Andrew Marquardt, The Gritty General Counsel, and CEO - The Emotional Labor of Leadership, The "Oh Shit" Moments When He Started His Company", and The Dignity of Work

You will enjoy this conversation with Andrew Marquardt (see his bio below) the general counsel, co-founder, and CEO of Advantage Tech. Andrew and I discuss the life-changing events in his early teen years that changed his life, how his legal career led him to start an IT company (it also included a legal decision that went against Microsoft), how he never thought he could become an attorney (and his grit to make it happen), the "Oh Sh**" moments he had when he started his company, his advice to people who want to create their own company, the power of emotional intelligence, why he believes in the dignity of work, how the painting company he founded in college was the only reason he landed his first job after graduation, what he thinks of non-compete agreements, the changes in the IT industry the last three decades, and standing of the shoulders of his ancestors (including his trailblazing mom who went to law school after her divorce and becoming the first woman president of the Kansas Bar Association). You will learn about Andrew's career journey and his insight. Enjoy!

Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.   

Andrews's bio: Andrew Marquardt​ (LinkedIn) has been an attorney for over 30 years. His experience includes litigating employment lawsuits representing plaintiffs and defendants. These cases included non-compete litigation, tort and contract claims, and discrimination suits. In addition to driving the claims through trial, most disputes were resolved through mediation and arbitration.​ Mr. Marquardt is also the co-founder, CEO, and General Counsel of Advantage Tech​ (Website), an IT and professional services firm founded in 1997. Advantage Tech places on average 400 contract and full-time employees each year, which translates to several thousand placements over the past 27 years. During that time, Mr. Marquardt has hired and terminated hundreds of employees and has drafted and overseen the implementation of hundreds of employment agreements. Significant employment issues frequently materialize when dealing with a contingent workforce. Dozens of issues arise relating to any number of clauses. However, the one clause that has created the most consternation with the courts has been the non-compete clause in employment agreements.