Think About This

Today, we're wrapping up Season 2: The Burnout Season, and I'm sharing some of my favorite lessons, questions, and reflections about entrepreneurial burnout.Sign up for for the business reflection and future visioning workshop on December 10th at dovetail.communityFollow Alexis on Instagramhttp://instagram.com/alexis.dovetailhttp://instagram.com/dovetailcommunityTo learn more about the podcast or follow us on social, visit https://thinkaboutthis.carrd.co/

Today's conversation is more than just an interview. Our guests Jackie Knetchel and Justin Fairman are going to walk us through a couple of short breathwork practices that are safe to do on our own without in-person guidance. Jackie and Justin are the cofounders of the Flow Consciousness Institute, a research body and educational institute dedicated to understanding the mechanics of consciousness, reality, human potential, and the relationship between them and using these insights to develop practical tools and training. Their work focuses on an integrative approach to the expansion of human potential, elevating consciousness and social empowerment working with global leaders and successful entrepreneurs, while also making the Flow Consciousness Methodology available and accessible to all. On today's episode you'll learn: What's Flow Consciousness, and how is that different from the “flow state” we've all heard about achieving through meditation, surfing, music, etc? What is breathwork, and what's the science behind it?What's the difference between breathwork and meditation? What kind of breathwork should you practice? Are there any dangers in breathwork? What's tetany, and how can we avoid it?… plus two easy to use short breathwork practices that we're going to experience together right here on today's episode. Learn more at flowconsciousnessinsitute.com Follow Jackie on Instagram at http://intstagram.com/jackieknetchel Follow Alexis on Instagramhttp://instagram.com/alexis.dovetailhttp://instagram.com/dovetailcommunityTo learn more about the podcast or follow us on social, visit https://thinkaboutthis.carrd.co/

DISCLAIMER: Alexis Dean is not a doctor. Our guest on this episode Sherry Walling is not your doctor. We are not suggesting that you do psychedelic drugs of any kind, and psychedelics are still completely illegal in most parts of the world. Please do not take this as any sort of medical advice, legal advice, nor are we promoting breaking the law in any way. Any events mentioned on this episode are completely alleged events. If you are looking for medical support with managing stress or burnout, or any other issues, please speak with your doctor and/or therapist. Psychedelics are having a hayday. They're no longer considered the drug of choice for mind bending hippies or ravers, and most entrepreneurs who I know have heard of microdosing, or are, in many cases, partaking in microdosing, as part of their stress management routine, meditation practice, and creative undertakings. If you've considered taking psychedelics, or you're wondering why people are doing them, you're going to love today's conversation with Dr Sherry Walling.Sherry is a clinical psychologist, speaker, podcaster, best selling author, and mental health advocate. Sherry's book “The Entrepreneur's Guide To Keeping Your Shit Together” combines the insight and warmth of a therapist with the truth-telling mirth of someone who's been there. On today's episode you'll learn: What's happening in our brains when we're experiencing high stress and/or burnout? What exactly are psychedelics and how do they change your state of consciousness?Why are so many entrepreneurs and other high performers using them to support their mental wellness?What are some of the potential negative effects of psychedelic therapy? What's some of the important research around psychedelics, PTSD, and trauma, and what could psychedelics do for burnout prevention, care, and recovery?Who should people consult about it? Resources mentioned in the show...www.zenfounder.comwww.mindcure.comwww.maps.org"Stealing Fire" by Stephen KotlerConnect with Sherry...Website: https://www.sherrywalling.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherry-walling-phd/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sherrywalling Podcasts: https://zenfounder.com/podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/zenfounderFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/zenfounderpodcast Follow Alexis on Instagramhttp://instagram.com/alexis.dovetailhttp://instagram.com/dovetailcommunityTo learn more about the podcast or follow us on social, visit https://thinkaboutthis.carrd.co/

Have you ever wondered why some people are so good at managing extremely stressful situations, while others in the same situation are falling apart? It's not a magic pill, or some form of super-parenting that you can do, or some hypnotherapy course you can buy online.The research might surprise you. On today's episode I'm talking to human performance expert and founder of Fount, Andrew Herr. At Fount, Andrew and his team deliver comprehensive, customized, and concierge human performance and wellness programs. Over the past decade, Andrew has led human performance and biotech strategy efforts for the US military, from running research and development strategy, to getting NAVY SEAL's ready to deploy with specialized training. He's a trusted advisor to special ops personnel, pro sports teams, leading corporations, and world class scientific institutions. On today's episode you'll learn: The two most important factors to being able to perform at exquisite levels over time under very high levels of stress. How stress impacts the way you think, and your stress hormonesAnd so much more!Learn more about Andrew at http://Fount.bioFollow Alexis on Instagramhttp://instagram.com/alexis.dovetailhttp://instagram.com/dovetailcommunityTo learn more about the podcast or follow us on social, visit https://thinkaboutthis.carrd.co/

