For Veronica Cram, numbers aren’t just spreadsheets and balance sheets. Numbers tell a story. As founder and CEO of InSight Strategic Solutions, she helps business owners discover what their numbers are really saying and turn that data into insight and growth.

What began as a one-woman operation in 2020 has grown into a national consulting firm, headquartered in Huntsville, with a team of consultants spanning Alabama to New Jersey and serving more than 40 clients across industries and states.

Cram recently sat down with the Huntsville Business Journal to share how her experiences as an “Army brat” shaped her approach to business and how she finds balance by giving herself permission to say “no.”

What do you enjoy about owning your own business?

I enjoy that there’s only one person I can be mad at, and that’s myself. When you’re working for someone else, disagreements can always come with a “I know better” mentality, no matter who you are. Now, if I’m working during fall break, guess who’s to blame? Me. I said yes, so it’s on me. There’s only one person responsible for every decision, and that’s me.

How do you balance personal and professional life?

Every single day, you’re making choices: “Am I saying yes to this, or am I saying yes to that?” There’s only so many yeses to go around.

Also, it’s important to understand that no is a full sentence. You don’t need to justify it by saying, “No, I’m doing these other things” or “No, because I’m trying to focus on this.” No is enough. That has been a big lesson for me.

What advice would you give to someone starting their own business?

Know your numbers. Understand what’s making you money and what’s not. Know your margins, because every dollar coming in is not equal, and understand the value of your time.

Also, when you smell smoke, there’s a fire—whether it’s with an employee or whether it’s with your numbers. I’ve seen way too many companies experience repeated losses while holding onto hope. Hope is not a plan.

As companies are growing, I’m a big fan of saying: pack for where you’re going, not for where you came from. If you came from Alaska and you’re headed to Hawaii, you’re not taking the same clothes. A lot of times that means you’re not taking the same people. It means you’re not taking the same systems or the same processes. So you have to think about where you’re going and make sure you’re ready for that.

What is an obstacle that you faced as a business owner, and how have you overcome that?

A challenge for me is clearly articulating how I help clients. Once they experience our one-day session, they often say, “Oh my gosh, I got so much clarity.”

If you look at my Google reviews, I think one or two people call me their financial therapist. I have one client who sits down on his couch in his office every time we talk. I bring you clarity by using your numbers to help you operationally. I understand what it means, but the typical business owner doesn’t. And so for me, the obstacle that I have yet to overcome is how do I succinctly say how I can help you grow your business and the coaching that I provide.

What is the secret to your success?

Being an Army brat, I moved a lot as a kid and continued moving a lot even as I became a young adult. I’m like a melting pot. I talk with people from all over, all political beliefs, male, female, all industries, all walks of life.

I think that being an Army brat prepared me to be an entrepreneur because I have learned to acclimate, to talk with, and to listen to other people before making assumptions and before speaking. I am able to understand what their problems are, what their issues are, and help coach them to get to the answers to solve them.