The Intentional Greatness Podcast

We have recorded almost 150 episodes of the Intentional Greatness Podcast, and we are beyond grateful for your continued support, enthusiasm, and feedback. During this special announcement episode, Sue discusses what to expect from the show in the coming weeks, as well as changes that you will hear in our upcoming spring episodes.   What You Will Learn: What can you expect from the show in the next few weeks The exciting changes coming later this year Why you should continue to share your feedback and thoughts about the podcast Where you can find continued support and resources from Sue Resources: Chasing Perfection Book 2-Day Intentional Greatness® Immersive Experience: https://suehawkes.lpages.co/smart-start-2-day-8-31-21 Website: https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS

“Clarity is the elimination of mental clutter, agility is the elimination of physical clutter, and tranquility is the elimination of spiritual clutter,” says author James Clear. In this episode of the podcast Sue and her daughter, Ali Stieglbauer, discuss decluttering to create mental, spiritual, and physical space. During their conversation, Sue and Ali share thoughts about why we tend to declutter during transitional periods and how saying no allows us to create more space. What you'll learn about in this episode: The importance of removing mental, physical, and spiritual clutter You must declutter your mind, not just your physical space Why you must declutter your calendar to create mental space How to restore order in chaos What inner tranquility means Why you must say “no” more often in order to create space Why how you dress impacts how you show up internally How to declutter to remain engaged online How to have an elimination diet for your life Resources: Chasing Perfection Book 2-Day Intentional Greatness® Immersive Experience: https://suehawkes.lpages.co/smart-start-2-day-8-31-21 Website: https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS Decluttering for Clarity Clarity is the elimination of mental clutter, agility is the elimination of physical clutter. and tranquility is the elimination of spiritual clutter, says author James Clear. My daughter, Ali Stieglbauer, is joining us again to discuss decluttering to create mental, spiritual, and physical space. During our conversation, Ali and I share thoughts about why we tend to declutter during transitional periods. We also explain how saying no allows us to create more space. Showing Up to Level Up As our work culture has changed throughout the pandemic, many people believe that the rules have changed regarding physical appearance and showing up. However, not showing up in a professional wardrobe or with your physical presence on screen, does not allow for a level playing field. This may be an old school belief system, but you have to dress for the game you want to play. Knowing When to Say No When you're pondering what things to eliminate — it's really about knowing when to say no. Decluttering your life is about saying no to things, in order to elevate and level up. It can be difficult to say no, but it's an essential part of being a leader. Ultimately saying no allows you to reach an ideal state of tranquility, agility, and clarity.

As a bestselling author, keynote speaker, Expert EOS Implementer, Certified Business Coach, WPO Chapter Chair, and globally recognized, award-winning seminar leader, Sue brings over twenty-five years of experience to her clients. She is the CEO of YESS! and has designed and delivered dynamic, transformational programs for thousands of people. Sue has received numerous awards including the Dream Keeper award recognized by the Governor's Council for her leadership program, the Regional U.S. Small Business Administration Women in Business Champion of the Year award, the Exemplary Woman of the Community award, WomenVenture's Unsung Hero award, Women Who Lead from Minnesota Business Magazine, NAWBO Minnesota's Achieve! Vision Award and named a 2018 Enterprising Woman of the Year. Sue has been featured in publications including Inc., Entrepreneur, Thrive Global and The New York Daily News. What you'll learn about in this episode: Why you must change your mindset in order to combat burnout Why you need to pause and remember you are in control How to form effective, lasting habits How to determine your recipe for success Why this is the year to do what makes you happy Why you should take five quiet minutes in the morning to be present Resources: Learnworlds Online Learning Community: https://yess.learnworlds.com/ Unf♥

As a bestselling author, keynote speaker, Certified EOS Implementer, Certified Business Coach, WPO Chapter Chair, and globally recognized, award-winning seminar leader, Sue brings over twenty-five years of experience to her clients. She is the CEO of YESS! and has designed and delivered dynamic, transformational programs for thousands of people. Sue has received numerous awards including the Dream Keeper award recognized by the Governor's Council for her leadership program, the Regional U.S. Small Business Administration Women in Business Champion of the Year award, the Exemplary Woman of the Community award, WomenVenture's Unsung Hero award, Women Who Lead from Minnesota Business Magazine, NAWBO Minnesota's Achieve! Vision Award and named a 2018 Enterprising Woman of the Year. Sue has been featured in publications including Inc., Entrepreneur, Thrive Global and The New York Daily News. What you'll learn about in this episode: Why you must hire with Core Values How to effectively hire over a screen How to manage a hybrid workforce What employee capacity really means How to determine who your right employees are in a hybrid world The 3 questions to prepare for tough workplace conversations How to have tough conversations with superiors when you are the employee Resources: Website: https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS YESS! Online learning community: yess.learnworlds.com Results Guaranteed communication course (if you loved the communication information, learn more here!): https://www.sayyess.com/results-guaranteed/ Core Values Cards: https://www.amazon.com/Values-Cards-John-Veeken/dp/0980517532/ref=sr_1_1?crid=NWXEOTSEZW5W&dchild=1&keywords=core+values+cards&qid=1611804572&sprefix=core+values+car%2Caps%2C164&sr=8-1 Getting Messy The challenging part of business isn't business at all - it's people. Business is easy, people are challenging. During this week's episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, my daughter Ali and I share our insights on communication best practices in the workplace. In 2022 things are going to get a lot messier before they get cleaner. It's important to know what employees really want right now and what they're willing to trade to have those things. Throughout our conversation, we discuss core values and how to make sure that someone is a right fit during the hiring process. Finding A Core Value Match Hiring new employees is difficult, but finding the right fit virtually is an entirely new challenge. While many companies work with teams they have never met in person - it can feel impossible to spot the wrong person in a mobile world. Unfortunately, if you don't have the right practices in place - it is a lot easier for someone to fake it. When analyzing if a potential hire aligns with your company's core values, implement core values cards during the hiring process to get a better understanding of where your prospect lies. Not Going Anywhere When you feel attacked in the workplace or are experiencing criticism, it's natural to want to retreat or get defensive. But, there are better and more effective ways to respond. It's important to make sure that everyone involved knows that their concerns were heard, are valid, and most importantly you are not going anywhere. We all have a choice to continue to stay in the circumstance or not. If you're the employee in this situation and are dealing with a superior - you should come to the conversation armed with data. Spend time role-playing the conversation, to eliminate the element of fear. Don't let the conversation be the first time you've talked it through.

Small businesses, ranging from 10 to 200 employees realize that a wrong person can change the course and trajectory of your business. This makes it critical to find the right person for your company. During this solo episode, Sue shares her thoughts about the importance of raising our standards and hiring the ideal talent for a business. What you'll learn about in this episode: What does right person, right seat mean Why outsourcing work may be the best fit when looking for new talent Why you should not lower the bar when hiring Why all businesses should slow down How employers should handle in-office vs remote employees Resources: Website: https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS Share the Goodness: yess.learnworlds.com Changing the Course Small businesses, ranging from 10 to 200 employees realize that a wrong person can change the course and trajectory of your business. This makes it critical to find the right person for your company. During this solo episode, I share thoughts about the importance of raising our standards and hiring the ideal talent for a business. Finding the Right Person It's common to struggle in the hiring department in most businesses. The key is to find the right person and the right seat. This means having an employee that is not only good at performing the required skills, but also a good fit within the company culture. It's good business to raise your standards and take the proper amount of time needed to locate the best employee. While searching — outsource work to contractors to meet short-term needs. The Ideal Balance Some businesses are set up to thrive as an online company, while others, myself included, have some level of our business in person. The workplace in 2021 has been disrupted with some employees wanting to work from home, others wanting higher compensation for commuting to the office, and some are looking for a hybrid work solution. Businesses must find a healthy intersection between the well-being of employees and the well-being of the company. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness Podcast, I explain why I think remote employees need to operate at a 25% higher productivity rate and how businesses should consider adjusting benefits for their employees.

Often people see others who they deem successful, and they think, “of course, it happened for them.” The truth is that success doesn't come without hard work and intention. Intentionality is like a math equation. You set an intention of certain results and then determine what practices you need to reach it. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Sue shares her thoughts on what it means to be intentional, how intentionality shows up in your life, and how to design an intentionally great life. What you'll learn about in this episode: What does intentionality mean and how does it show up for you Why you need to redefine who you are to become what you intend Why you should reassess when things are working well and not working How often you should evaluate what's important in your life How to find an accountability partner to help you achieve success Resources: Chasing Perfection Book 2-Day Intentional Greatness® Immersive Experience: https://suehawkes.lpages.co/smart-start-2-day-8-31-21 Online Learning Community: https://yess.learnworlds.com/ Website: https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS Showing Up Intentionally Often people see others who they deem successful, and they think, “of course, it happened for them.” The truth is that success doesn't come without hard work and intention. Intentionality is like a math equation. You set an intention of certain results and then determine what practices you need to reach it. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Sue shares her thoughts on what it means to be intentional, how intentionality shows up in your life, and how to design an intentionally great life. Remaining Patient In our current world, we are used to instant gratification. Whether that's getting groceries delivered within hours or merchandise shipped to our home in days–we are used to the immediacy of things. Overall, the persistence and patience to be intentional about something over time is a somewhat lost art. Achieving Intentional Greatness requires intention and a lot of hard work. Sue shares how her upbringing taught her to work hard and remain persistent and patient on this episode of the Intentional Greatness podcast. Assessing and Evaluating When designing your life, it's important to exaggerate your strengths and minimize your weaknesses. However, it can be difficult to even understand what those are when you are never taking the time to look closely. Re-evaluate and reassess your life when things are not working, and also when things are working very well. Doing this process regularly allows you to course-correct your life and reach the intentions you set.

In this special episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast with the City Girl Empower Hour podcast, Sue speaks with host Alyza Bohbot James about how to use the principles of EOS to become successful in both your professional and personal life. During the conversation, she discusses how important remaining disciplined is to reach your ultimate level of success. Also, Sue shares tactics to combat the feelings of burnout by saying no more often, and how committing to small, incremental daily improvements have helped her achieve more success. What you'll learn about in this episode: What does it mean to live the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)® life How does discipline and being intentional impact your level of success Why is it important to say no to maintain clarity and intentionality What does work-life balance actually mean to most people How business owners often think that they cannot take breaks if they want to be successful How can business owners achieve their vision and what they want in their business Why the healthiest business owners are those that are detached How business owners can stop searching for perfection, and instead strive for excellence or greatness Why entrepreneurs need to have a group of confidants outside of their business and personal life What are the benefits of working on incremental, consistent improvements daily Resources: Chasing Perfection Book 2-Day Intentional Greatness® Immersive Experience: https://suehawkes.lpages.co/smart-start-2-day-8-31-21 Online Learning Community: https://yess.learnworlds.com/ Website: https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS Combating Burnout In this special episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast with the City Girl Empower Hour podcast, Sue speaks with host Alyza Bohbot James about how to use the principles of EOS to become successful in both your professional and personal life. During the conversation, she discusses how important remaining disciplined is to reach your ultimate level of success. Also, Sue shares tactics to combat the feelings of burnout by saying no more often, and how committing to small, incremental daily improvements have helped her achieve more success. Remaining Disciplined Sue learned in her 20s that discipline is the key to all success. While she naturally tends to overfill her life and do things last minute, she found that the people she met who were intensely successful, all had one thing in common — discipline. Eventually, Sue learned from both mentors and experience, if you don't develop discipline and practices you will eventually burn out and run yourself down. Incremental Improvement At 42 years old, Sue committed herself that she would get better incrementally each year, moving forward. She decided that by age 50, she would be on the road to being in the best shape of her life. Sue kept that promise to herself, and she was able to by remaining consistent and committed to improving incrementally each day. She started from her worst, most vulnerable place in life, and was able to move forward by always remaining hopeful.

The world gives us what we need, but unfortunately, it's not always what we want. When we are forced to learn a lesson or go through things that are not what we expected, how do we remain resilient enough to learn? During this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Sue and Ali discuss remaining open and keeping a positive mindset during challenging times. Sue also explains what your negative emotions and thoughts mean, and what she does to shift her mindset. What you'll learn about in this episode: How to remain resilient and receptive enough to remain open and learn lessons Why you should set intentions and efforts only on the things you can control How to change your mindset when you are thinking negative thoughts Why your negative feelings are about being disappointed in yourself, not reality The question to ask yourself when you are feeling down or sad How to avoid arguing with the reality of situations and outcomes Resources: Chasing Perfection Book 2-Day Intentional Greatness® Immersive Experience: https://suehawkes.lpages.co/smart-start-2-day-8-31-21 Website: https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS Remaining Resilient The world gives us what we need, but unfortunately, it's not always what we want. When we are forced to learn a lesson or go through things that are not what we expected, how do we remain resilient enough to learn? During this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Sue and Ali discuss remaining open and keeping a positive mindset during challenging times. Sue also explains what your negative emotions and thoughts mean, and what she does to shift her mindset. Losing Expectations If you were to look back on your life and ask yourself, how often have things turned out exactly as you expected, the answer would likely be close to never. Sometimes we miss the mark, while other times we exceed it. We tend to live in a false hope that we know what the future holds when in truth we do not. This allows us to feel liberated and free, knowing that we are not responsible for the outcome. We are only responsible for our efforts. Setting Intentions Byron Katie says, “when I argue with reality I lose 100% of the time.” When life offers circumstances that are neither for or against you, you can choose to become irritated and blame others or you can look for the opportunity of what this situation is offering you. Arguing with reality does not serve you. Focus on where you put your efforts and only put your emotions into where you set your intentions.

