Podcast appearances and mentions of Beth Comstock

Are these 5 resume mistakes secretly slashing your shot at a $250K marketing role in 2025—while others snatch the offers you deserve? In this must-listen episode, Melissa Llarena—career coach to Fortune 500 execs—unveils the blunders sinking corporate moms and their partners in today's brutal job market. Don't get caught out—tune in and snag a free fix before March 21st! Episode Description: Struggling to land a top-tier marketing or advertising role in 2025—or know someone who is? Melissa Llarena, host since 2017 (with interviews like Beth Comstock and Gary Vee under her belt), dives back to her 2011 roots to help corporate pros thrive. After 13 years coaching agency leaders and execs—pre-Fertile Imagination fame—she's uncovered 5 resume mistakes tanking even the sharpest marketers. Burned-out CMOs, blindsided managers, and guilt-juggling leaders are scoring 15/60 on resumes when 50+ is the winning mark. In this episode, learn: The 5 resume killers—missed revenue wins, weak storytelling, and more—costing you big. How networking strategies and AI smarts flip flops into $250K offers. Why the Marketing Leader Scorecard (free till March 21st) is your DIY ticket to 50+. Melissa's also booking interview preparation services—think Last-Minute Interview Prep for video interviews and in-person interviews, or her 9-week deep dive with multi-stakeholder interviewing strategies, cross-cultural interviews, and interview presentation support. Ready to shine? Grab her free tool and fix those mistakes now! Free Download: Snag the Marketing Leader Scorecard at https://bit.ly/mlscore—free through March 21st, 2025. Score yourself across five key areas and see if you're competitive—or leaving $250K on the table. Bonus Reward: Share this episode with a friend who's struggling (partner, husband, colleague), then email Melissa at melissa@melissallarena.com with “I forwarded to [Friend's Name]”. You'll score Boost Your Interview Answers—a PDF purchased by hundreds, loaded with proven tips to ace interviews. Plus, the first 5 forwarders get a free 15-minute resume or pitch review—booked by March 31! Keywords: Interview preparation services, interview presentation support, multi-stakeholder interviewing strategies, video interviews, in-person interviews, cross-cultural interviews, storytelling, networking strategies, resume tweaks, 2025 job market, marketing resume mistakes. Connect: Book a call for VIP accelerators: www.melissallarena.com/sessions Follow Melissa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissallarena/ Share this episode—help a marketer win in 2025!   interview preparation services,interview presentation support,multi-stakeholder interviewing strategies,video interviews,in-person interviews,cross-cultural interviews,storytelling,networking strategies,resume tweaks,2025 job market,marketing resume mistakes,job search 2025,career coaching,marketing careers,corporate moms,$250K jobs,AI job market,Fortune 500 careers,Melissa Llarena,Mom Founder Imagination Hub

Landing Your Dream Marketing Role in the #RemoteEra Most marketing execs are getting ghosted in 2025—but the ones scoring Director to CMO roles are doing way more. I'll show you the exact moves that land $250K calls, even remotely. Hi, I'm Melissa Llarena, and welcome back to the podcast. For over a decade, I've helped ambitious marketing executives and advertising leaders land their dream careers through my global job search coaching firm, Career Outcomes Matter, launched in 2011. I'm back, better than ever, with strategies that work right now—and today, we're tackling how you can stand out in this cutthroat #RemoteEra or #Hybrid job market. Let's get real—this isn't your average job advice. In 2025, landing those rare, high-stakes marketing roles isn't about just sending a resume, cover letter, or even thoughtfully updating applications. It's about outworking and out-strategizing the competition. Let me ask you something to set the stage… Would YOU have stayed on the Titanic, knowing you had a chance to get off before the last lifeboat was filled? Hoping you'd survive icy waters isn't smart—and neither is letting your marketing career sink when you could turn it around. You wouldn't watch a campaign fail if you knew how to save it, right? The same goes for your career, especially in today's #RemoteEra or #Hybrid world. As a high-performing marketer or job seeker, you're in a race—and it's tougher than ever to land Director-level and above roles, especially if you're a working parent or world-class aunt eyeing flexibility. But here's the truth I've seen and helped my clients achieve: the marketers getting interviews and calls in 2025 aren't just applying—they're bringing market analysis, SOPs, portfolios, and 90–100 day plans that blow hiring leaders away. That's how you prove you're worth multiple rounds and a salary at the top end of $130K–$285K+. Imagine cutting your job search short, writing that resignation letter, and avoiding a layoff. That's the edge I give my clients—and I'm sharing it with you today.” Let's get specific—here are four high-level marketing roles I know will attract top talent in 2025, where the differentiator is the candidate who brings the goods. These are the exact deliverables I've helped my clients create, present, and land with, along with quick pro tips based on what impresses hiring leaders: Headspace - Principal Brand Strategist, $130K–$183K base: Bring a one-page analysis of the mental health ecosystem—why Headspace beats Calm or other apps—and show how branding creates a utilization halo effect. Director of Marketing, Advisory Practice at Acquisition.com, Las Vegas, NV (Hybrid), $150K–$180K base: Prove you can lead with praise, not punishment, and explain how you'd contribute to Alex's $1B-plus vision in 36 months or less. SVP, Marketing Enablement at Warner Music Group, $210K–$285K base: Bring a framework showing how you'd lead a full marketing service provider audit. Chief of Staff, Marketing at IBM (Salary not posted): Dive into CMO Clay's vision—check his talks—and understand how McKinsey trains leaders, since you'll likely compete with McKinsey alums or IBM insiders. *All roles can be found on LinkedIn. They are live as of March 3rd, 2025.* These moves are what's working now to land $285K calls, even remotely. That's the ‘doing more' that gets you noticed in 2025. How do I know this works? I launched Career Outcomes Matter in 2011 to coach global marketing leaders like you, wrote Fertile Imagination—a #1 Amazon bestseller in 2023—to inspire storytelling for dream careers, and I've hosted icons like Beth Comstock and GaryVee on this podcast early on. Recently, I earned my meditation certification after a two-year program to support clients through high-stress transitions. I've dedicated my life to learning and teaching the art of relationship-building—and now, I'm back with strategies that give you the edge in this brutal job market. Listen, if you're a serious marketing executive ready to stop getting ghosted and land your dream $150K+ role—or boost your income by 25%—I'm here to help. I'm enrolling a max of 10 ambitious marketing leaders into my 9-week group coaching program, starting this Sunday, March 9, 2025. It's a 2-week risk-free trial, and if you join by March 31st, I'll personally rewrite your resume or LinkedIn profile for free—that's a $1,500 value. Book a 15-minute job search fit session with me today at www.melissallarena.com/sessions. I've got tons of slots open in the next 48-hours, and I'd love to see if this is the right fit for you—or anyone you know who's frustrated with their boss, worried about layoffs, stalled on promotions, or feeling stuck. Let's turn your career into the success story it's meant to be. I'm Melissa Llarena, and I can't wait to help you win. A client was on a sinking ship in the energy sector and here's what she said about our partnership.... From A Sinking Ship Company in The Energy Sector To A Remote Strategic Partnerships Role In A Top Tier Business School I did get the offer as you know = great result!! The back-and-forth collaboration on interview questions and answers was powerful for me. I liked that you kept me accountable. I would have dragged my feet a lot longer. By investing in coaching this made me cut through my excuses and motivated me to go above and beyond by preparing for an interview 10x more than what I have ever done before. I got my dream job and the hiring manager told me how impressed everyone was and how my performance was heads above the other candidates who were MORE experienced in the function. My work is quite fun. It's rewarding work, fantastic people, ramping up some new skills and the lifestyle is to die for. Thank you, Melissa for our partnership." A 20+ year communications professional's message about what it takes to land a dream marketing job - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe7otOG-i8Y A former Volvo employee in China lands a role in the U.S. making more money than the role originally called for - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2vmjc0cTcg A former tech executive who landed in a non-profit YET got a bump in pay - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jswvB9Km6J4 Let's hop on a 15-minute job search fit call today: https://www.melissallarena.com/sessions/ SHARE this episode with your family and friends who are currently in the job market or they keep telling you they should be out there hunting. Until next Tuesday…

My conversation with a non-profit CEO, a long-time mentor, recently turned to our dreams for our children. It began when she shared how her mother had praised her beautiful New Jersey home, which led her to reflect: "I'd want my kids to live in castles! I want them to have even more than I do." Like any parent, I want my three sons to surpass me in every aspect of life—and even create new categories beyond AI to conquer! However, I've realized my own limiting beliefs and stress responses could unknowingly cap their success if I don't consciously address them. For example, my fear of openly competing or declaring my ambition for first place—how can my sons confidently compete on a world stage if I haven't confronted this fear? Similarly, if we avoid networking because we fear rejection, can we effectively teach our children to build connections? This is where our greatest opportunity for inter-generational impact lies: facing our own limitations so they don't become our children's inheritance. My mother's primary concern was the potential inheritance of her manic depression. This fear led her to anxiously await my thirtieth birthday, believing symptoms would likely manifest before then if I were to inherit it. This sparked my curiosity about breaking the cycle of inherited limiting beliefs for my own sons. For thirteen years, as a mother, I've considered how to proactively guide my children toward success. I believe we can break negative cycles and cultivate a new model of success by nurturing their strengths, fostering healthy mindsets, and focusing on key skills like imagination, cross-cultural thinking, and resilience. This is about empowering our children from the start. Generational patterns often include inherited personality traits, impacting education and career choices. Families frequently pass down expectations and lessons, often along gender lines. These inherited mindsets shape our understanding of what it means to be a girl or boy within our family. Children observe and adopt behaviors they perceive as normalized expectations. They may also be explicitly taught specific ways of thinking, especially in early childhood. Limiting beliefs can also be passed down. In my family, I observed a lack of desire or ability to ascend into leadership positions or gain mastery in a field. My mother, a secretary for corporate leaders, held a strong limiting belief that she lacked the intelligence to provide valuable recommendations. This idea was ingrained in me, driving my need for external validation in corporate settings. While this mindset sometimes helped me in corporate life, it didn't translate well into entrepreneurship. My mother's limiting belief was essentially a form of impostor syndrome. Her lack of confidence stemmed from various factors. As a child, I mistakenly attributed it to her not having a four-year degree. She often mentioned her inability to finish her degree as a working mom. Yet, her illness and its constant disruptions likely caused her to question her ability to contribute meaningfully to leadership conversations. As a child, I simply saw her as a secretary supporting leaders. Our family felt inconsequential. This perception shifted when I met children from families who held positions of influence. I realized I needed to address this inherited limiting belief. Though young, caring for my mother fostered a sense of maturity, allowing me to envision a different future. I didn't want to simply play a supporting role. So, where did I start? 1980s sitcoms like Who's the Boss? sparked my career aspirations. I wanted that life: Connecticut, business owner, advertising. Without a mentor, TV was my guide. Summers stamping travel brochures ignited my wanderlust. London, Singapore – the world felt attainable. My mom didn't travel, but I craved that broader experience. I knew life beyond my zip code held possibilities. I worked with what I had: imagination. I had a career blueprint from fiction, then exposure to someone who explored globally my stepmother owned a travel agency. I realized following their path wouldn't be easy, but I had something they didn't teach on TV – resilience, inherited from my mom. I knew I could stumble, fall, and get back up. Ultimately, I achieved that dream: Connecticut, Ogilvy & Mather, even Australia for 3.5 years. My podcast, The Mom Founder Imagination Hub, features conversations with world leaders. These realities weren't in my original blueprint, but resilience was my active ingredient. What's yours? If you want more for your kids, discover it. Imagination, cross-cultural thinking, resilience – these are the tools to re-architect success for our kids. This is my parenting blueprint now. My sons will tweak it, of course; change demands it. Let's focus on your kids, your blueprint, and overcoming challenges and limiting beliefs so they can achieve more than you did. How can you transform thoughts like, "I don't feel comfortable asking for money," "Getting on stage gives me anxiety," or "I hate competing" into lessons that build resilience? If you want your child to own a business but you've never had one, you'll need to address these areas of discomfort. Since these limiting beliefs are inherent in entrepreneurship, how can you use them to your advantage? One way is to challenge yourself to ask for discounts in front of your kids, or challenge them to do it. I dared my kids to do this, letting them keep their savings. This tackles the "asking for money" hurdle. Public speaking anxiety? Bring your kids into the process. Share your fears and how you manage them. Have them brainstorm solutions. The goal is to expose them to the same challenges they'll face and show them how you move forward. Age-appropriate conversations are key. For the discount example, include prep sessions where you brainstorm possible questions with your kids. They can choose from your list or create their own. ("Can I get a discount for paying cash?" "Is there a student discount?" "Is there a sale coming up?") For public speaking, articulate your worries simply: "Mommy feels yucky in her tummy because she's nervous about talking." This leverages mindfulness – acknowledging the physical sensations of anxiety – to start a conversation.   Here's A Blueprint Reframing Exercise 1.     What is a dream you have for your child? (e.g., Living in a castle, owning their own business) 2.     What qualities must they have to fulfill that dream? 3.     Write out your analysis of whether your blueprint offers those qualities. Pick out the ones that are in direct contrast to what your child will need. Example 1.     You never want your kid to work for a boss in a big corporate company. 2.     You know that working for a startup or building one requires the ability to build relationships. 3.     You love talking about real-life with your mom friends. You adore helping people. You are a connector. However, you do not like asking for help or asking for intros or turning friendships into professional relationships. 4.     Here's an opportunity to work on your limiting belief so that it doesn't get in your kid's way later on: turn a Saturday soccer practice conversation into a business one in front of your kids ideally. I'm not asking you to do anything I have not already done. During my sons' soccer match I turned a personal friendship into a professional partnership because I took interest in the careers of the moms around me. The same applies for our kids. Yes, in school they might have project-based work but what about in other realms of life from church to sports to music. Give the kids a chance to build personal relationships that can translate into a professional objective outside of their scenarios. The thinking behind this intentional thinking on your limiting belief not being your kid's limiting beliefs is worthwhile because our minds are flexible. According to Carol Dweck you can change your thinking and as a mother doing this in front of your kids gives your kids a real shot at having what you didn't have due in part to that limiting belief. Take for example one of my clients who is the co-founder of a non-profit that has brought in millions in donations. She recently decided to sing in front of an audience after years of feeling frivolous for doing such things. Her son might be under ten but now his mom has not only expressed herself after years of hiding this personal love of hers but also provided an example to her son of what a woman putting herself out there looks like. Imagine this mom talking to her son ten years from now when he wants to do something silly like be in a band or launch a YouTube channel featuring his own videogames. This conversation will sound very different because his mom now went through every emotion under the sun to get on stage and figured out how to navigate them in a similar way. Can you see how this guidance will sound totally differently once informed by your own evidence vs. a wish for your kids that you didn't have the chutzpah to go first? The same goes for a mom who would love her kids to live abroad but never got over her fear of living in a land where she doesn't know anyone or perhaps the language. Sure our kids might be daring whereas we never were but the potential is greater if you went first. You'd be the perfect coach and in instances where you wouldn't be the right coach then you can always ask the world for help – that's again where ideas can come from anywhere even outside of your home country. There are many ways to build a growth mindset in your kids. It starts with shifting praise from innate talent to effort, practice, and skill development. Instead of "Wow, you're a great reader," try "Wow, you're working really hard to get through those books." This shows kids they control their effort, which drives mastery. Here are some tangible examples of nurturing imagination, seeking diverse ideas, and building resilience: ·       Imagination: Ask open-ended questions. After reading a book, ask your kids to imagine alternate endings. For example: "How might this book end differently?" ·       Cross-cultural thinking: Explore YouTube. Instead of limiting content to your own culture, find channels featuring diverse ways of life and experiences. ·       Resilience: Practice exploring weaknesses. While everyone enjoys winning, growth comes from discomfort. If your child isn't into sports, encourage them to try a competition. The goal isn't victory, but finishing the competition. The lesson: "You might dislike this sport, but you can still participate; your capacity is still valid." A growth mindset, fueled by imagination, cross-cultural thinking, and resilience, helps children break free from inherited limitations and design their own blueprints. We must be honest about our own limitations, work on them, and model a different path for our kids. Then, give them opportunities to practice these new, empowering beliefs. One blueprint does not fit all Each child is unique. You could have three kids with three distinct dreams requiring different skills and beliefs. While it would be ideal to eliminate all your limiting beliefs, who has time for that? Instead, let your kids lead the way. Create environments for them to explore their ambitions at every age. Here I am taking a page from another culture... In South Korea, there's a tradition called Doljanchi where a one year old child chooses from a selection of objects, supposedly indicating their future career. You can adapt this idea, but ultimately, be intensely curious about what your kids gravitate toward. If your child loves a Valentine's Day craft activity, you've discovered an interest. If they dislike it, note their preferences. This is valuable data. Want to introduce them to new cultures? Let them try Duolingo. Teaching resilience? Encourage them to ask their teacher to redo an assignment. Just asking takes bravery. These ideas are age-dependent. Building these proficiencies varies with capacity. If you'd like more ideas tailored to specific age groups, just ask! You don't want to pass along limiting beliefs, and I'm here to help." Your turn "What one small step can you take today to break a negative cycle and empower your child's unique path to success – focusing on imagination, cross-cultural thinking, and resilience – and incorporate it into your evolving Fertile Imagination Blueprint?"   Ready to break the negative cycle and ignite your child's unique potential? Don't wait. Begin implementing these strategies today, and discover the power of fostering imagination, cross-cultural thinking, and resilience. My book, Fertile Imagination, offers a foundation, but personalized guidance can amplify your impact. Let's work together to craft a tailored education plan that empowers both you and your child.   Schedule a session at www.melissallarena.com/sessions and let's build your family's blueprint for a vibrant, successful future. Only 5 Spots Left! Claim Your FREE Call + Educational Plan Before 2/14. Melissa Llarena is an author, imagination coach, consultant, speaker, and contributor to ForbesWomen articles that have garnered 4 million + views. She is also the host of the Mom Founder Imagination Hub, the podcast for entrepreneurs, founders, and creators who are also moms. Featured guests include GaryVee and Beth Comstock. Melissa holds a psychology degree from New York University, an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and a Transformational Coaching Academy certificate. She is also a certified meditation practitioner. Melissa lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and three sons. Visit www.fertileideas.com.

Let's find the good in experiencing stress so that you don't shortchange yourself out of its ability to instill inner confidence in your capabilities. We are focused on experiences such as birthing a baby, building a business, or navigating a everchanging workplace. Just because someone else fell apart in any of those situations, it does not mean that you will too. It's unique to you, yet worth uncovering, because when you get to the other side of a stressful situation, if you embody at least one learning or lesson, then you will have increased your capacity to handle more stressful situations. This comes in handy, as life often hands us stress at a pretty hot and heavy pace. In this article, we'll interweave the four noble truths along with personal stories that showcase the value of embracing stress rather than running away from it. There have been so many occasions when I was told not to put so much pressure on myself, and it was out of those circumstances, where I didn't let their thinking impact mine, that I can now tell my greatest stories of defiance and delivery. A memorable such moment was during my first semester of law school. My mom told me this: 'Watch out, Melissa, and try not to experience too much stress.' She was giving me a fair warning based on her own sensitivities to stress. My mom has manic depression. A person with manic depression can be sent into an episode or spell by stress. While that guidance came from her experiences, it also came along with her tender concern for my mental health. My mental health, on the other hand, has proven sturdy, in great part because I've had ample opportunities to practice the art of experiencing stress. Law school wasn't a moment of redemption, but it was the time I realized my limit. I'm glad I didn't listen to my mom, because then I wouldn't have discovered my kryptonite. We need to know our kryptonite and how to overcome it. Somehow, it was that combination of overwhelming debt and basing my self-worth on school grades that almost broke me. I got through that time mentally unscathed, thankfully, but intuitively, I knew it was close. There's a benefit to knowing how far you can go. That experience gave me the courage to finally pursue my dream career in advertising. Taking a pay cut didn't seem so bad when the alternative was six-figure debt and no income. The trick is to always stay beneath that line. My self-publishing experience with Fertile Imagination pushed me to that limit. I had gotten my edited copy of my manuscript extremely late, and to compensate for that delay, I sat in my chair for twelve hours straight. The pressure I put on myself to finish the book was enormous. Around the twelfth hour, I felt a crack in my neck, which turned into a year of pain, physical therapy, and an MRI. Ever gotten an MRI? I've been through a lot, but somehow my anxiety was insane during that MRI, and my relationship with God has never been closer. It was like a church service in that cylinder. Yet, this was another opportunity to practice coexisting with stress. I don't regret that experience, and I know I learned from it. The other side of that stressful moment was completing my book and focusing on my physical health, a goal I'd been writing about for decades. Yet, somehow, I had to crash physically to finally pursue it. In these two cases, I needed to experience these greater stresses to build the confidence and conviction necessary to believe I could endure the kind of stress it takes to go after what I've always wanted. What if the same is true for you? What if, rather than avoid stress, you walked right into it with a different perspective? What if you need that vote of confidence—knowing you can handle a ton of stress—to get the kind of laser focus necessary to finally jump into your greatest personal or professional adventure? What if you need to have something to say: 'Well, if I did that and didn't die, then I might as well go for this'? I want to share a new way to think about stress because it's the reality of being human. As a meditation practitioner, I thought I'd enlist the help of the four noble truths to help us see the profundity in otherwise stressful experiences. My meditation offerings are secular, yet I do think ancient wisdom has its place in stress management. It gives me comfort to know that my experiencing stress is not novel; it's normal and expected. So, let's turn to commonly held beliefs that we can anchor this conversation in—the four noble truths Understanding the Four Noble Truths The Four Noble Truths are fundamental to Buddhism and describe the nature of reality and the path to liberation. They are: 1.     Dukkha: This is often translated as "suffering," but more accurately encompasses unsatisfactoriness, frustration, and the inherent impermanence of all things. 2.     Samudaya: The origin or cause of dukkha, which is identified as craving, attachment, and aversion. 3.     Nirodha: The cessation of dukkha, which is achieved through the elimination of craving and attachment. 4.     Magga: The path leading to the cessation of dukkha, known as the Noble Eightfold Path, which encompasses right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. 1   The Inescapability of Stress in Modern Life You don't need to be a Buddhist to believe that being human means experiencing suffering. Just look around corporate America—you can see and feel it everywhere. According to Ohsa.gov, 83% of US workers suffer from work-related stress. You can be stressed about having, keeping, leaving, or getting a job. The sound of a ping can spike your cortisol levels. It doesn't take much to suffer these days. We experience a constant, low-grade level of stress or anxiety, and our baseline sensitivity to stress is very low. This comparison comes from the constant barrage of information we consume daily, which contributes to "sympathy stress," as well as the fact that many of us are openly struggling. This is why it's necessary to find a way to coexist with stress; it's inescapable. A Yoga Analogy for Managing Pain In my pre-natal yoga class with my firstborn, the teacher had us sit on our bent toes. Her rationale was to have us experience physical pain and, instead of running away, breathe through the stretch. Was this comparable to birthing any of my kids? Heck no! It was a way to introduce the idea of feeling pain and remaining still within that feeling. The teacher's approach was to increase our tolerance for the inevitable pain of childbirth. The pain of childbirth is inescapable. This toe stretch gave me a chance to imagine being with inescapable pain in a situation where I could escape. It's this intentional decision not to escape an escapable pain that builds confidence. You have the chance to escape discomfort, yet you wrangle your fears and push forward anyway. There's immense power in those moments. This is where your practice comes in, and how meditation can help you coexist in an empowered state amidst life's struggles. You can pause and breathe through life's emotional ups and downs instead of panicking and stopping the train. The Second Noble Truth: Understanding Craving, Attachment, and Aversion The second noble truth is Samudaya. It's the craving, attachment, or aversion to the feeling of stress. It's always a practice for me. As a business owner, it's easy to crave a consistent income or feel attached to maintaining a certain reputation. Aversions are real for us, too, such as my aversion to tech issues. Yet, my perpetual thoughts about these situations have gotten in my way. These situations are tough enough. By experiencing this second noble truth, I'm not doing myself any favors. This is why equanimity helps; it helps us focus on what's needed in the moment. I'll share an example in a bit. But first, let's turn this to you. The Fear of Obsolescence in the Age of AI Let's talk about craving for career permanence. Whether you are an entrepreneur or employee, this idea translates. The fear of becoming obsolete (FOBO) is rising among workers as AI advancements accelerate. A Gallup poll found that 22% of U.S. workers are concerned about their jobs becoming obsolete due to technology, and that figure is up from 2022. Imagine how freelance copywriters or coaches feel these days. Some feel like they are being promptly put out of business. The threat is real; however, thinking about the threat is stealing the time necessary to uplevel your skills or take actions to support your business. You are adding a layer of unnecessary suffering, draining your finite energy. AI is here, and so are you. How can you coexist with AI? This reminds me of those required college courses I didn't like. They were inescapable and boring. However, it was me who made them feel brutal when I procrastinated reading those ancient texts. Fast forward to today, and I can say that I had the same thoughts while completing some requirements for my meditation certification program. Finding Peace in Meditation (and a Bird's Nest) One week, I experienced a silent meditation in a house with three young boys and my husband. This was the kick-off to my meditation practitioner training. At the time, walking meditations were part of the daily experience, and I hated them. I'd pace in my yard, which was really boring. It reminded me of psych wards with outdoor spaces where I visited my mom. Sometimes she was in, and other times she was out. I felt a deep aversion to this mode of meditating. Yet, I had to do it a lot, so I opted to stare into the leaves of my trees instead of watching my pacing feet. You know what I realized? I saw a nest in the tree! This got me thinking about how I was a mama bird in a nest with my young. Noticing what was real—my breath and the nest—helped me. I smiled. Navigating the AI Revolution: A Path to Coexistence (The Third and Fourth Noble Truths) Stress is real, but suffering is optional. You can shift your thinking from whether you hate or love AI to saying to yourself, "AI is here. How can I co-exist with AI? Is there a right way for me to navigate AI? Might there be a right way to understand AI that can help me?" Once in the present, focused on the facts, you will experience the third noble truth, which is Nirodha. The path to this truth is called "magga," which is also the fourth noble truth and comprises several factors: right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.   The eightfold path offers us an ideal way to coexist with stress. I haven't fully embodied it yet, but I feel as if each encounter with stress has given me a chance to practice it. Lessons from a Car Accident: Embracing the "Rights" Years ago, I experienced my first car accident. I was sitting in a parking lot in my new Honda minivan, waiting for my mom. A parked car, coming out of its spot, backed into my car. My minivan was perhaps months old, and this was my first accident. The other driver came out, shouting about how unnecessary the accident was. His wife quickly calmed him down, and then we exchanged information. I felt overwhelmed and wasn't thinking about Nirodha. I turned to my mom and said, "This shouldn't have happened! How can I get into an accident when I wasn't even moving?" She said, "Melissa, these things happen in life." Months later, I was in another accident in a parking lot, but I was moving this time. This second time felt different because I adopted my mom's wisdom. It was more manageable, and if we analyze it through the "rights," I'd say I had the right understanding. What if stressful situations are necessary to achieve all those "rights?" What if you're short-changing yourself by not increasing your stress management skills? I'd argue that this is true. I'm not suggesting you complicate your life, especially if it's already incredibly stressful. Instead, I'm urging you not to miss a life-giving moment where the gift is practicing the eightfold path. Once you see these as practices, you can teach your kids how to use stress for their benefit. A Son's BJJ Tournament: Wrestling with Life's Challenges This past weekend, one of my sons competed in a BJJ tournament. My eleven-year-old is not required to compete at that level. He could have competed at his local school. Yet, this isn't realistic to how we must compete in life for a job, medal, or resources. So, I encouraged him to compete, even though his first match was against someone who had previously won eleven times. Would you have done the same? Why would any mom allow that? Here's why: you will face outsized stresses in life, and these moments have allowed me to wrestle with the "rights." I got my greatest learnings and confidence from those hard bits of life. I don't win them all, but I've gained more "rights" along the way. Why would I cheat my son of that? So, he competed. I wanted him to take one lesson to the next match. For example, he was advised to stand up and not go straight for the legs in the second round. Did he do it? He tried, but it took the third round. That last round was unexpected. He was winded, tearful, red, and already out of his Gi. Was he going to do the fourth match? That third round, he gave it his all. There were hundreds of people looking at my kid. This is where my life experiences helped us both. Recognizing that my son had had enough, I could relate to so many moments as a kid when I had had enough, and yet life doesn't always give you a choice to walk away. I knew that because I experienced that. I pushed my son to return to the mat that fourth time because this was the right action, and I know that these moments are additive to the stories we tell ourselves about what we are capable of. It shapes how my kid will think about his ability to handle humiliation, boos, competing, and training. It gives him a sense for what it takes to compete with people who have won. His capacity to handle stress was increased in that moment. Imagine facing someone who has won 11 times during your first tournament, then having to enter round after round, loss after loss? This translates to failing in school, in business, and in relationships. My son was practicing the "right concentration" four times more on the mat than off on a typical Saturday. He was wrestling with the "right thoughts" even more than that. These encounters can be fruitful. They contribute to a rich life that can make you invaluable in the life of someone else.

Introducing Mountain to Molehill: A Mindfulness and Meditation Newsletter Mental Health Melissa Llarena Why Stressed Professionals Quit Meditation (And How Not To) Meditating is a good alternative to that third glass of wine at night – and might even serve as a replacement for psych meds for the most restless, stressed-out marketers, sales professionals, and ad executives dealing with the unpredictability of their virtual lives, workplace, home life, and everything else that gets logged in your head as stressful mountains to climb when in reality you're looking at a molehill you can simply hop over. Q: Why did I write this article encouraging you to return to meditation instead of relying on quicker fixes for stress? A: I know firsthand how psych meds play out. I've been an unwitting observer of a personal longitudinal study as the daughter of a mom who has been on them since 1982. My thinking is simple: if you can avoid them, do. I don't say this as a psychiatrist – I say it as a witness who has watched decades of science experiments performed on my single parent, from my toddler years through today, when the impact of this four-decade-long chemical warfare is irreversible. This deeply personal experience is why I'm committed to my mental health, and why I believe adopting and keeping a meditation practice is a powerful approach to life's realities. A consistent practice will increase your capacity to bear any weight you may be carrying – something we all need, don't you agree? Now, I know it's hard to adopt a practice from scratch, so I decided to focus on those of you who once meditated and might secretly wish to return. Let's start with the top reasons for this kind of "quiet" quitting. Notice the pun? I'll try to keep you chuckling throughout this read. But first, let's look at some serious stats... According to the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, approximately 60% of people who start a meditation practice discontinue within the first year. The primary reasons include: 1.     Perceived lack of time 2.     Difficulty maintaining consistent practice 3.     Feeling they're "not doing it right" 4.     Not seeing immediate results Let's explore doable workarounds for these four reasons, considering our modern omnichannel lives. Interestingly, this study aligns perfectly with a recent LinkedIn survey I conducted, asking mid-career professionals what they wanted me to cover. Time emerged as the top concern, so let's start there. Perceived Lack of Time Let's talk about time – or the common excuse of not having enough of it. Let's dispel the idea that you're too busy to drop in and pay attention to your breath for five minutes a day. Where can you steal these five minutes? Let's start with the low-hanging fruit. According to the Harvard Business Review, professionals spend an average of 28% of their workweek managing email. That's about 3.1 hours per day reading, writing, and responding to emails, with an estimated 25% of those being unnecessary or unproductive. Take my librarian email saga, for example. I received a ridiculously long email about a book renewal that could have been summarized in three sentences. Instead, this well-meaning librarian wrote paragraphs explaining a simple process. I thought to myself: she could have meditated in the time it took to write this novel of an email. Seriously, couldn't you shave five minutes from your 3.1 hours of daily email writing for a relaxing breathing session? I have full confidence you can steal some time from email writing to meditate. It can be that simple – or perhaps meditation can become your pre-meeting ritual? My pandemic meditation journey was ritualistic. I needed a tool to reliably catch my breath and return to my three sons as the calmest version of myself; the stakes were staring me in the face. I'd drag my son's bean bag out to my wrap-around balcony – my "lanai" in honor of the Golden Girls – and sit under the sun. The benefits were two-fold: it gave me something to do during lockdowns, and I returned refreshed enough to homeschool three sons. Ultimately, I returned to my teaching post with greater patience, not totally "unsnappable," but feeling more able to relax. Pro Tip: You can always find time when a boss drops a last-minute request. Somehow, you'll complete other assignments, shorten your timeframe, stay up later, or wake up earlier. Imagine treating meditation as vitally as that urgent work assignment. This is just your way into starting a practice – not necessarily how you'll have to make it stick – which brings me to the second reason for quitting. Difficulty Maintaining Consistent Practice Willpower is overrated. There, I said it. If I had unlimited willpower, I wouldn't have half a bottle of wine in my fridge or pair my glass with partially dry Manchego cheese at six p.m. when I nestle in my corner of the sofa before my sons fight me to the death to take over the TV. This is why I endeavor to do as much as possible before 9 am every single day – it's not because I want to challenge myself but because I don't trust myself as the day gets later. There's science to back this up, which is why I apply simple heuristics to maintain a consistent meditation practice. My decision-making process is brutally simple: ·       Question: Do I plan to eat today? ·       Answer: Yes. ·       Action: Then I guess I'll go to the gym, walk 10K steps, and meditate before starting my workday. Don't think you need to do these things before meditating or before 9 am like me. Instead, use my question to spark your own chain of daily habits. Yours can be as simple as: ·       Question: Do I plan to breathe today? ·       Answer: Yes. ·       Action: Then I'll take 5 minutes to pay attention to some of those breaths. This decision tree below is for those of us who've been trained to overthink... just follow the nodes. I've found that thinking is often what gets in our way. Arnold Schwarzenegger shared the same sentiment about his workouts in his Netflix documentary: he said he could think after his workouts. Same goes for meditating. Think later. See Substack. https://open.substack.com/pub/melissallarena/p/why-stressed-professionals-quit-meditation?r=fetqt&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true My meditation practice looks different every day. Sometimes I'll light a candle, drop on my carpeted floor with earbuds, and hum along to a guru telling me: "I am not my body. I am not my mind." Let's call this my "scruffy, get it done" meditation. Other times I've meditated with my eyes open during a commute. I believe in habit stacking – pairing one existing habit with a new one. Not Seeing Immediate Results On Halloween 2023, I self-published my book "Fertile Imagination." My goal was to become an Amazon bestseller. While my three boys were putting on Halloween costumes, I was copy/pasting/pitching/praying. My ranking wasn't moving despite my efforts. I had two choices: toss my laptop out the window and curse Bezos, or maintain unwavering belief in the process. I kept going. When I woke up at 5 am, I was number one in two categories. Sure, I was just a good night's rest away from seeing my goal come true – but writing the book had taken two years, securing early readers required 35 outbound emails a day for months, and Amazon needed 24 hours to update their stats. A LOT went into it behind the scenes. This experience mirrors the practice of meditation. It requires consistent effort, even when you don't see immediate results. You must trust that the benefits will manifest over time, just as I trusted my book would eventually rise in the ranks. It's about cultivating a deep-seated belief in the power of the practice, even when your mind whispers doubts. Feeling They're "Not Doing It Right" The internet paints a picture of meditation that's a bit... idealized. You know the image: serene folks, Lululemon-clad, perched on fancy meditation pillows, humming along to some ethereal YouTube guru. That's not exactly my reality. This morning, I was planning to meditate, but my phone battery died. So, I grabbed my timer and dropped onto the carpet, aiming for those 25 minutes of blissful silence. But let's just say, my meditation practice looked a little different. If I'd meditated any longer, my husband might have gotten out the masking tape to document a crime scene. Let me explain. If you could have seen me, I was definitely not dressed for a yoga retreat – just my usual work attire: brown boots, ripped jeans, and a cashmere sweater. Picture it: a perfectly respectable professional, now sprawled on their living room floor, looking like a crime scene victim. Pause for a second to see how Canva's image-generating AI "Dream Lab" doesn't care about doing things "right." Let's learn from it. The first try is so wacky and wrong. See Substack for images. https://open.substack.com/pub/melissallarena/p/why-stressed-professionals-quit-meditation?r=fetqt&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true The image below is closer to my original description, but it's still not "quite right" – like many AI-generated images. So give yourself some grace and aim for "good enough right now" rather than "perfect." See Substack for images. https://open.substack.com/pub/melissallarena/p/why-stressed-professionals-quit-meditation?r=fetqt&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true Side note: if you had a second to take that pause, then you have time to meditate. ;) No side-eye from me – just pointing this out. Here's the truth: There's no right way to meditate. You can meditate in a closet, on a Trader Joe's line, or in a nursery room. Simply be present. Here's the easiest way to begin your meditation practice: Wear your work clothes. Perfect. Find a comfortable spot: A bed, sofa, or even a random rug. Even better. Set a timer for 10 minutes. Focus on your breath. Your thoughts will arise — that's normal. Gently guide your attention back to your breath. Give yourself a mental high-five when you return to breathing. Commit to finding your own meditation style. Meditation has two-fold benefits when it comes to managing stress. Harvard Health Publishing confirms that meditation activates your body's relaxation response, which helps you navigate stressful situations with a sense of calm. Additionally, a JAMA Internal Medicine meta-analysis found that mindfulness meditation significantly reduces perceived stress. So, whether you have to climb a mountain, you'll feel more capable of doing so. Or perhaps you can quickly shift your perception of a mountain and see it for what it really is: a surmountable molehill. You'll want to adapt or bring back your meditation practice if you wish to see more molehills than mountains and feel resourced if it's a real mountain you must climb up or down to get to the other side. So, are you ready to give it a try? Conclusion Meditation is a practice, not a magical solution to stop thinking altogether. Be patient with yourself, and remember that even a few minutes of mindful presence can make a difference. A brief pause can give you space to reconsider a knee-jerk reaction or simply feel more capable of a tough conversation. I hope this article has provided helpful insights and encouragement. If you're struggling to establish, maintain, or restart a consistent meditation practice, please reach out via email melissa .llarena [at] gmail.com or leave a comment on the platform of your liking Substack, Medium or LinkedIn. I can offer support as a mindfulness and meditation practitioner dedicated to finding solutions that can increase your ability to navigate life's challenges and opportunities. Remember, your mental and emotional well-being is as vital as your physical health. They are interconnected, as I've observed in my research and personal experience. A healthy mind in an unhealthy body will likely experience discomfort, and an unhealthy mind can manifest in physical symptoms. Prioritize this empowering form of self-care and explore the many benefits of meditation. Your family and those you work with will appreciate it.   My Story – Melissa Llarena   I'm a meditation practitioner and #1 Amazon bestselling author who has spent years peering into the minds of marketers and executives, both as one of them and as their trusted guide. My articles in ForbesWomen have reached over 4 million readers, but what really lights me up is the deep work I do with people who, like me, have spent years shape-shifting to succeed.  My own journey through the corporate world – 10 years at powerhouses like Ogilvy (working on IBM) and P&G (yes, even Charmin!) – taught me firsthand about wearing different hats across 14+ business functions. For the past 13 years, I've had the privilege of coaching over 200 marketing and advertising executives worldwide, having raw, honest conversations about what it really costs us to morph ourselves every single day.    When I'm hosting the Mom Founder Imagination Hub podcast, I get to dive deep with remarkable leaders like Beth Comstock and GaryVee, exploring how to tap into our most overlooked superpower: imagination. My psychology degree from NYU, Dartmouth MBA, and Transformational Coaching certification gave me the foundation, but it was the pandemic that showed me – and my clients – that we needed something more.    In 2021, when ambition felt impossible and imagination seemed out of reach, I realized we were all exhausted from trying to power through. That's when I took a leap – pausing my coaching practice to write a book filled with soul-searching questions, while earning my meditation certification from the Jack Kornfield organization.     Now, I blend all these pieces – my corporate insider experience, thousands of honest conversations, and meditation wisdom – into workshops, sessions, and immersions that truly connect. Using imaginative meditation, mindfulness practices that even the most restless executives love, and revealing journaling exercises, I help people find their way back to themselves. Because here's what I know: when we stop losing ourselves every time life or business throws us a curveball, we can finally use our energy for what really matters – creating the impact we're meant to make.     

