Amy Diederich
As far back as I can remember I’ve been goal driven.
I worked my way through college holding down two jobs. I completed my degree graduating Magna Cum Laude. I won a full scholarship to pursue my masters degree. I completed that degree Summa Cum Laude while still continuing to hold down two jobs.
Once I had my masters, I jumped into corporate America. I worked hard to move up the corporate ladder and did.
I have always had the drive to own my own business.
I am first and foremost an entrepreneur and inventor. I am the daughter of a prolific inventor and entrepreneur. My father always encouraged his kids to start their own businesses.
Three of his four children are entrepreneurs.
Starting BIG
In 1999 I left corporate America and started my own consulting firm, A-Squared Consulting. I am proud to say we were successful. We always operated in the black and always had plenty of business. My clients list was impressive: Adelphia, Vonage, and Comcast, to mention just a few.
In June of 2010 I felt compelled to merge my company with Jane Perdue’s (a former boss, client, and current mentor). Jane shared her story of the pivotal moment when her boss referred to her as Aunt Polly. That story hit a cord.
You see I also received a proverbial whack on the head.
My Whack On the Head
A-Squared Consulting did sales training at the company where my husband is CEO. One day I was introduced to a new senior leader who had just joined my husband’s team. After my role of sales consultant was explained, he commented to my husband, “How nice you gave the ‘little woman’ something to keep her busy!”
I was speechless!
I don’t find myself speechless very often.
I wanted to say, Well I agreed to work with this company to help my husband. My other clients are all Fortune 500 companies. The next few responses that came to my mind are not G-rated! Any of the potential retorts that came to my head, however deserved, felt really shallow.
I decided not say anything, but to let my actions and results prove I had not been “given” anything.
I believe most people have had that time in their life where someone intentionally or unintentionally tried to make them feel little.
For me, BIG is about helping people get past those moments and push through to live their BIG dream.
When Jane contacted me, I came to the conclusion that I had realized my dream and now it was time to give back and help others. I want to share how my dad inspired me to Start BIG! Give others the moxie to help them reach out for their dreams!
My work is designed to help you succeed in achieving YOUR dream. Your dream can be starting a company or simply starting a project. As the President of the Braithwaite Innovation Group, I get the chance to interact daily with people who are starting entrepreneurial adventures. I love to encourage them, help them find their market, and connect them with others who are chasing their dream.
Check us out to see what we have to offer.
If there is something you need help with, we are happy to help!
My new dream is to help others see a new possibility, a new connection or relationship that will spark the next great invention or business. Sound good?
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Today’s guest post is from Amy Diederich, my fellow instigator in making a positive difference. Here she tells her story about why she was inspired to get involved with BIG.