How do you find the ever-elusive work-life balance, in whatever way balance looks for you? During this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Sue and Ali discuss chapter 2 of Chasing Perfection: Shatter the Illusion, Minimize Self-Doubt and Maximize Success, titled “Balance is Bullshit.” During the holiday season, it can be difficult to integrate your work priorities along with your personal priorities. Sue shares how to prioritize your needs during busy and stressful times. What you'll learn about in this episode: Practices to prioritize ourselves amid professional and personal conflicts Why creating boundaries is critical for managing stress and setting short term priorities How planning for the things that are important to you can help you reduce resentment and increase enjoyment Why it's important to take the time to get clear on what makes you your best self How to observe yourself and discover what you need at the moment Three things you can do to reflect and gain more clarity Resources: Chasing Perfection Book 2-Day Intentional Greatness® Immersive Experience: https://suehawkes.lpages.co/smart-start-2-day-8-31-21 Online Learning Community: https://yess.learnworlds.com/ Website: https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS Finding Balance How do you find the ever-elusive work-life balance, in whatever way balance looks for you? During this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Sue and Ali discuss chapter 2 of Chasing Perfection: Shatter the Illusion, Minimize Self-Doubt and Maximize Success, titled Balance is Bullshit. During the holiday season, it can be difficult to integrate your work priorities along with your personal priorities. Sue shares how to prioritize your needs during busy and stressful times. Setting Boundaries During stressful times, like the holiday season, you have to become crystal clear on what you need and factor that into your decision-making. When choosing what events to go to, or what additional responsibilities to take on, it's all about boundaries and stepping back to see what actually works for you. You have to be disciplined enough to plan for the things that matter most to you. Become a student of what makes you awesome, and focus on doing those things. Do not allow yourself to get distracted by busyness and saying yes to things that will eventually lead to resentment. Getting Clarity You need the space to be able to evaluate and observe yourself, to ask “why did I behave this way?” When you begin to ask yourself what you need, you will discover that it always comes back to you. You can blame others, but you won't get anywhere. Take the time to pause, reflect, and get clarity on what you need right now, and figure out how to get that. Sue shares the three things she does to get more clarity on what she needs.

We all experience moments in life when we feel down or in a bad mood, and we may typically step back during those times. However, this week Sue chooses to be vulnerable and share some of the challenges she has been facing in life recently. During this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Sue also explains how to move forward when you are feeling bad, and the importance of evaluating the things you say yes and no to in life. What you'll learn about in this episode: The first thing that Sue does when she is in a bad mood How to hack yourself when you are feeling down or not your best self How to do the things you love without making it a bad experience or becoming resentful Why saying yes to one thing often includes several additional yesses What an inauthentic yes is and why we shouldn't do it Why it's important to weigh and evaluate your yeses and nos Resources: Chasing Perfection Book 2-Day Intentional Greatness® Immersive Experience: https://suehawkes.lpages.co/smart-start-2-day-8-31-21 Website: https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS Feeling Down We all experience moments in life when we feel down or in a bad mood, and we may typically step back during those times. However, this week Sue chooses to be vulnerable and share some of the challenges she has been facing in life recently. During this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Sue also explains how to move forward when you are feeling bad, and the importance of evaluating the things you say yes and no to in life. Hacking Yourself Sometimes it's okay to resent that the world isn't happening on your terms. It's okay to be sad and upset about the circumstances or struggles that you are facing. When you feel this way, you can hack yourself into feeling better by giving more of what you need. If you want a hug, go give one, acknowledge or appreciate someone when you don't feel appreciated. Once you put that energy out into the world, you often start to see it return to you. Evaluating Yes Do not be too quick to say yes. Pause long enough to evaluate, and then negotiate. If the answer is no, give yourself permission to say so. During the short term, you might feel a little bit of hurt or sadness, but you don't want to give an inauthentic yes because you gave a yes that at the moment seemed like the right thing to do, and then the day of may not. Evaluate your yesses and nos and learn to say no and stick with it.

The holiday season is a time where you are supposed to feel joy and excitement about spending time with loved ones and going to special events. However, you may find yourself feeling overwhelmed with your meetings, deadlines, events, and all of the holiday parties you're juggling. It stops being fun and starts getting stressful. During this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Sue walks you through an activity to make your calendar more efficient, so that you can enjoy your time, rather than resent it. What you'll learn about in this episode: How to become more efficient with your calendar during the holiday season Why you should schedule downtime every day to avoid resentment What activity you can do to create more white space in your calendar What questions you should ask yourself when examining your calendar How thinking long term and taking more time off allows you to become more successful Why you need to be thoughtful about how you spend your time and what works for you Why it's important to test what time of day you are at your best How examining the things that you procrastinate can help you understand what makes you happy Resources: Chasing Perfection Book 2-Day Intentional Greatness® Immersive Experience: https://suehawkes.lpages.co/smart-start-2-day-8-31-21 Website: https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS Fighting Overwhelm The holiday season is a time where you are supposed to feel joy and excitement about spending time with loved ones and going to special events. However, you may find yourself feeling overwhelmed with your meetings, deadlines, events, and all of the holiday parties you're juggling. It stops being fun and starts getting stressful. During this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Sue walks you through an activity to make your calendar more efficient, so that you can enjoy your time, rather than resent it. Thinking Long Term Take a look at your calendar and imagine what your ideal schedule would look like. What activities would you nurture? Which would you let go of? When planning your schedule, begin to think long-term. Plan your vacation first. It may not be as spontaneous as you'd like, but it forces you to take better care of yourself. If you make yourself a priority and take more time off you will likely become more successful. Life Hacks It's important to discover when you are at your best in life. Examine the areas in life that you procrastinate. They are usually the things that you don't love. Find a way to eliminate them, or delegate them to someone else. Test the time of day that you operate the best. Discover how many hours you need for optimal sleep. Hack your life by working and operating when and where you are most likely to be efficient.

In this special episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast with Onward Nation Podcast, Sue speaks with host Stephen Woessner about taking time to think and gain clarity as an entrepreneur and the steps you can take to move past imposter syndrome. You can move from the chaos of your business controlling you, to you controlling your business by developing a system and process for operation. Sue shares the Six Key Components™ of the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)®, and the three things she focuses on to get a business healthy. What You Will Learn: What tactical steps a leader can take to move past imposter syndrome What a Clarity Break™ is, and how leaders can get started Why not making decisions by committee helps a business become a leadership team The Six Key Components™ of the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)® Why entrepreneurs tend to more of what love in their business What three things to focus on to get a business healthy Resources: Chasing Perfection book 2-Day Intentional Greatness® Immersive Experience: https://suehawkes.lpages.co/smart-start-2-day-8-31-21 Online Learning Community: https://yess.learnworlds.com/  Website:https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS Controlling Your Business In this special episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast with Onward Nation Podcast. Sue speaks with host Stephen Woessner about taking time to think and gain clarity as an entrepreneur and the steps you can take to move past imposter syndrome. You can move from the chaos of your business controlling you, to you controlling your business by developing a system and process for operation. Sue shares the Six Key Components™ of the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)®, and the three things she focuses on to get a business healthy. Taking Breaks Sue believes that the secret weapon of the best leaders is consistently making time to think. Take a Clarity Break™ regularly to consider how you, your team, and your business can be better and what problems or concerns you foresee. It is extracting yourself from the detail to how to create a space to just think and expand. How can you be a visionary in your business, if you don't allow yourself clarity breaks, because then you'll never be in vision mode? Developing Structure Sue explains that when you are working so hard in your business, solving problems, and fighting problems, it's difficult to get the return on all of the efforts you're putting in. Having a system and processes in place, like EOS®, allows you to develop a structure and solve all of your problems more effectively. During this episode, Sue explains the vision, people, data, issues, process, and traction — the six key components of EOS® that she helps business owners implement.

Listen in for a special episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast with Onward Nation Podcast. Sue speaks with host Stephen Woessner about the importance of addressing self-doubt and defining excellence as a leader.  Your two options in business are either winning or learning. Sue shares how to learn from the down cycles of business, including how a few “unkind” words from a friend helped her push forward during a challenging time.  What You Will Learn: Why it's important to be vulnerable enough to address self-doubt and imposter syndrome How continuous self-improvement results in increased freedom and internal peace What advice Sue received to get through a challenging time in her life How to prepare yourself to face a downturn in your business  The most critical skill required to be a successful business owner Why becoming a leadership team is more important than being a team of leaders Resources: Online Learning Community: https://yess.learnworlds.com/  Website:https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS Winning or Learning  In this special episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast with Onward Nation Podcast. Sue speaks with host Stephen Woessner about the importance of addressing self-doubt and defining excellence as a leader. Your two options in business are either winning or learning. Sue shares how to learn from the down cycles of business, including how a few “unkind” words from a friend helped her push forward during a challenging time.  Facing Challenges In 2008 Sue experienced a very difficult time both professionally and personally where she was going through a divorce, her house was in foreclosure, and her two businesses were struggling. Unfortunately, her struggles continued when she lost both of her parents and her brother in the years following. She explained how a friend's words, “I suggest you get about getting back on your horse” could have been perceived as unkind, aided her in pushing forward and bouncing back from the challenging cycle she was in.  Alignment vs Agreement Sue explains that the first step to having better control over your business is to align with your team. There is more power in moving from being a team of leaders to becoming a leadership team. Alignment is not the same as agreement. Sue shares why you need to leverage the best of each leader and allow them to contribute their maximum value. Allow each leader in your business to take complete ownership of their role and duties, while you do the same in your role

In this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, we are joined for the fourth time by Jon Berghoff. Jon is the founder of the XCHANGE Approach, where he helps facilitate meaningful dialogue and change at an accelerated pace. During their conversation, Jon and Sue discuss their takeaways from the WPO Conference and how to design and facilitate conversations that can work well in any group setting. He also shares an alternative method to traditional problem-solving techniques.  What you'll learn about in this episode: Why do most leaders struggle to slow down instead of taking action How to design conversations to be a resource Why we should pause when making important decisions How being more productive causes us to stop relationship building An alternative to traditional problem-solving approaches How to craft quality questions and facilitate conversations in any setting Questions can we ask during moments of creative tension Resources:  Website: https://xchangeapproach.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonberghoff https://www.linkedin.com/company/xchange-approach Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/XChangeGuide/ Conversations that Work In this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, we are joined for the fourth time by Jon Berghoff. Jon is the founder of the XCHANGE Approach, where he helps facilitate meaningful dialogue and change at an accelerated pace. During their conversation, Jon and Sue discuss their takeaways from the WPO Conference and how to design and facilitate conversations that can work well in any group setting. He also shares an alternative method to traditional problem-solving techniques.  Productivity Drawbacks During this era of time, while we continue to have the majority of our meetings online, many feel that we have the opportunity to be more productive. We are putting such a large emphasis on how productive we can be that we are losing sight of the consequence of that productivity. Jon shares that when we get hyper-productive, the consequence is we shut off the part of our brain that does all the important relationship building. Benefits of Curiosity It is common to share your thoughts and ideas, and when they are not well-received or liked we tend to take it personally, as though the person does not like us. Jon explains how during these instances of creative tension we can work through the moment by becoming curious. He explains that studies show high-performing teams that can navigate change well depending on how curious they are.

How do you find your purpose, or what really drives you in life? During this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Sue and Ali discuss chapter 8 of Chasing Perfection: Shatter the Illusion, Minimize Self-Doubt and Maximize Success, titled Pouring Gas on the Fire. Many people will ask, “what's your purpose?” and it feels as though something is wrong if you don't have an answer. Sue shares how she discovered that a purpose is not a one-size-fits-all. What You Will Learn: How to find your purpose if you're not in a leadership role or an entrepreneur Why we cannot compare our purpose to someone else's Why your purpose does not have to be grandiose The difference between living life by default vs. living life by design How you can intentionally change habits with small changes Resources: Online Learning Community: https://yess.learnworlds.com/ Website: https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS Discovering Purpose How do you find your purpose, or what really drives you in life? During this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Sue and Ali discuss chapter 8 of Chasing Perfection: Shatter the Illusion, Minimize Self-Doubt and Maximize Success, titled Pouring Gas on the Fire. Many people will ask, “what's your purpose?” and it feels as though something is wrong if you don't have an answer. Sue shares how she discovered that a purpose is not a one-size-fits-all. Comparing Journeys You may look at others and think, “you're meant for so much more”. Although you may mean it in a sincere and complimentary way, underneath that thought what you're saying is, “you should be doing more things like I am.” However, we are radically different people. We aren't all here for the same thing. Once you begin to compare other's journeys to your own, you forget that not everyone derives pleasure from the same things as you. We all have a purpose, how we articulate it, embrace it, or work on it is up to you. Flowing with Purpose Discovering your purpose is not a momentary thing, it can evolve in how it manifests. It's something we tap into when we're at our best. When you are expressing yourself as your best self, you're living on purpose. It does not mean that it will always be put together in a nice package. Purpose can be grandiose, but you have to sit and you have to be quiet enough to figure it out. When it seems like life is magically unfolding, you're on purpose. When it's hard, you are probably not on purpose at that moment. There's a flow with purpose that transcends beyond what you do to where you're coming from. It's your why.

