Podcasts about brand marketing insider

Do you sometimes feel stuck and overwhelmed in your business? This is often common with entrepreneurs. The problem isn't a lack of drive or ability, but a lack of foundational systems that support the day-to-day operations of a scaling business. On-boarding and off-boarding processes are key foundational systems every entrepreneur should have in place. Kristen Westcott is a genius when it comes to foundational systems and operational management. Kristen helps her clients create on-boarding and off-boarding processes for their clients. About Kristen Westcott Kristen is a business growth strategist and founder of Kristen Westcott & Co. For the past ten years, she has supported leaders and students in areas of goal setting, productivity, and project management. Kristen's true passion lies in serving entrepreneurs as a Director of Operations. She spends her time helping online coaches, copywriters, and course creators scale their businesses without the frustration that massive growth often brings.   Systems and Processes Having on-boarding and off-boarding processes in place can help make the most of your time and decrease stress. Having systems in place should be part of the foundation for your business and will help prevent you from feeling stuck and overwhelmed. Foundational systems include the financial systems and client services aspects of your business. If you lack the foundational systems, you may feel frantic and as though you can't keep up with the work. On-Boarding The onboarding process begins long before someone signs the contract with you. It begins the first time they interact with you and they feel loved and nurtured by you. This can start on social media, email, etc. You want to have a system in place to be able to respond to someone right away whether it's by email or on social media. Make sure that the person gets to speak to you and that the response happens as quickly as possible. Calls Have a conversation with all potential clients to be sure that you are a good fit for each other. It could be called a discovery call but it is an opportunity to ensure that you can help the person with their problem. The key is to try to avoid going back and forth several times to schedule the call. If you go back and forth to schedule a call, you don't create positive energy and have the potential to lose the client from frustration. The easiest solution is to have a calendar system such as Calendly or Accuity. Both have free options and integrate with Google Calendar and iCalendar. These systems make booking a call and sending reminders easy. They also allow you to automatically send thank you notes or follow-up emails for onboarding and off-boarding clients. And you can also ask questions so that you can be well prepared for discovery calls. Follow-Up When onboarding, follow-up includes helping the potential client navigate objections and concerns. It's important to be available to answer any questions they might have and let them know that you are there for them right away. Next is the contract. Create a shared folder or place where all of your communications will take place. Personalize an email template to welcome the new client and explain the next steps once the contract is signed. Automating systems doesn't mean you have to be robotic. You can always personalize communications but it's important to automate for time management and avoid stress. Boundaries Clarify your boundaries and expectations up front in the welcome letter, welcome call, or welcome packet. Include how you prefer your clients to contact you and the hours you are available to answer their questions. Also establish expectations about deadlines, turnaround time, etc. so that they can get the most from their investment with you. The onboarding and off-boarding processes checklist Access Kristen's checklist to create onboarding and off-boarding processes. The Off-Boarding Process We often remember the very first interaction and the last interaction with someone.  People remember how wonderful things were and how things are wrapped up. This is an opportunity to ask for testimonials, asking the client to share their experience, establish the next steps, share the next way to work with you or explain how the client can continue with the progress they made. Explain how they can continue working with you. Kristen suggests that you don't ask for feedback at the same time as you ask for a testimonial. Feedback is more about how someone can improve. Ask for the testimonial a few weeks before you are about to wrap up the program or project. A week or two later ask for feedback. Another thing you can do at the end of your time working together is share information on your referral program or affiliate program as an opportunity for them. Depending on the type of clients you work with, you can offer an incentive for them to come back and hire you again. Finally, send an email that summarizes the great things the client has accomplished, all the wonderful things that they have done while working with you. You can also create a folder for them to have everything you worked on together in one place. ClickUp is a project management program that Kristen recommends. Learn More About Your Host, Robyn Graham, Click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more about on-boarding and off-boarding processes and connect with Kristen Instagram: www.instagram.com/kristen.westcott. Website: www.kristenwestcott.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristenwestcottmedia LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenwestcott/

Being a People Pleaser May Be Causing You to Lose Your Sense of Self and Delay Success Courage is Needed to Stop Being a People Pleaser It takes courage to stop being a people pleaser and look inward to what you want and setting boundaries around your goals. Courage isn't the lack of fear of disappointing someone, but the ability to move past the fear, embrace the fear, and take action or state what you want despite it. It takes courage to be yourself, to not let others influence your decisions and behaviors. And it takes courage to not let distraction, imposter syndrome, and comparison influence how and when you show up to provide value for your audience. What is People Pleasing? Being a people pleaser may not sound like such a bad thing because we've all been taught to be kind. But in reality, when you are a people pleaser you are sacrificing yourself for what someone else wants. People pleasers tend to go along with the requests or demands of others. They may also agree with another opinion simply to avoid conflict or make someone else happy. At the end of the day, being a people pleaser can be damaging because you are not making decisions that are in your best interest or aligned with your goals, dreams, or passions. Being a people pleaser is a lot like following the crowd. And what did mom say about following the crowd? It leads to trouble. I'll always remember, and have used it on my kids too, if so and so jumps off of a bridge are you going to too? Read the full blog post here.  Learn More About Your Host, Robyn Graham, Click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest  

Self-care is not what you think it is! It's not a spa day, a retreat, or yoga. True self-care is recognizing your emotional needs and implementing universally available strategies to meet your needs for yourself, not so that you can do more for others. Self-care is not something you do so that you can do something else, be a better mother, volunteer more, or work more, it is about caring for yourself. When a person's cup is filled, they will be able to be a better mother, volunteer more, or work more. Self-care has to be for us. We are people who deserve to be cared for first. The One Thing You Can Do Today To Make A Shift To A Journey Of Self-Care Recognize what you are already doing that makes you a badass. Pause and instead of saying this isn't enough, discover what you are really good at. What are you already doing real? Not everyone can do what is super easy for you. When you recognize what you are already doing well, you will be able to tackle the harder things. What is the thing that you do effortlessly in the HALTtm model? Recognize your worth and what you are already doing. Download Sara's Slay or Sabotage Quiz. The direct link to the six-day slaycation program is and the coupon code for 10% off is secondphase. Read the full blog post here: https://therobyngraham.com/self-care/ Learn More About Your Host, Robyn Graham, Click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn More About And Connect With Sara: Website: https://www.sarapalmerspeaks.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/SaraPalmerSpeaks Instagram: www.instagram.com/SaraPalmerSpeaks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarapalmerspeaks/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf3GpOjfgt6eByTcCWI3OLw  

Does the Thought of Using Instagram to Grow Your Business and Attract Clients Overwhelm You? It Doesn't Have To! Here Are the Tips That Will Make it Easier! What Makes A Good Instagram Feed? One thing that everyone running a business needs to remember, is that when people land on your page, your bio on top and your feed, are like your storefront. Audrey shared the example of driving down the street and two businesses that do the same thing are across the street from each other. One business is beautiful and well-kept, the other across the street is run down. Which business are you doing to go to? Most likely, the well-kept business. Your Instagram feed is the same. It doesn't have to be perfect, but it should be cohesive and aesthetically pleasing. You want to give your audience what they are wanting from you. You can find that out by asking in your stories. As people are scrolling through their news feed, you want them to stop on your post and go to your feed and see what you have to offer. Being cohesive across all our platforms will help you become more recognizable and memorable and will help you grab the attention of your audience. When you are choosing a profile photo, make sure you use the same photo across all your platforms so that you can be recognized easily. The more recognizable you are, the more memorable you are. And the more people will trust you. The key is to stand out in the sea of online noise. To read the full blog post click here: https://therobyngraham.com/how-to-use-instagram/   Learn More About Your Host, Robyn Graham, Click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn More About and Connect with Audrey Website: https://www.audreywolf.co Instagram: https://instagram.com/audreywolf.co Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/audreywolfco LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/audreywolfco/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/audreywolf YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AudreyWolf

Public Speaking is a Powerful Tool for Growing a Business and Reaching a Larger Audience. But How Does One Overcome The Fear of Public Speaking? It Starts with Knowing Your Why and Your Core Values. Overcoming the Fear of Public Speaking When people are in the position of public speaking, they often think they must be someone else. This can trigger fear. Something that can help with overcoming the fear of public speaking, is realizing that you are an expert. Speak on something you are an expert at and passionate about. It's important to ask questions and get curious as to why the fear is occurring. Is there fear making you feel like you have to be someone you are not, is the fear paralyzing you, is the fear making you nauseous, is the fear making you be overconfident and inauthentic? Read the full blog post here: https://therobyngraham.com/overcome-the-fear-of-public-speaking/ Key Takeaways Just do it, start speaking. Know your why. Be your true, authentic self. Craft your message with your values at the core. Practice and prepare. Memorize to build confidence in the delivery. Learn More About Your Host, Robyn Graham, Click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn More About And Connect With Perdita: Website: www.perditaandrews.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/perditaandrews Facebook: www.facebook.com/perdintaandrews LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/perdyandrews/

