Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Tina Iaquinta, Founder & CEO of Modern Concierge Inc., located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Modern Concierge is a Luxury Personal Concierge Service based in Toronto, serving clients globally. Modern Concierge is a service for busy, overwhelmed executives, entrepreneurs, celebrities, and athletes. No detail is too small for us, and we take great pride in making each one of our clients happy. From sourcing home service providers, to finding the perfect gift for their loved ones, to planning a much-needed family vacation – we do it all. We make the calls, run the errands and pull off the miracles so our clients can focus on what truly matters to them.
Tell us about yourself
My entrepreneurial journey began in my early 30s after I had my two kids and needed to decide what my next career move was going to be. I knew I didn’t want to go back to the corporate world, so I decided to start my own business, and the Concierge Industry made so much sense for a problem solver. I worked with a lot of c-suite executives in the Financial Industry and entrepreneurs before I started my business and found most of them had no time to enjoy life. They were overwhelmed or felt guilty for not having enough time for their kids and families. I knew this was the perfect space for me. The little things that needed to be done took up so much mental space and so much time. I wanted to give them peace of mind knowing that someone else could take care of the daunting tasks so they could sit back, relax and focus on what mattered most to them.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Over the years, I’ve built strong partnerships, both locally and globally, that have helped us get to where we are. I started the business with no background or experience in the Concierge Industry, and today we have a successful, scalable business with big plans for growth.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Finding the right team is a challenge for many entrepreneurs. Jim Collins said it best in his book Good to Great, “Great vision without great people is irrelevant.” Surrounding yourself with a team that shares your core values is so important. Hiring the right people and making sure they are happy and productive in their respective roles is critical.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Define your values and communicate them to your team and network. Everything we do at Modern Concierge is tied to our values. We operate and behave based on our values - everything from hiring our team to accepting new members that fit within our culture.
- Learn from mistakes. I used to hate making mistakes before I started my business, but I’ve learned to embrace mistakes. I look at mistakes as learning opportunities.
- Creating and executing solid processes. I’m a big believer in being organized, solving problems, and communicating. In order to achieve this, you must have solid processes in place. Without defined processes within your business, you’re going to end up putting out fires, your profitability is going to suffer, your clients aren’t going to be satisfied, and your suppliers are going to be frustrated.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://modernconcierge.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/modernconcierge/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modernconcierge/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/modernconcierge/
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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