This week, Alexis shares a bit from her own personal journey with burnout. She shares a vital question a mentor gave her to help her process what she's thinking and feeling. Also, she talks about the stories that we tell ourselves.Follow Alexis on Instagramhttp://instagram.com/alexis.dovetailhttp://instagram.com/dovetailcommunityTo learn more about the podcast or follow us on social, visit https://thinkaboutthis.carrd.co/

This is part 2 of the series. If you haven't listened to part 1, make sure you do before diving into this episode!If eating (or stress starving or not eating) is one of your go-to habits for dealing with stress, then this episode is for you. A few weeks ago I was out on a walk with my friend nutritionist Irene Pace, talking about my experience with burnout. She shared with me that so many of her high performing entrepreneur and executive clients are in the same boat right now, and that most of them are using food as a coping mechanism to manage their stress. Whether they're not eating all day, and then pounding back a bundt cake at midnight, or they're like me and they're quote-unquote “good” all day and then find themselves defeated by a bag of chips calling to them from the cupboard, their relationship with food is impacting their emotional state - for better or for worse.I decided to invite Irene to be a guest on the show not because you and I don't know how to eat healthy food. I'm guessing we're both pretty good at googling and reading, and most of us DO really know what we should be eating for optimal health. This episode is not about creating the perfect meal plan, and it's definitely not about calorie counting, dieting, restricting or deprivation or just trying harder to eat healthy food. On the second half of this two part episode you'll learn: The three different types of hunger, and how to approach themHow to respond to an internal call to a needThe third “P” in the three P stages How to stop restricting yourself and set truly loving guardrails for yourselfThree guiding questions for making decisions around popular eating plans, training plans, weighing all your food, #75 hardFollow Irene on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thedonutition/Learn more about Irene at https://irenepace.com/Follow Alexis on Instagramhttp://instagram.com/alexis.dovetailhttp://instagram.com/dovetailcommunityTo learn more about the podcast or follow us on social, visit https://thinkaboutthis.carrd.co/

If eating (or stress starving or not eating) is one of your go-to habits for dealing with stress, then this episode is for you. A few weeks ago I was out on a walk with my friend nutritionist Irene Pace, talking about my experience with burnout. She shared with me that so many of her high performing entrepreneur and executive clients are in the same boat right now, and that most of them are using food as a coping mechanism to manage their stress. Whether they're not eating all day, and then pounding back a bundt cake at midnight, or they're like me and they're quote-unquote “good” all day and then find themselves defeated by a bag of chips calling to them from the cupboard, their relationship with food is impacting their emotional state - for better or for worse.I decided to invite Irene to be a guest on the show not because you and I don't know how to eat healthy food. I'm guessing we're both pretty good at googling and reading, and most of us DO really know what we should be eating for optimal health. This episode is not about creating the perfect meal plan, and it's definitely not about calorie counting, dieting, restricting or deprivation or just trying harder to eat healthy food. On this episode you'll learn: How to stop shaming and guilting yourself around foodThe patterns and mindset shifts we can take in our approach to eatingUsing our food cravings to our advantage The first two “p's” of Irene's 3-P Framework: Pull, Pause, PermissionHow to start disrupting our eating patternsThe healthy and positive question to ask yourself every time you dig into the pantry or fridge The three different types of hunger, and how to approach themWhat might really be pushing you towards using food or hunger as a coping mechanismFollow Irene on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thedonutition/Learn more about Irene at https://irenepace.com/Follow Alexis on Instagramhttp://instagram.com/alexis.dovetailhttp://instagram.com/dovetailcommunityTo learn more about the podcast or follow us on social, visit https://thinkaboutthis.carrd.co/

This week, I'm sharing part of my own burnout personal journey by inviting my therapist, Andrika Rook, on the podcast. We share a bit of what I've been working through and hope that you can learn from our conversations and show you that help is available out there. By the end of today's episode you'll know: How to recognize burnout vs stressThe difference between technical and adaptive coping skillsHow to get to the “mental gym” (and what that even means)What “managing your mindset” might look like for youHow to set boundaries around productivity for ourselves and our team members (and why it's important)How to reflect on your value sets, and recognize whether it's time to realign themAnd more...To learn more about Shift Collab, visit https://www.shiftcollab.com/Follow Alexis on Instagramhttp://instagram.com/alexis.dovetailhttp://instagram.com/dovetailcommunityTo learn more about the podcast or follow us on social, visit https://thinkaboutthis.carrd.co/