Having a CEO Mindset as an Entrepreneur Can Change How Quickly You Reach and Maintain Success In Your Business  About Stephanie Ritz Stephanie helps women discover their path to Grow or Go or in their career. Her vision of Claim Your Career is to see equity in leadership roles in fortune 500 companies. Stephanie's mission is to help women create a pathway to taking their seat at the table in corporate leadership or build their own seat in starting their own company. It's an important and personal question to grow or go. Stephanie helps women uncover their pathway to career success and happiness and claim it with confidence. Stephanie believes that creating a career that aligns with your life goals and your own definition of success is possible. Opportunities exist within corporate and entrepreneurship. Taking the time to discover your path and creating a roadmap for success with an experienced coach will move you from those feelings you wake up with every morning of stuck, stagnant, and frustrated to a clear path forward that you will feel excited about and confident in pursuing. Stephanie's second phase came from a place of self-reflection and strong emotions about the discrepancy of women in leadership roles. Through her own personal experiences of gender inequality, the challenges of being a woman in male-dominated industries, experiencing sexual harassment, and seeing how women were disproportionately affected during COVID, she decided now is the time to create Claim Your Career. Stephanie is a former client of Robyn's. Through The Brand Marketing Insider Build a Brand Program, Robyn and her team worked side by side with Stephanie to build and launch Stephanie's brand, Claim Your Career. To Grow or Go - The First Step in Mastering the CEO Mindset Stephanie is a firm believer that one should do what they know how to do and get the help they need for everything else. Likewise, some women are meant to be entrepreneurs, and others are meant to work in corporate. Some women like the security in schedule, pay, and benefits that corporate offers. Stephanie would argue that there really isn't job security in corporate because of downsizing and layoffs. On the other hand, some people are wired for entrepreneurship but don't know what it means to own a business, start a business, or how to organize a business. Stephanie helps her clients not only make it to the C-Suite but to decide whether they want to stay in corporate or become an entrepreneur. Having a true sense of why helps you get through the day-to-day responsibilities and challenges of starting a business. Once her clients have decided to leave corporate, Stephanie helps them transition from corporate to entrepreneurship seamlessly. The CEO Mindset in Entrepreneurship There are differences between being the CEO or executive in a large company and being the CEO of your own business as an entrepreneur. So often entrepreneurs think they must do everything themselves so identifying your zone of genius is important for discovering where you should spend your time and what tasks you should hire someone else to do. It's hard to invest in hiring others or hiring help, but can you afford not to. Stephanie shared that starting a business while you have a 9 to 5 is a great way to ensure you have the resources to invest in the things you know you'll need help with. Tony Robbins says, “burn the boats so you have no choice to do anything but succeed.” Stephanie disagrees with this because it is hard to go after your goals and dreams if you constantly have a scarcity mindset and are chasing the next dollar. Fiscal responsibility is key to achieving success. Our thoughts create our results so if we are constantly thinking thoughts of scarcity, we won't be able to move the needle forward in our business. CEO Mindset Means Work In Your Zone of Genius People don't realize that when you become an entrepreneur you are the one making the decisions on what to do, when to work, etc. No one is telling you what you must do or when or how to do it. It is just you to make the decisions, there is no one else unless you are going into a partnership. But you don't have to do it alone. Seek help from other entrepreneurs and experts, not just trusted people in your life like family or friends, you need help from people who know what you are experiencing and the challenges and questions you have as an entrepreneur. Making quick and informed decisions in your business is critical for moving forward in your business. Having a trusted advisor or coach is key in being able to do so. CEO mindset means only spending time doing the things that will move the needle forward on your business. You must prioritize the things that you can do, love to do, and will move the needle forward and not do the things that aren't the best use of your time.  Decide on the tasks that you want and need to do and hire someone for the other items. Stephanie and Robyn agree that investing in client acquisition through branding and marketing is more valuable than hiring a virtual assistant when you start a business. You must think of it as where will your money give you the best return on investment.  Invest in the things that will bring in clients. The CEO Mindset for Time Management When You Are in A Side Gig Hustle Stephanie says there is no balance with time when working full time and starting a business on the side. But she clarifies that intentional use of time is necessary. If she has time to do something for her personal life, it is time intentionally dedicated to that. If she doesn't have time to do something in her personal life it is because she is intentionally spending her time on the action in her business. Stephanie believes the idea of work-life balance is a myth, that there is no equality with time and being able to do everything you want to do. Having a paper planner and using Google calendar is key for Stephanie's time management. Integrating tools like Calendly is key for ensuring time is organized. Taking a lunch hour to do things that will move the needle forward in your business is important too. Stephanie uses strict time management practices and lists specific action items to stay on target for reaching goals in her business. How to Prevent Burnout When Building a Business as a Side Gig Setting intentions, stating affirmations, journaling, and meditating are key to preventing burnout. Living with intentions on how she wants to feel every day and what she wants to accomplish, has helped Stephanie prevent burnout in her own journey. If she feels “off”, she goes back to her intentions for the day and resets. Stephanie uses a journaling practice to affirm things she is grateful for that haven't yet happened. She is giving gratitude to these things as though they've already occurred. For example, “I am grateful for making $XXX in my business this year that has allowed me to travel for six months.” She affirms her dreams in her journal every morning and then at the end of the day she writes of gratitude for the things that happened that day. Using these practices daily keeps Stephanie in a CEO mindset and has reduced overwhelm and burnout so that Stephanie focused on her visions. Everyone's practice should be specific to them and their needs and goals. Not everyone is good at meditation. People should experiment with daily practices and see what works for them as individuals. How to Use Clubhouse as an Entrepreneur Stephanie loves Clubhouse for the ability to have two-way communication. It is a great way to give value and have conversations with people around the world. It is a great platform to speak your truth and share your values and beliefs. You really get to show your expertise and share your voice. Stephanie has s club on Clubhouse called, “Being Boss”. Stephanie hosts consistent rooms, it is a lot of administrative work, but once you get one, it is a great opportunity to answer questions in real-time. Her rooms are about mindset, growing your business on Clubhouse, and more. Before moderating a room or starting a club, go into rooms and engage first. Being consistent with time on the app is important for people to get to know you. Use your time on Clubhouse intentionally and avoid going into rooms that are like going down a rabbit hole and won't move the needle forward on your business. Always go back to your intentions. If nervous about speaking on the stage in Clubhouse, do it scared. Stephanie's handle on Clubhouse is @coach_steph. Strategically Leaving and Planning the Go from Corporate Before leaving corporate or starting a side gig is knowing your why. The second thing is having a financial plan for financial security in place. Plan and save to cover any mandatory expenses or unexpected expenses that come up. Also, have a business budget plan in place. Include operating costs. Have a solid 6-months of savings for your personal financial security, your business budget, and an emergency fund before leaving your corporate job for entrepreneurship. Create a business plan and set benchmarks before quitting the 9 to 5 so that you can keep momentum. Affirmations and how to Create and Set Them Come up with what you want to say. You can Google affirmations or check Stephanie's highlights on Instagram. It isn't enough to write an affirmation. You have to say it and feel it. Create reminders using sticky notes or visual cues is important. When you see the affirmation, pause, and really feel it and see it in your body. Affirmations must have meaning. They can't be something you say just to say. Affirmations are personal. When you write them think about how you want to feel and what you want to accomplish. They must be repeated and become ingrained in your body and mind, something that is living and breathing in your body. It won't magically bring something into your life but will give you the feeling that whatever you want to bring into your life is possible and that you are in active pursuit of it. Learn More About Your Host, Robyn Graham, Click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more about and connect with Stephanie Website: www.claimyourcareer.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/claimyourcareer Facebook: www.facebook.com/claimyourcareer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-ritz/  

PR is the Best Way to Get More Visibility For Your Business and to Control What Others Think, Say, and Feel about Your Business. Here's How to Successfully Pitch Your Story. About Michele Glogovac Michelle Glogovac is THE podcast matchmaker!   Not only is she the host of the My Simplified Life Podcast, but the Founder and CEO of The MSL Collective, a PR agency helping others get featured interviews on other podcasts and traditional media outlets.  As a podcast host and PR agent, she knows the ins and outs of how to successfully pitch your story and get more visibility to connect with a larger audience. Think About How to Be a Great Podcast Guest Before Thinking About How to Successfully Pitch Your Story Michelle is a previous guest on The Second Phase Podcast. In episode 53 Michelle shared tips on being a great guest and following podcast guest etiquette. As Michelle mentions again, the key to being a good guest is to remember to be authentic and that the interview isn't about you.  Yes, you have knowledge and information to share, but it isn't about you, it's about giving, that will land you the interview. It isn't about promoting your business or book it's about giving to the host and their audience. Michelle used the analogy of a dinner party to relate to how to successfully pitch your story. Your pitch is going to be the hostess gift. Then you are going to be a good guest, listen to episode 53 to learn how, and then you thank your host. Think about the fact you wouldn't go to a friend's home without a gift and it's the same concept when you are a guest on a podcast, bring the gift of your knowledge to share with the host and her/her listeners. Robyn reminded that a personal brand is what other people think say and feel about you. Similarly, when you pitch to be a guest on a podcast, you want to control the perception that the host will have of you when reading the pitch. The more you offer to give, the better the pitch will be received. How to Successfully Pitch Your Story - What Goes Into The Pitch During the first part of your pitch, make a human connection and share that you've listened to episodes of the show and how you relate. Show the host that you care about them and their audience. Really know who you are pitching to. Do not copy and paste a pitch from one person to another. Some items may be the same, for example, topics that you will speak to, but there must be an original, unique component for each pitch. Relate to the host what you've gotten out of their previous episodes, and tell them how they resonate with you. It's about building an authentic human connection. If you are wondering how to successfully pitch your story, take note that it's important to express that you genuinely want to be on their show and make it about them, not you. Include topics and tools that you are an expert on. Include features you've been on if you are a host of a show, etc., and hyperlink them. You don't want to give the host any additional work. Make it simple for them to find more information should they need it. Most hosts have jobs outside of their podcast so reviewing pitches takes time away from their jobs and the podcast so if you give them homework to do, they will say no, they don't have time to chase information about you. Don't pitch to a host who does the same work you do. Be sure that you do your homework and be very specific about what the host and their audience will learn and gain from you.  Include links to demonstrate why your topics are pertinent and how you are an expert. The Things a Successful Pitch Includes How to Successfully Pitch Your Story for a Podcast Guest Interview Relate to the host. Look at past episodes. Tell them why you liked it, how you related to it and why you felt connected to this show and this host. Don't just look at their show, look at their website and Instagram. Get to know the host and really get to know them. Make sure that the host is accepting guests or is it a solo show. Include some topics that you can speak to. Select three or four that are really applicable to this show. Always include a link to your website. If you are a podcast host, include a link to your show and include links to your most recent interviews on other podcasts. Include a brief bio, a few short sentences, and attach your one-sheet. Thank the host for the opportunity to pitch. Your follow-ups should be 2 to three weeks out and they should be very short. The final follow-up should state that this is the final time I am following up.  Yes, podcast hosts are planning, but it is much more relaxed and not time-sensitive like traditional media. How to Successfully Pitch Your Story to a Traditional Media Outlet This pitch is going to be very short, very brief, only 200 words. The pitch will not go into a lot of detail about you or your client. It has to relate to the journalist. Journalists are mostly on Twitter. Follow them and engage with them so that they will recognize you. Most online entrepreneurs are on Instagram. Let the journalist know that you've read their recent articles. These pitches must be relatable for current events. Plan ahead. You don't want to pitch for Father's Day a week before. When pitching a topic, provide research to show why the subject is relevant and why the journalist would want to cover the story. Provide stats and data and hyperlink them so that the journalist has all of the data at their fingertips. Follow up is 2 to 3 days because it is timely. How to Successfully Pitch Your Story for Help A Reporter Out (HARO) HARO is a great resource for finding opportunities to pitch. Reporters will post what they are looking for and a list will drop into your email inbox after you subscribe. The reporters will specify pertinent details, deadlines, and requirements. After reading the post, you simply click to respond to the reporter with your pitch.  Oftentimes, the quickest pitch seals the deal. Don't delay and pitch right away. Types of PR HARO is reactive PR. You are reacting to what someone else is looking for versus being proactive which is making a recommendation for the kind of news you want to share. A similar platform to HARO is Qwoted. You can only send 3 of your pitches per month for free and then you will be charged. Note that you do not send attachments with this type of pitch, you use hyperlinks to your one sheet. The pitch is brief. The journalist will vet the responses they get, and then come back with more questions. How to Successfully Pitch Your Story Using A One-Sheet A One-Sheet is also called a pitch or media kit. It should have everything important about you, everything you want the podcast host or journalist to know. A One-Sheet is branded to your business and should include hyperlinks. Things to include in a One-Sheet Full bio Logo Headshot Website All of the topics you are an expert on The cover art of all podcasts you've been featured on with hyperlinks to the episodes Logos and hyperlinks to any other outlet you've been featured on It's really everything there is about you in one spot with all of the links embedded so that the person can go anywhere to find out more about you. The one-sheet really showcases and highlights the key things about you. One-sheets should be updated on a regular basis as more interviews occur. It is forever revolving, keep it fresh. Michelle uses Canva to create her One Sheet template. Canva makes is easy to hyperlink the graphics included on the One Sheet. Additional Tips on How to Successfully Pitch Your Story  Engage with hosts that you eventually want to pitch to. Same thing with journalists. Retweet and share content. The key is to become recognizable by the host or journalists so that when you do pitch and show up in their inbox, they know who you are and are more likely to engage with you and say yes to your pitch. Be proactive and engage before you even start pitching. Using Twitter as a Resource to Successfully Pitch Your Story  Share and add a comment, create lists of who you want to engage with, use Twitter chats, there are so many options for sharing and engaging on Twitter. It is easier to grow a following on Twitter unlike Instagram, where people hem and haw about following others, or they follow and unfollow. Twitter now has Twitter Spaces which is like Clubhouse rooms. Learn More About Your Host, Robyn Graham, Click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more about and connect with Michelle: Website: http://www.themslcollective.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themslcollective Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelleglogovac LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleglogovac Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/michelleglogovac YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLXE_Hs6IFerBiqj1Y1IEVQ?view_as=subscriber Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/micglogovac

