Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Julian Guthrie, Founder and CEO of Alphy, located in San Francisco, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I’m the founder and CEO of Alphy, a revolutionary new solution to advance, connect, and inspire women. Alphy provides original learning, interviews and stories, games, events, networking, rewards, and jobs all in one beautiful app. Plus, patent-pending technology strengthens and improves gendered communication.
Gender inequity is well-documented and problematic across so many industries. Not only does this impact women, but there’s also plenty of evidence that companies that value diversity has higher profits. Gender equality serves everyone, and Alphy exists to help both individuals and their employers advance toward that goal.
Our customers are women and non-binary individuals who want to advance in their personal and professional lives and companies that want to help their female and non-binary employees do the same.
Tell us about yourself
I had a 25-year career as a journalist and have also written five nonfiction books. My fourth book, Alpha Girls, really struck a chord with readers; the book profiled four women, trailblazers who work in venture capital, an industry notoriously populated almost exclusively by men. When speaking about Alpha Girls, I often received questions from women about how they, too, could succeed in their own careers against the odds. I also fielded questions from decision-makers at companies who wanted to improve gender equity at their companies but weren’t sure how to do so. I started thinking about how I could be part of the solution, and the idea for Alphy was born.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Assembling an incredibly talented team of wonderful humans!
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
There are a million moving parts, questions, and challenges literally every day. It’s having the stamina to tackle problems as varied as employee onboarding to customer outreach to team morale to finances to looking ahead to what’s next. So you have to manage your time skillfully and be both a financial disciplinarian and a creative strategist - all the while never losing your mindset as a blue sky dreamer.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Be strong physically and mentally. This is the hardest thing you will ever do. But it’s also an incredible experience to build something powerful from basically an idea on a napkin.
- Hire people who are smarter than you are.
- Have fun and find gratitude in the journey.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Check out Alphy, our new tech platform for advancing women. We have reimagined all sorts of things, including what a social and learning network can be for women and how companies can do a better job of recruiting, retaining, and advancing women.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.alphyco.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alphycompany
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alphy_co/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alphy_co
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alphyco/
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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