A few weeks ago, Alexis found herself laying on her office floor trying to meditate, but feeling completely dead inside. She knew something was wrong and something had to change.After a conversation with her therapist, she accepted the fact that she was burnt out. With everything going on in the last 18 months, you might be feeling this as well. No matter where you are in your business or life, you know there's something you need to work through.Alexis shares her recent struggle and tells you what is coming up over the next few episodes to help YOU get through it as well.Follow Alexis on Instagramhttp://instagram.com/alexis.dovetailhttp://instagram.com/dovetailcommunityTo learn more about the podcast or follow us on social, visit https://thinkaboutthis.carrd.co/

We're at the end of our first season!Next week, we're going to be starting a special series that I'm excited for you to be a part of.Before we do that, we're taking a quick look back at the first few episodes and the biggest lessons Alexis learned through this journey so far.Follow Alexis on Instagram http://instagram.com/alexis.dovetailhttp://instagram.com/dovetailcommunityTo learn more about the podcast or follow us on social, visit https://thinkaboutthis.carrd.co/

This week we're thinking about: How to get press and media attention, no matter what stage of business you're inSarah Hawley recently shared that she was looking for media support, and I knew just the woman to connect her with!Sarah is a serial entrepreneur who started and sold multiple companies for over seven figures, in her home country, Australia. She was also a top millennial finance educator, and a regular contributor in print media and on TV in Australia. Her current company, Growmotely connects professionals to long-term remote jobs with benefits, and specializes in working with small to medium sized businesses. She's also the author of , Conscious Leadership: A Journey From Ego to Heart, and her beliefs around global citizenship and impact driven businesses completely align with what the Dovetail Community stands for so I can't wait to read the book! If that isn't enough, she's also the co-founder of the League of Extraordinary Women, a community that supports women's entrepreneurship, and she also consults and invests in multiple start-up companies. Sarah is the host of two podcasts: Conscious Culture; a podcast about the future of culture and business, and In My Truth; a podcast that brings guests on to share their personal struggles, normalizing the human experience. Whilst Sarah and Growmotely have been getting a few mentions in the press in the U.S. here and there, and she's been doing a ton of the legwork herself, she's ready to take the next step and work with a PR team and/or hire internally. So, I connected her with my friend, a huge supporter of the women in the Dovetail Community, and Camp Dovetail alumni and workshop leader, Lynya Floyd. Lynya is the senior media coach for Selena Soo's Impacting Millions program, where she works with entrepreneurs and experts who want to elevate their status using the power of the media. She's helped clients, including Dovetail Community members, land stories in media outlets like Forbes, Business Insider, Fast Company, Entrepreneur on Fire and more. Lynya has nearly two decades of experience working in the media as an editor at magazines including Glamour, Essence, Family Circle, and Seventeen. As a journalist, her articles have appeared in national publications like The Oprah Magazine, Money, Health, Parents, Cosmopolitan and Martha Stewart Living. She's also been featured as a health expert on The Today Show, The Dr. Oz Show, The Doctors, FOX, NPR and more. When she's not helping her clients put a megaphone to their message, she's ghostwriting books and working as a nationally certified integrative health coach in New York City.By the end of today's conversation you'll know: - How to clarify your PR and media priorities- How to decide whether to work with a PR company, hire PR support internally, or do both- How to keep your story fresh and relevant to keep the media interested- How to navigate your personal brand AND your company brand- How to leverage media wins, and more. Get 170 media story ideas and prompts for yourself, your team, or your agency: https://www.impactingmillions.com/calendarConnect with Lyna:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynya/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lynyafloydWebsite: http://www.selenasoo.com Connect with Sarah:Instagram: http://instagram.com/sarahhawley_Website: growmotely.comWebsite: SarahHawley.lifePodcast: Conscious CulturePodcast: In My TruthBook: Conscious Leadership: A Journey From Ego to HeartFollow Alexis on Instagram http://instagram.com/alexis.dovetailhttp://instagram.com/dovetailcommunityTo learn more about the podcast or follow us on social, visit https://thinkaboutthis.carrd.co/

