We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Amanda Painter. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Amanda below.

Amanda, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

I’m on a mission to help small business owners create a culture of worth in their workplace.

My story behind this mission began with my first job after college. I studied business and accounting and was hired by a small business as their Finance Manager. Not long after beginning the position, I discovered that I was expected to manage more than the finances; human resource duties were also mine. The logic behind this is “you pay the staff, so it makes sense for you to also handle hiring, benefits, and all HR items in between.” Thankfully, I had taken some HR courses and had the opportunity to do continuing education on HR topics.

As my career continued with other small businesses and consulting work, the trend continued. Now I know that Human Resources is often the most overlooked department for smaller businesses. In many cases, someone in a leadership position (often finance) is wearing the HR “hat” without any formal training. There is consistently a lack of structure in place for HR processes.

In my last position before starting my company, Joy of Pursuit, there was a similar situation. I worked diligently to develop and implement HR practices for the growing company. But with this company, there was one significant issue that I couldn’t fix regardless of my effort—the culture. Culture starts with leadership. When a company leader refuses to be held accountable to the same expectations as the rest of the team, toxicity breeds. I knew when it was time to go.

Now, I work with small businesses to develop their needed HR practices and consult with them on how to build the culture that will create a successful company.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I began my career with numbers and finances but grew to discover a passion for the people-side of business with Human Resources. Throughout my career, I discovered the significant need for HR processes in small businesses.

Despite years of working for a publishing company, I never thought I would be an author. Now I’m a four-time published author with an entire series for small businesses. The Team Solution Series: HR Coaching to Grow Teams and Profit. This book series is a guide through the employee journey—hiring, onboarding, retention, and exits. From creating a job description to an employee’s last day, the series provides simplified processes to implement efficient HR practices for small businesses.

In addition to my books, I developed an online course on HR topics and consult with small businesses on building and implementing HR processes. My work is focused on delivering effective methods that will improve team engagement, communication, and culture, and in return, businesses see positive results in their company’s bottom line.

We’d love to hear about you met your business partner.

I met my co-founder, Brenda Haire, at my previous job. The company was fully remote but came together to host an annual conference. I was fairly new to the team and had not interacted with Brenda at all. Despite not knowing each other we were assigned to room together. I was less than thrilled to be rooming with someone who was essentially a stranger.

My feelings changed quickly once meeting Brenda. We immediately bonded and began working in sync together throughout the conference. We discovered how well we balance each other and work amazingly together.

Now three years later, we are business partners at Joy of Pursuit.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

Create a culture where feedback is considered an opportunity, not a threat. As leaders, we must prioritize both giving and receiving feedback.

Provide consistent and constructive feedback to your team. Praise effort more than ability. Work with the employee to improve performance or behavior. Be solution-focused and provide all the tools and support necessary for improvement.

Provide opportunities for our employees to give us feedback and act on it. Keep these opportunities structured and solution-focused. Employees will be more receptive to the feedback you give them if they know you are also open to listening to their feedback.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thejoyofpursuit.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/joyofpursuit/
• Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandajpainter/ https://amazon.com/author/amandajpainter