People you Should Know

This was originally featured in the Reno Gazette Journal.

People you should know: Alice Heiman

Background

Working for Miller Heiman Inc., lead me to where I am today. I spent the first 13 years of my life as an elementary educator and left to work for my father and stepmother, Steve & Diane Heiman, at Miller Heiman Inc. After three years, in 1997, I decided to open my own company.

Why do I do what I do?

Because I love it! I love helping people increase sales and grow their business. I love teaching people how to get out and network in order to create relationships that will lead to an increase in sales.

What brought me to Reno / Why I stay in Reno?

Miller Heiman Inc. moved to Reno in 1992, and I came to work for them in 1994. My father moved my family here from the Bay Area, and the first year I was here, my thought was, ‘Oh my goodness, what have I done?’ And now I can’t imagine living anywhere else. I’ve raised my son here since he was 3 and we hike, ski and sail at Tahoe every year. I once lived in Chicago where there were three days a year of sun, and now I live here where there are over 300. I also love the business community here, it’s easy to get connected and know the people that you need to know in order to get things done. What can I say, I love this place!

What do I do to leave work at the office?

Ha, ha, ha! My great escape from work is sailing with Fred (the love of my life) and spending time with friends and family. But I live my work because I love it.

How do I give back to my community?

The organizations and businesses that I volunteer my time for are too numerous to mention here. My biggest project currently is the Nevada Discovery Museum. I am the chair of the campaign steering committee, where I spend countless hours every month with a great team raising money to open the museum. My volunteer hours range from mentoring young women to helping find sponsors for events such as Pops on the River, helping nonprofits start up and giving free training and presentations on sales and networking for nonprofits. One of my great passions is education. I work with the school district occasionally volunteering in classrooms, and I developed the Principal for the Day program to bring business leaders and school principals closer together.

Best business book I’ve read lately?

“The Inner Edge — The 10 Practices of Personal Leadership” by Joelle K. Jay, local author and coach.

Best place in Reno to meet with clients or colleagues?

The BizTalk Blender, of course!

My leadership philosophy

I lead by example. I try to be the best I can be, walk my talk and do things I would ask others to do. I try to encourage people to be the best that they can be, always.

Notable Achievements

I definitely got the sales genes from my father and got the hard working volunteer genes from my mom. I won Saleswoman of the Year in 2004, I was just voted AMA’s Marketer of the Year for building and marketing the BizTalk Blender and my son thinks I’m pretty cool, but that I shouldn’t work so much.

If I could do something else, I would…

I really can’t imagine doing anything else, I’ve already done so many wonderful things in my life. But when I strike it rich, I’ll definitely be a philanthropist. However, because of all my ranting about education, I have been told by my best friend, Randi Thompson, that I should be the Secretary of Education for the United States!

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