An Entrepreneur's Journey to Follow a Calling to Change Lives and Impact generations by Creating the Bless App. About Tara Tara Eusebi is the founder and chief blesser of Bless App. In 2018, Tara stepped away from a successful career in corporate America to pursue her passion for helping others and follow a calling. This pursuit led Tara to the creation of Bless App, a mobile application that is bringing communities together to help one another in every part of the world.  Now Tara is on a mission to change the world by changing lives one need at a time, uniting humanity, and impacting generations through the power of Bless. Tara emphasizes that nothing is worth giving up life and not being able to serve others. As she navigated life as a corporate executive making a large salary she questioned “why on earth am I on earth? She wasn't fulfilled and wanted more. And then, a friend asked her a question that changed the course of her career. The question, what is your passion, what is it that you ultimately want to do?  Tara answered, bless other people. This was a turning point for her. She hadn't known that this was a passion until that moment in time. Tara says humanity is waiting for us to step into our passion to serve others. The Bless App When Tara decided to follow a calling to serve others, she took advantage of technology and created the Bless App. She asked herself the question, “if I saw someone in the grocery store would I help them?” Her answer was yes, but she went on to ask another question. “How can I know what they need?” That is the moment Tara came up with the idea to start the Bless App. Bless App is a platform, for all humanity, where people can help other people and ask for help from others.  It is a place where people can come together to unite humanity. Tara is on a mission to change the world. She wants you to share a need without judgment but with accountability. The goal is to make lives better. People on the Bless App are held accountable through a "vouge for me" feature on the app. It ensures people have good motives and not there to take advantage of others. The Bless App has ambassadors around the world. If people continue to ask for help but aren't giving, the ambassadors reach out to the people and ask them to give in return. The gifts people give are simple, a helping hand, or a conversation. It doesn't have to be money or expensive items. The inspiration of the Bless App is to give on purpose with a purpose to change lives and impact generations. We all have the ability to impact others and Bless is all about that! Debunking the Myth of Need Everyone has a different perspective on the word need. One of the definitions of need is having wants or desires. Tara said that humanity at large thinks that if we have a need, we are poor, or needy, or not able to make it on our own, and that simply isn't true. Every single one of us, regardless of the level of life we are at, has needs. On the Bless App you can share a need without judgment, but not without accountability. The Bless App is so much more than a platform, it is a revolution and world changer that is transforming lives and making lives better. Is it Possible to Follow a Calling? Tara gave up her career to create Bless. She is living without a paycheck to follow God's calling. Bless App is not a faith-based app, but Tara emphasizes to follow a calling is an act of faith and God has called her to serve others. She has had this passion in her heart for helping others since she was a child. To follow a calling and build the Bless App has made Tara realize why on earth she is on earth. Tara is putting all of her expectations on God to provide for her. Since quitting her job to follow a calling three years ago and Tara has lived without a steady income since that time, but God has provided for her every step of the way. God wants us to know that he is our source and that we are trusting in him only. A lot of churchgoers say they have faith, but it's easy to say that when we have no needs. To follow a calling is to trust completely in God. Tara has really learned where her trust leaks are, as she's walked through this journey. Support Bless App No matter what your need, you can ask it on the Bless App. There is no need that you can share that someone on the planet won't be willing to help with it. Join the Bless App. You can join to change the lives of others and to be blessed yourself. Join the Bless app to start changing your community and together we can change the world. You can support Bless by purchasing merchandise from the Bless Shop. If you'd like to support Bless with a monetary gift you can do so through Bless Supply, which Tara set up so that people could give financially to help propel the mission forward. Connect with Tara on the App. Learn More About Your Host, Robyn Graham, Click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest

Using the power of brand strategies Dr. Robyn Graham helps multi-passionate women find their second phase and become entrepreneurs. She helps them build personal brands and launch businesses with solid foundations for long-term brand and business success. Robyn saves her clients from overwhelm and frustration, and from investing time and money with no results. Robyn also helps her clients find clarity, confidence, and connection by identifying their niche and ideal audience and to create brand messaging that helps build relationships that convert to profits. Using her six pillars of brand strategy, Robyn helps her clients build brands that stand out, attract clients, and make an impact while following their callings. Robyn's work includes brand marketing strategy, business coaching, branded photography, professional headshots, and fine art photography. Her signature “The Brand Marketing Insider” program is a highly customized done for you brand-building experience that combines her expertise with that of a team of vetted professionals to build comprehensive brands that include attractive and functional websites, copy, social media management, and more. She is an awarding winning photographer, wife, mom to three, a woman of faith, and passionate about serving others. She is on the executive board of directors for Face to Face Germantown, an organization in the greater Philadelphia area serving the marginalized population. Robyn is the host of The Second Phase Podcast and enjoys speaking on the value of brand marketing strategy and personal branding. We dive deep into Personal Branding, How to Niche, Why and the Benefits, Incorporating your values into your business, Finding your second phase, How to successfully pivot, Brand, Branding, Brand Identity - the differences, Brand messaging, Building relationships online, Faith and entrepreneurship, Overcoming fear/anxiety to take action for your second phase, Who it's Important to become the face of your brand, The 5 W's of Personal Branding, and The 5 C's of Personal Branding   Connect more with Robyn Graham here: Website: www.therobyngraham.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therobyngraham/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theRobynGraham/ Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thefemaleentrepreneurinsider Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/therobyngraham/ Clubhouse: www.clubhouse.com/therobyngraham LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobyngraham   Connect with Katie more:  by signing up for my email list: https://www.chonacas.com/newsletter/ Pick up my Poetry Book http://www.aloversfairytale.com A gift for you! A Lover's Fairytale Spoken Word Music Video Playlist https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EfPtI9MniE&list=PLQSdVfHrFOMY6B5rH-XQ6FLgUggAc2MD4&index=7 Website URL: https://www.chonacas.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chonacas/ http://www.instagram.com/shesallovertheplacepodcast http://www.instagram.com/thesophisticatedpsychos Clubhouse: https://www.joinclubhouse.com/event/PD4arn3p Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KyriakiChonacas Twitter: https://twitter.com/katiechonacas LinkedIn Account: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-chonacas-b22923181/