This week we're thinking about: How to build psychological safety with your team, clients, and community online and offline.Have you ever been somewhere, in person or even on the internet, at an event or in a group or zoom room or anywhere else, where you feel completely safe to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences without fear of judgement?That magic is created by a deep sense of psychological safety - the shared belief held by everyone in a space that others will not embarrass, reject, or punish you for speaking up or showing up as your whole authentic self.It's not easy to find, and it definitely doesn't exist in most workplaces. It's what I strive for at every Dovetail summit, camp, or retreat, and in our online spaces. And today, it's what you and I are here to learn about, so that we can build companies where complete psychological safety is the norm, where our employees and clients are loved and accepted, “Just as they are” (every time I say that I think of Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones Diary! I'm dating myself here).On today's episode I'm talking to my friend Molly Mahar about how she has built, in my opinion, one of the most psychologically safe client communities on the internet.Molly is the founder of Stratejoy — an online community that has helped thousands of women reclaim joy and meaning in their world. Molly teaches everything she knows about claiming ownership of your life + your truth in her 10 month online program, Reclamation, which I joined this year.By the end of today's conversation you'll know… How to create a space where it's safe for everyone to show up fully Practices for maintaining consistency in building trust How to set and maintain the boundaries you need to create and maintain psychological safety for everyone in your spaceLearn more about Molly and Stratejoy at https://stratejoy.com/Follow Alexis on Instagram http://instagram.com/alexis.dovetailhttp://instagram.com/dovetailcommunityTo learn more about the podcast or follow us on social, visit https://thinkaboutthis.carrd.co/

This week we're thinking about: When Things Fall Apart, lessons from failure. The title of today's episode might be… triggering for some people. In recent years it has felt like we're all so busy re-framing things to make everything an opportunity, a lesson, a challenge, or a growth experience. I don't disagree that some events can be all of those things, but I think we can learn so much from accepting and acknowledging failure when we've set a goal and fallen short. With acceptance, we can step back and really see what led us down certain paths, and how we can make real changes to achieve our goals in the future.Today's episode is part two of a two episode series with my friend Mike Shoreman, and this is NOT the episode I thought we would be recording this week.If you missed the last episode, then let me introduce you to my friend Mike Shoreman, also known as The Unbalanced Paddleboarder. Last week Mike was on the podcast talking about his plans to attempt to become the first person with a disability to stand up paddleboard across Lake Ontario. I was right by his side for four days on the water as he attempted to break this record, and I was there when he made the decision to come off the water and try again next year. In many ways, this was a great success. Mike put the youth mental health charity Jack.org on the map and raised more than $50,000. He'll continue to fundraise this year, and we expect he'll raise more than $100,000 before this is all over. We could just re-frame this as a win, because in many ways it is. However, Mike is going back out there next year, and the lessons he learned from not accomplishing his goal are directly transferable to entrepreneurship. Mike Shoreman is a former Paddle Canada Coach, trainer, and expert in the stand up paddleboarding industry. In November 2018 after years of coaching professionally, Mike developed a sudden neurological condition causing him to lose his sense of balance, and experience extreme reactions to movement. Among other severe limitations, doctors told him he would never paddle again. Mike quickly proved them wrong as he re-learned how to walk, and within two years he was back on his paddleboard, unbalanced, but standing and pushing himself to achieve his goals. Mike is the author of Crash and Rise, an autobiographical book about his life and experiences, he's a renowned motivational speaker, the two-time winner of the International SUP Man Of The Year Award, and he's on the cusp of being a world record holder for The Crossing he's due to complete on August 24th 2022.Please donate today at http://jack.org/thecrossingLearn more about Mike and his mission: http://mikeshoreman.com/https://twitter.com/mikeshoremanhttps://www.instagram.com/theunbalancedpaddleboarder/https://www.facebook.com/theunbalancedpaddleboarderFollow Alexis on Instagramhttp://instagram.com/alexis.dovetailhttp://instagram.com/dovetailcommunityTo learn more about the podcast or follow us on social, visit https://thinkaboutthis.carrd.co/

