Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Andrea Infelt Almaraz, Co-Founder of Positive Shift Partners, located in Richmond, VA, USA.

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

After years of driving large-scale organization culture change initiatives in Fortune 500 telecom and manufacturing companies (like AT&T, US WEST now Lumen, Trane, and American Standard) and 10 years of running a small business (Lisa Sasevich's The Invisible Close™), leading the team that drove over $45M in revenue and was recognized as an Inc 500 company two years in a row, I started my own business Positive Shift Partners. Drawing upon the highs and lows of my own 25+ year career, I coach business leaders to create thriving teams and processes for their growing companies. We typically work with small business owners with 4 to 20 employees and help them through the growing pains that come with success. Just like you have Sales and Marketing Plans, you need a People Plan, or you risk your biggest breakdowns just as you are celebrating your biggest (sales & marketing) wins. We look at your business operations to assess your staffing needs and evaluate gaps, pressure points, and the operational needs of your business. If you "still" can't find the right person for that key role, If you feel like you are filling "every role" to make your business work, or if you are the bottleneck for every decision, I can help you create your own People Plan and keep you on track to get the results you want. Also, Kolbe™is a go-to assessment tool that I use with clients to help teams better understand their strengths. In addition to consulting, I lead team training on Kolbe™ and How High Performing Teams Leverage Their Strengths.

Tell us about yourself

I started my career at Ameritech as a founding member of the Ameritech Institute. Our mission was to help facilitate the culture change from being a regional "bell" telephone company to a national brand. As the company navigated major rebranding and positioning in the marketplace, the top focus of the Chairman and CEO was to create change agents and leaders at every level of management. I have vivid memories of Dick Notebaert talking about the only way forward with stronger managers. He was passionate about investing in the frontline of the company. It was an exciting time to be in Organization Development as the field shifted from a very top-down authoritarian leadership model to a more inclusive "bottoms up" approach. I went on to spend 10+ years working in Fortune 500 companies in telecom and manufacturing, leading large-scale organizational change and leadership development initiatives.

Then, a decade ago, I discovered the dynamic and exciting world of mission-driven entrepreneurial small businesses. Lisa Sasevich hired me to help her as her new business, The Invisible Close™prospered. I was her first employee, her chief of operations "right-hand" person, and when I left, I was Vice President and the leader making the team and multi-million dollar business run. I'm passionate about helping small business owners build thriving teams, so they can be the CEO/Leader they want to be and continue to love their businesses. I have over 25 years of experience in organization and team development and operations management and earned my MA in Organization Development & Adult Leadership Studies from DePaul University. I am a Kolbe™ Certified Coach, And my studies include certificates in Essentials of Human Resources (DePaul University), the A+ Leader program (LeadingEdge Teams), and Appreciative Inquiry (Corporation for Positive Change). On a personal note, I have a life-long commitment to service and giving back to my communities. I am a long-time supporter of Holy Family Ministries, was a founding member of the Holy Family Associate Board, and a School Board member (2001-2008) of Holy Family School serving children on Chicago's west side. Currently, I am on the Board of Directors for Global Dental Relief (Denver, CO), providing children with dental care in 7 countries around the world.

I am married to my amazing husband of 12 years, and we recently moved to the East Coast. We both love music of all genres, and my husband is a not-so-secret rock star drummer. We are learning to play together (me on piano and him on guitar); it's a journey of going for good enough and just loving the moment! It's a great reminder of how to approach everything in life.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

There is no bigger thrill than witnessing a breakthrough when a team sees a way to do things differently. I hold an experience close, working with a leader to realize that the team strife they were trying to get through had much less to do with personality and a whole lot to do with two people being in the wrong roles. We did a "team re-organization" with new titles and clearer expectations. It was incredible the transformation. The best part, it all happened before anyone quit or got fired. As leaders, we all want to have productive teams who like coming to work. Too often, I've worked with driven, successful business owners who are exceptionally good "at what they do," and then as their success took off and they grew; they realize that they also have to do all this "other business stuff" (e.g., all the stuff that affects your team). So many of the things you did to be successful don't serve you (or your team) anymore! There can be painful growing pains.

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

I started my consulting practice 3 years ago. I worked with many solopreneurs and small businesses in my time with The Invisible Close, so I witnessed both the big wins and the challenges. But nothing like going through it yourself! It's so exciting as you get your first clients, and then you realize you are the one-stop shop. You are responsible for everything. There isn't anyone to delegate to. It's a balancing act, knowing when to start getting help and how much, all while keeping an eye on profitability and creating a sustainable model that fits your life. It's a journey!

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

  1. Don't go it alone. This is especially for solopreneurs and businesses with small teams. Often, you are the center of the wheel, with every spoke leading back to you. It can feel like the weight of every decision is on your shoulders. Make sure you have an advisory council (or trusted thought partners). The value of talking out major strategic decisions is immeasurable.
  2. Do not overlook having a People Plan. Once you grow past 2-3 employees, this becomes absolutely critical. Just like you have Sales and Marketing Plans, you need a People Plan, or you risk your biggest breakdowns just as you are celebrating your biggest (sales & marketing) wins.
  3. Choose Joy daily. Look for and foster your joy. It's a win for you, and it's certainly a win for your team. You started your own business to create a life of your own choosing.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.positiveshiftpartners.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreaalmaraz/

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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