Talk Bravely: Real Women. Real Money. Real Life Stories

Ronetta Francis, candidate for Arkansas State Senate District 1, which is home to businesses such as Walmart as well as Yoga Story, owned by former guest Lynn Hancock, joins us on this episode. A corporate ethics executive, attorney, mom, wife, and woman of faith, Ronetta has built her campaign focused on health and wellness, public education, economic development and inclusion. Ronetta has been running an amazing campaign and it’s clear her love for Arkansas runs deep. We’ll talk with her about why she decided to run, the opportunities for impact she thinks is in the future for the Arkansas Senate, and why NOW was the right time for her to run. What we’re talking about: Ronetta shares a bit about her background and how a transition from a big job to a big question about ‘what’s next?’ led her to consider a run for office. When Ronetta left her job as an ethics and employment attorney at Walmart, she turned her attention to writing a book called Bloom Where You Are Planted which serves as the foundation for her executive coaching business. She shares her story about moving forward with her candidacy - and that it started when Representative Nicole Clowney encouraged her to consider. Three years later, she did just that. Finally in August of 2019, she realized tomorrow is not promised, and decided to run for Senate shortly after that. Learning about how to run can be an on-the-job experience. There are a number of organizations such as Emerge Arkansas who can help. Ronetta shares her favorite and most surprising aspects of campaigning during a pandemic. Fundraising is an integral part of campaigning, but it used to make Ronetta break out in a cold sweat - she figured it out and grew as a candidate. She shares her reasons why education and inclusion are important to her, her neighbors, and Arkansas. Why Arkansas will need advocacy and outreach to encourage our policymakers to pass the proposed state Hate Crime Bill How she’s loving Tik Tok these days and why our neighbors should vote for her Contact Ronetta and Register to Vote: www.ronettafrancis.org Facebook.com/RonettaforArkansas Instagram.com/RonettaFrancisforAR1 Twitter.com/RonettaforAR1 www.studentvote.org   Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @talkbravely

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Gayatri Agnew, a corporate philanthropy expert and lifelong advocate for women both in the civic and social sphere - who is also currently running for office for the second time. She is seeking to be elected to City Council Ward 1 Seat 2 in Bentonville, Arkansas. Gayatri’s story is absolutely one to inspire any and every woman to look at her community, and ask, “how can I help to make it better for all of our neighbors?” We’ll talk about why City Council is an integral part of our democracy, how she decided to run, the expenses associated with it, and why she wants to make sure every woman has a voice in her community. What we’re talking about: Call to Action: REGISTER TO VOTE and vote. What is the City Council and what are they responsible for? “My why is my children. I believe and was raised by a mom who taught me, you are a part of the community around you.” The two questions her husband asked her before she filed. What she did to prepare to run for office. How to get involved in local community - nonprofit boards, standing committees, elected office, government activities (poll workers or hotline call centers) “There’s not one way to serve. There’s not one way to build community.” Gayatri achieved a major win in her 2018 run for state legislature where she petitioned the state of Arkansas to allow campaign funds to be used for childcare. Less than 5% of members serving in Congress are moms. Gayatri serves on the board of VoteMama.org to help women with young children who want to run for office. How much money needs to be raised to run for a city council seat in a micropolitan like ours. Gayatri’s philosophy on fundraising for campaigns. The importance of census data and how cool it is that Gayatri nerds out on alllll the things we’d want a city council member to nerd out on. “I care about Bentonville… and when you care about something - you take care of it.” DON’T FORGET TO REGISTER TO VOTE - AND TURN OUT TO THE POLLS!!! NOVEMBER 3RD IS ELECTION DAY Contact Gayatri and Register to Vote: Twitter: @gayatriagnew LinkedIn Facebook www.studentvote.org   Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @talkbravely

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Sithara Menon. Sithara is a student and political organizer working to register college voters in Florida. As a UCLA senior planning to graduate next spring with a degree in biology, Sithara is passionate about turning out the youth vote of her peers and making sure young people’s voices are heard. Today we’ll talk with Sithara about growing up in the San Francisco Bay area, why she’s so active as a political organizer, how at the age of 20 she’s already had to advocate for her own pay increase, and why everyone should vote in November’s election. What We’re Talking About: Call to Action: REGISTER TO VOTE and vote. How Sithara became so active in politics early in her life. As the daughter of immigrants, the expectation of being a doctor/lawyer/tech professional ran deep in her community and family. However when she came to college, she became a community organizer. Young people are increasingly active on social issues - Covid, protests, environment. They are putting in the effort to educate themselves and get engaged. The breakdown comes when it turns to voting as only about 30% of young people do. There are a lot of barriers to voting for the first time - the physical barrier of registering, turning out to their polling place, and understanding how to vote from college. Sithara thinks EVERYONE should be on tik tok. It’s fun! She finds that taking control of her own finances also includes spending her money with organizations whose values match her own. 24:00 - I decided to take a quarter off of school. Sithara found herself in a unique situation for a 20 year old of having to ask for accommodations for her job due to covid - while also asking for a pay raise. After doing so, she found that it was so much easier than expected. 28:18 - “As young women, and young women of color, we’re not given much space to ask for what we want, much less what we need. I think that taking that step for myself was personally really empowering, but also helped me see it wasn’t that hard.” Sithara considers herself as a bit of a spender - she’ll pay more to support local farmers, donate to a movement she wants to support. But while she is very willing to give, she also considers herself a minimalist in that she doesn’t buy new clothes, and saving money is important to her. DON’T FORGET TO REGISTER TO VOTE - AND TURN OUT TO THE POLLS!!! NOVEMBER 3RD IS ELECTION DAY Contact Sithara: Twitter @ssmenon2 @studentpirgs @flopirgstudents www.studentvote.org