Have you ever told yourself "I'm not creative enough" to solve a business challenge? In this episode, Melissa guides female leaders and mom founders through a powerful meditation practice designed to break free from limiting beliefs about creativity. Through a combination of mindfulness techniques and guided reflection, you'll: Learn how to identify and challenge creativity-limiting beliefs Experience a body scan meditation for releasing tension Practice reframing negative thoughts about your creative abilities Discover how to access your natural problem-solving capabilities Transform your relationship with creativity and innovation The episode includes a practical meditation exercise you can use whenever you face a business challenge requiring creative solutions. Melissa shares personal stories, including her experience in business school and conversations with her son about creativity, to illustrate how we can expand our definition of what it means to be creative. Connect with Melissa: melissa.llarena [at] gmail.com About your host Melissa Llarena of the Mom Founder Imagination Hub podcast I'm a meditation practitioner and #1 Amazon bestselling author who has spent years peering into the minds of marketers and executives, both as one of them and as their trusted guide. My articles in ForbesWomen have reached over 4 million readers, but what really lights me up is the deep work I do with people who, like me, have spent years shape-shifting to succeed. My own journey through the corporate world – 10 years at powerhouses like Ogilvy (working on IBM) and P&G (yes, even Charmin!) – taught me firsthand about wearing different hats across 14+ business functions. For the past 13 years, I've had the privilege of coaching over 200 marketing and advertising executives worldwide, having raw, honest conversations about what it really costs us to morph ourselves every single day. When I'm hosting the Mom Founder Imagination Hub podcast, I get to dive deep with remarkable leaders like Beth Comstock and GaryVee, exploring how to tap into our most overlooked superpower: imagination. My psychology degree from NYU, Dartmouth MBA, and Transformational Coaching certification gave me the foundation, but it was the pandemic that showed me – and my clients – that we needed something more. In 2021, when ambition felt impossible and imagination seemed out of reach, I realized we were all exhausted from trying to power through. That's when I took a leap – pausing my coaching practice to write a book filled with soul-searching questions, while earning my meditation certification from the Jack Kornfield organization. Now, I blend all these pieces – my corporate insider experience, thousands of honest conversations, and meditation wisdom – into workshops, sessions, and immersions that truly connect. Using imaginative meditation, mindfulness practices that even the most restless executives love, and revealing journaling exercises, I help people find their way back to themselves. Because here's what I know: when we stop losing ourselves every time life or business throws us a curveball, we can finally use our energy for what really matters – creating the impact we're meant to make. TRANSCRIPT   Hello there. This is Melissa, your host behind the mom founder imagination hub podcast. This unedited episode is really geared towards any mom or female leader who has a business challenge that they must overcome with greater creativity. Someone who is seeking to find the inner innovator that. Maybe she once had once felt, but has been struggling to bring back to the forefront. My intention is for you to feel empowered. My intention is for you to feel creative enough to solve whatever you're facing. Business challenge you wish to solve this very week. Now you may not know this, but over the last 13 years, I have coached female leaders who have shared their deepest, darkest, innermost secrets, such as why they actually leave different organizations or bosses or teams, or the things that they wish they could have done. Done. Had they been given the ability to speak up or the ability to step up, you name it, I've heard it. And with these ideas in mind, I wanted to just bring forth this one limiting belief that I heard consistently in my line of work, career coaching, female leaders, primarily in the advertising and marketing function. And it was this,  this idea that I'm not creative, or I don't see myself as a creative person. The idea that whatever it is to be a creative is something that is impossible to achieve, to be, if I wasn't originally hired. on literally the creative team, oftentimes from an agency perspective. And so I want to help guide you through a meditation, also a little bit of a journaling exercise so that you can reestablish your relationship with this idea that you are creative, you get to be creative, and it is through your creativity that you can actually solve some problems. So let's go into this idea of thinking that you're really good at something. For me, I remember being in business school. It could have been maybe like the first week where I was in a group of, I think it was like four of us and we had an opportunity to review one another's resumes and I remember at this time. time before I became a career coach before I was, you know, also designated by the career development office at Tuck business school as a career coach of sorts. I knew that I was really good. Good at helping people promote their skills, their relationships, their abilities, their desires. And so I really stepped up. I remember being on a picnic table in Hanover. It was a sunny summer day, which is pretty unusual because it starts snowing. I think like the end of September in New Hampshire, but it was a beautiful sunny day and we were looking at one another's resumes and I just felt really good. I spoke. up. I had very strong opinions pertaining to ways that my peers should articulate their wins, their experiences. And to kind of quote Sheryl Sandberg, I was like totally leaning in to that experience. So that was something that I was clearly. Good at, and I felt like I could speak up then of course, for you, like there has to be maybe even in recent memory where there's something that you're really fricking  good at. And you may have had your own inner source of confidence to speak up, raise your hand, share your area of expertise. And it is in that spirit with that. Energy that I would love, love, love during this episode to remind you that you get to feel that way about your creativity and your sense of innovativeness. And you get to feel as much as a contributor to a creative challenge as anyone else on your team or in your surroundings. So I'll give you a chance to kind of, you know, really think through that moment when you felt super, super confident, and I will give you an opportunity to do so in a very mindful way, but I just want to caveat this. Right now, I am going to overtly ask you to become aware of a situation where you felt so confident. And as much as I would like to be almost like Jiminy Cricket in your back pocket and remind you how you do have these moments,  in regular life, this is challenging. And oftentimes, We forget. And so I would invite you even from like a career perspective. This is just like a pro tip here, but even from a career perspective, as tactically as your resume, make sure that you have at least one of a story or a moment that you just love to freaking tell related to something that you believe you're really good at and why might that be important because God knows You are nervous during a job interview. So I would encourage you, or even like a pitch, if you own a business. So I would encourage you to have that quote unquote Easter egg, at least one of them on your resume. So now let's just take a moment to reflect. So take an opportunity  to sit comfortably.  You might be on the floor.  You might be on a chair.  You might even lie down.  I encourage you to just take a chance to breathe in  and breathe out  and just be present  to think of one of those moments  when you were doing something because you knew  that you were really, really good at it.  I'll give you a moment to think this through  and keep breathing in.  Now, if you're new to meditating or considering this idea of taking a mindful pause and just focusing on the breath,  that was just a minute.  Now there's no competition. We're not going for some sort of endurance here, but I just want to share with you the short period of time  that it took for you to reflect mindfully.  about one of those moments when you did something that you felt you were good at.  And I say that because you can always return to a good memory  throughout the day  as you encounter moments that are a little harder to wrap your mind around.  Okay. So hold that moment in your pocket. Not so much like Jiminy Cricket, but please do hold that moment in your pocket  because  That moment symbolizes that there are so many things that you just don't bring to the top of your mind that serve as reminders of the skills and qualities that you bring to the table. And sometimes it's just hard to constantly recall those upon command. But as I showed you right now, you were able to do so just by returning. To your breath  now  as it relates to something that you may not feel as much confidence in  these thoughts are Really? What what we call fear based or fear driven  beliefs  and The insight here is  that they're not always true just because you think it  Just because you repeat it, just because other people think it and repeat it about you,  it doesn't necessarily mean that it's true  all the time in every instance.  Now,  constructive criticism is a wonderful thing. People say it's a gift, but I gotta be honest, I rather other things.  But net net,  the point I want to make here is that,  You can actually take a fear based or fear driven belief.  and reframe it or change it in a way that pulls you towards a desired goal.  And therein lies the practice of mindfulness in the simple awareness, almost like you're a Third person looking at a scene where you're giving yourself a little distance between the belief, the thought or emotion. And you're also opening up the opportunity for you to respond, instead of just knee jerk react, right?  And so let's play with this idea.  Let's imagine that in third grade, you had some sort of drawing that in your mind, you thought was some amazing Picasso, but in your teacher's mind, she just thought it was just not cool. I don't even have a bad thing. I want to say about a third graders drawing, but let's just imagine she didn't put it up on the hallways. So didn't get like the,  the attention that you would have hoped.  In her opinion, your art was not so wonderful. In your opinion, in that moment, you thought it was really beautiful.  And isn't it interesting? Because it is you who carries that thought. in your mind for a long time thereafter that moment.  And so, because you have your teacher's criticism or you have your own thoughts about how creative that drawing was,  that would have informed your idea of what it was to be creative. That would have informed your thinking around whether you were creative. And this could be something that has happened decades ago, but it's something that maybe you've heard.  on repeat in your mind from that single instance, right? And so I want to just offer you the opportunity. If you have a creative challenge upfront that you want to solve this week, I just want to invite you to give yourself the best fricking chance you could possibly give yourself and not count yourself out. Just because some third grade teacher said, Your artwork sucked. When it comes to creativity, I want to share with you this story. I was having lunch or some meal with one of my kids and my son was like, Creative? I'm not creative. When I think of creativity, I just think of paint brushes. And so I had that conversation with him and I said, Wait a minute.  You are so inquisitive, your questions are creative, like being curious and asking questions and piecing together different words, ending that statement with a question mark and having different responses and reaction to what you say is a freaking creative thing. And I say freaking because we don't use those words in my house. Point of the matter is this.  It was a reframe, right? So maybe, maybe it's true. Maybe my son is not creative from a arts and craft perspective.  But if you look at creativity and you open up your ability to interpret what it could mean, what it could look like, sound like, et cetera,  therein lies the ability to reframe  a consistent, persistent thought that you just imagined to be completely factual in every instance. So again, this is so normal, especially when it's a thought where you have been criticized, or it's like a warning, you know, like, don't go down hallway because you'll slip on a banana peel. I don't know. I made that up, right? And then you just think that all your life, there's always a banana peel down that hallway. Like these are just things that are open and available opportunities for you to question, open up in your mind's eye and reconsider if it is not serving you for the task at hand. And so that's why I wanted to just kind of open up this thought experiment, right? So here we go. Let's just imagine you were told you're not creative in the past. Let's just imagine really deep dive that this is something that's been persistent, like you've heard it from everyone around you, that you are not creative, you're not innovative, but here you are this week, maybe you have your own business and you need to solve a challenge creatively, because thinking linearly has not worked in the past. I think I have like a, I don't even know, maybe like 572 examples of that. I'll give you an example.  So let's just imagine you want to open up your lead flow. And what does that mean? That means that you want more people on the phone with you so that you can have these sales conversations. Linear thinking might be, okay, I'm going to start with, you know, ad spend. Whereas creative thinking might be, wait a minute, who else might have this audience? How can I collaborate with them such that they win, we win. Right. And so again, It's really about  almost like placing doubt in something that you feel is a no longer working for you because you have to solve this challenge as a business owner, or be something that you want to kind of like  disentangle. So that you can actually find out what the truth is of your reality. Like, are you creative? But maybe the situation has not been right for your flavor of creativity. Okay. So let's not get too far here because I see myself re imagining the whole episode, but I want to be sure that I take you to the meditation. So here we go. I want you to really think through.  today about how you could increase your awareness of your beliefs around being creative, innovative, a problem solver, so that you can mindfully see them for what they are, which is malleable, In the moment. So again, a strongly held belief that you may have had is one that might not hold truth in every scenario. It might no longer be serving you in today's episode, right? So for me, this idea of math, math is something that, you know, I could say, Oh, I've sucked that math. Do I have proof? I don't. Absolutely.  But might I also have proof that tells me a different story? And the answer to that is yes. Isn't that interesting? The only way for me to have, you know excelled in a mathematical school. Or mathematical pursuit, for example, back to business school on the topic of capital markets. The only way I was able to actually knock it out of the ballpark, this exam that I recall kind of  acing and feeling really confident and good about was because I was able to just almost for for that set of hours just totally mute the fact that one time I wasn't so good at math and this time I was able to be that person who always rises to a challenge, right? And so again, it's about just placing a little bit of doubt in this strongly held belief, because there might be a situation or a moment where  that belief is just totally, totally false. Now you can't bullshit yourself, like, I mean, I guess you could try, but I'm pretty sure you'll figure it out soon enough. But what you can do is at least get an inch or two closer to To a belief that takes you where you want to go. So let's go now and do a little bit of a meditation. And this meditation is going to be different than just, you know, sitting down with our thoughts and focusing on our breath, because what I have noticed is that. A lot of people assume that meditating means we have no thoughts. We're emptying everything that's in our mind and we're doing a bit of a mental cleanse. While that might be true because we have a ton going on in our minds, it's also an opportunity to just simply be that witness To the thoughts that are already in our head, but we might just not notice because we've got a lot of things going on. So that's what this is going to be. So I will guide you through a set of questions. We will go through one thought that you might have or believe is true pertaining to whether you're creative or innovative, and then we'll see where you come out on the other end. You ready for it?  Okie dokie. So let's do this.  Close your eyes,  assuming you're not driving,  and I want you to  just find a comfortable way to either be sitting,  standing, or lying down.  This is the interesting bit.  If your belief is that you need to sit for meditation, or that there's even a right way to meditate,  I'm literally going to show you that that is just a belief that might be right for you, but it doesn't always have to be the case.  All right.  So just  find a way for you to be comfortable  and we'll do a little bit of a body scan.  So imagine from the top of your head,  a sense of calmness pouring down your scalp.  And you're just breathing naturally.  Now imagine  your breath  clearing out any tension you may feel  from your forehead  down to your cheeks. Make sure your left cheek feels relaxed  and your right cheek.  Continue  allowing your breath pass through your neck  and feel the ease.  as best you can.  Continue along your upper back,  the breath going down,  just adding ease wherever it passes.  Down to your mid back,  then to your lower,  breathe out.  Notice your arms,  breathe through your left arm,  breathe in,  breathe through  your right arm. Again, Releasing any, any tension  as thoughts will find their way in and out. Just know that is totally.  normal.  Just breathe in,  then  sink into your seat further  and sink deeper.  I'm going to give you a couple of minutes  as you're relaxed as possible  with this ease  to answer this one question.  What thoughts pop up when you think about yourself as a creative being or innovative thinker?  Consider  One of those thoughts,  perhaps the one thought that feels the most defining  or the one thought that  might have been secretly holding you back through the years,  have that one  thought pertaining to creativity or innovation.  And whether you're capable of being creative or innovative in light of a challenge, hold that one thought, keep that one thought  in mind.  Now, silently to yourself, I invite you to ask yourself  a set of questions  all pertaining to that one  thought, that one limiting belief pertaining to whether you are creative or innovative.  The first question  said in two ways,  is it really true?  Might it be real, but not really, really true. Thank you.  as it relates to that one limiting belief pertaining to creativity.  I want to ask you, what is it like to live with this belief?  What has it been like to live with this belief?  In light of this limiting belief, I want to invite you to just notice how it feels in your body.  Notice  how your body and heart might be suffering with this belief inside  might help to think of an instance of when this belief got in your way  from a relaxed position. And then ask yourself silently,  what does the  vulnerable place inside of you  need right now in relation to how you feel? this belief feels,  how it's held you back.  And now as we're closing  this mindfulness practice,  who would you be without this belief? Who would you be  without this thought?  Who would you be this week without this belief or thought?  Would you be that person who assembles the team to solve the creative challenge?  Would you be able to solve this creative challenge On your own,  would you  be the perfect person,  maybe even the only person who can solve this challenge because  you're creative in just the right  way.  As we close this meditation, I just want to invite you to, to really soften your original belief.  Whatever that limiting belief  was,  place a little doubt in it  or swap it completely for one that  That you can hold. So again, it's not about BSing yourself,  but maybe it's  less declarative, less  fact sounding,  less  debilitating.  Maybe it's  just about opening up  who you get to be, like your identity and who you are.  I am  someone who's possible creativity. I am a problem solver. I can figure this out.  And just giving yourself some space so that you can play with an open heart so that when you approach the challenge this week,  there's no need to run away.  Instead,  you're able to explore with what actually is available to you. You're able to.  Try your hand at something you may have never  thought you could do, but maybe you realize that you're really freaking good at.  And so I invite you, if you have a piece of paper or journal, not that you needed to at this very moment, but if you do  just scribble some ideas. scribble some ideas of how you intend to approach this week's business challenge more creatively.  I know you can do it. And when it comes to mindfulness and when it comes to meditating, there's so many ways to approach it.  And I really think that  There's so many tools that do not require anyone other than yourself. And there's also so many different ways of using the tool of meditation and mindfulness. And this has been one that I have seen work really well when it comes to coaching clients in terms of their limiting beliefs. It's this idea that. By being that third party  awareness level of these thoughts and beliefs that we have passing through our minds,  it gives us an opportunity to start poking holes in some of these thoughts and beliefs that  are no longer serving us or holding us back or have us feeling like we're totally stuck. And so this week I invite you to be more.  intentional about whether or not everything that passes through your head is a fact and completely the law in terms of who you are.  And I invite you to be mindful and more open to the fact that  Your beliefs, your thoughts really influence your behaviors. So if you could imagine playing this out, if you get to a place where you believe that there are instances where you have been creative  and you look at this week's challenge with that fresh perspective and hope, then you're actually able to, and willing to, and will  behave in a different, a new way.  Versus  retreating, right? And not even raising your hand to solve that creative challenge because  you're just not creative.  So I hope this was helpful to you. I hope this serves you. I hope that it gives you an opportunity to just think about mindfulness and using the tool of meditation in a new way. It is not just about sitting down, feeling zen, and, you know, having all the negative Thoughts of the day wash out of your head. It can absolutely give you that extra sense of reality and a greater, more sophisticated level of presence so that you can be very intentional about how you use the thoughts, beliefs, and ideas that have crossed your mind or people  tell you. Because again,  A thought, a belief is not necessarily some sort of hard and steadfast  fact. It can actually be  malleable for the moment.  Have a wonderful day. If you got value out of this, I would absolutely love to hear from you. To hear from you right now. I'm super excited about email because I am on a social media break. I think I've been on one for weeks now. So go ahead and email me and put my email in the show notes. It's melissa. larinaatgmail.  com. And let me know if you got value out of this conversation. I would love to hear from you. And if there's a,  challenge or situation where you could use the presence or the ease or the thoughtfulness that introducing meditation in your life can provide, let me know. I'm happy to work with you as well. Thank you so much. 

When was the last time you actually looked forward to your commute? If you're facing a back-to-work mandate, chances are 'never' just crossed your mind. But what if your daily journey to the office could become more than dead time – what if it could become your secret weapon for better leadership? Today, we're turning the dreaded commute into an opportunity for mindful leadership, and I'll guide you through a meditation practice you can do with your eyes wide open, whether you're on a train, bus, or stuck in traffic. In this episode, we explore how leaders can transform their mandatory commute into a powerful mindfulness practice. Learn a practical, eyes-open meditation technique specifically designed for busy professionals navigating the return to office. You'll discover how to: Use your commute time as a leadership preparation tool Practice mindfulness safely while in transit Set powerful intentions for your workday Manage stress before walking into the office Transform a daily obligation into a meaningful practice Perfect for leaders and professionals dealing with back-to-work mandates, this meditation offers a fresh perspective on the daily commute. Whether you're a seasoned meditator or completely new to the practice, you'll find practical techniques to make your journey work for you, not against you. If this meditation resonated with you and you'd like to bring something similar to your team or company, I'd love to hear from you. I'm excited to be offering meditation and mindfulness solutions for stress and burnout, both remotely and in-person. Email me [melissa.llarena [at] gmail.com] to share what your company needs – whether it's regular guided sessions, workshops, or custom solutions for your unique challenges. Let's work together to create more mindful, resilient workplaces. About your host Melissa Llarena of the Mom Founder Imagination Hub podcast I'm a meditation practitioner and #1 Amazon bestselling author who has spent years peering into the minds of marketers and executives, both as one of them and as their trusted guide. My articles in ForbesWomen have reached over 4 million readers, but what really lights me up is the deep work I do with people who, like me, have spent years shape-shifting to succeed. My own journey through the corporate world – 10 years at powerhouses like Ogilvy (working on IBM) and P&G (yes, even Charmin!) – taught me firsthand about wearing different hats across 14+ business functions. For the past 13 years, I've had the privilege of coaching over 200 marketing and advertising executives worldwide, having raw, honest conversations about what it really costs us to morph ourselves every single day. When I'm hosting the Mom Founder Imagination Hub podcast, I get to dive deep with remarkable leaders like Beth Comstock and GaryVee, exploring how to tap into our most overlooked superpower: imagination. My psychology degree from NYU, Dartmouth MBA, and Transformational Coaching certification gave me the foundation, but it was the pandemic that showed me – and my clients – that we needed something more. In 2021, when ambition felt impossible and imagination seemed out of reach, I realized we were all exhausted from trying to power through. That's when I took a leap – pausing my coaching practice to write a book filled with soul-searching questions, while earning my meditation certification from the Jack Kornfield organization. Now, I blend all these pieces – my corporate insider experience, thousands of honest conversations, and meditation wisdom – into workshops, sessions, and immersions that truly connect. Using imaginative meditation, mindfulness practices that even the most restless executives love, and revealing journaling exercises, I help people find their way back to themselves. Because here's what I know: when we stop losing ourselves every time life or business throws us a curveball, we can finally use our energy for what really matters – creating the impact we're meant to make. TRANSCRIPT: Welcome to the era of returning to work on-site.  In this moment, I invite you to be gentle with yourself as you navigate this significant change. Your feelings about this transition - whether excitement, reluctance, or a mix of both - are all valid.  I want to give you an opportunity to breathe while entering your next tunnel... or at a bare minimum, not to take it out on your team once you get out.  Brace for this change in how you move, work, and problem-solve the logistics of no longer being at home. Pre-plan how you intend to use this time in between spaces. Give yourself a chance to reimagine the purpose of your daily commute. Feel the weight of your body where you sit or stand. Notice the points of contact with your seat or the floor. This awareness can be your anchor throughout your journey. While living in Sydney, I would ride a double-decker over the Harbour Bridge, and it was then that I decided to use my travel time to be my me time... the me time that I didn't always have. I gave myself a 30-day meditation challenge that sparked this need to get in my meditating whenever I could, and that's when necessity became the mother of my mindful invention.  This was when I started meditating with my eyes open. If you've never thought about sitting still, focusing on your breath, and keeping your eyes with a slight open gaze, then consider this. Whilst thinking about you, should you be closing your eyes on a mode of transit in a big city? Heck, no! Is it wise to close your eyes while driving? Clearly not.    However, closing your eyes is not the only way to bring a more mindful approach to your daily commute. There are other ways to use this time for yourself, for your pursuits, for your mental health. I want to invite you to meditate with me as you head to or from work. I want to invite you to change your perspective, especially these early days of embarking on a daily commute. Begin with an intention for the workday.... the reality is that as a species we tend to react. React to workplace BS. React to changes in our patterns. React to neighboring commuters. React based on our environment.    It is here and now that I invite you to bring intentionality to today. Think about your intention for today.... Do you intend to be a better listener than you were yesterday... asking follow-up questions to gain a deeper understanding of situations?   Do you intend to give people the benefit of the doubt.... be more cognizant that everyone has their own struggles? Do you intend to bring more certainty into a room or team setting... so that employees feel more secure in their jobs despite what the news might be featuring? Do you intend to bring compassion to yourself and others as everyone adjusts to this change?   Do you intend to notice moments of connection with others, even in passing? Take the deepest breath you can.... In/out [Pause 2 seconds] In/out [Pause 2 seconds] In/out [Pause 2 seconds] Often we take the pace of the environments in which we find ourselves.... if you are in an urban center.... you'll quicken your walking speed or talking speed.... if you are in a more laid-back setting you may catch yourself adjusting....    As you breathe in and out... simply notice that you can adjust your pace to suit your needs.... your bus or train may be going at 30 mph, 80 mph, or at a standstill... it's of no consequence to you nor to your breath... just take it in and let it out. Now there is no right nor wrong way of meditating... it's a practice.... it's not about forgetting.... it's about returning.... so you are going and you get to return and in that shift you are performing your own little act of rebellion.    Your mind wants to go here, there, everywhere, and you gently return to your breath... your breath is your home. Keep breathing in and out...   Notice what thoughts capture your attention and just return to the breath...   It's not so impressive to meditate in a silent room on a meditation pillow by yourself.... it's more impressive to meditate in a loud space on a hard bench or whilst standing in a space that requires more of you to choose your breath. Take a moment to visualize your day ahead. Perhaps there's a challenging conversation or an important meeting waiting for you. With each breath, imagine yourself moving through these moments with clarity and presence.    When you arrive at work, try taking three conscious breaths before entering each meeting – a micro-practice to center yourself in the present moment. Commuting is the ultimate practice... in my opinion.... It's not easy to find a comfortable way of being at times It's not easy to demand quiet It's not easy to breathe sometimes It can be said that the same is true in like to respond in a world that is persistently seeking a reaction As you stay put, remind yourself that you get to be intentional with how you use this time. Remind yourself of the pace of your breath. Use this time to plan your response. Give yourself a chance to live out your brand of leadership in a way that encourages your team to do the same. As you get ready to complete this meditation, remember that this commute isn't just taking you to work - it's taking you to people who count on your presence and leadership. Each breath can help you show up as the leader you aspire to be.   I invite you to begin to move your toes and fingers at your pace. Truly give yourself an opportunity to use this time to mindfully approach the people and business challenges that will arise, and know that you can always return to your breath as a reliable reminder to whatever intention you set out for yourself today.   And on your journey home, let each breath help you process and release the day's events, creating space between your work life and your home life. Sending you composure today... If this meditation resonated with you and you'd like to bring something similar to your team or company, I'd love to hear from you. I'm excited to be offering meditation and mindfulness solutions for stress and burnout, both remotely and in-person. Email me [melissa.llarena [at] gmail.com to share what your company needs – whether it's regular guided sessions, workshops, or custom solutions for your unique challenges. Let's work together to create more mindful, resilient workplaces.

Reflecting on Success: How to Dream Bigger with Fertile Imagination   In episode 259 of the Mom Founder Imagination Hub, host Melissa Llarena reflects on personal growth, sharing a powerful quote by former pro volleyball player Gabby Reece: 'Never let your successes be bigger than your dreams.' She draws from personal anecdotes and her book, 'Fertile Imagination: A Guide for Stretching Every Mom's Superpower for Maximum Impact,' to inspire moms to dream bigger and leverage their imagination. Shop the book this holiday season using this LINK: https://bit.ly/fertilebook   Melissa reads the introduction to her book, highlighting the importance of energy, enthusiasm, and imagination in achieving greater dreams, and encourages listeners to reflect on their past successes and envision even bigger goals for 2025.   00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview 02:17 Reflecting on Success and Effort 05:47 Pursuing Bigger Dreams 09:05 Introduction to 'Fertile Imagination' 10:07 Reading the Book Introduction 15:03 Stages of Rediscovering Imagination 25:06 Final Thoughts and Encouragement Want to be a guest of the Mom Founder Imagination Hub podcast?  Sign-up HERE to get on the list if you are interested in bringing your story, insights, or wisdom to the podcast. Or, use this link if you prefer (both go to the same place): https://witty-thinker-2643.kit.com/ba49a6d870 – I cannot guarantee that you'll be a guest however I do refer to this list every quarter to determine who would be a good fit. Share this episode with one female leader today who wants to dream bigger than her successes and needs to find her own way to gather the energy necessary in 2025 to do exactly this! About Melissa Llarena Melissa is a bestselling author (learn more on www.fertileideas.com), imagination coach behind the Fertile Imagination to Networking Success Group Coaching Program, consultant, speaker, contributor to ForbesWomen articles that have garnered 4 million-plus views, and the podcast host of the Mom Founder Imagination Hub. Featured guests include GaryVee, Beth Comstock, Suzy Batiz, David Meltzer, and hundreds of other unconventional thinkers. Melissa has been featured in the WSJ, Business Insider, Fox Business, CNN Money, The Huffington Post, and other publications. She holds a psychology degree from NYU, an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and a Transformational Coaching Academy certificate and is training to become a meditation practitioner. Melissa lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and three sons (one singleton and a set of identical twins). Connect with Melissa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissallarena/ Supporting Resources: Email Melissa: melissa.llarena [at] gmail.com Podcast: Mom Founder Imagination Hub: https://www.melissallarena.com/podcast/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissallarena/ Or, grab for free your copy of the “From Contact to Connection: The Mompreneur's Go-First Networking & Follow Up Playbook”: https://witty-thinker-2643.ck.page/21e52edb87  Transcript   Welcome to episode  259 of the mom founder imagination hub. This is your host, Melissa Lorena. So today's episode is really a reflection on a quote, a life update, and a reading of the introduction of my book, fertile imagination. I think as we draw near to the 1st of January in a month, I wanted to just kind of do a little bit of self reflection because I Do not even believe in January one goals and resolutions. Instead, I believe in making a decision today. Now this moment, even if everything doesn't seem comfy. So I was listening this weekend to a podcast by Gabby Reese, who clearly is very, very like myself. She's over six feet tall. She was a supermodel in her heyday. She's an. Athlete, volleyball pro player, you know, kind of like the opposite of who I was and who I am. I am like five feet tall, last kid to be picked at the gym for any team sport and athlete and pro is not in my vernacular, but I do like the word vernacular. So I was a bit more of a, um, cerebral entity, I guess you could say.  And when I was listening to her podcast, which is really about, you know, making sure that you're optimizing for your health, when you are either a perimenopausal, menopausal, et cetera, I really grabbed onto a quote that she said, she actually says over and over in her house. And by the way, her house is not just like Gabby Reese and some random. guy and three girls. No, her house is Gabby Reese, pro volleyball player and layered Hamilton because he is an ultra surfer, extreme athlete himself. And I'm sure probably towering over Gabby Reese. So, all right, let's get to the quote that is constantly articulated in their home.  Never let your successes be bigger than your dreams. When Gabby Reese shared that, I really swallowed quite hard because I thought to myself, the amount of fricking effort that I have had to put in order to make my successes Come true  have been fricking extraordinary. And you probably feel the same way. If you are into success, accomplishing, having some source of significance. So in my mind, I. Immediately went to, as an example, pursuing business school. Now I was not, am not, and will never be a quant person. I'm not into like math Excel. I think if you've been around for a little bit on this podcast, you know, that I have a disdain for Microsoft Excel. Um, but you know, whatever I honor those who use it. The whole point is I think I had like five or six cavities in my business school experience because of the number of granola bars that I was chewing on in order to get through working through all of that quant work in such a competitive environment. I certainly gained weight because that's what happens when you're just Eating granola bars, but then on top of that, like it was extraordinary of the effort that I had to put forth in order to complete my degree. And I had to complete my degree. I didn't see this as a nice to have, could I stretch it, et cetera, et cetera. No, I was on a scholarship and like, I needed to fix what I had kind of created, which was this desire and need to fix Feel more fully baked and get my degree. All of that to say, I was like, Holy cow. I didn't have three kids back then. And that was a shit ton of effort. So here's Gabby Reese saying never let your successes be bigger than your dreams.  Wow.  I literally have my book right next to me and I'm thinking to myself, holy mother of guacamole. It took two years for me to write fertile imagination, a guide for stretching every mom's superpower for maximum impact. I would say that is my more recent success. It took two years and it's so interesting because I started it in Australia while we were there for about three and a half years and finished it here in Austin, Texas. And I will say that if getting my business school degree, um, resulted in five to six cavities, trust me, my dentist can certainly show you the receipts for that. Then getting my book definitely done as a self. Published author from the beginning to the end that actually led me to the eye doctor, physical therapist, and God knows what else I had to go through in order to fix what I had to do. Sort of created, which was some issues because I was looking at the screen for way too long at the tail end, trying to finish my book with copy editing, um, being kind of put up against the wall to figure out what needed to get done as soon as possible within a short period of time and in a very unpredictable way. So, okay. It seems to me that for me personally, I don't know about for yourself and you might want to really give this a thought, but like for you, like think about your very last success, like for real, think about the amount of effort that it took in order for you to accomplish that success. Okay. Take a big, deep breath. Now, Can you imagine something that is bigger to pursue or to become in 2025? And right now I'm recording this on December two, and I wanted to just be mindful of the fact that I get that January one is that time and we're like, Oh, all of a sudden I never was, but I can actually become this person on January two, but I want you to just. Think through your prior successes. I really want you to dig deep and really figure out for yourself, what did it take? What sacrifices did you have to make? What is it that you had to say no to in order to say yes to your self and your ambitions? And here's what I know to be true with regards to any success I have had.  The unfortunate thing is that the world doesn't stop when I, all of a sudden, write down a goal. Instead, the world keeps worlding, for lack of a better word choice, and basically stuff happens in your favor and some stuff happens in a way that makes your goals harder to achieve. And the idea is you have to keep going, no matter what, whether you're in that up or you're in that down. So now as you consider the fact that your successes have to be, um, smaller than your dreams. Oh my gosh. So. Like where's this extra effort and energy going to come from? Like, that's a question I ask myself all the time because yeah, I'm a morning person this morning. I was singing from West side story. I feel pretty because I was just feeling happy today, but, but I know for a fact, when it comes down to executing on some of my ambitions, like. It's not glamorous. Like right now I was like, okay, let me create a landing page. Holy cow. Now I have to go onto this platform and relearn it because I did not have a landing page done in some time. And that is where you get some sort of resistance, right? That's where you kind of feel like, ah, crap, this dream doesn't feel so exciting anymore. Anyway. So I want to leave you with this thought. Because I want this to be brief. So my book, fertile imagination, the entire concept is about figuring out where you are going to find that energy, where you are going to get that life force, where you are going to get that spirit, that enthusiasm, that excitement to actually execute on your dreams, which as Gabby Reese said, should be bigger than your successes. And it's like, holy cow, maybe Maybe it's just these like, you know, strivers in us that kind of intimidate ourselves. But man, if I have to have more energy than I've had in the past, I feel like I myself need to reread what I wrote in my book, fertile imagination. And so I want to leave you with that. I'm going to go ahead.  and read to you the introduction of my book, fertile imagination in the show notes, you can absolutely purchase your copy for yourself or a friend. Here's that link in case you're not looking at your device. It's B I T dot L Y. forward slash fertile book and you could go ahead and purchase a copy of fertile imagination right there that'll be in the show notes again it's it's a bitly link so bit. ly forward slash fertile book  but right now i want to just read this to us i want to read this to us because this is a A really great starting point. If your  dreams have to be bigger than your successes and you're trying to figure out how the heck you're going to get the energy, enthusiasm and motivation to execute on these dreams in 2025. So here we go. Just think about this, like reading rainbow, but you know, I'm not LeVar. So here we go. Lessons in an imagination superpower from my podcast guests and me. And this is again, just the introduction. So I do invite you to purchase the book fertile imagination. The link will be in the show notes. It's also on Amazon as well. Whoever thought mom jeans would be in style again, you know, the ones They seem to rise up to your armpits when I see them on young childless girls. I squint to see if I can imagine them looking remotely cool on me. My Puerto Rican ass would fill the entire real estate of their extra long height from crotch to above my navel area. I'm not yet convinced this will look flattering. Can I pull it off? My waist is small, especially for someone who has three kids. I'm still curious if I could make mom jeans look un mom like.  I just never imagined that moms could set trends for anyone without kids. I have filled the past 11 years with a mental game to see how un mom like and sometimes un Melissa like I can design my life. I wanted to reframe what I'd seen or been told a mom should do. What about all of the other identities I had before becoming a parent? Was I relegated to burying them along with my, my placenta back in 2011? By the way, that was a powerful placenta. I had identical twins in 2013 and they were sharing one placenta.  This is the thing.  My  so funny. I go ahead and I decided to skip my  desire to not act like a mom is making for a magnificent life. It's enhanced my family's experiences and expanded what they think is possible too. As I reflect on the crazy things I've done and continue to do, I'm feeling kind of confident that perhaps I can work it in mom jeans, even if it's only in my imagination, seemingly mine has gotten quite. Fertile, a sense of wonder, access to wisdom, limitless energy, a willingness to dream and a playful spirit culminating in bursts of daily fulfillment. This book, fertile imagination is for moms who want them back. Maybe it's been a while since you felt like you were back. bursting out of your skin with hope and expectancy with your own ambitions. If this is the case, then I have great news for you. You are in the right place. This book is for moms who refuse to buy into the BS that being a mom means stomping on their personal ambitions, unless they are directly tied to the happiness of their kids. Once you relied on your dreams and big ambitions to feel alive, your dreams may have been your life. Force. Heck, your dreams may have made you bounce out of bed without an alarm clock. This book is for you. If you feel you have lost the greatest parts of your before kids life,  if this is where you are today, then I want to help you transform from feeling limited by your inherited motherhood scripts, quote unquote, to being excited and thrilled by life. Imagine feeling as Jack up in a good way for yourself as you do when your least athletic kid scores a goal at soccer one glorious Saturday.  You deserve to feel that wide eyed, hopeful, and tickled hot pink about the possibilities. This is the book I needed when I paired motherhood with entrepreneurship 11 years ago. I think it's been 13 now. In my case, I was so desperate to hang on. My pre mom dreams and desires that I determinedly set out to discover what I could do, even if that meant bringing my kid squarely attached to my nipple to a prospective client meeting. I'll save that story for later. I'm convinced moms may have just misplaced these things along with their house keys. Chances are you can find them by retracing your steps. The best way to achieve this is to engage an imagination, your own, the ones around you. Or your kids  in new, unexpected, yet practical ways, ways that fit for us moms, whose minds are full of internal dialogue and need a spark to untangle what matters most. Since 2011, as a coach to many moms, untangling what matters most has meant helping them decipher decipher what other people expected of them and what they really wanted for themselves. Once this knot is smoothed out. It becomes possible for my clients to focus on best how best to use their distinguishable gifts for maximum impact.  This clarity inspires my clients to then share their ideas with other people. As I reflected on the specific ways that worked for me, along with the key lessons I tailored into my life, I uncovered my signature method of coaching, both myself and others, my imagination to impact method, which includes three stages into which I've divided this book. You can follow them sequentially or skip ahead. Let's walk through the three stages to rediscover and fuel your imagination. Quick Pause. The reason why I wanted to read the introduction of my book right now is because when I heard Gabby Reese say that quote, never let your successes be bigger than your dreams. And I noticed the gap of like, how the heck am I going to get the energy to dream bigger than my prior successes?  This is the first idea I had. I was like, you know what?  I wrote about this in fertile imagination and fertile imagination itself. The book is one of my greatest successes personally, as someone who struggled with writing early on. So again, I just want to invite you to truly, truly, truly reflect on your successes, but that I want you to feel like you have a tool, your fertile imagination to help you dream Even fricking bigger in 2025. So let's get cracking. Let's get through the three stages that you need to rediscover and feel your fertile imagination, because you know what your fertile imagination is your superpower, dear mama, it absolutely is. And it's mine as well. And this is a reminder to myself too. So here we go. A fertile imagination can cast a powerful and compelling vision that will drive you to turn it into your reality, even if it's never been imagined as possible for mothers before. It produces fertile ideas whose impact can transcend generations. This superpower is versatile. It has revitalized flat out tired moms to enable them to tandem nurse twins for one year. Yeah, that was me. It has come up with unexpected strategies that have helped creative entrepreneurs bounce back, and it has helped generate visionary ideas to sustain the pace necessary to lead massive global efforts. The route to your fertile imagination can be found by First, focusing on ways to reawaken your imagination, which takes building awareness of why it's been missing or more like hibernating along with why it might not want to wake up. If fertile imagination requires a favorable environment to sprout its best ideas, you'll want to set your internal environment in particular  for the greatest benefit. possible harvest.  Second, once you've revived your original playdate, your fertile imagination, you will want to play with your imagination. You'll have ample opportunities to engage it, it in novel and unexpected ways to uncover what you'd like to experience more of in your life. The key is to plant several seeds in the best environment possible to see which show signs of the greatest growth. In this case, growth includes feeling positive emotions, including excitement and presence, essentially experiencing what your kids feel when they are playing. You know, what's really interesting as I'm reading this, I'm like, holy cow, this is biblical, A, B, and it's aligned with some frameworks that I am playing with right now.  Anyways, I digress. The third stage is to stretch your imagination. And here's what I know to be true. So I'm kind of getting outside of this copy, but what I know to be true is that as a mom, you might feel stretched from a mental bandwidth perspective. That is not at all what I'm doing, but I am playing with that concept. When I say stretch your imagination, what I'm saying here is that kind of like silly putty. Like I want you to really stretch it out and help it almost take new shapes. And the way to do that is by sharing your ideas with other people in that way. You can absolutely reshape whatever idea you might have to make it fit. Some sort of greater purpose and really help you create a maximum impact. And this is what it takes to stretch your imagination. This takes learning how to creatively gather the support of others so that you can make the biggest possible difference with your ideas. Imagine making a bigger mark on the world than you ever thought possible.  Let's go back to Gabby Reese's quote. Never let your successes be bigger than your dreams. There are seasons of motherhood.  Amen, sister. You may feel as if you've fallen behind your ambitions during busy ones. This is why it's important to find ways or get tools so you can sprint toward your dreams during the steadier mom life moments. And I want you to really think that through because  Right now, you know, they, they coined December, Maycember, and it's really busy right now for moms. So this might not be your moment, but maybe when the kids go back to school in 2025, maybe that is the right time. Now your fertile imagination to get back into the introduction has its best shot at impacting future generations. If you commit to experiencing all three stages to maximize your own impact. You want your kids to achieve greatness on their terms. The best path is to learn how to use your photo imagination to achieve greatness on your terms. First,  want to see what that looks like  within each stage to help you tap into the power of your imagination. I'm going to share some stories with you. You can expect to hear about my outrageous adventures, the result of unleashing my imagination and going for it. Some are the opposite of anyone's expectations of a mom with three school age boys. I've also included surprising stories from my podcast. I have been producing mom founder imagination hub since 2017. It's a place where I. I'm going to explore with my guests, a whole range of wellbeing topics aimed at supporting entrepreneurial moms who want to get more out of life. I have interviewed incredible people whose adventures and achievements were enabled by their chutzpah and very fertile imaginations. I'm going to tell you more about how I started my podcast as you read on, but as expected or as unexpected as it may sound, I believe. I believe us moms can learn a lot about achieving personal fulfillment and happiness from people who are not moms, not from our country of origin, outside of our socioeconomic group and completely unfamiliar with our situation. I'm never going to suggest that non moms, that non moms get a say on how you should be a mom. My intention behind including non moms is to challenge you to set aside the baggage that came with taking on your mom identity and talk about.  How to go to the edges of what is possible. The idea is for you to get buck naked. It should be okay for a mom to step away from the expectations of society, culture, and conventional thinking. I want to help you have the best shot at teaching your fullest or reaching your fullest capacity on this planet.  Whew,  we're almost there, my beautiful listeners. Some of my personal accomplishments since becoming a mom were never on my menu of options based on what I was told. If I'm being honest, which I don't even know why I wrote that because I don't like that phrase. I've done some things that may be found on the kids menu. And that is true. You may never want to emulate some of my podcast guests and become a New York Times bestselling children's illustrator or make the Forbes list of self made female millionaires, but their stories will inspire you if you let them. I wanted to just add that a thorough imagination is a resource. You will see how others have harnessed its power. As a mom, can't you use all the resources you can get? I can. I have curated these stories because I am able to relate to them. I learned from them. And if you keep an open mind, I promise you will too. None are telling you how to mother. Instead, you will see a fuller picture of how people are finding their own way. own fulfillment and happiness in their lives. The only tool you'll need is your superpower, your fertile imagination. The permission I'm gifting you is this. Use it to propel you towards your dreams. You will uncover why as a mom, you should give yourself the permission to use a superpower. You can jump into any chapter that you might need at the moment. So I'm talking about my book and the way that it's organized and how you do not have to read it end to end. This book was written for moms who can appreciate that reading an entire book in one uninterrupted, cozy sitting is as rare as finding two 100 sheet, wide ruled, red covered composition notebooks at Walmart in New York. A week before school begins. If you're having a I can't go to the bathroom without company kind of day then just read some journal questions to get your engines going. Meditate on them even if you don't have the time to read the chapter. You can also download the imagination warm ups i. e. journal prompts right here fertileideas. com. The idea is this, just like those crystals you can buy at stores when you look at my chapters see if anyone calls to your attention. Start there. You truly can choose your own adventure. I trust that you will know what you need when you need it and be able to make this wisdom your own. However, if you're a nerd like me, then read it sequentially,  meditate and journal using the questions at the end of each chapter, then take a dive in, then take a dive, implement that chapter's one key idea consistently for one week. You might be an active reader like me.  Break out the highlighters and stickers make it a thing in my life The ideas in this book lifted me another mom up and they can do the same for you It's time to use your fertile imagination to really make a difference Back to the quote never let your successes be bigger than your dreams. I am so excited for whatever is going to  Open up for you This upcoming year, I wanted to just have this episode to be about you, your dreams, and really reflecting on your last three greatest successes. Because guess what? That is the bar that you set for yourself, and it's time to jump Higher. Thank you. So go ahead to the show notes, wherever you're listening to this on this device and go ahead and shop the book, fertile imagination, a guide for stretching every mom's superpower for maximum impact. Thank you so much for my listeners. And again, if you have any questions whatsoever, I'm going to put my email address in the show notes as well.  If you are open or interested in being a guest on this podcast, I do accept guests. Absolutely. Go ahead to the URL where you'll see an opportunity to add your name to the wait list. And yeah, you are amazing. And Hey, what are you going to dream in 2025? Definitely. Let me know. Again, my email will be in the show notes.

