This is part of our series highlighting businesses that have been operating for two years or less. In this article Andy Storch shares her experiences and insights since venturing out on his own with Advantage Performance Group.
How did your business get started?
I was recruited by a friend who was already a partner (independent contractor) with Advantage and I was familiar with the industry and solutions from my last job. It gave me the opportunity to do some of what I was already doing it but independently as a 1099 and run my own business vs. being an employee so I made the leap on Oct 1, 2017 (really Jan 1, 2018) and have not looked back.
Who do you serve and why?
I serve talent development professionals at large companies by connecting them with really awesome experiential learning solutions to help them accelerate results and get their people doing the best work of their lives. I love helping people and making connections so this is a great business for me.
What makes your business different?
In a word: me. I have developed a strong personal brand and am developing my own POV on leadership development. I host two podcasts and do a ton of stuff of social media. I also connect people with great partners to bring in the right solution and save them time.
What obstacles did you have to overcome in order to start your business?
Getting health insurance, setting up a business, running things on my own and deciding how to spend my time.
What has been the most rewarding experience for you since starting your business?
I love the risk/reward of running your own business and getting to make my own schedule and decide how and where to invest my time and money and all the things I can do on social and new media with no oversight from anyone.
What has been the biggest mistake/lesson you’ve learned?
I was too optimistic and thought I would grow this thing really quickly and realized that business moves slower than that and it takes time.
If you could do it all over again, what one thing would you do differently, and why?
Nothing.
How do you keep things fun and interesting for yourself?
Doing new things every day. Having lots of interesting conversations, investing in myself, joining mastermind groups, etc.
Who do you admire and how has that person helped you to reach your current level of success?
So many people. Most notably Vincent Pugliese who has been a good friend and mentor for the past 18 months since before I went out on my own. Another one is Hal Elrod who changed my life with his book, The Miracle Morning, and who has taught me so much even though I don’t really know him.
What is your primary business focus for the next 12 months?
Grow my business and create an income that far surpasses what I had as a W2 employee.
