Technology-driven Excellence & Innovation

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Julia Valentine, Managing Partner of AlphaMille, located in New York, NY, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

To stay competitive, companies must future-proof their technology. AlphaMille advises boards, CEOs, and business owners on strategy, operations, and technology. We are also the outsourced CTO and technology team for startups, venture & private equity funds, hedge funds, family offices, foundations, and small & midsize businesses.

Tell us about yourself

I love solving business problems with technology. I believe technology can free up our time, so we can enjoy our lives outside of work and also expand what's possible for businesses to achieve. It's creative and innovative. I've been doing this for many years, and I'm lucky that my work and my hobby are the same.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Most of our clients would love to hire an awesome full-time CTO who would build out their technology, but it's not practical for many reasons: there's not enough work for a full-time person to do, they don't have the expertise to hire, or manage that person, there's no budget, etc. So when we say all you need is a great fractional CTO/team that they can rely on, our clients are happy - they can rely on us to build and support exactly what they need without the headache of having all of this done in-house.

At the end of what some call a digital transformation, a.k.a. going from a pile of paper or an excel spreadsheet to a well-running infrastructure, our clients say they feel the burden has been lifted. In other cases, we set up investment funds or family offices, or improve the existing ones, making them agile and introducing AI/ML to automate functions like deal sourcing. This vastly expands the opportunity set - what's possible is far more powerful than what was there before. This improvement in capability is impactful, and that's when we feel a great sense of accomplishment when our clients are impressed.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

The challenges of building a business are many, and volatility is a big part of it. Luckily, one of our Managing Partners, Alex Elman Foley, is a successful entrepreneur who created three thriving businesses before AlphaMille, and she manages to get us through the ups and downs. It is essential to have someone like that who can guide us through change. Alex also works with our clients in the communications area - change management and communication - and helps them in a similar way.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Someone on your team should have prior startup experience.
Speak to as many potential clients as possible early on because your products/services will change as you grow.
Use technology strategically - it's no longer a function/department; it's the engine at the core of your business.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.alphamille.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jvk2001/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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