On this episode, I chat with movement building expert, and single mom by choice -- Amber England. Amber has nearly two decades of experience navigating politics as a progressive in deep red Oklahoma. Amber is a proud fifth generation Oklahoman and she says her career is driven by the simple idea that the power to change the world for good rests in the hands of ordinary people. Most recently she led the team that passed a ballot initiative that updated Oklahoma’s constitution and delivered healthcare to more than 200,000 Oklahomans! Today we’ll talk with Amber about why working in politics is both a blessing and a curse, how a failed campaign in 2016 brought transformative change into her own life, what a campaign manager actually DOES, how listeners like you can participate in building our democracy every day, and why she says her 23-month old spit fire daughter Josie Pearl is her biggest challenge - even bigger than passing progressive ideas in to law in Oklahoma!  What we’re talking about: Amber spent her early career working at a state capitol, and has done pretty much every behind the scenes job in politics in Oklahoma there is. In politics, everyone is an organizer. Organizing is simply asking, “How can you ignite a fire in someone else so that they get to the place where they say I want to vote for that person or I care enough about that issue to support it.” Advice she gives to candidates - You have to get elected first. Often, that’s about whether or not a voter connects with you. Can you be trusted. Candidates want to talk about policy, but they need the vote first. For those considering politics as a career field, it’s important to note that elections are very demanding of your time. It’s similar to starting up, running, and closing a business all within about 3 months time. And your performance review is a one day election. A special person is drawn to that type of work. In 2016, Amber poured her heart and soul into a campaign to get teachers across the state a pay raise. She lost. And lost her way. Asked myself, What do I want to see in my career, and what is missing in my own life? Having kids was something I put off, and Amber decided that she wanted to put her effort and energy into something beyond just an election night. She started a fertility journey and her daughter was born in September of 2018. Politics and policy work and campaigns are incredibly hard work. Amber shifted her career from working for nonprofits on issues (like education) and launched her own campaign strategy company called Strategies 77. As a consultant, Amber is able to work on campaigns, make a living, while also striving for a bit more balance at home with her daughter. She’s also learned a lot about compensation and tells her story about negotiating salaries and compensation for her work has helped her identify her market value. Amber’s call to action for encouraging listeners to get involved in politics Figure out a topic. Education, roads, health, a candidate.  Reach out to that campaign - facebook, twitter, their website. Email them more than once - it may take a while for them to get back to you. A good campaign manager will show you the next steps. They’ll educate you and get you to a place where you can contribute within the time you want to spend volunteering. Contact Amber: Strategy 77 website:  https://www.strategy77.com Twitter: @arengland Blog: www.josiepearlengland.com   Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @talkbravely

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Lynn Hancock, owner of Yoga Story in Bentonville, Arkansas.  Lynn has been a fitness professional for over a decade focusing on yoga, nutrition, and strength training. But she’s also a business superstar who shares how difficult Covid hit the wellness sector and what she had to do to pivot and stay afloat. I talk with Lynn about why she decided to go into the fitness business, how she learned everything she needed to know about running a traditional brick and mortar store, getting sober, and how she was able to flip her business to virtual by learning an entirely different skill set in order to stay afloat during a pandemic. What we’re talking about: Lynn left her VERY successful corporate career with Walmart to buy Yoga Story. Her time working with executives there taught her many of the hard and soft skills she uses daily as a business owner.  She credits a strong partnership with her husband that their family’s focus on being debt free and pursuing financial stability years ago that allowed her to be positioned to buy Yoga Story. “Work is still different than self-care. Even if you love what you do, it’s not self-care. We always say find a job that you love and you’ll never work in your life. That’s a lie.”  A mentor in Lynn’s life, and CEO of Target, taught Lynn that being healthy is integral to being successful. “Your job isn’t going to create space for you. And your boss isn’t going to set boundaries for you. That’s all up to you.” And if we don’t practice this, it won’t materialize. We should all strive for small movements every half hour and big movements every two hours. It’s important for cognition and productivity. Lynn shares her 5 thoughts on being a storefront business owner in the Heartland. It’s harder than it looks. Invest in mentors Seek to serve your customers, but put in place strong policies Stay connected with your purpose and why Surround yourself with good people Don’t be afraid of trying new things Lynn has managed to stay in business during Covid. She reminds me that it’s still a hard time for business owners and figuring this out will take a lot more time for small businesses. Lynn and I talk about getting sober during Covid. We both spent March and April, like many women, turning to food or alcohol or other ways to cope with the issues we were facing. She turned to the Alcohol Experiment to help her take alcohol out of her daily routine. Yoga Story now has a virtual platform serving yoga to their community near and far from their homes. Contact Lynn: Yoga Story NWA - for their virtual platform Lynn on Instagram Yoga Story on Instagram Links Human Performance Institute Honest Soul Yoga and Practice Everywhere - mentors of Lynn’s The Four Agreements - a book on personal freedom Annie Grace and The Alcohol Experiment Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @talkbravely

Vacationing during Covid-19 is very different. So many vacations were canceled early; some because of safety concerns, but still others because of lost income. During this time, many across the country have turned to camping and RV’ing as a safe and affordable alternative - and tons of friends and colleagues have reached out to me to ask for advice.  So tuck yourselves in for a podcast all about vacationing by RV. I’m affectionately calling this episode - TAKE YOUR DAMN VACATION. On today’s episode, I’ll share our family history of RVing, my 3 key messages about traveling the states in a camper, answer some of the most frequently asked questions about travel by RV. But above all, I totally want to encourage you to take your vacation. Only 44 percent of American women use all of their annually allotted vacation time, compared with 48 percent of men according to Project Time Off. Whatever you decide to do for vacation, DO IT SAFELY. For real. Mask up. Wash your hands. And take every precaution possible to stay healthy.  What I’m talking about: According to RV Industry Association, RV sales in some areas during spring of 2020 have sped up 170 percent over the same time period last year. There’s a huge interest in turning to the road and national parks Our family has been to 47 of the 48 lower states, Canada, and 26 national parks (and tons more other monuments, forests, etc.) in our RV. We probably have close to 250 nights in it. The RV adventure started for our family in 2015 by renting a Class C Rv. By 2017 we purchased a Winnebego Class A for our family and committed to spending our vacations RVing for the next few years. My key messages about rving as a way of vacationing. #1 - Really reflect on if you imagine yourself as an RVer.  #2 - Start small.  #3 - Plan in advance. Definitely do your research or reach out to someone to help you plan like my friend Mindy Weber. Mindy specializes in planning road trips with her company Nature Driven Adventures. Totally give her a follow on Instagram. 5. And my Top 5 Frequently Asked Questions about RVing: Is it cheaper than a hotel or airbnb?  Is it hard to drive?  How do I find places to stay? What do you do all day - and do you get tired of being in a small space?  And finally, how do you plan for meals and things like that, particularly during Covid? 