This week we're thinking about: Resilience and grace when the odds are stacked against you.In the Dovetail Community we focus on three core pillars of entrepreneurship: your inner work, your business, and your impact. Today's guest is someone who has had a big influence on my life, and he has become a role model to people all over the world, including a lot of entrepreneurs who are thinking about the impact they make through their work.I'm excited to introduce you to my friend Mike Shoreman, also known as The Unbalanced Paddleboarder. I invited Mike onto the podcast this week because I believe that as entrepreneurs we can learn from his resilience, and be inspired by his story. When this podcast goes live, Mike will have just completed a world record breaking stand up paddle board 87 miles across Lake Ontario. He'll be the first person with a disability to complete the paddle, and I will be right by his side for the entire adventure.Mike Shoreman is a former Paddle Canada Coach, trainer, and expert in the stand up paddleboarding industry. In November 2018 after years of coaching professionally, Mike developed a sudden neurological condition causing him to lose his sense of balance, and experience extreme reactions to movement. Among other severe limitations, doctors told him he would never paddle again.Mike quickly proved them wrong as he re-learned how to walk, and within two years he was back on his paddleboard, unbalanced, but standing and pushing himself to achieve his goals. Mike is the author of Crash and Rise, an autobiographical book about his life and experiences, he's a renowned motivational speaker, the two-time winner of the International SUP Man Of The Year Award, and he's on the cusp of being a world record holder for The Crossing he's due to complete on August 24th 2022.By the end of this short conversation you'll have met Mike, heard his story, and been inspired by his resilience and passion for supporting youth mental health. You'll also hear about what motivated him when the odds were stacked against him, and what will keep him going out on the lake in his next major challenge.Please donate today at http://jack.org/thecrossingLearn more about Mike and his mission: http://mikeshoreman.com/https://twitter.com/mikeshoremanhttps://www.instagram.com/theunbalancedpaddleboarder/https://www.facebook.com/theunbalancedpaddleboarderFollow Alexis on Instagramhttp://instagram.com/alexis.dovetailhttp://instagram.com/dovetailcommunityTo learn more about the podcast or follow us on social, visit https://thinkaboutthis.carrd.co/

This week we're thinking about: How to create belonging and understanding in these challenging times.Whether you're leading a company, a community, a small team or a large team, creating a space where folks feel empowered, autonomous, valued and connected is essential to your success. Right now, at the time of this recording, we're still in the midst of the global pandemic, and North American society feels more divided than ever. What if, as business owners and leaders, we had the power to create spaces of belonging and understanding in these divided times? On today's episode Saiyyidah Zaidi is asking just that question. In a practical sense, she's in the midst of developing and launching The Center For Belonging and Understanding, a community and platform business in the diversity, equity, and inclusion space. Saiyyidah's learning about what it takes to build a community and a business almost from scratch, and most importantly and obviously how to create a space where belonging and understanding are at the heart of everything they do. Lucky for Saiyyidah, you and I, Jon Berghoff joined us today, and I couldn't think of a better person to talk to about this! Jon Berghoff is the founder of the XCHANGE Approach, a scientific approach to unlocking collective wisdom in any group.As Jon says, these are extraordinary times, which call for exponential conversations. Which is why innovative leaders, like Saiyyidah and I, have run to XCHANGE as the solution for bringing together companies, communities, clients, and customers in powerful ways.Before COVID-19, XCHANGE was leaned on by companies like Facebook, BMW, and Costco, to facilitate powerful, large scale conversations... when the stakes were highest.Since the COVID-19 outbreak, change agents of every type: educators, entrepreneurs, coaches, consultants and thought leaders... are using XCHANGE to create connection, community and accelerated learning in every imaginable environment. Digitally, and now face-to-face again.Saiyyidah Zaidi (whose name literally means female leader) is an experienced facilitator, coach, and supervisor working internationally and across sectors. She qualified as an Architect and went on to have a very successful career in architecture before she moved on to continue her studies. Saiyyidah holds two Masters degrees with distinctions including one in Applied Positive Psychology and she is currently in the final stages of her doctorate in identity and intersectionality, where issues of power, inclusion, diversity, belonging and understanding are critically analysed.She is a firm believer that ‘words create worlds' and that by considering the language of conversations in the Diversity Equity and Inclusion space we are able to use connection as the departure point rather than difference. Learn more about Saiyyidah and her work:http://saiyyidah.comhttp://results.partnershttp://www.centreforbelongingandunderstanding.com/ Follow Saiyyidah on Social:https://linkedin.com/in/saiyyidah/ https://facebook.com/saiyyidahzaidi/ https://facebook.com/saiyyidahzaidipagehttps://instagram.com/saiyyidahzaidi/ https://twitter.com/saiyyidahzaidihttps://www.youtube.com/c/SaiyyidahZaidiLearn about Jon:https://xchangeapproach.com/ Follow Jon on Social:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonberghoffFollow Alexis on Instagramhttp://instagram.com/alexis.dovetailhttp://instagram.com/dovetailcommunityTo learn more about the podcast or follow us on social, visit https://thinkaboutthis.carrd.co/