In this episode we had the great fun of having two amazing guests, Stephen Kelner, President & Tiffany West, Head of Programming at Ascent Leadership Networks. Collectively they bring decades of experience working with some of the world's largest organizations to drive change. As we discussed the challenges Catalyst leaders face, they shared two great insights into how aligning motivations can unlock transformation. To help reduce resistance to change, we need to align to the motivations and wins of the key stakeholders we need to bring along on the journey. To help maintain our own energy throughout the ups and downs of leading change, we need to continually check-in to make sure our personal motivations are aligned with the change capacity and capabilities of the organization. They shared the concept of zooming in on the daily activities that can give us energy as we get stuff done and have that sense of accomplishment with zooming out to evaluate if we are still aligned to the type, breadth and vision of change we're being invited to create. Tiffany also shared two of her favorite Catalysts that have inspired her in different ways during her years at the World Economic Forum: Paul Polman, former CEO of Unilever for the work he did mainstreaming sustainability into the Fortune 100 world and Beth Comstock, former CMO at GE, for her work leading change by flexing outside-in and inside-out innovation. We couldn't agree more! Original music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lynz Floren⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Melissa Llarena is a bestselling author, imagination coach behind the Fertile Imagination to Networking Success Group Coaching Program, consultant, speaker, and contributor to ForbesWomen articles that have garnered over 4 million views. She is also the podcast host of the Mom Founder Imagination Hub, featuring guests like GaryVee, Beth Comstock, Suzy Batiz, David Meltzer, and hundreds of other unconventional thinkers. Melissa has been featured in the WSJ, Business Insider, Fox Business, CNN Money, The Huffington Post, and other publications. Melissa holds a psychology degree from NYU, an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and a Transformational Coaching Academy certificate, and is training to become a meditation practitioner. Melissa resides in Austin, Texas, with her husband and three sons (one singleton and a set of identical twins). Key Moments [03:54] Coaches busy moms in entrepreneurship, manages motherhood. [07:32] Energy is essential for ideas to succeed. [11:56] Helping individuals communicate and sell their worth. [14:01] Queens accent readied me for motherhood. [18:07] Podcast sharing health scare, recovery inspiration story. [20:12] Boss suspects job hunting due to poor performance. [24:16] Embrace global diversity; learn from shared challenges. Find Melissa Online https://www.fertileideas.com Shop the book: https://bit.ly/fertilebook https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mom-founder-imagination-hub/id1308269140 https://open.spotify.com/show/46kFcz6gZSy4oYnCXBAr85 https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissallarena/ https://bit.ly/imagineaplan If you're enjoying Entrepreneur's Enigma, please give us a review on the podcast directory of your choice. We're on all of them and these reviews really help others find the show. GoodPods: https://gmwd.us/goodpods iTunes: https://gmwd.us/itunes Podchaser: https://gmwd.us/podchaser Also, if you're getting value from the show and want to buy me a coffee, go to the show notes to get the link to get me a coffee to keep me awake, while I work on bringing you more great episodes to your ears. →  https://gmwd.us/buy-me-a-coffee Follow Seth Online: Seth | Digital Marketer (@s3th.me) • Instagram: Instagram.com/s3th.me Seth Goldstein | LinkedIn: LinkedIn.com/in/sethmgoldstein Seth On Mastodon: https://socl.bz/@seth Seth's Marketing Junto Newsletter: https://MarketingJunto.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a female entrepreneur with a child or children, you're juggling many roles, but what happens when life throws an unexpected emotional curveball? Whether it's a breakup, the loss of a loved one, uncertainty, or even receiving tough news about someone close to you, the weight of emotional pain can feel overwhelming. And yet, your business still demands your attention. In this episode, we're discussing how to balance emotional challenges with the need to keep performing, sharing practical strategies and an inspiring case study of a woman who faced emotional hardship and found a way to keep going. This is a direct and to the point minisode with precisely the next steps you can take today to feel better tomorrow. This minisode is brought to you by my anti-burnout 30-day productivity resource for mompreneurs! Grab it today before I put it behind a sales wall soon because it THAT's good: https://bit.ly/imagineaplan Greater context on the resource: let me help you figure out what to do next especially if you just burned yourself to the ground and currently feel stuck or unclear or what to do next. Take my Profitable Relationships Action Tracker and Planner today. It's free and a great mom-friendly planner! It links your vision to daily actions, helping you stay focused and energized as you build profitable relationships. Set yourself up for a successful year and an even bigger one ahead! It also sees to it that you replenish your energy to prevent burnout. ($97 value, helps avoid a $2,400 trip to the ER from exhaustion) - https://bit.ly/imagineaplan Share this episode with one female founder today who is facing an emotionally tough moment yet has a big meeting or opportunity that she's been working towards and as they say "the show must go on" for her and for the wellness of her family too. Episodes referred to here include: https://www.melissallarena.com/unrealistic-expectations-and-the-power-of-word-of-mom-marketing-with-three-wishes-ceo-margaret-wishingrad-episode-181/? About Melissa Llarena Melissa is a bestselling author (learn more on www.fertileideas.com), imagination coach behind the Fertile Imagination to Networking Success Group Coaching Program, consultant, speaker, contributor to ForbesWomen articles that have garnered 4 million-plus views, and the podcast host of the Mom Founder Imagination Hub. Featured guests include GaryVee, Beth Comstock, Suzy Batiz, David Meltzer, and hundreds of other unconventional thinkers. Melissa has been featured in the WSJ, Business Insider, Fox Business, CNN Money, The Huffington Post, and other publications. She holds a psychology degree from NYU, an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and a Transformational Coaching Academy certificate and is training to become a meditation practitioner. Melissa lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and three sons (one singleton and a set of identical twins). Connect with Melissa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissallarena/

Have you ever felt like your family or friends don't take your business seriously because you work from home? Do you hear comments like, “Oh, she can do it—she doesn't really work,” even though you're running a full-time business? If you're craving reassurance and validation, this episode is for you. We're diving into the unique challenges female entrepreneurs especially moms face when others dismiss their work, and how to reclaim your confidence and sense of worth as a business owner. This is a direct and to the point minisode with precisely the next steps you can take today to feel better tomorrow. This minisode is brought to you by my anti-burnout 30-day productivity resource for mompreneurs! Grab it today before I put it behind a sales wall soon because it THAT's good: https://bit.ly/imagineaplan Greater context on the resource: let me help you figure out what to do next especially if you just burned yourself to the ground and currently feel stuck or unclear or what to do next. Take my Profitable Relationships Action Tracker and Planner today. It's free and a great mom-friendly planner! It links your vision to daily actions, helping you stay focused and energized as you build profitable relationships. Set yourself up for a successful year and an even bigger one ahead! It also sees to it that you replenish your energy to prevent burnout. ($97 value, helps avoid a $2,400 trip to the ER from exhaustion) - https://bit.ly/imagineaplan Share this episode with one female founder today who no longer wants to wait for other people to make her feel like she's running a real business and instead wants to reassure herself. About Melissa Llarena Melissa is a bestselling author (learn more on www.fertileideas.com), imagination coach behind the Fertile Imagination to Networking Success Group Coaching Program, consultant, speaker, contributor to ForbesWomen articles that have garnered 4 million-plus views, and the podcast host of the Mom Founder Imagination Hub. Featured guests include GaryVee, Beth Comstock, Suzy Batiz, David Meltzer, and hundreds of other unconventional thinkers. Melissa has been featured in the WSJ, Business Insider, Fox Business, CNN Money, The Huffington Post, and other publications. She holds a psychology degree from NYU, an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and a Transformational Coaching Academy certificate and is training to become a meditation practitioner. Melissa lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and three sons (one singleton and a set of identical twins). Connect with Melissa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissallarena/  

Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova.  This week, I'm excited to replay an insightful conversation with the accomplished Beth Comstock. Beth is a self-described change-maker who has been the President of Integrated Media at NBC Universal, overseeing Ad-sales, Marketing, and Research. She led the company's digital efforts, including Peacock Equity acquiring iVillage.com, and oversaw the founding of Hulu. She was then tapped by GE to accelerate its evolution from an old-school conglomerate to a global technology-driven company. Cultivating a start-up mentality across the organization for over two decades, she catalyzed growth and novel thinking within GE, ultimately operating their Business Innovation unit. She was also the first female Vice Chair and first Chief Marketing Officer at GE in more than 20 years. She is a member of Nike's board of directors and a Forbes World's 100 Most Powerful Women. She's also a published author with her book Imagine It Forward.     THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR… anyone who wants to learn from one of the most successful ‘introverted change-makers' about how to inspire teams, get uncomfortable, change jobs and companies gracefully, and transform a 125-year-old brand.    TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE… Beth shares nuggets of gold gleaned from her 20-year career at GE and NBC Universal. Beth provides inspiration and guidance in an age of staggering technological advancement, the ever-stronger pull of the “next big thing,” and the gravity of the unknown. It is becoming exceedingly important to be self-aware and cognizant of the things that make our businesses human and creative. We work with and for humans, and our customers and audiences are human. Likewise, it is important that our leadership be just as rooted in our humanity. It is our honest and dynamic experience as human beings that will allow us and our businesses to thrive in a world ruled more and more by algorithms and automation.    WHAT I LOVE MOST… Beth is always looking to write her next story and live it as a courageous human being. She has learned along the way that our jobs do not define us. Who we are, the networks we create, the people we meet along the way–that's what is important. With each new opportunity comes the next story we will create!    Running time: 34:54   Subscribe on iTunes   Find Tiffani Online: Facebook LinkedIn X   Find Beth Online: LinkedIn    Beth's Book:  Imagine It Forward     

If you've ever experienced the heartbreak of disappointing numbers after pouring your heart into a campaign, you're not alone. Whether it's low sales, unbooked appointments, or an epic fail, every entrepreneur faces setbacks. In this episode, we're focusing on how to rebuild confidence and motivation by connecting with other female entrepreneurs who've faced similar failure and emerged stronger. This is a direct and to the point minisode with precisely the next steps you can take today to feel better tomorrow. This minisode is brought to you by my anti-burnout 30-day productivity resource for mompreneurs! Grab it today before I put it behind a sales wall soon because it THAT's good: https://bit.ly/imagineaplan Greater context on the resource: let me help you figure out what to do next especially if you just burned yourself to the ground and currently feel stuck or unclear or what to do next. Take my Profitable Relationships Action Tracker and Planner today. It's free and a great mom-friendly planner! It links your vision to daily actions, helping you stay focused and energized as you build profitable relationships. Set yourself up for a successful year and an even bigger one ahead! It also sees to it that you replenish your energy to prevent burnout. ($97 value, helps avoid a $2,400 trip to the ER from exhaustion) - https://bit.ly/imagineaplan Share this episode with one female founder today whos need the motivation to get back up after a fall. Together, we can create a space where failure is just a stepping stone to success! Episodes referred to here include: https://www.melissallarena.com/suzybatiz-shares-the-wisdom-the-cherishes-for-giving-her-the-freedom-and-ability-to-trust-herself-and-accept-whatever-comes-her-wa-episode-67/? About Melissa Llarena Melissa is a bestselling author (learn more on www.fertileideas.com), imagination coach behind the Fertile Imagination to Networking Success Group Coaching Program, consultant, speaker, contributor to ForbesWomen articles that have garnered 4 million-plus views, and the podcast host of the Mom Founder Imagination Hub. Featured guests include GaryVee, Beth Comstock, Suzy Batiz, David Meltzer, and hundreds of other unconventional thinkers. Melissa has been featured in the WSJ, Business Insider, Fox Business, CNN Money, The Huffington Post, and other publications. She holds a psychology degree from NYU, an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and a Transformational Coaching Academy certificate and is training to become a meditation practitioner. Melissa lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and three sons (one singleton and a set of identical twins). Connect with Melissa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissallarena/

In this episode, host Avik Chakraborty speaks with Melissa Llarena, author of Fertile Imagination and creator of fertileideas.com. Melissa shares her journey of rediscovering her imagination, initially cultivated in childhood, and its impact on her life and business. She discusses how parents and professionals alike can reawaken their imagination through mindfulness, stillness, and creativity, offering practical strategies to expand one's thinking. The conversation explores how imagination is vital for problem-solving and innovation in leadership roles, especially in a fast-evolving world. About the Guest: Melissa Llarena is an author, speaker, and imagination expert, with her latest book Fertile Imagination guiding readers on how to rediscover and cultivate their creative potential. Growing up in Queens, New York, Melissa honed her ability to think beyond her immediate surroundings. Now, as a mother and entrepreneur, she helps others stretch their imagination and use it as a tool for success. Through her website and coaching, Melissa empowers people to unlock new possibilities in their personal and professional lives. Key Takeaways: Reawakening Your Imagination: Melissa emphasizes the importance of mindfulness, stillness, and reflection to reawaken the imagination, especially for parents and busy professionals. The Role of Play in Creativity: Engaging in playful activities, such as storytelling or performance classes, can help expand one's creative thinking and lead to personal fulfillment. Imagination in Leadership: Leaders can tap into their imagination to think outside the box and approach challenges with innovative solutions, as demonstrated by high-level executives like Beth Comstock. Mindfulness Practices: Implementing regular mindfulness practices and journaling can help create the mental space necessary for creative ideas to emerge and thrive. Stretching Your Ideas: Sharing and collaborating with others can help grow and refine imaginative ideas, amplifying their potential impact. Special offer From Melissa - bit.ly/imagineaplan (Freebie) Get her free anti-burnout 30-day networking resource for mompreneurs! This mom-friendly planner links your vision to daily actions, helping you stay focused and energized as you build profitable relationships. Set yourself up for a successful year and an even bigger one ahead! It also sees to it that you replenish your energy to prevent burnout. ($97 value, helps avoid a $2,400 trip to the ER from exhaustion)   Want to be a guest on Healthy Mind, Healthy Life? DM on PM - Send me a message on PodMatch, * DM Me Here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/avik  * Subscribe To Newsletter: https://healthymindbyavik.substack.com/ * Join Community: https://nas.io/healthymind Stay Tuned And Follow Us! * YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@healthymind-healthylife * Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/podhealth.club/  * Threads - https://www.threads.net/@podhealth.club * Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/podcast.healthymind * LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/newandnew/  #podmatch #healthymind #healthymindbyavik #wellness

Author, and business executive Beth Comstock says to Guy Raz in this classic 2021 interview "I'm about change." In college, she wanted to be a doctor, but organic chemistry wasn't her strong suit, so she shifted to journalism. When journalism didn't work out, she started working in publicity. So, when GE bought NBC in 1986 right as Beth was starting her career in advertising, she was ready to adapt again. She worked her way to becoming CMO of GE, helping grow revenue, devise a successful green energy program, and more. Then, when NBC began to explore their approach to digital media, Beth couldn't resist returning to the storied network, where a new frontier in media was opening up (for reference: this was around the time Google bought YouTube). While there she helped seed what would become Hulu. Around the time of the 2008 financial crisis, Beth returned to GE as the company's first female Vice Chair of Business Innovations, which was also around the time she penned the inspiring and candid book Imagine it Forward: Courage, Creative, and the Power of Change .

This October 31 marks the one-year anniversary of my book, and I'm celebrating by sharing a curated list of my favorite podcast appearances! I've chosen episodes where the hosts' perspectives, personalities, and generosity truly shone. With so many podcasts out there, it's a challenge to find ones that are both genuinely helpful and uplifting. If I'm serving up a celebration, it's going to be as satisfying as the best birthday cake. Join me as I revisit standout moments, including the time a host knew my book so well it made me question my own words, the episode where I shared my birth story, and another where I reveal how I've personally taught my sons about the importance of global networking. Discover how you can use your imagination to tell your own story and feel truly worthy!   In this episode, you will hear:   My book Fertile Imagination turns ONE on Halloween, and I'm celebrating by sharing all the juicy details from my podcast tour!

We need to do a better job at resourcing ourselves, especially if you've decided that you have an unwavering commitment to see your business and family-life vision through! It's not an easy feat to disrupt industries, create your own, or parent multiple kids. It can be chaotic, even on a good day! That's why this week we're diving into the secrets of how to make it all work—yep, all of it! Do you wonder how you can be a boss at work and a rockstar mom at home and still have time to chase those big, audacious dreams? Well, wonder no more!   I'm bringing you an exclusive mashup featuring two powerhouse mompreneurs, Zibby Owens (mom of 4) and Liz Tenety (mom of 5), who are going to spill the beans on balancing business, babies, and everything in between. You ought to know that I have 3 sons with identical twins in that mix, so I know a thing or two about chaos and what it takes to be in business—I've been here for 13 years! Trust me, you don't want to miss their golden nuggets of wisdom, and I'll be chiming in with some of my own wild stories (hello, diaper blowout during a sales pitch?!)   So, grab your coffee, pop in those earbuds, and let's get inspired to stretch our imaginations and turn those crazy ideas into reality! Ready? Let's go! In this episode, you will hear: How to use your mom skills like humility, adaptability, and patience to dominate the business world.  Infusing your work life with playful strategies that help you manage stress and overwhelm like a boss.  Master the art of profitable relationship-building with techniques that are both strategic and authentic. Say goodbye to awkward networking events! Get tools to navigate those pesky insecurities and show up with confidence in every business conversation. Learn to make bold asks and communicate fearlessly to achieve your wildest business goals.  This episode is brought to you Fertile Imagination to Networking Success by my LIVE 9-week group coaching immersive program on becoming a powerful strategic networker using the Imagination to Impact and Income Method™ to connect with the right people, lead the right conversations, and swing open the right doors to success. The DOORS are officially open! But hurry, the DOORS close on September 27th at 5pm CST. I want to be sure you do not miss out on this opportunity and for that reason I invite you to send me a DM today and ask me anything about the opportunity to enroll today. Send me a DM today: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ to ask me anything before the doors officially close. Happy to hop on a quick 15-minute call too so DM me and I'll send you a link for us to talk. Otherwise, head on to www.melissallarena.com/network  Imagine this in only 9 weeks, you could: Build profitable relationships and exceed your growth goals. Gain access to opportunities, boost your confidence for bolder asks, and raise prices. Feel energized by a fresh approach to relationships that taps into your imagination—the source of joy and fresh ideas. Navigate impostor syndrome, reignite your creativity, meet mom obligations, and achieve your best year ever with a focused plan. Approach your year-end goals with a mindset that leverages your advantages as a mom—letting your kids keep you grounded and present while inspiring you with their growth mindset. How? By enrolling in the Fertile Imagination to Networking Success Program for Mom Founders! This game-changing experience which you can enroll in right HERE https://www.melissallarena.com/network/ by September 27th at 5pm CST will show you how to: Transform your networking approach with 9 weeks of live coaching to implement the Imagination to Impact to Income Method™ for genuine connections without gatekeepers. Access an on-demand curriculum with research-based, cross-industry insights covering who to network with, how to find them, and how to create your networking calendar for higher-impact relationships. Experience a one-on-one role-playing session using storytelling to differentiate your business (and yourself), and receive expert feedback on communications for momentum. Revitalize your leadership skills by integrating the strengths you gain from being a mom with diverse modalities and tools that leverage the art of play. Use techniques such as meditations to get your creative juices flowing, boost productivity, and increase your energy. Connect with a community of like-minded mom founders for support and accountability, keeping your standards high and your vision strong. Journal your progress in a workbook to track your improved ability to tackle impostor syndrome and create a visionary leader roadmap to increase confidence. To ensure your long-term success, I've also included additional opportunities to apply these new networking skills by providing you with... Lifetime Access to the on-demand curriculum: Take the guesswork out of networking and refresh your strategy whenever needed. (you can teach this to your kids too!) Two months access to an Alumni online community of like-minded mom founders (priceless value; one contact can turn into a life-changing opportunity!) Two tickets to attend four virtual Quarterly Impact Appreciation Mixers focused on continued education in networking so that you can continue to deepen relationships. And this time only you will also get instant access to three exclusive bonuses that can help you make time for building profitable relationships, making bigger asks to get more, and attracting the right people with resources—so you can connect while you sleep. Get it off your plate!: Reclaim hours each week to easily fit relationship building into your life for business growth. Bolder Communication Strategies Toolkit: Step into a bolder persona and make bolder asks to optimize every interaction. Brush Up Your LinkedIn Profile: Unlock massive networking success by making your LinkedIn profile work harder for you.   I know this sounds too good to be true so don't take my word for it, listen to what others have said about my method. Visit the website: https://www.melissallarena.com/network/ About Melissa Llarena   Melissa is a bestselling author (learn more on www.fertileideas.com), imagination coach behind the Fertile Imagination to Networking Success Group Coaching Program, consultant, speaker, contributor to ForbesWomen articles that have garnered 4 million-plus views, and the podcast host of the Mom Founder Imagination Hub. Featured guests include GaryVee, Beth Comstock, Suzy Batiz, David Meltzer, and hundreds of other unconventional thinkers. Melissa has been featured in the WSJ, Business Insider, Fox Business, CNN Money, The Huffington Post, and other publications. She holds a psychology degree from NYU, an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and a Transformational Coaching Academy certificate and is training to become a meditation practitioner. Melissa lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and three sons (one singleton and a set of identical twins).   Quotes, that can change your perspective: “We need to do a better job of resourcing ourselves. We have almost everything that we need right under our noses." - Melissa Llarena "The idea is to leap to your goals and make big strides, not get there at a snail's pace." - Melissa Llarena "I feel like I lead as a mom, and I feel like it has only made me a better leader, and they don't talk about that at business school at all." - Zibby Owens "Being humble. 100%. The superpower is the ability to constantly learn" - Zibby Owens   “It is about energy, it is about time, it is about money, and all those things kind of intersect and just encouraging people to use their creativity.” - Liz Tenety….on how being a business leader helped her lead her family "What if hanging out with your kids can be part of your competitive advantage, a business strategy, so that you can come up with a better business idea or something more innovative, certainly something that is simpler to describe." - Melissa Llarena “I think it is so important to bring the whole of you to the table because, because as a mom with a business, that is your competitive advantage.” - Melissa Llarena SHARE this episode and unleash your imagination, tap into your superpowers, and build a successful business while being an amazing mom. Join the conversation with other mom founders and learn how to achieve your goals with confidence and support!

Hey there, amazing moms and dream chasers! This week, I opened up about my journey as a mom and entrepreneur, and I can't wait for you to dive in. We're chatting about why keeping your energy and momentum high is key, especially as we near the year's end. I'll share my go-to tips for handling the distractions and pressures that come with balancing mom life and business. Plus, get ready for some savvy strategies to craft a year-end networking plan that helps you build valuable connections without zapping your energy. From my quest to become a top Amazon bestseller to my dream interviews with big names like Gary Vaynerchuk and Suzy Batiz, I'm here to prove that you can totally chase your dreams while still rocking your mom role. Don't miss out on this fun and insightful episode! Plus, discover Never-Before-Shared Secrets I've Used to Help Moms Like You Tailor Success to Your Business and Family! Join My FREE LIVE Masterclass on September 23, and also 24th exclusively for Mom Business Owners—Sign Up Today!" Master Your Year-End Networking: Build Profitable Relationships For Business Growth in 30 Days Without Burnout: https://www.melissallarena.com/masterclass/   In this episode, you will hear:   How to keep your unique essence of both a mom and business leader while going after those big entrepreneurial goals. The real talk on the hurdles we face and how to tackle them. Why staying pumped and on track is a game-changer for hitting your goals. Tips for building awesome relationships without draining your energy and avoiding burnout. How to ditch those self-doubts and own your business superpowers. Why having a clear picture of your goals is crucial for both business and personal success. How to stay healthy and happy while juggling motherhood and entrepreneurship. The power of community and collaboration among moms in business.   We're halfway through September, and if the thought of the months ahead is draining your energy, stick with me—I'm going to show you how to stay energized and finish this year strong. Avoiding burnout is the name of the game and I have found a solid way that is rarely discussed. What if I told you that profitable networking is not just another task on your to-do list, but actually the most energy-efficient way to grow your business and finish the year strong? Hey, everyone! Before we dive in, as promised all the details about my masterclass are here—in the show notes. If you're ready to take action now, just head over to www.melissallarena.com/masterclass to sign up. But first, a message from our sponsors i.e.  This episode is brought to you by: Master Your Year-End Networking: Build Profitable Relationships For Business Growth in 30 Days Without Burnout: https://www.melissallarena.com/masterclass/ A LIVE one-hour masterclass for visionary mom business owners: Close the year strong with the proven "Imagination to Impact to Income Method™" to manage time, energy, and stay focused through gatekeeper-free networking.

Derek Champagne talks with Beth Comstock, former Chief Marketing Officer and then Vice Chair of Innovation at GE. For almost 3 decades Beth led efforts to accelerate new growth, develop digital and clean-energy futures, seed new businesses and enhance brand value.As President of Integrated Media at NBC Universal , Beth oversaw TV ad revenue and digital media efforts, including the early development of hulu.com Prior to this, she held a succession of roles at NBC, CBS and CNN/Turner Broadcasting.Beth is currently a director at Nike, trustee of The National Geographic Society, and former board president of the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian National Design Museum.Beth's book “Imagine It Forward: Courage, Creativity, and the Power of Change” is an inspiring, fresh, candid, and deeply personal book about how to grapple with the challenges to change we face every day. It is a different kind of narrative, a big picture book that combines Comstock's personal story in leading change with vital lessons on overcoming the inevitable roadblocks.Learn more at https://www.bethcomstock.info/

Feeling overwhelmed by the constant juggle of running a business and raising kids? You're not alone! Today, we're diving into something that every mom entrepreneur can relate to—overwhelm. If you've ever felt like the to-do list just keeps growing, this episode is for you. I'm sharing my personal strategy for nipping that overwhelm in the bud by tapping into something we often overlook—playfulness.   We'll take a look at how taking a moment to laugh at a funny video or doing something light-hearted isn't just procrastination—it's a quick and effective reset. These playful breaks can recharge us, making it easier to tackle the day's challenges with a fresh perspective.   Plus, I'll explore how we can learn from the natural playfulness of our kids. They're experts at finding joy in the little things, and by embracing their spirit, we can create a happier, less stressful environment for ourselves and our families.   Finally, I give a sneak peek into my upcoming masterclass called: How to Craft a Focused Year-End Networking Strategy to Build Profitable Relationships in 30 Days Without Draining Your Mom Energy designed specifically for mom founders. P.S. the name was tweaked to Year-End Networking: Build Profitable Relationships For Business Growth in 30 Days Without Burnout It's all about building profitable relationships and crushing those year-end goals, complete with a 30-day action planner to keep you on track and burnout free!   So, if you're ready to bring more joy and creativity into your life and business, this episode is for you! In this episode, you will hear:   Acknowledging overwhelm, especially during busy times like the fall season. Utilizing children's natural playfulness to reduce overwhelm and boost happiness. Why cross-pollination (borrowing ideas from unrelated fields) is a game-changer. The benefits of play in business, including reducing anxiety and fostering calmness.. Challenges of maintaining momentum as a mom entrepreneur and overcoming imposter syndrome.   If you're feeling overwhelmed and stretched, join in my free LIVE masterclass called: How to Craft a Focused Year-End Networking Strategy to Build Profitable Relationships in 30 Days Without Draining Your Mom Energy. Sign-up HERE: https://www.melissallarena.com/masterclass/ Get ready to learn a proven strategy that can help you regain control and create lasting change! First a confession, I've always dreamed of a photoshoot with my three sons. Picture this: I'm in an ultra-stretchy dress, and each of my boys is tugging at the material in different directions, making me look like a splattered wad of gum on the floor. It's a funny way of highlighting the real struggle of being pulled in so many directions. Your kids need you, your business needs you—especially when you're aiming for growth. It can feel overwhelming, right? So, I asked myself: What's one thing I could do well, on my own schedule, while working from home? For me, it's focusing on building the right profitable relationships using my Imagination to Impact to Income Method™. That's what I'm sharing in my masterclass, How to Craft a Focused Year-End Networking Strategy to Build Profitable Relationships in 30 Days Without Draining Your Mom Energy. Early in my business, I found an energy-efficient path to boost credibility, expand reach, and earn more income. Building profitable relationships proved more reliable than ads. Reimagining my company vision as an energy resource led to my Imagination to Impact to Income Method™. This method starts with our imagination, an untapped energy source for adults. Our kids know it well. I've used it to become a #1 bestseller, secure podcast guests like GaryVee and Suzy Batiz, garner media (WSJ, etc.), and achieve five-figure months. These wins required my energy and being a mom. Join my free masterclass, How to Craft a Focused Year-End Networking Strategy to Build Profitable Relationships in 30 Days Without Draining Your Mom Energy. Get a roadmap to capture busy contacts' attention, navigate impostor syndrome, and unlock energy inspired by your mission and kids! In this masterclass, I'll guide you through: ·         Reimagining your company vision to reignite your passion, helping you surpass your 2024 goals and savor the holidays with the energy you deserve. ·         Discovering a clear focus for relationship-building in your business, so you can channel your energy into strategies with lasting impact, beyond fleeting social media posts. ·         Proactively addressing impostor syndrome, empowering you to overcome self-doubt and conserve your energy for what truly matters. Click here to grab your spot. In future episodes, I'll share how using your imagination for a focused, profitable networking strategy can energize you. Sign up to get an immediate sneak peek into one of my top energy-boosting secrets (the secret to my pep) with a downloadable workbook sent straight to your inbox. Sending you energy, -Melissa P.S. Show up LIVE to my free class and you will get a BONUS 30-Day Profitable Networking Action Plan and Tracker that connects your vision to daily actions! It's a smart, actionable, and mom-friendly planner to map out your 30-day networking activities to keep you focused on the right things. It also sees to it that you replenish your energy to prevent burnout. EXTRA bonus for showing up LIVE is that you will be entered into a drawing to be a podcast guest on the Mom Founder Imagination Hub. Quotes, that can change your perspective: “Our children are imagination experts in residence. Why not learn from these wonderful individuals who are right there on how they are able to visualize completely random things?” “If you are in a moment of a lot of stress and a lot of steps and a lot of moving parts to anything in your life as a mom in business, then it is really important for you to take a step back every once in a while.” “Adopting a playful spirit is a tool for you so that you can use it, and you have people around you, i.e., humans that are kids, who are really great at it. So why not leverage their expertise so that you can get farther?”  “I encourage you also to just imagine for yourself: what would be possible if you could do anything that you wanted to do without having to struggle with overwhelm?” SHARE this episode and reignite the joy of play and creativity to conquer overwhelm. Let's empower our fellow mom entrepreneurs to embrace play and confidently manage stress.

Ever wonder why networking events feature few mothers starting businesses? I have been thinking about this for the past 13 years and am ready to explain why it is so important to me. Often feeling like the lone mother in the room, I started to wonder why more amazing mother entrepreneurs weren't out there networking?   Here's what I've heard: "The kids are getting ready for bed, and happy hours are as sleazy as a meat market," is what I've overheard.

Ever feel like you're running at full capacity and still not getting everything done? We've all been there! This back-to-school season will also come with new things to consider adding to your already full plate. If you've had a business for more than three years, you know it's coming… opportunities to fill up your calendar with new trainings, activities for the kids, and business trips to plan and close out your year. Given this common fall flurry of evaluations and additions to your already full plate, I wanted to share with you my personal filter system. There are three things that I have been asking myself over the last 13 years that have helped me decide for myself based on my priorities: what to participate in, purchase, or remove from my plate. There are so many examples. However, before I share my three filters for evaluating what to add to my plate or remove, I want to give you one heck of an opportunity today that ends on Monday, August 12, 2024, at 5 p.m. CST. You have a chance to enter to win a guest spot on this podcast! Sign up for my newsletter, and you will be entered! Imagine being a guest on the Mom Founder Imagination Hub, sharing your story, and inspiring thousands of fellow mompreneurs. This week, I'm offering you a chance to win a spot on my podcast! All you have to do is visit www.fertileideas.com and sign up for my newsletter between today and the next six days. By signing up, you'll not only stay updated with the latest tips and strategies to grow your business, but you'll also be entered into a drawing for a guest spot on my show. There are a host of sections where you can sign-up on my website from the networking playbook, to grabbing a chapter of my book fertile imagination, or taking 5 minutes if you are stuck to take the quiz. Don't miss out on this amazing opportunity to elevate your brand and reach a wider audience. I'll announce the lucky winner in next week's episode. So head over to www.fertileideas.com right now and sign up.  Rules apply: listen to the episode for those rules to win. Let's jump into this episode. Today, I share a personal story from my book Fertile Imagination about the time I invested in Tony Robbins' Business Mastery live event. It was a big investment—$10K for five days, plus travel to Florida and time away from my three kids. But the chance to feel reinvigorated was worth it, so I jumped on the early bird discount. I'm diving into the idea of having a "full plate" and how, as mom founders, we can navigate the flood of opportunities that come our way. I'll share three key filters – alignment, better way, and transferability which I use to decide whether to take on new opportunities, even when things feel overwhelming. So, before you say, 'I have too much on my plate,' consider these filters. It might not be about adding more, but about replacing what doesn't align with your current goals with something that does. Tune in to hear how these filters can help you make informed decisions, prioritize what's important, and grow both personally and professionally. Whether you're navigating a busy schedule or looking to seize new opportunities, these insights are here to help you thrive! In this episode, you will hear: How you can enter a drawing to be a podcast guest on the Mom Founder Imagination Hub i.e. sign-up for any of the free resources on www.fertileideas.com by August 12th, 2024 by 5pm CST to be eligible to win this drawing. Winners will be emailed. Listen to details today. You can be my next podcast guest! Mom founders you want visibility. Enter the contest by simply signing up for anything on www.fertileideas.com  Using specific filters to evaluate new personal and professional growth opportunities, such as urgency, alignment, and growth potential. How to periodically reassess what's on your plate to ensure it reflects your current priorities and goals. Ideas on creatively rearranging commitments to manage time zones and deadlines effectively which requires expansive thinking i.e. your imagination. Ways to see whether new business growth strategies can enhance your current methods and whether they are justified to go on your plate. The key to determining if learning a new skill is worthwhile especially if you have lots of other options available to you i.e. are there key skills that are higher value like networking? An easy decision-making framework Melissa has used over the last 13-years to determine whether to invest in a particular course, community, or event when her plate has been busy i.e. three kids, global relocations, and life. Imagine being a guest on the Mom Founder Imagination Hub, sharing your story, and inspiring thousands of fellow mompreneurs. This week, I'm offering you a chance to win a spot on my podcast! All you have to do is visit www.fertileideas.com and sign up for my newsletter between today and the next six days. By signing up, you'll not only stay updated with the latest tips and strategies to grow your business, but you'll also be entered into a drawing for a guest spot on my show. There are a host of sections where you can sign-up on my website from the networking playbook, to grabbing a chapter of my book fertile imagination, or taking 5 minutes if you are stuck to take the quiz. Don't miss out on this amazing opportunity to elevate your brand and reach a wider audience. I'll announce the lucky winner in next week's episode. So head over to www.fertileideas.com right now and sign up.    About Melissa Llarena   I'm a bestselling author (learn more on www.fertileideas.com), imagination coach behind the Fertile Imagination to Networking Success Group Coaching Program, consultant, speaker, contributor to ForbesWomen articles that have garnered 4 million-plus views, and the podcast host of the Mom Founder Imagination Hub. Featured guests include GaryVee, Beth Comstock, Suzy Batiz, David Meltzer, and hundreds of other unconventional thinkers. Melissa has been featured in the WSJ, Business Insider, Fox Business, CNN Money, The Huffington Post, and other publications. She holds a psychology degree from NYU, an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and a Transformational Coaching Academy certificate and is training to become a meditation practitioner. Melissa lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and three sons (one singleton and a set of identical twins).   Quotes, that can change your perspective: "Networking is so transferable and it is not going away and it is how deals are done." -Melissa Llarena "Your capability is constant. But how much of it you use depends upon who you think you really are." - Tony Robbins "I know that you're going to have a lot on your plate. This is not going to change. There are ways however to reimagine what gets to be on your plate and what doesn't." - Melissa Llarena "I don't want you to miss out on an opportunity that makes sense just because you have a lot on your plate. THIS is where you can use your superpower --- your fertile imagination." - Melissa Llarena   SHARE this episode and head over to fertileideas.com and sign up for our newsletter within the next six days. You'll gain access to valuable insights, a chance to participate in our raffle, and the opportunity to be featured on the podcast. Don't miss out—act now to unlock your next big opportunity! Supporting Resources: Schedule a free call to see if Fertile Imagination to Networking Success my signature program is the right fit: https://www.melissallarena.com/sessions/ Podcast: Mom Founder Imagination Hub: https://www.melissallarena.com/podcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MelissaLlarena/ Or, grab for free your copy of the “From Contact to Connection: The Mompreneur's Go-First Networking & Follow Up Playbook”: https://witty-thinker-2643.ck.page/21e52edb87  Subscribe and Review Have you subscribed to my podcast for new moms who are entrepreneurs, founders, and creators?  I'd love for you to subscribe if you haven't yet.  I'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast for writer moms.   

Hey there, welcome back to another episode of the Mom Founder Imagination Hub podcast! Today, we're diving into three super common mistakes that mom founders often make when they're reaching out to prospective investors, partners, alliances or even internal sponsors of their business ideas. Trust me, these are totally avoidable! So, let me tell you about this one mom founder I know. She had this amazing idea for a TV show, but when she pitched it, she made a few missteps that could have been easily avoided. First off, she didn't really understand who the decision maker was. Big no-no! It's so important to know who you're talking to and what makes them tick.  Next, she didn't take the time to figure out what actually mattered to the person she was pitching to. You gotta know what their priorities are! And finally, she didn't contextualize her pitch. You can't just throw your idea out there without showing how it fits into the bigger picture i.e. how does your solution fit into your target audience's portfolio or performance goals. Being a mom founder comes with unique challenges, especially when balancing entrepreneurship and family life. I understand completely. That's why I'm here to provide practical advice and support to ensure your next pitch gets you to the bargaining table (vs. is ignored).! In this episode, you will hear: Understanding the decision maker and contextualizing the pitch  Unique challenges faced by mom founders in balancing entrepreneurship and family life Challenges of navigating family life while pursuing entrepreneurship Failure to consider the perspective of the person being pitched to Lack of understanding of what matters to the person being pitched to Contextualizing the pitch to fit the specific industry or sector Need for thorough research and due diligence before reaching out to potential partners or investors Thoughtful and strategic communication in building successful business relationships In the car driving? Pause this episode and write this down. Book a free consult with Melissa this week. Go to www.melissallarena.com/sessions. Let's role-play one conversation you intend to have this week. You are a founder with a baked idea and you are currently in the pitching process whether it's for investment dollars or after you've gotten investment dollars and now you are on the hook for speeding up your business development efforts! You can tell me who I should be in this role-play, and I'll tell you what red flags I hear and whether a VIP day is right for you. Here's what you can expect during your VIP day and I want to be transparent. Spots for my VIP Days are extremely limited. I'm offering just 3 spots this month, and after that, this opportunity may never come around again. This is your chance to fast-track your connections and propel your business forward in just 3 hours.   Here's what you can expect: Tailored Strategy Session: Before the VIP Networking Day, you'll receive a simple questionnaire. This prework is designed to optimize our time together, ensuring every minute counts. We'll dive deep into your business goals, target investors, potential podcast guests/partners, or media contacts, and current networking challenges, setting the stage for maximum productivity. Real-Time Guidance: Once we're live on Zoom, it's all about action. Together, we'll roll up our sleeves and dive into the heart of networking. I won't just talk strategy; we'll implement it in real-time. Using the insights gathered from your prework, we'll identify and reach out to potential investors, podcast guests/partners, or media giants on the spot. You'll witness firsthand how to craft compelling outreach messages and make meaningful connections that matter. Strategic Outreach: Cold outreach can be daunting, but not anymore. With my guidance, you'll confidently reach out to potential investors, podcast guests, or media contacts during our session. Whether it's through email, LinkedIn, or other channels, you'll have a clear plan of action and the confidence to execute it in real-time. Follow-Up Mastery: The conversation doesn't end with the initial outreach. I'll equip you with a follow-up strategy designed to nurture relationships and keep investors, podcast guests/partners, or media contacts engaged. From timely follow-up emails to strategic touchpoints, you'll have all the tools you need to move prospects closer to funding, secure podcast appearances, or establish relationships with influential media personalities. By the end of our VIP Networking Day, you'll feel empowered, energized, and ready to conquer the world of networking. Say goodbye to wasted time and missed opportunities. With our tailored approach, you'll unlock the door to funding success, captivating podcast episodes, or media exposure and propel your business forward. Because this is SO important and so easy to fix….the elevator pitch itself…for starters…..I want you to sign up for the 30-minute complimentary session before you step out there and start pitching yourself to anyone…..let me give you quick tips that can be the difference between getting to pitch your idea or being totally shut out and ignored…..so go to www.melissallarena.com/sessions today....the VIP day are limited and may not be right for you right now but the free sessions are available today…no reason not to share your pitch with me.   About Melissa Llarena   I'm a bestselling author (learn more on www.fertileideas.com), imagination coach behind the Fertile Imagination to Networking Success Group Coaching Program, consultant, speaker, contributor to ForbesWomen articles that have garnered 4 million-plus views, and the podcast host of the Mom Founder Imagination Hub. Featured guests include GaryVee, Beth Comstock, Suzy Batiz, David Meltzer, and hundreds of other unconventional thinkers. Melissa has been featured in the WSJ, Business Insider, Fox Business, CNN Money, The Huffington Post, and other publications. She holds a psychology degree from NYU, an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and a Transformational Coaching Academy certificate and is training to become a meditation practitioner. Melissa lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and three sons (one singleton and a set of identical twins).   Quotes, that can change your perspective:   “First impressions happen one time, and yes, you can totally turn it around, but you're a mom founder. The time you spent making that first impression, the guts it took to put yourself out there, is something that you're now going to have to work up to yet again.” “When it comes to being a mom founder or being a mom with a business, it is urgent that you really, really stay sharp in terms of coming up with unexpected or new or shortcut ways to reach out to everyone and anyone.” “If you want to do business on your own terms as you have opted to as a mom founder, you don't want to not be yourself when you're doing business. That was part of the purpose of owning your own thing along with solving a challenge, being mission-driven, and heart-centered.” “I know the effort it takes to think through a product, I know the effort it takes to see a product market fit, and I know the effort it's going to take to implement whatever it is that you promise to the people on your list.” SHARE this episode and elevate your business! Master effective networking and pitching by avoiding common mistakes and adopting personalized communication strategies. Make a lasting impression and build meaningful connections and start transforming your pitch today! Supporting Resources:   Schedule a free call to see if Fertile Imagination to Networking Success my signature program is the right fit: https://www.melissallarena.com/sessions/ Podcast: Mom Founder Imagination Hub: https://www.melissallarena.com/podcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MelissaLlarena/ Or, grab for free your copy of the “From Contact to Connection: The Mompreneur's Go-First Networking & Follow Up Playbook”: https://witty-thinker-2643.ck.page/21e52edb87  Subscribe and Review Have you subscribed to my podcast for new moms who are entrepreneurs, founders, and creators?  I'd love for you to subscribe if you haven't yet.  I'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast for writer moms.  TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Melissa: First impressions happen one time. And yes, you can totally turn around, but you're a Mom Founder. And what distinguishes you versus someone that might not have kids is the fact that that time you spent in making that first impression, the guts it took to put yourself out there, that is something that you're now gonna have to work up to yet again. And it is way harder to constantly fall down and get back up, fall down and get back up when you're navigating family life in parallel. 00:00:39 Melissa: Welcome to the Mom Founder Imagination Hub, your weekly podcast to inspire you to dream bigger. Plan out how you're going to get to that next level in business, find the energy to keep going, and make sure your creative juices are flowing so that this way you get what you really want rather than having to settle. Get ready to discover how mom founders have reimagined entrepreneurship and motherhood.  00:01:01 Melissa: Ever wonder how they do it? Tune in to find out and stretch yourself by also learning from diverse entrepreneurs who might not be moms, but who have lessons you can tailor about how you can disrupt industries and step way outside of your comfort zone. I believe every mom's superpower is her imagination. In this podcast, I'm going to give you the mindset, methods and tools to unleash yours. Sounds good? Then keep listening. 00:01:32 Melissa: Hey there, it's Melissa Llarena, your host of the Mom Founder Imagination Hub. So we're gonna tackle today three avoidable mistakes that often mom founders make right when they begin to outreach their network or talk to complete strangers so that their business can grow. So three avoidable mistakes. Let me share a story first.  00:01:57 Melissa: I had a wonderful conversation the other day with a mom who was so psyched about this TV show that she wants to put out into the world. And she has an outreach list of organizations and different individuals in those organizations that she wants to pitch her idea to. So she's thinking companies like Lego, companies like Hasbro, you get the drip. And here's the thing. She was so excited about her elevator pitch. I mean, she was just so ready to roll with it, and I wanted to hear it. 00:02:32 Melissa: So of course, she went ahead, she memorized it, and I can tell that she spent probably hours upon hours really refining it with her peers. And she said it, and then I kind of felt these like internal crickets. And that brings me to today's episode. I don't want you to make the same mistakes that this super excited, well-intentioned Mom Founder made. 00:03:00 Melissa: The mistake was the following. Once I heard her pitch, I was like, okay, first of all, who was I supposed to be? Like there's some key questions that as you are putting yourself out there, pitching your business idea to potential investors or partners, that you've got to ask yourself. And if you don't actually think about what you're going to say and whether or not is going to resonate with the other person, then you've completely failed. So that was point number one. 00:03:32 Melissa: Who was I supposed to be? I had no idea. I was just listening to the pitch and I was like, wow. My hair felt like wind was blowing, but it was kind of like hot air because I wasn't sure what I was supposed to prioritize in terms of the information that she shared. The other question was, okay, so now that I'm this person in her case, marketing director, let's imagine, then what do you perceive to be so important to me? And in terms of the pitch that this person shared, I didn't really catch that. I wasn't able to discern what she perceived to be important to me.  00:04:08 Melissa: Some other questions. Why would I, someone working for an organization, want to bring on or support a TV show that's not addictive? Now, this was super specific to the sort of content that she had worked really hard on. However, you have to understand, there might be one or two words in your pitch to an investor or a partner that simply don't make sense given that person's key performance indicators. I would want a TV show that's addictive so that this way kids watch it over and over again.  00:04:46 Melissa: But again, if you hadn't done your homework prior to pitching, you might miss that point. And here's something else that came up when her and I were on a 30-minute complimentary session where I was listening to her pitch, this idea. So what problem are you trying to solve in my company? And I think that is something that we often do not think or consider prior to working on our super fancy put together pitches. It is so contextual. And that's why we are here today.  00:05:20 Melissa: So the three avoidable mistakes that you will want to be mindful of if you are pitching a business idea to an organization or to someone that you admire, begin in this very, very clear manner. Know the decision maker. That's one of the three mistakes. So I originally began sharing a bit about the questions I was asking myself after she shared her pitch and I shared with her and I helped guide her. 00:05:51 Melissa: But at the same time, that is the most important thing. You might think to yourself that, okay, my product is amazing, my service is compelling, but at the end of the day, you're talking to a human being that has a filter that is quite precise. Now, if you've pitched an organization, and you have considered an investor profile as like your go-to, who am I pitching sort of document. That's amazing. It's a start, but every single human being with whom you interact is going to have a completely different set of priorities. And you want to be mindful of that.  00:06:32 Melissa: So you want to really know what are the job titles that you're going to encounter pertaining to this pitch? What's common. For example, is this someone that's going to be in a job for two years, 10 years, or six months? You can tell really depending on the functional area of expertise, there's some functions like marketing where the timeframe is really low. What might that mean? That might mean that whatever outcome or whatever sort of impact you intend to make has to be in the very near short term. All of this is to be considered in your pitch. And all of this is to be considered as you go through an outreach networking list.  00:07:15 Melissa: Now, I might be calling it networking. You might call it biz dev. You might call it sales, looking for strategic partnerships. I really see it as one in the same. Why is that? Because you want to find someone with whom you're almost going the same way. It's almost like a hitchhiker. Not to say you do that and that is not safe, but let's just imagine that you're there and you're on a highway. Think locally, wherever you might be, and you're heading in one direction. You're heading north. You want to be sure that you figure out who else is heading north. You would not want to get into a car and start chatting with the driver and saying, oh, hey, why are we going south? I want to go north. That is a lot of effort.  00:08:05 Melissa: So what does that mean? That means that you have to know the person that you are reaching out to on that long list that you probably spent hours trying to put together as a Mom Founder, which i.e. is time away from the kids. And you want to be sure that you're both going in the same direction and you are speaking their language. That brings me to the third big mistake I have noticed when it comes to going through a list of contacts that you would like to pitch your business idea, whether it is for funding or it might be for media placement.  00:08:40 Melissa: It's really interchangeable in terms of the people that you are going to reach out to. But at the end of the day, every single person has something that matters to them that might not be so obvious to you, especially. And this is what I've noticed so much because these are the mom founders that I have partnered with through these years. It's folks that are entering a brand new market, folks that for them, maybe you know, their background was working in one sector, and this is a new sector. 00:09:11 Melissa: So what does that mean? That means that you have to understand what matters to that person and what matters in that market. And what does that mean? That means that if you're talking to someone in procurement, they have a different set of words that they use to quantify success versus if you're talking to someone in finance, versus if you're talking to someone that is at a different level.  00:09:37 Melissa:  So I think it's really important that not just knowing who the decision maker is and actually looking up whether it's LinkedIn, and that's just surface level. There's a lot more research that needs to go into this if you're going through a list where you're asking for thousands of dollars or millions of dollars in investment, but asking at least, let me look at their career background to have a good sense of how they might approach this particular project. Right?  00:10:07 Melissa: Okay, so knowing the decision maker, the second mistake is not understanding what matters to that person. And it could really rely on their functional area of expertise. Again, you're the mom founder, you're an expert in your product or service. However, here's the thing, the person that you're talking to, they have a lot of priorities and they have a lot of different ways of calling success and you need to speak the same language. Otherwise it is like straight up a tower of babble situation. 00:10:37 Melissa: And you do not want that because we all know what happened. Things crumbled and things did not go so well. Okay, so again, what does this person really care about? Right, so knowing what really matters, what do they care about? What is it that they actually call what they care about? So that is mistake number two. 00:10:58 Melissa: So these are the three mistakes that I want you to avoid. And I'll get to number three. When you have a list of contacts that you're going through because you just came up with an invention or you have a business solution or offering that you are ready for funding or to get funding, right? Okay, so mistake number three, contextualizing your pitch. So back to the first story.  00:11:22 Melissa: So there I was listening to this beautiful pitch. I mean, we're talking about perfection. The words were exciting. Everything that she said was compelling to the right person in the right context. However, this person didn't have the expertise of a particular industry. So as you go through your list of contacts and you're there pitching your idea to different organizations or people, there's different things that are going on in different sectors. 00:11:55 Melissa: For example, let's just imagine that you are pitching to one sector and in that sector, you have no idea that this concept that your TV show would not be addictive is absolutely not going to work and not at all the key to success when right now you have a lot of people who's attention is disparate, right? Is in a lot of different places. So here you are saying that, yeah, they're gonna get like one hit of my TV show and that'll be enough and it won't be addictive. Meanwhile, let's imagine as an industry, you need to get people to keep coming back because that is how you organize your ad campaigns with your advertisers, then it's not gonna lay quite right.  00:12:46 Melissa: Okay, so let me get to the point as clearly as possible. Here's the third mistake, so contextualizing your pitch. I wanna share something with you that I learned back in advertising. So I used to work in ad agencies. This was now at least 13 years ago. And I remember working on the IBM account, working on the SAP account, and I remember being told back then, you need to know more about what's happening and what's important to IBM and the tech space than your clients. Same thing with SAP. 00:13:18 Melissa: What does that mean to you, a Mom Founder who has this glorious list that you want to go through but you don't want to burn because you just spent so much time figuring out who the right people might be to shepherd your idea in a big organization. So what does that mean? That means that you need to understand if you need to understand what the drivers are in that sector. You need to understand if there's like new competitors that are just really eroding or just really eating into a market share. You need to also understand how to contextualize what it is that you're offering in the context of their existing portfolio of offerings.  00:14:03 Melissa: Okay, so I said a lot there. There's a lot that needs to happen before you start calling people. I totally get that you might have an investor profile. I get that you have partners that believe so much in your product that they've desired and they've worked for free till this point. But you're going to waste your time, waste your effort and your energy. And I know as a Mom Founder, particularly, you don't got a lot of energy if you do not do this due diligence to a point where at nauseam, you know more about someone's business than they might. 00:14:41 Melissa: However, back to my advertising days, you don't want to show up as arrogant because we always would say, you know more about your business than we do. But that wasn't always the case if I'm being really honest about it. And in your situation, if you're looking to really make a great impression on an organization because you want to partner with them, again, you both have to be going in the same direction. You need to totally understand who you're talking to in terms of how long they're going to be there, how you might want to angle the value that you bring to the table and where you fit in terms of the context of their portfolio. 00:15:20 Melissa: But at the same time you just want to be sure that you have done your homework to a point where again you feel confident and competent that working with you is gonna leave them better off than not working with you in whatever capacity that might be and It takes a lot of practice and I wanted to just kind of go to the very top, your elevator pitch might not be enough. It might not be what is necessary. Every single person that you're talking to, it might completely throw someone off because they'll think that you're talking into some sort of recording, especially if you've recorded it. 00:15:57 Melissa: So you want to be sure that you also bring some stories because oftentimes those resonate a lot more than just statistics and having the right leadership team in place, which I tend to hear a lot. Okay, so here's the story. So risks of not doing your homework. This is personal in the sense that as a podcaster, I'm sure you can imagine how many times I am pitched in terms of podcast guests. And the other day I was looking in my inbox and I noticed someone was pitching me. They were a PR professional so they should have known better. However in terms of time budget, etc., they provided a very generic pitch.  00:16:43 Melissa: So imagine in your situation, right? Again, back to you being a Mom Founder, having a list, having finite time and energy, having spent so much effort upfront, trying to figure out who you're gonna reach out to, but not having done enough effort in terms of researching the three things that I shared with you in terms of the actual people that you're talking to, what actually matters to them, and then also how you fit in the context of like a company's portfolio as an example, and why partnering with you is better than not.  00:17:19 Melissa: Let's imagine this, with this person, this PR person, she was pitching me, again, this is the Mom Founder Imagination Hub podcast. She was pitching me a guy, which 100% I have had men on this podcast, like James Altucher, Gary Vee, et cetera. But she was pitching me a guy that was really all about financial market solutions, having nothing to do with entrepreneurship. And I was just like, what the heck is this? Like, is this even for me? Like you don't want to be that person that emails someone a pitch or jumps on the phone, I know old school, but hey, it still works, and you completely are talking, but the person on the other side is like, why are you calling me?  00:18:08 Melissa: So that is what was happening to me. And that story basically wants to just like reaffirm in you the fact that don't waste your time by not knowing who you're reaching out to at the individual level. And I know it takes a lot of work, a lot of effort. But here's the thing, if you don't do it, this is what happens. All that money, right? And if you think about your time as money, is wasted in terms of the effort that you put to just creating that outreach list. That's one.  00:18:41 Melissa: Here's the other thing, you're gonna burn a bridge because it's going to show that you're not as thoughtful as you truly are. And if you're a Mom Founder, one thing I know about the ones I've worked with, like you are so thoughtful. I mean, when it comes to like the logistics of your family and how you went about, you know, doing market research for your product or figuring out market product fit, I know you're thoughtful. So you wanna be sure that that reputation precedes you, right?  So again, you've gotta do that extra research. You wanna be sure that you are resonating with the person. So you don't want to burn through that contact list if you don't have to. 00:19:21 Melissa: Here's the other idea. Let's imagine that you make that mistake, kind of like that PR agency, right? That was sending me a very random podcast guest proposal. You're gonna have to then, if you're really interested in partnering with a Lego or with a Hasbro, et cetera, you're gonna have to then go back and do some triage. And it's not always possible to like resurrect from some blow paw like that. 00:19:44 Melissa: So I wanna just say, here's the other thing. First impressions happen one time. And yes, you can totally turn around, but you're a Mom Founder. And what distinguishes you versus someone that might not have kids is the fact that that time you spent in making that first impression, the guts it took to put yourself out there, that is something that you're now gonna have to like work up to yet again. And it is way harder to constantly fall down and get back up, fall down and get back up when you're navigating family life in parallel. Just this morning to give you an example.  00:20:27 Melissa: So I have all these podcast episode recordings today. And my son then says to me at 5:00 AM, mind you, mom, I think I have a fever. And I looked at him and I was like, please do not have a fever. That's just like one of the ups and downs. We'll call that a down that is so natural to you that other people might not experience, but your business has to keep going on. So, you know, we have finite energy and finite abilities to get back down and get back up, figure out new ways, different patterns, right? Use our imagination and try other or alternative paths forward. 00:21:08 Melissa: If you've got to do the same thing for being a mom as you do an entrepreneurship, you've got to be sure that you are somehow preventing all of that struggle where you can. You need to be a sane mom. That's what I'm saying. So again, this is avoidable. That's why I have it in this episode. And I really hope that you take it to heart because there's so much that's at stake. If you don't actually consider those three mistakes that I share.  00:21:40 Melissa: So I don't wanna leave you hanging. I think this is so important. I wanna be of service to you because I think that it takes so much guts to just like leave your job, for example, or start a business, especially as a mom. It also is absolutely beautiful that you want to do something that's mission driven. Those are the moms that I work with and I help in terms of really navigating networking and building relationships so that you're in the right rooms, having the right conversations, getting the money that your business idea deserves, that I wanna do this for you. So hear me out.  00:22:17 Melissa: Okay, now let's just imagine that you are in a car right now, so you're driving. So what I will have you do is absolutely bookmark this conversation, but write this down when you have an opportunity in the event that you're on the move. So I offer something called a VIP day. It's a three-hour Zoom session during which time we are going to work through your contact list. But here's the thing. It's even better than that. 00:22:45 Melissa: Not only are we going to work through your contact list, but prior to jumping on Zoom, I'm going to give you some homework that's going to help you thoughtfully not just put together that contact list, but approach your research so that this way you can avoid these three mistakes. I'm also going to make sure that as you approach the different people during our time, that three-hour Zoom time frame, that you're leading with what is going to resonate the most based on a number of criteria that for me and in use with my clients have worked in the past. 00:23:24 Melissa: I mean, it's so predictable in terms of some of the priorities that people actually have, but it's not always obvious on LinkedIn because sometimes people are not that upfront in terms of their agendas. And I'm not using that in a negative way, but I'm sure you get what I'm saying. So there's other sources of research that I will share with you also on that three hours Zoom session. It's a VIP day. Also, it's really about making sure that we have woken up your imagination. That is the name of this podcast. And I stand on that.  00:23:58 Melissa: When it comes to being a Mom Founder or being a mom with a business, it is urgent that you really, really stay sharp in terms of coming up with unexpected or new or shortcut ways to reach out to everyone and anyone. And again, relationships is absolutely critical when it comes to building your business and making sure that your message gets out to as many human beings as possible. So you wanna be sure that you're doing it from a place of expansive thinking. You're doing it from a place of, okay, this person is gonna expect me to reach out to them on, as an example, Instagram, but I'm gonna come in through this side door, right? Which has worked for me and my clients as well. 00:24:44 Melissa: So let me share an example. I had a client that actually wanted to reach out to insurance companies. And it was really interesting because this was completely new to her. She owns a nonprofit. And so she reached out to an insurance company and she was baffled that the person on the other side of the email got back to her almost like in an hour, okay? He got back to her in an hour. Why was that? It was because she realized that this person would be, A, in a position of power.  00:25:13 Melissa: So people do want to be helpful. So you want to make sure you're asking the right people who can help you. But then at the same time, her email was personal. It resonated, and it was thoughtful. It was in alignment with what's important to an insurance organization. And she had to do some research in order to uncover precisely what that was in this market. Sorry to say, but sometimes different times of the year, different things are important and different trends will influence whether or not what was important, you know, last trend is in season this trend.  00:25:45 Melissa: So again, there's a lot that needs to happen, but we can cover that during the three hours together over Zoom. Here's what else happens during that three hour session, the VIP session with me for Mom Founders. So you and I are gonna roll up our sleeves. Like literally, if I have long sleeves, or metaphorically, if I do not, we're going to actually start emailing and reaching out to people live because I need to see, like, what do your subject lines actually say? Are they generic or compelling? How is it that you're positioning what you intend behind the conversation with that contact, right?  00:26:20 Melissa: So it's about authenticity, but it's also about being direct and infusing your personality. Because if you wanna do business on your own terms, as you have opted to as a mom founder, you don't want to not be yourself when you're doing business. Like that was part of the purpose of owning your own thing, along with solving a challenge, along with being mission driven and heart centered and wanting to see impact in the slice of the world that matters to you. 00:26:51 Melissa: So here we go. Call for you to reach out to me so I can help you so that you do not make those mistakes. You do not burn through a list of contacts if you have a business idea or already a business in market that you want to get funding for, or you want to leverage some sort of strategic partnership, be sure that you take advantage of this. And it is the following. So I do have those VIP days, but this offer right now is for free. 00:27:20 Melissa: Go to melissallarena.com/sessions. You will have an opportunity to apply for a 30-minute complimentary session, during which time I'm going to help you by role playing and hearing what you have to offer in terms of your business pitch, in terms of your origin story, in terms of what you intend out of a conversation with a decision maker, right? All pertaining to your business. So go ahead to melissallarena.com/sessions. There is an application and here's the reason why an application is going to be absolutely helpful to you.  00:28:02 Melissa: When you start to put pen to paper or technically type out your answers in the application, you also start to clarify what you need to happen in terms of the people that you wanna talk to, in terms of your very best next steps. And in terms of your own business, putting pen to paper has been the absolute life-giving solution for me when it comes to ironing out my thoughts. And it's better for you to do that on my application than to do it in front of someone that can give you money.  00:28:38 Melissa: So go ahead, melisallarena.com/sessions, and you will see the link here. What I invite you to really consider is, okay, bring forth your story, bring with you your idea in terms of the investor profile. Be sure that you tell me who I'm supposed to be. I want you to know also what is going to be important to me and how whatever it is that you've got is going to help me and fix in my existing portfolio. So have that already in mind, be prepared. It is going to be a great session. And that is for free. That is 30-minute session for free.  00:29:20 Melissa: At that time, at the very end, after you have your answers, I will absolutely invite you to join me during one of the VIP sessions. Those VIP sessions, I only do three spots every single month. I'm sure you can understand as a mom with kids yourself, what I do is really, really important in terms of helping moms specifically as flexibly as possible. So it could be an evening time or a weekend time or chunk of time. And for me, three hours each month is what I can do in terms of VIP days.  00:29:58 Melissa: You get to choose if it's the right fit, I get to choose if you're the right fit and I can help you and we will take it from there. So I'm really excited about these VIP sessions, but more than that, I wanna hear from you and I don't want you to make a mistake in terms of burning through a contact list. I know the effort it takes to think through a product. I know the effort it takes to see a product market fit. And I know the effort it's going to take to implement whatever it is that you promise to the people on your list.  00:30:29 Melissa: So be sure that you take advantage of the 30-minute session with me. It is complimentary. You'll have the link here. It'll also be in the show notes if you are just listening to this conversation. And then we could certainly talk about whether a VIP day is the right next step for you. No strings attached. You are very welcome to attend a 30-minute session with me. I want to be sure that we avoid as many mistakes as possible when it comes to working through an outreach list. I want you to have so much success.  00:31:03 Melissa: And until Tuesday, let me know what you got out of this conversation, you are more than welcome to leave some comments. If you're watching this on YouTube, you're also welcome to share this with a friend, because here's the thing, Mom Founders know other Mom Founders. And if anyone is interested in actually pitching investors or securing strategic partnerships with people in different organizations or different organizations, you want to be sure that they have the greatest odds of success.  00:31:31 Melissa: So go ahead and share this episode. It's also in audio. And if you're interested in that 30-minute consult, it is available to you. And no strings attached, as I mentioned. So thank you for this conversation. And thank you. Until next Tuesday, go ahead and subscribe. Follow me officially, because next Tuesday, we're going to go through an actual interview with an investor. Stay tuned. Signing off, Melissa Llarena.