On this episode of Talk Bravely, I chat with lawyer turned real estate investor Diya Liu. Diya started out as a Big Law attorney but  turned to real estate investing and went from $0 to $100k net rental income with vacation rentals in 13 months. We talk about how she approached the decision to leave the 9-9 world of patent litigation law, why she decided to pursue location independence through investing in short term rentals, how she teaches others her process, and what she thinks Covid-19 will do to the real estate market. So if you’re a young entrepreneur, aspiring location independent dreamer, or just fascinated by real estate and making big career jumps, this episode is totally for you. What we’re talking about: Real estate during Covid-19. Diya still thinks the market will feel the economic downturn within 12-18 months. Comps are still supporting an elevated level. Luxury markets are still pretty hot and purchasers are still shopping at the same price point. If you’re a future real estate investor, Diya encourages you to look at the last recession, locales that were hardest hit, and consider trends that may stay true for this next potential real estate downturn. Diya’s childhood was shaped by her experience of moving to the US from China at age 8, growing up without a lot of money compared to her peers, and her parents’ focus on her educational success. Graduating from law school and securing a job with an international law firm in NYC opened up a completely different world of finances and spending than she had ever experienced. After a few years, Diya realized the 9-9 (and longer!) lifestyle of big city law may not be her passion. It was at that point that she discovered the FIRE lifestyle and philosophy (financial independence / retire early). Financial Independence teachings mainly revolve around building wealth through real estate or stock market investments to get to a point where the passive income earned from these two platforms equates to enough money annually to sustain a person/family instead of a salary from a job. Diya made a plan to move from NYC back to Austin where she did her undergrad, secured a job quickly, decided to start investing in real estate, and made it all happen within a few short months. 23:30 We talk a bit about the FIRE Movement. Diya is captivated by the FI part of FIRE. Her premise is that if she enjoys what she’s doing, because it’s interwoven into her lifestyle and beliefs, she won’t mind working some each day. But Financial Independence allows her the flexibility to pursue the projects she’s passionate about. And that passion has always been travel for Diya. Diya’s real estate journey wasn’t smooth. She learned a lot along the way about how to analyze a property for cash flow, buying at the right price point, estimating remodeling costs appropriately, and managing properties. She got into short term rentals (vacation rentals) because she travels a lot and stayed at them so much, she realized she could do short term rentals well using her own design sense. Part of being successful in short term rentals is also being savvy about the algorithms the variety of rental platforms use. Knowing all sides of the real estate market and equation is critical for success. We talk a bit about the side of the FIRE movement that teaches Earn More, Spend Less. The future for Diya includes both more real estate investments for herself as well as helping aspiring investors learn from her mistakes. She’s already closed on two new properties since Covid erupted in March and has her eye on a few more. Connect with Diya: Instagram @diyaesq Website for short term rental seminars and mentorship programs - str.tips   Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @talkbravely

On this episode of Talk Bravely, we talk with our favorite anxiety therapist Michelle Massi. You’ll remember Michelle from one of our first episodes about how she started her own private practice focused on anxiety disorders in the LA area.   Today we’re talking about all things related to Covid-19 and the office. If you’re just starting out in your career world and faced with anxiety around physically going back to an in-person work environment this summer, coming to the realization that you may NEVER work in a physical space again with co-workers and have anxiety over remote work, OR are an essential worker who is still looking for ways to keep anxiety about in-person working at bay, you’re in the right spot.    Here are her top tips for keeping anxiety away:   Acknowledge how you feel. Have self-compassion for those feelings. Make a plan for yourself and base decisions on mental health and CDC guidelines. Be okay with the fact that plans may change. Create a routine for being at home or going in to the office. Share your plans with your partner, roommates, family. Help them understand your decisions. Limit reading about coronavirus to one trusted resource. The CDC is a good resource. Look for the silver linings. What We’re Talking About: 1:30 - 2:20  Anxiety experts agree that the hardest part for everyone is the uncertainty of coronavirus. We want certainty to make a plan for the future and right now there’s not a lot of certainty. 3:40 Young adults are sharing their anxiousness around changing work expectations. The isolation, particularly for single women, is starting to really impact our lives. There’s a lot of anxiety around wondering if this is forever. People are fighting this question of “I want to have a little less isolation, but what is that going to cost me?” 7:40 Acknowledging the root of the anxiety is a good first step. And self-compassion is also important. Don’t beat yourself up for feeling the way you do. We’ve got a mental health vs. safety issue. Some people are making choices to go out for their mental health while others see it as a safety issue. Only you know what’s best for your health. 13:00 For those who are heading back to in-person work and have anxiety, find one trusted resource that is medically-backed, and use that to help inform the questions in your mind that are causing anxiety. Where possible, talk with your manager. 16:30 Some companies have announced that they are moving to work-from-home permanently. There is anxiety around this cabin fever and a general sense of just wanting to be out and free. Look at your calendar and find ways to interact. We can do both: get out of our houses safely as well as work from home. Set barriers around social media. It can be a source of anxiousness and self-doubt. Take a social media break, snooze some people, allow yourself to scroll during only certain times. We know that covid is disproportionately impacting women, whether because we have a higher representation in the medical, education, and hospitality industries, or because caretaking and household responsibilities have escalated during this time. Keep speaking up in your world about what you need to be successful and have positive mental health.   Connect with Michelle: Michelle’s Anxiety Practice:  www.anxietytherapyla.com  Instagram:  @anxietytherapyla   Anxiety Links and Tips: CDC Information about Covid-19 Check your insurance coverage for therapy sessions first and understand your budget for getting support.  Most therapists will list their price range. Psychology Today Therapy Den ADAA - Anxiety Depression Association of America IOCDF - International OCD Foundation NEDA - National Eating Disorders Association And don't forget to follow us on instagram @talkbravely

