Welcome back to IBJ’s new video feature, “Leading Questions: Wisdom from the Corner Office.” Every week, we sit down with one of central Indiana’s most respected bosses and talk shop about the characteristics of effective head honchos and the challenges they face.

Lorraine Ball, founder and owner of the marketing firm Roundpeg, decided to start her own company after spending two decades leading the marketing and branding strategies for big corporate concerns such as Conseco Inc. and Carrier Corp. Now she grows her small business by helping other entrepreneurs grow theirs. In the video below, Ball reveals one of the biggest mistakes made by entrepreneurs, and she suggests a litmus test for when it's time to leave corporate life and strike out on your own.



The most tiresome chores for many fledgling business owners include networking and public speaking. In the bonus video below, Ball, a past president of the networking organization Rainmakers and the Network of Women in Business, shares her top tips for getting out and making connections with audiences and individuals.