Meet Parm Sidhu | Parm Sidhu | Strategic Advisor & Business Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Parm Sidhu and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Parm, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Honestly, it started with noticing a gap between what businesses needed and what they were actually getting. Coming out of Deloitte’s operational consulting practice, I was working with large enterprises – complex structures, dedicated teams, significant budgets. But when I looked at the small and mid-sized businesses around me. I saw owners who were sharp, had real growth potential, but were navigating major decisions largely on their own or with generalist advisors who didn’t really speak their language.

The thought process was less “I want to start a business” and more “this shouldn’t exist as a gap.” Founders at that $1M-$10M stage are often too sophisticated for generic advice but too lean to justify enterprise-level consulting fees. My business was built to sit in that space: bringing the strategic rigor of a larger firm without the overhead or the disconnect that sometimes comes with it.

On a personal level, I also wanted to build something where the work was more direct. In consulting, you can spend a lot of time on deliverables that get shelved. Working with SMB owners, the feedback loop is immediate. You see your work either create results or it doesn’t. That accountability was actually really appealing to me.

What should our readers know about your business?
Westhaven Partners is a strategic advisory firm I founded for small and mid-sized businesses, typically owner-operated companies in the $1M–$10M range who have built something real but are hitting a ceiling they can’t quite diagnose on their own.

My background is in operational consulting at Deloitte, where I worked on Generative AI, Finance Transformation, and strategy projects at a time when most organizations were still figuring out what the technology even meant for their business. That experience gave me an early and practical understanding of where AI creates genuine leverage and where it’s just noise. Since launching Westhaven, I’ve continued that work directly with clients, helping business owners cut through the hype and actually implement AI in ways that save time, reduce costs, and sharpen decision-making.

That’s become one of the things that sets Westhaven apart. A lot of business owners know they should be doing something with AI. They’re just not sure where to start or whether it’s even worth it for a business their size. The answer, almost always, is yes, but only when it’s approached strategically rather than reactively. That’s exactly the kind of conversation we have.

More broadly, what I bring is the rigour of institutional consulting without the overhead or the disconnect that often comes with larger firms. Owners at this stage don’t need a 90-page report. They need someone who can quickly identify what’s holding growth back, prioritize what actually matters, and help them execute, whether that’s operational efficiency, positioning, or building systems that scale.

It wasn’t a straightforward path to get here. Building a firm from scratch, developing a client base, and establishing credibility without a large firm’s name behind you requires patience and consistency. The lesson I keep coming back to is that trust is the product. Every engagement either deepens it or doesn’t, and that standard keeps the work honest.

For any business owner who feels like they’re working harder than the results justify, or they’re curious about what AI could actually do for their operations, I’d genuinely love to have that conversation.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend came to visit, we’d be eating and exploring the whole time. My go-to itinerary is pretty simple: brunch at Alfred’s on Melrose to start. Lunch or a late afternoon bite somewhere on Abbot Kinney in Venice, which is the perfect street if you want great food and shopping all in the same block. For dinner, we’d do Osteria Mozza or get a reservation at Nobu Malibu if we’re feeling like we want a view with the meal.

Of course, we’d have to do play some pickleball or go for a hike. Runyon Canyon if we want something social and scenic without committing to a full day, or Griffith Park if we want to actually earn the meal. Either way, smoothies before or after are non-negotiable. LA does that better than anywhere.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are a few people who genuinely shaped how I think and operate.

My parents are the foundation. They came to this country and built a life from scratch, and watching that growing up gave me a very grounded sense of what it actually takes to build something: patience, consistency, and a willingness to do the unglamorous work. That’s stayed with me more than any course or credential.

My co-founders and business partners deserve real credit too. Entrepreneurship can be isolating, and having people in the trenches with you who are equally invested makes a massive difference. The trust we’ve built across our ventures didn’t happen overnight. It came from being honest with each other when things weren’t working and showing up when it counted.

And honestly, the mentors I’ve had at various stages (whether in university, through Deloitte, or in the broader business community), who took the time to be direct with me rather than just encouraging. The people who pushed back, asked harder questions, and held a higher standard. That kind of mentorship is rare and I don’t take it for granted.

Website: https://www.westhavenpartners.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parm-sidhu/