For the sixth instalment of Fahey Media’s ‘Startup to Success’ series we are joined by Dr Sean Boyle, Doctor of Psychology and owner of The Test Company.
Dr Boyle’s specialised firm is dedicated to scientifically-driven career assessments tailored to each client. With expertise in a number of businesses and a Ph.D. in Psychology (specialising in Behavioural Research), he brings a unique blend of practical acumen and academic rigour to the table.
Prior to founding The Test Company, Dr Boyle led Ireland’s exclusive ‘Human Fear Laboratory’ for six years, earning widespread recognition for groundbreaking research on human fear phenomena in Europe and the United States.
Value Your Value
During our discussion it was fascinating to hear Dr Boyle’s take on value, and how many entrepreneurs tend to wrestle with this and the fear of overcharging for their services. He warns against devaluing your services, contributions and expertise as you engage with different clients, and reveals the ways that he has managed to overcome this.
Career Change Challenges
Dr Boyle also told how a “passion” for psychology eventually led him on a new path away from a successful career in construction – first to a university degree, and eventually to establishing a completely new kind of start-up. He describes how his skillsets allowed him to overcome the entrepreneurial challenges of turning an idea based on his new knowledge in behavioural science into the successful monetising professional service that The Test Company has become.
Selling a Novel Idea
Dr Boyle spoke about the challenges of promoting a “novel” service such as the one he provides through The Test Company, and how invaluable getting other people to critique this service was as he set about identifying potential clients with the sort of unique needs that his business could meet. And Dr Boyle also told how an entrepreneur selling such a novelty service should always have some recognised revenue streams to rely on too.