Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in training and education but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Amanda Paldao, Owner of Tri-Ed Tutoring, located in Falls Church, VA, USA.

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

My business is Tri-Ed Tutoring. We specialize in 1:1 and small group tutoring, primarily for high school students. Our customers are high school students that want to improve their SAT or ACT scores or need extra help in a subject area.

Tell us about yourself

I started Tri-Ed Tutoring in 2006, and I often joke that youthful arrogance was the reason. I was 23 and had just finished my Master's in Teaching. Throughout college, I tutored for another tutoring company, and I thought I could do things better, so I started Tri-Ed. It was a lot of trial and error in the beginning. Seeing our students' successes or hearing a parent say I helped relieve their stress by talking through a plan for their child is what motivates me.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I think my biggest accomplishment as a business owner has been being able to grow and adapt a business over the last 16 years. From the Great Recession in 2008 to the COVID shutdowns in 2020, we have weathered many storms and had to adapt our services.

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

The hardest thing is never truly being able to turn off work. I am lucky to have a great group of employees, but at the end of the day, the weight of making sure the business is running smoothly falls on me. Although I've become far better at maintaining a good work-life balance over the years, I do still feel an obligation to check emails and reply even on vacation, so I never feel totally checked out from work.

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

  1. Be prepared to weather the storms. It will not always go smoothly.
  2. Set parameters around when you work. Otherwise, it is easy for workers to seep into all of their personal time. Unless there is a true emergency, I try hard to check out of work on weekends. I find it very necessary to take those breaks in order to maintain motivation.
  3. Get good people around you from the start. Life as an entrepreneur can be lonely at times. Find a group of entrepreneurs or a business coach or mentor. Seek advice from professionals like CPAs and lawyers. It will make things easier if you have people to turn to for advice, to share your successes on the good days, or just to commiserate on the not-so-good days.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://tri-edtutoring.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/triedtutoring
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nvatutoring/

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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