How to network with confidence for mom founders..... ever been disappointed in yourself that you missed an opportunity to talk to someone you admire or to put yourself out there and introduce yourself to a major investor or prospective client?  If you said yes, then this is the episode for you! Come this fall, are you going to be ready to do this with confidence, or are you at risk of disappointing yourself because you didn't feel ready or didn't do everything you could when you had the opportunity? If you do not want to feel in-ept as a former client told me, she originally felt then this is the episode for you!   I had cold feet myself when I first saw Shelly Lazarus and Beth Comstock however... I knew what to do once I was in front of GaryVee. I rehearsed my stories, questions, and asked. There was prework, follow-through, and strategy. No PR team, no big following, no former c-suite position. I knew how to work with my impostor syndrome.    What was different? What did I do that produced different results in me? How did I build my own confidence to have the guts to perform when the time came? How do you get your podcast guests? This is the number one question I'm asked by podcasters who know how hard it is to land a guest like GaryVee, much less as your tenth guest! The second question I get often came most recently from a client in the fitness industry who asked: how did you have the confidence to interview GaryVee? My answer to both is my three-step method.   In this episode, you will hear: Importance of shifting from transactional to genuine connections. How genuine connections lead to more meaningful and lasting relationships. Understanding your goals and the value you bring to the table. Building relationships based on genuine interest and mutual benefit. Research and rehearsal to build confidence. My Imagination to Impact to Income Method ™ gives me a reliable process to identify who to talk to, where to find them, and what to do once we connect.  It helped my client like yourself go from feeling intimidated to talking to people like GaryVee, Beth Comstock, Suzy Batiz, Zibby Owens to saying hi to them and pitching your ideas without hesitation. The method is your step-by-step solution to networking anxiety. When you join now as a member of the five mom founders this summer I will be offering an exclusive one-on-one session role-playing their biggest encounter! I'll look for their elevator pitch, see if their stories would resonate with their contact, and even help them with their delivery!  You want to look confident around confident people.    This unexpected approach to networking will change your life just like it has for this doting parent in North Carolina  “At the core of it, for me, it was about re-building and projecting confidence. I doubted myself. This program was critical to re-build my confidence and realize that I was not doing the right things to stand out. With this confidence, rejection has not been an issue, and now I am looking at opportunities without any hesitation.  Melissa knows how to motivate people to make those things happen. I will continue building my brand and networking.  This new habit will allow me to continue growing and reaching my potential.” -J. Hernandez, Artificial Intelligence at Sales Factory    Inside of Fertile Imagination to Networking Success you get access to:  • 9 weeks of live networking coaching and community  • Value-packed on demand curriculum on everything from navigating impostor syndrome to who to network with, how to find them, what to say, and on planning your fall and winter 2024 networking calendar focused on your business growth goal.  • 3 hours/ weekly investment this summer (2 whenever or wherever you wish) to hit the ground running in the fall and feel ahead for a change  • Lifetime access to tools and resources built for mom founders including meditations and unexpected ways to let go of mom guilt and overwhelm  • Exclusive opportunity for the first five mom founder participants including a multimedia podcast guest feature, two private bonus sessions, and a 30% discounted investment Special extras: Daily Wins Workbook, Impostor Syndrome Journaling, and Networking Email Templates and More!    I'm also offering an exclusive bonus for the first five mom founders only which is a guide on how to boost your productivity as a solopreneur and/or delegate or farm out things in your business so you can easily fit this into your summer calendar.    Click HERE to schedule a 30-minute call with me to learn more about Fertile Imagination to Networking Success for Mom Founders and jump in on this exclusive summer offer for the first five mom founders. Join this cohort now and get your productivity bonus and your free role-playing private session when you are in. Class starts very soon and will be capped this summer to only 5 mom founders. About Melissa Llarena I'm a bestselling author (learn more on www.fertileideas.com), imagination coach behind the Fertile Imagination to Networking Success Group Coaching Program, consultant, speaker, contributor to ForbesWomen articles that have garnered 4 million-plus views, and the podcast host of the Mom Founder Imagination Hub. Featured guests include GaryVee, Beth Comstock, Suzy Batiz, David Meltzer, and hundreds of other unconventional thinkers. Melissa has been featured in the WSJ, Business Insider, Fox Business, CNN Money, The Huffington Post, and other publications. She holds a psychology degree from NYU, an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and a Transformational Coaching Academy certificate and is training to become a meditation practitioner. Melissa lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and three sons (one singleton and a set of identical twins). Quotes, that can change your perspective: “Intention matters. If you feel shaky on your intention, if you are faking that you intend to have this person on your podcast, to ask this person to invest in your business, if you feel like it's transactional, it is not gonna work. You're gonna flop, it's gonna come through and your insecurities are gonna catch you. And chances are you're not gonna say what you had originally intended to say. So your intention matters.”  “I was in an elevator with Shelly Lazarus... I was not the most confident person in the entire building. It was something that I eventually learned and I came up with a method that I teach my clients to also use in their lives so that this way, they network with a lot more confidence than that example right there."  “When I started going outside of my comfort zone, it was something that I had to make a very deliberate choice on doing, and doing a lot, and doing it in parallel with feeling the butterflies in my stomach. It was also something that I had to feel ready before I opened my mouth.” - -Melissa Llarena   SHARE this episode with your fellow mom founders and anyone looking to transform their networking skills! Learn how to move from a nervous novice to confidently connecting with influential figures and make networking a natural, effortless habit! Supporting Resources: Schedule a free call to see if Fertile Imagination to Networking Success my signature program is the right fit: https://www.melissallarena.com/sessions/ Podcast: Mom Founder Imagination Hub: https://www.melissallarena.com/podcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MelissaLlarena/ Or, grab for free your copy of the “From Contact to Connection: The Mompreneur's Go-First Networking & Follow Up Playbook”: https://witty-thinker-2643.ck.page/21e52edb87  Subscribe and Review Have you subscribed to my podcast for new moms who are entrepreneurs, founders, and creators?  I'd love for you to subscribe if you haven't yet.  I'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast for writer moms.

Struggling to stay motivated and keep your business on track during the summer? Discover how you can transform these months into a powerhouse of productivity and growth. Join us as we dive into actionable strategies tailored for mom founders, ensuring you hit the ground running this fall. Don't let another summer slip by—tune in now to learn how to leverage this time for maximum business impact. Let's connect if this resonates with you: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ And if this opportunity is what you need this summer then… Join My Exclusive Summer Group Coaching Program for Mom Founders This summer, I'm inviting five dedicated mom founders to join me in my exclusive group coaching program, Fertile Imagination to Networking Success. This program is designed to help you develop a clear, actionable plan to grow your business. You'll know exactly what to do and how to do it, ensuring you're on the right track for success. What's Unique About This Opportunity? Only the first five mom founders who join me will get access to an incredible range of bonuses, making this a truly exclusive and transformative experience. Exclusive Bonuses for the First Five Enrollees: Private Session 1 for Implementation: A 45-minute session where we'll develop a ready-to-go networking strategy for the fall. You won't feel lonely in this; we'll work side by side to plan and execute your strategy. Private Session 2 for Elevator Pitch: Overcome nerves and anxiety with a private session focused on perfecting your elevator pitch and confidently introducing yourself to new contacts. 30% Discount: For the first five mom founders, a special discount on the program fee. Productivity Resource Guide: Tools to help you take tasks off your plate, allowing you to focus more on valuable networking activities. Podcast Guest Spot: Be a guest on my podcast, you'll be in great company given awesome my prior guests like Gary Vaynerchuk, Beth Comstock, and Suzy Batiz. This will instantly boost your credibility and visibility. Program Details Fertile Imagination to Networking Success is a comprehensive nine-week program that requires just three hours per week, two of which can be accessed on demand. Here's what you get: Live Networking, Coaching, and Community: Nine weeks of live sessions focused on building a supportive community and providing actionable networking strategies. Value-Packed On-Demand Curriculum: Topics include overcoming imposter syndrome, identifying and connecting with key contacts, and planning your fall and winter 2024 networking calendar. Lifetime Access: Access to my proven Imagination to Impact to Income method, tools for seamless networking, and resources tailored specifically for mom founders. Specialized Tools and Resources: Including meditations and strategies to manage mom guilt and overwhelm, ensuring you stay focused and motivated. Why This Program is Perfect for Mom Founders As a mom founder myself, I understand the unique challenges you face. This program is designed to fit into your busy life, providing practical, executable steps to ensure you're ready to hit the ground running come fall. Success Stories Hear from one of my former clients, Lily Ibarra, CFO of a Fortune 500 financial services firm: "With Melissa, people will find an open forum to air their concerns and receive very clear guidance on how to prepare themselves with confidence. Know that her method really works." How to Join Ready to take your business to the next level? Here's how to get started: Visit melissallarena.com/sessions Fill out the application to ensure it's the right fit. Schedule a conversation with me this month to secure your spot. Remember, only the first five mom founders will receive the exclusive bonuses, including the 30% discount, productivity resource, two private sessions, and the podcast guest spot. Don't miss this opportunity to grow your business and make meaningful connections. Visit www.melissallarena.com/sessions and apply now! Thank you, and I look forward to helping you achieve your business goals this summer. Until next Tuesday, check the show notes for more details and links to sign up.

In this episode, I'm here to help you tackle the challenge many mom entrepreneurs face: balancing business growth with family time during the summer break. I'll share practical strategies to maintain momentum in your business while spending quality time with your kids. Drawing from my experience and my signature three-step method, you'll learn actionable advice on leveraging the summer months to refine your company vision, boost energy levels, and enhance storytelling skills. By involving your children in these activities, you not only strengthen your bond but also tap into their imaginative perspectives. Together, let's ensure you feel empowered and supported as you navigate your entrepreneurial journey. Today's episode is my answer to this listener question below.  Q&A: It's time for growth in my business.  This fall I plan to hit the ground running. I know I will have to network more to take my business to the next level but I feel rusty and fear coming across as inept. What are some things I can focus on this summer while respecting that I also said I want to spend more time with my kids during this break? Do you have a question? Send in your mom founder question today: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ Key Points: Summer Challenges for Mom Entrepreneurs: Balancing business growth with family time during the summer break can be tough, but I'm here to help you navigate it. The Imagination to Impact to Income Method: Let's dive into my three-step method tailored for mom entrepreneurs: accessing a fertile imagination, making impactful decisions, and creating pathways to income. Practical Strategies for Summer Success: Revamp Your Company Vision: Involve your kids in reimagining your company vision, leveraging their fresh perspectives and creativity. Boost Energy Levels: Focus on essential self-care practices like nutrition, movement, and emotional well-being to increase productivity and capacity. Enhance Storytelling Skills: Practice storytelling with your kids to refine your communication and articulate your business narrative effectively. Networking and Confidence Building: These summer activities contribute to enhancing your networking skills and boosting confidence in business interactions. Opportunity for Growth: Consider joining my group coaching program, "Fertile Imagination to Networking Success for Mom Founders," where you'll find support, mentorship, and a community of like-minded mom entrepreneurs like yourself. As you navigate the summer months, seize the opportunity to invest in your personal and professional growth. By implementing these strategies and participating in my coaching program, you'll be equipped to tackle the challenges of entrepreneurship with confidence and purpose, achieving success while cherishing precious family moments. This episode is brought to you by the Fertile Imagination to Networking Success for Mom Founders Program: A LIVE 9-week group coaching masterclass to fast-track making connections with the right people to take your business to the next level. What's included in this program: 9 weeks of live networking coaching and community Value-packed on demand curriculum on everything from navigating impostor syndrome to who to network with, how to find them, what to say, and on planning your fall and winter 2024 networking calendar focused on your business growth goal. 3 hours/ weekly investment this summer (2 whenever or wherever you wish) to hit the ground running in the fall and feel ahead for a change Lifetime access to tools and resources built for mom founders including meditations and unexpected ways to let go of mom guilt and overwhelm Exclusive opportunity for the first five mom founder participants including a multimedia podcast guest feature, two private bonus sessions, and a 30% discounted investment Special extras: Daily Wins Workbook, Impostor Syndrome Journaling, and Networking Email Templates and More I'm also offering exclusive bonuses for the first five mom founders only which is a guide on how to boost your productivity as a solopreneur so you can easily fit this into your summer calendar, two private one-on-one (to implement networking outreach, to role-play your elevator pitch), and a 30% discount. Where do you want to be 9-weeks from now? There are two options you can feel excited, intentional, and prepared to hit the ground running in the fall ready to pitch, connect, or partner with absolutely anyone who can help your business skyrocket into next year or you can play smaller, stay stuck in the same day-to-day monotony of business hiding from the people and places where the better opportunities can be created? You are bold. You are the type of founder who will do anything for your clients! It's time to do this for yourself! Treat yourself the same you have committed to treat others. Go for option 1. Bold you! Believe in yourself as much as you believe in others! Imagine if you believed in yourself as much as you believed in your kids! You'd knock yourself out of every and any park! The fastest way to get to option 1 is by investing in Fertile Imagination to Networking Success today. Sign-up now for the 15-minute call for the details and summer start date--> https://go.oncehub.com/ClientSessionMelissaLlarena Let's talk here so that you won't miss out on all of the bonus exclusive to this round of five mom founders. If you have questions email me melissa [at] melissallarena.com TRANSCRIPT: Three things you can do this summer that are going to help you feel like you're ahead of the game come this fall. This is a question I got from a listener. She says, it's time for growth in my business. And this fall, I plan to hit the ground running. Now, I know I'm gonna have to network more in order to take my business to the next level, but I feel rusty and honestly, sometimes I'm scared that I'm gonna come across as inept. So what are the things that I can focus on this summer as a business owner? While respecting the fact that I also said that I want to spend more time with my kids. Okay. I love this question. And if you have your own questions, absolutely send it over. I'm on Instagram at Melissa Lorena. I love this question because it comes up every single break, whether it is a winter, spring, or a school break of any kind, anywhere you are in the world, this is something that is uniquely a challenge for the primary caregivers of their children or family members who might be aging. And I want to be sure that you have. All the tools you need this summer in order to feel supported and to know that there are things that you absolutely can do in order to make progress on your business. So I wanted to just share this idea with you. A recent client who participated in my group coaching program, fertile imagination to networking success for mom founders, Michelle. She actually pointed something out pertaining to what is the point of differentiation of partnering with me versus someone that doesn't acknowledge the fact that you are a mom first. Here's what Michelle had to say. She said, it made me feel, the program that is, as if I wasn't always failing. I wasn't always failing. Um, having to feel disappointed when things were not going my way or when things were not the way I imagined or hoped. So in the program, Michelle goes on to say that there was so much context around this idea that as long as you are moving. Towards your dreams, even if it's at a snail's pace, you are doing what you can, and that's more than enough. So here's the thing. During the summer months, our schedules completely change for a lot of us. And we have to reprioritize what comes first, but here's something that I know personally and I also know having helped a lot of mom founders who have very different circumstances. If you decide not to do anything pertaining to making progress on your business, then there are absolutely consequences. And here's some of them. Come September, when all of our peers are out there full force, marketing their programs, marketing their podcasts, marketing their offers, we often will feel left behind. Like we are way behind the eight ball come September. And what then happens is this pattern. You end up doing. Everything that you should have been doing little by little over the summer in the beginning of the fall, in September. And so that is what then brings about burnout. That is then what brings about this idea that our business and motherhood is an all or nothing game. It's something that either you're all in, Or you're fully out of, and I want to really, really emphasize that it does not have to be the case. There are absolutely things that you can do this summer that are gentle, that are purposeful, that are intentional, that will keep the ball rolling in your business. And I really, really encourage you to think through. What you want to feel in September once the kids do go back to school once the kids are back in their Regular routine and you have a bit more time to yourself to think so something else that is a consequence of not doing anything that is strategic and quite Intentional over the summer that is going to give you the biggest bang for your time Buck is this idea that It is going to be so important, irrespective of where you are as a mom to really, really keep your kids engaged over the summer. I know, right? I heard you from the left field. So here's why that matters. As it relates to our children during these summer months and at any point, they are what I like to call imagination experts in residence. Thanks. And we lose sight, oftentimes, that a day spent with them can actually help us gain access to our own imagination. A day spent with them playing around can help us feel fresh, give us the opportunity to think differently about things, give us this sense of fresh enthusiasm that plugs us back into why we started our business in the first place. For And so you will be missing out on this opportunity that's quite special during the summer to hang out with the kids and actually learn from them over the summer, see how they might consider certain challenges and approach certain things, right? So that's something else that if you decide to completely let go of your business over the summer, you might miss out the opportunity to bring that fresh sense of enthusiasm, fresh perspective, a fresh playfulness. To something that you've been struggling with or thinking about in the year before while the kids were in school, like now you have these amazing humans that are around you who can help you rethink, reimagine what's possible for you in your life and in your business. So why not leverage that unique time during the summer to bring them on board your own sort of team, right? So that's something else that you will miss out on if you decide to not do anything business related over the summer versus figure out a way to bring your kids into the loop. Here's something else that tends to happen. So we get rusty. That listener mentioned that her networking skills are already rusty. So now imagine a summer spent where you are at home or you are on vacation and you are a hundred percent not in a business mindset and not using that way of thinking. What ends up happening is that you're going to have to warm yourself up come the fall and you're going to be warming yourself up come the fall when everyone else is. Would have already been warmed up throughout the entire summer season. And this is not to say at all that you don't get to decompress, relax, not think about business. But what this is to say is that there are huge benefits for making progress on your business, even at a snail's pace. And I would argue that that is the reason why over the last 12 years as a mom founder with three children, I have been able to do some pretty kick ass things, such as bringing amazing guests to my podcast, like Suzy Batiste, Beth Comstock, I mean, amazing humans, and it's because I never really fell asleep, like a comatose on my business, never, never, never, even when I was tandem nursing, my identical twins, I've I continued to make progress and again, we're not talking about rockstar progress. We're talking about snails pace, but snails pace might be the way that you achieve your big bold ambition. All right. So now let me share with you three things that you can do this summer that are not going to put you in a place of conflict. Where you're going to be telling yourself, but I promised that I was going to be spending more time with my kids, and then of course I also promised myself that I would hit the ground running come September. That is the conflict that I want us to really nip in the bud right now on this episode. Okay, so here's where we will begin. I want to share with you my framework. This is the framework that I teach my participants in my group coaching program. And this framework really comes from experience and having partnered and worked with so many working moms just like you. It is called the imagination to impact to income method. So three step method for mom, business owners. Here's why this method works for a mom founder, and it is specific for someone. Okay, so the first step of the method is about having access to a fertile imagination. That is also the title of my book, my bestseller. The reason why this is critical and key and cannot be skipped for a mom business owner Is because oftentimes we find ourselves in the most complicated and gnarly experiences and we need to figure out how to keep going, whether it is figure out who's going to pick up Jake versus who's going to pick up Mary or figure out how we're going to stay, stay in terms of And the best, keep our best foot forward when we are exhausted and we're trying to complete our launch marketing plan, whatever challenge you have as a mom, if you do not have access to your fertile imagination, you are limping your way through business and life. What this means is if you do not have the ability to think expansively beyond what you may have seen another mom. Ever do as a business owner or as a matriarch of her family, then you are greatly limited because modern society comes to you at a fast rate and thinking expansively and beyond what you have seen is the name of the game when it comes to maintaining your mental health and still kicking ass in business and being an amazing mom. So that is step one to. Everything and anything that I teach my clients who are mom founders who want to find business success on their terms, on their timeline and alongside their kids. Now that's step one. Step two is impact. So at the end of the day, a lot of us go into a lot of things and we end up feeling scatter brained. This is impossible to actually make your maximum impact. So once you have access to unlock these fresh ideas, because now you have access to your fertile imagination, which is step one of the three step method, it is then that you can choose from all those ideas, the one idea you're going to go all in on. Okay. After you have decided to go all in on that one idea, That is when we could start talking about step three, which is what are the possible roads to income for you on your terms as a mom founder and the pathways to income have everything to do with the things that are within your control, the things, the skills that you need to get very good at, including storytelling, including networking, including productivity. I mean, there's a plethora of skills that I do teach my clients. But then on top of that, there's also this ability and desire to communicate your story and communicate why you are the person to actually help someone else solve their challenge, right? So as a business owner, that is why we opened up our business, our businesses in order to solve challenges. So this three step method, I https: otter. ai into precisely what it would look like to begin this three step method alongside your kids during this summer, and in a way where you do not feel like you are robbing time from your kids, nor robbing time from your business. So, let's get to it. So before we get to the nuances here, overall, the reason why my three step method works for mom founders is because oftentimes we have gears that are just stuck in our minds, right? And so again, we're starting with the imagination, so we have to unlock the ability to come up with fresh solutions, fresh ideas. Then we're filtering, we're going from scatterbrained to focused by having one thing that we're going to focus on. And ultimately that is what's going to help you save time and money. And so now let's go back and see what that looks like for a summer well spent that you absolutely are proud of and excited about come the fall when you're ready to run fast towards your goal. So, this idea of a fertile imagination. Step one, as I said, you have got to turn on your fertile imagination. Here's how you know that your imagination is dead, is in a coma. Well, let's imagine that you have the same challenge this summer as you had last summer and you don't have a new solution. That is how you know that your fertile imagination is turned off. So we've got to be sure that that's step one. Our kids are the best human beings. to help us turn on our fertile imagination. Think about it this way, right? Our kids, they clock in about 10, 000 hours of using their imagination when they're little. Imagine having access to an expert who has clocked in those 10, 000 hours and is not shy about sharing what is in their imagination, right? All right. So here are the three things you can work on with your kids that are related to your business over the summer and not feel guilty about doing so either. First thing, and this is something that I have worked on with my clients in my group coaching program, and I have invited them to actually bring their kids along for the ride. So point, the first point, you can work on your company vision with your kids. So let's imagine you've been in business for six years, for 12 years. For more than one year, chances are your company vision might not be pulling its weight. Your company vision has got to be re imagined with more expansive thinking. Your company vision needs to energize you. Why is that? Because moms, we have finite energy. So we need all of the. Energy levers we can get right in order to keep going. So over this summer, what I would encourage you to think about is your company vision. Your company vision is not a one pager business plan. It's not what you might have on your pitch deck and share with your investors. A company vision is deeply personal. It should be visual and it's okay if it is totally unreasonable. I actually encourage you to make it unreasonable. Thank you. And who's often unreasonable? Our children are often unreasonable. That is why I would invite you to actually, age appropriate, speak with your kids and work on your company vision together. Have them present some dares to you. Have them stretch how you think about what's possible as a business owner. Have them Encourage you to simplify your language pertaining to what makes your business different. So I'm a hundred percent sure you have not thought about this. The reason why I have thought about this is because there's a lot that we say we can't do because we have kids. And I want to flip the script on things that we can do and we could probably do better because we have access to these imagination experts in residence over the summer. So working on your company vision, that is where it's at. And I remember when I was partnering with Michelle, she has an organization that's a nonprofit. And in terms of the work that they do, it's something that you wouldn't imagine talking about with your children. It's about NICU stays, pregnancy, and the loss of children. But even in that scenario, there's a way for you to share your story with your child. And there's a way. For you to really refine your messaging and have them help you focus or hone in on one point of differentiation, where it feels like a good experience. It feels like a meaningful experience. It feels like a quality time spent with your child over the summer. So that is one thing you can totally do over the summer with your kids. You can absolutely whip out the crayons, do what you got to do and think about your company vision. Learn And your vision needs to energize you. If it is not energizing you, then what you just did was come up with like a boring website company description. And that is not what we're going for here. So company vision with your kids, leverage your imagination, make sure you're tapping into your expansive thinking. This can be a fun thing. This is something you could write on a post it note, put on your laptop every time that you feel a bit exhausted, but it'll get you over that hump. That is one thing you could work on over the summer with your kids. There's a process behind them. There's a criteria, a five prong criteria for a company vision. All of that, those are the things that I share with my clients during the group coaching program, which effectively only takes about three hours of your time every single week. And most of it would be on your time because there's an on demand training component too. Here's a second thing you could work on over the summer alongside your kids. And this is, again, having to do with the three step method that I presented earlier. So these are like pieces of the method that I want to bring to life for you, for someone who wants to spend time with her kids, but also wants to continue with her work. Making progress on her business. I encourage you to work on your energy levers with your kids. What does that mean? So in order to be very productive You need to increase your Capacity in order to increase your capacity as a leader of a business It is important that you have the essentials down packed. What do I mean by the essentials? Well, when it comes to your nutrition, when it comes to movement, when it comes to your emotional health, all these things and sleep all need to be worked on in order for you to feel like you have more in you to give to the world. And these are the things you could work on over the summer with your kids. Personally, my kids still go to bed at 8 PM. I don't care if it's a break or not. Because ultimately, mommy doesn't want to break and so for me, when it comes to these energy levers with my children, I mean, I'm very much so well practiced over every single break and that is something you could work on over the summer with your kids and you can feel like you're making them. Major progress pertaining to your business goals in the fall. Why is that? Because right now you need to gather energy. You need to figure out like when you are best, are you a morning person, a nighttime person, do you get more output before your kids wake up or when your kids go to sleep in terms of your business? Figuring those things out now over the summer will pay off in the fall. You don't want to spend the fall season thinking about how to organize yourself. You want to think about and plan these things over the summer and you can absolutely do this with your kids. Here's one thought for, for food or food for thought, right? Imagine if taking a nap with your kid over the summer, like one day, imagine if that would actually be a great investment into your business. Like, is that possible? I know it is. And so I want to encourage you to think about that over the summer. Here's something else that you can work on. This is the third one. Third thing you could work on over the summer with your kids and feel like you're making progress on your business. This idea of storytelling, when it comes to storytelling, it is so urgent that you are able to articulate a story that is going to resonate with the right person. Who can help you take your business to the next level come in the fall. So why not practice the art of storytelling with your children? A, they're going to be honest. If you're telling a story and it's boring, they're going to tell you. B, they're also going to challenge you so that you can really, really have some sort of focused message. You can really be more innovative in terms of the way that you articulate a story. You can speak more clearly, maybe a little faster, make it a bit more punchy. I mean, they can absolutely help you communicate and they can even help you Draw on a napkin your story, draw on a napkin what makes your business different, draw on a napkin your business idea. Why is that important? So here's the thing, when I've spoken with a lot of mom founders who have business ideas and want to bring on investors. They, they have shared with me how they feel that oftentimes a man who has the same idea could just draw something on a napkin and then he'll be cut a million dollar check. And so that is why I encourage you, a mom founder, to actually, over the summer with your kids, again, break out the crayons, the markers, or what have you, and draw on a friggin napkin your ideas. Leverage the art of storytelling, practice this with your children and you will be better off come the fall. Now these are very practical ways for you to optimize your summer days so that this way in the fall you don't feel as rusty. And these are core skills pertaining to networking. And here's what I want to really say about that. When it comes to networking, you need to have a kickass company vision, period. If your company vision doesn't light you up like a Christmas tree, then there's no way that you're going to magnetize the sort of investors, partners, or clients that you would want. That's step one. Two, when it comes to selling anything, enthusiasm and illustrating high energy, again, those energy levers you'll be working on over the summer with your kids. If you don't have that sense of energy and this ability to just like bounce from enthusiasm pertaining to talking about your business, you're just not going to get the attention that you deserve on your business, nor on Your own story. And so again, this is going to be helpful in terms of networking. I'll tell you what, when I interview my podcast guests, for example, when I interviewed Beth Comstock, former CMO of GE, something that she shared with me and on a lot of my podcast guests have shared with me is that they love my energy. And this is not about inflating my ego at all. What it is is it is a strategy I can teach you to grow. But let's start getting the basics down in terms of practicing these energy levers that I just shared earlier with your kids over the summer. Then, when it comes to storytelling, how does this help you with regards to networking? You want to be interesting. Otherwise, who's going to want to hang out with you? And the bar for interesting? Is totally doable. I don't want you to feel like, Oh, I'm not that interesting. I'm just a mom. I just do like regular things like that is absolutely ridiculous. You and I can have the most fun time humanly possible by just talking about something that we have both experienced over the summer. I'm pretty sure we can. And honestly, you are interesting. I just want you to just see that as a fact. I want you to just not even imagine that that's impossible. And at the end of the day, you're so interesting that you decided to create a family and create a business and create a life that you absolutely want. to cherish. So I believe you are interesting. So yeah, interesting people tend to network with interesting people, interesting people hang out with interesting people. And so that is going to be important pertaining to things you could do over the summer to actually go ahead and feel like in the fall, you're not so rusty. You have some very relevant networking skills and you have an idea of what works best for you and your family by way of energy levers. Okay, so what does this all mean for you? I just shared with you a sense of how you can make this summer freaking amazing pertaining for being with your kids and also making progress on your business. I just shared with you things that you can absolutely sneak into the day and leverage your imagination expert in residence at the same time. And these are things that you can do on your own. I mean, you could effectively devote about three hours a week this summer working on these things. Thanks. But, here's the thing. If you don't have the nuances behind my step by step method, my three step method, as in, what each step contains, then it is going to be way harder to get the juice out of this lemon over the summer. The other thing is if you don't have access to other moms that are trying to do the same thing, then that means you're going to be hoping to find motivation to keep going versus having that group experience and that group encouragement available to you if you join me and four other mom founders this June in my group coaching program, fertile imagination. To networking success for mom founders. We kick off in mid June. Now, am I nuts to kick off in mid June for mom founders? Absolutely not. I'm not, because what I know to be true is that all you would need is to dedicate three hours a week for nine weeks through the necessary steps that I have shared with you in this episode, along with the steps that we would go through together. In my group coaching program, this is what I know to be true, to be the case that you need in order to feel so ready in September to speak with the right people and to have the right conversations that can truly take your business to the next level. Let me give you an example with regards to my client, Michelle, something she shared with me, which I'm so proud of pertaining to her experience in the program is the following. She had known about the first IVF baby for years before partnering with me in this program. But having gone through this program and gone from feeling hesitant to put her big dreams out there, too bold about asking for what she wants, she had the guts to actually approach the first IVF baby and ask her to wear her merchandise. And she's like a huge influencer. I'll share the testimonial that Michelle has after this episode, so you can hear what else she got out of the program. But what I encourage you to do is really just imagine, imagine if you used this summer to get so ready for the fall, that in the fall, you didn't feel like you were behind. You didn't feel rusty anymore. You didn't feel like you never get to win and you also got to use this summer in a way that filled your heart as a mom who could be present with her kids and also share with her kids a piece of herself, her business. And I think that's important. I really do think it's important. So here's the action step for you. I want to speak with you. I want to speak with you soon because of the following reason. This cohort of five mom founders in total who are going to be part of Fertile Imagination to Networking Success for Mom Founders this season, so this mid June, this cohort is going to have things that are exclusive opportunities. The investment level for this cohort is going to be at a 30 percent discount for participating in this round in terms of having a private midpoint coaching session that is going to be a bonus for someone that participates in this round starting mid June. You're also going to have an opportunity to be a guest on my podcast. If you're starting in this round again, starting in mid June, and you're going to have my eyes on your business so that you have a sounding board for whenever you want to approach a investor, you want to approach a partner, you want to approach a podcast guests or someone that's going to sponsor your business, you're going to have the opportunity to ask me, Hey, Melissa, am I being direct in what I want? Hey, Melissa, is this email going to get. Opened and is my message on target with what you and I talked about or hey, Melissa, if I do this in the fall, am I going to reap the most rewards or am I going to be like stretching myself thin again? Like I did last year. These are all the sort of questions I have answered for my mom founder clients in the past in my group coaching program. So I want to be sure that. If you are curious about participating in a program with me, this is your shot. This is your shot to participate with me over the summer. And really, I am so, so committed to making sure that when you're partnering with me, we are honest about the motherhood season that you are in. We are honest about the business season that you are in, because that is how we can make it work. It is important that you do spend time on your business, but it is obviously even more important that you're a present parent. And I make sure of it pertaining to my group coaching program. So I will leave you with that. You will hear Michelle's Q& A with me right after this. And I really encourage you to do that. To reach out to me, the link will be in the show notes. You can absolutely schedule 15 minutes with me for free. We'll go through the program details and I will answer everything that's on your mind in terms of the group coaching experience. Again, it would just require three hours of your time each week. Most of it is on your own time from your, your couch or anywhere you are in the world. It'll be about one hour. That is a Q and a session and I'll give you all those details on our 15 minute free call. So go ahead and call me or schedule that time with me. And we will absolutely go through the details. You can also email me melissa. lorina at gmail. com. Everything is in the show notes, and I hope you have the best summer ever. I never do this, but I wanted to just share a conversation between Michelle and myself pertaining to her very specific experience in the fertile imagination to networking success. Group coaching program, certainly, if you have any questions pertaining to being one of my five mom founders this summer, so that this way in the fall, you are as confident and competent as Michelle is in distinguishing her organization versus anyone else and the confidence that she had to reach out to the first IVF baby. If you want some of that confidence by this fall, Go ahead and send me an email, Melissa dot Lorena at gmail. com or sign up for 15 minutes with me on my calendar. You can see all this information in the show notes right on your device. All right. Enjoy the conversation. It is really raw and candid, and I hope that it really answers any questions pertaining to what it would be like to partner with me and to have me as a mentor, I would love to have the conversation and I'd be honored to support you and your company.