Luisa has done the hard work of really digging in to what it means to be financially independent - starting and closing a storefront business, digging out of debt, gaining financial literacy, and finally applying her lessons learned to help others on their journey to take control of their finances. On this episode, I chat with Luisa - a personal finance coach, recovering small business owner, nature lover, and investment junkie.  Her entrepreneurial pursuits have involved some very tough lessons.  Together we get into real talk on what it actually takes to face your finances, the emotions that come from our past financial mistakes, how we were able to get past that to make a living doing the work we love, all while helping others. So if you’re a young entrepreneur, aspiring business owner, or just now starting to look at your finances to get smarter about them, this episode is for you. What we’re talking about: Luisa’s background was in food and beverage in San Francisco. And in 2008, around the great recession, the movement around food in SF felt different; more homesteading and jam making. So she opened up a juice bar with a partner. The road to understanding that a 50-50 business investment partnership isn’t 50-50 100% of the time was a life lesson she’ll take with her always.  Learning to be a business owner is incredibly hard and important. Luisa was very action-oriented and owned the processes, human capital, and overall operations. Her passion for personal finance actually stemmed from opening her business because that was where she needed the most help - with the numbers. Eventually she understood that her knowledge of business finances could be directly applied to her personal finances. Dave Ramsey was Luisa’s point of entry into personal finance and getting a hold of her debt. I share what mine was as well.  Luisa listened daily to Dave Ramsey and hearing stories of people with personal finance challenges and how Dave Ramsey helped them inspired her to pursue becoming a personal finance coach herself. Once Luisa became a success story with her own personal finance journey, she started High Five SF, where she helps young entrepreneurs with business and personal finance needs. Luisa has 5 steps to get started with personal finance #1 - Get organized. Understand what you own and what you owe. #2 - Understand your net worth. This is your assets minus your liabilities. What you own minus what you owe. #3 - Our emotions and our feelings have control over what we do with our money. We need to get our emotions to a place where they are serving us. #4 - Understand the power of choice. Encourage people to start by paying attention to what is in our control. Focus on what is in our control for living expenses, purchasing power, and discretionary spending. These choices aren’t easy, but they are choices. #5 - Begin the journey towards Financial Literacy. We are in a place where there are systemic injustices that are in play for keeping populations, particularly Black, Indiginous, Women of Color, from accumulating wealth. And our systems are not built to teach financial literacy. To combat these systemic inequalities, we need to take ownership of our finances for ourselves and our communities. Going through these five steps to get started is emotionally driven. People need space to process through our feelings about money. Luisa used to be a total spender and now considers herself an aggressive saver - except when she’s out with friends. She has serious FOMO but shares her ways to stick with her budget. But because she’s now an aggressive saver, she is now able to save 42% of her income and in doing so is able to have a solid emergency fund while also building an investment portfolio. I provide an overview of the FIRE movement (Financial Independence Retire Early). Luisa is most excited about helping others achieve their own personal finance goals. She’s able to help her clients improve their quality of life exponentially. Connect with Luisa: You can follow Luisa on IG for tips and inspiration for getting a grip on your money at @highfivesf and visit my site at www.highfivesf.com   Links from the show Dave Ramsey Jean Chatzkey - Her Money SavvyGirl Money Women’s Personal Finance (Women on FIRE) - Facebook Group Stock Sisters - Facebook Group Choose FI - Google this for MANY links to Financial Independence websites, blogs, facebook groups, reddits, etc.   Don't forget to subscribe and follow us on Instagram @talkbravely

On this episode of Talk Bravely, I chat with professional mountain biker and Liv Racing team member Crystal Anthony. Crystal has an AMAZING story of growing up the oldest of 7 siblings in Massachusetts, heading to college for an undergraduate degree in kinesiology and a Masters in Education in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard, and then pursuing mountain bike and cyclocross racing and running her own coaching business. Crystal currently lives in Northwest Arkansas rides for Liv Racing. She has raced in 12 countries and represented the US 3x at the World Championships   What we’re talking about: The honor she had “wearing the colors of the US and representing our country” in the Cyclocross World Championships She didn’t start organized athletics until joining the cross country team in COLLEGE and found her passion running long distances. How missing the Olympic Trials marathon qualification time by 16 seconds was a moment to reflect and consider training for something else. Crystal shares that she was never motivated by becoming a pro racer or making money racing bikes; she was driven to get better and to win! What does it really mean to be a pro racer. Make a complete living through racing; gets paid something to race; your only job, regardless of making money, is racing. For Crystal, she gets compensated for racing, but also makes a living through coaching others to their best performance. How Crystal made the decision to leave her full time job to pursue racing and coaching full time. It was motivating to have 2 passions of teaching middle school and racing on the weekends Identity was tied up in both Security of a steady job kept her in the job as well as the impact she knew she was having on her students Eventually the logistics of managing both became too difficult and it was hard to leave teaching. Before leaving her position to pursue biking full time, Crystal made sure she had enough in savings to sustain her for a year and also reached out to mentors. Her community supported her and lifted her up and gave her the courage and knowledge to be self sufficient. Liv Racing and how awesome it is to race for them. They support getting more women on bikes and also provide a ton of resources for free on their website. How Crystal actually learned to be part of the racing community, developed herself as a racer and nutrition expert, developed her coaching skills, and learned to run a business and market herself to potential sponsors. (Hint: she built a community around her willing to support her) She’s a total saver and still has training clothes from 17 years ago. How Covid-19 has impacted the racing industry, and how it impacted her recent move to Northwest Arkansas. She introduced me to ‘Everesting’ - the idea that you choose a hill and ride your bike up and down over and over again until you reach the elevation gain of Everest at about 29,000 feet. And having completed that athletic feat has put in perspective the "longer" races she had on her schedule for the first time.   Connect with Crystal: Crystal Anthony Coaching offers everything from 1 on 1 skill lessons to coaching plans to clinics. She loves to work with anyone who wants to get better on the mountain bike! Coaching options are up on her site. Crystal also posts her recipes on her website: www.crystaljanthony.com  Instagram: @crystaljanthony @crystalanthonycoaching   Links and Tips: Liv Racing Hook It Everesting

If you’ve ever googled, “how do I know I’m experiencing burnout?” or “what does an executive coach do?” then this episode is for you! Honestly, am I the only person who didn’t really get what a leadership coach does? Well, tune in to this episode and (like me!) you’ll finally understand the importance of one! Emily has nearly two decades of experience helping organizations and their staff confront their vulnerabilities and build sustainable, scalable solutions. She shares why prioritizing your own health and well-being (personal and financial!) helps you be a better, more effective leader and how engaging a coach can help you reach your goals. What we’re talking about: Leadership can be so fulfilling, but also draining. It’s okay to define success as working towards an executive level position. But it’s also okay to change your mind, take a pause, reflect, and shift. The warning signs of career burnout. This Harvard Business Review article says the following are questions women should ask themselves:   Am I regularly physically and emotionally exhausted?  Are you more cynical and detached than usual?  Are you feeling like you’re not contributing anything meaningful, where you once were? How taking a medical leave of absence allowed Emily to dig deep and realize how to live in her values. Her three priorities now are Integrity, Health and Wellness, and Contribution - both to herself and her community. Emily’s approach to money and how her saving up to 50% of her income each year allows her to travel, pursue professional development for her own career, and yes, allowed her to take time off when she experienced the physical effects of burnout. What exactly it means to work with an executive coach: Will help you define your values and identify what you want in life. Will be a thought partner to help YOU figure out what YOU want to pursue. Will identify the voice of your inner critic, and hold you accountable for doing the hard work for yourself. When do you know it’s the right time to work with a leadership/executive coach? If you want to grow as a leader If you’re feeling stuck in something in your life If you’re trying to make a big decision about yourself or your family If you feel like your life is out of balance Companies will sometimes provide development money to hire a coach. Don’t forget to know your company benefits! HR tips: What to understand when searching for a job right now How current managers, facing the challenge of letting employees go, can do so compassionately Connect with Emily: On LinkedIn At Emily Silberstein Coaching Links from the show Harvard Business Review article on Burnout. International Coaching Federation to find coaches in your area

