Andrea Soueidan

The full conversation with Andrea Soueidan, transcribed. Lightly formatted for reading.

Business is already very complex. If that's linked to your passion, it makes it a lot easier. Focus on your work, what you can deliver, and deliver it to perfection. It's very important to believe in yourself, to believe in your business, to be able to help your business grow.

There's so much material out there now that you can't say, well, I don't know where to start. So you have to shift and change things around, play around with the tokens that you have, the pieces of the puzzle, in order to create a new puzzle. Test it, try it the afternoon off, or meditate, I'm a big believer that things happen for a reason. So if something negative happens, it's a challenge or it's a message.

Take it that way. Well, Andrea, it's a pleasure to have you on the Montreal Entrepreneur Podcast. But to begin with, please tell us about yourself and what is it that you do. Thank you.

First, I want to thank you for having me. I really appreciate it. I feel honored being part of your show about Montreal entrepreneurs. About me, my name is Andrea Suidan.

I'm the founder of Altitude Connections. We celebrated our 11th year last month in February. Happy birthday. Thank you.

Altitude Connections is about— it started with a concierge-only concierge service where we target personal and corporate. Concierge means— I don't know if you know what it is. Yeah, sure. Please explain to us.

Yes, a concierge is a personal assistant. We're virtual personal assistants that we simplify your life. Nice. So we target entrepreneurs, CEOs, doctors, actually any field.

As long as you're busy, you come to us. We offer you the luxury of time. Okay, so let's elaborate a bit more on that. So a CEO, very busy, time constrained, and they come to you.

What kind of services that you can help them with? Actually, there is no limit. That's where the name came up with Altitude. The sky is the limit.

No limits at all. An entrepreneur needs to juggle their personal and their business life, and that's where we come and play. What can they ask for? Anything you could imagine.

Personal would be they need to order flowers, they would like a catering, they need a chef at home. Okay. They need a babysitter. Wow.

They need housekeeper, a maintenance, even just to hang one picture that's sitting there in your living room for the past 3 months because you don't have time to hang it, or your husband can't, your partner can't. You just simply don't have the time to execute a call. So then they just call you and then you find a way to make it happen. That's it.

We make everything happen. " Nice, I like that. And how did you know to get into this field? How did you get started?

Well, it was a hobby. I always enjoyed servicing other people. Hospitality is a big thing for me. Welcoming people, greeting them, making them feel at ease, making them feel happy.

So basically it was a hobby that I converted to a business. Nice. I find that a lot of businesses, they start like that. Yeah, because otherwise business is already very complex.

If that's linked to your passion, it makes it a lot easier. Much easier. And you enjoy it. I enjoy every single day.

I enjoy— I love my work. Sunday nights I look forward to Mondays to start. Yes, Monday. Come on, it's Monday.

Come on, Monday, I want start. Mind you, we work 7 days a week, but still. Okay, but what are some of the, uh, problems or the challenges with a business like that? Well, the biggest challenge was at the beginning, obviously, when you're a startup.

Uh, that's why I encourage every startup not to worry and to be patient. And they say it takes normally 3 to 4 years for you to somewhat make it, and that is true. Literally took me 3 years just to educate people that we are a concierge, and they didn't know what it was. Okay.

So at the beginning, I went to every single networking event that existed in Montreal. Wow. Just to put a business card, to put a name, to say this is who we are, this is what we do. And the first year was always like, oh, a concierge, how fun, do you clean buildings?

Uh, no, we don't clean buildings, that's not what we do. Uh, so to educate people, it took time. Now it's more of a trend. Okay.

People have heard of it more because of the bigger known companies. And so that was, that was a big challenge. But then, then we put a name in the city. People confuse me with Altitude Connection and aren't you the Ask Andrea girl or the Sip and Shop girl?

So it's nice. So people are stopping you on the street? Yeah, at least they remember. So that's a good sign.

Good branding. Yeah, good branding. So that's very good. And before you started the business, what did you do before?

Before Altitude, did you have a 9-to-5 job, or how did you transition? No, I was a housewife. Okay. I raised two beautiful children.

Nice. That are now adults. And no, I did not work. I did a lot of volunteer work, and I still do volunteer, not as much as I used to.

And I lived in different cities, so that's what helped. I'm also a people's person. I value my friends and my connections, and I like to stay in touch always. So I started from Montreal, left to Chicago 16 years, moved to Dubai 5, and came back to Montreal past 12 years.

So that means people that travel a lot, they do have the ability to adapt, because whenever you change, it's like starting over. That's right. Yeah. And when you're a family and with young children, there's challenges.

Yes. Even alone, it's already a challenge on its own. And what does entrepreneurship mean to you? Entrepreneurship Being innovative, always coming up new ideas.

