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Wendy Oliveras is no newbie to entrepreneurship. When her first company, a legal recruitment agency, shut down due to the 2008 financial crisis, she knew it wasn’t done. She has poured her love and passion for chess and business knowledge into a book that combines chess theory with business advice. Shortly thereafter, the book concept became the inspiration for their business, SHESS Global Alliance, their consulting firm, which provides professional business advice and training services to companies in the corporate, educational, nonprofit and government sectors. Today, the New Jersey-based consultant continues to expand her business, fighting sexism in the chess world, and continues to be inspired by role models like her grandmother.

Oliveras’ story as told by The Story Exchange 1,000+ Stories Project:

What was your reason for starting your company?

SHESS Global Alliance, LLC is actually my second business. My first company was a legal recruitment agency. The 2008 economic downturn hurt my growth potential and I had no choice but to close the office. However, my love and passion for playing chess for fun influenced my interest in helping women in business learn chess and become better problem solvers and decision makers in life and in business. I’m an indie writer and wrote my first book in 2012, Let’s Play SHESS: Succeed in your game of life and business by playing chess – from Pawn to Queen. This book inspired me to found the SHESS Global Alliance in 2014. Since then, I’ve been an outsourced Small Business Consultant for the New Jersey Small Business Development Center in Rutgers-Newark.

The reason for starting SGA is my personal love for chess and how it has helped me become a better and smarter entrepreneur and entrepreneur and advise other women to realize their dreams of entrepreneurship and financial independence. In April 2021 I will publish my second book Checkmate Moves for Business Startups: Tactical Advantages from Gameboard to Life. This is a guide to empowering women in business, starting their own business, and playing chess for fun.

How do you define success?

Success means something different for everyone. To me, success simply means that I’ve managed to help others become successful in their lives and business development. Knowing that I can help someone become really happy with what they do for a living makes me happy as a consultant. This is a success for me. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.

Tell us about your greatest success so far

Aside from helping others scale their businesses to success, my greatest achievement to date has been believing and loving myself enough to take risks and publicize what interests me most in my consulting practice. Chess has a huge impact on my being and my success and I want to share it with every woman I can.

What is your biggest challenge and how did you approach it?

I have to say that my biggest challenge in terms of my advisory practice empowering women in business through chess strategies and tactics is for men to dominate the professional chess world. The unfortunate social perception is that unless you are a chess grandmaster you will not be considered a viable resource to teach or write about chess.

I can assure you that this is a myth and I do not share this negative perception. I am an avid chess player and publish books on chess, life and economics. I teach chess basics to others because I have the confidence and know-how to do it. Sometimes it is difficult to ignore the doors that are slamming in my face, but I believe in my mission to empower women through chess and will never stop trying. Thanks to the recent Netflix series “Queens Gambit” I can see that there is light at the end of this tunnel.

Have you experienced significant personal situations that influenced your business decisions?

The 2008 economic downturn changed my life. I never had financial difficulties until this unexpected debacle, so I had to close my law firm.

What’s your biggest tip for other startup entrepreneurs?

As a small business consultant, one of my biggest tips for other start-up entrepreneurs is to believe in yourself and your dream.

How do you find inspiration on your darkest days?

We all face moments of self-doubt and insecurity, but when I think negatively, I immediately try my best to turn the dark thoughts into positive ones. For example, I tell myself that you can do this; it’s okay to be afraid; you will get through this; Be patient; and don’t you dare to give up!

Who is your main role model?

My grandma is my most important role model. She died at the age of 97. She lived in Puerto Rico and was very poor. She lived across the street from an elementary school with no grocery stores nearby. Everyone in this area had to go a long way to get to a store to buy their essentials.

In this way, my grandmother found a solution to a community problem in a creative way that will also benefit her livelihood for many years. She added a shop to her home selling basic stationery such as pencils, pens, erasers, and notepads. But selling all kinds of goodies and candies was a huge hit with the students who walked to their store during breaks and after school.

As a role model, my grandma taught me that self-confidence, creativity and perseverance go hand in hand. She taught me that sometimes an entrepreneurial spirit can be born out of desperate situations, and that’s okay too. She taught me not to be afraid to take risks and to believe in myself regardless of the outcome of my decisions. I am proud of my grandma and will never forget her invaluable and subtle lessons she taught me for my success.

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Editor’s note: The Story Exchange is celebrating its 10th anniversary with the launch of the annual Women In Science Incentive Prize. Apply now for a chance to receive $ 5,000 for your climate-related research or startup. Deadline: July 31.