Anne Alexander
Since 2002, Anne Alexander has provided coaching and consulting services to small business owners with five to fifty employees to help them move forward with substantial, profitable business growth, personal satisfaction, and bottom-line control. She is their confidential, strategic partner in managing and growing their business.
I’ve been working for several years with Brennan Zelener, CEO of Newaya Recycling in Fort Collins, Colorado. Brennan continues to impress me as a proactive, energetic entrepreneur. I love working with him.
Anne: Tell us about your business. What does Newaya do?
Brennan: Newaya provides trade-in solutions to regional cellular carriers and e-commerce sellers. We test and resell the used electronics that come through our programs to businesses in 20+ countries.
Anne: What sets Newaya apart from its competitors?
Brennan: Without a doubt, I’d say it’s the people on my team. Over the last 10 years, I’ve been fortunate to put together a small group of creative tech enthusiasts as employees who make Newaya a fierce competitor in the trade-in industry.
Anne: When did you start Newaya and how did you get the idea for the business?
Brennan: The business started as a hobby, really. In college I began buying, repairing, and reselling used cellphones as a side hustle. The operation grew incrementally over the years and today I’m proud to say that it supports a staff of 7 people full-time.
Anne: What do you enjoy most about running Newaya?
Brennan: I get a lot of short-term joy being able to wake up each morning and focus on solving business/technical problems. I think my favorite part about the long-term (which I’ve just gotten to experience more recently) is seeing people’s professional growth after working with them for a number of years. That’s been very rewarding.
Anne: What has been one or two of the biggest challenges as you have grown Newaya?
Brennan: Leading and managing people is hard and honestly a bit lonely. That’s one of my favorite things about working with you, Anne. It makes a big difference being able to have a coach and sounding board in each delicate interpersonal management situation I find myself in.
Anne: What advice would you give to someone wanting to grow their business now?
Brennan: Just do whatever it takes to keep experimenting!
