We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sandra Wright, PhD a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Sandra , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about the early days of establishing your own firm. What can you share?
I became a business owner because I was fired from my previous job because I told the truth. At first, I was put on administrative leave for almost a month, then the organization simply fired me. The only time I have every been fired from a job and what a blessing. Before, I was fired I networked with a friend of mine who knew the Vice President of the New York Time Regional Newspaper Group (actually they were best friends). This person hired me as a consultant to do Problem Solving and Decision Making and flew me to Florida and put me in one of the nicest hotels. Life was sweet.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?
Well, as I stated earlier, I was kind of forced in becoming a trainer. I had told God how unhappy I was in the position that I was in — Director of Education. I would walk in the door in the morning and would have an awful headache. My shoulders would hurt and my eyes felt tired. The moment I stepped out the door (EVERYDAY), the headaches would immediately go away. I was totally stressed out. I knew that I was in a messy situation, and I asked God to help me get another position. Little did I know that I would be fired and become my own boss! I think that was the only way God could get me out because I should have been gone long ago, but I didn’t budge.
My company offers one-stop shopping to improve performance in the workplace, develop employees professionally, as well as empower you to BECOME AUTHENTICALLY YOU!
As my company continues to grow, we partner with organizations from beginning to end to ensure that your organization meets the quality standards of excellence to improve employee job performance for individuals and groups. We utilize practical and interactive methods to train and develop individuals through educationally sound processes that sharpen their skills and acquisition of knowledge.
I am most proud of the fact that I will be starting a new chapter in my life with my new women’s magazine; FEMME SAVANT – the inaugural edition will be out in September 2022.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
There are so many books that have touched my spirit and made me more mindful within my business. So many of John Maxwell’s books (i.e.,Developing the Leader within), The Prayer of Jabez for Women, Dig your Well Before You Are Thirsty, The Measure of a Man, The Pursuit of Wow!, Buried Alive! Digging Out of a Management Dumpster, and Taming Your Gremlins.
Also, there are a few videos that I truly love:
15 One Time Decisions That 100X Your Productivity
Earvin “Magic” Johnson: Understand Your Customers and Over-Deliver (This is truly a great video)
We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.
In keeping in touch with clients, I make sure that I asked for their birthdays first. Each year, I send out physical birthday cards as well as virtual birthday cards to them. Additionally, I might find out if they have children or grandchildren. I try to email them or call them at least quarterly. If they have a child that is graduating I make sure that I send out well wishes. Also, every Christmas I make sure that they get a Christmas basket from me from my favorite online store Harry & David. I am not really trying to promote them, but they are awesome!
I also periodically have calls with them to discuss any upcoming needs and most times they refer me to others.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sandracollinswright.com | https://www.intentadmprof.com
- Instagram: @divadocfromtheatl
- Linkedin: Dr. Sandra Wright
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwTddfb5Qiw&t=989s
Image Credits
BMARS Photography Will Wright