Michelle Lee – Founder, President & CEO, STG International

This multimillion-dollar entrepreneur’s recession strategy: expansion?

By Taylor Mallory

How does a librarian build a $130+ million company? By sticking to what she knows. That’s the strategy for Michelle Lee, founder, president and CEO of STG International, which provides human capital management and healthcare support services to the federal government. When she decided to start her own company, Lee, who has a master’s degree in library science, decided to specialize her outsourcing firm in library and information services. “And it started selling like hotcakes,” says Lee, whose company has doubled or tripled most every year since she started in 1997.

So how’s she planning to survive the recession? “Expanding into adjacent markets where we already have the experience and know-how to be successful,” she says. The company already provides medical staff for federal agencies. So now Lee is looking at moving into military hospitals and other similar businesses – and is looking for new ways to expand the HR services her company provides to local and state governments. “It’s all about moving forward right now.”

Here Lee shares how she balances her business with life – along with some of her other business success secrets.

PINK: What do you do to relax and restore your spirit?
Michelle Lee: Traveling with my husband and three daughters is the best medicine! Now that my girls are older, we can go off the beaten path more. For an immediate pick-me-up, I work out in my home gym. I started my routine for my physical health, but I keep it up for my mental health. A lot of problems from work are solved on the elliptical machine.

PINK: How do you balance work and life?
M.L.: It’s not easy, but I try to be home for dinner with my family. Of course, there are nights when I don’t make it or maybe pay a little too much attention to my BlackBerry during the meal. But I believe that eating dinner together brings families together.

PINK: How do you define “success”?
M.L.: How I am able to support and influence other people’s success. It’s about providing employees with job security, good benefits and opportunities and being able to support my employees and their families while taking care of my own family.

PINK: What’s the biggest business mistake you’ve ever made?
M.L.: My biggest regret is that I didn’t start my business sooner! I had the idea and the vision years earlier, but hesitation held me back. In 1997, I finally left my job and founded STG. It was scary at first, but it was also exhilarating. Remembering those years when I wasn’t doing something I was passionate about inspires me to embrace today’s challenges and seek out new opportunities. “No fear” is my motto for how to lead a business and how to live life.