In 2014, Abby Reinhard bought GP Flooring Solutions despite not having a background in the industry. Just four years later, she was named the 2018 Business Person of the Year by Rochester's Small Business Council. While the company has experienced considerable growth, Abby says that the growth was not an explicit goal, but rather an outcome of a focus on people and culture. Tune in to hear about how Abby codified the values and culture at GP Flooring Solutions, how she continues to reinforce the culture through storytelling and hiring practices, how she believes business should recognize its interconnection with all stakeholders and her personal evolution as a Conscious Leader. GP Flooring Solutions is a commercial flooring company headquartered in the Greater Rochester area. Since Abby purchased the company four years ago, she has enjoyed growing a team from 9 to 32 employees (and growing!). Her academic background is in leadership and management, with degrees from the University of Michigan and Harvard University, and her prior career background in marketing communications, fundraising and sales. A Rochester-area native, Abby returned to her hometown after living in Ann Arbor, Boston, and New York City. Always on the go with three young children, she also serves on the boards of The Hochstein School of Music and Dance and Blackfriars Theatre. Abby was named one of the Forty Under 40 by Rochester Business Journal in 2016; she was recognized in 2017 by Floor Focus Magazine as one of the top ten leaders in her industry under age 40; and was named the Small Business Council of Rochester's 2018 Business Person of the Year.
Abby Reinhard is the owner and president of GP Flooring Solutions, a commercial flooring company headquartered in the Greater Rochester area. Since purchasing her company almost four years ago, Abby has enjoyed growing a team from 9 to 32 employees (and growing!). Her academic background is in leadership and management, with degrees from the University of Michigan and Harvard University, and her prior career background in marketing communications, fundraising and sales.
A Rochester-area native, Abby returned to her hometown after living in Ann Arbor, Boston, and New York City. Always on the go with three young children, she also serves on the boards of The Hochstein School of Music and Dance and Blackfriars Theatre. Abby was named one of the Forty Under 40 by Rochester Business Journal in 2016; she was recognized in 2017 by Floor Focus Magazine as one of the top ten leaders in her industry under age 40; and was named the Small Business Council of Rochester's 2018 Business Person of the Year.
[1:30] Creating a culture where employees feel safe to stretch outside their comfort zone
[4:30] Building trust with a new team and in an unfamiliar industry: Strategy, resources and people
[7:15] The leap of faith of buying a business
[8:45] The four year journey from new owner to Business Person of the Year
[11:00] Making tough decisions to maintain the integrity of core values
[14:00] Culture: Balancing the past and the future
[15:50] Abby's process for codifying the core values with GP Flooring Solutions
[21:45] Sharing stories to reinforce values
[23:15] The difficulty of enacting your values and prioritizing your culture - Urgent vs. Important
[27:00] The business case for Conscious Culture: "Businesses are people"
[30:00] The many layers of the purpose of business
[32:00] Recognizing your interconnection and contributing to the business ecosystem
[34:15] Abby's evolution as a Conscious Leader
"Flooring is my industry and we fulfill a need...AND, for me to feel connected to something bigger than that is really important...if I didn't focus on that, I wouldn't be happy."
[37:00] Abby's future and the future of GP Flooring Solutions
[40:00] Abby's book recommendations: "Daring to Lead" by Brene Brown, "Best Place to Work" by Ron Friedman, plus the importance of growing spiritually
Learn more about GP Flooring Solutions:
www.gpflooringsolutions.com
Read more about Abby's honor as the Small Business Council's 2018 Business Person of the Year:
www.gpflooringsolutions.com/abby-reinhard-wins-business-person-of-the-year/