Consultant turns telecom experience into personal business

When Sheila D. Henry lost her job at Motorola last summer, she had an idea for a business and ran with it.

Henry launched ThoughtWorthi Solutions LLC, a consulting firm that reveals and solves productivity challenges. The entrepreneur utilizes the experience she gained while working in project management while at Motorola.

"I use quality management to analyze the client's work flow or staffing analysis," said Henry, who operates her business in Hoffman Estates. Her target clients are small and medium-sized businesses.

"I help clients develop standardized processes and procedures and help to identify bottlenecks," she said.

Henry explained that the idea for the business first developed while she was still working for the telecommunications giant. Before she lost her job, she was working on a project to reduce wireless expenses at Motorola. The project was then outsourced and she saw the need.

When she started her own business, her focus at first was to concentrate on wireless expense management for companies.

The dwindling economy prompted her to broaden the focus of the business to include other areas including project management and process issue resolution.

The University of Michigan graduate utilized the Small Business Development Center at Harper College to get the business rolling about eight months ago.

She said the center helped her with her specific needs which included marketing, how to narrow her target market and to better define the products and services she offers.

Henry has earned Project Management Professional certification from the Project Management Institute. She says she is an expert with a variety of process improvement tools and methodologies, including Six Sigma and Lean.

Henry said she works on long-term projects as well as smaller ones. For example, a short-term project may be to work with a local bakery to develop a plan on when to make a particular product and how much is needed.

Before working for Motorola for eight years, she was an industrial engineer specialist for the U.S. Postal Service. She and her husband, Thomas, are raising two daughters.

For more information, check out thoughtworthi.com or call (847) 490-4785.

Catering event: Mount Prospect-based Dave's Specialty Foods and Tuscan Wine Shop is hosting an open house from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, May 17, at The VeHe Barn located on Cuba Road between Ela Road and Rand Road at 23570 W. Cuba Road, Deer Park.

For more, check out vehefarmfoundation.org/index.htm.

Entertaining info: Nationally recognized consultants and "presentainers" Gail Johnson and Pam Parr of Face to Face Communications & Training are the featured speakers at the next Kaneland W.I.N.S. (Women Insight Networking Service) meeting taking place at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 19, at Mill Creek Golf Club, 39W525 Herrington Drive, Geneva.

In addition to sharing stories and experiences from across the country, this presentation will demonstrate how to increase your sales force without increasing staff, organizers say.

Kim Mikus covers retail and small business. She welcomes comments at kmikus@dailyherald.com or (847) 427-4567.