This week's challenge we're tackling? How do you scale your company culture while rapidly scaling your business? It's easy to brainstorm some nice sounding company values and slap them on your office wall for appearances.Obviously, you and I and leaders like us want to foster values and company culture that are more than just words on a wall, especially as we expand our businesses and grow our teams. Unfortunately, company culture often falls to the wayside as companies experience rapid growth. On this week's episode, Inna Lokshin asks Kristi Herold how to set the stage for her company's rapid expansion, and keep her company culture intact. Dr. Inna Lokshin is a Naturopathic Doctor from Toronto, Canada, with a clinical focus and deep passion for women's health and hormones. She is the founder of the Hormone Rebalance Centre, servicing Ontario and British Columbia, and is the creator of the signature Hormone Rebalance Advantage Program. Her mission is to educate, elevate and empower women to be the best version of themselves and feel happier and healthier with the help of natural hormone balancing. Kristi Herold helps connect people through play and helps companies unlock profit through play. Kristi's vision is to get 1 million people playing annually.Kristi is the founder and CEO of “JAM - powered by the Sport & Social Group”, a multi-million dollar global business that has connected over 1.5 million people through play since inception - one of the largest adult recreational sports leagues in the world and more recently one of the world's top providers of PLAY to corporate teams. By the end of the conversation you'll have some great advice for improving and scaling your company culture, getting your team on the same page, rewarding team members who demonstrate your core values, setting a strong vision for your company as you grow, and more. Download Cameron Herold's Vivid Vision DocumentLearn about Hormone Rebalance Centre take their free hormone quiz which comes with a personalized report:https://www.hormonerebalance.com/hormonequiz/https://www.facebook.com/hormonerebalancehttps://www.instagram.com/hormonerebalance/Learn about Kristi's companies:http://www.jamgroup.comhttp://www.jamsports.comhttp://www.workplayjam.com Follow Kristi on Social Media:http://linkedin.com/in/kristi-herold-8a7180https://www.facebook.com/kristi.herold.5https://www.instagram.com/kristiherold_/http://twitter.com/KristiHeroldFollow Alexis on Instagramhttp://instagram.com/alexis.dovetailhttp://instagram.com/dovetailcommunityTo learn more about the podcast or follow us on social, visit https://thinkaboutthis.carrd.co/

This week's challenge we're tackling? How to build and grow a for-profit community business that makes a serious impact on a social issue? In the Dovetail community there are a number of women who have built or supported community impact organizations and charities in addition to growing their primary businesses. There are also a number of women who aspire to build communities and impact social change once they sell their business, or put themselves in position to step away from their day-to-day business operations. Today's guests, Judith Kasiama and Demiesha Dennis, started their community businesses on the side when they both had day jobs. They know what it's like to dedicate every free moment to building a community business driven by passion and commitment. Judith Kasiama is the founder of Colour The Trails, a community business for BIPOC folks and allies interested in outdoor activities, including hiking, skiing, snowboarding, kayaking, biking and more. Judy and her community advocate for inclusive representation in outdoor spaces, working with brand partners, businesses, and organizations to break barriers and create accessibility. They subsidize outdoor adventures, create diverse content, and are actively working with allies to create the change they want to see in the world.As a socially conscious business rooted in collective community well-being, they operate a business model that focuses on social change, and sharing their successes with our local and global communities.Demiesha Dennis is the Founder and CEO of Brown Girl Outdoor World. As an outdoor enthusiast with a passion for building community and representation in outdoor spaces, she shares her love for the outdoors through various adventures, while encouraging and inspiring others to step out and do the same. She is actively working to change present narratives regarding people of colour and their place and engagement in outdoor spaces.Learn about Colour the Trailshttps://colourthetrails.com/https://www.instagram.com/colourthetrails/ Follow Judy on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jujumil/ Learn about Brown Girl Outdoor Worldhttps://browngirloutdoorworld.com/https://www.instagram.com/browngirloutdoorworld/ Follow Alexis on Instagramhttp://instagram.com/alexis.dovetailhttp://instagram.com/dovetailcommunityTo learn more about the podcast or follow us on social, visit https://thinkaboutthis.carrd.co/