What's your calling? Ever thought you might be called to something more? What if your calling is waiting to be answered today? This could be the most inconvenient time for a calling to come your way, yet it can also be the perfect time for you to rise up and show up for yourself and others. If this resonates with you, then this is the episode you won't want to miss. Join us as we dive into a conversation with Michelle Valiukenas, a mom founder who answered her calling and created an incredible impact through The Colette Louise Tisdahl Foundation. I'm thrilled to introduce you to Michelle Valiukenas, an extraordinary mom founder whose journey and accomplishments are nothing short of inspiring. Michelle is the founder of The Colette Louise Tisdahl Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to improving outcomes in pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, and infancy, as well as supporting grieving families through financial assistance, education, and advocacy. But this episode is about more than just Michelle's impressive achievements. It's about you and the unique calling in your life. My intention for this conversation is to encourage you to answer that calling, to find the courage and inspiration to pursue your purpose just as Michelle has. Throughout our discussion, which feels as much like a mentorship session as it does an interview, you'll hear the powerful story behind The Colette Louise Tisdahl Foundation and the critical needs it addresses—needs that often go unmet by insurance, social workers, and government organizations. Michelle's story is a poignant reminder that the problems you see and the passions you hold might be signs pointing you toward your own calling. You might think that someone else is already tackling the issues that matter to you, but as Michelle's experience shows, there are gaps that only you can fill. This episode is your sign to step up and make a difference. So, let's dive in and explore how you can answer the calling in your life, just as Michelle has. Let's talk about your calling. https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ This episode is brought to you by Fertile Imagination to Networking Success: a LIVE 9-week group coaching masterclass designed to fast-track your connections with the right people to elevate your business. Before we continue today's conversation with today's guest Michelle, a participant of the Fertile Imagination to Networking Success for Mom Founders program I want to ask you a question.   Are you a visionary mom founder who knows that she needs to get better at networking because the growth of her business depends on it? Has feeling awkward, or uncomfortable ever gotten in your way from putting yourself in the right rooms and stepping forward to talk to the right people who can cut you a huge check that can change the trajectory of your business and take your business to its rightful next level? This is an exclusive call for 5 mom founders to join FI to Networking Success this summer. By dedicating just 3 hours a week, you'll be prepared to hit the ground running this fall. You'll get better at networking, identify the right connections to propel your business forward with clarity, and develop a mom-friendly strategy that works regardless of your kids' needs. My proven three-step method—Imagination to Impact to Income—will help you confidently and competently put yourself out there, ensuring you stay connected to your business and dreams in a manageable way, even as you spend more time with your kids this summer. You can have both. But here's the catch—you need to act fast. If improving your networking and selling skills is a priority, now is the time. This transformative program is available at a 30% discount for those who join my June cohort. To secure your spot, we must talk in May. If you wait until June, the investment level will increase and spots may be filled. Will I offer this program again? Not in this way and not with these exclusive add-ons: An intimate, five-participant cohort of mission-driven mom founders. This means personalized access to me, similar to a VIP one-on-one mentorship, which could be valued at 10X the investment level of this group coaching program. As an added bonus, you will be featured and heavily advertised as a guest on my podcast, Unimaginable Wellness, alongside trailblazers like Suzy Batiz, Asha Curran, and Beth Comstock. For a limited time, you'll have direct access to me for personalized feedback on your outreach efforts—an invaluable opportunity to accelerate your progress and maximize your results. Exclusive to securing your spot in May for June, you'll receive a midpoint private session. This working session will focus on executing your outreach plan—it's about immersion and action. Move quickly to take advantage of this unique opportunity and transform your business while nurturing your family. Secure your 15-minute program details call today! Book a 15-minute call HERE:  https://go.oncehub.com/ClientSessionMelissaLlarena Let me know if you have questions about the program via email Melissa[.]Llarena [at] gmail.com Official bio Michelle Valiukenas, once described as a "social worker trapped in the body of an attorney," began her career representing domestic and sexual assault victims in litigation. After a decade, she was called in another direction after losing her second baby, Colette.  She remains the proud mom of two angel babies, Sweet Pea and Colette, and her only living child, her son, Elliott Miguel. Michelle now runs The Colette Louise Tisdahl Foundation, which she founded to improve outcomes in pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, and through infancy as well as support grieving families through financial assistance, education, and advocacy. Since its launch in 2018, the foundation has helped over 2,300 families and distributed more than $1.5 million in grants.  Their ability to give is dependent on the generosity of donors, partners, and supporters and any help is always appreciated. A writer, speaker, and advocate, Michelle addresses topics like infertility, pregnancy loss, and parenting after loss. She advocates for reproductive rights, health equity, infertility awareness, and the needs of families.  At home, she enjoys relaxing with her son, husband Mark, and their dog, Nemo. Links: Donate: www.colettelouise.com FB: https://www.facebook.com/colettetisdahl IG: https://www.instagram.com/colettelouisetisdahl/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellevaliukenastisdahl/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheTisdahl You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbanq9_1LEX6hoxGeLGU3Zg Transcript: So let's start with. With you. So Michelle, share with us, share with the listeners who you are and a bit about your organization and really, really let us know like what makes your organization distinguishable versus other organizations in this space. Absolutely. Well, thank you. So I'm Michelle. I'm a mom of three. I have two angel babies, Sweetpea and Colette, and an almost four year old who I think has the energy of all three of them. And our road to parenthood was It was tough. We struggled with infertility. I've only ever gotten pregnant via IBF and we lost our first pregnancy and then with our second, our daughter Collette made it past the scary first trimester and when I was 21 weeks pregnant, I was hospitalized with severe preeclampsia. And told you'll be here until you deliver. And so just talk about the world sort of just coming to a pause and thinking, what is it, what are we going to do? And once I was hospitalized, I was in the hospital about a day or two, it occurred to me how blessed and how lucky I was that we could actually afford. to handle this hospitalization and what was likely going to be a NICU stay. And I also realized in that same vein is that I knew I was definitely the minority that could do that. And so I remember turning to my husband and saying, we need to do something about this, all of that. And he, he turned to me and he said, please, for the love of God, could you please just worry about yourself once? And I said, well, that's not really what I do. Who are you married? What are you talking about? But really it just sort of stayed with me and throughout the whole process it kept coming back to me in my head. Ultimately I was in the hospital just over three weeks and then the doctors recommended delivery. So Collette was born at 24 weeks and five days and went straight to the NICU. And we spent nine days in the NICU before she died and I always call it she gained her angel wings.  In that whole process, going through NICU and seeing the whole, the toll it takes on parents, right? And I was being told by doctors and nurses, and I was hearing doctors and nurses tell other parents, you might want to save your leave time, go back to work now, and save your leave time for when baby comes home. And I had a very difficult  postpartum recovery, and I couldn't imagine. I was in no shape to go back to work. There was absolutely no way that I could have gone back to work. And Just thinking about that and thinking how much time they were losing with their kids and not being participating. And so all of those kinds of things just kind of sort of making this idea and this thought process  to provide financial assistance for families. And when I got out, so I had worked in nonprofits my whole life, and when I got out, I had always sworn.  I would never, ever, ever, ever, ever start my own nonprofit. And so funny things never say never. And so I thought somebody else was doing this. And what I found was I'm still to the state. I don't see that anybody is touching the pregnancy part in terms of financial assistance. And that to me was very important.  So organizations were hitting NICU or law and or loss.  But nobody was helping pregnancy. There were very specific locations, so it might be a certain state, a certain county, certain hospital. And there was very formulaic, this is what we provide, are these things.  And so I was looking at it and I was thinking, first of all, On the location idea,  I've always been a proponent of health equity and fairness, and I thought why should it mean that, like, just because I deliver at a certain hospital, I can get financial assistance, but if I deliver at another hospital, I can't. So that was very much a thought process. The fact that pregnancy wasn't included, and I felt like that was a big piece of not only our story, but of a lot of people's stories, right? And, and it's just kind of. Makes sense. If you're helping in pregnancy, you have less there's less chance of long NICU hospitalizations and less chance of loss.  And so doing that. And then I didn't want to be very formulaic. I wanted to know for me, it's always like every family is different and has different needs. And so I really wanted something that would  Allow us to look at each application, each family independently and adjust what we were doing based on their need. And so we launched on CLED's due date, so September 7th of 2018, and it's just been amazing to see the, the takeoff and the need that is happening. So we are. Right now we have helped over 2, 300 families. We've hit all 50 States and we've given away a little over 1. 5 million. And it's just been crazy. And we're not, we're not meeting the need. I mean, the need is so great. And so many people just really find themselves in these situations that become crises. And that there's no planning for a lot of these.   So I was curious, that thought somebody else is doing this, somebody else must be paying attention to this cause. I think that's something that happens oftentimes when, when we feel like, okay, there's a little bit of media coverage, as they say, like maternity leave, paternity leave, like these topics are like spoken of, right? Like in media, social media and all of that. And so it's, it's very easy. For us to assume, well, someone else must be handling that. There must be someone who's the advocate of this message and this cause. And so my question to you is the following. So in your world, right? Like where does the book stop? So like certain organizations are handling. What sort of expenses, and then where do you like close the gap or meet the need that is not being fulfilled by those entities or other entities?  Right. Great question. So I think one of the biggest things is that there's a cap on services. So there's organizations that, for example, will give to families that qualify under their guidelines, they will give 100 gift card. And that could be gas, that could be food, that kind of thing. And that's great. And we still, we have a lot of our families who have also requested that help or received that help, depending on how it is.  And so that's something, again, like the pregnancies piece is not a problem. Being taken into, into account,  some organizations, they have X amount of dollars and they give them out where we're very fiscally responsible about how we're giving them out throughout the year, but there are some organizations that might get X amount of dollars. And then once that's up, they're done until the next budget cycle. And so not loving that where we're not  stuck to. A certain dollar amount, we're not stuck to what people might need. And we've been very adaptable to what our families need. We didn't think about just because it wasn't something that really factored into our experience, but we didn't think about the cost of transportation and that being a really big request and that remains our number one, number two request. And it makes sense because we have found that our average family is traveling 62 miles one way to the NICU. And so that's a. Huge cost that adds up really, really quickly, right? And that's the average. I mean, we've had people who are driving, driving 200, 300 miles to do, to get to the NICU. And so I think we've been very much like, let's hear from families. Let's see what they need. We also spent a lot of time talking with social workers to say, what are the things coming up? But really it's trying to get a little bit of support so that a family could it. Do a pregnancy bedrest or limitations that they can be seen their babies as much as they can, that they can do the memorialization of their loss. And so it's really been, I mean, we sit and we review every single application and really read it and, and really try to find where it is that we can help.  And what are the things that we can do that gets  Things accomplished. And I think that that's really unique. We, we don't have formulaic anything. I mean, we look at it. There are things we've never covered that will come up. So for example, I'm thinking of,  we had a girl who was 16, had a baby in the NICU and what she had told her social worker, her biggest fear was that she was sort of stuck in this cycle. Her mom had gotten pregnant very young with her. Her grandmother had gotten very pregnant with her mother. And neither of them had finished high school. And so for her. She was like, I want to do better for my, for my child. And so she said, I would like to finish my high school degree. And so they worked with us and the hospital was able to find a laptop that she could use to do online school while she was sick. at the NICU, so with her baby, being able to do that. And we helped with her tuition to finish that degree. And so it's not in the grand scheme of things, like it's not necessarily that her being able to do this meant her baby did better, but it also meant she was starting something and, and doing something and breaking a cycle, which I think is a huge issue. And so those are the things that we want to hear about too. All of those like unique one off things. Situations that may only happen to one family ever and really taking the time to look at those.   Okay. So again, on that thread, right? Somebody else is doing this because I think, like, let's say like watching TV and seeing current events and seeing things on TV and we're kind of like stuck in our own lives, right? We're like, okay, well, I have food. I have water. I have resources as an example. And I imagine a lot of the listeners might feel really, really confused. Blessed and also just like, not in the same state of needing donations, right? In order to get through a really rough and emotionally trying moment. So, okay. Along that thread of somebody else is doing this. It sounds to me, Michelle, that. Somebody else was not going to help that girl  feel a sense of accomplishment and then carry that, that positive feeling and emotional state as she was with her NICU baby, like, and babies Feel us like they know, right? Like they know if mommy is okay, like they can tag. So, okay. So somebody else was not doing that in terms of tuition for this one person. So same idea. Why don't you share a couple of other instances that might not feel so obvious to someone that's never been in that situation, but would like to help you, especially Mother's Day just passed. And obviously. We don't really need just one day to be celebrated and respected. This should be like annual all the time forever. So, okay, what's another thing that somebody else was not doing, but through the foundation, you guys were doing and you guys are a lean team. I just want to say that right now. Like when, when, when we're saying when Michelle is saying like somebody else is doing this, it's like legit, like a. Family in a house with a child, with a bunch of energy and trying to do something that's so amazing. Right. So go ahead. Give us another, another moment. Yeah, I think  we've done things like a family who has lost a baby and maybe was able to come up with the money for a cremation, but might just have ashes in a box and don't have them in a really pretty urn. Right. And, and it's not that urns are super expensive, but. If a family has been through a lot and may not be able to afford the 400, the 500 that an earn could be. So those are things on the last thing as well. Sometimes we have families who, again, they've, they've had something covered. It might be that.  Their particular community has a, has a program, has a plan. Sometimes funeral homes just donate the whole thing and they, they like recoup the expenses,  things like that. But then they want memorial jewelry. They want something that they can hold onto their baby as they go forward. And especially in really early pregnancy losses, they don't get the, they don't get the funerals and services and things like that. And so that might be the only way that they can really remember their baby and remember what that means. And so some people will sort of look at it and say, why are you covering jewelry? And what we know is that that's.  That's not just a piece of jewelry, right? This is not, this is something that is really important and that reminds people. I mean, you talked about Mother's Day and I think anybody who has ever lost  from the earliest pregnancy all the way through an infant knows that a lot of people, especially the earlier in the pregnancy that it is,  don't really look at people like moms and dads. And so that's something that I think is saying. Even if the world doesn't see me, that I know and I'm recognizing my motherhood, my fatherhood,  and I think that's really important to do. On NICU, it's been, sometimes it's medical equipment that they're sent home with that insurance doesn't cover. So it might be the,  I'm trying to think, it's like there's an oxygen concentrator that a lot of babies are sent home with that they might need and it could be a couple hundred dollars and insurance doesn't cover that or they're deductible. And so we're helping with those kinds of situations because we don't want kids going back to the NICU. We don't want parents  Because they have no other option, skipping doctor recommended steps and things like that because they can't have another option. Helping with  post NICU, right? So sometimes we have a family who has already been discharged, but when I talked about the distance, Of a NICU that also means that once they go home, they have a distance of doctor's appointments and they may have a lot depending on NICU babies can, can run the whole spectrum of things. Right. And so if they have to see multiple doctors pretty regularly and they're doing that drive,  we want to help with those situations.  We want to help when they go, if they have to go back to the hospital, which is always terrible, but some, we will do that too. We've had. Family is where baby is sent home, but then needs heart surgery or some sort of surgery and they need to be older and weigh more and be a little bit healthier. So they'll go home for six months and then come back and then the costs are the same, but they're not NICU, they're in a different situation. And for us, we use NICU, but very, very adapted kind of things of what that really means.  And I think that that's really important. Anything in the pregnancy sphere can be childcare. If you think of a stay at home mom who hasn't really needed to use childcare and then is put on bed rest, any parents, anybody who's been around toddlers and kids knows bed rest with children around that's not happening. Right. And so is it childcare so that the pregnant person can. Actually have some bed rest or in situations where they can't lift a lot with that child care help doing that, all of those kinds of things that just I think are so useful and so helpful. We had, we had a story of a woman who, and luckily her doctor was really responsive. She was missing. She was a high risk pregnancy and she had to be going to weekly visits pretty early in the pregnancy. Okay. And the doctor started noticing that she would miss appointments last minute and cancel last minute or not show up or show up an hour late, all this. And luckily the doctor reached out to a social worker and said, I don't know what's going on, but something clearly is happening. And so the social worker reached out and it turned out she didn't have reliable transportation. She was relying on not a great public trans,  not a really great public transportation option or relying on friends and family for rides. And that wasn't. Reliable. And so we were able to set her up so that she was using, she could use lift rides that were charged to our account to go to and from prenatal visits. Right. And so, you know, you look at that and you think she ended up giving birth to, I think the baby was either full term or very close to full term. So baby was in the hospital a couple of days and then released. Right. And did her going to regular prenatal appointments help that? Absolutely. Absolutely. And so I think it's really just being gracious and understanding. And I think that one of the things that also separates us from a lot of places is we've been through all three of these stages. And so we know, and we can think of things. I mean, we're talking about the distance of NICU. Colette was in a NICU that was, 10 to 15 minutes from our house and that felt so far for us and that we actually looked into do we get an Airbnb right here? The reason why we didn't was because the way that the hospital is set up, there was hotel options was still going to be like a five minute drive and things like that. And so we ultimately were like, well, we'd rather be in our comfort in our home  if we're already going to have this. But if there had been a hotel across the street, We would have been in that  and that was very something. So when you start adding up long distances where people can't go every day, can't, they're going once a week or whatever, that's really difficult. That's really something else. So  this episode is brought to you by Fertile Imagination to Networking Success, a live masterclass designed to fast track your connections with the right people to elevate your business. Before we continue today's conversation with our guest, Michelle, a participant of the fertile imagination to networking success program, I want to ask you a question. Are you a visionary mom founder? We're hearing Michelle's story and she has a huge vision and a huge ask. But do you also have a big mission that you want to fulfill in this one divine life? If it is the case for you, here's the question. Has not being able to network with confidence, with poise, with intention ever gotten in your way? Do you feel like not feeling that networking comes naturally for you, or maybe it's this feeling awkward about talking to strangers, or maybe you put your foot in your mouth, or you just don't know what to say or how to start, has that ever gotten in the way of the growth of your business? Does the growth of your business actually depend on building relationships that are mutually beneficial with other people, people who you do not yet know. If that is the case, then this is a call for five mom founders only. I want you and I to have a conversation about this if this is pulling at your heart if networking is something that you need to get better at five mom founders this summer will be partnering together to help one another get better at networking and the best part it'll be this summer. It'll only require three hours a week on your terms and time so that this way come this September, you can hit the ground running, totally running. So you get better at networking. If you participate in fertile imagination to networking success, you'll be able to identify the right connections to propel your business forward in the fall. with clarity and you would have already developed a mom friendly strategy that works regardless of what your kids need. My proven three step method that Michelle knows intimately at this point, the imagination, To impact to income method will help you get way better at networking just in time for the fall. And it's going to help you be more confident and feel more connected. Competent about putting yourself out there so that you can do it a lot more in the fall so that this way you are going to stay connected over the summer with your business so that come in the fall, you will not feel like a fish out of the water. You will not feel like it's been a little bit. You're a little rusty when it comes to being a professional and engaging with people. You know why? Because over the summer as one of the five mom founders who can participate in my group coaching experience, you will have an opportunity to To work on your story, you will have an opportunity to understand how you need to plan out the rest of your year as it relates to your networking activities. You will have clarity in terms of what needs to happen in the fall. So that this way, regardless of where you are in terms of your annual goals, you can exceed them. So that this way, if you feel behind on what you have been able to accomplish the beginning of this year, you can accelerate, put the foot on the gas and talk to people who already know what you need to do in order to improve your business outcomes. So here's something that I wanted to share with you. I would love to have a conversation with you. If this is resonating, if you know that networking is something that you have got to get good at. And there is no time like the summer when business might be a little slower, when you might be able to have more time to yourself as opposed to supporting clients so that this way you can do all the work it takes in order to feel completely ready in the fall by way of networking. So here's something that is so important. I am only bringing on five mom founders this summer.  Is huge. This is going to be unlike any other time in my life. I wanna tell you exactly why you will want to talk to me on a 15 minute call on Zoom about. How networking can help your business grow exponentially, immediately. So you will want to reach out to me this month of May because only if you and I speak this May and only if you participate in my cohort this summer, Will you have access to these bonuses, these extras, these never again coming your way opportunities in terms of being part of Fertile Imagination to Networking Success, the program that Michelle, the guest on today's episode, participated in and has gotten success from. Here we go. So only now this program, this nine week program that is virtual, that will only need three hours of your time each week. And really two hours are on your time, wherever you are in the world. It's on demand. One hour will be with me and a group of four other like minded, intense, wonderful women who also want to learn how to network. But here's the thing. So this program is available only this time at a 30 percent discount for those who joined my June cohort and there will only be five spots. That is it. And that is why it is important to speak now in May in order to secure your spot so that this way you get guaranteed that spot in June. If you wait beyond June to speak with me about this group coaching program, the investment level is going to increase and the spots are not guaranteed whatsoever. Now will I offer this program again? Not in this way, not with these exclusive add ons. Let me explain. Here are the add ons that will never come your way again. If you do not have a conversation with me, this may pertaining to participating in the virtual imagination to networking success. group coaching program, which is virtual. Okay. Never again, exclusive to the first five mom founders who participate in this program this June exclusive. So five people will be in this cohort. It is going to be intimate. It is practically personalized access to me. Very similar to a VIP one on one mentorship experience over the course of nine weeks. And that could have been valued at least 10 X the investment level. So I want to just say that is huge. This investment level, this level of access for me to answer your questions so that you are totally unstoppable in the fall will not happen again. It will only happen for these five mom founders at this 30 percent discounted rate. If that, this might actually be more than a 30 percent discounted rate at this moment. Also exclusive to joining me as the group of five, this June month. Also, you will be featured and heavily advertised as a guest on my  podcast, unimaginable wellness, this right here and this platform. There are trailblazers who are also featured like Susie Batiste,  who invests in different businesses like Asha Karan, who. I mean, has spread generosity throughout the world. People like Beth Comstock, the former CMO of GE, who's on the board of different organizations. You will absolutely be in the scene in the same Light in terms of these icons, because you will have an opportunity to be on my podcast and I will feature you and your story like no one's business that is not coming for anyone beyond the five mom founders this June, that is exclusive, that is, that is worth the price of entry period. Also, for a limited time, only if you participate in June at this discounted rate of 30%, only in June, will you have personalized feedback from me on your outreach efforts? What does that mean? If you have to go and write an email to the chief procurement officer of L'Oreal, I will hold your hand and I will, I will help you write exactly the right words. I will help you ensure that that person gets back to you. That is how high touch this very specific program will be in June only. Also by securing your spot and talking to me in May so that you are one of the five mom founders in this cohort. You will also receive a midpoint private session. This working session is going to focus on executing your outreach plan. It's about immersion and action. It is about getting this done. There is just no way under the sun. I want any mom to feel left behind or behind on her ambitions. I am in it to win it with you first five mom founders. We must talk in May about one of five spots in June. Again, you're going to want to move very quickly to learn further details about fertile imagination to networking success, a group coaching program that will launch in June. Michelle already went through it. You can hear her story. You can witness how I would coach you. If you were a participant in this group, And you could also have a sense for the fact that Michelle got a lot more than she imagined. Not only has it been favorable in terms of her business, in terms of her boldness, in terms of how she's going out and talking to people that can absolutely change the course of her non profit,  Also, she realizes, appreciates, and does not feel any longer conflicted about spending time with her son playing, because now the reframe is that that is in support of your imagination, the skill that you need in order to innovate in your business, in order to thrive. Talk to people in order to have a conversation. That's going to be fruitful for everyone. And in order for you to achieve what is on your heart. So my question to you again is, are you a visionary mom founder? If you are, let's talk, just head on over to the link in my show notes. If you are listening to this on a drive, on a run. And then go ahead and write my email address. It is melissa.  larina at gmail. com m e l i s s a dot l l a r e n a at gmail. com. I could've given you my business email, but I wanted to give you one that was 100 percent straight to me. And this has to be done in May so that you can be guaranteed one of five spots in June so that you can absolutely have the answers that you need real time practically so that you can be part of an intimate group of women who want to be and bring the best of themselves to both of their worlds. Being a mom and being a business owner as well. You can have it all this summer. This program is truly, truly, truly flexible because it was built for mom founders. That is precisely what I have been for 12 years, and I am honored to support and serve you on your journey. So go ahead, reach out to me, look in the show notes. I will put a direct link to my calendar for 15 minutes also. That's an alternative. So it's quite simple to get in touch with me. Email me or schedule the 15 minute. I appreciate either approach and my Instagram account is also always in the show notes. So. Either way you slice it, I'm available for it. And there's not much time. It is like May 16 today, the day that I am recording this. So please be aware that as I speak to people first come first serve, these exclusives are exclusive. If you and I speak in May and you don't, you join in the June cohort. Okay. So a little bit more information. What. is inside fertile imagination for networking success. I want to just share with you a bit more so you will know how to initiate the right conversations with the right people who can take your business to the next level fastest. So you're going to have your own signed paperback copy of my bestseller fertile imagination so that this way you can transcend the limitations of your current ceiling and unlock your most expansive thinking. That is really important when you're a mom founder. And you've got a lot of things that change. Okay. You will also Have access to weekly on demand training videos that will empower you with the imagination to impact to income method. What does this mean? You will have a step by step system to elevate your company and personal vision. You will know how to pinpoint your primary focus for maximum business impact. You will know how to increase your energy and productivity. You will know how to innovate. You will know, you will know how to navigate imposter syndrome, refine your leadership narrative and strategize networking efforts, right? Tailored to your business, tailored to your stage of motherhood. That is huge. I have not seen that anywhere in my entire life, which is why I wanted to create it. Then in terms of time with me, with the other members of this cohort, this very special cohort that will be happening in June, you will have an opportunity to join us nine times and ask us anything in terms of what you've got going on. We will be doing some role playing or hot seat sessions. We will be able to help you really regain your weekly focus. Every single week is a different week. And so we are there for it because It's like minded women, and you will have lifetime access to these resources and implementation tools very specifically so that you can turbocharge your networking efforts come this fall, the rest of the year, the rest of your life, please be aware this program is one where it is live in the sense that every week. I will help you every week you have a question. Something is getting in your way from the growth of your business or achieving a networking win. I will help you if you have anything that has held you in the past from investing in yourself. I invite you to consider this an investment in your legacy. This is not an investment in yourself alone. This is an investment in the legacy of you and your family. When I think about my podcast and the skills that I've used and how I have used my imagination to impact to income method, this has helped me build a treasure trove or treasure box of contacts and humans and beautiful people that can not only help me right now, and I can help of course, but can then help my children and my children's children going forward. This is not about me. The program is not about you. This is an investment in your legacy. So let's go and have that conversation. 15 minutes and the link is available for you. Enjoy the rest of the conversation.  Yeah. I mean, what I'm hearing you say, Michelle, is that. What distinguishes your organization versus the big name organizations that I'm sure a lot of people have heard of that are in a similar space, maybe not specifically pregnancy, but kind of thereabouts, is that the dollars that are donated to Your organization are going to actually get through to a patient or a parent. And then on top of that, there's something very distinguishable, which is the simple fact that  a lot of people have lost touch. With what other people who are emotionally incapable of expressing what they need, they've lost touch of what someone actually needs, like only, only someone like yourself and your family, Michelle could read an application and say, you know what, no, this person is asking for a piece of jewelry with their child's name, birthday, whatever it might be, not because they just want to be flashy, but because they Because this is like the emotional connection that they get to have, like literally just softly on top of their heart. You know what I mean? Like, I don't know that someone who hasn't been through it would read an application in the same way. And I also don't imagine that a big organization that has been around is going to be as sensitive because it's, it's a reality, right? So different organizations have different. KPIs and they have different commitments that they have to make to different people. But this organization is, is so grassroots. It's so real and it's been already impactful across the 50 states over a million dollars. I mean, what's the exact number I want to be sure just  over 1. 5.  Yeah. Yeah. Operating out of your home while you're looking at your child and your husband is. Your support. So I think, I think there's a lot to be said in terms of getting to know your organization, getting to know you and really supporting you. And I want, I want to just ask you something that's like, so, so bold. I mean, like we're talking like. I don't even know another planet, right? Kind of bold. So let's just imagine, let's imagine that there is someone listening to this conversation right now. And this person has, they got their tax money back, let's say, right? So they got like some thousands of dollars back from taxes and they themselves Maybe they're a rainbow baby, right? Or maybe, or maybe they have suffered some sort of a loss or have some reason to kind of want to support moms. Like what would be like that magic wand check that you would want that person to consider cutting and give it 30 days? Yeah, so I will tell you my, my goal right now is by the end of 2024 is to raise an additional 50, 000. The reason for that amount is we are budgeted right now to be fiscally responsible. We are budgeted, we give away 5, 000 every week and the need is far out far exceeding what we're giving out. We are always looking and so like any extra dollars that we can do, we are always trying to do a little bit more. Then that, but that's what we can responsibly know. We do. 50, 000 would allow us to go up to 6, 000 a week, which means that every week we would be helping between one and two more families. So our average giver give right now is about 500 a family.  We do have up to a thousand with some families who just really need a lot more assistance And so it would really end up being probably a hundred more families next year that we could help And so that's that's really my goal So if anybody wants to write a fifty thousand dollar check today I would absolutely adore it and I would then be able to spend the rest of the year Perhaps just maybe getting we can get to 200 families, right? So that's really what I would say, but I think You On the donation piece, and I, and I really, this is something we've really worked hard for is we have worked with certain donors and they cover our overhead costs. And like Melissa said, we are very lean organization is mostly me. My husband helps me review applications just to see, I brought on an assistant to finally help me who works 20 hours a week. So we are very, very lean organization, but we have worked with donors. And so we have a couple of donors who cover our overhead. Expenses. And so every donation that comes in goes directly to the financial assistance program and directly to a family. So I, for me, that's always something I have looked at at other organizations. And I think there's some really big organizations that if you did, if you looked at. They are giving your, your donations going 50 percent to marketing or to anything like that. And that was something I wanted to be really clear that that was not our goal with raising money. Our goal was to help a lot, as many families as we could. And so it's going directly. 100 percent of that is going to a family in need.  Perfect. Perfect. And so then I just wanted to slice that number up a bit because I know that someone listening might be like 50, 000. Oh my God, from my personal family budget. But no, let's think creatively, right? Let's use our imagination. So. What would be some other ways that someone can help who is listening to this conversation? And let me just like, start with this one idea. First of all, for the most part, if you work for an employer, they have a matching system, so that's an option available to you. So let's just imagine 25 is like, Not possible. So let's just say whatever the half of 25 is work was possible, right? Let's just imagine. Then you would ask your employer to have the other half. And again, I'm just thinking very big. That's one way, but something that you shared with me as a result of being in my group coaching program was this idea of using your birthday and how that was really, really helpful. So why don't you explain that? Cause that might be.  An alternative for people  listening, right? Yeah, we found the birthday really started on on Facebook and that you could have fundraisers for your birthday that your friends and family could donate to and that they would do it through Facebook. They would get tax receipts. Yeah, that way. And so it was a really good way. And so what we found was that families and friends who are doing that we're having pretty good success rates and right. And it could be anywhere from 100 to 100 up to it's really dependent on what the person would want us. That is a goal and much sort of promoting they want to do of that.  Really, we were finding that that was a great way. I think, especially, I mean, as all of us get older, right, I don't want a lot of stuff. And so I would prefer that somebody donate, you know, those funds to a cause I would really believe in. Like, I would prefer those kinds of, Things. And so I think that's a great way to tell people, like, don't, don't spend your money on a gift for me. I don't need a gift. Could you instead donate to a cause I really believe in? And I think a lot of people are willing to do that and really willing to say, okay, that's great. One of the things, I mean, just today, my mom and her birthday is in October. So she's already thinking ahead that far. She said, I'd like to go to dinner with the family and then anything that you would have spent on me, I would like to be donated to the foundation. And that's a really, it's a really beautiful way to do things. And it's a really great way to just sort of say, I'm going to do it. And that a lot of people, I think we all can. Generally afford from  time anywhere from 25 to 50 if, and that's saying you don't really have a lot of money, a lot of wiggle room in your budget.  And so if you have good friends who would spend that amount of money on you to take you for dinner or for for drinks or something like that, or who would give you a gift saying instead, okay, don't don't do that and donate to a cause that I really believe in. And so that we have found is really been a huge. Like way that people can, can take advantage of, and it doesn't just have to be birthdays. It can be, I have a friend of mine from college who had twins in the NICU and she always promised that if everything worked out and they came home, that she would do a donation every year on their birthday. And so she does it for her kids birthdays. Right. And so I think it's just really great ways to,  to kind of continue that. And   Yeah, absolutely. And so before we close, just because you have a t shirt and I know that you have merchandise that is also in light of this organization, what does your t shirt say? It's a blue shirt for anyone listening  to the audio. And then it says mama of an angel. And so. Yeah. And we have all of the, like we have of angel and of NICU warrior. We have mom, dad, grandma, grandpa,  siblings. So my son wears often wear a brother of an angel shirt for NICU or NICU babies. We have onesies all the way up through kids shirts so that they themselves are NICU warriors. And then even in adult sizes, we have that as well.  We have an IVF line that we have recently come out with. Yeah. For something that is really at risk and, and really trying to be challenged in a lot of different ways. So again, it's IVF baby all the way up through adult t shirts, IVF mom, dad, all of that. Yeah.  And then,  Oh, and then we also just added, I was like, I knew there was another  area, but we just also added at a recommendation of a social worker we work with who said, I don't have personal experience, but I really want to root for people. So we now have an advocate line. So it's NICU advocate, IVF advocate, and loss advocate. And so really just trying to, I think, Okay. And you said this one time was like a t shirts, not just a t shirt. And I think that's really important when I wear this shirt and I have a NICU warrior and I have an IVF advocate and all of those things, when I wear this, I feel closer to Colette and, and it's also something that. My joke is always, I talk about a lot of taboo topics, right? When I wear these, I'm also telling other people like it's okay. And you are not alone. You're not the only other person. And it's so interesting how I get such great feedback where people will come up to me and say, well, I also have an angel baby or my sister. Lost a child or anything like that. And I think that's a really great just connection way to know that you're not alone and to know that other people are experiencing that and talking about it. So yes. And the proceeds go to our financial assistance program as well. So  perfect, Michelle. So let's just give everyone a sense of where they can go to learn more about you and the organization. So website, social handles, what are they?  Yeah. So it's Colette one L two T's Louise. com is our website on Facebook. We're Colette Tisdall T I S D A H L on Instagram. It's Colette Louise Tisdall on Twitter, which is my, my personal favorite. It's the Tisdall and, and then we're on YouTube, LinkedIn, and just really Google us. We come up and you can kind of check out all the different things.  Thank you, Michelle. So I wanted to just close by saying the following because I think it really, it, it, it's important that, and this needs to be said period, but this idea that somebody else is doing this or somebody else must be doing this, or somebody might be paying attention to this topic is, is so like, that's a really dangerous thought. It's a really, really dangerous thought, and I think we have evidence of that in our surroundings and the world at these, at this time, and I think it's also, it's also something that needs to be really, really, you need to sit with this idea that, guess what? What if it's you? What if it's you who is supposed to be the advocate of that cause? What if it's you that's supposed to solve that challenge? What if it's you that's supposed to open your mouth, use your loud voice and amplify someone else who is no longer here on this earth? What if it's you? And I'm saying that to Listeners, I'm saying that to myself, I'm saying that to Michelle, like, I think it's really, really unfortunate that oftentimes when we see things, it's almost like we're desensitized, and we look the other way, like, oh, they must not be talking to me, there must be someone else handling this, that's super powerful. Here's the reality, oftentimes, there just is not. There, there really is not, there is not. And so I invite anyone that's listening more than anything else. There might be something on your heart. There might be a message that you want to share that you are thinking to yourself. Nah, they, I couldn't possibly make a dent in that world or, or someone else must be handling that. And I want you to just. Really thoughtfully sit with that, even meditate and consider the idea that maybe somebody else is not handling it and that somebody else is actually supposed to be you. And so I want to just end right there. Thank you so much, Michelle. And, and all of your links, you're welcome. And all of your links are going to be in the show notes. So if you're listening to this. Just look at the device at the bottom, look in the description and you'll see all these links at the same time. Michelle is super, super approachable. So if you want to know what's the best way for you to donate money to the organization, reach out to her. Would Instagram be the preferred place to kind of just send you a DM? That's totally  fine. Any of the social media, any of that, like I said, we're really lean. So I'm, I'm checking all of those. There's no, nobody else is doing that. So, yes,  it is definitely a very lean team. So thank you again, Michelle and anyone that's listening. If this really caught your attention, if you want to be that somebody else for this organization, do not hesitate and reach out to Michelle, or if you want to reach out to me, cause we're already hanging out on Instagram and I could reach out to Michelle, I'm happy to be the conduit. So thank you again, everyone. And until next Tuesday. I never do this, but I wanted to just share a conversation between Michelle and myself pertaining to her very specific experience in the Fertile Imagination to Networking Success group coaching program. Certainly, if you have any questions pertaining to being one of my Five mom founders this summer. So that this way in the fall, you are as confident and competent as Michelle is in distinguishing her organization versus anyone else. And the confidence that she had to reach out to the first IVF baby. If you want some of that confidence by this fall, go ahead and send me an email. Melissa dot Lorena at gmail. com or sign up for 15 minutes with me on my calendar. You can see all this information in the show notes right on your device. All right. Enjoy the conversation. It is really raw and candid, and I hope that it really answers any questions pertaining to what it would be like to partner with me and to have me as a mentor, I would love to have the conversation and I'd be honored to support you and your company.  All righty, so Michelle wanted to have an understanding like when you were first or not even like what were you thinking at the time that you and I spoke pertaining to the program, like what were you trying to accomplish? How did you feel before deciding to go for fertile imagination to networking success? Right.  I had really reached kind of a turning point in my work. I spent the first few years just getting the word out so we could get applicants and families to apply. And I did a lot of work on that. And, and now it was shifting to really trying to fundraise and grow our program. And so, you know, I knew that that wasn't necessarily my strongest suit,  I can go find community and tell people about resources all day long, right? And I can do that. And that was like a very, although it took a lot of work, I was very easy for me to come up with. But now to flip it, it's, it's hard. And I'm not great at, I'm not great at it. Asking for money, and I'm not great at all these things, and I knew I had to do it, and I knew I had to network, and I knew I had to do everything, and it was also coming at a point where we really closed ourselves off during COVID, and that was because we were expecting a baby, and then we had a baby, and we didn't have a vaccine for him until he was almost two, and so we were really protective of him, and so not only had it been that I Was much more of an introvert and that a lot of those kind of crowds and everything stress me out and I had to really prepare for it and be on top of it. But then we had had this like long hibernation where hadn't done any of it. So it's kind of a skill that wasn't my best skill and then it was rusty. So I think that's really where I was at. I think the program came along and I just thought to me, it felt like one of those things that  I thought would really help me a lot. And that. It would feel like one of those things, if I didn't do it, I would regret it. And so that was really,  that was my thinking and how I was feeling going into it.   That's so interesting. What, what made you think that if you didn't go into it at that moment, you would regret it? What, what kind of went into that? I think it was just, I didn't even really know where to start. And I think I just. I needed somebody who would work with me to develop a better plan. I needed some of that, like outside motivation that I wasn't, that I was lacking because it's hard when you're doing this day in and day out, especially when you are on your own, largely, it's hard to know, am I doing things the right way? Is this, what is this? And so. I think in talking with you, I was like, this is somebody who's going to push me out of my comfort zone. And I need that right now. And I wasn't getting that.  In any other way, really, I was getting it sort of informally here and there, but it wasn't getting somebody who's going to like, be like, no, let's push you out of this comfort zone and everything. And so I really just wanted that. And I, and I knew I needed that. And so that was really where I thought if I Don't do this program.  I don't know how I'm going to find somebody who's going to do that. And I don't know that I have it in me right now to do it for myself and really push myself.   So before starting the program, what sort of doubts or uncertainties did you have about joining and then how did you overcome them?  Yeah, I think it was,  I think doubts are just, it's hard for me to invest in myself and hard for me to like, kind of take that step back.  That time to say I'm working on myself, but it does have another goal. And also it, we should be invested in ourselves. And so I think that was really one of my biggest doubts.  I didn't feel like in some other programs and things that I've looked at, I felt like I don't really know that this is going to be successful. I more felt like really, I was like this. I was like, Melissa is going to kick my butt a little bit and, and get me out of my comfort zone. And  that was what I needed. And I knew that that's what I needed. So I think that was really where the, kind of the doubts settled it. Like, yes, they were there when I first started, they were still there a little bit. And then I think it was very quickly, it was like, Oh yeah, no, no, this is really what I needed was I needed that push. Yeah, and you know what? I think it's interesting. So your background like you're like a JD Like weren't you like were you a trial attorney? I was yeah okay, can I just put context here because the the assumption would be that a trial attorney would be like Crazy intense, totally like gunhole, super loud. I'm just kind of curious, like, like this was not you then, or was it simply because of all the emotions or what was it that?  Yeah. Yeah. I think it was definitely the emotions. I think I was never super aggressive. I knew how to like turn it on for the little bit of the case, but I wasn't really super aggressive outside of court. And so I think it was kind of like, I didn't have that same platform of saying like, okay, in here, in this context, this is what I have to do. I didn't feel that same way. I think it was definitely the emotions, right? It's really, it's really hard in fundraising because I think there's this part of me that's like, what do you mean? You're not going to give money to my daughter. And I think that's a really hard position to be in where it's like. I have to separate that out and understand that it's, it's not the same emotional thing for most people who are going to encounter it. And so I think I needed that. I think it was also just tired, right? Like, I think fundraising is really tough.  I think there was some things of growing up and just culturally is like,  you're not supposed to ask other people for money, right? It's supposed to be, stay within the family, all of that. So I think it's a very foreign concept to me  to ask for money and ask, And really ask for help. I mean, I think that that's something that was tough for me. Right.  And so I think all of those things kind of Combined into this point where  it was hard for me to, to, to do it and to think of how to do it. And fundraising is known for taking a really long time to come to fruition. And I was exhausted  and, and I didn't know how to start. And that was the really big thing. So.   So then what aspect, what aspects of the program set it apart from other experiences and how did those differences contribute to your success? I   mean, I think the first thing is I had never really seen a program that fully integrated the fact of being a mom and what that took,  as well as your work. And so I think it was just this, I was like, this quote always thinks of me as like, you're supposed to, in the same age, you're supposed to work like you don't have a kid and you're supposed to parent like you don't have a job, right? And that's not the reality. Right. They're both hand in hand, things that happen with your child affect work and things that happen with work affect your child. And so kind of that tug and pull, what I always liked was that you were very forthcoming of like, this is you working within all of your obligations and all of the things that are going to pull with, pull at you. And you were going to have to adjust things as, as it goes on. And so I think that was one of the biggest things that felt like  Dad was saying,  you want to be the best mom you can possibly be, and you also want to do the best job you can possibly do, and that is going to ebb and flow on both ends, depending on, you know, needs and what's going on, and that's okay. And then how can we do this? And so one of the things that I think was really good That I really appreciated always was  how being with your kids was like a way to sort of work on your imagination and to sort of play with life and, and see it through their eyes. And that to me was really helpful because I think there was a lot of, if I, if I did all this stuff with my son, that was great. But then I was also thinking about all the stuff that I didn't do and vice versa. And so I think it was just very much  being able to say like, Even spending time with our children, we are developing ourselves and, and really thinking and playing it out of it and getting out of our own heads, which I think was like one of the biggest  benefits to the program was I was forced to get out of my own head, which is a dangerous place to stay in and, um.  Yeah, I would agree I said that to myself yesterday. I was like get out of your head What is it in your head you're dead or something like that? Okay, so then the other question would be Okay, so is there a particular aspect of the program? So something specific that exceeded your expectations or significantly contributed to your growth and success   I think the strategies of networking, not just being when you show up to an event, but doing a lot of the pre work,  I just had never really thought of it. And I had looked at networking, uh, In the terms of like, you show up to this event. It's super awkward. Maybe you meet a few good people, but then there's not really a great,  it's just awkward. And it's, you know, weird to do it. And instead to convert that into making some context saying, Hey, I'm going to be here at this. Let's connect all of that removed a lot of that awkwardness. And then I think that also, cool. The other thing was, like, helped with  how do we follow up afterwards? I think it was so much easier when you had had some pre conversations to then do the follow up of you had a little bit of a dialogue already going into it, and then you had the dialogue at an event, and then you had afterwards, and so it was much more seamless, and for me, who has some of that inner dialogue and that imposter syndrome, everything, it then put me in a space where people We're already connecting with me and it wasn't me going in cold to an event and not knowing anybody not Having any sort of connection with anybody and I think that was a big difference, too  Yeah, people were trying to give you hugs, which I'm not saying that we could promise hugs at all networking events, but  They go. Wow, it's a really it's pretty intense. Okay, so then let's talk about results or achievements that you're most proud of Proud of. So how do you see them impacting your future endeavors?   I mean, I have been making contacts and reaching out to people that I never would have thought to reach out to. And so we had had some success probably last year and a little bit before that with Some of the doctors that were from the hospital we delivered at and just being very gracious and very, we had a big fundraiser and the neonatologists were all coming up to me independently and saying like, we know, like how much good you're doing for our families. And that was huge, but I didn't really know how to like, start that connection, right? Like that connection started because we had been at that hospital. We had all these great relationships with social workers and they like helped us with all of that. But it didn't, I didn't really know how to do it. And instead it was like, okay, so how do you capitalize on those, you know, strategies for how you're on showing up on LinkedIn strategies for who you're looking to connect with and getting past sort of that. I mean, there's a lot of noise in this area and getting past that noise to say, okay, let's start thinking about who is the strategic person. To connect with  and who is, and then also like defining our, our goals and setting them out and saying that I had never felt like I could say, this is my goal and not sound like I was. Being too salesy and instead saying, like, this is my goal and like, I want to work with people who believe in this mission to get me to that goal.   So what would you say is like the boldest thing you said or did throughout our time together?   So I will say that, so Elizabeth Carr, who is the first IVF baby born in the U. S., I have followed her on LinkedIn, and she's very much an advocate for reproductive rights, and  we started an IVF line after the decision in Alabama, and all that we really wanted, I think one of the ways that we're going to combat this is for all of us to start telling our stories, and how IVF has helped us grow our families, I think that that's huge, and that's One of the first things that we can really do and so  it just so happened that during infertility awareness week, which was about a month ago She posted something and orange is the color for infertility awareness And she said every year I remind myself that I don't have a lot of orange and I always mean to buy more orange And I don't and I just commented and said I would love to send you A t shirt that says IVF baby in adult sizes, and we have them in orange, and so

Show notes: https://www.tamihackbarth.com/blog/episode-224 I have been meeting with tons of interesting women doing amazing work in the world, taking a class on branding, preparing for a couple of speaking events and handling some big parenting challenges. In other words, I am ready for a little R&R this weekend for Mother's Day.  So many have told me lately that all they want for Mother's Day is some silence and solitude, perhaps a meal they don't have to think about or clean up after.  Me too! So that's what I requested from my family. I will also be reading by a pool and swimming. Nice way to spend a Sunday if you ask me. So excited to share my interview with Melissa Llarena. We talked about how our imagination is the secret weapon to getting the life and career you want. I love how her mind thinks! Melissa's creativity, imagination and determination have helped her connect with some of the biggest thought leaders. Melissa Llarena is a bestselling author, imagination coach, consultant, speaker, contributor to ForbesWomen articles that have garnered 4 million-plus views.   Melissa is also the host of Unimaginable Wellness, the podcast for entrepreneurs, founders, and creators who are moms. Featured guests include Gary Vee, Beth Comstock, Suzy Batiz, David Meltzer, Jordan Harbinger, Kanika Chadda Gupta, Angela Middleton MBE (i.e., Member of the British Empire), Ken Honda, and hundreds of other unconventional thinkers. Melissa has been featured in the WSJ, Business Insider, Fox Business, CNN Money, The Huffington Post, and other publications. She holds a psychology degree from NYU, an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and a Transformational Coaching Academy certificate. She is also training to become a meditation practitioner.  Melissa lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and three sons (one singleton and a set of identical twins). 