It's teamwork. It's not about I, I, I. Respecting the team, taking their opinion, letting them know what's happening. To be somewhat of a leader without— well, in a respectful way.

Because now you have a little— you have a team of your own as well to be able to manage all of the different requests that you get from. Yes, obviously 11 years ago started with only concierge, and then we kept adding. Why did you decide to add more services to the existing? Well, I'm grateful and blessed I came across the right people, okay, in my life, and it was ready.

I was ready to spread the wings and grow the company in different departments. And everything that's— that we added, the other departments that we added, are related to concierge services as well. As well. And what are some of the weirdest requests you get?

I don't know if you have any crazy story you could share. Crazy? No, I'm good. And you also part of a networking group as well, Women Investing in Women.

Yes. Would you elaborate on that? Yes, of course. This is with my new business partner for the new venture we're doing.

2 years ago we launched WIW, that's Women Investing in Women, and we started it as very small group because we were tired of networking in larger groups and exchanging business cards. You know, you go to a big networking event, you exchange business cards, you get home, you have a stack of business cards, you add everybody on LinkedIn, and then You know, if everybody forgets about you, it's like, wait, what do you do again? That's how the idea came that we wanted something more intimate, more powerful. It's to empower women, empower each other.

It's a very small group and we host it once a month and it's there to elevate each other and support each other as business entrepreneurs. And why do you believe that women need that since it's women investing in other women? Why do a woman need that? Because a woman needs to feel secure, confident, and she shouldn't believe that there's competition out there, even if there is.

I like that. Yeah, I'm a believer of that. I know there's competition in every field, but you shouldn't focus on that. Focus on your work, what you can deliver, and deliver it to perfection and feed it.

Yes, I definitely agree with you. And within the group, what are some of the changes that you've seen that from when some of the members started up until now? Oh yes, we've seen a lot of growth, we've seen a lot of motivation. We inspired women.

Just listening to each one of our story was So powerful. We have one question per event. Okay, so you introduce yourself, you say what you do, you say what you're looking for, and then you answer the question of the month. A question could be like, it's on the website as well, so people can go on your website and take a look.

It's under WIW. I really like the name. And what are some of the, um, like right now it's been 11 years since you've started Altitude Connection, correct? What are some of the challenges that businesses at that level they could face other than the beginning to educate people?

The challenges are— can't say I had many. Yeah, that means business is going great then. Yes. But is it only in the Greater Montreal area or do you serve outside the province?

After COVID, we, uh, we started servicing out of the province. Okay. Because at the end of the day, when you buy a membership at Altitude Connection for concierge, it's virtual. We don't, we don't necessarily meet the client.

We meet them the first time so they could have a face to the name and so they could feel us. I think that's very important. If you are based in Montreal, we take the time to go visit you. Yeah.

And if you're not, it's okay. There's always Zoom or team meeting virtual, and then all the requests are done virtually. If they need restaurant reservations, you need tickets to a show, if you're traveling. Yes, yes.

If you're traveling, you need suggestions of restaurants. So why not? It doesn't have to be— you don't have to be Montreal-based. Okay.

And then you said something about membership. Do you want to elaborate on that? Yes, we started a membership about, I would say, a year and a half ago in order to have access to Ask Andrea. Okay.

You don't need a membership for the other departments that we have, but you do need it for the concierge. Okay, I understand. Because there's perks. When you get a membership, you get discounts at, let's say, events that we organize.

You get a gift, a live with Andrea. We do it once a month or power lunch. Oh yeah, I've seen that. What is that about?

That again, it's to support a business and it doesn't have to be a local business. That one is to support an entrepreneur, whether it's women or men, just to showcase them on our platform. You choose one. Do they apply?

One per month? Yes, they apply. Yeah, we choose one per month and then it's transferred to Spotify and YouTube. I'm assuming that's on the website if somebody wants to apply to— what do you call it?

We call it Power Lunch Live. Okay. It's every last Friday of the month. And then what's the main discussion about?

Entrepreneurship or— no, just to discover them. I ask them, what do you do? Tell us about your company. Tell us about you.

What are your challenges? That's nice. You're very involved with Montreal because not long ago I went to one of your events that you did. What was it again?

I'll wait for you. Was it the Sip and Shop? Yes. There we go.

And it seems like you do that every year. Every year. We used to do it twice a year, in spring and in winter, the winter edition. But it grew a little too big, and it takes a lot of work to plan it and organize it.

It's a whole production. Yeah, there were a lot of people there. Yes, so it's really big. And you planned the whole thing?

We planned the whole thing from A to Z to the end. Wow. And how did you get the business owners to come and display product? Well, again, you build the relationship.

It's very important. And then I took the time to visit everybody who was there as a vendor. Okay, when you— okay, yeah, before they sign up. So I don't just come sign up, take a table, pay, and I never hear from you again.