On this episode of Talk Bravely, I chat with Haley, a marketing and digital strategist based in Bentonville, Arkansas, who happened to lose her job at the very beginning of the economic slowdown due to COVID-19. However, just two months later, and with a lot of hard work, ingenuity, and networking, Haley found another job and begins work with her new company. Haley joins Talk Bravely for today’s mini-episode to talk about her experience being let go, strategies for job searching during a hyper-competitive job market, and how she used innovative marketing techniques of her own to help set herself apart from other applicants.    What we’re talking about: Being on contract instead of being a full-time employee pre-Covid.  And then signs that her position would possibly be eliminated starting as early as February. How Haley was notified that her position was eliminated, given that she was based in a virtual office many states away from her leadership team. Being a remote worker can sometimes lead to missed signals about how a company is dealing with situations like Covid. Haley’s consistency at asking questions and learning as much as she could allowed her to be prepared for upcoming decisions impacting her role. How Haley stayed in a positive headspace after being let go, BECAUSE she was prepared and saw the signs. She shed a few tears, and then got to work. The first move after being let go was to tell people. Though it may be hard on our ego, posting to LinkedIn and Facebook to start networking was critical in her ability to start her job search quickly. LInkedIn is a powerful tool. It’s a search engine for recruiters, but also for the broader world. And just like any social media platform, it’s helpful to amplify others when on there. Use the like buttons, and re-share when you see contacts searching for new work or clients. If hiring a resume writer is in your budget, consider hiring one to help re-do your resume. A professional (Haley paid $250) writer can tailor your resume to your field and also help get through the electronic sifting process many companies use. Haley notes that working through her resume also gave her confidence. Creating a video resume really amped up Haley’s ability to be noticed. Haley got EXTREMELY clear on her budget. She took stock of all income and potential sources of support including unemployment and freelancing in order to get through the months of job searching. Through this process, Haley’s definition of success has shifted. The power of remote working, and spending time reflecting on what she wants out of this next season of life, has allowed her to reimagine what working and living means to her.  Haley’s Steps to Job Searching Speak Out - Let people know. Post on social media that you are now available. Get Positive - Reflect on the direction of your career and dig deep on what will bring you most joy in work. Seek out confidence through personal reflection and conversations with others. Budget - Get clear on your budget. Make adjustments immediately once you assess your situation. Get Help - Consider hiring a resume writer if your budget allows for it or other professional support like interview coaching Innovate - Create a video resume. Take inventory of your skills and determine if freelancing is a possibility And don’t forget to follow @talkbravely on Instagram as well.

On this episode of Talk Bravely, I chat with long time political advocate Mary McClelland about what exactly a career in campaigns and advocacy means, how she’s spent two decades doing good for our democracy, why it’s important to set work boundaries when the stakes always feel so high, and why some of us (me!) just can’t seem to ignore the negative voice inside our head that elevates our confidence issues.  Mary’s stories of working on campaigns, elections, and advocating for good public policy across the country are inspiring. Early in her career she worked to improve our country and political elections by advocating for better campaign finance laws, and then went on to work with Rock the Vote registering millions of young people to vote for the first time. Mary recently worked on large scale education equity issues, and currently serves as Director of Communications for the Environmental Law and Policy Center. What we’re talking about: How growing up in a civically-minded home with a focus on being involved in the community influenced her career. What does a political advocate actually do as a career? Educate, activate, petition, organize. Money matters in campaigns and elections - and political advocates can make a difference to even this imbalance out. How Mary lived her early years on a nonprofit budget, and learned a lot on the job her first year. Politics is local. We don’t have to work in DC to make a difference as advocates. But Mary went to DC, young, without a job, and with the benefit of a friend’s kindness (and couch). How Mary has worked on large scale political advocacy from environment, to voting, to campaign finance reform, and education. The myriad of jobs in the political advocacy sector are broad - tech, marketing, programming, curriculum development, learning and training, legal, business development, communications, fundraising, etc., and yes, women can make a difference AND make a strong salary in the field. Yet if you don’t have boundaries around time at work, advocacy and politics can be a 24-7 job because the stakes feel very high at all times. How Mary has had to work really hard to counteract her sense of loyalty, and sometimes her confidence gap, that has kept her in jobs a bit longer than she probably should have. Mary considers herself a saver - mostly - and when she was ready to buy a home as a single woman in Chicago, found the lack of information, confusing acronyms, and non-linear process a barrier. And frankly the process is scary and mysterious for so many first time buyers. What’s in the future for Mary? She doesn’t know, but she knows she’ll stay in political advocacy work. It is what she does, and it is what she is passionate about.  Connect with Mary: On LinkedIn

Episode Notes: A lighthearted conversation about writing, publishing, fanfiction, fanfic cons, and the business side of writing books. Marisa Wolf of the Four Horseman Universe series joins Talk Bravely about being the first in her family to go to college, her experiences with a few independent publishing houses, what exactly fanfiction is, how she’s trying to be a better saver instead of spender, and what being published means to her monthly income and sense of security in the world. Marisa grew up in New England, moved to work in the South, and built her career in Texas.  After a few decades of work NOT in the book business, she decided to finally finish all the half-started stories in her head and has published her books and short stories over the past few years. As of this recording, Marisa has a short story in an anthology released May 29th and it is not only a best-selling new release, it is also the number 1 top selling science fiction anthology on all of Amazon. Along with her published short stories, she’s co-authored two novels, and her second was a best-selling new release on Amazon as well. What We’re Talking About: Marisa decided a few years ago to officially pursue writing. Kacey Ezell, a friend of hers, set a goal to get published and when offered the opportunity by a publisher to turn a short story into a novel, this friend reached out to Marisa to partner on it together. How she learned the business side of books while publishing her first book. Her passion for Fan Fiction - and even what is - which started when reading Anne McCaffrey at the age of 8. The myriad of ways publishers work with authors and that Marisa works with a handful of large and independent publishers. Advances for books are the bet that a publisher makes that a book is going to make a certain amount of money. So you get that in an advance and then if your book earns out, for the cost of making it, marketing it, and the advance, then you earn royalties.  How advances and royalties work for anthologies written by multiple authors. Her love for her Independent Publisher Chris Kennedy and his transparent way of writing contracts and sharing information and data about how much money books cost to both get into the market and how much they make. 14:15 How Marisa spends the money she makes from writing books ~ invests in herself through professional development, travel to conventions, donates to her favorite charities. The exhaustion that comes from writing and editing and promoting, but it’s a good exhaustion, and her writing process while holding a full time job. When editing a novel, she partners with her co-author and reads the book out loud in order to tighten up the writing. Whether or not she reads her amazon reviews. The purpose of conventions in the writing world, her first DragonCon, and the first time she signed one of her own books. The con world and how it approaches diversity and equity issues. Be clear on what she can still spend on Shift to borrowing books instead of buying books (except the ones she really wants) Shifting her treat mentality for a job well done from food to ‘nerd things’ Setting mini goals and keeping a spreadsheet to track expenses Getting on the same page as her partner How Marisa has forced herself to be a saver for the past 2 years and her tips for saving How Marisa is now planning to travel the country in an RV while writing more and thinking about the next phase of her life. And how this decision might be really transformative as she realizes she equates having ‘things’ to having security.   Connect with Marisa Facebook LinkedIn Instagram - @bookdogs Marisa Wolf Author Page Four Horseman Universe Page And don’t forget to follow @talkbravely on Instagram as well.

