Alexandra Gendron has leadership embedded in her DNA.
This superstar performer won Rookie Operator of the Year in her first year with Student Works, and her success has only grown since.
Serving as one of our first window cleaning District Managers, Alexandra took on the challenge with a positive mindset. And in the spirit of being of service, she’s now a mentor for new Student Works Management Program recruits, in addition to running her own team.
In a conversation with Chris Thomson on our Leaders of Tomorrow Podcast, Alexandra got candid about her ambitious nature and how it guides her in everything that she does.
Here are her key business takeaways from her time with us at Student Works:
Focus on the Solution
When it comes to running a business, any C-suite executive will tell you that dwelling on all the problems you need to solve serves only to limit your potential.
“I think top performers really have a solution-oriented mindset. They get thrown a lot of challenges every single day, and instead of dwelling on them and focusing on them, they’re constantly thinking, “how can I actually solve this right now?” Alexandra shared.
It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on business operations across the globe. Top performers, however, have been able to pivot and adapt to keep things as close to “business as usual” as possible.
Alexandra is one of them. But at first? She was very resistant to the change.
After hiring a new team, training them, and booking clients, she couldn’t believe she had to change her approach. However, being the leader that she is, she flipped the script and began viewing the new business landscape as an opportunity for growth.
“[I began asking myself] how is this year going to help us? How are we going to create everything we want? And when you start looking at it as an opportunity, there’s just so much you can discover there,” she explained to Chris.
Her new approach even led to uncovering innovative ways to find business.
“Last year half the team didn’t even have a Facebook page and this year we were able to book tens of thousands of dollars through Facebook and Instagram … there’s just so many little things that we’ve learned through it,” she beamed.
Strive for Balance
Running a business requires unwavering dedication and hard work, but it doesn’t have to be an endless grind to the top.
“It’s great to be hitting all our goals, but at the same time work-life balance is super super important,” she explained.
Burn out is debilitating, and it’s imperative that leaders understand their limits and replenish their energies wherever they can. This enables them to put their best foot forward each day in all aspects of their lives.
“[I ask my team] what are you doing to have fun this week? When are you taking time off? It’s great you hit that sales goal! How are you going to reward yourself?” she said.
Now that’s the kind of boss every company needs.
Inspiration
“I’m only as successful as the people who are around me,” he remarked.
One of the key pillars of a profitable business is a motivated team.
“I have had to put [the people I work with] through courses, spend time coaching [them], give them some good guidance, and help them get [going in] the right direction,” he said.
A leader who is generous with his or her time, and provides both detailed feedback and a soundboard to discuss any issues one might have is, simply put, the gold standard.
Are you a student looking to further your development as a leader and enter the exciting world of entrepreneurship? Check out more stories from Student Works participants and alumni on our Leaders of Tomorrow Podcast!