Attention, mom founders! With summer on the horizon and the impending chaos of kids being out of school, there's no better time to reclaim control over your precious time and accelerate your business growth. In this episode, Melissa dives deep into three common time wasters holding mom entrepreneurs back from reaching their full potential. But fear not, because she also provides actionable strategies to replace these obstacles with productivity and profit. Say hi, I want to know if you agree or vehemently disagree with these three? https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ Time Waster #1: Second-Guessing Yourself It's time to kick self-doubt to the curb! Melissa shares valuable insights into overcoming the hesitation that often holds mom founders back from reaching out to potential leads and seizing opportunities. Learn how setting a timer and taking decisive action can transform your approach to networking and business growth. Time Waster #2: Fixating on Gender Disparities in Funding Don't let the fact or myth of effortless funding for male entrepreneurs discourage you! This is huge! Use your finite time focused on getting after it! Find the people who will be more likely to listen rather than waste one second on imagining who is not going to listen to you! Melissa encourages mom founders to channel their imaginative prowess into seeking mentors, partners, and opportunities for growth. Discover how embracing proactive networking strategies can empower you to break free from limiting beliefs and achieve your goals. Time Waster #3: Spreading Yourself Too Thin Are you juggling too many activities, diluting your focus and impact? Melissa highlights the importance of prioritizing strategic endeavors over scattered efforts. Learn how to refocus your energy on key initiatives and leverage targeted outreach to accelerate your business growth. VIP Networking Day Opportunity: Take Action Now! Ready to supercharge your networking efforts and achieve tangible results? Melissa introduces a limited-time opportunity for mom founders to participate in a VIP networking day. During this intensive three-hour Zoom session, you'll receive personalized guidance and hands-on support to execute your outreach strategies in real time. How to Secure Your Spot: Act Fast! With only two spots available, time is of the essence! Don't miss out on this exclusive opportunity to level up your networking game and propel your business forward. Sign up for a 15-minute Zoom call with Melissa within the next 72 hours to explore the details of the VIP networking day and secure your spot at the special rate. Remember, the clock is ticking, so act now to seize this opportunity for accelerated growth and success as a mom founder! Contact Information: For more information or to schedule your 15-minute Zoom call, sign-up here: https://go.oncehub.com/ClientSessionMelissaLlarena . Let's make this summer your most productive season yet! TRANSCRIPT  Three time wasters for mom founders and how to replace that time with more productive activities. I don't know about you, but I have three children. I am looking at the summer season and I cannot say that I'm going to have more time to devote to my business and my practice where I'm teaching mom founders like you to leverage the art of strategic networking for profit. So what I have to do every single season right before is really map out The most optimal use of my day hours. So I wanted to give you a sense for some of the things I've noticed, some patterns I've noticed when I've been coaching mom leaders throughout these last 12 years. So here's the first time waster that I have noticed that are stealing money straight out of your pockets. Okay. So time waster number one, second, guessing yourself. I'm just going to say it like it is. You are having sex with your self doubts, and apparently it seems to be something that feels very good because we do it quite often, and I include myself in this as well. Oftentimes, it is hard to really almost take the wheel back of our days when it is us who is captivated by This idea that no, I don't know how to sell myself or no, I shouldn't talk to that person because I don't have a warm intro and what happens is essentially you're just there stuck looking at a long list of human beings that most likely will want their problems solved. Buy the person that's gonna call them and you do nothing you do nothing and the reason why I share this is because I was talking to a mom founder for example she literally has warm leads in her linked in right now we're talking about people. Who have raised their hands and said to this person that they want to connect with her and potentially they want to do business with her. Certainly they would like to make money with her. And yet there's this hesitation. There is this hesitation to do the deed and reach out to people that are. Literally warm leads in your LinkedIn platform. And that is a time waster. This idea that we're looking at something multiple times in a day and wondering to ourselves, should I do it? Can I do it? How will I do it rather than starting to take the steps necessary to actually reach out to those people and follow up with every single one. So I wanted to just share a potential solution. This is going to sound so obvious, but I want you to actually take action on this one. I invite you to set a timer. It could be 20 minutes. We could consider the Pomodoro process where it's like 20 minute increments and then some breaks. Set a timer and get that list of warm leads in your LinkedIn platform done. It sounds simple. It totally does. But I want you to ask yourself, like, why haven't you done it yet? Like if you actually have people, again, who have raised their hands in your LinkedIn said, I want to do business with you. Certainly at minimum, I would like to make money with you. Why have you not actually gone and done this follow up? Right? So that's the first point. Second, guessing yourself. It is often very, very enticing, very, very alluring to just think about thinking about and thinking about thinking about. And I've noticed this so, so often, especially with a lot of mom founders who are hella educated. Because I think we had the luxury when we were in business school or law school in grad school to really reconsider and re argue and recreate and reinvent the wheel where right now the market moves quite quickly. And I don't think we have that luxury as a mom founder, you don't have that luxury unless you have a lot more time than me, then my God, please. Tell me, how do you have more time? So that's the first point. Here's a second time waster for mom founders. And again, how you might want to replace that time with more productive activities. So there's this idea and I hear this time again, and it frustrates me just because there have been so many opportunities and moments in my life where I could have said the same thing. And even had the same thoughts. Here's this idea. The idea that you are not getting investment dollars as easily as men who can at minimum just spit an idea on a napkin and somehow magically conjure up millions of dollars in investments. I want to ask you for real, for real, how does having that thought help you? Now, if you need that chip on your shoulder, if it drives you crazy and it makes you fight harder than amazing, but if you're wasting your already stretched out mental bandwidth on using this excuse or thinking about it, Then, again, you are wasting your time. You really, really, really are. And I believe that as moms, our superpower is having a fertile imagination. Just the other day, I was interviewing one of the most influential people in the book industry, Zibi Owens. And her imagination is wild and amazing and wonderful. And so she's building out her business. Now if she had to just think to herself, my goodness, all these guys that are at the helm of leadership and other organizations, they have it so easy. Maybe I know from the people with whom I've interacted, let me not even try. Then I just can't imagine that she would be one of the most influential people in publishing. I just can't see it. Instead of thinking about that idea, that whole, like, drawing a napkin on the table. It must be so easy for a guy. Instead of that, why don't you find a guy, quote unquote, it doesn't even matter if they are a guy. Why don't you find a person that you believe literally just drew on a napkin and sold their idea for millions of dollars and ask that person to mentor you. You're going to think that is wild and crazy, but you know what? I've done similar things in the past and I've approached strangers in libraries. If you're one of those strangers in the libraries, yes, it's me. And I have absolutely figured out a way to build rapport with strangers, connect with them, turn them into connections. And also add value by my way as well, not just me taking from their insights and wisdom. And so again, if this is your thought, okay, great. How can we leverage that idea in your favor and take action? So you stop wasting your mental energy unless you have extra energy. I don't know. I don't know. There are some moms that have like A lot of energy, but I just want to invite you to imagine this idea that you can actually step up to a person that you think just drew on a napkin and got millions of dollars, and you could just ask them to teach you how to draw. You could go to a supermarket, buy a whole, Oodle of napkins and just start drawing like a mofo. And let's see what comes up for you. Certainly something will come up. That's going to be more productive than just thinking in your mind that I wish I were a single guy. Okay. That's the second time guzzler third one for mom founders. And again, how to replace this time guzzler or waster with more productive activities. So spreading yourself and your efforts across a  wide array of activities. And I want to be really nuanced here, specifically doing this, spreading yourself across a wide array of activities, because that one activity, that one activity that you originally were thinking about doing, because you knew in the heart of hearts that that activity would turn around your business, such as having B2B conversations. Whereas in years before you've only had. B2C conversations, right, where that one game changing, I've never done it before idea started to get hard because you were actually starting to take the steps and doing that big, crazy, unnatural for you idea. Let me be super clear when I say that. So let's just imagine. That you have always sold to individuals. You have an organization. You've always sold to individuals your product. And now you're trying to gain distribution at big box stores. Let's just imagine. And you know, like, okay, like if I crack that code, then I'm going to make a Real progress towards my dreams. Then I'm going to have a business that is like a really kick ass amazing business here. Right. And so that idea, it sounds wonderful. Like a fantasy. It sounds amazing. Like a goal. It sounds amazing. Like even a napkin drawing, but then once you start taking steps and you hear rejections, or you're not getting callbacks or. People are questioning, well, how many units have you sold? And what is the, what was it? I remember when I worked at Procter Gamble, the whole like shelf, uh, velocity, right? Like how quickly can it fly off the shelf idea? When those numbers just don't land in terms of the ones that you offer to the person that is in charge of distribution, like that is when all of a sudden you'll say to yourself, you know what? Let me just do more of B2C. Let me just do more of B2C in all these different ways. Let me just do anything other than this brand new thing that I set out to do. And that is where you start to lose focus and the impact that you can have on your business really is diluted for sure. So what would be the best way to actually replace that time waster with something that is a lot more productive? So something that will be a lot more productive is to go back to the original strategy and find someone who executed precisely on that strategy, maybe ask them to mentor you, ask them for templates, pay for their templates, hire them as a coach, and do it in differently, right? So if whatever it is that you're doing is not producing the results that you imagine, that's one side of it. The other side of it must be or could be that the sales cycle is going to be longer. And so that's the other side of it. So if you intend to actually make some progress in that way, it's important to just go back to the drawing board, but not like erasing the whiteboard, but go back to what you originally intended to do, what you know in your heart to work. Okay. And figure out how to crack that nut or code or whatever it is that you're selling or trying to accomplish.  If you are living any of these three time wasters, right? And let's just imagine that your cash runway is running out. Then I want to invite you to imagine this scenario. This is a crazy idea that I am so excited about. Because This is how I support my mom founder clients. So picture it. Yes, we are going to Sophia Protillo from the Golden Girls. That's what she used to say. Picture this. A power packed three hour zoom session right from the comfort of your home. We do it over zoom. So you don't have to sacrifice time from your business or your family. And during this intensive session, I am your guide. We literally hop on zoom, share screens and start diving into the trenches together, reaching out to potential investors, maybe podcast guests or partners or media giants in real time. So you know that list of warm leads? Yeah, we're going to execute on it real time together so that this way your spirit and my spirit are co creating some happy flow of progress. And we are not stopping to let you think over, think, rethink, or re imagine. So, This idea of a three hour session with me, it is called a VIP day. It is a VIP day that you will be very prepared for because I'll provide a questionnaire up front. You will have an opportunity to really think through. How we will leverage every single minute, because every single minute counts for a mom founder world, we'll have the opportunity to, again, before we hop on that three hour call, I will know what your business goals are, your target investors, or potential podcast guests and partners or media contacts, right? And also what challenges you are facing, whether they are more mindset or strategic or tactical, right? And we're just going to be making sure that those three hours together are maximized, just totally maximize. Then real time. Live on zoom. It's just about action. We're going to roll up our sleeves and dive into the heart of Networking reaching out following up doing everything that feels hard to do when you're by yourself Because you don't have someone telling you like do the work It's not like you have this boss, right? And we're gonna actually implement everything that I just shared with you as far as execution in real time So we're gonna leverage some of the insights from your pre work We're gonna identify the people as I said all on the spot And you're going to see firsthand how you can actually craft some compelling outreach messages and make meaningful connections that matter. And it does not have to mean you are being stopped or paused by gatekeepers. That is actually what makes my process different. I don't actually engage with gatekeepers. Fun fact. All right. So. Again, a lot of this outreach tends to be so daunting, especially when you're doing something new, exploring a new strategy. But with my guidance, you're going to get it done. I mean, whether it's through email, LinkedIn or another channel, you're going to have a clear plan of action and you're going to have a ton of confidence to execute this real time. Okay, so I think it's so important. Also, follow up. I know a lot of times, of course, like one point out, one reach out, one email is not going to be get you all these results immediately. Although, for a client, it only took an hour for her to get On the calendar of someone in an insurance company, but let's just imagine we're reaching out to 50 people, a hundred people, and some will not get back to you within that three hour timeframe. So I'm going to make sure that you know how to follow up with the individuals that we reached out to during that three hour, let's just call it sprint. So at the end of this VIP networking day, you're going to feel empowered. energize, and you're going to be totally unstoppable. I think it's so urgent right before the summer lets out that you have optimized your time in terms of outreach efforts, that you have absolutely done as much as possible to put the ball in your court so that things start moving towards the direction of your biggest ambitions. And I can help you there. Now, I want to be really, really clear. I have a special rate for this VIP networking day for members of my podcast community, and I will happily share with you what that rate is during a 15 minute. Zoom call with me, because I need to get to know you. I want you to get to know me and we need to like have a certain vibe so that I know that you will get the results that you deserve. Right? So I'm going to put that link into the show notes. You will be able to sign up for the 15 minute call with me so that we could hop on zoom, go through the details of this VIP day. But here's what I neglected to mention this very moment. To lock in the special rate that I do have for you, my dear listeners, you're gonna have to secure your spot in the next 72 hours. What? Yes, 72 hours because I want to know that you are decisive. I want to know that you are ready to work real time, not delay, not overthink, not get ready to get ready. This is about action takers, right? So in the next 72 hours, go over to the link in my show notes, which you can see on the device where you're listening to this conversation and sign up for 15 minutes with me. Within the next  72 hours, now, I will share with you the details during that call. We will get to know each other during that call and you can make a decision on that call. You do not, to be clear, you do not need to have the actual VIP day. In the next 72 hours, the VIP day must happen by May  22nd, May 22nd is May 22nd, a magic date. It is not, but I am a mom founder too, and that is the last day of school for my three boys. So I want to make sure that I can 100 percent focus on you. And that is why we must get this accomplished by May 22nd. So. Go ahead into the show notes and be sure to sign up for the 15 minute session. So you have a good idea of precisely what you would be getting into. If you were to secure your spot, I only have three spots. That is it. That is all I'm doing in terms of the VIP networking day. So three hours with me, we're focused on those warm leads that have been hanging out in your LinkedIn. Or we would be focused on going after those B2B clients that you feel like. Intimidated about, or we will go after the podcast guests or partners with whom you'd like to make more money. And so that is what we will do all about action. And honestly, the clock is ticking, so I encourage you to act very, very quickly. Three spots must talk to me within the next 72 hours, and the VIP day must happen by May 22nd. So, that is an option available to you, my dear podcast community listener. Now, if for whatever reason you're not able to go to the show notes, You can email me melissa.  larina at gmail. com m e l i s s a dot l l a r e n a at gmail. com. Again, this will be in the show notes.  Here's what I want to say, here's what sets me apart in terms of as a coach to mom founders. So I, as I said earlier, I totally skip gatekeepers. And I know that it might feel a little eclectic, a little direct, a little, Oh my God, who does she think she is? But here's the reality of the matter. I always aim to get on the shortest supermarket line. Okay, hear me out. So I have several strategies that I have leveraged in order to bring the guests that I have on my podcast, whether it's been Beth Comstock, the former CMO of GE or Gary Vee, who has millions of people. Knocking at his digital door. I have absolutely never found a situation where I am working through someone to get to someone to get to someone else. It's been direct, I have not had a PR agency, and it's worked for me, a mom founder with three kids. So I want to teach you how to do the same exact thing so that this way, this summer, you already have a lot of hot irons out there in the fire, right? That are out there and can absolutely produce the results you need when the time comes, whether in the summer or in September, when you have full focus of your business and what you want to accomplish next. Okay. So I want to leave it there. I also want to say that You can email me melissa. larina at gmail. com. If you are an entrepreneur or you are an investor, you're absolutely welcome to have a conversation with me. If you are looking to tackle another list or another outreach effort in this very way. I am not going to offer this VIP day for someone that is not a mom, because what I know to be true is that a lot of times we have had to, as moms, pause our careers, slow down our efforts or downshift what we've been doing in the world of work. And I want to help moms very specifically fast track their success. So this way you could have the right conversations, you can get into the right rooms and you could absolutely have the success that you deserve and that you're deserving. children would want you to have two. Could you imagine that? Could you imagine, could you imagine, just imagine for a second, your child seeing you on that three hour zoom call, right? Like from a distance, let's say they're having a snack and they're with a childcare provider with your partner, or they're being entertained in some way. And they're seeing mommy. Get it done. They're seeing mommy like on zoom, just like zooming through a list. They're seeing mommy like show up for herself, right? They're seeing mommy not waste time by second guessing herself, because here's the reality. Our kids think that we're like amazing sometimes.  Imagine if you felt the same way. Imagine if you actually believed that you were as amazing as your kids see you. Imagine that. Yeah. So let's kind of Melissa dot Lorena at gmail. com and me, but go to the show notes and be sure to sign up for the time. Alrighty. Enjoy the rest of the day. Next week we're going to have Zibi Owens, again, one of the most influential people in the publishing industry in New York on the podcast. We're going to go over so many things that are unexpected, including how having an MBA versus being a mom. Compare and contrast, right? What are some leadership skills that we have learned as moms that we did not learn in our Ivy League MBA educations? I think you're going to absolutely enjoy that conversations. It is amazing and we really get to it. So have a wonderful day and do not hesitate to reach out to me. I actually want to hear from you because I want to know How I can support you, I have seen way too many mom founders second guessing themselves, assuming that they're not, you know, worthy of success and really self sabotaging your own progress. And I want to help you stop that so that this way everyone can be happier. Thank you very much. 

Welcome to episode 224. Tired of sounding like everyone else at networking events i.e. boring? Wish you could stand out and really put yourself and your business out there in a way that will make an impact? This episode equips you with the tools to transform your elevator pitch and turn those events into meaningful connections, even if finding and sharing the essence of who you are and why your business is unique has been harder in the past! This is a special episode especially for my fellow mom business owners who are making the trek to in-person networking events like Mom 2.o in Nashville or the like! You are spending time, money, and changing up your family's logistics so tune in to ensure you make these big networking moments worth your time! Elevator pitch prep here we go!!!!!!!! In this podcast, you will learn: The 3 Powerful Ideas to revolutionize your elevator pitch - the slides for this can be grabbed here for FREE: https://bit.ly/hypernetworking Be Brief & Tailor Your Pitch: Consider the person, their company, and your goals for the interaction. Differentiate Yourself: What makes you unique? Highlight your niche and competitive advantage. Make it Memorable: Use clear, concise language, metaphors, or anecdotes to stand out. Plus, a Free Playbook Alert!  Download my "From Contact to Connection" playbook for mompreneurs – go here to grab this book! https://bit.ly/hypernetworking Get my exact follow-up timeline, proven email templates, and strategies to master the art of following up without feeling like a bother. Stop feeling like you're missing out! Listen to this episode and grab the free playbook to craft a magnetic elevator pitch and build connections that matter at your next networking event! P.S. Don't miss the free playbook with valuable templates and follow-up strategies! P.P.S. Attending Mom 2.0? Look for me in the beige wide-brim hat! I'd love to connect with you in person and yes I'd love to hear your elevator pitch! Below is mine….. but don't forget to grab the template right here: https://bit.ly/hypernetworking SAMPLE ELEVATOR PITCH – grab your template: https://bit.ly/hypernetworking For 12 years, I've coached women leaders to rediscover and resell at a profit their skills. My signature approach has been to equip them with the art of initiating strategic networking, streamlining the process and accelerating their success. Fueled by my #1 Amazon bestseller, Fertile Imagination, I pivoted my own journey to empower mom founders, entrepreneurs, and creators.  Today I'm most psyched about bringing the same coaching to embolden unconventional leaders (i.e. the ones who struggle with impostor syndrome or feel more like introverts) to unlock their unique identities including that of a mom and reignite their creative thinking, transforming these into powerful competitive advantages. What sets me apart? I skip gatekeepers and show you how to connect with high-level contacts, just like the CMO of GE I interviewed on my podcast Beth Comstock or GaryVee who has millions of people knocking at his digital door.  Together, we equip you with the crowbars to shatter the padlocks guarding the right doors, unlocking the connections that can catapult your business. Love this episode? Let's connect: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ This episode is brought to you by "From Contact to Connection: A Step-by-Step Strategic Networking Playbook for Mom Founders and Entrepreneurs"  Not sure how to go first in networking, or perhaps what to say in a follow-up? Answers to these strategic networking questions are addressed in a free resource that has helped me and my clients talk to the right people in way less time than it would take using traditional networking methods! Download my FREE playbook, "From Contact to Connection," and learn: •    Easy steps to find the right contacts and reach out confidently. •    Unconventional follow-up tips to stand out and build relationships. •    Templates to personalize your outreach for maximum impact. Stop feeling lost and reignite your spark! Download your free playbook now and watch your business thrive. Click here: https://www.melissallarena.com/fertileideas/ Limited time offer! TRANSCRIPT So I wanted to share this because this week in my nine week group coaching program, we were going through. Picking the right stories to tell. And one way that you will want to share a story is by wrapping it around your elevator pitch. There are several for reasons. There are several reasons for that. But right now we're going to focus on a simple elevator pitch, and we're going to focus on the things that are critical to your success. So there will be three key ideas. Grab a notebook, grab a pen, and let's get to it. Alrighty, so here's the baseline. When it comes to an elevator pitch, it is important for you to be brief. And to tailor the content of your pitch based on the person in front of you, based on the company that they work for, or that they own. And also in light of what you want out of that conversation. Now This is just point one out of the three ideas that are critical to writing and then rehearsing and then articulating the right elevator pitch. Here's why these thin...after you grab the playbook. That is what I want you to really do. Cause I want to be sure that if I'm engaging with you at mom2. org, Oh, or a virtual summit, or I hear someone's pitch. I want to be sure that I've done my best job to get the word out on the street, that there's a way to do it. And there's things that have to be considered. Okay. Alrighty. So. Grab the playbook. That is the biggest thing. And good luck on your elevator pitch. What I would say is really, really right before you tell your elevator pitch, just get yourself in that mindset, right? Get ready. Make sure that you're warming up your imagination so that this way you can play with it a little bit. And trust me, if I see someone playing with new ideas or with the way that they express what they do, like that lights me up because I think. Think that they're more comfortable in, in their skin. And who doesn't want to do business with someone that's more comfortable in their skin? Alrighty. Until next Tuesday.

Welcome to Episode 213. Are you a mom entrepreneur who struggles with impostor syndrome,  wants to nip overwhelm in the bud, wishes to realize the power of networking and/or wants to turn her business and mom life AROUND in 2024? If yes then hit PLAY. Say hi to me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ This is a recording from my free webinar that I conducted on January 9th, entitled Mom Mogul Makeover. You'll hear how you can put the insights enclosed in my bestselling book Fertile Imagination into action as a mom with a business. This conversation goes beyond any expected insights on productivity, goal-setting, and motherhood. It's for moms who seek a fresh perspective that's plugged into reality. It's also perfect for you if you know entrepreneurship is the journey you wish to pursue wholeheartedly for more than three years. Oh, also listen to the end, there is a free opportunity for those listening until the end exclusively for moms with their own businesses.  To take advantage of that opportunity here is the link: https://www.melissallarena.com/sessions/. This link is for you to secure your free 30-minute breakthrough call with me, which I will invite you to at the end of this webinar. You'll hear me reference it.  As further context, this webinar is focused on the game changing five insights that have helped catapult me into success which I want for you too in 2024. So please enjoy the conversation, enjoy the webinar, and let me know if you have any questions. You can ask me your questions on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ And yet another reason to go to Instagram is that I'd love to know who got value out of this; let me know you are here so I can see who's listening ti keep you in mind as I'll be running future drawings for listeners. Thank you so much. TRANSCRIPT Hello there. My name is Melissa Llarena and I'll share with you my little bio a little later on, but I wanted to just be sure that we are optimizing this time as we are moms in the thick of it. Even if you're a mom who has. Her kid is an adult. You're still in the thick of it because you still care with all your heart and soul. And so this is time away from them, but it's time on you and your business. And so I honor that. And I respect that. And I just want to invite you to really pour into yourself during this webinar. Take what feels is going to serve you in 2024 and really consider how you will embody some of these insights. So that 2024 is. As successful as you, as you deserve it to be. So this presentation, I'm just going to jump into it again. I will introduce myself later on, but I just want to be sure that I optimize our time together. So mom mogul makeover. The makeover is really going to be about mindset shifts that you will want to reflect upon. And flip so that they work in your favor. So I'm going to share with you the five lips, and it's really going to be important. If you've ever struggled with imposter syndrome, or you have felt overwhelmed, or you don't feel like you have the right connections to catapult your business success. So here we go. Here's the plan. So M. R. O. Y. What is that? I will share with you. I want to also share with you a little bit of what might be going on in your psyche just to see if any of this lands. Then we'll go through the real problem as well as who I am. I promise I would tell you. And then we'll go one by one through the five mindset shifts. And then at the end, you'll be able to make a decision for yourself. I really like new vocabulary, but I'm not so into equations, but this is my equation. And this is something that I'm sure you have considered. So for a mom, it's not just about investing money and energy and time in her business, but it's also coming at a cost of you being away from your kids.   Also, it comes at a cost in terms of just the psychic energy that you have and the bandwidth that you're able to leverage at any given time, all of that to say, again, that's why this is 20 minutes and not 45 minutes. So what I think about when I think about what success means to a mom, I don't think about just an ROI. I really do think about a mom's ROI and I see them as completely different. And I also, if you've ever worked in a corporate setting, I also want you to consider that if you have ever asked for a raise, you are not just thinking about your ROI, but your mom ROI. And it's not just tangible like childcare expenses. It's also the fact that you're not with your kid and you miss them. Okay. So that is why this is 20 minutes. Moving on. Can you relate? And as I go through these, I want you to really think about 2023 and if you've ever experienced some of these ideas, have you ever felt intimidated, yet crazy excited about an outrageous business idea that you never pursued? A realistic, outrageous idea. So not something like putting someone on Mars, but an idea that you thought to yourself, holy cow, like if I could pull that off, I would be so thrilled and excited, and I might even have what it takes to pull it off, but maybe I'm not ready yet, or I need a lot more resources in order to pull it off. Have you ever had something like that happen to you? Has imposter syndrome ever caused you to opt for smaller steps when a bigger step was available? And here's the thing, we want to achieve a lot in a small amount of time. And so this could be seen as self-sabotage. But has it ever happened to you that it's been imposter syndrome? And you knew that you could take a big leap, but you decided to just go baby steps ahead instead. What about overwhelm? Is that like your go to emotion when you can't complete your to do list, maybe due to an interruption? What about this one? And this one I've heard consistently from clients. Have you ever felt disappointed because you couldn't push yourself hard enough to bring your best self to your business or your kids, or have you ever not networked because it felt like you're being needy or maybe it just felt awkward? Or embarrassing, like you're going to say the wrong thing or put your foot in your mouth or sounds silly. Like you just didn't know enough. And here's the last one. Is it hard for you to articulate your secret sauce as a professional? Because maybe you don't want to set up expectations too high because you know your shit would be one reason. Or you don't want to let others know the real you. Like there's something there that you don't think is as professional or qualified. So you don't want to reveal something about yourself that's still relevant, but feels a little too sensitive. Okay. Last one. Do you secretly punish or beat yourself up by overworking because you feel that you should be much further along in terms of your business goals? And this one is a hard one because it's celebrated, right, by society. Working hard, busting your ass, going above and beyond for clients. But could this be the reason why? So while all of that feels heavy and some of that feels relevant, and maybe there's one of those things that was the reason why you're here, I want to just share that there is good news on the other side of this. Like those are just symptoms. The real problem is that you haven't made what I call the shifts. Okay. And so here's what happens once you make these five shifts that I'm going to share with you in a bit. You will have an opportunity to cast a bigger vision than you have ever cast it for yourself before as a business professional. You're going to confidently seek shortcuts and straight paths to achieve your five year goals in one and pardon the language, turn imposter syndrome into your own bitch. I know that's so bad by taking bigger steps than those smaller ones. Okay. You will have greater self-awareness to identify when it's you who's making things harder for yourself versus the stories about being a good mom or a successful business owner. There's so many reasons things feel way harder for us, depending on where you are in your life stage as a mom and as a business owner too. And you will feel comfortable sharing and showcasing your secret sauce. You're going to feel good about your uniqueness. You're not going to feel like standing out is like a terrible thing to do. You're going to feel good about using your superpowers and telling people what they are. And you're also going to have a tool, an unexpected tool to help you enjoy the process of motherhood and growing your business. And if you've been around the block a couple of times, you have to enjoy the process in order to keep going along the process. Tenacity is not just something that I grin and bear. It's something that I have to embody and I have to make it enjoyable for me. I would not be here for 12 years if it has not been enjoyable. So who the heck is this person  with the hat? So here's the thing. I'm a normal human being. I just want to say that because as I wrote my book this year, fertile imagination, and it became a number one bestseller in two categories, mother and women in business. I had to take a step back myself and just reevaluate, like, who am I, why am I so blessed? What is it about me that really is drawn to serve you, mom entrepreneurs? And so I wanted to just share just a couple of highlights. But again, I am a very normal mom, but I will say that I do have a particular switch turned on, which I will absolutely share with you. Okay, so I mentioned it before bestselling author of fertile imagination host of a podcast called unimaginable wellness And here's my specialty It's helping ambitious moms really confidently put themselves out there right to achieve their meaningful business goals Meaningful is a really important word to me. Otherwise I could stay in corporate and make a lot of money in corporate. But if I can help you do something that's meaningful to you, your family society, then we all have one. And here's the thing as moms, we have such a rough terrain emotionally in terms of both of our roles, both as businesswomen and as moms. And in order to achieve anything that's difficult, you have to keep going during the ups and downs. And emotionally, you can totally self-sabotage. You can totally be slowed down if you let yourself be completely barraged by the emotional realities of both being an entrepreneur, which has very high expectations and a mom, which has very high expectations, both of which are very important to you. I've worked in a lot of places.  So, all this to say.  There's a Swiss army knife perspective that I bring to the world and to any client, whether you are in one vertical, in one country, or you have one child or multiples, I most likely have a very specific approach and framework that can help you. And we can tailor. I have degrees. Two of them here, but after I pursued my education because I wanted to be a good girl and in the eyes of my parents, I pursued more education because I wanted to be a good mom. And good coach. So I do have a coaching certificate and I am becoming a meditation practitioner and I'm a mom. I have been for 12 years, which parallels the length of time that I have also owned a business, a coaching practice. So everything that I'm going to share with you is based on firsthand experience, and it's also based on client experience, having worked with working moms and also working dads, which is interesting how you don't hear that phrase too often, for a very long time and through very different economic cycles, the good, the bad, the middle. So this is who I am, and I've been featured in a lot of things. What I want to just say in terms of all of these credentials and all of these features is this Everything that I've pursued it has not been on everyone else's timeline For example being featured in the wall street journal I believe that was like year two or for example getting a degree at nyu or getting one at business school It was done. So in a way that I had to earn my degrees and earn full rides to them. So everything that I've done has been things through the work of angels, which I will share with you in a bit, but I promise I'll keep this grounded and useful for you, a working mom. So here's the thing. The five shifts they come to me from completely Various experiences I've had in my life and in my career, and really, they are the keys to accelerating any goal that is meaningful to you. And again, I say that word over and over because I could say that I want to make seven figures. But I got to be honest, it's not meaningful enough, but if I say I want to build a treasure trove of networking contacts for my three little boys, so that this way, when they have a business idea, when they grow up, I have someone to refer them to, that means something to me. And that's also why my podcast has amazing guests. So here's the five shifts. Alrighty, a crazy goal can keep you sane. I know this sounds opposite and these shifts are all meant to really have you think, is she crazy? And that's okay. I'm totally, totally okay with that. So this is one out of five, a crazy goal can keep you sane. I recall there were several opportunities in my business where I could have gone for incremental lift in my business in terms of sales goals, or I could have gone for the expected next distribution channel, creating a product for like, I don't even know. 49 or something, but that was totally rational, but not emotionally driven. It wasn't enough to be like, yeah, I'm going to skip nighttime reading with my three little boys in order to go after building a 29 product, like it just didn't do it for me, but what did keep me going and made me way more sane during a rough patch of my motherhood experience was going after a crazy goal. So quickly, here's the goal. The goal that I pursued was launching a podcast and having Gary Vaynerchuk, who has millions of people that follow him, and James Altucher on my podcast. That is a crazy ass goal. The reason why it kept me going was because I decided for a hundred days to write a thousand words every day, and I don't know if it all adds up mathematically, but a thousand words or so a day on Medium.com in order to get their attention. Every single day. That was the choice that I made. Let me write this out so that this way I could get either of them on my podcast. Right? These are entrepreneurs. These are multimillionaires. These are people that are above my weight category. That was the most exciting thing and exciting time for me in my life. And I will say that when I would then wake up my little boys in the morning to go to school or to go to pre care, whatever, I was the world's most excited mom. And it kept me going. It energized me. Had I said, I want to sell this HR screening toolkit product. For 29. 99 and have a million people buy it, if that was my goal, I think I would have been toast. And so it's the opposite, but it's an insight that if you embody it, if you know emotionally what's going to pull you, and if you take it to, if you take it to the bank and you really execute on it, then it will absolutely keep you sane and happier than a boring run of the mill goal. And that's the reason why a lot of the things that would have taken me five years or forever Didn't take me five years or forever and they made me a happier person ultimately So yes, I got Gary v on my podcast. I got James alerted on my podcast It took about a hundred days 67 000 words. I did count  But damn, is it a story and it was in my book too, and I wrote it in my book Okay. So that's the first shift. Okay. If you don't get this right, you are not going to feel as energized. You will feel drained. It would have felt draining for me to say, let me sell this HR screening toolkit product to a million people. And I literally have the product in my store, but it's just not as exciting to me. Next one, imposter syndrome is an asset. You might think to yourself, how is this an asset? Well, you have to make a decision to use it as an asset. And if it's been your habit for decades to see it as a sign that you should like step back or warning that there's something that could happen to you, maybe you're acting beyond your years of experiencing, if that has been your habit. Then it is going to take work in order to flip it on its head. You're going to have to learn how to actually feel imposter syndrome in your body and take the opposite action. When I interviewed the CEO of giving Tuesday, Asha Quran, she herself said, whenever she felt like an imposter, she would then be Fierce, like totally fierce pursuing that particular task or situation. That is not the normal sort of approach, but we're not going for ordinary results. We're going for extraordinary results because as a mom. This operating in sprints is something that you have to embody. As an example, I had a holiday break. My children had holiday break and I couldn't work consistently, persistently towards one goal. I had to like pack it up in a particular timeframe and then basically just go at it in a sprint. Same thing here. So imposter syndrome can be used as an asset. It can be taught for you to use it as an asset, and if you don't use it as an asset. What's going to happen is you're going to feel really insecure, not just about approaching someone that is famous or asking someone for a big sale, but you're going to feel insecure about your story. You're going to feel insecure about the good, the bad, the ugly about your narrative as a business owner. And chances are that narrative. Has your secret sauce that where I came from, what I've done to get here that has your secret sauce. And if you don't feel that you can share this sometimes vulnerable message with other people, no one's going to know anything about it. And you're going to sound just like every other person out there who has this amazing way of adding value to someone else's life and just using the same language at that. So turning. Imposter syndrome into an asset is essential and it has to be practiced. And if it's a habit that you've had using it as a stop sign, it needs a lot of practice and guidance too. Cause we could pretend that we're using it as an asset, but if we're not taking demonstrable action, you're not going to get the numbers you need at the end of 2024.  Third one. Okay. Network and share half baked ideas. This one is intimidating. Let me explain why. So let's imagine that you're networking with someone and you're in the beginning of a business idea. Some thoughts might pop up in your head. They're going to steal my idea or they're going to think I'm silly or I'm sharing something and really I should wait until I have it complete. Well, here's the thing. And this is going back to what I mentioned earlier, angels. This is so weird, but I'm going to share this first time in the history of share this. I believe, I believe that there are angels out there that have accomplished what you want to accomplish. And in 2024, it is your business to find those people network with these people and tell as many of many people. You're half baked ideas so that this way, a, you're not as fully invested in the wrong idea. And then B you get people who want to join you on your journey and help you. For me, how did I become a bestseller in terms of fertile imagination? Well, here's the thing. I decided to attend a podcast conference last year in Colorado, and I decided to make it my business to talk to as many people as humanly possible. And this was during a casual interaction that I approached this lady, chewing on a big conference, yummy sandwich, aka those sandwiches are not very yummy. And I remember telling her, I've got a book, I'm writing it, and I don't know what the heck to do.  And I was really, really forthcoming. She happens to be the president of the Chicago Marketing Association. And she has her own podcast and all of that more than that. She took a liking to me and she shared with me, gave me on a silver platter, a plan. This is how you become a bestseller. That plan was meant for 25 people to execute. I am one human being and I have a virtual assistant, but she took a liking to me and she helped me become a bestseller. What does that mean? I promise you that there are rules to the game that you're playing in your vertical. I promise you that someone else has figured out what to do. And, and sequentially  at that, this person gave me the plan in a way that if I, if I organized it in another way, I would have been ineffective and unable because it was meant for 25 people  network and share half baked ideas. Yes. You will be vulnerable. Yes. You will be looking less. I don't even know prepared, then you want to feel, but honestly, it's better to be less prepared and have someone give you feedback early on an ideas journey. Then later on when you're totally invested and it happens to be the wrong idea. So this is about seeking angels and I'm calling it that because this has been a consistent pattern in my life. And it's something that I believe in with all my heart and all my soul. And I will tell my children to do as well. So that's the third point out of five. And if you don't do this in a way that's strategic in a way that is consistent and in a way that unpacks value, when you network with individuals in a generous and authentic and bilateral way, then you're going to miss the whole point. Because that person that helped me, I helped her to that person who helped me. I know her son wants to work with the Green Bay Packers. I'm not a football person, but that's in my head. And if I find someone that's in that organization, you sure bet that I'm going to mention her son. So it's not about using people or just transactions. It's about having people in your heart and in your mind for the rest of your life, and they will do the same for you. And that's how you can speed up the process. And if you have a meaningful business goal on your heart, that matters. Third point, fourth one. Playing is profitable. So oftentimes as moms, we think about playing as a to do that happens after you do all your to do's. And while I appreciate the sentiment because I was there, what I will say is that your results will look very different if you played before versus if you held your breath until you had the time to play. And oftentimes you don't play, right? It's almost like, let my partner play with the kids. Let someone else play with the kids. Mommy's got to get this or that done. Right? And if you are unaware, playing can be so profitable. And this comes from a podcast guest, Beth Comstock, who was the CMO of GE, GE, one of the most serious businesses you could possibly think about, right? Jet turbines and stuff. So at the end of the day, she challenged herself and her executive team to go where the trends are. She challenged herself to go, for example, a K pop concert in South Korea, and that is where she garnered some insights that changed the course of the way that GE approaches. Storytelling, loyalty, building, et cetera, et cetera. What does that mean for you? Well, if you're a solopreneur in a market that is competitive, how do you intend to distinguish yourself? You need to be ahead of the trends. Playing is profitable. On top of that, when we think about overwhelm, overwhelm, rather than be bamboozled by overwhelm, rather than not have a plan for overwhelm, which if you look at your 2024 goals right now, are you setting yourself up for overwhelm? Rather than that. Why not think about playing in terms of a way to nip overwhelming the bud. I'll give you an example. Maybe I'm an alien, but maybe this is you for me in the past, before this insight, I would, for example, work really, really, really hard and then earn a bubble bath, what I'm suggesting is. Take the bubble baths first, and then maybe you won't have to work as hard. It really changes the tone of your effort, and you'll be a happier mom. Period. Oh, and guess what? You know what your kids want? They want to play with you more. So that's another opportunity right there to reduce the mom guilt. All right. Fifth one. Overwhelm has to be addressed at its roots. So, overwhelm. Sometimes I've noticed when I've coached working moms, some of the most bad ass working moms in the universe, we're talking about, for example, a CFO of American express in Canada, bad ass mom. She became a mom. All of a sudden, insecurities pop up. Am I really good? Do I deserve the CFO spot? What if the person that's taking my position during maternity leave takes the actual job? All of these insecurities really pop up because our emotions are so raw, especially early on. And depending on the stage that you are in as a mom, what happens is That you then just start second guessing yourself and other categories of your life. And then you  overcompensate because you really don't want to get it wrong. And that's at the root of overwhelm more than that. It's also figuring out as a mom in that role and figuring out as a business owner in that role, what a success look like for you. Or have you been playing the rules that someone else wrote, maybe your mom, maybe an entrepreneur you see on Instagram, might their rules just send you off a cliff. Like if you don't get this right, you could pretend to be like chilling out at the end of every day and catching up on Z's. But if in your mind, you feel like you're doing less than you should, or you're not enough, that's going to keep nagging at you. And it will slow down your progress as a business owner. And it'll make you less happy as a mom. So this is something that has to be addressed at its root. And it's really hard to see. It's kind of like a jar with a label on the outside. If you're inside the jar, you cannot read the label. If you have someone outside that understands that there's symptoms here and can help you work through them, then you'll be way better off to actually avoid a train wreck. So I, I think this one is just. Pretty urgent. Okay, so here's what you need in order to achieve a five year goal in one year. So five things all together, these have to be practiced and embodied and done swiftly to knock out big goals. Why is that? So at the end of the day, you're not going to be faced with challenge only one time. It's like, Oh, it's 2024 and it's January. And here's that one challenge that I can't convert a particular sales lead or something like that. No, you're going to get that over and over and over in different sort of flavors. And so it has to be something that when you get knocked out the first time. Maybe it takes you and these numbers are totally not based on reality, but maybe it takes you like three days to get back up. And then the next time it takes you, ideally, if you've practiced these five, two days to get back up. And then the next day, 20 minutes. And then the next day, it's a two minute rage session or something. That's what we're going for. And that's why these five things are not just. Intellectual conversations that can be had. There has to be an actual immersion in this entire process. There has to be a guide who can tell you just like the jar metaphor when something is not going well as a business owner, so you could then make some change. So now you have a choice.  Now you have a choice. I just shared with you five insights, some of which might sound woo woo because of the angel thing, some of which might sound like they would be impossible for you to do by yourself. And I've attended webinars just like this. When I have said to myself, first of all, maybe I was double dutying, maybe it was multitasking, right? I was looking at my email. I was looking at another sort of conversation, but these, these conversations and these insights, they're proven. And they're not just proven for a Beth Comstock or Susy Batiz or an Asha Curran. They're proven for someone like, like you, like me, like someone who constantly has to, in their mind, toggle between, okay, this is what needs to happen at home. Okay, this is what needs to happen in my business. Okay. What about me? Am I even on my list? Like they're proven for individuals who have a meaningful business goal on their heart. And they're also proven for individuals who have a meaningful and want to continue a meaningful relationship with their kids. And I know that to you, I just know it. I know it. Why else would you be here? Why else do you want to be successful in both realms of this, of this life? Right? So what does this mean? This means that I can help you. And I can help you in the next 72 hours. So this is what I've done because I anticipated that this webinar might bring up ideas that you've haven't heard before, that you might want to learn a little bit more about. So the next 72 hours, I will put up a link very shortly and you can actually schedule time with me for free 30 minute breakthrough session, and you can share with me your 2024 business goals. What I would love the honor of doing is helping you filter through these goals based on these insights that I shared with you so that this way any blind spots are addressed up front before you run in the wrong direction of your dreams, right? So what I've done is this 30 minute private call. It's totally free. And you could just go ahead and sign up right here, but I will also email you a link so that this way you have a time, some time to breathe. I want to be sure that we both have an opportunity to just have some time to breathe, but I want to just have this here for you so that this way. These insights are not just in the air, but they're really tangible and they mean something to how you intend to approach the rest of 2024 so that this way, whatever happened in 2023 that didn't feel was your best or didn't feel when as, as well as it should have doesn't happen again. Like you want to take different steps for different results. And so that's why I wanted to do this for you. And that's why I honor you. And that's why I'm a hundred percent going to be taking your questions. If you have any, I'll just save a little bit of time, but then we'll absolutely do. The drawing right after, thank you for listening to the webinar. Here is that link. So you can schedule your breakthrough session in the next 72 hours, or whenever you actually catch this episode, it's www.MelissaLlarena.com/sessions. Those are free 30 minute sessions for mom entrepreneurs who are committed to navigating imposter syndrome for mom entrepreneurs who are committed to finding what is going to help them nip overwhelm in the bud and mom entrepreneurs who are 100 percent open to a fully immersive experience where they will learn how to network effectively, productively. Elegantly and authentically so that this way, if you have a five year plan, you can knock it out in 2024. I want to be of service to you. Go ahead and sign up for the breakthrough call. No commitment. Just be sure to show up. Be sure to honor that meaningful business goal that you have on your heart by showing up. And bringing you to the table. I'm so excited and thrilled. Again, breakthrough sessions are free 30 minutes and for mom entrepreneurs.   ​   

