Alicia Butler Pierre is on a quest to revolutionize the way small businesses operate. She does that by speaking, coaching, writing, lecturing, and podcasting. She is the Founder & CEO of Equilibria, Inc. and the bestselling author of Behind the Façade, the world’s first published book on business infrastructure. She hosts the weekly Business Infrastructure podcast, which ranks in the world’s top 2%. She’s an adjunct instructor of Lean Principles at Purdue University and Operations Management at Nichols College. A chemical engineer turned entrepreneur, she’s advised, designed, and optimized processes for organizations including Coca-Cola, Shell Oil, The Library of Congress, and The Home Depot.
Tell us about your childhood and where you grew up
I grew up in Baton Rouge, LA. I grew up in an environment where education was treasured. My parents instilled in me the values of honesty, discipline, and ethics. This laid the foundation for all of my accomplishments.
How did you get started as an entrepreneur?
My very first entrepreneurial venture started when I was just 7 years old. I used to do light chores at daycare and received a small payment. When I was a teenager I sold candy to help pay for clothes. As an adult, I became a landlord. But those were all side hustles. My first full-time entrepreneurial endeavor came with Equilibria – the company I founded in 2005.
What is one business lesson you would tell a startup founder?
Strive for continuous improvement instead of perfection and 2) don’t take advice from anyone who hasn’t done what you want to do.
