Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal and business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Shelly O'Donovan, CEO of Authentic Influence Group, ITM LLC., located in Jenkintown, PA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
The Authentic Influence Group. We empower Pharma and Med Device executives to authentically Influence to get what they want and need. We train in companies, run training programs online, and teach body language and communication skills that take people and teams to the next level.
Tell us about yourself
After walking the halls of government and GlaxoSmithKline for years and seeing many people rise and fall, I uncovered patterns. Realizing that many aspiring medical and pharmaceutical executives spend a lifetime trying to propel forward, I found that others held on to what they had earned so tightly that they didn't have time to share the roadmap. I've always been curious about what makes people tick, and cultivating authentic influence my entire career. And wanted to help others, especially women, rise to the ranks of healthcare. The Authentic Influence Group trains executives and teams primarily in the Pharma and Medical Device Industry to amplify their authentic influence. What motivates me is a desire to see the right people advance into leadership roles!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
The five-week intensive training course we run at many companies is called How to Hack Influence at Work. Only because of the stories my clients share after completing the course. We've had many executives telling us it was the thing that they didn't know they needed, and often when changes were afoot in their company, months or years later, they pull out their notes and reflect on the insights they learned. Many make a jump in salary or roles after completing our training.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
For me, the most difficult thing is realizing that there are things you don't know that you don't know. So it is uncovering what those particular elements are that you have to learn to grow the business and then finding a way to move forward. It is really a journey in self-development, and you often learn the hard way how to grow yourself as well as your business.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Give it time to grow... it will take longer than you expect. However, there is nothing like getting the first sale, getting the right client in the door, and hearing clients rave about what you helped them achieve.
- Find the right support system. You need key people in your life cheering you on and supporting you every step of the way. Often family and friends won't understand the challenges you are going through, so you need to find mentors who do.
- Slowly put in place whatever systems you can to make things run smoothly. However, do it slowly so that you can evaluate those systems along the way.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
It is a wild and fun ride!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://authenticinfluencegroup.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authenticinfluencegroup
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShellyOdonovan
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shellyodonovan/
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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