Amy Laine of SandwYch: Five Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Launched My Business or Startup
An Interview With Doug Noll
Work your network and your friends’ network. Some of the best doors are opened by a friend of a friend.
Taking the risk to start a company is a feat few are fully equipped for. Any business owner knows that the first few years in business are anything but glamorous. Building a successful business takes time, lessons learned, and most importantly, enormous growth as a business owner. What works and what doesn’t when one starts a new business? What are the valuable lessons learned from the “University of Adversity”? As part of this interview series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Amy Laine.
Amy Laine is an Austin-based entrepreneur with a background in gerontology and technology commercialization. She combined her passion for caring with technical know-how to launch SandwYch, a healthtech platform that helps caregivers and their families navigate the nuances of the aging journey.
Before launching SandwYch, she started Venture Alliance Group in 2004, an association management firm that continues to bring stakeholders together in the education and healthcare fields.
Laine’s vision for SandwYch is to see that no one walks the aging journey alone, and that through this digital-based service, families are proactively able to learn about the resources and key issues to address the best ways to age in place with grace, dignity and a sense of independence.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
The grit to become an entrepreneur and the passion for helping others have always been an element of who I am. My first business venture was setting up a shop with a Snoopy Snow Cone machine on the sidewalk to make a little money from neighborhood friends. When I wasn’t busy making snow cones, I would help my elderly neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Melanosky with their yard work.
Fast forward 12 years, I was talking to a professor about emerging professions and the topic of gerontology, and our aging population came up. It brought back fond memories of spending time with and caring for older adults. That’s when I knew what I needed to do!
I received degrees in gerontology, psychology, and technology commercialization and became a licensed nursing home administrator. My experiences and education fueled my desire to create a supportive online village where older adults and their families can get help when planning for a future that allows them to live the life they want and deserve.
Can you tell us a story about the hard times that you faced when you first started your journey?
Being in startup mode and pitching your idea is brutal. There are many great ideas and competitors. When I pitch the SandwYch concept, in sales or to investors, sometimes the reviewers are rude. I must remind myself that the negativity is more about them than me or my product. I also validate the feedback I receive and make changes if needed. One of the most important lessons I have learned is to stay strong and focus on the overall vision.
Where did you get the drive to continue even though things were so hard?
It is amazing what you can do when you are supported. In times of uncertainty, I lean into trusted friends and advisors who keep me grounded and help me navigate unchartered issues. Some of my advisors might not even know the role they serve, but I can always count on them to shoot it straight. In the startup world and beyond, I invest in relationships with colleagues in the same space. Allies provide tremendous value.
So, how are things going today? How did grit and resilience lead to your eventual success?
We continue to evolve. Changes in healthcare are happening quickly and we must stay innovative and nimble. There have been times when we have slipped when we believed we were on the right path and fell flat. But we remain committed to our cause and continue to form partnerships and alliances to build our portfolio. It’s an honor to work with families and face transitions together.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I hired a programmer I had previously enjoyed working with at another business. His work was great until it wasn’t, and he left the project unfinished. It takes a lot of courage to turn a project over to someone you initially trust, so this was disappointing. The experience taught me to try and understand when deliverables aren’t met, but when the person you are working with is no longer serving your needs or meeting mutually set goals, it’s best to walk away.
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
SandwYch is an online village that provides support for caregivers and families even when they are too overwhelmed to see that they need it or too proud to ask for it. One great example that comes to mind is a person who knew their friend was struggling with how to care for their mom. That friend reached out to us on LinkedIn. We hopped on a call and then paid for their friend to get support. I can’t imagine a better gift than having an expert walk me through the unknown challenges of caregiving. It is better than a massage; it is peace of mind.
Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?
It would be great to say you won’t burn out, but you probably will. We all do. I recommend setting your intentions, remaining present at the project you are working on and surrounding yourself with people who are smarter than you and can fill where you have uncertainties. Make friends with your industry colleagues and send business their way when it is appropriate. You can be both competitive and supportive. And when someone doesn’t meet your values, move on.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?
There are too many to list! I have been so fortunate to meet people that continuously show up. Our advisors are simply amazing. They give me their time, energy and resources and serve as a trusted sounding board.
How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?
Everyone has a story. We like to make sure their story shows up in their decisions too. It allows everyone to be heard and honored when a family plan is set and carried out with everyone feeling heard and honored. The peace our clients tell us they feel is our reward.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first launched my business,” and why? Please share a story or example for each.
1. Pre-sell and create a buzz. If you wait until the product is launched to talk about it, you are already behind.
2. Work your network and your friends’ network. Some of the best doors are opened by a friend of a friend.
3. Hire people who are smarter than you or surround yourself with really smart people.
4. Bring in a good advisory board and mentors.
5. Overcommunicate and listen to understand.
Can you share a few ideas or stories from your experience about how to successfully ride the emotional highs & lows of being a founder”?
Understanding my own cadence helps me frame the multiple hats I have to wear as a founder. I am good at getting up early and getting a few hours of work done before the sun breaks. But I crash midday and need to step away.
Since I don’t have all of the answers, I also meet with a lot of people to help guide me or workshop a project. I set those meetings up before noon so I can give myself some downtime around 3. I need a sign that says, siesta, mesimeri, riposo, sixth hour.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
It would be a movement on ‘how to tell your kids what you want as you age’. To many people suffer avoiding tough conversations of how they want to be cared for as they age. In fact, how someone walks into the caregiving journey impacts burnout and quality care!
How can our readers further follow your work online?
Join us on any social @hellosandwych or online sandwych.net
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!
About the Interviewer: Douglas E. Noll, JD, MA was born nearly blind, crippled with club feet, partially deaf, and left-handed. He overcame all of these obstacles to become a successful civil trial lawyer. In 2000, he abandoned his law practice to become a peacemaker. His calling is to serve humanity, and he executes his calling at many levels. He is an award-winning author, teacher, and trainer. He is a highly experienced mediator. Doug’s work carries him from international work to helping people resolve deep interpersonal and ideological conflicts. Doug teaches his innovative de-escalation skill that calms any angry person in 90 seconds or less. With Laurel Kaufer, Doug founded Prison of Peace in 2009. The Prison of Peace project trains life and long terms incarcerated people to be powerful peacemakers and mediators. He has been deeply moved by inmates who have learned and applied deep, empathic listening skills, leadership skills, and problem-solving skills to reduce violence in their prison communities. Their dedication to learning, improving, and serving their communities motivates him to expand the principles of Prison of Peace so that every human wanting to learn the skills of peace may do so. Doug’s awards include California Lawyer Magazine Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers in America Lawyer of the Year, Purpose Prize Fellow, International Academy of Mediators Syd Leezak Award of Excellence, National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals Neutral of the Year. His four books have won a number of awards and commendations. Doug’s podcast, Listen With Leaders, is now accepting guests. Click on this link to learn more and apply.