On this special Arkansas edition of Talk Bravely, I chat with Meredith Lowry, an attorney at Wright Lindsey Jennings in Northwest Arkansas.  As a patent attorney and avid tech geek, Meredith has fifteen years of experience working to help companies protect their inventions, brands and businesses. She’s one of only a few female patent attorneys in Arkansas, so her practice has worked with a number of women inventors and businesses through the years. Meredith describes herself as a feminist and wants to help make Arkansas the most friendly state for Woman-Run businesses. One of the ways she’s doing that is through launching a new initiative called Woman-Run, a networking group of women who trade resources and boost each other’s careers.  The group is made up of women that have started their own business or are thinking about starting their own business or inventors that are testing the waters throughout Arkansas. We talk about all things COVID-19, the impact of it on woman-run businesses, and provide resources and ideas for women business owners.   What we’re talking about: How the organization she helped her law firm found, Woman-Run, connects current and aspiring women business leaders and owners through networking, mentorship, education and resources that address the unique needs of women in business. How Woman-Run supports women across Arkansas looking to connect about running their own business. The goal is to learn from each other. Meredith found that women weren’t participating in traditional networking that chambers or organizations put on, and often aren’t registering their businesses officially.  How women can plug in to Woman Run - both facebook and a monthly newsletter. What women run businesses are in need of right now: funding, childcare, how to run a safe business, and creative ways to partner with others and change business models in order to increase their revenue. When you support a woman run business, you’re supporting the other woman run businesses that support them. Things you can do based on Fundera article linked below: Know who they are Promote on social media Partner with them for your business Join a professional organization for women Offer workshops Make sure your panels have women on them Host a networking event for women-run small businesses in your community Host your next event at a woman run business The stronger women get in business, the stronger women will have a voice in ALL areas of the world as well, including politics and how decisions are made. Women often don’t file for official employment designations with their state or the IRS when starting a business, working in the gig economy, or consulting. And often don’t have a relationship with their local bank. Woman Run provides resources on this to set women up for future success should a similar program to the PPP become available or necessary in the future. There shouldn’t be anything ‘magical’ about starting your own business as a woman. Resources are available to shine a light on what’s needed and support women. Connect with Meredith: LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Wright Lindsay Jennings Law Offices and Woman Run Links of Interest for Woman-Owned Businesses: 20 Ideas to support women owned businesses Black women owned businesses in Arkansas Maxine’s Tap Room - a favorite of Meredith’s Don't forget to follow @talkbravely on Instagram as well.

Actor, karate-school manager, Apple Genius (before there ever was such a thing), journalist, philanthropy executive, and potential future politician? Yep, Toni has lived each of these lives and is ready to talk about it! Journalist and communications expert Toni Johnson is a former deputy editor and staff writer for the Emmy-winning website of the Council on Foreign Relations, she spent four years as a reporter for Congressional Quarterly where she covered a range of legislation. Her work has appeared in numerous major publications, including the New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN.com, and more. Toni is currently CEO and founder of Mission OutLoud. In her former role as head of knowledge and influence for the Heron Foundation, Toni led the foundation’s long-term public influence and engagement strategy.  Basically, Toni is a huge politics and policy wonk - which are some of my favorite people.  She’s been awarded prestigious journalism fellowships and has a masters in international journalism from American University. I also happen to put her up as one of the thought leaders I follow on social media. What we’re talking about: This episode was recorded before the tragic murder of George Floyd and the protests that are ongoing as of the release date. It’s important to note this is why our conversation revolved around COVID-19 and not current events. We discuss Toni’s early ambition to become a lawyer, yet surviving a school shooting at Simon’s Rock impacted her greatly and shifted her career trajectory. Toni gave herself a 5 year plan to pursue acting in NYC instead of going to law school and during that time acted, managed a karate school, temp’ed for a nonprofit, became a certified apple technician, and then finally decided to pursue journalism. How she believes her upbringing and Montessori education and then attending college at a young age at Simon’s Rock helped shape how she learns and approaches life. Her story of becoming guardian to her siblings just before going to grad school for journalism, how she dealt with homelessness in DC the week before 9/11, and how American University believed in her so much they offered her more scholarship and access to a supporter who provided an apartment. Her career trajectory working her way through DC’s elite political journalism organizations and how she chose a job when offered THREE jobs in one day. She defines herself as a “policy journalist and not a politics journalist” during her time in DC. Toni’s career life lessons for aspiring journalists (33:00): Journalists will have a long life. It’s okay to remake yourself. How people treat you at work is important. And we need to rely on our network to build us up so we don’t get caught up in toxic environments. There’s a tension between being a doer and a helper and what you need to do to further your own ambitions. “Being fearless and talking bravely is really the life lesson for everything.” (35:00) Life lessons about money as a successful Black woman. Her period of severe poverty growing up and how that impacted her ambivalence to money right now. She sees money as a tool, and in the past has had a distrust of the markets.  The discomfort of making a lot of money working for a philanthropic foundation and questioning the impact of how she’s serving the poor. The philosophy that if she has enough money to splurge on cable, she’s going to be okay. The idea that it’s never too late to get in to politics - and maybe how Toni thinks she’s a little more Bernie Sanders than Joe Biden - and might run for local office one day Connect with Toni: On LinkedIn On Twitter @ToniOutLoud   Connect with Talk Bravely: Instagram: @talkbravely www.talkbravely.com 