THIS WEEK'S PROBLEM WE'RE TACKLING? When you've already built a business, how do you add professional speaking to it? If you're running a business and not yet speaking professionally, is it time to start? If so, how do you do it?On this episode I'm talking to Farah Perelmuter, co-founder of one of North America's top speaking agencies, Speakers Spotlight, and Heather Chauvin, a successful author, and leadership coach who left a corporate career on her own terms years ago. Now she's asking Farah, how do you re-enter the corporate world as a speaker on your own terms, without losing your voice, message, and positioning? Farah Perelmuter is CEO & Co-Founder of Speakers' Spotlight. She started Speakers' Spotlight in 1995 with her husband Martin in a little room in their apartment, where they shared a desk, a phone, and a computer. They had no clients, no experience, no staff, and no money. But they had a clear vision, and a strong belief that with a lot of hard work and a little luck, they could make it a reality. Since that time, Speakers' Spotlight has grown into one of the world's largest and most respected speakers' agencies. To date, Speakers' Spotlight has arranged more than 30,000 speaking engagements in over 35 countries worldwide and has been fortunate to receive many awards and accolades along the way.Heather Chauvin is a leadership coach who helps ambitious, overwhelmed women conquer their fears and become leaders at work and home. Drawing from her professional experience as a social worker and her life experience raising three boys, Heather created a signature approach to help her clients create and enjoy sustainability, profitability and ease in business and life. She is the host of the Mom Is In Control Podcast where she reveals her most vulnerable truths about womanhood, marriage, parenting, living through stage 4 cancer and running a successful business without burning out. She released her first book, Dying To Be A Good Mother in 2021.Learn more about Heather at http://heatherchauvin.com/Follow Heather on Social Media: InstagramFacebook Listen to the Mom is in Control Podcasthttp://heatherchauvin.com/podcastLearn more about Speakers Spotlight at https://www.speakers.ca/Follow Farah on Social Media:Farah on InstagramSpeakers Spotlight on InstagramThe Spotlight Agency on InstagramFarah on TwitterSpeakers Spotlight on TwitterThe Spotlight Agency on TwitterFollow Alexis on Instagram http://instagram.com/alexis.dovetail and http://instagram.com/dovetailcommunityTo learn more about the podcast or follow us on social, visit https://thinkaboutthis.carrd.co/

THIS WEEK'S PROBLEM WE'RE TACKLING? How does a small food manufacturer get onto shelves across the continent, without paying big company fees? On this episode, I'm talking to Christina Mack and Melanie Merkling. Christina recently bought Kingsway Foods, a legacy brand business that she's expanding. She's been using a broker for retail sales, and while her company's products can be found in major retailers, her broker's service has been abysmal and she's ready to grow and expand the business across North America. Lucky for her, Melanie's the perfect woman to advise her on this! Melanie Merkling is the CEO of Tightrope ventures and a well-known broker and connector in the Retail space and beyond. With a career in business and brand development spanning 19 years, Melanie has a proven track record of generating profits in startups, reviving businesses under financial duress across varying industries and helping companies secure and grow their business with big box and club retailers. Melanie has worked with a diverse mix of clients, both domestic and international, ranging from tech start-ups to food producers to creative agencies seeking to grow their businesses.Christina Mack is a graduate of the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Chemical Engineering. Her professional background has focused on lean, quality, and continuous improvement in the oil & gas, tech, and manufacturing sectors. After working as a Process Engineer for Maple Leaf Foods, she left manufacturing to buy a family Financial Investment Business. The opportunity arose in the last quarter of 2020 to purchase a long standing Canadian owned food manufacturing company in Mississauga. Follow Kingsway Food on Social:InstagramFacebookLinkedInLearn more about Tightrope Ventures at http://www.tightropeventures.comFollow Melanie on Social:LinkedInFacebookInstagramFollow Alexis and the Dovetail Community on Instagram http://instagram.com/alexis.dovetail http://instagram.com/dovetailcommunityTo learn more about the podcast or follow us on social, visit https://thinkaboutthis.carrd.co/

