Influential Businesswoman Awards 2018

36 Acquisition International - 2018 Influential Businesswoman Awards IW180043 Best Female Owned & Operated Small Business - Charlotte Asfalis Advisors and entertainment to support the organisation. Policy writing, plan development, and developing terrorism mitigation strategies at all levels of government provided me with a unique perspective when I transitioned into the business world. I came into the private sector with a very clear understanding of the ‘why’, and the ability to develop and maintain relationships, which is key for any crisis or disaster.” As a woman operating in such a male dominated, competitive industry, Vanessa has overcome obstacles over the years, which contributes to her leadership. She overcame these through a series of traits which she believes are essential to ensuring ongoing personal success. “Character, courage, and confidence are how I overcome challenges, and my personal growth in each of these areas are critical. Character is who we are on the inside and being clear about our core values and what we’re unwilling to compromise on. Courage is about having the heart to move on the other side of faith, even though internally we may be very uncomfortable, move forward and push fear and anxiety to the side. Confidence is key because we have to believe in ‘it” whatever it is first, before anyone else will.” “Currently, one of the biggest challenges I see are executive leadership teams having the key players at the table to enhance their resiliency. Often times companies have pockets and silos of Resilience to include information security, Human Resources, safety and security, enterprise risk, disaster recovery, diversity and inclusion, and more. These key players are managing tangible and intangible risks and are essential to building a proactive crisis management program. “ Looking to the future, Vanessa and her team are keen to build upon their current success and grow Asfalis even further, as she is proud to conclude. “Overall, at Asfalis our business has doubled in growth and we are projected to enter into the international market within the next five years. Our established relationships, quality service, experience within multiple sectors, and our team are big contributors to our growth. We are looking forward to enhancing our technology capabilities to provide better services to our customers globally. We seek to adapt around industry developments to remain at the forefront of innovation and continue to meet our clients’ ever evolving needs.” What is the impact of a seven figure un-budgeted expense to your organisation? How does employee morale tie into crisis response? What’s the elephant in your organisation that can create or magnify your crisis? What’s the cost of being ill-informed? At Asfalis Advisors our customers bear the heavy weight of the company’s challenges on their shoulders. Concerns about employee safety and security, challenges with cyber breaches and business interruptions, the inability to communicate to critical stakeholders effectively, and frustrations with rapid regulation changes typically burden our clients. We help our customers stretch with out breaking so they can have the ability to absorb the impact and bounce back from disruption. Our crisis management and business continuity program and training development services allow our customers to proactively solve for challenges and focus on their reputation, profitability, and ability to operate. Additionally, we assist them in the development of strategies that will help them recover their primary functions that drive their profit and loss statements, if they lose their most critical assets: people, technology, data, and their facilities. Through her role, Vanessa serves as the Resilience Officer and works directly with senior leaders to establish a strategic resilience vision by working cross functionally through public private partnerships to minimize impacts of unforeseen events. Additionally, Vanessa is responsible for the strategic direction of the organisation, building and maintaining relationships with customers, supporting the internal operation, developing leaders internal to our organization, identifying opportunities for research, development, and innovation, as well as representing the Advisors. A success factor has been our commitment to educating the public on the concept of Business Resilience and the value it brings for sustainable businesses that want to thrive. “Our team has a wealth of experience in several verticals to include Business Continuity, Crisis and Emergency Management, Homeland Security and Crisis Communications. Our strategic partnerships with organisations focused on Disruptive Innovation and Design Thinking, Diversity and Inclusion, and Physical and Information Security, allow us to deliver solutions that position our customers to be competitive in the global market in the next 20 years. I am able to draw on my vast industry experience in aviation, manufacturing, transportation and logistics, and sports Company: Asfalis Contact: Vanessa Vaughn, Founder and Resilience Officer Headquarters: Charlotte, NC USA Phone: 1-833-ADV-ISME Asfalis Advisors serves as business longevity partners and helps customers develop dominant DNA’s in the global market, by turning trauma into triumph every day. Founder and Business Resilience Officer Vanessa Vaughn talks us through her role in the firm’s incredible success.