At Boston Private, we have the opportunity to partner with many diverse and talented business owners, striving to help them live their lives the way they want to and achieve their goals, hopes and dreams. Every single one of them has a different reason why they work so hard to achieve so much in life. We took 30 minutes with Annette Palazuelos, President and CEO of LifeLung, Inc. DBA Tridant Solutions, a multi-certified 8(a) woman-owned small business specializing in government contract services in Southern California. Read on to learn more about her biggest influences and what has driven the company’s success.
When you were getting started, who were your biggest influences?
My biggest influences at that time were my family and my very first mentor, the late Hon. Henry T Wilfong Jr. He helped me understand the business, laws applicable to small business ownership and how to build a business. He was always a straight shooter, never sugar-coated — just gave great advice and spoke candidly about entrepreneurship and the challenges it brings.
What drove you to start Tridant Solutions?
As a former employee of a Fortune 100 aerospace organization, I knew I could assist the industry with services to meet their requirements and to help make life easier for customers so I started LifeLung, Inc. DBA Tridant Solutions. I enjoy relationship development and maintenance with both customers and employees. It can be challenging but also fun.
“It’s the relationships that get you where you need to be whether it’s with a customer, a banker, an accountant, a mentor or another small business. We are fortunate to have established such relationships.” – Annette Palazuelos
As a business person, what has been your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?
One of the biggest challenges was growing the business — finding the right contacts — i.e., decision makers who can actually make things happen. In order to meet or be put in touch with decision makers, you need to develop relationships where you are trusted and liked. Part of our business strategy is to build on current relationships AND to continue to market and meet those we want to work with. We developed relationships that have helped our organization grow, and we plan to continue to build on these relationships as well as build our network. It’s the relationships that get you where you need to be whether it’s with a customer, a banker, an accountant, a mentor or another small business. We are fortunate to have established such relationships.
As we get older and more accomplished, we learn a lot about ourselves and what is important. What are some of the things you learned about yourself that surprised you most?
Some of the things I learned about myself were that:
- I’m more resilient than I EVER thought I would be. It’s taken years of hard work and determination to get where I am now and I still feel as if I have a long way to go.
- It was always difficult for me to ask for help so I rarely did. But I needed (and still need) a lot of help along the way in my continuing quest to become a successful person and businesswoman. I believe that we all need assistance in some way or other. In asking for assistance, I’ve built some of the best relationships in my business career. I am no longer afraid to ask.
My favorite part of the day is….
My favorite part of the day is coming home because I get to reflect on the accomplishments of the day, the challenges to come and more importantly I get to spend time with my doggies.
Meet Annette. This is her WHY. – Boston Private
About LifeLung, Inc. DBA Tridant Solutions: LifeLung, Inc. DBA: Tridant Solutions a multi-certified small business validated by the U.S. Government with an 8(a) certification. Since 2005 we have been providing nationwide services support in the Financial, Medical, Logistics, Administrative and Program Management arenas. We boast high BBB and D&B ratings and maintain highly professional and ethical relationships with our clients and candidates.