“Work has to be intellectually interesting to me as a person.  And has to be values aligned.”  ~ Crystal Combs This episode of Talk Bravely covers executive recruiter Crystal Comb’s own career journey and how she went from Goldman Sachs, and a job that would provide what she thought was her goal of financial stability, to work in the social impact sector.  In the evolution of how Crystal thought about work, finances, and purpose driven work, ultimately she came to realize that, “in the balance, I cared more about the net positive social impact than I did about the actual dollar amount I was making.”  Crystal now specializes in finding the perfect match for social impact organizations seeking to fill positions in their top executive roles, and particularly specializes in working with organizations that place an emphasis on race equity.  We talk about her own journey in finding a career path with meaning, what her experience with being “under-employed” taught her, and get her advice on transitioning to the mission-driven sector, working with a recruiter, job-hunting during COVID-19, and whether or not salary negotiation is a thing of the past. I’ll also note that Crystal is the reason I took up yoga a number of years ago, which I can’t thank her for enough.  AND, once upon a time she effectively recruited me as a Vice President of a fantastic organization that absolutely changed my life for the better.   What we’re talking about: What is the social impact sector and what does the future of hiring look like given COVID-19 Crystal’s career trajectory and how she went from an MBA in Barcelona to a temp job at Goldman-Sachs, to finally finding her purpose serving social impact organizations focused on race equity in their leadership teams. Her relationship with money:  “I’m really driven by money.  I think it’s okay to say that. I began to realize in my early career just how much money mattered to me and how it factored into my sense of stability in the world.” Yet she realized financial stability, “as a standalone, that is not enough for me.  I can’t just pin my worklife to money.  Even though that’s why I went to business school.” What exactly is an executive search firm and how they find the best applicants possible for a position - pro tip: that LinkedIn message may not be a scam after all! Why she expects the next year to be, “a competitive moment to land a role,” and provides a clear reason why organizations across the country will be more conservative in their hiring decisions.  Clear, concise advice on salary negotiation questions for the social impact sector. Working with a financial planner:  “She looked at our financial picture and said, ‘here’s the thing: you either need to make more money collectively or you need to make different choices.’ We didn’t want to make different choices. We wanted to eat the food we wanted to eat and take the trips we wanted to take.”  So I sought out full time work. The advice her financial advisor gave her that nearly made her weep - in a positive way.   Connect with Crystal: On LinkedIn At Axis Talent Partners

On this episode of Talk Bravely, I have the privilege of chatting with Brandi Johnson, personal stylist and leader in a popular fashion tech company.  Brandi has degrees from Brown and UC Berkeley and early in her career was a partner at a national consulting firm where she coached professionals on achieving their goals. She quickly earned a reputation for style along with training and found herself regularly coaching colleagues on looking their best.  Fast forward a few years and tons of hard work, and Brandi found herself training with Stacy London from TLC’s What Not To Wear. After that experience, Brandi decided to merge her two passions of coaching and fashion and founded her styling company Brandeis Nicole. Since officially starting her styling business in 2012, she’s styled over 1000 clients, built out a company that allows for in person and virtual styling, and now also has a successful career in a leadership role with a well-known fashion tech company. What we’re talking about: Brandi’s career path and bold decisions to grow her business How Brandi’s matriarchal family structure influenced her personally and inspired her love for fashion and personal style. Where Brandi got her confidence to start her own business after considering herself a company woman. How she went full time in her personal styling business and two months later worried if it would be sustainable. Her encouragement that spending money on your business and investing in your business can feel very similar but are in fact very different - and explains how founders can get clear on the two. The benefit of other women championing her business launch and how she used a pricing strategist to help her determine how to price her services.   The process of thinking about increasing styling prices or increasing scale. What to expect when working with a personal stylist - honesty, fit, and fun.  Connect with Brandi: www.brandeisnicole.com @brandeisnicole on instagram and facebook Style for Smart Cookies facebook page   Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast!

On this episode of Talk Bravely, we talk anxiety therapy, the cost of mental health support, being anxious during COVID-19, the Kardashians, and how to build a health practice with anxiety therapist Michelle Massi.   Michelle is a licensed Marriage & Family therapist and has nearly two decades of experience working with youth, families and adults.  She specializes in Obsessive Compulsive Disorders, Obsessive Compulsive spectrum disorders, and anxiety disorders.  Until recently, she was the Associate Clinical Director at the UCLA OCD Intensive Treatment Program and has her own successful private practice with 4 therapists and a behavior coach. Michelle has recently returned to work after taking maternity leave with her first child.  At work, she and her associates specialize in cognitive behavioral therapy to support a variety of anxiety disorders.  I’ll also note that she’s a highly sought after trainer and public speaker as well as passionate volunteer for the Concern Cancer Foundation and Chi Omega.     What we’re talking about: Coronavirus and anxiety trends in women.  “We’re experiencing a whole different level of anxiety.  We’re living in a world that is topsy-turvy right now…” When to seek out a therapist for yourself or your child: “Any time the coping skills you already have, that you are trying to use aren’t working for you - that’s when it’s a good time to seek out therapy.” “Therapy is an extra helper.  It’s like getting a tutor when your child needs extra help at school.  It’s not a negative.” What therapists are concerned about now: “When we return to what normal will look like, how we’ll get kids re-integrated back into school is a big conversation.”  Michelle’s career path, how an experience with her freshman college chemistry professor changed her trajectory, and how she decided to not be a sex therapist.  “I failed first year chemistry in college.  I went to see my professor… he basically said if you don’t get an A in my class you’re not going to go to medical school. I was 17 at the time and walked out and burst into tears.  That was my dream.”  I’m personally so glad Michelle shared this story of frustration - and I shared my own in response.  Weed-out courses, cut throat academic cultures, and professors acting like gatekeepers particularly impact women in a negative way and we need to share these stories bravely so future students will know how to respond.  The importance of a mentor on Michelle’s career and how she built her business to such success that Kim Kardashian had her on as a guest on Keeping Up With The Kardashians. How to find a therapist wherever you live.  How much should I expect to pay a therapist?  Insurance/co-pay versus Out of pocket.  And how long should I expect to be in therapy.  “When it comes to anxiety disorders, CBT is supposed to be a very short term therapy… it really depends on if you’re going to do the homework between sessions.  I always tell clients at about 3 months, you should see some progress in your treatment if you are doing anxiety therapy with a CBT therapist.  If you’re not, then maybe you’re not working with the right therapist or maybe you’re not putting in enough effort.  But you really should see a significant amount of change.”     Connect with Michelle: Michelle’s Anxiety Practice:  www.anxietytherapyla.com  Instagram:  @anxietytherapyla   Anxiety Links and Tips: Check your insurance coverage for therapy sessions first and understand your budget for getting support.  Most therapists will list their price range. Psychology Today Therapy Den ADAA - Anxiety Depression Association of America IOCDF - International OCD Foundation NEDA - National Eating Disorders Association