What can you do when you're not feeling great about yourself and things are hard? Step back and ask yourself a few key questions to better understand what lesson the situation is teaching you. Just asking yourself questions gives you the ability to reframe how you think about the circumstance — once you reframe your thinking your feelings will follow. During this solo episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Sue shares seven things to focus on to become more effective and kickass in life. What you'll learn about in this episode: The seven things to focus on to become more effective What questions to ask yourself when you are struggling in life How Sue's mothers Alzheimer's impacted her priorities How to leave the world better than you found it Why you should lower your expectations and assume nothing How to make peace with the past by telling your story in a way that forwards you Resources: Online Learning Community: yess.learnworlds.com Website: https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS Reframing Questions What can you do when you're not feeling great about yourself and things are hard? Step back and ask yourself a few key questions to better understand what lesson the situation is teaching you. Just asking yourself questions gives you the ability to reframe how you think about the circumstance — once you reframe your thinking your feelings will follow. During this solo episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Sue shares seven things to focus on to become more effective and kickass in life. Leaving it Better Always do more than what's expected of you. Leave the world a better place than you found it. What is expected of you, is doing the bare minimum. What would the world be like if everyone were to only do the minimum in their personal lives or work lives? Challenge yourself to exceed expectations whenever possible. Do not overextend yourself. But, if you can offer a little bit more than expected, you can leave an indelible mark on someone. Moving Forward Do not fall in love with your story. When someone tells a story, they know how to elicit a specific response, and they often tell it differently depending on the audience. No one else is as in love with your story as you are. You are the author of your own story, and you have the opportunity to tell it in a way that allows you to make peace with the past by telling the story of how it catalyzed you and how it made you better. Use your story to move yourself forward.

When asking groups what they think when they hear the word “virtual” they often think less than, not real, or not valuable. During this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Sue shares how to make our online meetings more valuable and why we should focus on living a more integrated life. She offers her insights on the behaviors that contribute to Zoom fatigue, and what we can do to make meetings better and more engaging. What you'll learn about in this episode: What people typically feel when they hear the word virtual Why meeting in person is still valuable How taking more breaks helps you be more creative Why multitasking during online meetings can lead to Zoom fatigue What we can do to make online meetings better and more engaging Why integrated meetings should have two facilitators How viewing meetings as a spectator is problematic Resources: Online Learning Community: yess.learnworlds.com Website: https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS Valuable Behaviors When asking groups what they think when they hear the word “virtual” they often think less than, not real, or not valuable. During this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Sue shares how to make our online meetings more valuable and why we should focus on living a more integrated life. She offers her insights on the behaviors that contribute to Zoom fatigue, and what we can do to make meetings better and more engaging. Taking Breaks We have to get more confident and thoughtful about building self-care into our day so that we can take care of ourselves and prevent blending work and home. We have to consider how many times we need to get up and take breaks. Feeling fatigued during meetings is often the result of not being engaged. Taking more breaks actually has you stay creative and energized all day. Preparing to Participate We have all reached a point where we've relaxed as if it's always someone else's meeting. If you are viewing the meeting as a spectator or a contributor, you'll ultimately feel that you don't need to invest your time, create value, or add to the conversation. You should always view a meeting as if it's your own. Do your homework. Prepare enough to ensure that it is worth your time — that is what makes meetings spectacular.

Saiyyidah Zaidi is the Amazon number one international bestseller of the book, Results: The Art and Science of Getting it Done. She's a certified business coach, a certified high-performance coach, faculty member, and tutor. She has a Master's in Applied Positive Psychology and Construction Economics and Management. Saiyyidah was the first of the first 10 female fellows of the Association Project Management. She is currently finishing her Ph.D. in the Intersection of Identity and Intersectionality. She has lived around the world and currently resides in North London. She started her first business early on in life, with a lemonade stall at the age of eight. Her purpose is to help individuals pause, reflect, make progress, and live purposefully wherever they are in their journey. What you'll learn about in this episode: Why it's important that others correctly pronounce your name How project management helps with belonging and understanding Why you should shift your focus to the well-being of other individuals What it means to create psychological safety in a space Why the words diversity, equity, and inclusion no longer serve us Why it is beneficial to go into spaces where you're different Resources: Website: https://www.saiyyidah.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saiyyidahzaidi LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/saiyyidah Twitter: https://twitter.com/saiyyidahzaidi Saiyyidah's Book: Results: The Art and Science of Getting it Do Being Different Saiyyidah Zaidi is an author, coach, and conversation architect at the Centre for Belonging and Understanding. Her professional journey has had multiple twists and turns including careers in architecture and project management helping to build the skills necessary for her purpose. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Saiyyidah explains how being different serves us and the importance of showing up in spaces where you initially feel you don't belong. Wasting Time Saiyyidah spent seven years studying architecture, and at the end of those years decided to no longer practice. While she could have been stubborn or not given herself the grace to change course, she realized that she probably would not have enjoyed her life. You must allow yourself to lean in and ask, where is this landscape taking me? There is peace in surrendering to what's coming to you and allowing it to happen. Whatever leads you to that place is not a waste of time. Choosing Words Saiyyidah says that your words create worlds. If someone says “I love you” or “I hate you” those words mean something, not only in your head but your heart. Words have a DNA, specifically, the word diversity derives from the word divorce. It's difficult to create a world of inclusion when the etymology of it is related to divorce or separation. In our conversation, Saiyyidah discusses how to use our conversations to bring us together.

Today Sue is coming at you from the Intentional Growth podcast airwaves! Listen in as Sue speaks with Intentional Growth podcast host Ryan Tansom about leadership, growth, and becoming Unf♥

Listen in for a special episode with What the HR! Podcast. Sue speaks with hosts Mike Thul and Jessie Novey about virtual meetings and how to remain engaged and present while still preserving your energy. Engagement happens because you're present, which means finding new ways to ensure that your video call audience is fully present is critical. Sue shares how utilizing technology and asking questions helps make her meetings engaging. What you'll learn about in this episode: Why you should choose a virtual meeting over a phone call How to preserve energy and remain present for mandatory video meetings How to keep your audience engaged during virtual meetings What leaders should do to better connect with their employees virtually When is it appropriate and not appropriate to use video in meetings How to prevent fatigue from video calls Should leaders require cameras to be on or left optional How to have difficult or serious conversations on video What ways can leaders monitor employee engagement in a remote work setting Resources: What the HR! website: https://www.tcshrm.org/page/podcast Online Learning Community: https://yess.learnworlds.com/ Online Learning Community: yess.learnworlds.com Website: https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS Preserving Energy The pandemic has accelerated remote work for many organizations, and this has led a lot of people to have “ZOOM fatigue.” It's important to set up your schedule in a way that allows you to bring as much of yourself to all of your meetings and each virtual interaction. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Sue shares how she organizes her schedule to preserve energy, allowing her best self to show up on calls. Maintaining Engagement People are capable of sitting down and watching a five-hour Superbowl game, but often struggle to sit through an hour-long meeting. Leaders must learn how to facilitate meetings in a way that keeps the audience engaged. People participate differently in larger meetings, so using techniques like asking questions and using rooms to put people in smaller groups to have a more intimate conversation is key. Creating Connection Leaders are struggling to keep the water cooler conversation alive in a remote work setting. People are busy, which causes leaders to be hesitant to put another meeting on the calendar, even if it is for fun. The most respectful way for leaders to connect with their employees is to ask them what works best. Some may want an informal one-on-one meeting, while others may prefer to have a monthly virtual happy hour. The key is to ask, and know that it is okay for someone to change their mind.

Listen in for a special episode with Roofers Coffee Shop and their Owens Corning Business Accelerator series. Sue speaks with owner and host Heidi Ellsworth about The Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)®, and how it helps companies systemize and scale. Having a system to run your business on is even more important in these turbulent times, and Sue shares how EOS® can help companies achieve “Vision, Traction, and Healthy” to maximize success. What you'll learn about in this episode: How using EOS® in your business is similar to the intel in your computer Why the best time to have a system is when it is slower and harder Why having a vision is important to the decisions that you currently make What happens if you only spend time working in your business and not on your business How increasing communication when working digitally increases productivity Why do you have to have ways to measure success What inspires Sue about working with other woman entrepreneurs Resources: Roofers Coffee Shop: https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/ Owens Corning Business Accelerator: https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/podcasts/owens-corning-business-accelerator Online Learning Community: yess.learnworlds.com Website: https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS Systems to Accelerate Once businesses experience turbulent times, it is even more crucial that they have a system and processes to fall back on. The best time to have a system is when things are slower and often more difficult — this allows you the flexibility to become more creative in how you are doing things. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Sue shares how she helps contractors develop a bedrock foundation that they rely on to scale their businesses any way that they need. Visualizing Your Future Knowing how to respond to emergencies and problems that appear suddenly is important in business, however not thinking long-term chokes your growth. Entrepreneurs must take time to write down goals and where they want to be in the future. Visualization is critical because what we do today builds the path to where we will be later. You cannot reach a future that you can't see. You have to see it to believe it. Increasing Communication It is possible to have meaningful connections and conversations while working online. If you are distanced, or if you are remote, you have got to increase the frequency of communication. Although most people hate it initially, it leads to great productivity. To really connect with your team, you have to find a way to connect away from work, even though you're on a screen. It may not be your first preference, but it is something that connects and unites us.

While 2020 may have been difficult, things are still a mess in 2021 for businesses. There is a war on talent with companies struggling to find the right hires. In addition to the hiring debacle — employees are still trying to navigate the online working world. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Sue shares her thoughts on how to communicate in a virtual world, what methods work best and when, and how technology impacts our communication. What you'll learn about in this episode: Why you should think of what your role's purpose is before tackling activities What are the best ways to communicate with employees who require words of affirmation How technology can complicate communication efforts with your team When is the best time of day to reach C-level executives How to instill communication method guidelines Resources: Online Learning Community: yess.learnworlds.com Website: https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS Communicating in a Virtual World While 2020 may have been difficult, things are still a mess in 2021 for businesses. There is a war on talent with companies struggling to find the right hires. In addition to the hiring debacle — employees are still trying to navigate the online working world. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Sue shares her thoughts on how to communicate in a virtual world, what methods work best and when, and how technology impacts our communication. Desired Outcomes Now that we're reimagining what it means to work together to become more efficient — we have to begin to ask ourselves bigger questions. To avoid defaulting to easier, more manageable tasks we should first ask, “what is the purpose of what I'm doing?” It's important to make sure that we are serving the highest function for our workplace, by considering the role that we fill within the company. Without clear priorities, we're going to pick the things that have a quick win and get a hit of dopamine because we're getting things done. Setting Guidelines From 2020 on how we communicate has become increasingly more important. We are building a culture that is not dependent on being in the same environment, which means we are relying on technology more than ever. Yet, with more technology and automation — we are making certain trade-offs. With all of our options to communicate, we must ask if it is accomplishing the purpose we're looking for? To ensure that our efforts are aligning with the audience we have to carefully select our communication methods and instill guidelines for how that medium will be used.

Often people see others who they deem successful, and they think, “of course, it happened for them.” The truth is that success doesn't come without hard work and intention. Intentionality is like a math equation. You set an intention of certain results and then determine what practices you need to reach it. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Sue shares her thoughts on what it means to be intentional, how intentionality shows up in your life, and how to design an intentionally great life. What you'll learn about in this episode: What does intentionality mean and how does it show up for you Why you need to redefine who you are to become what you intend Why you should reassess when things are working well and not working How often you should evaluate what's important in your life How to find an accountability partner to help you achieve success Resources: Online Learning Community: yess.learnworlds.com Website: https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS Showing Up Intentionally Often people see others who they deem successful, and they think, “of course, it happened for them.” The truth is that success doesn't come without hard work and intention. Intentionality is like a math equation. You set an intention of certain results and then determine what practices you need to reach it. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Sue shares her thoughts on what it means to be intentional, how intentionality shows up in your life, and how to design an intentionally great life. Remaining Patient In our current world, we are used to instant gratification. Whether that's getting groceries delivered within hours or merchandise shipped to our home in days–we are used to the immediacy of things. Overall, the persistence and patience to be intentional about something over time is a somewhat lost art. Achieving Intentional Greatness requires intention and a lot of hard work. Sue shares how her upbringing taught her to work hard and remain persistent and patient on this episode of the Intentional Greatness podcast. Assessing and Evaluating When designing your life, it's important to exaggerate your strengths and minimize your weaknesses. However, it can be difficult to even understand what those are when you are never taking the time to look closely. Re-evaluate and reassess your life when things are not working, and also when things are working very well. Doing this process regularly allows you to course-correct your life and reach the intentions you set.