No, I build the relationship, and most of them are repeats. So this is about 7 years ago we started Sip and Shop. When we started, it was only 4 tables, 4 tables, and last year we were 40+ tables. Wow.

So now we're in the, uh, in the process of planning this year. Okay. In November again, we also affiliated to the Shoebox Project. Every 2, 3 years we change it up and we make sure we give back.

Not only we like to businesses, local businesses, but also we believe in giving back. For sure, that's important, right? It's good for the soul. It is.

Yeah, it's your soul, definitely. I like that because I know I'm from a country where there's a lot of poverty, and giving back, it's always a good thing. Always. Yeah.

And it can make a big difference in somebody's family and their day, their month. Yeah. Yes. And it feeds us.

We feel good about it. And the guests that come, it's complimentary to get in, but you're involved in the fundraiser we're doing. The last 2, 3 years was about the shoebox project where you come in, that's your entry fee. You bring a shoebox, you fill it up with essential needs for a woman, you wrap it, you write her a note, and we send it to the shelter for the woman in need.

Did they— I'm sure they sent back a lot of thank you notes to you. Yeah. Tell you their stories and everything. Yeah.

And where do you see this project going in the future? You want to continue doing it? Do you need sponsors in terms to support? We look for sponsors, yes, to support.

That's why we're growing and we're making it bigger because when you come in, it's free valet, complimentary valet, complimentary coat check. You sip, you shop, you munch. Hence the name. Exactly, like the name Sip and Shop.

And it's to get people into the mood before the holiday season. Okay, they can do their shopping there as well? Oh yes, you could start your shopping and you can give back, you can meet other people. It's networking too.

It's a bit of everything. Yeah, I like that. Was that your idea, like, when you start? Like, yes.

Yes, yes, I started it. It was my idea because I wanted to support local businesses, the ones that don't have a storefront. Okay. Or don't have a website.

Now we mix it. You could have a storefront, but at the beginning when we started was for the startup. I mean, we were all startup one day, right? Yes, one time.

Yeah, you could put yourself— forget that. Yes, don't forget where you come from. No, because then you can put yourself in their shoes and understand. Exactly.

Challenges. That's how you understand. Yeah. And then you say something that's very interesting.

You talk about relationships a lot and working. Why does that matter to you so much? Well, again, because I'm a people's person, and I think it's within me. It's who I am.

And again, I've been blessed and lucky with the team that are like that as well. They're people's person. We like to make people happy. We like to deliver at 120%.

We like to overdeliver. You're able to attract people just like you. Yes. And then you seem like a very confident person.

Were you always like that, or is that something you had to— I don't know, is that something we can even learn? Would you say? Well, I mean, experience helps you, of course. And the more you believe in what you do and what you can deliver, the more you're going to have confidence.

Okay, so what would you say to women that are not feeling like as confident, or maybe that's something that they, they want to become more confident? Like, what's some of the tips? You just said something, but is there more apart from— Yeah, educate yourself. There's so many podcasts out there about, you know, self- esteem, confidence, business growth.

I think scheduling a time once per day is very important to believe in yourself, to believe in your business, to be able to help your business grow. There's so much material out there now that you can't say, well, I don't know where to start. You— it's put yourself to start. It's not where— I don't know where to start.

You need to start. Take the leap. Don't be afraid. Believe in yourself..

There's a lot of people that are afraid to take that leap. They are, yes. But sometimes there's a shift and you, you just have to have the power to do it. Think positive, think attraction.

It's a mindset. Yes, yes, definitely. Do you do any coaching or is that something that you believe in as well as a, as a business owner? I do, yes.

I especially this year more than ever, I'm assigning time for it. So you have to test the waters and and see what works for you. 2 years ago, I decided to stop working on Sundays. I'm also a very family-oriented person, so I love cooking, baking, receiving, making sure the house is pretty, having fresh flowers, preparing, preparing.

Yes, amazing. So I took Sundays off, and then by Monday morning, I started anxiety, like, oh, where do I start? I have so many emails. So I said to myself, you always have to find Plan B.

Do B, C, D, 26 letters on the alphabet. So you can't tell me you can't find what fits you right. Okay. So I decided, you know what, let me try doing 2-3 hours on Sundays and see if that's gonna help.

Well, I started that in January, and yes, I'm much better. So you have to shift and change things around, play around with the tokens that you have, the pieces of the puzzle, in order to create a whole puzzle, something that fits your— something that fits you. Even if you're a business coach, or if you hear on a podcast that tells you you need a day off. Okay, I tried it, it didn't work.

Or you need 2 days off. Or 2 days off. Yeah, you could take 2 days off if you're going to work after 5, but you need to balance your personal life, your children, your better half, your family, and you still need to enjoy your hobbies. You need to see what, what feeds you.

