Meet Aaron Jiles | Business Consultant & Adjunct Professor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Aaron Jiles and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aaron, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?

I started my own consulting business in April of 2021. My consulting services focuses on Operations Management with a specialization in Operational Excellence and Strategic Planning & Development. The consulting journey with my clients includes understanding their long- and short-term goals and how we can implement a process for them to reach their goals. The approach to growth is to evaluate opportunities for service development and value creation.

I’ve always known I wanted to have my own business- to work for myself. I started to find my calling the more I continued to help businesses with my expertise in operations and business management. To hear the positive feedback and to see the results following my advice has inspired me to start my own business in consulting.

I think it’s a beautiful thing to have ownership over one’s creative work. Our creative work gives us a sense of purpose and pride. I’m fortunate to have been able to start my own business and I want others to be able to do the same.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

The main thing that I love about consulting is the opportunity to build relationships with people. I named my business ‘The Tailored Strategist’ because I want to grow and nurture every consulting journey with each of my clients. It’s a tailored experience. Business consulting shouldn’t be a blanket approach because not every person, business, or challenge is the same. I examine the current operations of the business and discuss areas of improvement. I work with my clients to develop a plan to create competitive advantages in their market. I provide custom guides, milestone and progress reports, and tools to assist with daily business operations.

Supporting small and minority-owned businesses is important to me. The Mission Statement of the Tailored Strategist is: ‘We are here to uplift and empower businesses – to give businesses the resources and knowledge to attain their full potential.’ Often businesses don’t have the resources to achieve their true excellence. Lack of resources shouldn’t determine one’s success or ability to follow their purpose. I love seeing people win and I’m excited to see their dreams come true. I’m very fortunate to have the support of friends and other business professionals that have encouraged and inspired me to start my business. Uncharted territory is never easy at first; This is my first independent business venture. There are a lot of parts that must come together to fully operate a business. Through my own experience I understand the challenges and hardships it takes to start and operate a business. I hope to be there for businesses, so they don’t have to do it alone.

The most important lesson that I’ve learned is that life is meant to be traveled together, not alone. There is nothing wrong with asking for help. As a business consultant I ask for help. True success comes from the willingness to continue to learn and grow. I’m always seeking to improve myself for my business and so I can better serve my clients.
I want the world to know that their aspirations deserve the opportunity to become a reality. The worst thing we can do to ourselves and others is to not live out our dreams and our purpose. An unfulfilled life is a life not lived. I want to help, support, and motivate people to reach their goals through The Tailored Strategist.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’ve lived my entire life in Florida so it is really hard to narrow it down to all the places that I go to in the city. I’m all about self care and mental wellness so it would have to be an itinerary or relaxation. I would start the early morning with breakfast on the beach at Fort Lauderdale by the Sea. Breakfast would be from the Ohana’s Bakery and Bistro where we would pick up some fresh pastries and smoothies. After laying on the beach and relaxing we’ll find a restaurant on the intercoastal, probably Blue Moon Fish Company. We’ll freshen up and head to get massages before we have dinner at Posh Sushi Lounge. Drinks to end the night would be at Rebel Wine Bar, my favorite spot to hangout. I go there to work on business, have business meetings, and listen to live music on Saturdays. I’m sure I would take my friend to Rebel Wine multiple times since they are always doing something different and supporting other small businesses.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are many people who have played a large part in my success. The list is long, and I don’t think I can’t put into words how they’ve changed and nourished my life. I think I would have to start from the beginning to the person that got me into business- Mr. Jerry Holt. Mr. Holt was my DECA advisor in high school. DECA is a global organization that prepares high school and college students to become leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management. At the time I was extremely shy. I was an introvert that did not like to talk, I use to stutter, and I struggled with holding eye contact. I did a business proposal for Foot Locker as a Fashion Promotion Plan. I didn’t think much of my proposal, but Mr. Holt did. He believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. He encouraged and pushed me out of my comfort zone to practice public speaking. As my advisor, in less than three years I had went twice to international competition and became the DECA chapter president. I wouldn’t be where I am not without him. I have made it my priority to do the same for others because everyone deserves to be seen.

Website: https://thetailoredstrategist.com/

Instagram: @thetailoredstrategist

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronjiles/

Image Credits
Santiago Prado Instagram: @santi_prado_photography