In this time of accelerated change and complexity, companies and communities need change agents to help unlock collective wisdom – and they need it NOW. This new breed of leaders, coaches, experts, and guides are the ones that know how to design human interactions that create psychological safety, accelerate widespread learning, and bring out whole new possibilities in teams and communities. As the founder of the XCHANGE Approach, now used by hundreds of change agents globally, Jon Berghoff focuses on the art of question design, the science of engineering conversations, and the change that is possible at speed and scale using the XCHANGE Approach. When COVID hit, industry-leading companies and communities utilized XCHANGE (all remote & digital) to solve unprecedented problems, reimagine a new future, and create new ways of working together. This explosion of demand for online facilitation has driven XCHANGE revenues up 40% above 2019. As a former executive for Vitamix – where revenue grew by 400% in 4 years – and an adjunct teacher at Case Western Reserve University's globally ranked Weatherhead School of Management, Jon's refreshing approach combines scientific research and real experience for one of the most relevant conversations today. What you'll learn about in this episode: How to awaken conscious leadership inside of yourself Why the willingness to experiment and take risks is key to surviving ups and downs The four tenets of conscious capitalism How mindfulness is a specific tool to help you be less reactive Why it's important to take a pause when you are under stress The three fundamental attention skills The three sensory modalities through which all of life is lived What sensory clarity is and how you can achieve it Why unified mindfulness is different than anything else What trauma really means, and how to be an empathetic witness Resources: Join the free XCHANGE Awakening Conscious Leadership workshop. During this experiential workshop, you are going to find out how to move from a state of reactivity into one of creativity, discover the neuroscience-based frames for becoming more mindful, experience a process for becoming more aware, learn how to transform stress into an energy source to meet your greatest challenges. https://xchangeapproach.com/IGACL101  Website: https://xchangeapproach.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonberghoff/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/xchange-approach Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/XChangeGuide/ Post-Pandemic Trauma Jon Berghoff is the founder of the XCHANGE Approach. His company helps facilitate meaningful dialogue and change at an accelerated pace. Jon is a three-time guest on the Intentional Greatness podcast, and he is back again to share his wealth of knowledge on the practice of mindfulness. In this episode, Jon and Sue discuss trauma and what is happening in the world post-pandemic. Jon takes us on a tour of our senses and shares how this practice can help you become less reactive to stressful events. Becoming Adaptive Jon shared a great sentiment from an interview with the founders of Google saying, “what matters most to us is our evolutionary advantage. We talked about what that means over time. So it's not our competitive advantage right now. It's our ability to adapt to change our evolutionary advantage over time. That's what matters most to us.” Jon continues on to describe the importance of being adaptive to stress, rather than reactive. Sensory Tour Jon takes us on a tour of our senses, by leading us to take note of what we see, feel, and hear without passing judgment on our thoughts or feelings. He explains what a pivotal tool mindfulness is to become less reactive. Jon also explains that the unique advantage of this specific practice is that you don't need to do anything other than take note of your senses. Come on a sensory tour with us during this episode of the Intentional Greatness podcast.

Small businesses, ranging from 10 to 200 employees realize that a wrong person can change the course and trajectory of your business. This makes it critical to find the right person for your company. During this solo episode, Sue shares her thoughts about the importance of raising our standards and hiring the ideal talent for a business. What you'll learn about in this episode: What does right person, right seat mean Why outsourcing work may be the best fit when looking for new talent Why you should not lower the bar when hiring Why all businesses should slow down How employers should handle in-office vs remote employees Resources: Website: https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS Share the Goodness: yess.learnworlds.com Changing the Course Small businesses, ranging from 10 to 200 employees realize that a wrong person can change the course and trajectory of your business. This makes it critical to find the right person for your company. During this solo episode, I share thoughts about the importance of raising our standards and hiring the ideal talent for a business. Finding the Right Person It's common to struggle in the hiring department in most businesses. The key is to find the right person and the right seat. This means having an employee that is not only good at performing the required skills, but also a good fit within the company culture. It's good business to raise your standards and take the proper amount of time needed to locate the best employee. While searching — outsource work to contractors to meet short-term needs. The Ideal Balance Some businesses are set up to thrive as an online company, while others, myself included, have some level of our business in person. The workplace in 2021 has been disrupted with some employees wanting to work from home, others wanting higher compensation for commuting to the office, and some are looking for a hybrid work solution. Businesses must find a healthy intersection between the well-being of employees and the well-being of the company. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness Podcast, I explain why I think remote employees need to operate at a 25% higher productivity rate and how businesses should consider adjusting benefits for their employees.

Dao Jensen is the Founder of Kaizen Technology — the first 100% female minority-owned Cloud Focused SI/VAR in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her career in tech spans more than twenty years helping Fortune 500 Enterprise clients optimize, strategize, and procure cloud technologies. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Dao shares her incredible journey of building her company from $0 to $10 million in less than five years. Before launching Kaizen, Dao ran sales nationally and internationally at large corporations such as Symantec, Oracle, and Sun Microsystems. She was raised in Minnesota by entrepreneurial parents who immigrated to the United States from Vietnam. Dao is a community activist and mother of four. She enjoys reading, traveling, cooking food, and sharing meals with friends and family. She loves helping others achieve their dreams, promoting living every day as if it was our last, and fostering an environment where everyone can become an entrepreneur. Since the company's inception, Kaizen has taken one female applicant a year and trained them in the Cloud IT industry to find a career in the cloud ecosystem. What you'll learn about in this episode: How Dao helped low-income families gain internet access during the pandemic Why your failures are the best lessons you have How asking questions can help you have a career in tech The importance of finding the right partners Why Dao knew she was destined to “do her own thing” Resources: Text Dao at 415-515-1909 Website: https://www.kaizentp.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daojensen/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/kaizen-technology-partners/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KaizenTechPartners/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/DaoKaizentech Rapid Growth Dao Jensen is the Founder of Kaizen Technology — the first 100% female minority-owned Born in the Cloud Focused SI/VAR in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her career in tech spans more than twenty years helping Fortune 500 Enterprise clients optimize, strategize, and procure cloud technologies. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Dao shares her incredible journey of building her company from $0 to $10 million in less than five years. Embracing Differences Dao immigrated from Vietnam at four years old. While growing up as a minority in Minnesota, Dao knew that she looked different than other kids. During our conversation, she explains that she felt “like a banana,” she may have been Asian on the outside, but she felt really white. Dao explains how she steered away from the beliefs of her family, and eventually learned to embrace being different when starting her own company. Asking Questions Many people believe that they cannot have a career in the technology industry because they don't know much about tech. Dao shares how she landed in the tech world by “accident” and how she was able to build success. She explains that asking questions is a key part of success — sharing that understanding why is the most important part. In this episode, Dao discusses the importance of learning lessons from failures and finding the right partners and connections in business.

Founder and Principal at Germanos Leadership, LLC, Micheline is a leadership, executive, and team coach who provides business leaders and their teams. She brings a uniquely valuable perspective as she combines 25+ years of versatile, international business and leadership experience with deep coaching skills, EQ, intuition, and empathy. Her clients include senior leaders at Google, Microsoft, Ericsson, Alaska Airlines, Swedish Hospital, and Providence Health and Services, in addition to startup CEOs and VPs in mid-size companies. Micheline is passionate about people and possibilities. As a coach, she believes that each of her clients is unique and thus, she provides a customized and personalized approach that enables leaders to self-realize and formulate their solutions. A French national born in Lebanon, with an engineering degree in Computer Sciences, Micheline speaks four languages. Micheline spent ten years as a Director at Microsoft, during which she led an early version of their Cloud business in the EMEA region and scaled it into a substantial revenue stream. She left Microsoft in 2013 to build her international executive coaching practice. What you'll learn about in this episode: How Micheline went from an engineer to a coach How you can choose to make a big impact in the workplace The importance of giving yourself permission Why people have had to recreate boundaries during the pandemic The three steps necessary to make a life change What to do to start to listen to your inner voice What are the three components to develop your executive presence Resources: Website: http://germanosleadership.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelinegermanos Twitter: https://twitter.com/inspir2transfrm Listening to Your Inner Voice Micheline Germanos is a Leadership Coach and Founder and Principal at Germanos Leadership. She combines more than two decades of business and leadership experience with deep coaching skills to help business leaders and their teams. After a sudden health crisis, she was able to listen to her inner voice and pursue her dream career. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Micheline shares the necessary components and actions needed to propel you to your dream life. Giving Yourself Permission While working as an executive in the tech industry, Micheline found herself doing the delicate dance of motherhood and career. During our conversation, she recalls a time when her then six-year-old son asked why she didn't pick him up for school like the other mothers. Micheline explains how this moment forced her to make small changes in her life like occasionally leaving the office at 4 pm or working from home one day a week. She shares how she gave herself permission and encouraged her team to do the same in their lives. Defining Moments Although Micheline spent over twenty years in her corporate career, she long had a desire to become a coach. But, she decided that she would wait until her sons went to college to make the transition. Micheline shares her story of becoming diagnosed with colon cancer, and how it became the defining moment in her life that made her realize life was short. In this episode, she discusses the steps necessary to make a major life change.

For over 20 years, Anika has worked to improve outcomes for youth and families through partnerships that leverage the power of community voice, vision, and leadership. Most recently the senior director of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota Center for Prevention, she has spent her career working to advance initiatives in education, cultural art & science, workforce development, community health, and wellbeing. Her work has impacted community groups, nonprofits, museums, state and local government, and healthcare organizations across the region. Prior to the Center for Prevention, Anika worked at the State of Minnesota to attract, support, and retain leaders of color in executive positions. As the director of the Kitty Andersen Youth Science Center at the Science Museum of Minnesota, she worked to build career pathways to increase engagement for women and people of color. A daughter of the historic Rondo neighborhood of St. Paul, MN, Anika's work and approach reflect her value of community leadership and representation. Anika enthusiastically works to engage often untapped community assets and perspectives. She works to engage elders, youth, and cultural leaders in systems redesign. Recognizing the wealth of power and resources that already belongs to the community, she aims to be a conduit, supporting communities and institutions to bring their powers together for good. Anika is the originator of the Sankofa Leadership Network. A strategic thinker, Anika works to appreciate and understand the systems she works with. She brings both a systems-based and relationship-based approach to her work. She leads initiatives that work to transform systems to eliminate disparities and advance equity. Anika spends her free time making and enjoying music, arts, and sports activities with her husband, four children, a puppy, and a large extended family. She holds an M.A. degree in Human Services and a B.A. in Human Resource Management from Concordia University-Saint Paul. In 2016, she was named one of “40 under 40” by the Minneapolis/Saint Paul Business Journal. What you'll learn about in this episode: How the Rondo neighborhood in Minnesota was displaced The importance of having an equity lens in everything you do The biggest challenges consultants face when working in an organization How to facilitate change for diversity and inclusion in a company How to create a safe space for people to share their truth in an organization Why it's important to always tell the truth, even when it may be hurtful How authenticity in the workplace differs for people of color Resources: Website: https://www.sankofalead.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anika-ward/ Facilitating Change Anika Ward is an expert in equity and inclusion, and the originator of the Sankofa Leadership Network. For over twenty years, she has helped improve outcomes for youth and families in Minnesota. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Anika shares the importance of having an equity lens and how she helps facilitate change in diversity and inclusion in both large and small organizations. Displacing Communities Anika is a daughter of the historic Rondo neighborhood of St. Paul, MN. During the early 1900's several black families moved to this neighborhood, which was home to about 80% of the black people in the area. The neighborhood thrived and offered a safe, close-knit community. Anika explains the impact of the city building a freeway directly through the Rondo neighborhood. She also explains why this act could be considered racist. Predictable Outcomes Racist is not who you are, it's something you do. Anika shares how many business owners are having a revelation that they do not have to have negative intent, in order to produce outcomes that are predictable by race. In this episode, Anika explains why this is unacceptable and why it's important for organization leaders to interject and push for change until that outcome is different.

“Clarity is the elimination of mental clutter, agility is the elimination of physical clutter, and tranquility is the elimination of spiritual clutter,” says author James Clear. In this episode of the podcast Sue and her daughter, Ali Stieglbauer, discuss decluttering to create mental, spiritual, and physical space. During their conversation, Sue and Ali share thoughts about why we tend to declutter during transitional periods and how saying no allows us to create more space. What you'll learn about in this episode: The difference between lived experience and judgement How simple phrases offer profound impact Why decluttering during transitional periods can increase gratification How your physical appearance impacts your mental state How not showing up on camera during virtual meetings affects engagement How to determine what items to say “no” to in life Resources: Website: https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS Share the Goodness: yess.learnworlds.com Decluttering for Clarity Clarity is the elimination of mental clutter, agility is the elimination of physical clutter. and tranquility is the elimination of spiritual clutter, says author James Clear. My daughter, Ali Stieglbauer, is joining us again to discuss decluttering to create mental, spiritual, and physical space. During our conversation, Ali and I share thoughts about why we tend to declutter during transitional periods. We also explain how saying no allows us to create more space. Showing Up to Level Up As our work culture has changed throughout the pandemic, many people believe that the rules have changed regarding physical appearance and showing up. However, not showing up in a professional wardrobe or with your physical presence on screen, does not allow for a level playing field. This may be an old school belief system, but you have to dress for the game you want to play. Knowing When to Say No When you're pondering what things to eliminate — it's really about knowing when to say no. Decluttering your life is about saying no to things, in order to elevate and level up. It can be difficult to say no, but it's an essential part of being a leader. Ultimately saying no allows you to reach an ideal state of tranquility, agility, and clarity.

