Tina Rheinberger has had a long career in the petroleum industry. After working as an operations manager for six service stations and gaining plenty of experience in equipment maintenance, Tina’s colleagues were encouraging her to stop managing other people’s stations and open her own business.
In 2016, Tina took the plunge and opened Impact Petroleum Solutions. Tina’s business meets the need she saw in the petroleum industry for a dedicated installation company with a commitment to safety, quality, and environmental standards.
“The final push came from a dear friend who really encouraged me. Without him, I would still be managing service stations and not fixing them.”
Before she made her own way in the industry, there are three things Tina wishes she had done:
- Engaged an excellent solicitor
- Gotten a great accountant
- Found an approachable bank manager
For anyone thinking about building their own business, this is Tina’s advice:
- Be careful who you put your trust in.
- Prepare for the lows, and don’t let them stop you from chasing your dream.
- Surround yourself with support – friends, family, staff, associates, and a business mentor you can call when you need them.
- Build a team that wants to help your business grow, then treat them as your most important asset (because they are!).
- Be proud of all your achievements, even the small ones.
Tina knows that a business owner has to know their industry inside and out. She stresses the important of writing your budgets, company policies, and business plans before you start – you will be too busy to write them later!
Tina loves everything about owning her own business.
“Every day is different, and I am not stuck in the office. One day I may be in the office doing administrative work, the next I’m in the field, working out how to do a service station re-build. Being a woman in a male-dominated industry is a daily, rewarding challenge that I especially enjoy.”
Tina’s favourite entrepreneur is Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group.
“I’m a big fan, not just for his cheeky attitude to business, but because he has values that have helped him achieve his success.”
Why does Tina love HerBusiness?
Because she works in a male-dominated industry, it can be hard for Tina to find people in major management positions that are willing to talk about their struggles and help Tina with her own.
“HerBusiness gives me the opportunity to share ideas and thoughts with other businesswomen. It gave me a safety net, someone I can turn to for help when it gets hard and I start to go through the ‘why am I doing this to myself’.”
This post was authored by Sophie Grosserode. Sophie is completing a journalism internship at HerBusiness. She studies journalism and media at the University of Tennessee in the United States.