Ever wonder what young music professionals go through on their way to making it big? On this episode of Talk Bravely, I chat with Alyssa Click, a young professional singing actress and music teacher living in Boston.  Alyssa  recently completed a Post-Graduate Fellowship in Arts Administration at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee (2019), holds a Master of Music degree in Opera Performance from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee (2018) and a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Northern Arizona University (2016).  To say she’s an impressive performer is an understatement.  But on this episode, she joined Talk Bravely host Dr. Kerry Moll to talk about the business side of the music industry, how working musicians are paid, what being represented by a manager means, and how she creates steady streams of income through her talent and a few (NINE!) side hustles.   What we’re talking about: The money side of the music industry - and how it’s expensive to be a professional musician. “As a musician, you ARE your business” and have to treat your financial life as a such. “Knowing when to shut my laptop and take my screens away is critical for mental health.”  Alyssa shares how she juggles nine ‘side jobs’ while pursuing her dream AND the benefit of a good therapist to keep her mental health in a good place. “Do your research… always look to find out what the typical pay looks like.”  It’s not always easy to find out what range a contract for performance should be, but the information IS out there. How she’s transitioning to online music work and videos during social isolation in the COVID-19 hotspot of Boston.    Connect with Alyssa: www.alyssaclicksoprano.com @Alyssaclicksoprano on instagram and facebook   Links of Interest for Aspiring Musicians: AGMA (opera/classical musicians) - https://www.musicalartists.org/about-agma/how-does-agma-support-you/ Actor's Equity (musical theatre/straight-acting) - https://www.actorsequity.org/aboutequity/ YAP Tracker (mostly classical music) - http://www.yaptracker.com/register/?uReferral=TEMPO5304 ($5 off for new member subscriptions with this link) Backstage (musical theatre, straight-acting, commercials, and TV/movie work) - http://fbuy.me/v/alyssa_1544 ($10 off for new members with this link) Playbill (musical theatre, straight-acting, commercials, and TV/movie work) - https://www.playbill.com/ (free, no login credentials) Don't forget to hit subscribe and leave a review!

Career advice to remember:  “You have a voice.”  On this episode, I talk with Britney Harrison, a family practice lawyer in the Dallas area.  As an experienced lawyer, Britney has worked for large and small law firms in both Austin and Dallas.  After an early career in employment law and commercial litigation, Britney made the switch to family law and now helps clients navigate one of life’s most difficult times - divorce and child custody.  She’ll share with us her journey of leaving big law - and a big salary - to pursue her passion of working directly with clients, how she learned that “not all money is good money”, and how helping her dad achieve his dream of graduating from college is one of her proudest accomplishments.   I should note that Britney has been recognized for her successful legal work and has been named as a rising legal star in a number of publications including D Magazine. She’s currently president-elect of the Texas Young Lawyers Association, and in order to get to the point where she graduated FIRST IN HER CLASS from the University of North Texas and then with honors from The University of Texas at Austin Law School (Go Horns!), she had to pass my 9th grade English class.  Yes, I’ve known Britney since she was a teenager and I’ve loved watching her growth over the years.   What we’re talking about: How she spends every day, “helping people find a new beginning… and move on with a new part of their lives,” as a divorce lawyer - and has a true passion for her work.  The work of divorce lawyers through the time of coronavirus and what to expect when working with one. Making the smart decision to work with a financial planner to create an action plan for being able to pay off student loans, support her dad’s dream of finishing college, and then be in a financially secure place where moving to a lower paying but higher passion job was possible.  Financial advice:  “I always recommend anyone looking at any type of career change or any kind of big life change to get a financial planner.  Because that’s what they’re an expert in. You are an expert in your field but you may not be an expert in finances, so find someone that is.”   The salary and money side of the law industry.  Negotiating a new job salary:  “The worst they’re going to do is tell you no.” Importance of networking:  “I networked… Every job I’ve ever had since my very first job is because I knew someone at the firm.” Best advice she’s received from her mentor:  “You have a voice.” Britney takes this mantra with her to the courtroom as well as into her volunteer world supporting other young lawyers through her service as President-elect of the Texas Young Lawyers Association.   Connect with Britney: Her firm Goranson Bain Ausley Her facebook page Texas Young Lawyers Association  Don't forget to hit subscribe and leave a review!

On this episode of Talk Bravely, I chat with education leader, sought after leadership speaker, and soon to be published author, Dr. Jill Siler. Jill has served as an educator for over 25 years as a teacher, coach, campus and district leader, and for the past 8 years as a superintendent. She shares not only the lessons she learned leading through a financial crisis in her own organization as well as how she navigated the compensation side of her latest journey into public speaking and writing. I also happen to call Jill a friend of over 20 years.  We met as teachers, went on to get our masters and doctorates together, and even had children around the same time.  She’s a phenomenal person, with a phenomenal story.   What we’re talking about: Jill’s story from classroom teacher to district leader to public speaker and published author is similar to other women:  “Part of my story is that I didn't know that I was ready for leadership.  I had an influential mentor who pushed me.” Salary negotiation:  “Experience, skill set, the amount I might be recruited by others, all of that matters in negotiation.”  At work, Jill absolutely loves what she does, but there is a small, small percentage of her work that is just really hard! And she doesn’t think she’s alone. Dr. Siler’s book writing debut delves into how we can all lead through that 5% in a way that allows us to THRIVE? Jill dug deep to find the courage to become a public speaker.  Speaking allows her to broaden her reach and in particular encourage aspiring public school leaders:  “So much doubt bubbles up.  That fear and doubt is a reality.  I made the decision to move through that.” Identifying realistic compensation bands as a public speaker and author: Jill was brave enough to cold call leaders in the field and ask them specific questions about compensation for keynotes and conferences.  “Unless you are willing to have really candid conversations with people to ask them how much they make, just like your podcast is doing, I think women are at a huge disadvantage.”   Connect with Jill: Dr. Siler can be found on all social media platforms @jillmsiler and on her website at www.jillmsiler.com Her book first book Thrive through the Five debuts later this summer and Talk Bravely will post when it is available.

Women across the country, just like you, are seeking inspiration and real-life stories about career, finances, and how to navigate the world with the security of financial health.  At Talk Bravely, we’re committed to helping each other understand women’s career paths and develop a positive relationship with our finances through storytelling and honest conversations.  This Intro to the Podcast is a brief overview of what to expect from our new series. Don't forget to subscribe to the show!