This week's problem? How do you prepare for, enjoy, and plan your return from parental leave - when your business is growing and you're busier than ever? Planning to have children is no small feat, and it's an even bigger challenge if you're running a growing business. It's even more of a challenge if you're the one carrying the baby, and your co-parent is also the co-founder in your business! Luckily for you, we have two amazing founders on today's episode to talk about how they and their partners are making the most of this special time in their lives.Megan Rafuse is the co-founder and CEO at Shift Collab, an integrated healthcare company that offers both therapy and mental wellness education in a simple, relatable, and actionable way. Practicing as a Registered Social Worker and Clinical Therapist for 10 years, Megan has worked with fellow entrepreneurs, executives, creatives, and young leaders to examine their limiting beliefs, challenge their inner imposter voice, and build confidence to share their struggles openly. In short, Megan is an expert in helping leaders take their masks off — and discover their own power in vulnerability. Erin Bury is an entrepreneur, marketer, former journalist, and startup advisor. She is the co-founder and CEO at Willful, an online estate planning platform that makes it easy for Canadians to create a will in less than 20 minutes. At Willful she's responsible for driving the company's mission to make it easier for Canadians to prepare for and deal with death in a digital age. Learn about Willful at https://www.willful.co/Follow Erin on Social Media:TwitterLinkedInInstagramLearn about Shift Collab at https://www.shiftcollab.comFollow Megan on Social Media:LinkedInInstagramInstagramFollow Alexis & The Dovetail Community on Instagram at: http://instagram.com/dovetailcommunity http://instagram.com/alexis.dovetailTo learn more about the podcast or follow us on social, visit https://thinkaboutthis.carrd.co/

This week's problem: How do you build a physical product from idea to seeing it on the shelves of stores around the world?Alexis talks to so many entrepreneurs who have new product ideas and wonder… How hard can it be? Today, our guests take a deep dive into what it would take to build a tech product, but a lot of the lessons learned would apply to creating any sort of physical product from scratch. Bradley Abbott is... an anomaly. As an Ambidextrous-Brained developer, his talents lie in both art and science. Bradley lives to create. It is his purpose. Solving problems and creating solutions is what he believes the universe shaped him for.He is the founder of Anomalous Creations (formerly Connectable Designs) where he and his team take wild ideas from concept to full development of phenomenal products in your hands. Dr. Lindsay Padilla is an ex-community college professor who accidentally started a business while on the tenure track. Now, as the CEO and co-founder of the Hello Audio software, which takes your content and creates private audio feeds to make learning on the go much easier for your people, Lindsay challenges online industry norms of unfinished courses and unconsumed content with her product. Dr. Derek Padilla is a past physics professor, forever-educator, and musician based in San Diego. His current focus is Head of Product at HelloAudio.fm, co-founded with Lindsay Padilla and Nora Sudduth. Lindsay and Derek have been married for 10+ years. His superpower is explaining complicated concepts simply. Learn more about Bradley at http://www.AnomalousCreations.comFollow Hello Audio on Instagram www.instagram.com/helloaudiofmFollow Hello Audio on Facebook www.facebook.com/helloaudiofmLearn more about Hello Audio at http://challenge.helloaudio.fmFollow the Dovetail Community on Instagram at http://instagram.com/dovetailcommunit To learn more about the podcast or follow us on social, visit https://thinkaboutthis.carrd.co/

This week's problem: How do you start a successful podcast?In the last year, the number of podcasts you can listen to in Apple Podcasts has doubled! It seems everyone is starting a podcast. If you have a successful business already, you might be thinking about starting a podcast, too. But how do you create one that not only stands out in the crowd but really resonates with your audience and augments your existing brand? There's so many technical questions, too!This week, we chat with our podcast partner, Matt Haze, to answer it!Matt Haze is the founder and CEO of Haze Creative, a boutique creative firm that has worked with everyone from Emmy award winning hosts to eight figure entrepreneurs and everyone in between. His company focuses on developing and producing podcasts for companies around the world while coaching hosts and guests to show them how to authentically connect with their audience. Matt is also a comedian that works with brands on their content as well as his own. Alexis Dean is the Founder of Dovetail, a global community on a mission to advance female entrepreneurship through generosity, collaboration, education, and unforgettable shared experiences, including Dovetail Summit, Camp Dovetail, and year-round Dovetail Community Membership and Mastermind Program.To learn more about how Matt can help you with your podcast, visit http://hazecreative.coFollow Matt on Instagram http://instagram.com/matthazeFollow Matt on Twitter http://twitter.com/matthazeFollow the Dovetail Community and Alexis Dean on Instagram at http://instagram.com/dovetailcommunity http://instagram.com/alexis.dovetailTo learn more about the podcast or follow us on social, visit https://thinkaboutthis.carrd.co/

Think About This with Alexis Dean brings two smart entrepreneurs together to solve one fascinating business challenge. These conversations are normally hidden behind closed doors at masterminds and private entrepreneur events, but you get to listen in and learn from the best in their element. Learn from the trials, tribulations, and expertise of successful entrepreneurs as they face their next challenges. You'll learn strategies, tools, tips, and new ways to "Think About This" and find nuggets of knowledge to implement into your own business. Bring your curiosity and listen in on this unique approach to solving the problems of the world's best entrepreneurs. Follow Think About This on Instagram