Kelly Knight is an expert builder of teams. She is hard-wired to find and grow other talented people, guiding them to reach their maximum potential. After spending 20 years within the financial services industry, managing and leading dynamic organizations, Kelly has been serving as the EOS Worldwide Integrator since 2016. Not to be confused with an EOS Implementer®, as integrator Kelly is the one who harmoniously unites the major functions of the business, while driving accountability and obsessing about organizational clarity. Her gift is leading with positivity and heart, with a passion for uniting teams to achieve the extraordinary. Today, Kelly's focus is continuing to share EOS® (The Entrepreneurial Operating System) with the world in a meaningful way through international expansion, as well as growing the EOS® community with people that are passionate about helping entrepreneurs get more of what they want from their businesses. What you'll learn about in this episode: How EOS Worldwide pivoted during the pandemic What makes a great team builder How the pandemic has given people the power of choice Why EOS® merged into a franchise How building a franchise helped protect and preserve EOS® What an Integrator™ is and what they do Resources: Website: https://www.eosworldwide.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellypknight/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eosworldwide/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/EOSWorldwide Putting People First Kelly Knight is the integrator for EOS Worldwide. Since 2016 she's been uniting the major functions of the business while driving accountability and organizational clarity. She helps entrepreneurs reach their potential and get what they want from their businesses. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Kelly shares how she focused on putting people first and used EOS® tools during the pandemic to push forward day after day. Power of Choice During the early stages of the pandemic, Kelly was faced with the challenge of pivoting from an in-person conference to a virtual event with a thousand people. While many companies resisted the transition to an online world, EOS Worldwide embraced the moment and found a new way to help people. Kelly explains that making the business “work from anywhere” gives people the power of choice. She shares that now the company operates on a hybrid model of both in-person or online options, giving employees the opportunity for whichever option suits them. Being Transparent In order to maximize transformation and impact more lives EOS Worldwide needed to franchise and sell. Kelly shares how the leaders of the company handled the decision to franchise and why the company's plans were transparently shared with the EOS Worldwide employees. In this episode, Kelly discusses the importance of being open, honest,and transparent in business. She also explains how franchising can not only transform, but also preserve a business.

Manar Morales is a national thought leader on women's leadership, diversity, and workplace flexibility. She serves as President and CEO of the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance – a think tank dedicated to helping organizations create inclusive cultures that advance diversity and flexibility to attract and retain top talent. Manar is a frequent speaker on workplace flexibility, diversity and inclusion, women's leadership, and individual strategies for success. Manar began her career as an employment litigator representing clients in all aspects of labor relations and employment law. She has litigated in federal court, before federal administrative agencies, and in arbitration. In addition, Manar served as an adjunct faculty member of Georgetown University where she taught classes in Labor and Employment law and Entrepreneurship. Manar serves on many Boards and Commissions; she is a Washington Advisory Council member for Commonsense Media, a member of the President's Council of Cornell Women, a liaison to the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession, and a Trustee of the Board of St. Patrick's Episcopal Day School. What you'll learn about in this episode: The five myths about flexible work How to create a collaborative work culture How flexibility in the workplace drives diversity, talent, and productivity What can employers do to increase diversity and flexibility What must happen to allow flexibility to work How work flexibility contributes to burnout Resources: Website: https://dfalliance.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/diversity-&-flexibility-alliance/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dfalliance Twitter: https://twitter.com/dfalliance Harvard Business Review Article: 5 Myths About Flexible Work Implementing Flexibility Manar Morales is a national thought leader on women's leadership, diversity, and workplace flexibility. She is the CEO and Founder of the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Manar shares how to properly implement and maintain flexibility in the workplace. She also discusses common myths about work flexibility and ways that flexibility can benefit both employers and employees. Shattering Myths Many organizations think that flexibility works theoretically, but are concerned that introducing flexibility at work will ultimately lead to negative outcomes. Manar explains the top five myths that people believe occur from flexible work. These myths are a loss of culture, collaboration, connection, contribution, and control. She shares insights on why these myths are not true, and how she's seen the opposite occur during the pandemic. Setting Boundaries To reap the benefits of a more flexible work environment, some boundaries must be set in place for both employers and employees. While things like casual wardrobe, background distractions, and camera optional meetings may have been acceptable during the pandemic — they will not continue to be as we move forward in a flexible working world. Manar explains how employers can create policies and processes to allow their employees to have flexibility while still maintaining a professional structure.

Michelle Seiler Tucker is the Founder and CEO of Seiler Tucker Incorporated. She holds the M&AMI (Mergers & Acquisitions Master Intermediary) title, as well as Certified Mergers and Acquisitions Professional (CM&AP) and Certified Senior Business Analyst (CSBA). Michelle also owns many other businesses in several different industries. As a 20-year veteran in the M&A industry, she is regarded as the leading authority on buying, selling, fixing, and growing businesses. Michelle and her firm have sold over a thousand businesses in almost every vertical and have a remarkable track record of success. What you'll learn about in this episode: What it's like being a woman in the M&A industry How Michelle got into the M&A industry The #1 mistake business owners make when trying to sell Why you should never sell your business during a catastrophic event The GPS exit model and its steps The importance of getting a business valuation The five types of buyers who buy businesses Resources: Website: https://seilertucker.com https://exitrichbook.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleseiler/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/seiler-tucker/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michele.seilertucker/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/mseilertucker Planning Your Exit Michelle Seiler Tucker is the Founder and CEO of Seiler Tucker Incorporated. For more than 20 years she's been a leader in the M&A industry at buying, selling, fixing, and growing businesses. Unlike others in her male dominated industry, Michelle finds that it's more than a deal — she helps entrepreneurs build their businesses to sell. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Michelle shares how business owners should think about their exit, and what steps should be in place. Avoiding Catastrophe Most business owners build their companies with the goal of achieving success and without a plan to exit. They often don't consider selling their company until there is a catastrophic event, whether personal or professional. Michelle explains why you should never sell your business during or after a catastrophe. She shares how successful entrepreneurs like Mark Cuban time the sale of their businesses when the company is at its best, and why you should too. Determining Your Value Michelle explains that the majority of entrepreneurs don't know what their business is worth. It's essential to have your business evaluated over the years to constantly be aware of its standing. She also shares the importance of planning an endgame number for your business. Determining what number you need your business to be worth in order to sell helps you to plan for the future. In the episode, Michelle explains why regular business valuations help you build a successful business.

Cheri Honeycutt is a Transformational Coach with more than 30 years experience and is honored to work with people who have the courage to ask for help at becoming their happiest selves. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Cheri shares how her life experiences have helped her to understand the importance of taking responsibility for your own happiness. What you'll learn about in this episode: Why vulnerability is our superpower What lessons Cheri garnered while raising children with challenges The number one principle for a purposeful life How parents can find happiness when their children are not happy How to reframe what positive feedback looks like How parents can alter their expectations for their children The importance of curating a community of people with similar experiences Resources: Website: https://www.cherihoneycutt.com/ https://www.whetstoneconsultations.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherihonecutt/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/designyourlifeonpurpose Finding Happiness Cheri Honeycutt is a Transformational Coach with more than 30 years experience. She is honored to work with people who have the courage to ask for help at becoming their happiest selves. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness podcast, Cheri shares how her life experiences have helped her to understand the importance of taking responsibility for your own happiness. She also explains how parents can learn to disassociate from their children's happiness. Springboarding Into Purpose While celebrating with lifelong friends, Cheri and 30 others fell 30 feet from a collapsed deck. During the traumatic experience, she felt as if everything slowed down and was left with the thought, “what is the meaning?” Cheri found that the experience led her to feeling her most aligned. She explains that sharing the most vulnerable moments enables us to connect to others and find our inner power. Taking Responsibility Cheri took a break from her coaching to focus on raising her children. She found that while raising children with challenges it's necessary to dissect how you put your ego onto your children. Cheri explains that she needed to reframe how she receives positive feedback from her children. In this episode, Cheri shares why she curated a community of people with similar experiences and why you must take responsibility for your own life to be happy.

As a bestselling author, keynote speaker, Certified EOS Implementer, Certified Business Coach, WPO Chapter Chair, and globally recognized, award-winning seminar leader, Sue brings over twenty-five years of experience to her clients. She is the CEO of YESS! and has designed and delivered dynamic, transformational programs for thousands of people. Sue has received numerous awards including the Dream Keeper award recognized by the Governor's Council for her leadership program, the Regional U.S. Small Business Administration Women in Business Champion of the Year award, the Exemplary Woman of the Community award, WomenVenture's Unsung Hero award, Women Who Lead from Minnesota Business Magazine, NAWBO Minnesota's Achieve! Vision Award and named a 2018 Enterprising Woman of the Year. Sue has been featured in publications including Inc., Entrepreneur, Thrive Global and The New York Daily News. What you'll learn about in this episode: How do you determine the wrong fit in a mobile world The 3 questions to prepare for tough workplace conversations How to firmly respond to criticism at work The benefits of having similar communication styles in the workplace How to have tough conversations with superiors when you are the employee Resources: Website: https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS Share the Goodness: yess.learnworlds.com Results Guaranteed communication course (if you loved the communication information, learn more here!): https://www.sayyess.com/results-guaranteed/ Core Values Cards: https://www.amazon.com/Values-Cards-John-Veeken/dp/0980517532/ref=sr_1_1?crid=NWXEOTSEZW5W&dchild=1&keywords=core+values+cards&qid=1611804572&sprefix=core+values+car%2Caps%2C164&sr=8-1 Getting Messy The challenging part of business isn't business at all – it's people. Business is easy, people are challenging. During this week's episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, my daughter Ali and I share our insights on communication best practices in the workplace. In 2021 things are going to get a lot messier before they get cleaner. It's important to know what employees really want right now and what they're willing to trade to have those things. Throughout our conversation we discuss core values and how to make sure that someone is a right fit during the hiring process. Finding A Core Value Match Hiring new employees is difficult, but finding the right fit virtually is an entirely new challenge. While many companies work with teams they have never met in person – it can feel impossible to spot the wrong person in a mobile world. Unfortunately, if you don't have the right practices in place – it is a lot easier for someone to fake it. When analyzing if a potential hire aligns with your company core values, implement core values cards during the hiring process to get a better understanding of where your prospect lies. Not Going Anywhere When you feel attacked in the workplace or are experiencing criticism, it's natural to want to retreat or get defensive. But, there are better and more effective ways to respond. It's important to make sure that everyone involved knows that their concerns were heard, are valid, and most importantly you are not going anywhere. We all have a choice to continue to stay in the circumstance or not. If you're the employee in this situation and are dealing with a superior – you should come to the conversation armed with data. Spend time role playing the conversation, to eliminate the element of fear. Don't let the conversation be the first time you've talked it through.

Julie Keyes is a Certified Exit Planning Adviser (CEPA), national speaker, author, and instructor on exit planning. She helps business owners change their outcome and exit on their own terms and not someone else's. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Julie shares why some entrepreneurs struggle with developing an exit strategy. She also explains the importance of building business value and how it relates to a smooth transition. Julie Keyes is the principal and founder of KeyeStrategies, LLC, a professional services firm based in Minneapolis specializing in Exit and Transition Planning consulting and advisory for business owners. She has founded and operated several companies over the course of her adult career and understands what keeps owners up at night, having lived so many of their experiences herself over the years. Julie's book “Poised for Exit” helps privately held company owners navigate the process of business exit, emphasizing the need for a collaborative team. She also hosts a weekly Podcast show of the same name. Julie is the President Emeritus of the Exit Planning Institute Twin Cities Metro Area Chapter, faculty member for EPI's CEPA Program and their 2017 “Leader of Year.” What you'll learn about in this episode: Why it's important to plan for exit The reason that many entrepreneurs are resistant to develop an exit plan What are the most common mistakes business owners make during their exit How long does Julie typically work with her clients on planning an exit strategy The key of exit planning The importance of listening to your gut Why women business owners should work on making more connections Resources: Website: https://keyestrategies.com/ https://www.poisedforexit.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliekeyes/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KeyeStrategiesLLC Twitter: https://twitter.com/juliekeyes https://twitter.com/Keyestrategies Cell Phone: 763-350-5563 Listening to Others Following divorce Julie was in search of a new career path, after hearing in three separate instances that she should pursue business consulting she decided to ask a few peers for their honest opinion. All agreed that this was exactly what she should do with her life. During our conversation, Julie explains why it's important to plan for an exit in your business and why many entrepreneurs resist developing an exit strategy. Pivot and Push Forward Running a business focused on exit planning during a crisis can be challenging, but in 2020 Julie was more concerned with her clients and their companies. Learning to pivot and make the most of a situation is crucial in any business. Although Julie lost a couple of clients during the pandemic, she was able to push forward other business initiatives and figure out a new way to make things work. In this episode, Julie shares how fear and a lack of confidence impact many women entrepreneurs and why it's important to push past those feelings.