Being Consistent is a Challenge One of the most common challenges I hear about from my clients and those in my Facebook Group, is not being able to be consistent. But what I've learned is that being consistent is a catch-all phrase. Maybe even an excuse for not digging into the underlying issues for not showing up in your business. Being consistent as a business owner means creating content that consistently aligns with your values, passions, goals, and the level of service you provide. Consistency also applies to showing up and being truly present in your business for your audience. Consistent is one of the 5 C's I often reference when talking about building a personal brand. It is truly important for building relationships and the know love and trust factor. What usually happens when people aren't consistent is that there are underlying issues like fear, doubt, etc. The Factors That Influence Being Consistent Let's take a look at some of the factors that influence your ability to be consistent that you may not be thinking about when you say that being consistent is a challenge. I think that once you realize the reasons you aren't being consistent, you'll be able to create a plan that works for you and helps you show up consistently for your audience. Fear Causes People to Be Inconsistent Let's look at fear as something that is holding you back from being consistent. I believe fear is one of the biggest reasons people aren't consistent. Fear holds you back from not only posting content but creating content. You may not even realize that you are afraid. Subconsciously your mind is referring back to something that intimidated you, something someone said to you in the past, or you are simply afraid of judgment. If you feel like you are struggling to be consistent, do a fear check. In what areas are you lacking consistency? Is it in your messaging? Or is it with content creation? Is it posting the content and being present for your audience? Are you afraid of being in front of the camera to post images of you as the face of your brand, or do you have complete stage fright when it comes to creating videos? Where is fear holding you back from being consistent? Once you recognize where the hang-up is, it's time to do mindset work. Ask yourself, is the fear legitimate? Chances are, no it isn't. If you've identified that creating content is where you lack consistency, ask yourself why you are struggling to create? Are you afraid of being judged? Perhaps you are afraid of someone questioning you? Does imposter syndrome or doubt in your level of expertise have you stuck in a pattern of procrastination? Maybe you haven't seen results from social media yet? Is your mind telling you that it's not worth your time? Are you simply worried about what others might say about you? Let's dive into these a little more deeply. Doubt As a Cause for Not Being Consistent Perhaps you have doubt that you are an expert in your niche? Maybe that doubt is stemming from seeing others in your space who have more followers and likes than you have. Here's the deal. You believed in yourself enough to start your business, so I believe that deep down you know you are an expert! It's OK to consume content created by other experts in your area of expertise, but it isn't OK to consume the content and let it influence your thoughts about yourself. Maybe the other people have been on social media longer. Or maybe they have been an entrepreneur longer. No matter, they have an ideal audience that is most likely different than your ideal audience. And now you're thinking, but their demographics are the same and the same people that follow them are following me? My response to that, so what! A big fat so what! Why? Because certain people will resonate with their content and them as a personal brand. But others will resonate with you. This is why we create a personal brand, to differentiate ourselves so that others can figure out if they like us and want to work with us. You can refer back to episode 111 for more on building a personal brand. I'm not for everyone, and you aren't for everyone. I hate to break that to you, but it's true. There are certain people our unique gifts and personality will resonate with and there are others that if they hired us, we would be so frustrated and we'd want to pull our hair out. So don't let what someone else is doing or what their numbers reflect influence the content you create and share, or how consistently you show up for your audience. Your ideal audience is waiting for you and if you don't show up, they might give up, on you, but most importantly on themselves because help didn't arrive. Clarity Helps with Being Consistent A lack of clarity can also hold you back. Are you feeling uncertain about your niche, zone of genius, or your ideal client? If you are uncertain about any of these you will be confused and that will cause a lack of confidence, fear, and doubt. As a result, you'll be in a state of procrastination. Something we know is true is that our thoughts create our results. So, if doubt, fear, or a lack of clarity are holding you back, you must do the mindset work to change the negative thoughts. In Episode 94 I shared strategies for overcoming procrastination. I will never say it is easy, but there are things that you can do to overcome it and move the needle forward on your business. One such thing is really focusing on your why, why you started this business, why you want to serve others, why you can serve others. Look at your values, visions, and passions and identify your niche or zone of genius. Map out the details of who your ideal audience is, what their major problem is that you can solve for them, and how you can help them. Doing these exercises will give you a deeper level of clarity. It may take time, but I assure you it will be worth every minute, and you'll end up with a plethora of content in the process. Does Being Consistent Really Matter? Yes, it absolutely does. But you must be aligned with your values in order to accomplish consistency and for it to matter. If your intentions aren't coming from a place of service, rethink the reason you are on social media or creating content, to begin with. Likewise, if you are copying the efforts of someone else in your area of expertise, don't bother. Why, because if you aren't being your authentic self, your content won't resonate with your ideal audience. Your ideal audience will see through inauthenticity really quickly. Similarly, if you aren't posting what comes naturally to you, you will attract non-ideal clients. Both you and the client will become frustrated, and you won't build trust. In other words, why bother being consistent if you aren't being present in a way that aligns with your values, your abilities, and the people you want to connect with. Remember that social media and your website are platforms to use for sharing value for free. Yes, they are marketing platforms, but they are meant to be used for the purpose of building relationships, warming up your audience, and building the trust factor. Creating content consistently, with consistent messages, and being present consistently, will help do all three. Imposter Syndrome Holds You Back From Being Consistent If you haven't listened to Episode 66, go back and listen to it. The entire episode is about imposter syndrome, how it can hold you back, and how you can overcome it. The problem with imposter syndrome is exactly that, that it can and will hold you back. It will hold you back from being consistent, and from showing up as the expert you are. Any time you are creating content, create it first, then go on your platforms to consume. This will help ensure that you aren't being influenced by what others are doing and posting. It will help you stay focused on creating genuine content that gives value to your audience. If you consume first, you may be tempted to use an idea already used by someone else in your space. Similarly, you might feel intimidated that someone else came up with an idea and you didn't and therefore you aren't good enough…imposter syndrome. When you create with your core values and your experiences in mind, you can and will show up consistently and be able to create content that resonates with your audience. Your story is unique to you. Your journey to gain the expertise you have is specific to you and your audience wants to hear about it. No one else can serve the people that God has called you to serve. Stop comparing yourself to others and focus on the fact that you have unique gifts that are meant to serve the people who resonate with you and need your unique abilities and your unique personality traits. Your Audience is Watching You I assure you that the content you create is being consumed. People like to lay in the weeds so to speak. They don't want others to know they were scrolling through Instagram, so they don't take time to like or comment. Likes and follower counts don't matter. Don't let either stop you from creating content consistently. Something you can tell yourself around this mindset block is that there are at least 10 ideal clients watching me right now. They are consuming my content, and one day soon, the content will resonate with them fully and they will reach out to me. You can also remind yourself that your content holds value for your audience. Repeat after me, my content is helping others. My content is providing value that my audience needs. These are just a couple of affirmations that you can write and/or say every day. The more you believe in the content you are creating and the value it provides for your audience, the less procrastination you will have and therefore, the more consistent you will become. Life Happens and Prevents Consistency The reality is that life happens around us, for us, and to us every day. It's impossible to be consistent all of the time unless we have a strategy in place to do so. That strategy has to include content creation and mindset. Let's Talk About Mindset I suggested a few affirmations. These are going to be critical for staying positive and believing in the power of your content. But you also have to do the work around the fact that you are an expert in your niche or your zone of genius. If you have doubts about your expertise, journal around your experiences that brought you to believe you were an expert in the first place. You have past work experience, you have certain personality traits, you have the tools and resources needed, etc. Think about your ideal audience as who you were a few years back. They are exactly where you were and lack the wisdom that you have to offer them. Your thoughts around this will influence how others perceive you as an expert and your ability to show up consistently for them. So do the mindset work. It's critical for success. Strategy Is Important When Trying to Be Consistent Having a strategy in place for creating content will help limit excuses and improve consistency. It helps to create content buckets. For example, one of my coaching clients is an esthetician. We recently created her content buckets and a strategy to get her back on track for posting more consistently. The content buckets we created are corrective skincare, preventive skincare, skincare maintenance, services, and products. Because she is working full time and her esthetician business is a side-gig she is growing into full-time entrepreneurship, she only has so much time for content creation. The strategy we came up with is to create six posts at a time, for three posts per week, to have two weeks of content. She is then going to schedule her posts through Facebook Business Suite. It's free and easy to use and she can post to both Facebook and Instagram where her ideal audience hangs out. Once the posts are scheduled, she can focus on other aspects of her business for the remainder of the two weeks and simply engage as she has time. Posting three times a week may not seem like enough for some people, but if your goal is ultimately to be consistent, you have to do what works for you. If you overextend yourself, you will get frustrated and burnt out and will fall back into inconsistency. Taking Action is Key For Success Mindset and strategy are great, but if you don't take action, the mindset work and strategy won't be effective. Be consistent with the mindset work as daily reminders and affirmations are key for long-term success. Keep your content strategy simple so that you don't get overwhelmed and can take consistent action. The equation that has helped many entrepreneurs reach success is this: Mindset + Strategy + Action = Results Struggling to be consistent? Need some help with your mindset and creating a strategy that will help you take action and produce results? Let's connect for a free brand strategy assessment. You can schedule your session HERE. Learn More About Your Host, Robyn Graham, Click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest  

Is Your Messaging Clear and Resonating with Your Audience? A Clear and Concise Call to Action is A Communication Tool to Guide Your Audience on The Steps To Take to Get To Know You and Work With You.   About Dr. Michelle Mazur Dr. Michelle Mazur is an academic turned market researcher and communication and messaging expert. Her client base and podcast were niched to professional speakers until she came to the point in her business where she was over the speaking industry and struggled with an identity crisis. She could longer fathom hosting the Rebel Speaker Podcast or giving speaking tips to her clients. At that point, Michelle decided to tap into her years of experience in brand messaging and pivot her business. It was then that “The 3 Word Rebellion” was born and she rebranded her podcast to Rebel Uprising. Today Michelle is a messaging expert who works with brilliant business owners who are shaking things up but are having trouble talking about it. Michelle knows that speaking about what you do in a clear and captivating way is the key to reaching the people you could help the most and to making more money in your business. The Three Word Rebellion – Messaging That Genuinely Connects When Michelle decided to transition her business, she realized that she could easily teach people how to create rebellious messages that really resonated with their audience. During lunch with Author Jennie Nash, Jennie confirmed that Michelle's idea was fabulous and worth pivoting to. Instead of jumping right in, Michelle did market research by hosting a mastermind where she presented the concept to her clients, and they loved it, and many wanted a 3- word rebellion. That is when she created an offer and wrote a book about the 3-word rebellion. The 3-word rebellion is a way to create a core message that positions you in your audience's mind. It really isn't about positioning because it isn't about you, it's about them, and the change they are seeking in the world so that they can carry that forward. Creating the message that supports people buying in and being persuaded to work with you. Messaging Should Focus on Them, Not You The key to effective messaging is to focus on the audience, not yourself. Just like your personal brand is what others think, say, and feel about you, good messaging builds connections with others so that they can see themselves working with you. The 3-word rebellion can shift the pendulum dramatically by putting the focus on others. Think about positioning formulas like “I help people do x so that they can do y”. That statement is all about you, not them and therefore, no one is going to remember that. This is a great place to start talking about your business, but people want to know more. How do we truly communicate what it is we actually do effectively, but in a way that is effective and doesn't leave doubt? This is where the 3-word rebellion comes in. What is the 3-Word Rebellion Messaging Strategy? “Start with Why” by Simon Sinek was a key inspiration for Michelle and the 3-word rebellion. As soon as people start thinking about you, your message, and your work and make it personal to themselves, they are hooked and will want to go deeper to get more from you. How to Get to Your 3-Word Rebellion for Effective Messaging To start, get your ideas out of your head and onto paper. Michelle suggests free writing to do this. She gives prompts to write, to verbally vomit all of their ideas out. The first question is what are you rebelling against? What things do others in your industry do that annoys you? Just being able to get all of these ideas out of your head shows you how you are different and how you can stand out. The second part is the change you want to create. Free write on the type of world you want to create. The words you create here are usually the raw material to create your 3-word rebellion. After freewriting, take a few days off and then come back and do the analysis. What themes do you see? What terms or phrases are you using over and over? Create a word bank of the words that are exciting or really resonate with you. Creative restraints come after the analysis. Start to play. A 3-word rebellion should be 2 to 5 words. It should be positive about the change you want to create and it is not about you. The Three Types of 3-Word Rebellions There are three types 3-Word Rebellions. The first is the battle cry, which starts with a verb. “Start with Why is an example. The second type of 3-word rebellion is naming the change that you want to create. An example is “The 4 Hour Work Week” by Tim Ferris or “The 5 Second Rule” by Mel Robbins. The final type is the declaration. Kind of like a mantra that you can give people, like “Everything is Figureoutable” by Marie Forleo. From there you just play with words and try to find something that is unique. It can be very plain-spoken, but it will grab attention. Doing these exercises will give your content for days. You'll have blog posts, social media posts, and video content for marketing. Here is the link to Michelle's book on Amazon: The 3-Word Rebellion: Create a One of a Kind Message That Grows Your Business into a Movement. (Note: this is an affiliate link.) The 8 Jobs Our Messaging is Supposed to Do for Us Without taking the time to figure out our messaging, marketing isn't going to be effective. The jobs of our messaging are so important. Your messaging is your best employee, it works 24/7 for you. Get People to Set Up and Take Notice The job of the 3-word rebellion is to get attention. Grows Your Audience Your message grows your audience because it is what the audience grows around. Clearly Communicates What Your Business Offers Once you have attention, you need to have additional key messages to keep people on the journey of consuming your content and understanding what you do. Helps with sales because it shows the value you offer. Sales Great messaging showcases the results of others you've worked with and therefore people trust you. Differentiation Your messaging will show how you are different from anyone else in your space. A 3-word rebellion automatically makes you unique. Income and Impact Your message helps you reach the right people who want to work with you. This also speaks to being consistent. Attention – PR and Media Your message gets attention on your business for PR and media opportunities to grow your audience.  Think speaking gigs, podcast guest spots, and more. Recognizability Your message will resonate, and people will remember it and the media will pay attention to you. When messaging is clear, concise, and consistent, it is powerful. Call To Action A good call to action will help your audience understand what you want them to do. Michelle uses the BOLDleadership framework. Be the only Other focus Leadership Direction We need to be very strategic when creating content. If writing a blog post, what do you want people to do after they've read the post. Is it to sign up for a freebie, or is it to book a call with you? We have to give them direction and guide them on the next step. Keep calls to action simple. Give a maximum of three options, once you have their attention. If you overwhelm people with multiple calls to action, their action will be to do nothing. Call to Action Examples A good call to action is simple. Join the workshop. Listen in. Learn more. Buy the book. Be direct and keep it simple. Final Thought Take the time to really work on your message. It is an iterative process and the more you work with people, the more your message will revolve. Learn More About Your Host, Robyn Graham, Click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more and connect with Michelle: Website: https://www.drmichellemazur.com/ Book: https://drmichellemazur.lpages.co/rebellion/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drmichellemazur Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/drmichellemazur Twitter: https://twitter.com/drmichellemazur

