Heather Graham - Become a one-person consultant

Podcast: Local Grit – Hamilton Small Business Stories
Guest: Heather Graham, Consultant & Business Coach
Website: https://hgrahamconsulting.com/

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

In this conversation, Heather Graham shares insights on:

• Her transition from hospital management into consulting and business coaching

• How social justice and community engagement shape her work

• Why collaboration is essential to meaningful change

• The role of vulnerability in strong, authentic leadership

• How joy and mental well-being influence better business decisions

From Hospital Leadership to Consulting Work That Matters

Heather’s journey into consulting didn’t start with a business plan—it started with people.

After years of working in hospital management, Heather became increasingly drawn to the broader systems that shape community health and wellbeing. That pull toward community engagement ultimately led her into consulting and coaching, where she could work more directly with leaders, organizations, and communities navigating complex change.

Her path reflects a consistent theme throughout the episode: meaningful work often emerges when values, experience, and curiosity intersect.

Social Justice as a Guiding Principle

At the core of Heather’s consulting practice is a strong commitment to social justice. Rather than treating it as a separate initiative, she sees it as a lens through which all work should be viewed.

Heather explains that community health challenges can’t be solved in isolation. Collaboration across sectors—and genuine inclusion of diverse voices—is essential. While this work often involves resistance and difficult conversations, Heather believes that staying rooted in shared values creates the conditions for real progress.

As she notes, “It’s all about shifting mindsets.”

Collaboration, Resistance, and Building Consensus

Much of Heather’s work involves helping groups move through resistance toward shared understanding. Collaboration, she explains, isn’t always comfortable—but it’s necessary.

By creating spaces for dialogue and reflection, Heather helps leaders and teams navigate conflict without losing sight of the larger purpose. This approach acknowledges that disagreement is part of growth and that progress often comes from listening more deeply, not pushing harder.

Vulnerability and the Difference Between Wisdom and Knowledge

A key theme in the conversation is vulnerability in leadership.

Heather challenges the idea that leaders must always project certainty. Instead, she argues that vulnerability builds trust and creates stronger connections. Leaders who are willing to admit uncertainty often invite greater engagement and honesty from those around them.

She also draws a clear distinction between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge can be taught. Wisdom, however, comes from lived experience, reflection, and the courage to apply what you’ve learned in real situations.

Joy, Mental Well-being, and Sustainable Business

Rather than focusing on happiness as a constant goal, Heather reframes the conversation around joy. Joy, she explains, is more sustainable and intentional—it’s something you can choose to prioritize even during challenging seasons.

For business owners, this perspective matters. Heather speaks openly about the mental and emotional toll of entrepreneurship and the importance of protecting mental well-being. One of the most practical lessons she shares is the courage to say no—to clients, projects, or commitments that consistently drain energy.

As Heather puts it, “You have to commit to what fills you up.”

Trusting Yourself and Setting Intentions

The conversation closes with a focus on intuition and self-trust. Heather encourages business owners to listen closely to internal signals when making decisions—especially when evaluating client relationships.

Setting intentions for joy, she suggests, can act as a compass. When decisions align with those intentions, work becomes more sustainable, meaningful, and impactful.

“Trusting yourself is crucial in business,” Heather reminds listeners.

Episode Chapters & Highlights

• 00:00 Introduction to Heather Graham and Her Journey

• 05:53 Core Values and Social Justice in Consulting

• 12:02 Navigating Resistance and Building Consensus

• 17:58 Finding Joy vs. Happiness in Work and Life

• 24:08 Advice for New Entrepreneurs

About the Guest: Heather Graham — H. Graham Consulting

Heather Graham is a consultant and business coach with a background in hospital management and community health. Through H. Graham Consulting, she supports leaders and organizations with collaboration, governance, social justice-informed strategy, and leadership development. Her work blends lived experience, empathy, and practical insight to help clients navigate complexity with clarity and purpose.

Listen to the Full Episode

The full conversation with Heather Graham is available on all major podcast platforms.