we haven't met before, then please introduce yourself.
Sure. my website is Dawn Monroe, training.com.
Don and Ebony: so on the website in your office, you said you have a training
Dawn Monroe: I do. I, I I do rent an office from Penn publishing interactive. They are a company that does websites and marketing work and and techie stuff. So. It is, you know, where the spice merchant is.
It's about two blocks south of the spice merchant on a street called Patty.
Don and Ebony: Very nice. So they can get ahold of you on the website. They can come to your office, Facebook
Dawn Monroe: Facebook and LinkedIn
Don and Ebony: LinkedIn. All right. No
Dawn Monroe: No.
Don and Ebony: No, tick-tock,
Dawn Monroe: no, I'm not
Don and Ebony: I'm just asking. That's my thing.
Dawn Monroe: you have a Tik
Don and Ebony: No, nobody would want
Dawn Monroe: Because I would share, check that out.
Don and Ebony: Yeah, that would be, oh no, no. Nevermind. That wouldn't be As we are wrapping up, I'm interested to hear from you. What's some of the best advice
Dawn Monroe: Wow. So yeah, I'm a bit of a perfectionist, which makes me good at my work. I'm very into the details, but there are times to let that go and it, let it be, let it be good enough. right? Let it be good enough. It's good enough.
Don and Ebony: that,
Dawn Monroe: It'll be okay.
Don and Ebony: does that give you anxiety?
Well, who are some I don't know if it's local or national you follow, any thought
Dawn Monroe: Well, I I follow a lot. of subject matter experts. So one that I have followed for years is Mr. Excel, Mr. Excel started putting videos out a bazillion years ago, and I can't tell you how many times I've looked up and he has had the answer.
and I was actually able to go see him speak a couple of years ago. You'll, you'll laugh. There's a thing called Excella Palooza. And I went So so I, I like I like seeing people that
very genuine down to earth person, and I really value that in people. He's, he's quite, well known in the Microsoft community and and w well loved, and he was very down. to earth. I also follow a lot of, of speakers and there's Pegeen S Cavera down in Florida.
And she's really, she's really amazing and encouraging women's speakers and I get a lot of value out of people like
Don and Ebony: I'm still on Excella Palooza. How do we get to host that? We need to
Dawn Monroe: I would love it. If you did
Don and Ebony: need to figure that out. That would be so awesome. Last question that I have for you were to write a book what would the title of that
Dawn Monroe: Ooh, You should've given me that particular one early, to think about it. Oh, it would, it would it have to be something with my best My best tricks [00:30:00] to save you time and money, but I I can't be that clever on on a whim right here. I, I would have to work it out. I would use my, my word Synonyms.
I've looked it all up. You know, I have a whole process to come up
Don and Ebony: ya.
Dawn Monroe: clever titles.
Don and Ebony: I like a process process is good. That's all it. No, I do have one other question. And this is, well, I'm just wondering because all of my friends who have in. journalism, secretly judge, when I send them texts and emails. And I just want to know, are you one of those persons? Like, where's the comment here?
Dawn Monroe: I do have a style guide by my desk.
Don and Ebony: That answers it. Yep. There you go. Excellent. Well, we truly appreciate you being on the show today. Now we're after dealing with Ebony. Now it's a fun So I'm going to do word association. Give you one word, you give me one word back. It's not wrong. Cause it's your word.
You good with that? Excellent leader.
Dawn Monroe: Oh boy. Maybe I'm not good
Don and Ebony: at.
Dawn Monroe: this. I don't like this game.
Don and Ebony: No, let's go with it. How about, how about, how about beverage?
Dawn Monroe: CSB.
Don and Ebony: CSB. Okay. That's cool. The chamber.
Dawn Monroe: community
Don and Ebony: Family.
See you rocking and rolling now. Success.
Dawn Monroe: Happiness.
Don and Ebony: There you go. Entrepreneur.
Dawn Monroe: creative.
row. I would say soldier.
Don and Ebony: Nice vacation
Dawn Monroe: beach
Don and Ebony: last but not least.
Podcast.
Dawn Monroe: podcasts. There you go.
Don and Ebony: beautiful way to end it. It is well friends. We have come to the end of our time today. We are so thankful we had an opportunity to meet miss Dawn Monroe is really been exciting and I've learned quite a bit. I'm going to start following you.
Dawn Monroe: Yay.
Don and Ebony: And please friends make certain that you like our podcast and that you share it and that you leave comments and let us know who you want to hear from next
until next time. We'll see you. Peace.