5 Ways to Monetize a Podcast About Anne Claessen After graduating from law school and getting two master's degrees, Anne discovered she wasn't going to be fulfilled working in the corporate world. She took time to travel and explore her options. While doing so, she discovered podcasting and decided to start her own business as a podcast manager. Anne realized pretty quickly that she wasn't the best podcast manager, it wasn't her dream job or zone of genius, but quickly realized how to monetize a podcast. Helping others do the same became her mission. Anne now empowers other podcasters to monetize their podcast even without thousands of followers. She is using her degree in strategy to help podcasters map out strategies to monetize podcasts and find profitable business models for their podcast. Anne helps her clients come up with a strategy and helps them implement it. 5 Ways to Monetize a Podcast There are five ways to monetize a podcast. The most common way is sponsorships. But sponsorships aren't the most profitable way to monetize a podcast. Affiliate links are the second way to monetize a podcast. You can add affiliate links in your show notes as well as in blog posts about the show. An affiliate link is when you like a product and get an affiliate think and when someone purchases the product you receive a commission. The third way to monetize a podcast is through creating a membership. This can create a community feel for your listeners. Donations are yet another way people monetize a podcast. Lastly, you can sell your own products and services to monetize your podcast. Audience Size to Monetize a Podcast Anne believes that you do not need a large audience to monetize a podcast. Most people think you need a large following because of sponsorships. On average a sponsor pays $25 per 1,000 downloads. For sponsorships to be lucrative, you do need a relatively large following. This can be a lot of effort for little money if you don't have a large following. It is also possible to negotiate a deal with a sponsor and the sponsor pays a set amount for a short ad per episode the ad is run. Depending on the sponsor, you may not need a large following to negotiate a decent deal and this may be more lucrative than a per download agreement. Selling your own product or service is more profitable than sponsorships. If you get more clients, you are going to make more than $25 and this is possible with simply publishing an episode vs. having so many followers and negotiating contracts with sponsors. Values Must Align When You Monetize a Podcast It's important to ensure that your values are aligned when working with sponsors. It can be a challenge, and you have to be particular with who you bring on as a sponsor. If a sponsor doesn't align with your values, it will cause confusion with your audience. If you have multiple sponsors within a single episode, it will turn people off. The ads simply become noise and put off your audience. Before you try to monetize a podcast, think about your audience and what will benefit them. You can also monetize a podcast with affiliate links for products and services you use. If you like the product and service, then it aligns with your business and podcast but will also benefit your audience. A win-win. The Expense to Monetize a Podcast Another consideration is the need for a contract when working with sponsors. This could result in an additional expense to have an attorney create the contract for you. There is definitely more work and expense related to sponsorships than with promoting your own business. Using Affiliate Links to Monetize a Podcast When using affiliate links to monetize a podcast, you can offer something that you know your audience will benefit from and help them on their business journey. The goal of your podcast is to build trust with your audience. If you are sharing tools that you love and have worked for your business, they are likely to purchase them because they trust you. The reverse is also true. If you promote things that do not align with your business just for the sake of making money as an affiliate, you can lose the trust of your audience. Using a Membership to Monetize a Podcast Step number one is to ask your audience what they want and how you can serve them. If your audience wants to connect with you more, offer a membership where you meet with them once a month for a question-and-answer session. You could also offer a membership that includes more content for those who subscribe. A common tool to use to create this option is Patreon. They suggest doing three tiers. Tier One, less expensive – members are here to support you as a podcaster Tier Two, more expensive – members receive more content Tier three, more expensive – something extra like a new masterclass about a podcast topic every month. The key is to poll your audience and see what they want. Using Donations to Monetize a Podcast Some podcasters have success with this by using “Buy Me a Coffee”. There is something tangible. The podcaster can buy themself something, versus, just getting money. Anne and Robyn agree that asking for donations is a little uncomfortable and it's best to actually provide something to your audience than ask for a donation. Selling Your Own Products and Services to Monetize a Podcast To promote your own products and services you can create an ad specifically for your business. There are three options for ad placement. The first is in the intro.  The second is a mid-roll ad, take a quick break and then go back to the episode, and the third is at the end of episodes. Anne suggests to her clients to do all three but keep it short and to the point. Don't go too deep into a promotion at the beginning because people are there to learn, and you haven't given them anything yet. Especially if you are new to podcasting, be sure to keep the ad short.  If you do an ad in the intro, keep it super short, maybe two sentences. In mid-roll, you can have a little bit longer ad because you've already given the audience something. If you are doing an interview, you can create a cliffhanger. Ask a question, then take a quick break, and since the audience wants to know the answer to the question you asked, they'll hang around to listen to the answer. Keep it to less than two minutes, less than 5 minutes. If doing an outro, you want to have a call to action to the mid-roll ad. You can say “hey, remember when I talked about my service, here is the link where you can learn more or book a call”. Tip For Podcasting Commit. It is very overwhelming and a lot of work. Pod-fade is real. People start with a lot of energy and then feel overwhelmed and quit. Create a backlog of episodes so that you have some time before you have to record episodes. Don't put too much importance on download numbers. Download numbers don't say a lot. You can have a very profitable podcast with a few downloads and a non-profitable podcast with a lot of downloads. Make a commitment so that you can enjoy the process and don't worry about numbers before trying to monetize a podcast.  Think about monetization before you think it's possible because it possible to monetize a podcast from the first episode. Learn More About Your Host, Robyn Graham, Click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more and connect with Anne: Ebook: https://www.thepodcastbabes.com/ebook-5-ways-to-monetize-your-podcast Website: https://www.thepodcastbabes.com/ Podcast: The Podcast Babes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepodcastbabes/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-claessen-msc-llm-3ba175b9/ Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/thepodcastbabes/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepodcastbabes

When Starting a Business, You Need Legal Protection to No Only  Legally Protect Your Business, but Yourself Too.   About Cheri Andrews Cheri is a small business attorney, licensed in Pennsylvania who works with small business owners and entrepreneurs. She helps them set up legal protection to ensure they are legally protected. Cheri helps business owners so that they can grow their businesses with the confidence of knowing it is being done right. After being laid off in late 2019, Cheri decided that it was time to give back and make a difference. She decided that the best thing she could do was take all of the legal knowledge and skills she built over the past 30-years and help those who need help the most, the small business owners. Cheri's goal is to make legal protections accessible before business owners get into trouble. Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs Need Legal Protection Too If you can prevent a lawsuit in the future, why wouldn't you want to? You can do things upfront to protect yourself from future lawsuits. Choice of Business Entity for Legal Protection Sole Proprietor - You are the only one in your business Partnership - You and a friend or partner. In both cases, there is no separate entity to protect you. That means you are personally liable for any of the debts and obligations of your company. By personably liable it means that if someone were to sue you, your bank accounts, your home, your cars, basically anything you own is up for grabs in a lawsuit. The first thing to do is set up a business entity. The LLC for Legal Protection as a Small Business Owner or Entrepreneur The best way to protect yourself and your business is by becoming an LLC. This includes if you are in any kind of business where you are providing advice or services. Likewise, if you are operating a storefront where someone could slip and fall. Basically, an LLC will protect you from anything you do or say that could affect someone financially or from a health perspective. The LLC provides a separate legal entity so that you are not personally liable for the debts and obligations of your business. However, there is a caveat to that. Even with an LLC, you are liable for taxes or criminal actions and gross negligence. The second thing you need to do is create contracts. Contracts for Legal Protection as a Small Business Owner or Entrepreneur We live in a world where it's easy to say you will do something and expect people to pay you. But it isn't always about just getting your money.  It's a matter of what if they pay you, or pay you only in part, and they aren't happy with what you did for them. If they are unhappy they could sue you. You don't want to have to spend time and energy dealing with that. Fortunately, if you have a contract, you can establish your refund policy, termination policy, lawsuit specifications such as arbitration, etc. upfront. Contracts give you the opportunity to make it difficult to file a lawsuit against you. Similarly, with contracts, you have the opportunity to prevent lawsuits before they even happen. Be sure your contract says that if your client lives in another state, that they have to sue you in the state you practice in. Website and Content Privacy Policy Yes, you need a privacy policy.  If you have Google Analytics or a contact form, you need a privacy policy. The reason you need a privacy policy is that there are a number of regulations, such as GDPR, the European Union's General Data Protection Regulations. You can't stop people from the European Union from submitting your contact form or downloading your free offer. Another such regulation is the California Consumer Privacy Act, the CCPA. Violations of the CCPA are up to $2500 to $7500 in fines. The cost of putting a privacy policy on your website will only be a couple of hundred dollars, therefore is worth saving you the cost of fines from the CCPA. Terms of Use The terms of use policy is not legally required but allows you to have an agreement with your website visitors. It's important to establish how visitors can use your website, what they cannot do with your website, and where they can reach you should they have a problem with your website. The terms of use policy also maps out details should a visitor want to sue you because of the content of your website. If you have any type of subscription on your website where people have to log in, you definitely want a terms of use policy on your website. Disclaimers If you are working in the health, financial, or any professional advice you want to have a disclaimer that says that your website is for information purposes only, it is not meant to be specific medical, legal, or financial advice and recommend that people contact their own advisors for specific information. If you are offering advice, you want to tell people that your advice doesn't guarantee results. Images Take note that ff you did not take the image or buy the rights to an image do not put them on your website or social media. A lawsuit for copyright infringement can cost you up to $150,000 for a single photo. It is really easy with artificial intelligence to be caught for using copyrighted material. There are companies that have the sole purpose of protecting photographers. They crawl the internet looking for unauthorized use of their client's images. The letters look like spam but are not and are requesting payment for use of the image of $800 to $1200 to $2000 dollars for the use of that image. It is better to pay to license the photo you want to use as opposed to breaching copyright. Read the terms of use for royalty-free use. If using for personal purposes, the images may be free, but if used for commercial purposes, they may not be free. Smooth Sailing, a Practical Guide to Protecting Your Business Cheri's book is a resource for solopreneurs, creatives, and small business owners to get educated and understand the legal aspects of your business. Cheri covers copyright, policies and so much more so that you can be compliant in your business. The book is not written like a legal textbook but is easy to read and provides questions that you should be aware of when meeting with your business attorney. Cheri wants every small business owner to have the legal protection they need. A simple legal mistake can cost you your business. Most of these mistakes are unavoidable and Cheri is on a mission to help people stay in business safely and successfully. Small businesses are the backbone of our country and even though many had to close in 2020, there will be more small businesses coming and Cheri wants them to be protected for long-term success. Purchase Cheri's book to be sure you the legal protection you need.   Learn More About Your Host, Robyn Graham, Click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn More About Legal Protection and Connect with Cheri: Website: https://www.cheriandrews.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheri-andrews https://www.facebook.com/yoursmallbusinessattorney

