Amy Fortney, PMP, is the founder of The Extra Executive Virtual Business Solutions LLC. She has nearly 20 years of leadership and management experience from organizations of all sizes, including Fortune 500 companies and a small-but-agile government contractor. Areas of expertise include insurance, healthcare, and financial verticals where Amy has contributed to the success of Operations, Project Management, Training, Sales & Marketing, and Process Improvement activities.

Along with a team of on-call experts in Accounting, Technical Writing, and Grant Writing, Amy is pleased to offer your growing organization a wide range of business services that support your goals.

 Who is your ideal client? “Entrepreneurs, small business owners, and their new managers are my ideal clients. I want to extend the reach of those who find themselves in that place where their business is taking off, their administrative tasks are piling up, and they can no longer go it alone. That can be a scary place for a young business. Business innovators still need someone they can trust to establish sound business practices and free them to focus on the reason they got into business in the first place.”

Why do you prefer working with new ventures and established small businesses? “Working with Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners is exciting because you are often called upon to wear many hats. You get to be more directly engaged with mission and growth,” Fortney said. “Who does not want to be a part of shaping a great success story?” 

You have a diverse set of experiences. How does that help you in your role as The Extra Executive? “I do! I started my career as an Administrative Assistant and worked my way up to leading the Operations of divisions and projects. I’ve had every kind of job in between. I think that kind of career path is less common in business today. Ultimately, my broad experiences and hands-on approach give a client a more three-dimensional resource than they might get from an average virtual assistant or business consultant.

If you had to name your business superpowers, what would yours be? 

“I would probably pick two things: 

‘First, I am best when working one on one with new managers and business owners who need to develop their knowledge of how to establish the day-to-day tasks of their business. There are soft and hard skills that new managers must master in order to lead their organizations and employees effectively. That’s especially true for entrepreneurs and small business owners who have grown quickly but have never been responsible for leading a team. No one simply knows how to lead others or run a business through osmosis. We all need someone who can help us strengthen our management muscles.

‘Second, I can learn anything quickly and apply that knowledge immediately. For example, I read the Medicare manual on home care billing the night before my first interview to be a home care manager after nearly five years serving the needs of my family. I knew that if I could understand how the business billed for services, I would understand a large part of how it needed to be run. I was able to get that job. I don’t wait for others to lead me to information.”  

Amy Fortney lives in the Midwest with her family. She enjoys cooking, writing fiction, longs for a Sheepadoodle, and hopes someday to grow the perfect tomato. Please reach out to her at amy@theextraexecutive.com.