Today we’d like to introduce you to Ali Joseph.
It’s an honor to speak with you today. Why don’t you give us some details about you and your story. How did you get to where you are today?
My story starts working in corporate for over 12 years learning the ropes of people management, customer relationship management, systems, networking, etc. Working for some of the top tech companies in Chicago it exposed me to the realization of the gifts that I have to service independent business owners starting and/or expanding their companies. So I started reaching out to entrepreneurs, asking what their biggest pain-points were & how my knowledge & skills could help them focus more on their “zone of genius”. Most of the feedback I received was a need for organization, onboarding clients & making the experience with their brand efficient & streamlined with their daily operations. It was also during the time right before the pandemic where people were getting more into remote working. Then the pandemic hit & it became a reality for plenty of folks to have more of an online presence & a system of organization for their customers. That’s where “The Virtual Solutionist” (me) was born & it gave me the courage to reach out to these business owners to help them transition into a new way of working but also provided the opportunity to help them build unique processes for their brand & the customers they serve.
I’m sure your success has not come easily. What challenges have you had to overcome along the way?
One of my biggest challenges was definitely imposter syndrome. Most times it’s hard for us to believe in ourselves, our skills & our abilities to do anything that can help impact & benefit another individual. For a long time the accomplishments I achieved, the ideas shared & projects I executed to help others thrive, I always just thought of these things as just “helping out” or “not a big deal” because things had to get done. I realized with my experience & what I’ve learned over the years gave me the opportunity & confidence to provide exposure to individuals who may not have access to the same knowledge & tools on building their companies in a profit-driven way. Another challenge I had to overcome was realizing that clients don’t want perfection, they want results. So many times we focus on providing the perfect presentation, perfect branding, perfect EVERYTHING when working with clients, but in the end all they require are the results necessary to help them grow. Clients know there will be mistakes, trials & errors through the process, but when you get to that “sweet spot” that works for them, brings profits along with new & returning customers, that’s where the gold is! Communication is ALWAYS key!
Let’s talk about the work you do. What do you specialize in and why should someone work with you over the competition?
Primarily I work with solopreneurs, micro-agencies & small businesses turning their client experience into an amazing impression with their brand. I focus on client relationship management (CRM) setup, design, organization & automation. I also help clients with system audits & administrative management operations. I bring a fresh perspective to entrepreneurs, especially working in the corporate startup culture for such a long time, understanding what works, what doesn’t & the impact it can have on the customer experience. Having this unique knowledge has helped my clients not make “traditional” mistakes & bypass some of the trial & error processes when building and expanding their companies to the next level.
What’s your best piece of advice for readers who desire to find success in their life?
I say be open to every experience. Through experience you gain knowledge, wisdom & understanding. Be ready to put in work & have a service mindset. Working with people is an art & what you do and how you say something to an individual can impact them positively or negatively. I will also say not to look at challenges as difficult or as a negative experience, but rather as a way for you to learn something new & help someone else who may be going through a similar challenge.
Speaking of success, what does the word mean to you?
Success to me means living the life you want, on your terms, with the people that matter most with the ability to impact others in such a powerful way!
What’s next for you?
Aside from my business operations management company, I’m looking to get into some form of real estate, gain more speaking engagements & get back into podcasting because I miss it & I LOVED doing it! I also want to take client relationship management internationally.
Finally, how can people connect with you if they want to learn more.
You can always visit the website (thevirtualsolutionist.com), connect on my Facebook business page @thevirtualsolutionist, follow me on Instagram @thevirtualsolutionist. You can also connect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/alishajoseph/