Communication is Key for Finding Balance and Intimacy for Power Couples and Entrepreneurs About Naketa Ren Thigpen Naketa broke barriers and glass ceilings nearly ten years ago when she architected her professional skill set as a Psychotherapist, Trauma Specialist, Sexology and Relationship expert with strategically infused tenets of breakthrough success coaching to raise the bar and create ripples inside the personal development industry. She is now regarded as the #1 Balance & Relationship Advisor in the World. Naketa has become the go-to for fast-scaling married women entrepreneurs and power couples seeking to balance love and success without dimming or apologizing for their spirited ambition. She is the creator of the breakthrough paradigm the Joy Map Method, an International Best-selling Author of the book Selfish, Transformative Empowerment Speaker and CEO of ThigPro Balance and Relationship Management Institute. Doing It All Won't Achieve Balance and Intimacy Naketa helps power couples find emotional and physical intimacy to tap into intellectual intimacy. Often times career women and female entrepreneurs have built their lives thinking they can and have to do all the things. Maybe it was a parent or teacher who influenced their thinking that they weren't going to achieve their dreams, but something has driven them to think that they have to be and do it all. These influences cause women to move full speed in their businesses and lives and they don't give themselves time to pause and say,“What do I really want now that I'm in my 30's, 40's or 50's versus what I thought I had to be in my 20's?” Judgement Can Prevent Us From Achieving Balance and Intimacy We are all guilty of placing judgement on ourselves and harbour these negative thoughts which ultimately hold us back. Instead of seeing mistakes or failures as learning opportunities, we get stuck in a cycle of negative thoughts and judgements, which hold us back. How much does judgement hold us back from emotionally connecting with others? Naketa says it is a very large issue. But many times, it's not just the lack of physical connection, it is something deeper. Sometimes it is lost, or other emotional stresses that cause negative emotions or loss of identity that prevent us from fully showing up in our businesses or relationships. The solution isn't fixing the person, it's about helping both parties heal. Naketa helps people see that they can lose themselves in the process of trying to help someone else. It is possible to blend identities back together. There can be a lot of stress and mess if identities such as a spouse, career person, entrepreneur, parent, are not blended together within each individual in a relationship.  These identities need to be blended together for yourself first before a relationship can be put back together. Trust Is Important for Creating Balance and Intimacy  This is a huge part of why trust is a huge issue for so many entrepreneurs. Intimacy with our selves is linked to trust. Trusting ourselves with making the right decisions and trusting others is hard. If you've been in a place in life where people have disappointed you constantly and haven't lived up to your expectations of who you thought they should be in your life, it could be that you've been given them positions in your life that they haven't earned. If someone is a really good person but hasn't truly given you the seed that they are a best friend, you can't treat them like a best friend. Treat them as a good friend, trust with small invitations and opportunities first. It's like dating. It's important to do this with all relationships. People who have experienced trust issues growing up tend to have more challenges with inviting people in too quickly. As humans, we should listen to our intuition when we feel a connection but take time to let people all the way into our inner circle of life, heart or business. If you jump into relationships in business, it's going to show up in your bedroom or personal relationships as well. Communication is Key for Creating Balance and Intimacy The way you do one thing is the way you do all things. If energetic and an extrovert in business but an introvert and quiet in your personal life you aren't doing everything the same. When you go from your professional life where you've used all this energy, you are not leaving anything for the personal side of your life. You exhaust yourself by not being in a place of balance in your business and personal life. You have to communicate your needs to yourself. “That's what balance is, being able to communicate the truth about what you really want and creating boundaries around what you want.” Being really clear on what you want. Look at all of your needs. Think about Maslov's hierarchy of needs. You need more than just having your needs met. If you want to thrive you have to communicate with your lover. When there is a lack of fire in the bedroom, communicate that to your partner. Try something different. If you always have sex in the dark, turn the lights on. Pull back the covers for a change. Be on the floor, just doing something different. Don't point the finger at your lover. Listen with your actions. If you are showing up for your lover and saying I've saved my energy for you, then show them what you want them to do and slowly groom them or let them groom you so that you can be the lover you want each other to be. Ego Is a Hindrance to Achieving Balance and Intimacy When you remove yourself back from your ego, which protects us and gives us comfort, you can realize that you are both evolving as humans and can communicate better. Naketa says we have so many things in our life to take the awkwardness away, like playing Sex Jenga. Vulnerability Is Necessary for Achieving Balance and Intimacy for Life and Career Success Women typically have the narrative that being sexy or seductive is like being a prostitute. Even though we know, logically, that consensual relationships are OK. Do little teasing, tantalizing moments and build up the comfort level with each other. Lean into the curiosity and don't let your ego cause you to pull away. Over the years, as our bodies change, etc. we become more vulnerable. It's important to lean into what used to be and allow yourself to be vulnerable. Do things so that your partner can see that you are taking actions to connect with him/her. Allow yourself the kindness and understanding that this is a process and will give you more confidence. It takes time. As humans, we often don't allow others to change. And sometimes people are changing for us, not themselves. Is Change Possible? We can't change other people and we shouldn't expect them to change. At what point do people need to seek help or is it ever too late to seek help. People often get into a place where emotional connection has dissipated, and people often have affairs because they are seeking that connection Naketa believes it is never too late to change. As a Christian, Naketa believes that it is never too late to give yourself over to God, therefore it is never too late to change as long as you are open to doing what needs to be done to get to the other side of a relationship. You have to be willing to look at the whole picture and evaluate the emotional intimacy and when it's not there, it's time to seek help. Naketa works with people who are happy, but they realize they want more. Most of her clients don't see themselves as unhappy, but they want to turn up the volume in their relationship. The reality is that everyone has something wrong, or something that is not going perfectly. It's important to recognize this and take action to get help. Selfish Naketa's life journey was one of trauma and triumph. In the book, Naketa shares how she found balance and intimacy in her life and found her zone of genius for helping others do the same. You can learn more about her story by reading her book “Selfish”. Learn More About Your Host, Robyn Graham, Click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more about Naketa and connect with her: Website: www.thigpro.com Facebook Group: Certified Selfish Balance Boldly Podcast

Implement A Membership Site To Serve More People And Make More Money While Having More Freedom - The Key Is Knowing Your Ideal Audience   About Jennifer Dopazo Jennifer Dopazo started Candelita as a way to offer website design, brand identity, UX/UI design, and membership sites to the new entrepreneurs of the world. She is often sought out by solopreneurs desperate to get off the hamster wheel of discovery calls, blogging, writing emails, and 1-to-1 client work, so they can prioritize what truly matters to them. Jennifer believes we can all influence more people, while still spending time with those we love the most. That is one of the biggest reasons why she's pivoting her business to focus on building membership communities. The Drain When Jennifer started her business, she was working a lot, and doing all the things she saw everyone else doing. It was draining. She was doing so much work but not for the right clients. The guilt of saying no to anything that came her way, so she said yes to a lot of projects that didn't fulfill her. By not saying no to projects she didn't want to work on, she started to get burn out.   The Ideal Client As she started talking to people, she realized that the people she wanted to work with were the people that she wants to develop a relationship with and can envision having dinner with. It's a new characteristic to attach to your ideal client avatar. It's important in professional relationships to have boundaries and to align values. Have the hard conversations before you sign the client to be sure that you are aligned and have similar goals and desires to serve others. It's possible to have these conversations with the people you truly want to work with. Trying to Follow What Other People Are Doing Doesn't Work As individuals, we need to do the processes, things and work with the people that are aligned with ourselves in order to succeed.  Doing what other people are doing will not allow us to be authentic or connect with the people we want to work with or are meant to serve. When we try to mimic others, we don't feel natural and feel good about our work. Brand Identity Your brand identity is everything that represents your business outside of you as a personal brand. The elements that make you recognizable, memorable. These include your logo, your color palette, and your typography. Implement a Membership Site Jennifer realized that her skills with website design were beneficial for designing membership sites. She began testing her processes and services to see what she aligned with. By being aligned in her business and working with her ideal clients she was able to design the life she wanted. She could close her computer at the end of the day and focus on her personal life and the people she cares about. Implementing a Membership Site is Like Opening the Junk Door When thinking about narrowing the scope of your business, think about the junk drawer. There are so many things in the drawer that don't inspire you, that you don't use, that you no longer need, etc. Think of your business in the same way. Whatever doesn't fuel you or you don't feel is beneficial to your clients, stop offering it, or change it. Jennifer started focusing on memberships by doing this exercise. Building a Membership Community When is a good time to implement a membership site? Building a membership community is similar to evaluating and streamlining your processes. Be very clear on who this is for, what is the transformation you want them to experience.  Imagine a timeline, where the client is starting, and where they will be in a year. Start with what your process is today. What are you teaching people? Walk through the process with the client, from the first engagement all the way through to delivery. Doing this will help you create a framework for your membership. Think about how can you help them go through the same steps and get the same results as a group vs. 1-to-1? Create and provide the tools the clients need to accomplish this, video, PDFs, workbooks, etc. Think about how you can translate what you are already doing so that the clients can do the work at their own pace. Make sure they have enough time to do the work. Your lessons need to accommodate the client's schedule. This goes along with knowing who your ideal client is. Again, you have to know your ideal client well. Before You Implement a Membership Site, Know What Your  Clients Want? Before creating a community, ask your former and current clients what they would be interested in as far as a membership goes. Get feedback before designing and implementing so that you are answering the needs of your ideal audience. Ask the clients if they would be interested in participating in a beta run of the program. If you don't want to invest in a site for the beta program, have people join you for the videos for the duration of time you think is necessary for them to complete the program successfully. Do the program live and gather feedback. This will help you avoid frustrations. The key is to not overwhelm the members of the site. People need the time to implement the work. One of the success metrics for memberships is whether or not people implemented the work. The goal is for people to actually interact with the community, do the work and implement it. There is no magic in implementing a membership site. It comes down to how the members feel. Do they feel they have enough time to learn and do the work, or are they feeling overwhelmed? Sometimes we overwhelm people because we are so excited, we give them so much, and then they can't accomplish it all. It's best to start slow, and not give too much When implementing a membership site, think about having monthly themes. Your implementation will depend on what you are offering and how much each member will need to do. Be sure and check in with your members as you implement so that you know that you are going at the right pace. Getting genuine feedback is very important and will help you frame the program going forward. Cost of Implementing a Membership Site The cost of a membership site depends on what the implementation looks like. Jennifer works with people to set up Kojabi, Teachable, and other similar platforms. She also does custom WordPress membership sites that offer features the template platforms don't have. Jennifer recommends starting with a platform and using them until you run into limitations. Once you run into limitations, think about a custom site. This will give you an opportunity to know what is working and what isn't. Pricing to set up a membership ranges from $3500 on one of the aforementioned platforms, up to $6500 or more for a customized membership site. The plugin Jennifer referenced is Accessally.com, founded by Nathalie Lussier. The Plugin works for Wordpress.com. But Jennifer likes to use a separate website because otherwise it can get very heavy and slow and hurt your SEO. She said that it's easier to troubleshoot when you have two separate sites. Jennifer believes that we can all influence more people, while still spending time with those we love the most. She believes that membership communities are the way to accomplish this. Memberships allow you to help more people while spending the same amount of time. Memberships are very scalable. Working with 1-to-1 clients takes more time than doing the same thing for more people in the same amount of time. Implementing a Membership Site vs. Group Coaching Memberships are recurring payments. They could be a course for 6-weeks, or a class, or group coaching. It's the same idea, people coming in paying monthly, quarterly, etc. while having access to something, learning, and doing the work. Learn More About Your Host, Robyn Graham, Click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more about Jennifer and connect with her: Website: www.jenniferdopazo.com and https://candelita.is/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferdopazo/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferdopazo/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jenniferdopazo