Gina Diez Barroso is an entrepreneur and philanthropist committed to the development of design and innovation projects in Mexico with more than 30 years of experience. She focuses on helping women become educated and prepared to achieve their goals. She is the founder of Grupo Diarq, one of the most important international design, architecture and real estate development companies in the country, with offices in Mexico and the United States. Gina is the founder of CENTRO, Dalia Empower and Diarq Foundation as well. What you'll learn about in this episode: Gina's experience being a woman in a male dominated industry Why education needs to focus on both left and right brain curriculum How entrepreneurs can increase their participation with Mexico in business Why Gina founded a non-profit focused on domestic violence The importance of increasing B2B sales between women-owned businesses Resources: Email: ginadb@diarq.com Website: https://diarq.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gina-diez-barroso-20a6a918 Choosing Resilience Gina Diez Barroso is an entrepreneur and philanthropist committed to the development of design and innovation projects in Mexico with more than 30 years of experience. She focuses on helping women become educated and prepared to achieve their goals. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness podcast, learn about the challenges that Gina faced growing up that she was able to bounce back from and ultimately led her to find her purpose in life. Believing In Legacy At the age of 11, Gina's father passed away suddenly. Her father was a strong role model in her life, and after his passing she began to learn from her grandfather about the importance of building connection and a legacy. Gina explains why it took her until age 42 to fully understand and believe in building a legacy. During our conversation, she shares why education is her legacy and the impact she's had thus far. Forgetting Empowerment Gina believes in empowering women, but most importantly she believes that we all need to find our own power. No one needs to be empowered. Once we make the decision to be whatever we want, we will make it happen. Gina explains what stereotypes and guilts women should eliminate and own their choices. In this episode, she shares the importance and power of choosing partners in life, both in business and romantically.

In this time of accelerated change and complexity, companies and communities need change agents to help unlock collective wisdom – and they need it NOW. This new breed of leaders, coaches, experts, and guides are the ones that know how to design human interactions that create psychological safety, accelerate widespread learning, and bring out whole new possibilities in teams and communities. As the founder of the XCHANGE Approach, now used by hundreds of change agents globally, Jon Berghoff focuses on the art of question design, the science of engineering conversations, and the change that is possible at speed and scale using the XCHANGE Approach. When COVID hit, industry-leading companies and communities utilized XCHANGE (all remote & digital) to solve unprecedented problems, reimagine a new future, and create new ways of working together. This explosion of demand for online facilitation has driven XCHANGE revenues up 40% above 2019. As a former executive for Vitamix – where revenue grew by 400% in 4 years – and an adjunct teacher at Case Western Reserve University's globally ranked Weatherhead School of Management, Jon's refreshing approach combines scientific research and real experience for one of the most relevant conversations today. What you'll learn about in this episode: What Jon did not believe in before Covid The best way of unlocking wisdom in a room Why valuing the passing of information is going to go away The guiding principles for running an event How technology affects integrated experiences What happens if you don't ask good questions in business How Jon's customers influenced his business early on The difference between superficial questions and deep questions Resources: Website: https://xchangeapproach.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonberghoff/ The Business of Connecting Jon Berghoff is the founder of the XCHANGE Approach. His company helps facilitate meaningful dialogue and change at an accelerated pace. Jon is a second time guest on the Intentional Greatness podcast, and Sue has seen his work firsthand in his virtual events. In this episode, Jon and Sue discuss how Jon was able to pivot in 2020 and shift his business to a hybrid model. Pivot Inducing Questions At the beginning of the pandemic, Jon found himself sitting in uncertainty like most of us. During a conversation, he was asked, “if Covid was not going away – what business would put your business out of business?” Jon explains why this question was so crucial to changing his business model. It's important to be able to pivot and adapt to changes. Jon shares how he pivoted during the pandemic, after hearing this one question. Redefining The Workplace Jon initially thought that his business could only be done through in-person live events. After the pandemic he realized that he needed to adapt. But, shifting an entire business model is difficult. The challenges of integrating a live and virtual audience are complex. During our conversation, Jon shares the importance of bringing out the same level of wisdom and energy in the room while navigating multiple audiences.

Max Lipset is the Co-Founder of Adapt Fitness and Owner of The Power House gyms. His business focuses on leading people upstream from disease, illness, and injury. With over 10 years working with top professionals in strength and conditioning and corporate wellness training, Max brings a diverse skill set to each situation in order to create custom health, wellness and performance programs for his clients. In 2013 he founded The Power House together with his wife, Jill. Since then, they have built a team of over 25 coaches. Together they are setting the industry standard for performance and prevention. Max is the only third time guest on the Intentional Greatness podcast. In this episode, he and Sue discuss how Max remained resilient during the pandemic and ways we can all do better moving forward. What you'll learn about in this episode: How Max navigated being a gym owner during the pandemic Being more bulletproof in terms of health and wellness Remaining resilient in challenging times Focusing on the “why” to help avoid burnout How the pandemic has disrupted our routines and forced us to re-examine our purpose Aligning your values with your sense of purpose and your daily pursuits The importance of meditation and sleep The myth of making up sleep How to set yourself up for a win The most efficient ways to prioritize your to-do list for success Resources: Website: https://tphmn.com/ https://www.adaptfit.io/ Instagram: @winyourlife LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-lipset-7935726a/ Winning At Life Max Lipset is the Co-Founder of Adapt fitness and Owner of Powerhouse Gyms. His business focuses on leading people upstream from disease, illness, and injury. Max is the only third time guest on the Intentional Greatness podcast. In this episode, he and Sue discuss how Max remained resilient during the pandemic and ways we can all do better moving forward. Maintaining Resilience In 2019, Max's business was experiencing a lot of growth and momentum. Once the pandemic hit in 2020, he had planted the proper seeds to withstand the uncertainty. Max explains why it's important to understand your “why” or purpose to help you push forward during challenging times. Keeping your purpose at the forefront will not only help maintain resilience, but also help prevent burnout. Max focuses on keeping his values aligned with his purpose and daily pursuits. Avoiding Scarcity Max finds that keeping an abundance or infinite mindset is essential to his success. But, maintaining that mindset is difficult. He continuously battles feelings of scarcity in life. It's not a battle that you fight once, you have to conquer it again and again. One of the many ways that Max keeps a positive mindset is through maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Prioritizing your health and wellness sets you up for a win in life. During our conversation, he shares the wellness practices that help him be more productive, successful, and win at life.

As a bestselling author, keynote speaker, Certified EOS Implementer, Certified Business Coach, WPO Chapter Chair, and globally recognized, award-winning seminar leader, Sue brings over twenty-five years of experience to her clients. She is the CEO of YESS! and has designed and delivered dynamic, transformational programs for thousands of people. Sue has received numerous awards including the Dream Keeper award recognized by the Governor's Council for her leadership program, the Regional U.S. Small Business Administration Women in Business Champion of the Year award, the Exemplary Woman of the Community award, WomenVenture's Unsung Hero award, Women Who Lead from Minnesota Business Magazine, NAWBO Minnesota's Achieve! Vision Award and named a 2018 Enterprising Woman of the Year. Sue has been featured in publications including Inc., Entrepreneur, Thrive Global and The New York Daily News. What you'll learn about in this episode: How to avoid burnout and combat it The discipline of forming a habit Mindset shifts to help you stick to goals and build habits Why burnout happens One of the best things you can do when you first wake up in the morning What people need when they're experiencing burnout The Will Smith quote that Sue uses as inspiration Resources: Website: https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS Share the Goodness: yess.learnworlds.com Dealing With Burnout As we near the end of the pandemic we are finding that more and more people are beginning to experience a feeling of burnout. People are just tired. Tired of their current circumstances and mentally exhausted. While there have been many discussions surrounding burnout – there has not been a lot of talk focused on ways to combat it. During our conversation, my daughter, Ali, and I share insights into what we really need when we're experiencing burnout and how to avoid it altogether. Finding Peace Within Habits If you're experiencing burnout due to overexertion or being overworked, one of the first things you should do is take better care of yourself. It may feel impossible to dedicate time to things like movement or meditation – but it's necessary. You have to make the choice to do the things you don't want to do for the lasting effects. When forming habits it's important to look back and think about how you've felt doing this in the past. Healthy habits are not about instant gratification. The Power Within When you feel burned out, it's likely because you are sick of doing the same things that don't fuel you or fulfill you. When you feel this way, it's important to remember that you are in control. You have the power to change your behavior, surroundings, or anything else that does not serve you. We put too much emphasis on what we think we should be doing, instead of what we need. In order to truly exile burnout – we must start paying attention to the things that make us feel good and do more of that.

Brad Larsen is the owner of RentWerx Property Management. A residential property management company based in San Antonio, Texas. After growing up in the midwest, he began his career in the United States Army. In 2002, after serving ten years in the military Brad left, as a captain and began pursuing a career in real estate. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Brad explains what made him move away from an employee mindset and pursue entrepreneurship. He tells us what systems he's implemented to help his business grow and succeed. Brad is also a podcast host for both the Property Management Mastermind Podcast show and Property Manager Broker Podcast show and founder of the Property Management Mastermind Conference along with Managers Round Table and the BizDev Mastermind coaching service. What you'll learn about in this episode: What drew Brad to real estate What the military taught Brad that helped with entrepreneurship The mindset that you must adopt to become an entrepreneur The large slap in the face that forced him to create a process in his business The first changes Brad made after starting EOS® How better procedures allow for more remote employees How EOS® reduces overhead costs The biggest challenge in implementing EOS® Resources: Website: https://pmmcon.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rentwerxbrad/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ConPmm/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ConPmm Developing An Entrepreneur Mindset Brad Larsen is the owner of RentWerx Property Management. A residential property management company based in San Antonio, Texas. After growing up in the midwest, he began his career in the United States Army. In 2002, after serving ten years in the military Brad left, as a captain and began pursuing a career in real estate. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Brad explains what made him move away from an employee mindset and pursue entrepreneurship. He tells us what systems he's implemented to help his business grow and succeed. Diving Into Unknown Territory Brad was always a hard worker and his experience as an athlete and in the army showcased his discipline. After reading the book Rich Dad, Poor Dad everything changed. He began to transition from an employee mindset to an entrepreneur mindset. Eventually Brad decided to leave the military and move to San Antonio, TX. Once he arrived he had his real estate license within 30 days and began a new career in real estate sales. Some people are able to dive in head first, Brad is one of those people. Mistakes That Lead To Success Brad began his real estate career in sales, but later transitioned into property management. He began RentWerx in his home and grew the business. The path to success is not always smooth. Brad experienced some embezzlement in his business and found that he needed a better system to prevent future incidents. He implemented procedures and systems using EOS, and found that business began to grow and become more successful. In our conversation Brad shares how implementing EOS, impacted his business growth.

As a bestselling author, keynote speaker, Certified EOS Implementer, Certified Business Coach, WPO Chapter Chair, and globally recognized, award-winning seminar leader, Sue brings over twenty-five years of experience to her clients. She is the CEO of YESS! and has designed and delivered dynamic, transformational programs for thousands of people. Sue has received numerous awards including the Dream Keeper award recognized by the Governor's Council for her leadership program, the Regional U.S. Small Business Administration Women in Business Champion of the Year award, the Exemplary Woman of the Community award, WomenVenture's Unsung Hero award, Women Who Lead from Minnesota Business Magazine, NAWBO Minnesota's Achieve! Vision Award and named a 2018 Enterprising Woman of the Year. Sue has been featured in publications including Inc., Entrepreneur, Thrive Global and The New York Daily News. What you'll learn about in this episode: The upcoming changes to the Intentional Greatness podcast What 3 tracks the podcast will focus on moving forward and topics that will be discussed The only system that Sue uses to run her business What most people wake up striving for each day What the difference is between a leader and an influencer Resources: Website: https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS Share the Goodness: yess.learnworlds.com Focusing On Integration The year 2021 may be more difficult than 2020. Why? Because, people are either doing really well or not good at all. Many people are finding themselves disconnected. It doesn't matter if people are working from home or in the office, that feeling can still occur. The only way to solve this problem is to begin asking ourselves bigger, deeper, and richer questions. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness podcast, Sue shares her thoughts on the importance of these crucial questions and how she plans to help you answer them with upcoming changes to the podcast. Adding Value Most people want to have a business that serves their life and their purpose. But, they aren't sure how to make it happen. No one actually wakes up each day wanting to make things difficult or cause pain. People live their lives wanting to add value, make an impact, and benefit others. At the end of the day, all anyone really wants is to leave a legacy in the world. Sue shares her thoughts on creating an impactful life on this episode of the Intentional Greatness podcast. The Truth About Leadership Moving forward, the Intentional Greatness podcast will have episodes focused on leadership. You'll hear conversations about what it means to touch hearts while helping people move forward. During this episode, Sue explains what leadership actually means. She breaks down qualifiers for leadership and the difference between a leader and an influencer.

