Why Small Businesses Matter
Shop small, do big things for your community
Why Small Businesses Matter puts a spotlight on the local merchants who donate their time, talent, goods, and services for the betterment of our community. The shop local movement spreads virally as local businesses who are “tagged” have the opportunity to share their story!
You're IT Menon College Consulting!
Four questions with Shyamla Menon, founder of Menon College Consulting.
Why did you start your business?
When my son was going to go to boarding school (he is the youngest of my three kids) I knew I needed to occupy myself gainfully in some way. I had a career way back on Wall Street, then stayed home to bring up my three. I wanted to do something where I was continually learning, I liked working with young adults, the college process was fascinating to me and I did not want to go back to finance.
I found educational consulting because a friend suggested that I would be great at it, having helped my elder two through the college process, and provided informal advice to many many others. I looked into the field, got credentials by taking a course, joined a professional association, and have been in the field of college counseling for nine years now.
What is your best-selling product/service?
My main product (and the one that sells out every year) is a comprehensive full-service package where I work with students starting halfway through sophomore year, through junior and senior year, through list building and the application process.
My work is fairly solo, but I do refer families to services for test prep, tutoring, and special counseling. Test prep is provided locally by Carnegie Prep in Greenwich and Summit Prep in New Canaan. I also use national providers of course. To be clear, none of these entities work directly with me - they work with my students.
Have you "reimagined" your small business?
Not exactly but during COVID I did change many of my practices - I did more Zoom sessions and met students in outside spaces like my patio.
Visit Menon College Consulting online here, and make sure to check out their Facebook page as well!
HamletHub thanks Fairfield County Bank for making our Why Small Businesses Matter series possible!