In this episode of the Balance Boldly Podcast seating with Naketa Ren Thigpen let’s welcome Robyn Graham, she's an awarding winning photographer, wife, mom to three, a woman of faith, and passionate about serving others. Meet Dr. Robyn Graham, Certified Brand Marketing Strategist, Business Coach, and Branding Photographer.Dr. Robyn has designed a way to pour the best pieces of her talents, skills, and gifts into the scope of work she provides for her clients as she helps them get clarity and connect confidently to their second phase of greatness. What you will learn·         The love and beauty about serving other people.·         The importance of building a solid foundation upfront when starting a business.·         The build a personal brand and launch their businesses without going through all that overwhelm and frustration·         To get clarity and confidence about your business More about Robyn Graham Robyn’s work includes brand marketing strategy, personal brand coaching, visual content development, professional headshots, and fine art photography. Her signature “The Brand Marketing Insider” program is a highly customized done-for-you brand-building experience that combines her expertise with that of a team of vetted professionals to build comprehensive brands.Brand Marketing Strategist | Host of The Second Phase Podcast | Headshot and Branding Photographer Website: www.therobyngraham.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/therobyngraham/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theRobynGraham/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robyn-graham-brandographer/If you are willing and ready, let’s shake the shame and spread healing & hope to women ready to get more of what they want. Order a copy of my survivor memoir and personal transformational story for yourself or a friend. Selfish: Permission to Pause, Live, Love and Laugh Your Way to Joy at Amazon or anywhere books are found.  Subscribe, REVIEW, Share & Balance BoldlyRecently Rated #8 by Feedspot on The Top 35 Women in Business Podcast to Follow in 2020! On the Balance Boldly Podcast, host Naketa R. Thigpen talks with ambitious women in business (and a few brave men) from a wide array of industries about their pursuit of success, how they face business burnout and what work/life balance looks like for them. Not your conventional self-help podcast, Balance Boldly uncovers real solutions to real problems afflicting real people at home and in the workplace, daily.If you enjoyed this episode, head over to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, or Google Play to subscribe to the show and leave your honest review.If you want to dive deeper into topics around work/life (and LOVE), expounding on how to leverage the intimacy advantage in your business join me in our free private group on Facebook: Certified Selfish.   Connect with me,  Naketa R. Thigpen @asknaketa on IG, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.Now Go. Create Your Balance. Create Your Joy. But remember, do it, BOLDLY! Thank you for listening!

The Questions About CBD You Want Answers To What is CBD? What are the benefits of CBD? How to use CBD? What factors should I consider when buying CBD? What are the benefits of CBD? Why choose organic CBD? CBD and Me Have you ever done something that you swore you'd never do? Well, that's exactly what happened to me recently. I was introduced to a CBD product and saw the results and just had to jump on board. It's still mind-boggling to me… In fact, it's a double whammy. As a former pharmacist, I have always been skeptical of anything that wasn't FDA approved but was being used for medicinal purposes.  It didn't matter if it was organic or not, the fact that it hadn't been regulated caused me to hesitate. Until my friend, Cori introduced me to Green Compass Global CBD products. The results people are experiencing are mind-blowing. Here are the reasons I joined the team at Green Compass Global. First, it never hurts to have an additional revenue stream.  If 2020 taught us anything, it's that having multiple revenue streams is smart. Second, the company aligns with a few of my core values of faith, integrity, and service to others. Third, if I can help someone else find relief from ailments or sleep better, feel less anxious, or have less pain, I'm all in. I read a quote recently by Barbara Nakatomi – “If you want something better and different, be willing to do something better and different.” That resonated with me for this journey that I recently embarked on. About Sam, Tammie, and Cori and Their Relationships with CBD and Green Compass Global   About Cori Gochar Cori has a bachelor's degree in nursing and has been able to use her nursing background to help navigate through the last 23 years battling an autoimmune disease. She has done research in all areas of health and wellness, including, spiritual discipline, nutrition, yoga, and clean eating. Cori is passionate about total body wellness and looks at the human body as being composed of mind, body, and soul. Cori's recent discovery of the endocannabinoid system and pure, clean medical-grade CBD has furthered her wellness journey and she is so excited to have linked arms with Green Compass Global. Her passion is to share her knowledge with others so they can feel their very best ~mind, body, and soul. Cori knows she is blessed to be a blessing. She is the mother of four beautiful kids and the wife of a dentist. Cori finds joy in her faith and family. She considers herself as being a “hope dealer”. In everything, she does she always has her two perfect sidekicks ~her labrador retrievers Leroy and Nala! About Samantha Faile Samantha is a natural-born “helper.” She is a firm believer that credentials and job descriptions do not define her but they equip her with life lessons that she can share with others. Samantha has been a dancer since she could walk and became fascinated with the body and movement at an early age. Her path led her to explore athletic training during her short-lived college adventure at North Greenville University. Samantha found her soul mate 0f 24 years through her love for dance and music. Together they have 2 beautiful kids and she has a bonus son who has given them 4 awesome grandchildren. Samantha's passion for health, nutrition, and exercise led her to become a certified instructor for Gold's Gym. There she helped clients for over 10 years develop healthy lifelong habits as well as a love for fitness. Samantha's studies and fascination for nutrition served her well. She used that knowledge to help her own son who was diagnosed with a neurological disorder at an early age. Her faith in God and his genius of giving us plant-based medicine and holistic approaches have allowed her son, who is now 17, to be on the other side of that disorder without prescriptions. Samantha's mission is to share her experiences with others in hopes of helping them and their families. She truly believes it is possible to live your best life through natural approaches to healing and wellness. Her motto is “farm first and pharma last.” After much research, she has now partnered with an amazing CBD company that is changing lives and she gets to work individually with each business partner and customer to see them achieve incredible results. About Tammie Epley Tammie is a wife and homeschool mom of 2 who loves sharing the gospel and Jesus. She has worked in the healthcare industry as a Respiratory Therapist for 15 years and has a passion for helping others. About CBD CBD stands for cannabidiol, one of many cannabinoids in both marijuana and hemp. There are actually over a hundred cannabinoids but the two most talked about are CBD and THC. THC is marijuana. It has psychoactive effects and makes you high. Unlike THC, CBD is non-psychoactive, it does not make you high. THC and CBD are two varieties of the same plant. Hemp was bred to provide high levels of CBD and very low levels of THC, only 0.3%. CBD is projected to be a $22 billion industry by 2022. Hemp is lawful. What Factors Should Be Considered When Buying CBD Products Quality – highest grade raw materials, pure, natural, organic, and effective Farming – organic and domestic Transparency – Does the company you are purchasing from share ingredients, extraction methods, and farming practices. Reliability – Does the company you are purchasing from offer a money-back guarantee? Some Of The Benefits of CBD Include Anti-inflammatory Antioxidant – helps modulate the immune system It can alleviate pain and reduce muscular tension Improved social interactions by helping to alleviate anxious feelings For pets, it helps with maintaining healthy hips and joints and a sense of calm. How to Use CBD CBD can be used in low doses as a supplement or in higher doses for more therapeutic effects. The key to dosing CBD is to start low and go slow. Cori's Journey with CBD and Green Compass Global She needed answers and hope. For 23 years Cori has been battling an autoimmune disease that has affected a lot of her organs and has had to be on high-risk drugs and her outlook was that she would have to be on them for the rest of her life. Through prayer, Tammie introduced CBD to Cori. Cori was skeptical that a little plant would help her body.  She'd been on so many strong medications, but since there was a 30-day money-back guarantee she decided to try it. After a week or two, Cori discovered that she felt good, she was less anxious, slept better, and had fewer aches and pains. The best news came when Cori's doctor said she wouldn't have to do chemotherapy this month because her blood work was so pristine. Her life is completely changed and she is grateful to God for such a miraculous blessing. CBD May Not Have the Same Effect For Everyone We need to put a caveat on Cori's testimony for CBD. Every person who tries CBD will experience different results depending on what is going on within their body. It's also important to note that Cori was using Green Compass Global CBD and results may vary with other products that aren't manufactured the way Green Compass products are. Personal Branding Cori gave the perfect example of building the know love and trust factor as a direct sales representative.  Trust determines buying practices. Similarly,if you want to attract clients, you have to build a personal brand and build the know love and trust factor. Learn more about personal branding here. Sam As a former fitness training and someone who studied nutrition, Sam believes plants first pharma second. When her son was diagnosed with a neurological disorder, she decided to forgo pharmaceuticals and use nutrition and at that time was introduced to CBD oil. At this time, there is no sign of neurological disease. Sam is an enneagram 2, which means she's a helper. She was struggling to sleep and the needs of those around her were keeping her awake at night. As she researched things to help her sleep, she began to try CBD products. When she found Green Compass CBD, she was taking 2800 mg of CBD a day. She was finally feeling in charge of her emotions and able to sleep. When Sam tried Green Compass CBD, she was shocked at how effective it was at such a low dose. Her cousin told Sam to start off at the 500mg/ml bottle and use .25ml.  Sam took ¼ of a dropper three times a day and she was feeling great, rested, energized and less stressed. At that point, Sam introduced the Green Compass CBD to her mom and sister and when they started to see results, her cousin told her about the opportunity to join Green Compass. What sold Sam, was that there was no paperwork and it was direct sales, no middle person, so the cost can be low and the cost is the same for Green Compass representatives and all other consumers. Sam expressed how both customers and other representatives are seeing amazing results from the product and the company and that their lives are being changed. Tammie Anxiety has always been a crux for Tammie. She saw doctors and tried medications, but nothing worked. Hormonal imbalances and neck pain made Tammie desperate to find something to help her feel better. After the devastation of losing a pregnancy, she was at the darkest point of her life. Her friend stepped in to help Tammie and suggested CBD. Like Cori, Tammie was skeptical. She had tried CBD before, but it didn't work. Her friend introduced her to Green Compass Global CBD and she was very impressed with the product and became fascinated with how the endocannabinoid system works. After three weeks of starting the CBD, she started sleeping better, her skin was better, and her neck no longer hurt. At that point, she wanted to become part of Green Compass Global so that she could share the CBD with everyone she knew. The better she felt, the more she wanted to share it. The other thing Tammie loves about Green Compass Global is the fact that it is a new company and a ground floor opportunity. Tammie believes Green Compass Global CBD products are amazing. Likewise, Tammie shared that the compensation plan is amazing. Like Cori, Green Compass Global CBD has changed Tammie's life. Why Using Organic CBD Is Important You want organic CBD because the hemp plant absorbs toxins from the environment. If it is not organic, you could be putting toxins in your body which defeats the purpose. Learn More About Your Host, Robyn Graham, Click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Robyn's Green Compass Global Website Connect with and learn more about Cori: Instagram: www.instagram.com/cgochar6 Facebook: www.facebook.com/corineubauergochar Connect with and learn more about Sam: Instagram: www.instagram.com/samanthafaile Facebook: www.facebook.com/samanthafaile Connect with and learn more about Tammie: Instagram: www.instagram.com/tammieleigh Facebook: www.facebook.com/tammieepley

