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Today we’d like to introduce you to Sherry Dial.
Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
Growing up, my family often told me stories of how I narrowly escaped death. As soon as I was old enough to understand the fragility of my very existence, life would take on new purpose and clarity. I would make education a priority. I would choose reading over recess. I would grow to have an insatiable desire to learn and be convinced that I could achieve anything as long as I worked hard. My parents divorced before I became a teenager. Despite their marital problems, I remember growing up believing the sky was the limit.
Let me stop for a moment and properly introduce myself.
I am Sherry Dial. I am an Internal Auditor. I have 3 siblings – Shawn, Antoinette, and Emanuel. My parents are Charmaine and Anthony.
My parents worked hard to instill in their four children a strong work ethic, a zeal for education, and a love for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I graduated from high school with honors. I earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina with a double major in Accounting and Marketing. After earning my bachelor’s degree, I completed my graduate degree at the University of Maryland in College Park with a focus on Internal Auditing. Weeks after I graduated from the University of Maryland, I married my college best friend, Brent. Less than a year later, we would have our first child, Peyton, then three years later, our second child, Mia, and three years, our third child, Christian. Both my husband and I worked outside the home. I took career breaks whenever I felt the usual push and pull of work and family life begin to feel more like a tug of war. However, after years of this back and forth, I decided to permanently exit the workforce. Or so I thought. While at home, I began volunteering as a speaker manager for the online mom conference called the I Am Mom Summit. Fueled by core values and a growth mindset, I could feel my entrepreneurial spirit pushing to the surface. Then I began working virtually as an independent contractor for a tech startup called 99 Walks. At 99 Walks, I focused on improving processes and data analytics to drive operational growth. I felt so empowered. So In 2021, I started my business, Dial Services, LLC.
I now have the freedom to choose my client roster, service small businesses, and impact the community. A highlight of my career is researching better decision-making information that will assist government, private, public, or small businesses in accomplishing their overall goals and objectives. I wholeheartedly know that internal audits provide a roadmap to maximum business opportunities, and my role as an internal auditor drives that increase.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The best way I can describe the path to building my LLC is a quote by Susan Elizabeth Phillips: “Anything worth having is worth fighting for.” From a legal and regulatory standpoint, I created and funded my LLC online within days. With some resourcefulness from my college best friends, Nivia and Marie, I drafted a client agreement, had it reviewed by an attorney, filed for a Taxpayer Identification Number, DUNS number, secured my articles of organization with the Tennessee Secretary of State, purchased a google domain and reached out to two sisters, Alexis and Chanté, whom I had interacted with previously with the I Am Mom Summit. Shortly after that, my older brother, Shawn, helped me set up my business website. I repurposed my personal Instagram page and began sharing behind-the-scenes stories as I built my new business. Several months after organizing my LLC, while still working at 99 Walks, I secured additional clients. The progression seemed to move so quickly that I failed to secure a business coach. I spent almost a year at that velocity. Metaphorically speaking, I thought I could successfully create an airplane while flying it. Once I seceded from the notion that this pace wasn’t sustainable, I made the difficult transition to leave the tech startup and primarily focus on my mental well-being, family, and my LLC. Armed with all the knowledge I gained upfront, I am making intentional steps to control the pace of my growing business. I am continuously reminding myself that I am the master of my own journey.
I appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Dial Services LLC?
Dial Services, LLC was established in 2021 in Knoxville, Tennessee. We provide internal audit services. Internal audits are actionable insights that provide management with better decision-making information. Internal audits add value. Internal audits mitigate risk and identify opportunities. We work with businesses virtually and locally. Our services are a niche market. We bring a systematic, disciplined approach to our independent and objective assessment of the operations of a business. It’s always important for business leaders to look for ways to streamline and improve their operations for maximum success, whether a new entrepreneur or veteran business owner. Our ideas will differentiate our clients and help them stand out among their competitors. We are unique in that we can identify root causes and solve complex problems quickly. Only after this type of internal audit expertise can a business take steps to enhance and consistently deliver its brand promise at every stage. We are most proud of our specialty in researching best practices. We have a working knowledge of the following professional standards, regulations, and frameworks:
- COSO internal control framework
- Sarbanes Oxley regulations
- PCAOB standards/ guidance related to internal controls
- IIA Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing
- U.S. GAAP and U.S. GAAS accounting standards
We find that internal audits offer solutions for issues involving losing revenue and customers. We frequently complete continuing education webinars on improving conversion from trial to paid subscriptions, key metrics such as retention and churn, a better understanding of SaaS tools, and a better sense of the potential buyer’s journey through a company’s sales funnel. Internal audits can remove the guesswork and accelerate a business’ growth. We enjoy tracking, measuring, following up, and adjusting key metrics. With Dial Services, LLC, you can expect increased revenue, a collaborative approach, a clearly defined process, and a comprehensive exploration of your current business operation. We value clear and open communication, strive for transformative results and continuous improvement, and commit to quality. We are well-versed in diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies, financially literate, and exceptional communicators. Working collaboratively guided by our expertise, a small tech startup business boasted an annual revenue increase in a pandemic, increasing from 1,000 paid subscribers to 15,000 (1,500% increase)! That same startup has since expanded from a single app to include two apps, a growing line of physical products, a community of more than 200,000 individuals, and revenue of over $1.7M.
So, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you before we go? How can they support you?
We always welcome collaboration and support. Whether from niche services similar to Internal Audit services to recommendations on how to better my 60-second elevator pitch. Sometimes, my explanations of my services are so esoteric that only the people in my field can relate. Within the past few weeks, I signed up on Fivver, updated my LinkedIn page, created a link tree on my business Instagram, created a brand logo, and started researching new resources like ChatGPt and Canva. To be transparent, this phase of creating a solid business plan and calculated strategy should have been done at the beginning; however, each day, I give myself grace, learn and improve and move forward in faith. I am often recruited for paid projects and opportunities that do not necessarily align with Internal Auditing. This sometimes creates a scenario where I temporarily lose focus and feel the need to be everything to everyone.
Pricing:
- $590 per month – “Removing The Guesswork ” package
- $1,190 per month – “Data-Driven Insight” package
- $1,790 per month – “Impactful Transformation” package
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dialservicesllc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dialservicesllc/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dialservicesllc/
- SoundCloud: https://blinq.me/py2KfRgXdukGGyU1LMNl
- Other: https://www.fiverr.com/dialservicesllc
Image Credits
Sherry Dial, Tanika Harper, Nikki Young and Sherry Dial, Ari Mason and Sara Wigington and Kizik, Team Sherry and Brent Dial, Michelle Love- Day and Sherry Dial, Linda Eyre, Sherry Dial, Richard Eyre Sherry Dial, Caroline Hill, Lexi Prillaman, Taylor, Shawn Johnson, Andrew East, Jamie and Mike Taylor, Fatty and Ben Dedrickson, Sherry Dial, Alexis Bradley and Chante Stutznegger, Heber and Erica Rivera, Michelle Jenson Dial and Brooke Jenson