Welcome to Episode 209. In today's episode, you are going to hear how I landed some big-name podcast guests on this podcast Unimaginable Wellness. You'll hear from Beth Nydick, the creator of the F.A.M.E Formula. This conversation happened on my book launch day for Fertile Imagination. Beth Nydick is a PR expert. Definitely check her out. She is the type of mom who, like me, loves a good dare. As it relates to my book launch in October, a dare might be the key to your success. I want to invite you to consider that as the holiday season continues. You might need the jolt of energy that a good dare provides. What if you do show up to a holiday party with PR movers and shakers? Can that distinguish you? You'll want to listen to this chat and take notes! The art of daring yourself to do things has worked for me, and it might work for you.  If you love parties then please do say hi on Instagram which was where this party took place: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ Shop/gift/review - Fertile Imagination: https://amzn.to/3F6AgMu TRANSCRIPT I also wanted to point out that Beth is an empty nester. And a lot of empty nesters have actually weighed in on Amazon in terms of reviews. For Fertile Imagination, my debut book, which launched and is available to you right now on Amazon, and you can purchase or write a review if you've already purchased it. Here's something that you might not know. So empty nesters have weighed in and a lot of them say that they wish they had this book either back in the seventies as Kathy Ryan said, and she was an and made their executive and now she's a great grandmother. Or a book that they needed 20 years ago, such as my editor, Amanda  McMahon. She's actually in Australia and you'll see her name in the book as my editor. Here's what she said and is available for you to read on Amazon as a review. She says, I was hooked the minute Melissa pitched her idea to me. Her passion for helping moms who want a rewarding, but balanced life is contagious. Coupled with the wisdom of her podcast guests, we'll have you reach for a pen to fill out the questions at the end of each chapter. Every mom will find something in her book that speaks to them from challenging your inner, your imposter syndrome to acting classes to help create a new persona. Yes, I took acting classes. Melissa says she knows how hard it is to find time for yourself. She has three sons, including twins, and that is true. So her humorous, self-deprecating stories will be relevant to you. So I love, love, love that Amanda shares this perspective. Isn't it interesting how you might not realize that in your own writing, but someone else who's like really in between the lines can notice how you approach and the tone of your voice. So I wanted to share with you a snippet of Amanda's Amazon review because every single review matters so much. There are about 3 million moms who search and log into Amazon every single day. That is my back-of-the-envelope sort of shortcut thinking based on some of the stats they have online. And what happens is if a book has a hundred or more Amazon reviews, Amazon will go ahead and suggest the book as a product that they can purchase. Right now, you know it, if you are shopping for the holidays. There are so many moms looking for the perfect gifts for their mothers, their grandmothers, their sisters, their friends, and their cousins. And wouldn't it be amazing if fertile imagination were suggested by Amazon? And in order to do that, it would be really important to have a written Amazon review. On Amazon as soon as possible because timing matters every single day that I am not at that goal of a hundred Amazon written reviews. That's three million missed opportunities to tell a mom that she can do it. Others have done it. And here is how through the use of your fertile imagination. Enjoy this conversation with Beth Neidick. And I hope that you absolutely get some value. If you are a woman in business and you've ever wanted to work with a very powerful influencer, I share some tips, and again, dare yourself to do something this holiday season. See if it puts a jolt in your step. It worked for me. Tune in and enjoy the conversation. So I wanted to know how you got so many of my friends to talk to you today because I went back on their calendar and I looked at your list and I was like, Oh my God, we know all the same people.  And that made me think of all the big names who are in your book too. Yeah, all the big names. So I like talking to strangers and I think that's why I was able to like do this book. Ultimately, 25 podcast guests have appeared on Unimaginable Wellness since 2017, James Altucher, Gary V, Susie Batiz, and Beth Comstock. These are like really outstanding individuals you see on TV that you feel like, Oh wow, they're like totally hard to grasp, get in touch with. But for me. My podcast started with a dare. And so one day I was cooking rice and beans as a Latina mom does. And my husband was listening to James Altucher, who you may have heard of and he was chatting with Gary Vee saying anyone that launches a podcast because of this conversation, I will be your guest number three. And then the other person, whoever I kind of swapped right now said I'll be guest number four. And so it's pretty hilarious because I thought it was going to be easy. I was like, Oh, surely they promised we were from like the East Coast. So we kind of get like, maybe not. Right. So you know what I had to do? I had to, with my husband, go to James Altucher's comedy club and show up there. And he poked fun at me, actually.  I was like, what is it then, the butt of his joke or whatever. And so I tweeted at him after the fact and I said, yeah, it was me, the person you poked fun of. Can you be on my podcast? And he invited me to his home. To interview him. Yeah. Upper West side. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I had to get a crew. So of course I got a former podcast guest who was, who's the trombone dancer, by the way, he's in New York City. He will play the trombone and dance. Okay. Jonathan Arons. And I asked a former client of mine, who's a military mom to come with me to manage logistics. And that's how it started. It was a dare and it's, it's really about doing things that other people won't do. So like you might want to approach people and you're a PR expert. So you might want to approach people online, but if you show up in their comedy club, you distinguish yourself immediately. So that was one way that I got one person, James Altucher on my podcast. I showed up, I just showed up. Well, yay. Good, good for you. And that's honestly something I tell my clients all the time is like, it just sending an email or DM is not actually going to get you there, right? You need an intro. You need something interesting. I think those grassroots old-school tactics, like postcards, or even a letter. Like, how much mail does Gary Vee's company actually get? Probably not that much because no one does anymore. But you send an 11 by 17  message or letter to him, he's going to open it, or at least his assistant will open it. But anybody that you want, I hear so often from clients of mine that want to get their products on celebrities. And it's like,  DM them six times. And I'm like, That's actually not going to help you. What's going to actually help you is getting the publicist's email list or getting on the phone with the publicist or the manager. There are so many more ways to do this not only being dared, which I love, love, love the fact that you were being dared, but that you just like showed up in the flesh because that's what makes the difference. And that's, it goes back to like what we actually, what we talked about the other day in private, it's about the relationships. Yeah. Creating the opportunity for you to have a relationship that ultimately will be the opportunity for your success 100%. And I think it's about counting yourself in. And I think a lot of times we count ourselves out and we decline ourselves. Like we don't even give ourselves the opportunity to put the offer out and get a yes or no. We say no in our head, or we say, you know what? They're going to say no. Right. And then you stop yourself. So like with Beth Comstock, who's also in the book, former CMO of GE, I didn't grow up with connections. When I saw GE, I would think like, I don't know the light bulb or whatever. And maybe I think Edison, is right. Was he involved with the wrong company right now? Anyway, the point of the matter is it was something that just felt so far reached. Right. But with Beth Comstock, I went to ad week in New York City. And I showed up at like, I think it was the equality lounge or something like that. And I asked her, it wasn't even in person though. That one, I did a follow-up. I had already gotten Gary Vee and when I asked her, do you know that she said yes right away? And then in the book, I document this. I chickened out, I chickened out because she said yes, right away. I had not felt like I earned it. Her being on my podcast, the way that I earned in my mind, Gary Vee and James Altucher with everything that I did, was like a hundred-day sprint of trying to reach out to these two guys. And so with her, I remember, and I have this in the book when I talk about imposter syndrome and feeling like you don't belong, you're not enough. Like so many of us feel that way, whether you're a mom or a business owner, and you're trying to play bigger. I had to go up to Beth. A second time, this was a year later into it. When I funny enough, there seemed to move me when I dared my client, my client to actually talk to a decision maker, cause she wanted to land a job opportunity. And I told her, I said, you know what, I'll do it with you. You talk to that person and I'll go back and I'll reach out to bed, come stop. And so I call that courage and company, right? So sometimes you don't want to do it alone. And so you bring someone with you and that's what I did. I love that. I think it's also that's also like having people in your corner can give you the possibility of that big goal that big thing because like I'm, you know me I'm always transparent and I always tell my husband's like you tell everybody everything I'm like well that's what helps all of us. I'm working on a big project for 2024. I spoke to three friends two of them Their advice was to keep it small. One friend gave me the possibility of what I could create from the project. And I didn't realize They were feeding into, like, safety and you're okay, and you put yourself out there and you could, right, I can retreat and kind of do this on a smaller level, and she was like, Do you know what your name is? Do you know who you are? Like, we don't do things small, we do, and it's what, it's what you do, it's what I do, and I think so often we don't, we talk about the people that we keep in our circle, but we also think what, where their perception is. On the possibility of anything.  Oh, a hundred percent because that's why for me, Fertile Imagination is the title of the book. It's like, you are looking at a vision. You're casting a vision that you may have never seen another mom in your circle, including in your family actually execute. So if your top five people have never run a marathon and all of a sudden you want to run a marathon, that's when you need to get fertile baby. Okay, that's, that's when you need to just be like, all right, I got to figure this out on my own. And that's when sometimes you have to go outside of your family, outside of your circle, even outside of your country to find the people that are doing things that make you light. up. That's why the book has people from all over the world and people who have life experiences and many of them are totally unlike my own. I don't have a similar life experience as Muyambi who created a nonprofit Cycle Connect in Uganda. Like he and I, we went to Tuck to business school, but we didn't even know each other at Tuck. Number one, that was me talking to a stranger again, which I really, I really love. But number two, he just has a completely different viewpoint on urgency, right? So if there's a problem you want to solve anywhere around the world, and you're a mom and you're in the middle of a little community, let's say, or whatever, that urgency should be enough to make you say to yourself, I don't know if I have what it takes, but I want to solve that problem wherever your heart draws your attention to. Right. So that's the beauty. I love that. Well, let's talk about those. I know you have three stages of the fertile imagination. Let's talk a little bit about that because I think, like, even when you just tell me about it, it helps me. So let's talk about it. Yeah.  So a fertile imagination, again, it's like having that vision. You've never seen it before, but it's enough to drive you to like it. Do what it takes to make it happen. So there are three steps. The first one is waking up your imagination. So the deal is we're not sleeping as moms, but our imagination has been sleeping this whole time. So our imagination is only going to come out and play if it feels confident that we're going to play with it. Right? So if you have this bright idea. And every time you had this idea, you kept pushing it away. Your imagination is not going to give you some more bright ideas. It's going to be like, this lady doesn't want to play. It's not safe. I'm not coming out. So it goes to sleep. So step one, wake up your imagination. How do you wake it up? It's that inner work. It's reflecting on what you want. And, and your relationship with calling yourself creative as well. And when I say creative, it's not just like arts and crafts. It's like creative problem-solving. It's. Innovating. It's coming up with fresh ideas. Then it's about, okay, I woke up the imagination. Now I want to play with it. Right? So it's like a muscle. If you don't use it, you lose it. So again, you're practicing. Okay. How can I re-imagine the way that I mother, for example, how can I reimagine the way that I bring this business idea to the market? How can I reimagine strategic partnerships or solutions to problems that have yet to be solved? So it's cross-pollination. It's like all these businessy things that you could apply as a mom as well in your life, right? So that's. Playing with your imagination. And that's where you have the examples that I gave, like Beth Comstock, going to Korea, to a K-pop band, to come up with a brilliant idea for GE sounds hard to, to imagine, but that's what it is. You got to go really all out. The third stage is about stretching your imagination. So any human out there, business owner, a mom, you want to duplicate yourself. This is how you duplicate yourself. You ask. For help, this is how you stretch your imagination. You tell other people your idea and you give them the language to be able to share that idea with their people. Right? So it's about really taking this ability that you and I had as little girls, the ability to pretend right now is Halloween today. You see people pretending they're all sorts of things. Right. Yeah, we were like that. I may pretend that I was Madonna in the eighties. I pretended that I was punky Brewster maybe. Right. And it was fun. It was fun. And we played with these ideas. And now as moms, it's like being a mom, it's, it's a role. It's an identity and you could really play with it. Just like being an entrepreneur, you could play with that. And so it's about having that psychological flexibility. With which to tackle life, life is an adventure. You have to figure it out and be nimble. Yeah, I totally agree. And I'm listening to you as an empty nester mom because I'm going to, I'm in the next stage of what it actually like to be a mom. And as a mom, I know you have a lot of little kids in your house, not little, but little, little, or other mine, it takes time too.  It took carve out that time to have that imagination because I think a lot of times moms don't take the 15 minutes in the bathroom to think they take it to just kind of decompress But that's that taking that time to actually think to roll over your ideas To really figure out what you want to be doing next, whatever chapter you're in. I think that's really hard for moms to do. Like, what's your advice to, to, when you're like, well, I'm too busy to think about myself. How do we take the time to think about ourselves? Because to be honest, I have a lot more time now and it's, and it's, it's a little uncomfortable, to be honest. Really? Having time? All the moms are listening to you like, what? Oh my god, I want to feel uncomfortable.  Oh, you're so funny years. I've been used to like be having them here.  And then for me, I didn't realize how much of my community was my kids' community. And now that that's moved on. There's a lot of space, and I now need to recreate the community of people who are supporting me in different ways.  Yeah, I think this need for connection, this loneliness epidemic, and how moms seldom kind of like, fess up to one another. Like, this is how I feel, and I'm kind of confused of how to approach this, and it's something that we keep to ourselves oftentimes. I think giving ourselves time to reflect on anything, at any stage of motherhood, is the biggest value add for our entire lives. For example, in the book, I interviewed someone who's known for Socratic method questions, Mark Champagne. And what he had to say was that let's imagine you're constantly interrupted. No mom knows what that feels like.  But yeah, we're constantly interrupted. Well, here's what happens. One interruption is going to take you off course for whatever you plan for that very specific day. If you don't take a second to reflect on it, wait a minute, what was I planning to do right now as it related to my long-term plan? If you don't take that second, that pause.  Ask yourself deeper questions about why you're doing what you're doing that could be a 10-year, like off-track sort of road, as opposed to like a five-minute, like, wait a minute, let me get back on track and back on goal. So those pauses, while they might feel like superfluous and not as.  you're in the heat of motherhood, they can absolutely save you a decade. For, I remember I was coaching 12 years now, working with women in corporations. They didn't have time to breathe, not even right. It was like, you're just moving and you're flying by the seat of your pants and all that stuff. And for them, it's like, Oh, wait a minute. When I would work with them, it's like, I had not. Thought of what I wanted out of my career. I had not considered how I wanted to experience my life after work. Like there's so many unknowns and you know what happens? Other people define them for you if you don't take hold of that.  Yeah. And put you in a place, right? And then there's not any possibility because I always talk to my clients the same way. It's like, what, what is possible for you for this lifetime? What is possible? Now what always comes up and I think we talked about before too and it's in the book like the stories of Why I Can't stories that when you can create that story like you can make anything mean anything so in this idea of imagination creating the story of I'm infinite and I can do anything I want and I think you live you and I really live by that Because who told you, you could write a book who told me I could write a book. Oh, girl. Oh yeah. Everyone. Amen. Right.  Yeah. That's so that's the whole thing. You know, I wish like, I do wish sometimes that someone would just tell me like, play by play, like Melissa, you're writing a book now, then you're doing a Ted talk, then you're doing a this, but the truth of the matter is that if I don't choose it for myself, I'm actually not even as excited about it. To be honest, I've, I've tried, I've tried to fake the funk and want what other people want for me, but it's really hard because that takes extra energy, right? Like if you have something you want to do and it comes from you, there's just like a surge that makes it possible. It's funny you say that. Because I was at my therapist earlier. And I'm just talking about what I'm doing. I'm doing a launch and I have this project idea and he said when you talk about this project, you light up. He's when you love your business, but there's a different level of passion when you talk about this project and that, right? That's like, oh, I should be paying attention to that because a lot of people don't. Your life is like when you imagine what could be possible or what cannot be possible. What do you see? A lot of the blocks are for the moms that you work with.  I think a lot of them, it's this collective agreement that there are excuses that are totally valid in all situations. So it's almost like as moms, it's like, we don't have enough time. Like everybody agrees now. It's almost like we got into this room and we all spoke before the meeting. And we said, let's all agree that we can all say we don't have time. And that's the imagination from working. Or I don't, I want to spend time with my kids at this age. They're only going to be one for one year, right? They're only going to be in this stage for that particular time. And what I say to that is. Our dreams also have timestamps, like if somebody's looking to get into AI, you need to do it now, not 10 years from now. Right. So there's timestamps. If you want to run a marathon in the age category of being a 40-year-old woman, yeah, you're going to be in your forties now. I mean, I guess we could repeat it, but it's not realistic.  So. So it's like collectively we've said, okay, if a mom says she doesn't have time, take it as is and move on. Or if a mom says I don't have childcare or if I don't have the education or if I don't have the connections, then it's like we accept it. And in the book, I mean, I spoke with someone that's a Hall of Famer rugby player. Okay. In gym class in elementary school, I was the last kid to get picked for every single team sport. So for me to talk to someone who is in a completely different position is like, like fairy tale land stuff. Right. And, I could have like, by the way, no one told me to reach out to Phaidra Knight. That was me. Like, no one told me, I don't even watch Rugby. But I just felt like I wanted to talk to somebody who had a perspective on standards and the standards that you hold yourself up to. And so while we might have standards that our kids have to be perfectly polished when it comes to family photo sessions, not me, but people do. My standard is, well, I need to constantly be growing professionally, like period. I don't need to work for Procter and Gamble to have a performance evaluation that I'm marking my success metric by, like I have my own, right? So to your point, Beth, it's like. How, what's the standard for your life? Right? Like, is it okay for you to use time as an excuse? It's not my standard. Like it's, it's more like if I don't want to do it, I'll use time. But if I want to do it, I don't even think about time. We're like time warping, you know?  I love that. I love the whole concept of that. And when I talk to my clients and they're talking about their sales calls, if somebody says time, I'm like, that's an excuse, how do we reach? Reframe what time is, but a lot of nerve talking this time and time. It takes time to read your book. So let's talk a little bit about why they should make the time to read your book. Absolutely. So the book is made and it's structured in a way that you don't have to read it in one sitting. That's not the idea. The idea is it's a guide that you have on your bookshelf, right? And every time that you feel like you're stuck and you just need a little inspiration, you grab the book, you look at a chapter that really draws your attention. Like, let's say you don't feel decisive or you don't feel, or you feel like an imposter, go to that chapter and then see how someone else has managed to take that. Feeling and like flip it in a different direction, right? Reframe it, reposition it. So if you're a mom right now who feels like, okay, there's got to be a better way. Like right now I feel like I'm dragging through life. I feel like I'm everybody else's cheerleader. I feel like I'm not myself. Self, right? Like I don't, I'm not happy. Like if you're not happy right now, this is your opportunity to see what else might be available to you. If you've tried like the therapies and you've tried coaching and you've tried and I'm going out here. Because I have tried therapy and it takes me to the back, right? History. And it's really hard to pull myself forward. Sometimes I've tried coaching and it just depends if you're in a business space and you want marketing coaching, then that's great. But that might not solve some limiting beliefs. Right. But if you feel like. You have more to give to yourself, right? If you feel like you have something inside of you that you want to put out in the world, then grab the book, grab the book, because you're going to see, you're going to see me and my mistakes, and you're going to see other people and like their greatest achievements. And there's going to be this middle ground that is perfect for you. And I give you questions that you can use to tailor your path. So it's very practical, but it's also very approachable because you could just look at it like one chapter for a whole week if that's your heart's desire and take action. I  love that. I love it so much. And like always, where can everyone buy your book? Just go to the link in my bio today. And if you're not a mom, you could give it as a gift in the Kindle format. So gifted to a mom who you believe in today is the day of imagination. Let's invite moms to rediscover our imaginations as well. Use today to start.  Well, congratulations on the book and everything that you put together. I can't wait to read the book. I can't wait to be on your podcast. And I'm so grateful that we got a chance to catch up today. So thank you so much. Thank you.  Thank you so much, Beth. You're amazing. Have a beautiful rest of the day in the neighborhood and may you have amazing bagels very soon. Thank you. Bye, everybody.  I love Beth's energy and I think that my energy matches her energy, but she's an empty nester. So isn't that cool? Like you could actually be in any season of motherhood and step it up. So I want to also invite you if you have shopped for the book Fertile Imagination, you take the opportunity two minutes today to go ahead, go to Amazon.com, look up Fertile Imagination or look at your orders, and then go ahead and write two to three sentences. In terms of the book itself, two to three sentences go a long way every single day. Three million moms log into Amazon and that's three million missed opportunities. If we delay one day of writing a review if you have not purchased the book. Then I invite you to go ahead and shop the book. If the review resonated with you, go ahead and gift the book. If you are not sure how to actually like a gift your sister-in-law or your mother-in-law or your friend, something that really conveys the message that you believe in their ideas and you believe in them. This would be the book to put in a stocking. This would be the book to put under a holiday tree. This would be a book. To give someone that you deeply believe in and that you want to see sore, enjoy the rest of the season and I hope you're done with your holiday shopping and I hope you're done with the things that might have really weighed heavy on your mind. So thank you for this conversation and have a good one.  ​   

Welcome to Episode 207. In today's conversation, I actually had the wonderful opportunity to speak with Lana Ashby Rowder, the founder of LookingGlass Lifestyle, which is about styling yourself and leveraging technology in order to make this wonderful, wonderful gift of aesthetics, a possibility for every single person. I wanted to just share something before we jump in. Lana and I met at a library. It was me talking to strangers which brought us together. She helped me pick out the style that made sense for my book cover of Fertile Imagination. Cool, right? This conversation was on book launch day, and I'm sharing that with you because there was so much excitement in terms of the possibilities of this book. Also, the book managed to get to position one in the motherhood category and also number one in women in business as an Amazon bestseller.  If you love parties then please do say hi on Instagram which was where this party took place: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ Shop/gift/review - Fertile Imagination: https://amzn.to/3F6AgMu TRANSCRIPT And so the conversation with Lana is very fitting as she is a woman in business and she's gone through her own career transitions, having been a nurse. before and now a business owner. So this is what I want to share with you. I want to share with you a review on Amazon for Fertile Imagination, my debut book. So the book is all about rediscovering yourself and really leveraging the power of your imagination for yourself as a mom. Oftentimes we imagine the best in everyone else. I mean, we're talking about like, we imagine the best in terms of some of our kids' teachers, in terms of our partners, in terms of are OBGYNs. And I want you to take that superpower, that amazing, unmagnificent vision you have for others, and turn it on yourself so that you can dream really, really big. So here is an Amazon review. It comes from someone named Andrew. So I just want to say that it's amazing how Andrew really gets moms. Because I resonated with his review on Amazon. He says, fertile imagination is a must-read for anyone feeling stuck in the merry-go-round of life. Ain't that the truth? I had to just interject. Using personal stories, interview excerpts, and creative exercises, Melissa inspires you to tap into your inner creativity and go after what you've always dreamed of. Even if you aren't a mom, this book will help get you unstuck when it comes to reaching your potential. I have found myself frozen sometimes when I think about what I want to accomplish and what I have yet to do. And I want to really be sure that you and I both have some sort of way to overcome those hurdles. And oftentimes you write the book that you need most. And that's why I wrote Fertile Imagination. So Andrew had an opportunity to write a review on Amazon, two to three sentences, sharing his opinion about Fertile Imagination, my book. And these reviews are so important, which is why I wanted to read it to you first because it give you a sense of whether the book is right for you or for a friend. But second, if Amazon sees that a book has a hundred Amazon reviews, It will then help market the book to new readers. And here's the deal. How amazing would that be for a mom who is purchasing holiday gifts for her family on Amazon to then get a little nudge from Amazon to see that, wow, there's this book called Fertile Imagination that could actually help me accomplish what I want to accomplish in the new year of 2024. They would have never seen it if Amazon didn't see that you wrote an Amazon review and about 3 million moms a day log into Amazon. Those are the statistics and that's a little bit of back-of-the-envelope math for you. So every single day that we are not at 100 reviews. Is a day that 3 million moms would not have seen that fertile imagination as a possibility for them too. So I really could use your help. I want to be sure that we get through that 100 Amazon reviews. So, off to the conversation with Lana. It is sensational. I absolutely love how thoughtful she was. And I also want to just give her a huge shout-out because she is looking for VCs. So if you think that Lookingglass lifestyle is an interesting opportunity for you, be sure to reach out to me via Instagram at Melissa Llarena. And now for the conversation with Lana, where we talk about speaking to your inner child. And she's a mom that has a little girl. And I wanted to just say that because I have all boys and I appreciate hearing from moms who have very different life experiences. So stay tuned for that as well.  Yeah, I want to talk about your book. So I didn't realize until today that you had been doing coaching for moms for like 12 years and that's is that what kind of got you to the point where you're like, I want to write a book on some of these stories or share some of these insights that I've learned is that what really propelled this? Yeah, 12 years of having a conversation that usually is held tightly guarded, like these secret conversations, right? Like I'm at work and I don't feel supported or I'm at work and I'm in this job and I don't know if I'm going to get to the C suite. There are all these emotions behind the scenes, especially with working moms in particular. So we have these inner conflicts that we're trying to untangle. And I even talk about that, like in the book, like it's like these knots in the back of our heads that are like impossible to unknot. And for me, I just felt like, okay, I'm having conversations with both working moms and also working dads. And that's not even a phrase, which is pretty interesting as I think about it. And they sound different. They really sound different. And I thought to myself, what if I shared a little bit of what I'm hearing from like, The guys and what I'm hearing from people that are not moms, and I empower moms to like have this like psychological flexibility with which they can create their own life experience like at home, at the office, anywhere you want to be. That's amazing. I know so many women are going to benefit from this book, moms especially. I had a similar experience. What you're talking about is when I was starting my company Looking Glass, it was like this gnawing in the back of my head that was like, there's more. There's more. Like, just try this thing. You have this idea. And like, I could not shake it no matter what I did, what I tried. And I sat on my idea for a while, but it, yeah, I think just everything you have in the book, encouraging moms to kind of, to find their purpose and stretch their imagination. That was the point that I really liked was the imagination. Like, Tapping into that what if that lets you play to your reference about Halloween this morning? Like what would you want to be when you grow up? Even if you're 40, what do you want to be?  Play like it's Halloween like you get to imagine how this can look for you. So I really love all your insights on that. Yeah, I think when you grow up and I say this as a mom who's been around the mom lights for 12 years now both in the U.S. and living abroad in Australia, what I have noticed is that there's this like, almost like kind of like, I give up. I shouldn't play. I'm too old for that. There's so much going on. I don't have time to like, introduce laughter in my life. It's all about like, do, do, do, the checklist, figuring out how much can get done in a day. And what happens is something that's really, really, Horrible for entrepreneurs, right? So as an entrepreneur, what I hear all the time is to enjoy the process. Well, how the heck am I supposed to enjoy the process? If I keep on adding even more pressure behind what needs to happen in the day. So one way to add a little bit of levity and to actually enjoy the process of motherhood of entrepreneurship, of being a partner in any other capacity. Is by finding a way to almost add a breath of fresh air to the moment. And so this is something that helps people not just with their children, like today, Halloween, like we are more playful today because our kids are dressed up and we're all having that fun with them. But like, let's say you're in like a very stressed situation, right? And right now you have a company and there are all these competitors coming into the marketplace. The best way for you to tackle any challenge, any creative challenge is to actually step away and like really daydream like Sarah Blakely, whom I'm wearing, by the way, because of your style, by the way, I have literally legit Sarah Blakely Spanx jeans on right now. She actually, yeah. Her best ideas came when she was daydreaming. Her best ideas happen when she's like playing with her four kids. This is something that is proven from a business perspective. Like I have Beth Comstock who was the former CMO of GE in my book. I interviewed her and she herself had gone to a Korean pop concert for divine inspiration for something that can add value to a manufacturing company like GE like playing can be profitable as much as it's fun and something you do with your kids. And I think that there's a lot that we need as moms. We need so many tools like our bags have everything, lipstick, mascara, but we need other tools that we can be like, all right, let me pull this out for when I don't know what to do. And your imagination is that versatile. Yeah. I like to look at kids in another way. Like I love the idea of mirroring them and thinking like, how do they play? Let's, we should also be playing like that. But one, one thing I love and  Breeja Larson talks about it in your book. Is that like, how would you speak to your inner child? And I've done this where when I wanted to launch my business or I thought I shouldn't go to that work event because my kids, my kids, my kids, I've flipped it in my head like, what would I tell my daughter? If my daughter wants to be a working mom and she wants to launch her business, would I tell my daughter, no, stay home and make spaghetti? Or would I tell her, you know what? Go out. Do that interview do that networking thing that you've been planning and just reach for the star So I've tried to shift it in my head. What advice would I give my daughter? When I'm thinking about my own decisions as a working mom.  Yeah Yeah, and and here's the thing. Let's just imagine your daughter did choose to make spaghetti we're in a situation right now where we have cellphones. So technically she could put her cell phone on a tripod, show up to that event, and show herself making spaghetti for her kids and still make a profit in whatever it is she chooses to do. Some straight-up people make spaghetti, record themselves, and make money doing so on Instagram. Right. So, we're in a world where you could actually have a situation where it's like, yes. And yes, I can show up to whatever, like a soccer game or whatever I could be present and focused. And then when the game is over on my way to the car, I could get back online, whatever needs to happen, and make those choices along the way. So I think, yeah, Breeja Larson is so kicked tush. I'm a mom, right? We can't use potty language, but she's so kicked tush. She's an Olympian swimmer for anyone who doesn't know her. And she was the one that said, basically, what about that little girl inside of you? Like, what is it going to take for you to when you're not motivated, jump into a cold pool and practice anyway? And for Breeja, it was conjuring that inner little girl. And as a mom today, it's Halloween. I want you to go back to when you were like eight years old. Like who did you dress as? Who did you want to be? What did you think you would look like or be like at this age right now? And, and how can you not let her down? And I think your imagination can help you figure out the how. Yeah, absolutely. The other thing I love about Rhea Larson is reading a book and knowing a little bit about her. She is an Olympic gold medalist in swimming with a breaststroke, and I have a daughter who does breaststroke and swims. But what I love about her is that she didn't start year-round swimming until she was much older. And so I love that too, like the mirror there for the moms, like, If you didn't start when you were 18 or in college or you took some time off or you decided to be a stay-at-home mom, it's not too late to now turn and pursue your dreams and train for something and learn a new skill and reach for the stars. So I really love, I love that part of her story. Yeah, and I think Breeja talks about it from a perspective of still being a child, technically, when she started her craft. But then there's also Theo, Theo Travers, who's in my book as well. He was the executive producer of the show Billions. He was in his 30s. And that's when he decided to go across the road, the road, go across the United States to Hollywood and like pursue writing, which at the time felt like something you would do super early in your career, not after being a TV journalist with a lot of success. Right. So I think this whole thing of, well, I should have done that when I was  18 or 20, that stops a lot of dreams from even having a chance. And so if you're. 30, 40, 50, 60, like straight up, you're the age you are period. Now we move forward. What can be done? What can you do? And maybe you can create your own category and whatever it is you want to pursue. Like there's sky's the limit with your imagination, right? Yeah. So why do you think that is? Why do you think moms in particular, come out of college, we're in college, we can do anything, and we can be anything we want to be. And then we stop, maybe we stay home for a while, we have kids, we kind of pursue more of a domestic role.  And then maybe we have these dreams. Why do you think moms kind of fall into that where they feel like they can't pursue those dreams anymore? What is it about motherhood or about being in this kind of middle life in the 30s, or 40s that kind of stops dreams from being pursued?  Yeah, it's, it's so funny because in the book, really what I share is this idea of holding yourself up to a higher standard than other people might hold you up to. And I think as a collective, as moms, there are certain excuses, and I'm just going to say the word excuses, that we've agreed are valid. And are the reasons why it's okay for us not to go after what we want. So one of the excuses might be something like I don't have the time, right? However, it's kind of funny how we might make the time to binge-watch something on Netflix But we don't have the time to go to the gym exercise blah blah blah. So it's like collectively accepting it. Just like when you're a mom, the notion I've heard is if you're a mom, then you no longer come first. Like it's no longer about you. You could take that really literally, right? And so it becomes any moment that you have to decide between your priorities and your child's, you're always going to choose yourself. Even if the consequence for your kid is not really a big deal. And I'm not talking about the serious stuff. Like you got to go to the hospital.  be on some sort of TV show. I'm talking about things like, Oh no, my kid is not going to show up with like a homemade Halloween costume today. Right. Versus man, I really want to do an Instagram live with Lana right now. So like right now, my, I know my kids are not having GMO-free snacks this second. Like they're literally at a. a theme park here in Austin that has sugar up the wazoo. Am I going to pay for it? Yes, I am. But that's what I chose for today. Right, right. Yeah, it's all a balance, right? I mean, I think to kind of play off what you're saying about the moms and the making excuses and why it's acceptable to not follow your dreams. One thing I noticed with my clients is being overwhelmed. And so they make excuses like, I don't really care what I look like, or I don't care. I'm 20 pounds heavier,, but I'm too busy to do anything about it. Or I don't care about clothes. So I don't care how I look in photos. But to me, as I've gotten to know a lot of my clients on a more personal level, and even taking this to my years as a nurse,  to me, that's just kind of a mask for overwhelm. They have this dream inside whether it's to have a new career or launch their own business or pursue. Painting, whatever it is, but the ideas of like, now that they're trying to figure out how to do it and learning it and starting something, it's just, they're so overwhelmed by all the other balls that they have in the air that they just kind of maybe say, I don't care about that. Or I used to want to do this, but like, I can't do it now because, to me, it's just an underlying feeling of they're just overwhelmed and they don't know how to act on it.  I think one of the early readers of my book was saying that really sometimes we're also intimidated by our own dreams. And so if that mom that you are saying feels overwhelmed, maybe she's overwhelmed because she assumes that pursuing this business idea, for example, like she's going to have only like her current level, like information, her current level relationships, current level skills. But in the book, what I share is that you tend to grow with your dreams. So like last year, if someone told me, Melissa, you would have to figure out how to get like the interior of your book ready and set and into like amazon.com. For example, I would have been like, oh my god I don't have my book yet, right? I would have been so scared and I didn't have certain Facebook groups that I would ask these questions to But as I've grown along with my dream as I'm executing on my dream I've been able to increase my capacity, and also figure out where I have gaps and I don't know anything. So I've been able to figure out like, who can I ask that has already accomplished what I wish to accomplish. So like that mom, to your point, like, let's say you're overwhelmed, right? You want to have, for example, beautiful holiday photos, right? And you see all these holiday photos every year that come to your house. And you like, I'm making this up, tape them to your wall. Some of us do that, right? Or you like to hold them as this beautiful, like the reflection of a perfect life. Why is it that my kids have their fingers in their nose and their picture or Tommy has a Mohawk and I'm not into that, right? Like if you feel, if you see that disconnect in the moment. All you have to do is just say to yourself, okay, wait a minute, let me just start with the one picture I really liked. Let me call that one mom and let me just ask her, like, did you have a stylist? Did you hire a photographer? Like did you tell your kids that you would take them to Disney World if they stood still? You know what I mean? Like you just ask one person. That you admire, like the result of their efforts, just like what, what did they do? And if we're more open about our dreams, even if they intimidate us or overwhelm us or our ambitions, even if they embarrass us too, that's the other thing where we, we feel that's one step forward to actually reducing overwhelm. Yeah.  So do you feel like moms, it's hard for them to be vulnerable at this point when they're talking about their own dreams and their own things for the sake of looking silly or embarrassed around other moms in the community? Or why is it that we stopped sharing the things that we're passionate about that aren't related to our family and our kids?  Yeah. So here's the thing. We all want to evolutionarily be part of a group, right? And so if a group with which you hang out with our moms who look put together, who show up at Halloween with like all the bells and whistles of Halloween stuff and, and you all of a sudden want to do your own thing. thing and be a little different, you're going to then feel like the group is no longer going to accept me. Like my mom, friends are going to think that I am, and I'm making this up, but like me with a book, for example, right? Like right now I have a book and a lot of the people that I've engaged with, they don't have a book, but they have a book inside of them, right? They have a book in their heart. And so sometimes even for me, like I might feel like okay let me not mention today's book launch day because like what if that makes them feel bad or makes them feel any sort of feelings that are not positive also what if now they don't look at me in the same way? What if now when they say I have a book in me, they feel embarrassed because I have a book outside of me? So it's really group dynamics. And it's about just like this need to feel like we're in a group of people who accept us. And if we start doing things differently than the people with whom we hang out with, we will, and this is the truth, we will notice a couple of differences. And it's all a matter of like, who do you want to be? Who do you want to be? And I think that's a question we don't take time to ask ourselves.  Yes,  absolutely. So what can we do as fellow moms when we're in these groups to maybe help women express their dreams? Or what questions can we ask? How should we be reacting when they do open up and share?  Yeah, so I would say the best thing that you can do is ask the mom a follow-up question, right? So I love asking questions, which is why in the book I have like five questions for every single chapter that a mom can reflect upon and I have questions you could answer like Five minutes by yourself for like five hours. It depends on you. And I would say, ask a mom. Okay. Wow. That's interesting. What made you want to pursue that? Like, that's a super simple question. That's interesting. What made you want to pursue that? Or another question could be, that's really cool. Tell me more. Super basic. You're just asking them to express themselves. And the beauty is having been a coach for 12 years in the capacity where I'm helping people land these like six figure corporate jobs, et cetera, is that I'm using the same skills, but for moms who are entrepreneurs and who just needs to flesh out their ambitions. And as it relates. to our Children. And I actually have a five-day challenge on my website that moms can go to. Just go to the link in my bio. But as it relates to your kids, your kids are like amazing question-askers. That's the bomb, right? Two. They also force us to be really simple with how we express our ideas, and that's key to sales as well. So if you have an idea in your heart and you tell someone the idea you could tell your kids that idea and ask them to Talk back to you and say what did you understand by that? But if you are someone in a mom group and someone says it's like a wacky idea quote unquote what you might want to do is just Ask wow, that's interesting. Tell me more and leave it at that. You don't have to put judgment or improve it or anything. Just tell me more is, is really amazing. Actually, it feels good. I think  I was going to say in the role of a mom, like having somebody else be like, tell me more and getting the opportunity to talk about like what's in your heart and not having to talk about kids and other things. And someone just genuinely showing interest in your dream and just really giving you permission and the space to like. put that out there in the universe and speak it to life and tell people like I do have this idea and You never know where that's gonna lead that may lead to them being like I know a book publisher Or I have a friend who already published a book. Let me hook you up So you mentioned this really early on when I hopped on and I think it's been so true and valuable for me It's like just speak it out there Talk to people find people at the library like you and I met to ask them what they think about this ask them just make conversations because there are so many great people out there that want to connect and want to help fellow moms. And I've been so fortunate to have a couple of mentors that have really connected the dots with me. But it just started with me having a little bit of courage to really be honest about what I wanted to do. Yeah.  And I think here's the thing, like,  again, it's about what, what's been heard before from mom circles before. So like, it's common, for example, for a mom to say, I want to be a teacher, for example, right? Because like, the summer's off and all of that stuff. It's common for a mom to say, Oh, I want to participate more heavily in like the parent-teacher groups and all of that. And I know it's uncommon to say, I want to be invested or backed by a VC within like 90 days, or I want my app to hit like 20 million downloads within X period of time. That's uncommon. And that's why for me, fertile imagination means that you have a vision that's. so big that maybe you've never seen it done by a mom before, but you've got the guts to go after it anyways. And that's the distinction. So I think it's about figuring out what's common and just letting go of that and being uncommon. And I think that's okay. It's so amazing., I read a couple of chapters. I just bought the book this morning. when it officially went on sale. But I can't wait for all moms to read this and just the reach that you're gonna have with this book. I think it's really gonna hit a lot of hearts in the mom communities and really just tap into that kind of loneliness or maybe unsureness and just really give a lot of people the courage to look inside themselves. And be honest about their dreams, and, I think your book is going to do a lot of great things. Thank you so much, Lana. This has been sensational. I think you have to become a journalist, girl. No, not at all, but I do have to run to parent-teacher conferences, but I have one more question for you. I want to know, as I have the book and I want to gift it to others for the holidays. I think it's such a great book to give to mom groups or to give to the teachers as a Christmas present. But what was your favorite chapter of the book that you wrote? For me, it was the one with Diane Bell when I was comparing winning a Sundance award to tandem nursing, my identical twins. That was my favorite because to tell that story, anyone, anyone that's attempted to nurse one baby. Yeah. Please just imagine what it's like to tandem nurse two and the award that all moms around the universe get for feeding their kids in any way that they decide is like, I mean, we need like golden whatever is out there. The Nobel Peace Prize. Let's give ourselves that. How about that?  I know. I think we don't give ourselves enough credit as moms. It's like, if we can do all these other things, why can't we be a BC-back company? Why can't we start our own? Store or jewelry line or whatever it is Like we've done amazing things and I think something happens along the way where we sell ourselves short a little bit But you're right I think looking back and being like these are great successes and I did all these things and I can do so much more Absolutely. Thank you so much. Lana. This has been amazing Congratulations. I'm so proud of you. I can't wait for everybody to read it. Good job. Thank you All right. We'll talk soon. Bye, Can I just say that the different women who interviewed me on book launch day are sensational. So I wanted just to leave you with this one point. If you feel like you would advise your child to go and take a risk or skip making a spaghetti dinner or, you know, do something for themselves when they had the option to do something for their family. And it might have not been a big deal for their family if we're honest about it. If you feel like you would have provided that suggestion, then do the same thing for yourself.  As you think about the holidays, there are so many things that you can do to make the holidays magic for your family, but why not consider doing something magical for yourself? And I want to just invite you to do that. So please help me out. Go ahead to amazon.com. Look up Fertile Imagination. I will put this in the show notes as well. And then if you're on your cell phone, you could just scroll down to write a review and write a review for Fertile Imagination. If you have yet to shop the book Fertile Imagination, then I wanna invite you to shop the book, shop the book, because it is a testament to both being a wonderful parent and also. Being totally excited by what you want to bring to the world, right? Having nothing to do with your family, but everything to do with your heart's desire. And I want us to really see more wonderful things out in the world. I think we can all use wonder right now. So I invite you to shop the book for yourself or shop the book for a mom who you believe in. You're literally telling her I believe in you by buying Fertile Imagination. So just head on over to Amazon.com shop the book and leave a review. We want to reach those 3 million a day moms shopping on Amazon so that they can see that fertile imagination is an option for them. Thank you so much and happy December.   