Larissa Loden is the owner/designer of Larissa Loden Inc., a jewelry company designed for the bold, the fearless, the elegant and the understated. Inspired by a love of travel, Larissa Loden's unique style and personality are infused into every piece. Larissa Loden has been designing and creating jewelry since 2005. Every piece sold supports a woman-mother-artist owned small business that employs a collective of amazing humans. The jewelry is handcrafted in Minneapolis by a team of artisans, mothers, students, and creative individuals. Larissa and her team believe that when we come together as a community, we can make the world shine a little brighter. That's just one of the reasons that each year Larissa Loden Inc. donates 5% of profits to Cookie Cart, a nonprofit teaching teens life, leadership, and small business skills through experience and training in an urban bakery. Larissa hails from upstate New York and has lived in Minnesota for 18 years. She learned her entrepreneurial spirit from working at her family's small business and refined her management skills while being a middle school art teacher for 8 years. Larissa has a passion for running her company ethically and giving back to the community. What you'll learn about in this episode: How being a middle school art teacher for 8 years helped her run a business How to balance running a business and being a mom Who you shouldn't hire Why checking in with your team is so important Transitioning from an in-person business to digital The impact that the pandemic has had on working women What inspires Larissa's jewelry designs What it's like having a baby during a pandemic Who you should take advice from Resources: Website: https://larissaloden.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larissa-loden-61538653/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/larissalodenjewelry/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/larissaloden From Teacher To Entrepreneur Larissa Loden is the owner/designer of Larissa Loden Inc. A jewelry company designed for the bold, the fearless, the elegant and the understated. After growing up in upstate New York, she began her career as an art teacher in Minnesota. Larissa found that she couldn't escape the entrepreneur bug. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Larissa explains why she initially didn't want to have her own business. She tells us what aspect her business needed to include, in order to feed her soul. Avoiding The Inevitable Larissa was always an artist, but she didn't think that being an entrepreneur was for her. Growing up in a small town in upstate New York, her parents owned a country store. Watching them run their business made her crave a stable career. She explains how she fell into having a business after taking a mall job at a bead store during college. Some people are just destined to be business owners. Larissa couldn't seem to avoid that fate. Life-Changing Conversations Larissa began her career as an art teacher for Kindergarten to 8th grade. She tells us that it's important to make an impact, so teaching really resonated with her. Although she enjoyed her job teaching, she constantly spent her free time selling her jewelry at trade shows. Larissa convinced herself that she could do it all, until a conversation with a colleague convinced her to take the leap into full time entrepreneurship. In our conversation she shares how she was able to add an element of giveback into her business to help make an impact.

As a bestselling author, keynote speaker, Certified EOS Implementer, Certified Business Coach, WPO Chapter Chair, and globally recognized, award-winning seminar leader, Sue brings over twenty-five years of experience to her clients. She is the CEO of YESS! and has designed and delivered dynamic, transformational programs for thousands of people. Sue has received numerous awards including the Dream Keeper award recognized by the Governor's Council for her leadership program, the Regional U.S. Small Business Administration Women in Business Champion of the Year award, the Exemplary Woman of the Community award, WomenVenture's Unsung Hero award, Women Who Lead from Minnesota Business Magazine, NAWBO Minnesota's Achieve! Vision Award and named a 2018 Enterprising Woman of the Year. Sue has been featured in publications including Inc., Entrepreneur, Thrive Global and The New York Daily News. What you'll learn about in this episode: How companies can continue to drive culture and core values when they aren't seeing employees in person The 3 realities of work culture during the pandemic How to discover the rules of engagement in the workplace How to measure behavior accountability Why productivity increased during COVID The unique factor of Zoom meetings vs. in-person meetings A framework for meetings Why Sue has gotten dressed for work every work day of the pandemic Resources: Website: https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS Share the Goodness: yess.learnworlds.com Connecting from a Distance Navigating the pandemic has been challenging for all of us – particularly, learning to redefine our work experiences. While we are still on a journey of understanding and evolving our work lives, we have an opportunity to create a better work culture. My daughter, Ali Stieglbauer, is joining us once again to discuss work culture in our new normal. During our conversation, Ali and I share insights about what work culture really is and how we can maintain it, even while distanced. Creating the Rules of Engagement Work culture can really be defined as the core values and guidelines that everyone agrees to follow. These rules are typically unwritten and picked up on from behavioral cues and norms. When we are no longer having a shared experience in the office, we miss out on these behavioral cues – leaving everyone to make it up as they go! It's crucial to set standards and guidelines through meeting frameworks and regular communication. Finding Discipline Prior to 2020, most employers couldn't imagine allowing their employees to work from home. Many thought they wouldn't be able to trust that their employees were actually working. They weren't sure how they would be able to hold them accountable. Surprisingly, productivity has largely increased. Employees find that they really need to show up and get results, as a way to showcase their work.

Jill Proud is a dynamic facilitator, an experienced entrepreneur and a coach to senior leaders across Canada. Her passion lies in helping people see a bigger future for themselves, and her expertise lies in giving them the skills and motivation to make it a reality. Jill built The Proud Group on a philosophy of only working where she can make a difference. Her powerful one-on-one coaching sessions with senior leaders and their teams is underpinned by her ability to connect in a real and deep way that allows clients to achieve their goals more quickly and easily. As the Vice President of Sales for an international training firm, Jill drove expansion into the financial services industry while managing relationships with several large banking clients. As the Director of Sales and Marketing for another training firm, she expanded a licensee network of associates by 100%, including leading a cross-border expansion into the U.S. market. Jill's diverse background also includes a project with the Canadian International Development Agency in the Chilean city of Santiago and consulting work throughout North America. Jill launched her career working as a facilitator and leader in the not-for-profit sector building local, national and international partnerships between municipalities, businesses and not-for-profit organizations to establish inter-sectoral collaboration. Through all of her roles, Jill witnessed first-hand the power of coaching, and the discipline necessary to coach effectively while under pressure. Jill has successfully brought this experience to bear in workshops for thousands of managers across the world. Whether she is teaching financial services executives in Toronto, working with leaders at Queen's Smith School of Business or coaching CEOs in the complex healthcare environment, Jill marries energy and enthusiasm with the practicality that comes from real, lived experience. In January 2019, Jill launched the Women Presidents' Organization South Georgian Bay Chapter. WPO is the premier peer advisory organization connecting women who own multi-million dollar companies. This peer group approach fosters members to accelerate business growth and acts as a vital support network. Outside of the business world, Jill has supported the work of Performance Coaching Inc. in their work with Hockey Canada. For two Olympic Games, she has brought her experience as a certified TAIS coach to bear in 1-to-1 coaching sessions with members of the Women's National Team. She is also a passionate rower, and works locally to support learn to row programs. Jill lives in Collingwood, Ontario between the shores of Georgian Bay where she rows in the summer and the Niagara Escarpment where she cross-country skis in the winter. She has held a number of Board positions including as a Director on the Collingwood General and Marine Hospital Board. Jill is a founding member and current past Chair of Women in Philanthropy for Providence that has raised more than 900K in the funding to support special projects at Providence Healthcare in Toronto. What you'll learn about in this episode: What holding space means in the coaching community The top 3 challenges that women face with mindset How September 11th impacted Jill's decision to leave her corporate job How the current state of the world is impacting the landscape of the work environment How will we emerge from the pandemic Resources: Website: https://www.jillproud.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillproudleadwithpurpose/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/jill-proud/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thevitalvisionary Share the Goodness: yess.learnworlds.com Digging Deep Jill Proud is an entrepreneur and coach to senior leaders throughout Canada. In 2019, she founded the Women Presidents' Organization South Georgian Bay Chapter. Jill has dedicated herself to making an impact in women's lives, helping them to get vulnerable and find their power. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Jill joins us to share her inspiring story, and how she guides women in answering the pivotal question “Why am I here?” Pivotal Moments After an impressive corporate career in sales and marketing, Jill's climb on the corporate ladder came to a screeching halt. The September 11th tragedy caused her to ask herself tough questions. This pivotal moment led her to make the decision to quit her job and pursue a career in coaching. It's important to do work that feeds your soul and makes an impact. Jill shares how the current pandemic has affected women in a similar way as her 9/11 moment. Redefining The What-If's Jill explains how the current state of the world is impacting the way that people work, particularly the way that women work moving forward. The pandemic has opened up the possibility of what our work lives could look like. She shares how we now have the opportunity to redefine the what-if's to create a new version of our lives. It all begins with the questions: “why am I here?” and “what do I truly want?” Her incredible story of reflection and self-awareness shows that we are only as deep as our impact.

Wendy Marvin is a founder and CEO of Matrix Roof & Home, a contracting firm headquartered in Vancouver Washington. As a seasoned general contractor with more than 13 years experience, Ms. Marvin is reshaping the construction industry in her area by showing up with a unique customer-centric focus and trust-earning transparency. Her journey, as a minority female owner in a male-dominated field, is one of grit, strength, and personal growth. Ms. Marvin has received awards such as Board Member of the Year for the Western States Roofing Contractors Association, and Small Business of the Year, among others. Wendy is currently serving on the Board of Directors for Western States Roofing Contractors Association as the Safety Chair and is an Executive Board member for Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) and Girls Inc of the PNW. Ms. Marvin is also involved in the Evergreen Habitat for Humanity Women's Build, National Women in Roofing, and as an Influencer/Blogger with Roofers Coffee Shop. What you'll learn about in this episode: Wendy's incredible journey as a woman in a male-dominated industry How to prevail in business during personal hardships The key to building a customer-centric business How to overcome perfectionism and people pleasing The unique way that Wendy unwinds Resources: Website: https://matrixroof.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendymarvin/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MatrixRoofing/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/matrixroofingWA Share the Goodness: yess.learnworlds.com Prevailing Through Pain Wendy Marvin is a founder and CEO of Matrix Roof & Home, a contracting firm headquartered in Vancouver Washington. After founding the company in 2007 with her ex-husband, Wendy has succeeded in an industry where most companies fail within their first five years. In a field where the focus is often on the contractor's wants, Wendy prides herself in making it all about her customers. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness® podcast, Wendy joins us to share her inspiring journey. She explains how to push through tough times and become a leader in a male dominated industry. A Seat At The Table After going through a divorce in 2017, Wendy transitioned into running the company on her own. The transition was rough, as she was expecting to progress into retirement at this point in her career. During this time she realized that she had been the one running the business all along. Wendy was often the only woman in the room, and she had to rise up and take her seat at the table. No one needs to prove themselves to be worthy. She stopped stepping back and dulling her sparkle to make the men in her field feel comfortable. Wendy explains how she battled the stigma of being a woman in the contracting industry. It's Not About You After taking full control of her business Wendy decided to create the company into what it should have been all along. She began focusing on her customers – delivering her services in a way that matters. A customer-centric company is rare in the contracting world – and it has allowed Wendy to shine. Her story proves that showing up and doing your best is the key to a successful business.

As a bestselling author, keynote speaker, Certified EOS Implementer, Certified Business Coach, WPO Chapter Chair, and globally recognized, award-winning seminar leader, Sue brings over twenty-five years of experience to her clients. She is the CEO of YESS! and has designed and delivered dynamic, transformational programs for thousands of people. Sue has received numerous awards including the Dream Keeper award recognized by the Governor's Council for her leadership program, the Regional U.S. Small Business Administration Women in Business Champion of the Year award, the Exemplary Woman of the Community award, WomenVenture's Unsung Hero award, Women Who Lead from Minnesota Business Magazine, NAWBO Minnesota's Achieve! Vision Award and named a 2018 Enterprising Woman of the Year. Sue has been featured in publications including Inc., Entrepreneur, Thrive Global and The New York Daily News. What you'll learn about in this episode: What it means to dance backwards in heels How to deal with the lack of credit where credit is due for women in the workplace What we can do to persevere without being perceived as pushy or angry Practices for success when the odds are stacked against you Why you need to go after what you deserve no matter what How to gain leverage when you have to make difficult decisions How to reframe your perspective and identify your pathway to success Resources: Course: https://yess.learnworlds.com/course/chasing-perfection-sampler Learning Community: https://yess.learnworlds.com/ Website: https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS The Decision of Worthiness Chapter seven of “Chasing Perfection” is called “Backward and in Heels,” paying homage to Ginger Rogers' ability to match Fred Astaire's skill while dancing backward in heels. This is a common theme in the workplace because women are often forced to do more with less and to settle for less than a man would. We have to do twice the work for half the credit, all while being dismissed as pushy for persevering. In this episode of Intentional Greatness, Ali and I dissect the notion of dancing backward in heels, and we explore the practices that will bring you success when the odds are stacked against you. Go After What You Deserve Confidence is a major part of success in your personal and professional lives. You need to allow and tolerate what YOU think you deserve in every situation. Go after what you deserve no matter what, even if the task is easier for someone else than it might be for you. Everything you have in your life is a direct correlation to how you see yourself and what you believe you're worth. When you take on that perspective, I believe it gives you leverage when you have to make difficult decisions. Once you make the decision of internal worthiness, you will begin to look for the external factors and draw connections. Define Your Reality Unfortunately, “backward and in heels” is a reality that many women accept. The good news is you have the power to reframe that reality with a new perspective. Success is looking at a challenging situation and asking yourself who you need to become to succeed. The transformation that takes place en route to your goal is where the real success stems from. It is that old cliche, “it's about the journey, not the destination.” By learning to be present, defining your reality, and persevering no matter what it takes, you will achieve success like you've never seen before.

