Name: Amanda Smith

Title: President

Organisation: Paintsmith Decor Ltd.

Business owner, entrepreneur, inventor, and patent holder.

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

I hope Amanda's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. What have you found most challenging as a leader?

Recognizing that sometimes I want more for my team than they want for themselves. Accepting that not everyone will do what they have to do and make the right choices in their personal and professional life to put themselves in a position of freedom and advancement. It’s like seeing yourself as the Connor McDavid of your company, and wanting a team of Connor McDavids. This, of course, is statistically impossible but as a leader who cares about developing my team, it is incredibly frustrating when I see my team achieving below their potential.

2. How did you become a leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

I started painting when I was 16. I started my own company when I was 18. I ran my company throughout my university years and for the past 18 years now have developed it into a well-known boutique painting business within Edmonton. I expanded my services to include Cleaning and I’ve done that for 12 years. I’ve expanded my business further by inventing a piece of personal protective equipment and by going through the process to secure patents over 51 countries for my device. I see myself phasing out of my current business because I’ve outgrown them. Once the sale of my company is complete, I see anew business emerging that focuses on real estate and software development.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

430 wake-up. 2 hours to walk dogs, attend personal hygiene, meditate which includes reading or writing, business emails estimates and voicemails.

630 leave for work.

Start work at 745. Work until 6.

Family time until 9.

Lights out 915

4. What's a recent leadership lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of?

You have to document events in writing and have tough personal talks when staff under perform, so that you can toggle your team up or let them go without phone calls arising from labour boards.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

Any book by Patrick Lencioni.

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young leader, what would you say to them?

Work your ass off now because you will never have more energy than you do now. Youth doesn’t require as my recovery time so use that fact to your advantage. I promise you, you will want more recovery time as you get older.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader, so far?

Can’t think of one specifically