Welcome to Episode 206. We're going to talk with Laura Carney, my copyeditor, who is not herself a mom, but really understands what it's like to nurture big dreams. You're going to love this conversation. It happened on book launch day, and she actually helped me take this book to the finish line. So I'm very grateful to her. She wrote My Father's List. And you will love to see her investigative journalism skills at play.  If you love parties than please do say hi on Instagram which was where this party took place: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ Shop/gift/review - Fertile Imagination: https://amzn.to/3F6AgMu TRANSCRIPT I wanted to share something with you. You may not know this, but if you shopped the book, Fertile Imagination, and you enjoyed it, I would love to see your written Amazon review. The reason is that Amazon really does value whether a book has a hundred or more Amazon reviews. And what it'll do is it'll make it a suggested product. And it's so important in terms of being timely because every single day, there's about 3 million moms that might shop on Amazon. So imagine this, what if a mom is shopping for some sort of like really boring product, like batteries or something for her family, and she then notices that there's this book, Fertile Imagination, that might really help her rethink how she approaches The rest of the year or 2024. What if she got a suggestion from Amazon that Fertile Imagination might be the book that will help her feel like she's reconnected to her inner child? Let me read to you one review that says just that this reviews on Amazon right now for fertile imagination It says melissa demonstrates that motherhood doesn't have to mean hitting the brakes during your pre kid self Drawing from the wisdom of her podcast guests She urges us to dream big discover our passions and take practical steps towards our aspirations I love the fun imagination warmups in each chapter. They are such a great way to reconnect with your inner child. The reason why I say this is because when I had this conversation with Laura, I think it's so important for you to understand that although you might be listening to two women who are accomplished, who have published their books, At heart in terms of our deepest, deepest, deepest, deepest desires, oftentimes they came when we were just little girls. So really just imagine for yourself, what was on your heart when you were a child? What is left to actually bring to the world? How can you today really reimagine the way that you live your life, your role as a mom, so that you can apply some time to that dream and coming through for the little girl in you. Enjoy the conversation. I'm trying to just figure out all sorts of crazy things on book launch day, but I'm here with you and I'm so excited. And we're talking about fertile imagination with my father's list author.  This is so great. I'm so proud of you.  I'm proud of you, too. I think it's been a pretty accomplished year. I would say you're both of us  You're at the end though. I was listening to the video the final countdown and thinking about you  I swear like the hair the hair bands, right? Yeah. Yeah. I was resonating. I resonate with that. The final count.  I have, I have a few things up my sleeve still that I haven't shared yet. So a couple of things I'm still working on. It's not over yet.  Very cool. Very cool. How do you feel you're on day one,  right? It's like asking someone before a marathon, like, all right, start running.  I feel like I'm running on fumes. It's Halloween. So like my kids were like, today's a big day. And so one of them is like, it's Halloween. And the other one was like, mommy's book. And then the other one was like, I have to go to school. So  everybody has their own set of emotions. Mine is just like, maybe adrenaline. Like that's for sure. One of them. Just if that is an emotion, I don't even know. Yes, that's an emotion. Well, I have a few questions ready for you today. Go for it. But before I get started with that, one of the things I really wanted to tell your listeners is that this is a really good book. I mean, I have a copy of this book. I have read it, I don't know, 10 times, I think.  And it is, I, I never got tired of reading it. Like every time I read it, I found something new to enjoy in the chapters and would be like, Oh, this is amazing. I didn't even realize this part before. So I really wanted to put that out there. And Let's just start by maybe you can explain what you mean by a fertile imagination. It's the ability to cast a vision that is so big and may have never been accomplished by mom before But it fuels you it fuels you like you want to execute on that vision because you feel that either It'll change your life your family's life or even like just set up the next generation for success. So for me, that's Can't get more fertile than imaginative than that. I always wonder where the word fertile came from for you. Did that just hit you one day? Like, oh, it's, it's fertile. That's what I need to say. Is it because of being moms? Oh, yeah, that was it. It was, here's the whole thing. Like, I have identical twin boys. And so, like, jokingly, I, I'm like a fertile myrtle in that way. It's like, it was one of those like, knock you outside of consciousness surprise things in terms of identical twins, which are not like familial, like it's like serendipity. It's like magic. And so for me, I thought, let me just play with that. Let me play with this idea that it's. I'm hyper productive,  and I want to be sure that other moms, regardless of how they became moms, like adoptive moms, stepmoms, anyone that is nurturing and caring for someone feels that they can nurture and care for their own ideas, actually. And did you, I mean, I know for you, you were sort of gradually discovering that your imagination needed a wake up call, but do you think that that's, that was the case with a lot of moms that you were encountering? Like what, what was your initial catalyst for, for needing to turn all of your experiences and all of your wisdom into this book? Yeah. So being a coach for 12 years in the online space, and then in parallel figuring out how to be a mom. And then of course, like growing my family, like there were so many conversations I had with fellow working moms where I felt like I needed something else, like I needed like a jolt, like I would joke with people. I'd be like, I don't need coffee. I need crack.  I just, I just need like way more to kind of like lift off and soar and do what I want to do. And I felt like other moms felt the same way, but maybe they weren't as colorful in their language. So I was noticing that a lot of moms felt like they had these big ambitions for their kids. It's like my kid can do anything and when they grow up, I want them to be happy and all these. things. And I felt that at the moment of the pandemic, when I wrote the book, I was like, okay, right now, all that talk about our kids can really serve us moms or caregivers. It's kind of like, we need that jet pack. We need that engine to get through the stuff that's so heavy and hard, especially at that time. But also like, if you're an entrepreneur, if you're a writer, if you're a mom, it's like, there's so many hurdles. It's kind of like Indiana Jones and the temple of doom. And when he was like running and this boulder was coming after him, like that's like motherhood. That's also like writing a book. I'm sure with you like pitching your book, like that was not a walk in the park. That was like a run in a dungeon. So it's like, it's like you, you need something. And when I decided to write the book, I was like, okay, well, if I could write this out, first, I could express myself more clearly. Second of all, I could then figure out what I need to do. So sometimes we write. The book we need ourselves, right? I, I knew that when I was a little girl and even in college, for example, I remember thinking these big, big dreams. And I was like, and I want to go to like graduate school and I want to live in another country and I want to do this. And, and that spirit is what made me defy the odds. It made me do things even when I was exhausted, even when I had other family obligations. And I knew that moms and anyone who's caring for anyone needs more than what you might have on paper in order to, like, get through the moment and, and also learn from the moment. So that was important to me. One of the things I really loved about your book was the structure of it and the way you, you segmented all of your podcast guests and their wonderful wisdom into these three concrete sections. And I was wondering if maybe you could.  Without spoiling anything, if you could explain a little bit about how each of those sections came to be and what each of those sections means to you.  Yeah. So for me, the whole like waking up your imagination, I think there's like an inside sort of job and also like external environment. So there's three steps to optimizing your fertile imagination. And when you. First, kind of think to yourself, what is it that I need most in this moment? You have to recognize that your imagination wants to feel safe and also does not want to be ignored. Like if you are there a mom and you're just like busy and occupied and in your mind, you're like, man, I'd like to like add a little bit of laughter in this moment, but you ignore that then that thought will most likely not pop up as readily again. And so first you. Right. So first you want to step one, wake up your imagination, but you also want to let your imagination know that, and I'm ready to play, like, I'm not going to ignore you. So that's why like the first part of the book is about the inside job. It's about your internal environment. It's about your relationship with calling yourself creative, which for a lot of moms, funny enough, when I've asked. People who look creative to me, maybe I'm just making assumptions, but I'm like, wow, they have like a great haircut. They have an amazing shirt or style when I've told them, wow, you're creative. Like I've gotten like this look, like I have eight heads, like I'm not creative. And I'm like, gee, you look really creative to me. Like you have an amazing style. Right. So that's part one. It's about making sure you work on your relationship with creativity, the inside job, so that this way your creativity can feel like, okay, if I wake up. She's going to play with me. Then the second part is about playing with your imagination. And it's just like a muscle. Like if you're not working it out, it's going to not work anymore for you basically. Right. And so playing with your imagination, that's where I see innovation coming from. right now. So it's not just like being a mom and being like playful at home with your kids, although that's part of it. It's also about being very present in the moment and using your observation skills to seize opportunities. But it's also about innovating even in the place of work. Like right now, a lot of people are scared of AI. Well, the one way you could outpace.  is by using your imagination and going into categories that are unexpected and irrelevant, seemingly to your category and figuring out how to like almost cross pollinate really random ideas, James Altucher, who's in the book calls that ideas sex, but I, I digress. So,  so yeah, what are, of course he does. Of course he does. And we're talking about fertile imagination. So it all works out. So that's the second part, right? The second part is about  playing with your imagination, playing with ideas, being more playful in your life and the way that you run your life and how you think about yourself as like a mom or a woman or a partner. And then the third part is stretching your imagination. And so a lot of people, including someone that's like deep in a book. tour launch, you want to duplicate yourself. You wish you could like be in Seattle and be in Miami at the same time. Well, okay. That might not be the case, but duplicating yourself for me is stretching your imagination and seeing how you can enlist the help of other people. So like mobilizing your network and let's say you don't have a network. Making sure that on the inside, when you're by yourself, you're asking yourself really good questions. So I have someone that is really big into the Socratic method. And that's one way that you can keep yourself on track, right? In terms of a goal. So three parts, the book, the way that it was structured was meant so that. If you don't have time in the day to like go to the toilet by yourself, you can technically just look at a reflection question and just like think about it in a carpool to pick up your kid at school. And that's it. That's suffice to get you thinking outside and beyond of your everyday normal life.  That's great. Yeah. I mean, I think stretching was my favorite one because you just had so many sections where there's almost mantras for the lift for the reader to remember and just practice themselves in their daily lives. And I love how so much of it is about mindset to just so many of the amazing people you talk to. And I guess I was wondering if maybe you could talk a little bit about that too. How did you get all these incredible people on your podcast? Yeah, it's the interesting part is a lot of the books that I myself read, right? So like whether it's a book from Tony Robbins or Tim Ferriss or like all these books about personal growth and development, not to say that Tony Robbins was connected in the beginning, but obviously at this point he is with me. It's almost like I pretend that someone on TV is like a real human. It's like this very weird. Quirk, but I've done it since university level, right? In college as well. And what I've done is I've always expressed myself in a very authentic way. Right? So I'm not here to have someone like Susie Batiste, who I did interview my podcast.  I'm not here to be like, Oh, I want to sell something to you. Or can you invest in my business idea? I'm here because I want to get to know the story behind how you had the guts to declare bankruptcy two times, tell your kids, and then get back on the horse. And I'm going to be honest about my own perspective and we share some sort of commonalities from our history. And so when I would pitch a guest, whether it's Gary Vaynerchuk or James Altucher, Beth Comstock, I would always approach it from a. Position of authenticity. And as someone who was in career coaching for 12 years, and obviously networking is like the Holy grail of landing the opportunities that you desire, what I always found were two things, strategy one, I always like getting on the shortest line at a supermarket. And I think any mom, any human, unless you're weird, you like getting on the shortest line of a supermarket, right? And the shortest line tends to be like the social media channel where they don't have as many followers, for example, or like me, I literally went to James Altucher's comedy standup show. Like he's. Actual physical comedy club in New York city. Not a lot of people do that because they hide behind the screen, right? And tweet at him, but that made me approachable. And so I went to his house and I interviewed him and now he's in my book, right? And so with all of these things, what I'm saying is this get on the shortest line, number one. So do things that other people will not do. And if you're a mom, extra bonus points, because a lot of us say, That we never go out or we don't have time or we're too busy to network. And if you're a mom who does this, who goes buddy club or what have you, you really do stand out and these people notice like decision makers notice, but first be authentic and know your stuff. Like you got to know your stuff. So, okay. I have one, one last question. I know you have to go.  My last question is, I think the thing that really amazed me as I was reading your book is it seemed like. You found a way to get back in touch with your authentic creativity and your authentic self, and that it didn't take away from your being a mom. It actually probably made you a better mom, or at least made you feel more satisfied as a mom. And I can imagine a lot of moms might say that. Like, I, like, my first duty is being a mom, and I can't be distracted by pursuing my creativity and making my imagination fertile again. What advice would you have for moms like that, based on your own discoveries? Well, it's, it's interesting because let's say the mood of the house, right? So the mom is the barometer for the temperature, the mood of the house. As a little girl, I knew if my mom was happy. Like I knew it. I felt it. She didn't have to say it. And I also knew when she was pretending to be happy. Right. And so for me, I think as we have to give our kids so much more credit than we might, like we can't fake it. You might be able to fake it to get through a corporate boardroom. Right. You might be able to fake it to get through a job interview. You might be able to fake it in lots of scenarios, but with our children, I think at the same time, Cellular level, whether you're an adopted mama or step, you are the barometer. And so if you want your home to be a nice 76 degrees Fahrenheit, whatever that is in Celsius, then it behooves us to prioritize like our, our, our inside game, how we feel inside when we're real, like we have to be. Honest about it. And I think that's why it's a priority because if we are thinking that our kids somehow are going to figure things out That we have not figured out like somehow magically then I think that's a little bit of a miss Like I want my kids to be happy when they grow up. I want my kids to be successful when they grow up well I need to go first. I need to also show them what that looks like. It's not all sunshines and roses. There's falls, there's embarrassment, there's mistakes. And so my kids need to know that. Irrespective of that, I still persist and I still move on, and I don't think it takes away from my time with them. I think it's a lesson learned for them. I feel like it's also helping them in the future because I can say, Mommy did it, and so can you. And it's not just I'm saying it, I'm showing it. And I think it makes a difference. I love that.  Well, congrats, Melissa. So excited for you. And I just, I know this book's going to do so well.  I want to be sure that if you want the book, grab the book today. Let's make it a bestseller. Today's the day that we're all using our imagination for other people, for our kids, for the kids that we give candies out to. What if today was also the day that you can help a mom rediscover her own imagination? Wouldn't that be like amazing? Yeah, I think that's my husband who just tried none. He said, not a mom, but I can't wait to read the book. And that's a good point because I'm not a mom either, but I love this book. And this book is, is really the way you wrote it is great for everyone. Thank you so much, Laura. I think this has been, this is so fun. Gotta be, I gotta say, this is more fun than editing a book. I don't know. Maybe.  Yeah, it is,  but that's fulfilling too. Especially when it's a book as good as yours. Aw, thank you so much again. Okay, thank you. Good luck today. Happy Halloween. Thank you. Happy Halloween. Bye everyone.  Isn't Laura amazing? So I wanted to just share this one idea. In terms of how you might really think about being the barometer of your home. Really imagine to yourself how the mood of your house changes if you're having a really good day Or maybe you got some bad news. I want you to really take that seriously It's something that you can control the happier mom is the happier everyone else is as well And so think about that as the holidays draw near if you feel overwhelmed or you feel like, you know You're not gonna have the most perfect sort of wonderful dinner spread Don't worry about it. Really apply some levity and fun to the experience and the beautiful moment. Again, you're the barometer of the home. Please, if you did read Fertile Imagination or you purchased the book and you've gotten through a couple of chapters, feel free to write an Amazon review. It makes a really big difference. Every single day, there's about 3 million moms that go on amazon. com. And they are not yet seeing fertile imagination unless we've already hit the 100 mark that I don't know right now.  What I know is that with you taking two minutes to write two to three sentences about your impression of fertile imagination today, that means that tomorrow there'll be more moms that will see the book as a suggested product. And the book is all about believing in the mom who's actually Being a mom in the moment, right? Making sure her family has what it needs, and shopping from Amazon. Imagine if that message of I believe in you is part of why she is on Amazon. What if she actually then purchases the book and on her heart, she wants to make a big impact and somehow it affects you in your own local community. You never know. Or what if that mom is you? What if you have a desire on your heart and you have yet to shop the book? So head on to Amazon. You can do it right on your cell phone. If you shop the book, please write the Amazon review. It really helps with sharing the book with more moms. And if you haven't just yet, feel free to shop the book. A lot of individuals have gotten a lot of value out of it. And as Laura said, she's not a mom. And in her opinion, she also was able to get a lot of insights from the book that she could activate in her own life. Thank you. 

Today is LAUNCH DAY.  Fertile Imagination: A Guide for Stretching Every Mom's Superpower for Maximum Impact is available on Amazon and ready for you to shop at 10 am EST today! https://amzn.to/3F6AgMu Join me today from now until 6 pm EST for an exciting launch day celebration! Together, we can make a powerful statement to the world that moms matter and that we have the power to pursue our dreams on our own terms. To kickstart this movement, I'm offering a special one-day-only sale of the Kindle format of the book for just 99 cents! Even if you're in the US and don't have a Kindle device, you can still gift this amazing deal to a friend. Let's make today a game-changing moment and show the world the impact we can create.  I'll be on Instagram today if you have book questions: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ Today, from 10 am to 6 pm EST, is the perfect time to join me in the exclusive one-day-only sale of the Kindle format of "Fertile Imagination" on Amazon for just 99 cents. During this limited window, we have the opportunity to propel this book up the ranks and make it a best-seller, reaching more moms who are ready to embark on their own journey of rediscovering their imaginations. The higher the ranks, the greater the impact. Let's seize this moment and empower fellow moms to embrace their creativity! You can use the link to the book on Amazon that is in the show notes to make finding the book easier. Amazon: Fertile Imagination: A Guide for Stretching Every Mom's Superpower for Maximum Impact https://amzn.to/3F6AgMu After two years of hard work, "Fertile Imagination: A Guide for Stretching Every Mom's Superpower for Maximum Impact" is finally available on Amazon in Kindle format for just 99 cents, but only for today! This book is a valuable resource for moms, empowering them to harness the incredible superpower of their imagination. Just imagine the possibilities if each of us used our fertile imagination to envision a world filled with the things we'd like to see more of. Let's dive into this extraordinary journey together! What do you want to see in the world?  Do you want to see cleaner communities? Do you want to see exuberant kids? Do you want to see your company on the Nasdaq? Do you want to see your book on a bookshelf? Do you want to see your tech invention out in the world? Do you want to see generosity spread around the world? Do you want to see more Latina podcasters? Do you want to see cost-effective childcare? Do you want to see literacy rates go up? Do you want to see a 3hr:30 minute race time in a marathon? Do you want to see better solutions for humans with different abilities? Do you want to see more money in your bank? Do you want to see real flexible working conditions? Do you want to see moms in boardrooms? Do you want to see your movie on the screen? What do you want to see? Here's my one vision: millions of moms using their potent superpower. We have the tools we need to fuel and sustain this effort toward making a maximum impact at home and around the world. Fertile Imagination breaks it down to exactly what you need to rediscover your imagination in three steps from awakening your imagination, playing with your imagination, to stretching your imagination. A fertile imagination can cast a powerful and compelling vision that will drive you to turn it into your reality even if it's never been imagined as possible for mothers before.  In this book, I feature my entrepreneurial + mom of 3 insights along with those of 25 highly imaginative guests culminating with the CEO of GivingTuesday Asha Curran as a case study of using a fertile imagination to its maximum. Imagine having access to practical insights you can tailor and I help you reimagine from… Suzy Batiz, Inventor of Poo~Pourri – self-trust Beth Comstock former General Electric CMO – permission to be weird Lisa Messenger Australia's Entrepreneur's Entrepreneur,- impostor syndrome as an asset James Altucher, WSJ best-selling Author of Choose Yourself – making the energy Martha Hennessey, Former New Hampshire Senator and House Member – phasing your dreams Phaidra Knight, Rugby Hall of Famer – exploring your craft from different angles  David Meltzer, Philanthropist and Entrepreneur- being unafraid to change your mind and ask for help Breeja Larson, Gold medalist, London 2012 Olympics-make your inner child proud David Roberts, NY Times Children's Book illustrator of Questioneers series Asha Curran CEO of GivingTuesday, and others One of the great advantages is that you can always have this valuable wisdom at your disposal. By purchasing the Kindle version of the book, it becomes yours forever, allowing you to read it at your own pace. Additionally, you can share this book with a friend, engaging in discussions about the ideas presented or supporting each other's growth. With U.S. Kindle sharing, there is no need for a separate device, making it even more convenient. I want to leave you with this – how do you know this book is worth the effort of shopping it today and reading it when you'd like given that you have finite time and energy? Why is this a must-read for you regardless of what season you are in as a mom even if you are in the thick of it….this is relevant to you and important….especially if If you have ever gone through the day and wondered to yourself: what did I accomplish today….yeah the days are long but the years are short…same is true on our end…use the same lens to see yourself….30s, 40s, 50s the decades pass by….it's about being intentional and the book can help If you are doing or have done the work to heal….the body keeps score, meditation practitioner, opening wound after wound….it's a lot of work and this book does not feel like work…but it's getting in there and empowering you If you admire other people for their creativity and WISH you had their talent….it's very much like The Artist Way by Julia Cameron for moms who lost their ability to dream big…who want to rediscover their imaginations If you feel left behind and like “chicken liver” If you seek reassurance that you've got this If you feel like you've been in skills and talent purgatory waiting for the perfect time when schools don't shut down due to floods, when kids don't stay home sick, when childcare doesn't fall apart…it's about moving forward alongside that too….taking a dream and making progress…every season of motherhood If you've ever asked yourself these questions: Why do I want more? What about my big ideas? When do I get to play? Where can I find the energy? Who else is going for it and getting it done? How can I stay relevant and keep growing? What if I don't want to wait until my kids are grown? What is this book? It's for the little girl in your heart who is relying on you not to fall apart nor give up on her dreams What is this book not?  It's not a parenting book. It's not a self-parenting book. It's not just for moms with kids at home.  It's for a mom who refuses to let go of why she existed in the first place before she ever had a child….to make a difference, to believe in herself, and to use all of her inner resources no matter what to experience her fullest expression of life and on her terms! It's for a warrior of a mom…. On this Halloween, I want you to treat yourself to something special. You deserve it for all the love and care you pour into your family's happiness, especially during holidays like today. Take a moment for yourself and shop the Kindle format of "Fertile Imagination" between 10 am and 3 pm EST. This book is not only a gift for you but also a wonderful present to share with a friend if you're in the US. Embrace this opportunity to indulge in some well-deserved self-care and enjoy the magic of this day. It's only $0.99 TODAY. Let me know you believe in moms realizing and living out their dreams side-by-side with their children by getting your copy today. Next step: Go to Amazon at 10 am EST to 3pm EST….to make your 99-cent purchase to show your support ….. The 99-cent purchase is like a vote for moms who want to dream big and need a roadmap....I know a lot of moms can use this resource... https://amzn.to/3F6AgMu  I'm SO excited!!!!!!! Warrior moms let's do this!!!!!! PPS: I'll be on Instagram today. https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ You are welcome to join me and ask me ANYTHING. I'll be in a series of interviews all about Fertile Imagination from the world's most talented and gorgeous moms in business and many of whom wrote their own books for moms.  Share this episode today…..consider this our rally call today! Fertile Imagination…. About Melissa Melissa Llarena is an author, imagination coach, consultant, speaker, and contributor to ForbesWomen articles that have garnered 4 million + views. She is also the host of Unimaginable Wellness, the podcast for entrepreneurs, founders, and creators who are also moms. Featured guests include GaryVee and Beth Comstock. Melissa holds a psychology degree from New York University, an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and a Transformational Coaching Academy certificate. She is training to become a meditation practitioner. Melissa lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and three sons. Follow @melissallarena Links Fertile Imagination: A Guide for Stretching Every Mom's Superpower for Maximum Impact: https://amzn.to/3F6AgMu Melissa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/

On today's episode, we're joined by creativity coach and podcaster Melissa Llarena. Melissa discusses her mission to empower working moms through her book "Fertile Imagination" and podcast "Unimaginable Wellness." She shares how she developed the concept of "fertile imagination" and some big names she's interviewed. Melissa also offers insight into waking up your imagination when it's feeling dormant. Plus, she recalls a piece of memorable life advice involving intergenerational connections. Tune in to learn Melissa's techniques for tapping into your imagination and living an unimaginable life.   Here are the key points of our conversation: - Melissa's mission is to ensure that every working mom doesn't feel left out of the world of business and commerce. - Her podcast, Unimaginable Wellness, explores creativity, imagination, and wellness via interviews with entrepreneurs, creators, and founders including Gary Vee, Beth Comstock, and David Roberts. - The book, Fertile Imagination: Every Mom's Superpower, focuses on three stages to optimize your imagination and is not just for moms but anyone looking to boost their creative thinking abilities. - The ability to use one's imagination is a critical component of finding joy in life and business.   Melissa Llarena is an author, imagination coach, consultant, speaker, contributor to ForbesWomen articles that have garnered 4 million+ views, and the host of Unimaginable Wellness, the podcast for entrepreneurs, founders, and creators who are moms. Featured guests include GaryVee and Beth Comstock. She holds a psychology degree from NYU, an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and a Transformational Coaching Academy certificate and is training to become a meditation practitioner. Melissa lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and three sons. Visit www.fertileideas.com for a 5-day imagination to impact challenge, quiz, and for more goodies for moms.   Connect with Melissa: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissallarena/ Website: www.fertileideas.com Book: https://www.amazon.com/Fertile-Imagination-Stretching-Superpower-Maximum-ebook/dp/B0CJGTZ9MJ/ref=sr_1_11?keywords=Melissa+Llarena&qid=1695746846&sr=8-11 Podcast: https://www.melissallarena.com/podcast/   Book release date is October 31, 2023! Want a jet engine to deliver on your dreams? Check out the book: Fertile Imagination: A Guide for Stretching Every Mom's Superpower for Maximum Impact   Connect with Allison: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonsummerschicago/ Website: DisruptiveCEONation.com Twitter: @DisruptiveCEO  #digitalmarketing #branding #socialgood #Bcorp #CEO #startup #startupstory #founder #business #businesspodcast #podcast         Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to episode 201! On October 31, I am offering the Kindle version of my book Fertile Imagination: A Guide for Stretching Every Mom's Superpower for Maximum Impact for only 99 cents on Halloween. If you love a sale and want to be the first to be notified of when to shop, then sign up on www.fertileideas.com. In this episode, for any mom who doesn't have time to read books, I will read to you what a mom in the thick of it with a toddler, a baby, limited childcare living as an expat and an online business has to say about the book, and what a great grandmother who has been visiting her grand-baby in the NICU for 110 days wanted to share with you too. In this episode, I will also share with you precisely for whom this book is for... strap on your seatbelt, get ready for a high-octane mini-episode because in 7 days, we're about to birth a book! Say hi: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ About the book: A fertile imagination can cast a powerful and compelling vision that will drive you to turn it into your reality, even if it's never been imagined as possible for mothers before. In this book, I feature my insights along with those of 25 highly imaginative guests, culminating with the CEO of GivingTuesday, Asha Curran, as a case study of using a fertile imagination to its maximum. To call "Fertile Imagination" a book is perhaps the wrong term to use. It's a call to action, encouraging us to break free from the self-imposed limitations we put on ourselves and seize the vast potential that lies beyond our current view. It's a roadmap for readers to reconnect with their inner creativity. It encourages us to think beyond what we've been conditioned to believe about our limitations, to overcome impostor syndrome, and to break free from feeling stuck. Needless to say, "Fertile Imagination" is a must-read for any mother who has ever asked herself, "What if I want more?". It's a testament to the fact that you can be an incredible parent and still pursue your dreams. Jenna Davis, Founder of Life in Germany: Fertile Imagination is a virtual powerhouse of real-life scenarios that will help any woman (Moms especially) navigate today's workplace. I wish I had been given this kind of access to smart women back in the 70s when I was raising my boys as a single mother. Kathy Ryan, Retired Managing Director Global Operations Ogilvy Worldwide: Hearing from moms like you has turned Fertile Imagination into a rally cry….a decisive call to action to let go of what's stopping you and re-engage everything you've got to drive really change forward….and as I thought about this…I came up with this….this book is from my heart to you. To the moms who were denied their right to mat leave To the moms whose birth plans were ripped to shreds To the moms who are still in the trenches pumping themselves with hormones to have a child To the moms who have twins who were pushed to get c-sections To the moms who wanted vbacs and were hijacked of their dream To the moms who feed their babies formula and who are made to feel like shit for doing so To the moms who have degrees up the wazoo and opted out to raise humans To the moms who have ever felt insecure or no longer important in the eyes of society To the moms who were treated inhumanely during the pandemic when childcare was off the table To the moms who own patents To the moms who are at the helm of leadership of world-class organizations To the moms who rather climbs mountains than stay in the valley of hellish experiences on any given day To the moms who can't To the moms who can To the moms who were elected into government positions To the moms who hold Emmys or Sundance awards To the moms who built million or billion dollar brands while being a mom To the moms who cared for a sick child or beat their own illnesses to continue being a mom To the moms who are unafraid to get into colosseums as if they too were a gladiator To the moms who mom alone To the moms who have had enough To the moms who want more To the moms who have finally figured it out and want to get ready to take matters into their own hands **I want to hear from you! I'll be on Instagram on 10/31 and if you are not yet following me there, then pause this episode and do that today. Do that now. https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ About Melissa Melissa Llarena is an author, imagination coach, consultant, speaker, and contributor to ForbesWomen articles that have garnered 4 million + views. She is also the host of Unimaginable Wellness, the podcast for entrepreneurs, founders, and creators who are also moms. Featured guests include GaryVee and Beth Comstock. Melissa holds a psychology degree from New York University, an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and a Transformational Coaching Academy certificate. She is training to become a meditation practitioner. Melissa lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and three sons. Visit www.fertileideas.com.

Melissa Llarena is an author, imagination coach, consultant, speaker, contributor to ForbesWomen articles that have garnered 4 million+ views, and the host of Unimaginable Wellness, the podcast for entrepreneurs, founders, and creators who are moms. Featured guests include GaryVee and Beth Comstock. She holds a psychology degree from NYU, an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and a Transformational Coaching Academy certificate and is training to become a meditation practitioner. In this episode we talk about her career journey working in a corporate setting as early as age 17 years old. Melissa had a curious mindset and decided to explore different options during her career. She decided to pursue unconventational paths that lead her to the creative field. Melissa became a mom and felt a calling to do something differently. She made a choice to carve her own path as a coach. Including living in Australia before the pandemic. During Covid, Melissa fully immersed herself into writing her book Fertile Imagination which is launching on October 31, 2023.  Dedicated to moms to go after what they really want. Melissa lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and three sons. Visit www.fertileideas.com for a 5-day imagination to impact challenge, quiz, and for more goodies for moms.

On today's episode, I'm sharing a 2018 conversation with Beth Comstock, a business powerhouse and author. We delve into the emotional challenges Beth faced while writing her personal book and explore the importance of self-awareness and accountability. Beth also shares the career-changing advice she received from Diane Sawyer, offering a unique perspective on storytelling and professional growth. We briefly discuss the hurdles mothers face when re-entering the workforce and touch on the power of a good reputation. Whether you're climbing the corporate ladder or just looking for personal development tips, this episode has something for everyone. Don't miss out on this engaging and insightful conversation. My website:⁠ www.garyvaynerchuk.com⁠Check out my contemporary entertainment company: veefriends.comTweet Me! @garyveeText Me! 212-931-5731My Newsletter: garyvee.com/newsletter

Beth Comstock is comfortable with change. In college, she wanted to be a doctor, but organic chemistry wasn't her strong suit, so she shifted to journalism. When journalism didn't work out, she started working in publicity. So, when GE bought NBC in 1986 right as Beth was starting her career in advertising, she was ready to adapt again. She worked her way to becoming CMO of GE and then, the company's first female Vice Chair of Business Innovations.

Derek Champagne talks with Beth Comstock, former Chief Marketing Officer and then Vice Chair of Innovation at GE. For almost 3 decades Beth led efforts to accelerate new growth, develop digital and clean-energy futures, seed new businesses and enhance brand value.As President of Integrated Media at NBC Universal , Beth oversaw TV ad revenue and digital media efforts, including the early development of hulu.com Prior to this, she held a succession of roles at NBC, CBS and CNN/Turner Broadcasting.Beth is currently a director at Nike, trustee of The National Geographic Society, and former board president of the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian National Design Museum.Beth's book “Imagine It Forward: Courage, Creativity, and the Power of Change” is an inspiring, fresh, candid, and deeply personal book about how to grapple with the challenges to change we face every day. It is a different kind of narrative, a big picture book that combines Comstock's personal story in leading change with vital lessons on overcoming the inevitable roadblocks.Learn more at https://www.bethcomstock.info/

Host: Marrin Costello Guest: Kami Guildner Kami is the founder of the Extraordinary Women Ignite Conference, Extraordinary Women Connect events, and host of the award-winning Extraordinary Women Radio™ – a podcast igniting a new paradigm of entrepreneurship with Soul+Strategy at its heart. Extraordinary Women Radio is listed by Feedspot in the Top 30 Best Women Entrepreneur Podcasts (at number 7!) and has been named to the Top 10 Best Business Podcasts in the People's Choice Podcast Awards for the past 5 years (winning in 2018). Her podcast has featured world renowned guests such as Tosha Silver, Ali Brown, Zainab Salbi, SARK, Beth Comstock, Lissa Rankin, Eleanor Beaton and many more. She is the Best Selling author of Firedancer: Your Spiral Journey to a Life of Passion and Purpose and Pony Pondering Inspiration Cards. Kami was named to the 2020 Twenty-Five Most Powerful Women in Business List by the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce. Kami is an Honorary Trustee of the Women's Foundation of Colorado, supporting their efforts to create a future where Colorado women and girls of every background and identity prosper. She previously served on the board of the American Diabetes Association and was a founding board member of the Colorado Horsecare Foodbank. She holds a BS from the University of Colorado at Denver in International Business and Marketing and is trained in Appreciative Inquiry change management methodology, holding a certificate in the Practice of Positive Change. Kami is also a certified Art of Feminine Presence teacher and an Advanced Certified Skyhorse Equine Guided Coach.

In this episode we discuss how our guest helped the secret agents become more creative. We look at specific strategies to navigate personal change while empowering and using your imagination. How do you become more imaginative? What are the keys to sparking imagination and creativity? How do you use creativity to get through challenging setbacks? We discuss all of this and much more with our guest Beth Comstock. Beth Comstock is a business executive and author with a deep history of leading large companies to success through innovation and new opportunities. Beth is currently a director at Nike, the trustee of The National Geographic Society and former board president of the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian National Design Museum. She is the author of the best-selling book Imagine it Forward - Courage, Creativity, and the Power of Change. She has worked in top leadership roles at GE, NBC, CBS, and her work has been featured across the globe.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

EPISODE 143: COUNTDOWN WITH KEITH OLBERMANN A-Block (1:43) SPECIAL COMMENT: Rupert Murdoch showed Joe Biden's 2020 Presidential Campaign Commercials to Jared Kushner before they were public. This - the most startling of the second tranche of revelations from the Dominion Voting Systems defamation suit against Fox and NewsCorp - doesn't just violate electoral and journalistic ethics. It may be criminal - and it certainly should mean the metaphorical 'Death Penalty' for a dark, evil propaganda channel masquerading as a news organization. Fox News must be de-platformed and the company drive into bankruptcy. We can have democracy in this country, or we can have Fox News. We cannot have both. Fox is still in a position to do the damage outlined in the newest revelations (including, in essence, selling time on Fox News panels to Mike Lindell, and when its own researchers confirmed the crazy claims against Dominion were false, ignoring them and firing them) in part because in 2009 MSNBC and NBC cut a deal with Fox to circumscribe what news it could report about Fox, and what news Fox could report about MSNBC, NBC, and parent company GE. It's time to tell that nauseating story in full detail. B-Block (30:56) SPECIAL COMMENT: The 2009 NBC-Fox collusion began with conversations among then-NBC President Jeff Zucker and Roger Ailes of Fox, and included a threat by GE Chairman Jeffrey Immelt to take MSNBC off the air, and the attempt to buy off Fox by having GE advertise on Fox Networks. C-Block (53:30) SPECIAL COMMENT: The saga of NBC's deal to help Fox News stay out of the full glare of public criticism climaxed in a July dinner in the GE Chairman's Private Dining Room on the top floor of 30 Rock. It was a scene worthy of the movie "Network" - only they didn't wind up actually assassinating me - only symbolically.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Beth Comstock is comfortable with change. In college, she wanted to be a doctor, but organic chemistry wasn't her strong suit, so she shifted to journalism. When journalism didn't work out, she started working in publicity. So, when GE bought NBC in 1986 right as Beth was starting her career in advertising, she was ready to adapt again. She worked her way to becoming CMO of GE and then, the company's first female Vice Chair of Business Innovations.

One of the things that have been top of mind for me recently is the concept of creating time prosperity and wealth prosperity in our businesses and life. I've been helping my clients in my Scale, Grow and Impact Platinum Mastermind create these building block foundations that expand their capacity to scale their revenue, their impact, and their time. I love what's happening in their businesses, and today I want to share how I've built this into my own business, and how my clients are following the same pathway. In this episode: I talk about the year-end planning that I do in business Why it is important to lead with love How I got off the rushaholic treadmill The importance of building a scalable business model from the very beginning of your business and how that leads to wealth prosperity How shifting from time scarcity to time prosperity has been one of my biggest life lessons My experiment during my recent trip How time prosperity is a mindset opportunity How the business models in my business helped my clients' businesses grow exponentially as well How you can dance between soul and strategy in your business I share about my Soul+Strategy Planning Retreat for 2023 being held on December 20th. I believe women's voices matter. I am a connector. A storyteller. A business coach for changemaker women of influence. My entrepreneurial journey was sparked by the breath of a horse over a decade ago. This magical epiphany moment led me to discover my purpose of leading changemaker women to give voice to their most important messages and create a ripple effect of worldly impact. I weave soulful inspiration into mindful business strategies, helping my clients up-level their businesses. With decades of leadership, marketing, strategic planning, and business growth expertise, I guide my clients to master their marketing, money, and mindset. My soulful spirit leads my clients to unleash their magical manifestation powers and live out loud fueled with vitality and courage. I am the founder of the Extraordinary Women Ignite Conference, Extraordinary Women Connect events, and Extraordinary Women Radio™—a podcast featuring wildly successful women making an impact on the world. My podcast was named Best Business Podcast in the 2018 People's Choice Awards and Feedspot's Top 100 Women Podcasts. I have featured guests such as Tosha Silver, SARK, Zainab Salbi, Beth Comstock, and Lissa Rankin. I am the author of Firedancer: Your Spiral Journey to a Life of Passion and Purpose. I was named to the 2020 Twenty-Five Most Powerful Women in Business List by the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce. “Switching from time scarcity to time prosperity was perhaps one of my greatest lessons in life.” ~ Kami Guildner To learn more about me, my work, and how I can support you and your business, check out my website, sign up for a complimentary coaching session with me,  and join the Extraordinary Women Connect Facebook group. You can also buy my book, Firedancer: Your Spiral Journey to a Life of Passion and Purpose, and connect with me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Kami Guildner Show Notes (episode 279)  

Today I am pleased to present a new solo podcast episode in which I explore the concept of time prosperity. One of the reasons I love the Christmas holiday season is that it gives me the opportunity to slow down and listen to my inner wisdom. I call it my soul time. In this episode, I share how to dance between soul and strategy in your business.  In this episode: The importance of weaving soul, strategy and community into your business Some year-end planning questions to help you listen to the whispers within How simplifying can lead to more time prosperity and wealth prosperity in your business Clarity in voice, vision and visibility leads to growth How to dance between soul and strategy in your business in your business planning moments The winner of the annual Firedancer Award is revealed I reveal the Ignite Conference's nonprofit benefactor I believe women's voices matter. I am a connector. A storyteller. A business coach for changemaker women of influence. My entrepreneurial journey was sparked by the breath of a horse over a decade ago. This magical epiphany moment led me to discover my purpose of leading changemaker women to give voice to their most important messages and create a ripple effect of worldly impact. I weave soulful inspiration into mindful business strategies, helping my clients up-level their business. With decades of leadership, marketing, strategic planning, and business growth expertise, I guide my clients to master their marketing, money, and mindset. My soulful spirit leads my clients to unleash their magical manifestation powers and live out loud fueled with vitality and courage. I am the founder of the Extraordinary Women Ignite Conference, Extraordinary Women Connect events, and Extraordinary Women Radio™—a podcast featuring wildly successful women making an impact on the world. My podcast was named Best Business Podcast in the 2018 People's Choice Awards and Feedspot's Top 100 Women Podcasts. I have featured guests such as Tosha Silver, SARK, Zainab Salbi, Beth Comstock, and Lissa Rankin. I am the author of Firedancer: Your Spiral Journey to a Life of Passion and Purpose. I was named to the 2020 Twenty-Five Most Powerful Women in Business List by the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce. “If we do not intentionally make space to slow down, we miss those opportunities to get the golden nuggets.” ~ Kami Guildner To learn more about me, my work, and how I can support you and your business, check out my website, sign up for a complimentary coaching session with me,  and join the Extraordinary Women Connect Facebook group. You can also buy my book, Firedancer: Your Spiral Journey to a Life of Passion and Purpose, and connect with me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Kami Guildner Show Notes

I've been spending some contemplative time this past month, reaffirming and connecting even more deeply to my vision & mission and the work I get to do with my clients. Over the next few episodes of Extraordinary Women Connect, I'm going to be sharing some of my wisdom about raising up your voice, visibility and your business! Today, I'm digging into the voice of you! In this episode: I share what's flowing to me, what I've learned through the pandemic, and how I've grown by helping others build impact and expansive growth with their businesses  How our work as leaders and entrepreneurs is going to change our world  The importance of taking care of yourself first and determining how your community needs you at this time  My core pillars of voice, vision, and visibility  Using "I am" statements to determine the essence of you - your passions, and your values  Tips on creating a brand that only you can own and the importance of removing archaic marketing formulas from your strategy  How to speak your client's love language  Attracting your soul clients by sharing the vision of what is possible Elevating yourself as a thought leader and determining the one message you want the world to hear  How to get people to stop, think, and do differently  The importance of giving people a roadmap to your most important message  I believe women's voices matter. I am a connector. A storyteller. A business coach for changemaker women of influence. My entrepreneurial journey was sparked by the breath of a horse over a decade ago. This magical epiphany moment led me to discover my purpose of leading changemaker women to give voice to their most important messages and create a ripple effect of worldly impact. I weave soulful inspiration into mindful business strategies, helping my clients up-level their business. With decades of leadership, marketing, strategic planning, and business growth expertise, I guide my clients to master their marketing, money, and mindset. My soulful spirit leads my clients to unleash their magical manifestation powers and live out loud fueled with vitality and courage. I am the founder of the Extraordinary Women Ignite Conference, Extraordinary Women Connect events, and Extraordinary Women Radio™—a podcast featuring wildly successful women making an impact on the world. My podcast was named Best Business Podcast in the 2018 People's Choice Awards and Feedspot's Top 100 Women Podcasts. I have featured guests such as Tosha Silver, SARK, Zainab Salbi, Beth Comstock, and Lissa Rankin. I am the author of Firedancer: Your Spiral Journey to a Life of Passion and Purpose. I was named to the 2020 Twenty-Five Most Powerful Women in Business List by the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce. "When we show up in our genius we create impact with our voices." ~ Kami Guildner To learn more about me, my work, and how I can support you and your business, check out my website, sign up for a complimentary coaching session with me,  and join the Extraordinary Women Connect Facebook group. You can also buy my book, Firedancer: Your Spiral Journey to a Life of Passion and Purpose, and connect with me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Kami Guildner Show Notes (episode 272)

I've been spending some contemplative time this past month, reaffirming and connecting even more deeply to my vision & mission and the work I get to do with my clients. Over the next few episodes of Extraordinary Women Connect, I'm going to be sharing some of my wisdom about raising up your voice, visibility and your business! Today, I'm digging into the voice of you! In this episode: I share what's flowing to me, what I've learned through the pandemic, and how I've grown by helping others build impact and expansive growth with their businesses  How our work as leaders and entrepreneurs is going to change our world  The importance of taking care of yourself first and determining how your community needs you at this time  My core pillars of voice, vision, and visibility  Using "I am" statements to determine the essence of you - your passions, and your values  Tips on creating a brand that only you can own and the importance of removing archaic marketing formulas from your strategy  How to speak your client's love language  Attracting your soul clients by sharing the vision of what is possible Elevating yourself as a thought leader and determining the one message you want the world to hear  How to get people to stop, think, and do differently  The importance of giving people a roadmap to your most important message  I believe women's voices matter. I am a connector. A storyteller. A business coach for changemaker women of influence. My entrepreneurial journey was sparked by the breath of a horse over a decade ago. This magical epiphany moment led me to discover my purpose of leading changemaker women to give voice to their most important messages and create a ripple effect of worldly impact. I weave soulful inspiration into mindful business strategies, helping my clients up-level their business. With decades of leadership, marketing, strategic planning, and business growth expertise, I guide my clients to master their marketing, money, and mindset. My soulful spirit leads my clients to unleash their magical manifestation powers and live out loud fueled with vitality and courage. I am the founder of the Extraordinary Women Ignite Conference, Extraordinary Women Connect events, and Extraordinary Women Radio™—a podcast featuring wildly successful women making an impact on the world. My podcast was named Best Business Podcast in the 2018 People's Choice Awards and Feedspot's Top 100 Women Podcasts. I have featured guests such as Tosha Silver, SARK, Zainab Salbi, Beth Comstock, and Lissa Rankin. I am the author of Firedancer: Your Spiral Journey to a Life of Passion and Purpose. I was named to the 2020 Twenty-Five Most Powerful Women in Business List by the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce. "When we show up in our genius we create impact with our voices." ~ Kami Guildner To learn more about me, my work, and how I can support you and your business, check out my website, sign up for a complimentary coaching session with me,  and join the Extraordinary Women Connect Facebook group. You can also buy my book, Firedancer: Your Spiral Journey to a Life of Passion and Purpose, and connect with me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Kami Guildner Show Notes (episode 272)