I definitely agree with that because there are a lot of, uh, advice online. Okay, do this, this is what works. Work 4 hours per day, work 2 hours per week. I don't know.

So yes, testing is a good idea. Yeah, test it, try it, give it a chance. Don't be closed-minded, be open-minded. Test it, try it.

Do, uh, the afternoon off, or meditate, or if you need to add listening to a podcast to help, or hire a coach, try it out. But give it a chance. Give it at least 2 months to try it. 3, I would say 3.

And if it works, great. So now starting working on Monday, you're less— you have less things to do and you feel less stress. Yes, yes. Since you said now Mondays I'm less stressed, I had to go back to Sunday.

I didn't want to because I wanted to be like everybody else, just work 6 days a week. But no, it didn't work, so I'm back on. Maybe in the future, we don't know. Maybe.

But then again, my job, it's somewhat 7 days a week, you know, because a personal concierge, you hire one, you're gonna think of using her or the service after hours True. You won't think of using me while you're in the middle of a project or work, or even on the weekend, or on the weekend you will. So you're gonna think about me on the weekend, after hours, after work. And how do you stay top of mind, Andrea, for your clients?

Yes, Andrea, let's get her on this project. I know you're very active on Instagram. I am, and across social media. We have our newsletter, okay, that comes out once a month, so I encourage everyone to subscribe to our newsletter from our website.

So we pass the main messages through the website, but also when you're a member at Altitude Connections, the time you sign, I send you a reminder once a month. Hello, I'm here, do you need anything? And they actually love that because you get so busy in your work that you forget that, oh wait, I have a concierge in my life. But what are some of the misconceptions people might have about that service?

Oh, the misconceptions. Oh yeah, I know what to answer to that. They think it's very high-end and it's only for the rich and famous, the service. It's really not.

It's really not. The ones who have tried and tested it, they renew every year. They think I'm a lifesaver. They think I'm the fairy duster in their life, which is great.

It's a compliment. So it's to get to that point and telling them it's not for the famous. It's for busy people. We give you the luxury of time.

I love that. Did I miss anything, Andrea, when it comes to Altitude Connections? Is there something else that maybe a service or department that we didn't cover that you would like to add? Yes, of course.

So I would say about 4 years ago we added the event planning. So we have our senior planner that plans weddings, okay, organizes events, the corporate events, the holiday parties. Also the bridal showers, baby showers, everything related to events. So how does it work?

Let's say I have a party that I'm planning. I call you, now I'm a member. I say, Andrea, I have this party that I want— I'm thinking about— I'm inviting 150 people. It's done.

It's done. Well, no, wait, sorry, let's rewind. You don't need to be a member to have to organize an event. Okay, okay, okay.

So to organize an and send us a message through the website and we'll contact you for a 30-minute consultation. Okay. To see what are your needs, what fits for you. We tailor our service to you and that's when the planner gets back to you and gives you a proposal.

Yeah, that's for the events. For the event. And then we launched, I think it's about a little— about a year ago, the pet concierge service. Okay.

Anything related to pets, we have a wonderful pet lover that pet sits, pet walks, everything related to pets. We sell pet accessories. That's a whole different— really? Yeah.

So online they can purchase these things, I'm guessing? Yes, yes, they contact— everything is on the website. Social media is a little hard to really showcase all the services we do because we added quite a few, but the website shows everything, including women investing in women. And next month we're launching our relocation department.

Elaborate on that. Relo at Altitude Connections. That's when you want to move to Canada, to Montreal, and we receive you from the airport and we take care of all your needs— your immigration, your paperwork, your schooling, your housing. Even a pregnant woman that arrives, or, you know, the family, we take care of everything from to see.

I have two people assigned for that. That's amazing, especially you're coming from another country where it's warm and then you land here in December. Exactly. Where do I go?

What do we need to wear? I know, what boots do we need to— Yes, and a lot of people don't want to go through all the paperwork and the transition. So everything moving, we move your furniture, your belongings, we guide you for an accountant, a lawyer, a banker, all You're well connected. If there's one message you want people to get out of this conversation, what would it be?

Well, if it's anything, don't be afraid. Believe in yourself and take a leap. Try it. You won't bounce back.

You believe in yourself. I love that. Just try it. Just do it.

Just do it. Life is too short. Yes. And if you don't try, you won't know.

I also, I'm a big believer that things happen for a reason. Okay. So if something negative happens, it It's a challenge or it's a message. Take it that way.

Reframe it. Yes. Yeah. Don't take it bad.

Don't take it negative. Take the leap. Try. Believe in messages.

Believe in the universe. Believe in yourself. There you have it. It was really nice to have you on the podcast, Andrea.

Thank you for coming. Until next time. Yeah, until next time. Up to you all.