Lynn Anstett will be stuck in a pressurised metal can in the air for at least 24 hours. But the Cincinnati, Ohio native is looking forward to it. The global chair for Entrepeneurs’ Organization (EO) is coming to Singapore for the 27th Global Leadership Conference, held at Marina Bay Sands from 22 to 24 April.
“Leaders lead, learn, and grow together. [For this event], leaders from around the world come together to share experiences for self-development, learning and leadership training. The theme for this year’s event is Shine: Illuminate the Future, with a learning program designed to help each entrepreneur harness their greater potential for service, growth and impact,” she says.
Anstett has come a long way from the folding chair and table in the basement of her family home. There, armed with just her wits and the phone, she started Stett Transportation in April 1995. She didn’t even have the internet. Her husband gave her the Yellow Pages directory of chemical manufacturers and distributors, which he got thanks to his travels around the US. She cold called every number in the book to convince traffic managers to let her handle their freight.
“My first goal was to move 100 loads so that I could replace the folding chair and get a desk,” Anstett says. “I set many goals over the years; from daily goals to multi-year strategic planning. All goals and accountability led to slow steady growth for my company that is celebrating 29 years in business this month. We’ve replaced many desk chairs since that time, and the value system is strong as shown by the quality of life for our employees.”
Leadership came naturally to her, but it wasn’t without challenges. At the beginning, her ego occasionally got the better of her and Anstett had to learn that it was ok to not know, and ask for help. “Failures are opportunities to grow,” she says.
Her communication skills also sharpened. “Sometimes, we think a person should know what we mean, and maybe they don’t.” Finally, she learned delegation, which was especially hard for her since she built everything on her own. But the success of any thriving company is formed on the foundation of understanding that you cannot do everything yourself.
She also credits EO for her transformation into the leader she is today. “Through the programmes, speakers, Forum, and training offered for leadership, I learned to first lead myself, taking care to create space for mental and physical health. The lessons also affected my parenting style. I invited my children to observe values, and to understand our differences and embrace them. I also gathered the tools necessary to scale my business. This is mentioned last because self-development was important to lead and grow a business with clear values and mission,” she shares.
Anstett is certainly doing something right. Her company was voted one of the Best Places to Work at by the Cincinnati Business Courier. It came with a lot of hard work, backed by five core values: Stett is a team sport; we deliver unicorns; giddy up; answer the call; and help people live their best lives. She wants to deliver the same for her tenure at EO. “Our purpose is to unlock the full potential of entrepreneurs so we can positively affect communities around the world. Entrepreneurs can unlock opportunities to solve enormous challenges in the world when governments are restricted. We continue to grow our membership around the world and invite entrepreneurs at every level to engage with EO,” she says.
The clarion call has been issued.