Susan Scott is a bestselling author and leadership development architect who has enabled top executives worldwide to engage in vibrant dialogue with one another, with their employees, and with their customers for two decades. Susan and her company are committed to large scale and individual transformation through the principles set forth in Susan's books and her company's customized corporate training programs. For 13 years, Susan ran think tanks for CEOs and designed and delivered training to peers working with CEOs in 18 countries. In 2002, Fierce Conversations Achieving Success at Work and in Life, One Conversation at a Time, was published in 4 countries and, shortly thereafter, was listed on The Wall Street Journal and UPI best seller lists, and was one of USA TODAY'S top 40 business books of 2002. Her much anticipated second book Fierce Leadership: A Bold Alternative to the Worst Best Practices of Business Today was published September 15, 2009. In its debut week, the book was listed on The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times best seller lists. What you'll learn about in this episode: What all losses have in common How to respond to hostile confrontations The key to leadership Questions to ask to avoid making assumptions What our most valuable currency is Resources: Website: https://fierceinc.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-scott-1b63388/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/fierce-inc-/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FierceConversations/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/fierce_inc Getting It Right Susan Scott is a bestselling author and leadership development architect. She's helped business owners and their teams communicate verbally for two decades. For 13 years, Susan ran Think Tanks with CEO's and through her work realized that every loss and every gain comes down to one conversation. Often leaders are focused on being right rather than getting it right, leading them to fall short of brilliance. Our lives succeed or fail gradually, then suddenly – one conversation at a time. Ultimately Susan would like to have fewer conversations that accomplish more. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness podcast, Susan joins us and shares how to have successful conversations that may possibly change the trajectory of your life. Speaking With Love Susan's brand is built on the word fierce. She believes that you cannot fake fierce conversations. If you ask someone to elaborate or explain you should mean it. Susan explains how critical it is for leaders to listen to the thoughts and suggestions of their team members. You will find that the answers are always in the room. Asking for honest feedback can invite unwanted or hostile confrontation. During these uncomfortable moments, Susan suggests that you take a moment to ask, “what would love do in this situation?” Speaking with love will provide space to get to the root of the conversation. Don't Make Assumptions Susan finds that most humans make up stories about people, and then behave as if the stories are true. We should never make assumptions. Susan suggests that people focus on getting the facts in conversations, this will lead to less blame. She says that the key to a good leader is the person who can describe a scenario without any blame. Blame masks the valuable message that people need to hear.

Lacy Starling is the owner of multiple businesses. She's also a college professor, mentor, and a fierce advocate for women in entrepreneurship. Lacy is the recipient of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award, and the Cincinnati Business Careers 40 under 40 award. She has been named to the Dean's List of Teaching Excellence four times at the University of Cincinnati. Lacy's first company Legion Logistics, grew from a one woman startup in her basement, to a more than 20 million dollar company today. Legion has twice been named one of the Top 10 Fastest Growing Women Led Companies in the world by the WPO (Women Presidents Organization). In 2020, Lacy launched her consulting business Starling Consulting, a sales and strategy consulting firm focused on helping companies build an intentional business. What you'll learn about in this episode: What Lacy thinks you need in order to sell anything How to persevere through obstacles to become the most profitable How to be successful in sales when not a traditional salesperson A methodology for interviewing for new hires What mistakes every new entrepreneur makes Resources: Website: lacystarling.com Company Website: starlingconsults.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lacyjstarling/ Brambleberry Website: https://www.brambleberry.com/ Leveraging Your Strengths Lacy Starling is the President of Legion Logistics, a logistics provider, and the Founder and Chief Strategist of Starling Consulting, teaching sales and marketing to entrepreneurs. Throughout her career, Lacy has managed to leverage her upbringing and strengths for success. The mindset that selling is simply believing, has allowed her to succeed with any product or industry. This week Lacy shares her empowering journey of entrepreneurship and success. Persevering Through Challenges Whether intentional or not, Lacy has overcome obstacles in her career with ease. Everything from divorce, industry recessions, to the pandemic – she manages to push through, often seeing greater success. Never backing down from a challenge, Lacy decided to use her free time to start a new business in 2020. Although, initially difficult – she was able to create a company that not only feeds her soul but is also profitable. One thing to learn from Lacy, is that 90% of sales is showing up. If you continue to push forward, you are bound to get results. Being Intentional With Decisions When Lacy's business began to grow, she knew that it was necessary to grow her team. No one can be an expert at everything. It's much better to outsource responsibilities, than attempt to be a Jack-of-all-trades. That said, Lacy believes that it's very important to be intentional with new hires. She utilizes an interview methodology and sets a foundation for new employees. Finding the right team is critical for long term success, Lacy proves to us that it isn't hard to know if you've found a good fit.

A born entrepreneur, Deirdre Quinn's early love of the craft inspired a degree in fashion design. Her passion for production and merchandising led her to Donna Karan, Escada, and Liz Claiborne, where she traveled to more than seventy countries. In 1996, she joined forces with two other fashion veterans and visionaries, Shun Yen Siu and Ida Siu, to found Lafayette 148 New York, creating one of the very rare, vertically integrated fashion brands. More than twenty years later, Deirdre's boundless drive to discover what's next continues to lead the brand towards the future, including the move to a soaring, sustainably built loft space in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. A member of the Fashion Institute of Technology and The Brooklyn Hospital Center's Board of Trustees, Deirdre has a lifelong love of learning and a devotion to philanthropy and enriching the world through education. What you'll learn about in this episode: How Deirdre built an incredible vertically integrated fashion brand Deirdre's success journey in the fashion industry Why it is just as important to figure out what you don't want to do in life as it is to find your calling Deirdre's perspective on how to deal with adversity as a business leader The difficult transition Deirdre had to make as she built the Lafayette 148 brand How Deirdre has navigated the challenges of the global pandemic Resources: Website: https://www.lafayette148ny.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deirdre-quinn-60b828123/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/lafayette-148-new-york/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lafayette148ny Twitter: https://twitter.com/lafayette148ny Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lafayette148ny/ Becoming a Fashionpreneur Deirdre Quinn is the founder of Lafayette 148 New York, one of the very rare vertically integrated clothing brands in the fashion epicenter of the United States. More than twenty years after Lafayette's inception, Deirdre's boundless drive to discover what's next continues to lead the brand towards the future. She is also a member of the Fashion Institute of Technology and The Brooklyn Hospital Center's Board of Trustees, where she fulfills a lifelong love of learning, devotion to philanthropy, and passion for enriching the world through education. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness podcast, Deirdre joins us to share her incredible journey as a kickass entrepreneur in the fashion industry. Finding Your Calling It doesn't happen all the time, but Deirdre was lucky enough to build a career around her lifelong passion. With the unwavering support of her mother, she made her way through fashion school and began taking steps to realize her vision. So many lessons came out of Deirdre's journey, and one thing we can take away from her is this: it is just as important to know what you don't want to do as it is to know what you want to do. It often takes countless failures to find your calling in life, but your failures are never in vain. When you can use adversity to guide you toward the light, you will realize you've been on the right path all along. No Turning Back When Deirdre ended her tenure with DKNY and Liz Claiborne, her portfolio of experience was immensely diverse. She was finally ready to pursue her own venture and began shaping the Lafayette 148 New York brand. By no means has it ban an easy road, but Deirdre has been an exceptional leader in the face of adversity. She has not faltered or given up ground, and no matter what challenges are thrown her way, Deirdre stays determined to figure them out. You pick what you wanted to do for a living, so you have to go through everything that comes with it. You can't throw in the towel just because things are getting tough. Deirdre's story is proof that any one of us can persevere no matter what the circumstances look like.

As a bestselling author, keynote speaker, Certified EOS Implementer, Certified Business Coach, WPO Chapter Chair, and globally recognized, award-winning seminar leader, Sue brings over twenty-five years of experience to her clients. She is the CEO of YESS! and has designed and delivered dynamic, transformational programs for thousands of people. Sue has received numerous awards including the Dream Keeper award recognized by the Governor's Council for her leadership program, the Regional U.S. Small Business Administration Women in Business Champion of the Year award, the Exemplary Woman of the Community award, WomenVenture's Unsung Hero award, Women Who Lead from Minnesota Business Magazine, NAWBO Minnesota's Achieve! Vision Award and named a 2018 Enterprising Woman of the Year. Sue has been featured in publications including Inc., Entrepreneur, Thrive Global and The New York Daily News. What you'll learn about in this episode: How to manage the balance of strength and vulnerability as a leader What vulnerability means in a leadership context Why leaders don't have time to worry about what others think Excellence vs. perfection in leadership How to get out of the weeds and find clarity so you can overcome leadership challenges How to control the emotions and thoughts you assign to a particular situation or event The emergence of feminine leadership Resources: Course: https://yess.learnworlds.com/course/chasing-perfection-sampler Learning Community: https://yess.learnworlds.com/ Website: https://www.sayyess.com/ Books: https://www.sayyess.com/books/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suehawkes/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/suehawkesyess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YESScoaching Twitter: https://twitter.com/SueHawkesYESS The Core Strengths of Leadership The global pandemic and extensive period of racial/political unrest have made it evident that strong leadership is difficult to come by. As a leader, it is important to be vulnerable with your team members, but you also have to assume a position of strength so your team has faith in tomorrow. This is a delicate balancing act that requires so much time and energy in periods of crisis. But with the right mindset, as well as a keen understanding of strength and vulnerability, you can become a resilient leader under any circumstances. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness podcast, Ali and I discuss the topics of strength and vulnerability in leadership so you can find balance within your own team. Owning Your Mistakes Vulnerability is admitting what you don't know, owning up to your mistakes, and being honest when you're scared or unsure instead of pretending. It is extremely hard to make ourselves vulnerable because as leaders, many of us have conditioned ourselves to conceal our imperfections. There is a great deal of fear associated with vulnerability, and when we show any signs of self-doubt, it feels like we are jeopardizing the image we've spent so long developing. Honesty puts us at risk of being exposed as a fraud, but when we make decisions based on what other people think, the outcome is often much worse. Authenticity and humility are key to strong leadership, and vulnerability is the bridge that connects them. Excellence and Perfection When we become vulnerable, we are in one of our most powerful states because we are present, authentic, and exceedingly human. The strange thing is that when we make ourselves vulnerable, we often feel weak and exposed. It is not a bad thing, it is just something we have to get used to. Vulnerability is a state in which we can create powerful connections, and that it is key to achieving excellence. Perfection is about managing other people's perceptions; excellence is about managing the problem itself. No matter what happens in the face of adversity, you've made it through enough mistakes and survived to make it through the next challenge.

Kristen Denzer is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Tierra Encantada, the Leader in Spanish Immersion Early Education®. Kristen has a Bachelors in Political Science and Psychology, a Masters in Advocacy and Leadership, and has completed the doctoral coursework for a Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Administration. Kristen is actively involved in the community and serves on the Board of Directors of Women Venture and the School Board of her children's school. Kristen is a travel enthusiast and her exploits have included gorilla trekking in Rwanda, hot air ballooning in Cappadocia, and playing with seals in the Galapagos. What you'll learn about in this episode: Kristen's journey as a serial entrepreneur What drove Kristen to start her own business, and how she did it How Kristen stayed grounded while balancing a family, a business, and a master's degree Why Kristen decided to sell her original two businesses to focus solely on Tierra Encantada What Kristen is doing to promote diversity through her organization How Kristen managed to franchise her business and the impact it has had on her as a leader How Kristen maintains her resilience as a leader Resources: Website: https://franchise.tierraencantada.com/ https://www.tierraencantada.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristendenzer/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/tierraencantada/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristenmdenzer/ The Freedom of Entrepreneurship Kristen Denzer is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Tierra Encantada, the Leader in Spanish Immersion Early Education®. She is also actively involved in the community, serving on the Board of Directors of Women Venture and the School Board of her children's school. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness podcast, Kristen joins us to talk about her journey as a serial entrepreneur. She also explains how she has maintained her resilience as a leader while running a business that has been heavily impacted by the pandemic. Reap What You Sow Kristen started out on a normal career path, but after her supervisor took credit for the outcome she worked so hard to achieve, Kristen became determined to run her own operation. She wanted to reap what she sowed, where her hard work was met with reward instead of petty office politics. Kristen began her journey into entrepreneurship at a young age. By 2013, she was running an event rental company, a doggy daycare, and her latest venture, Tierra Encantada, all at the same time. This was the ticket to time and financial freedom. From her adventurous travel to her family time, Kristen is still enjoying the freedom of entrepreneurship to this day. It doesn't matter how old you are, or what your background is, the same opportunity is available to you if you're willing to double down and jump in feet-first. Earned Not Given The freedom of entrepreneurship is unparalleled, but it earned, not given. By no means is it an easy path, however, when it is something that sparks joy and passion, success is just a byproduct of your hard work. As an entrepreneur, your business is your baby. Every extra hour that you spend prospecting, refining your process, etc., is going to directly impact your time and financial freedom. You get what you put in, and while it's not always reciprocated, it is so much better than putting the fate of your career in someone else's hands. At one point, Kristen was balancing two businesses, a family, and a master's degree at the same time. If she was able to make it work, you can too.