More Than a Side Hustle: The Making of a Culture Consultant

“You need to start a business so you can leave your job.”

In this episode, I sit down with Andrew Adeniyi, founder of AAA Solutions, and author of The Circle of Leadership, to explore his journey from growing up in an entrepreneurial home to building a consulting business focused on leadership, culture, and belonging. We talk about the impact of early internships, the lessons he carried from retail leadership at Aldi and Starbucks, and how a life-changing moment gave him the clarity to take the leap into full-time entrepreneurship.

Andrew also shares what it’s like to co-author a book with his 7-year-old son, how he’s using theater to spark courageous workplace conversations, and the not-so-sexy side of running your own business. This conversation is full of real talk about purpose, peace, and building a life that reflects who you are.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(00:58) Early work experience

(03:46) College and internships

(09:41) First corporate job at Aldi

(14:06) Kroger and Starbucks

(21:30) Writing “The Circle of Leadership”

(22:01) Transitioning from corporate to entrepreneurship

(25:02) Launching AAA Solutions and balancing DEI and workplace culture

(27:52) Mentors and guidance in professional life

(29:11) New book and new ventures

(33:36) Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs

(36:01) Defining freedom and self-care

Connect with my guest:

Andrew Adeniyi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewadeniyi/ 

Explore AAA Solutions: https://www.aaasolutions.us/ 

Check out The Circle of Leadership: https://www.amazon.com/Circle-Leadership-Framework-Creating-Leveraging/dp/1641379081 

Connect with me:

Ami Graves on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amigraves/
The People of Work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepeopleofwork/ 

Explore The People of Work: https://www.thepeopleofwork.com/