Controlling Values, Not Timelines

I have known Alissa Leinonen for over 10 years and watched her navigate as an entrepreneur, as a role model, and as a mother.  Alissa leads in so many areas of her life through a single unifying thread: 

 Alissa Leinonen Controls Her Values, Not Her Timelines

Alissa is the founder and CEO of Gourmondo, a catering and food services company based in Seattle, WA that has become one of the dominant providers in the region.  Through sheer grit, a relentless commitment to quality, and an incredible culture of support, Gourmondo has navigated some pretty challenging moments over the years.  Sure, could I go down the path of talking about how they have stayed alive during the pandemic and how they refocused their company to provide meals for children rather than catered lunches for employers?  I could.  But the “What” Alissa has done pales in comparison to the “Why” Alissa does it.

 There is an important step in One Life to Lead called “Harnessing Energy from the Environment.” In the chapter, I talk about ways to to welcome new energy into your life.  The point I make in the book is that life design includes gaining a keen awareness for what gives you energy and what drains your energy.   And for Alissa, one of the ways she gathers energy is by staying true to her values, irrespective of the outcome (i.e. focusing on inputs, not outputs).  When you are too focused on an end result and forget the reason you are doing it in the first place, you risk losing energy.  In the book I share about Alissa the following:  

What is so incredible about Alissa is that it’s never been about the business. It has always been about amazing food and empowering her team to be the very best that they can be. She is the mother hen of the company, and while she has architected a business that allows her to work only two days per week (yes, totally jealous), she is also the first one to give holiday gifts to the families, host company-wide parties with family members, and support minimum wage employees when they need financial aid. Gourmondo is simply a vehicle to deliver happiness, and she does so in spades. When Ernst & Young recognized Alissa as an Entrepreneur of the Year, it signaled that Alissa had definitely found her groove.

To learn more about harnessing energy from the environment and the other steps to life design, check out One Life to Lead today.  You can also download the companion workbook here.

Russell Benaroya is an entrepreneur, coach, speaker and author of One Life to Lead and Free Yourself to Work on Your Business.  To learn more, visit www.russellbenaroya.com.