My journey into leadership roles at SMBs

Jan Altmann spent his entire career working for SMBs (between 20-50 people). They mostly found themselves either in a growth cycle or after completing a growth cycle. They needed to slow down before they could speed up again. His career path was more like a stroll through a vibrant marketplace than a structured climb up the corporate ladder.

At the beginning of his leadership career, amidst performance and growing pains, Jan was called from one department to the other at an organization in growth mode, but only after he left the department better than when he started there. Ownership and Jan realized that he needed a broader mandate and created a new role in the organization. After 10+ years Jan decided to break out of event management and seek to understand other industries.

Jan repeated the cycle in SaaS companies where he quickly adapted to the benefits of agile management. In one example he set out to transform the company’s client experience as Product & Project Manager. Upon successful completion of the project, the organization required someone to revamp how the new product was sold. Jan happily stepped in to lead the growth team. Upon implementing repeatable processes, working bigger and better deals for the organization he documented it all in a sales playbook and moved on to new challenges calling his name.

After getting more serious about advising different organizations another big opportunity to transform a creative organization knocked on his door. As the Inside Sales Director he oversaw pipeline growth the organization hadn’t seen before. The team got to ring the bell so often, it finally got ripped out of the wall from all the ringing. The success was cut short by heavy pandemic impacts, but Jan helped the organization to transition from heavily relying on products to advisory services next. Before his departure two people were hired to eliminate his role that he had assumed shortly after starting.

During all these organizational challenges, Jan discovered a knack for turning uncertainty into an opportunity for growth. The teams, often initially cautious, soon warm up to Jan's down-to-earth approach. What distinguishes Jan in this world of SMBs isn’t a corner office or a power suit - it is his ability to transform mundane tasks into collaborative endeavors. Meetings become forums for shared ideas, and deadlines get met with a sense of collective purpose.

While Jan didn't plan on being the troubleshooter for SMBs, the unexpected journey became a testament to adaptability and a commitment to turning challenges into triumphs. Each gig became an opportunity to weave a story of resilience, collaboration, and, most importantly, progress. Jan proves that leadership isn't just about titles; it's about navigating the twists and turns with a spirit of optimism and a genuine desire to see others succeed. It is reflected in his resume with multiple job titles in all the organizations he aligns himself with. The journey might not have been meticulously mapped out, but the future is clear to him. Jan continues to be the steady hand for owners of SMBs.