Amy Parrill Helps Leaders Remain Resilient and Drive Results
Covid-19 has caused incredible stress for everyone, especially for executives and business owners, who not only need to take care of themselves but their employees and businesses too.
Amy Parrill has experienced this firsthand, and she’s pivoted her executive and leadership coaching business, Fredericton-based Parrill + Co, to continue to coach leaders through these unprecedented times.
Parrill started her company four years ago after she had her second child and was looking to start a career that would fulfill her passion in leadership development.
“Our programs are holistic in nature, so not only are we looking for results in your professional career that are measured against company KPI’s we’re looking at what makes you a whole person and how can we bring some balance back into your life.”
Parrill & Co, in Licensed partnership with LMI Canada, works with leaders across many sectors, including government, private, and not-for-profits. Whether they have been in their role for years, or are new to managing and leading teams, Parrill + Co offers programs for all types of leaders.
“Over the past four years, I’ve had the privilege to work with CEOs in startup companies in New Brunswick that are seeing continuous growth and success. Supporting them as they grow their team and develop their leadership skills, but also ensuring life-work balance, to prevent burnout is something that many companies are struggling with,” says Parrill.
Parrill & Co’s programs are based on cognitive behaviour change that enables leaders to create an environment for optimal team performance, accountability, and results.
The client starts with an individual psychometric profile evaluation, where Parrill looks at their Mental Aptitudes and Personality Dimensions. From there, the client joins the cohort of 8 to 10 other participants where they meet bi-weekly for two-hour facilitated sessions for the next six to nine months, depending on the program.
“We look at your personality dimensions to understand how you perform under pressure, what your communication style is like and what new attitudes and behaviours you can implement to get better results,’’ she says.
“During our one-on-one session, we are able to bring an awareness as to why they behave or think the way they do and how that not only impacts their performance but also their personal and professional relationships.”
Parrill says the biggest challenges executives and leaders face are time-management, delegating, and communication.
“Communication is a big one in understanding their team, and what motivates them,” she says. “And because it’s a small group, they’re learning from other leaders in the cohort as they share experiences and shift their individual awareness together.”
The Covid-19 crisis has caused a lot of stress on everyone, especially business leaders who are making tough decisions and working to protect both their employees and businesses. These challenges are something Parrill has experienced first-hand herself. She’s not just a business owner, she’s the mother of two children and the wife of a front-line worker.
“We are all watching the “shecession” happen right before our eyes. As a mother of two little boys starting back to school in September (Kindergarten and Grade 3) I pray the government has set the processes and systems to keep them safe but starting to see how my days will be disrupted as cold and flu season starts and how my business will be impacted.”
“My husband is an ER nurse, so he does not have the flexibility to leave the office or work from home to help share child-care responsibilities. I had to pivot my business quickly or risk losing everything I had worked for.”
Like many other businesses around the world, the pandemic has made Parrill + Co go digital. LMI Canada launched its Online Learning platform back in 2019 so Parrill will be using this for her clients moving forward. The programs are multi-sensory and also include an LMI Audio App users can download to their phones to listen to the lessons in-between sessions.
“Back in March, I was able to continue to meet with my clients bi-weekly via Zoom and ensure they were each continuing to set goals professionally and personally. Many of my clients realized the importance of setting personal goals especially around physical exercise and how helped them build resilience in the current situation.”
Since the pandemic began in March, Parrill has graduated 22 participants online and is now onboarding clients for her fall cohorts. She also says moving to online has also helped her expand her market beyond the Atlantic Provinces.
Moving online now gives business owners and managers especially in rural areas an opportunity to participate in a program they might not have considered due to travel restraints.
“Right now, I’m going through a digital business transformation,” she says.
“I am a startup company selling B2B but since I am a professional service provider I am typically not eligible for grants coming out to support companies who are going through a digital transformation like there is for the IT/SaaS sector. There are many women business owners especially in New Brunswick that fall within this category that are also having to go through a digital transformation or pivot of services with little financial support.”
Parrill is a member of the Wallace McCain Institute (ECHO program) and serves as a Director on the board for The ORDER of the Wallace McCain Institute representing just over 300 entrepreneurial business leaders in the Greater Atlantic Area.
“The support from my WMI peer group during this time has had a huge impact on how I will continue to grow and build a sustainable business in this new environment. I am proud to be a part of an organization that continues to advocate for entrepreneurs in the Greater Atlantic Region and drive economic recovery in our region.”
This story was sponsored by Parrill + Co.