Love to Read? Want to be an Entrepreneur? You can Marry the Two! What Is A Book Coach And How Can You Become One? About Jennie Nash, Book Coach Extraordinaire Jennie Nash is the founder of Author Accelerator, a business that has trained more than 50 book coaches to support writers through the entire creative process. Likewise, Author Accelerator also matches writers with the right coach that can give them the sustained editorial support they need to complete their book projects. Jennie's book coaching methods bring back the powerful and time-tested concept of artistic mentorship, which has been largely squeezed out of the publishing industry, hungry for the next fast hit. She has spent 30 years on all sides of the publishing industry and is the author of four novels, three memoirs, and one self-help book for writers. The Reasons to Write There are several reasons to write: it's fun, it's therapeutic, is self-expression. Jennie has always had a more market focuses approach, writing to be read, writing to be published, writing with a goal or outcome in mind. As Jennie was helping a friend write her book, she created the processes to guide a writer through their project. Writing a book is an incredibly complex intellectual process and people tend to minimize the project management side of it. This something that can't be taught in the classroom, it's one on one work. The process of creativity is what Jennie loves and teaches in her Book Coach Program. What is a book coach? Is a book coach the same as an author coach?  Once a book is finished by an author, they turn it over to an editor. The editor goes through it and improves it and makes it better.  A book coach helps the writer while they are writing, through the writing process. This includes accountability, giving feedback as they write, becoming an emotional sounding board as they work. A book coach and writer will work together for 6 to 9 months or longer. Jennie uses the term book coach because she is helping people write books. Some people are writing coaches, and they may help people write blog posts. They may help someone write a presentation, but a book coach helps someone decide on a structure for a book, get the book written and determine the path for getting the book to market. Publishing The publishing industry is very complex and changes regularly. Publishing became democratized and the means of production was open to all writers. Types of Publishing Self-Publishing, Traditional publishing where you work with a publishing house and have an agent, and there are hybrid publishers. Hybrid publishers are somewhere in between and offer more options that are really attractive to people. As a book coach Jennie helps her clients determine why they want to write a book, identify what their goals are, what they want to get out of it, and do they realize writing a book will actually cost them money, as opposed to helping them get rich. It's important to understand that this is a product and see how it's going to live in the world. A Chance to Be Heard – A Book Coach Helps You Find Your Voice Writing a book is raising your voice. It's claiming space and saying I have something to say that is worthy of being heard. As a book coach, Jennie helps her clients understand this and determine how they want to publish because that is related to self-worth. Writing a book is one thing, but when you get to publishing, it becomes about to bring a product to market, creating a brand, and so worth. A lot of writers get lost and overwhelmed at this point. A book coach can help with this process so that the writer doesn't lose momentum. Creatives often lose sight of the fact that they have to have a brand.  A book coach can help with creating a brand because creativity doesn't stand in for a brand. The book isn't a brand, the writer is the brand and must step up to control the perception readers have of them. Photography Branded photography is so important for becoming recognizable as an author. It's important for them to be present to open doors for further opportunities such as speaking. Book Coach vs. A Hybrid Book Publisher What you are paying for is slightly different. A book coach will get you ready to get to the place where you need the services the hybrid publisher provides. Hybrid publishers do what a traditional publisher does. They will provide a copy editor, someone who goes through the book line by line, and a proofreader.  If self-publishing, you have to find someone to do that for you. The work a book coach does is more along the lines of designing what the book will be. A hybrid publisher will be an investment upfront for the author where a traditional publisher will pay the author upfront. But it's important to note that it is going to cost to publish a book. A writer must be willing to invest time, energy, and money into publishing a book. If you are going to succeed, you have to put in all three. When using a hybrid publisher, you are shouldering some of the risks with the publisher and pay the expense upfront, when self-publishing you are shouldering all of the burdens, and with traditional publishing, they are paying you, so they are taking the burden of risk on themselves, but the writer gets a smaller percentage of sales over time. With the hybrid model, you get more of a percent as books sell, and with self-publishing, you get all of the profits. The big takeaway is that it will cost time, energy, and money. It costs all three before you know the book is going to be a success. With that said, it could be a risk to hire a book coach, but at the same time, a book coach can help the process and help achieve success with the book. The best time to invest in your book is before you start. Becoming a Coach for the Book Coach Jennie pivoted her business from being a book coach to helping others become book coaches. At a time when Jennie needed more help, she decided to change her business model from being a book coach to coaching others. This gave her an opportunity to work with entrepreneurs. As the list of book coaches who wanted to work with Jennie grew and grew, she decided to train them as book coaches and how to brand themselves as to the book coach they want to be. Jennie now helps book coaches find their niche and helps pair the coaches with the authors they can help. Age Shouldn't Hold You Back We can do whatever we want, whatever our heart desires, at any age. Jennie is doing something that she can do for many years to come and is enjoying her life so much. Learn More About Your Host, Robyn Graham, Click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more about Jennie and Connect with her: Website: https://www.bookcoaches.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennie.nash/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennienashbookcoach/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennie-nash-Oa98716

Who Doesn't Want to Grow and Scale A Business? To-Do So, You Need The 6 Pillars of Success And Most Importantly, To Know Your Ideal Client Avatar!   About Maureen Borzacchiello Maureen is obsessed with helping women succeed and excel in business and in life. She is a serial entrepreneur, speaker, consultant, and most importantly, a believer in the amazing power of the human spirit. Maureen helps women grow their businesses beyond what they thought possible.  She helps them scale their business to seven figures or the level of profitability they wish to accomplish. Maureen spent many years in corporate America and ran a multimillion-dollar trade show company. When she started a family, she decided she wanted to control her own destiny and craft a company that aligned with her values. During the time she built her business, she realized that there weren't many resources for women who needed help related to entrepreneurship, and decided it was a good time for her to become a mentor and help others. After her brother was in a tragic accident, she asked herself the question, “what is my purpose in this world? If I left this world, what mark did I leave, and was it the mark I was intended to make?” At that moment she sold her company. Sitting on The Calling Maureen knows that we get stuck in the journey, whether it's start-up or growing and scaling. And she wants to help women avoid the land mines that she detonated. We often sit on the calling God has for us. It may be because of fear, or because of time. No matter what, we often ignore the calling and don't take action. The Data on Female Entrepreneurship - It's Time to Change the Statistics and Help Women Grow and Scale a Business For More Financial Success Maureen was made aware of these statistics when she was in a business competition. At that time (2005) there were 8 million women-owned businesses. Only 2.7% were at a million dollars in revenue or above. Current-day data is still shocking.  There are 11 million women-owned businesses in the US and only 1.7% have made more than $1 million a year in revenue.  And even worse, over 88% of the 11 million never gross over $100,000 in annual sales.  Only 12% of 11 million businesses make over $200,000 a year. Maureen is on a mission to break into that top 1.7%. She wants women to have the freedom to have the choice to grow and scale to million-dollar businesses. Maureen emphasized that the stress and problems don't end once you get to $1 million. There is so much to think about after that. Over 60% of the jobs in the US come from small businesses. The data is staggering.  And women continue to start businesses at twice the rate of their male counterparts. Things are getting better, but Maureen is on a mission to move this forward. Why are women staying under $100k in revenue? There are a few key things influencing the ability to grow and scale your business as a female entrepreneur. 1.Women are averse to taking on financial risk, so they bootstrap. Many don't understand good and bad debt. Bad debt is using your credit card to build your business. Good debt is taking out a loan to execute your business needs or a specific marketing plan. 2. Small business owners, particularly women, are unsure how to market their companies.  What are the right vehicles and they need a succinct plan? 3. Access to capital for women still stinks. The Key Pillars to Grow and Scale A Business 1.Know your numbers Understanding your financial picture and preparing for your financial needs before you need them. You want to build the muscle of understanding the key components of your business, expenses, sales, how much you plan to grow, and develop a relationship with your banker before you need them. Once you're taking in water and starting to sink, is not the time to ask for help. When you have a line of credit, be mindful of what you spend it on. Don't buy office furniture. It should be reserved for times when cash flow is limited. 2.Sixty percent of business owners prefer not to look at their numbers because they are afraid of what the numbers will tell them. Most businesses only have 23 days of reserve on hand, this is what kicked the butts of so many small businesses. 3.Get a solid understanding of a sales and marketing plan 4.Over 50% of businesses don't know who their ideal client avatar is.  That is the most critical part of marketing. If you don't know your audience, you aren't going to bring in prospects and therefore won't sell. Several buckets of Content to Use to Grow and Scale A Business Understand your ideal client, every nuance about them. Know how to speak to them, how do you integrate your message to them. Shoot for the person who gets your product and service and aligns with your core values.  How do you speak to them? Do you have a client engagement strategy? From point A they are a prospect, from that point they are in your system as a prospect until they buy from you. Day one is your anchor day. How do you build off of that? What do the touchpoints look like and how do you communicate. How do you make your communications run on autopilot? Have processes in place. About 62 to 63 percent of people leave companies and go to another company because they never hear from the original company.  You must stay top of mind with your customers. 5. Personal mindset and growth. What are you doing as the CEO to take care of you? How are you investing in yourself and your growth? Look at your operations. What are all of the systems and processes in your business? How do you go from founder to CEO?  What happens when you grow, and your original people aren't ready to become management? 6. Leadership. How are you developing and evolving as a leader? What time are you setting aside to work on the business and not just in the business? How do you look at your business? What are your thoughts about the business, is it a legacy business, or what is your plan? Legacy Business Maureen started her business as a legacy business.  Understand whether your business is a legacy business or a business you want to sell. Legacy businesses are more of a lifestyle. If you are going to sell, you want to be sure your expenses are as low as possible and your profits are as high as possible. As we transition into the CEO of our businesses, we need to think of different things, and long-term goals. Things will shift, but there should be some sort of plan at the beginning so that you can transition effectively if necessary. Ideal Avatar In order to grow and scale a business, you have to have complete clarity on who you serve. Someone who is just waiting for you to come along and solve their problems so that they can become the hero of their own journey. Click HERE to download the free tip sheet on creating an ideal avatar. How Maureen works with her clients Free, pay it forward side, she has the podcast, The Real Talk Podcast with Maureen Borzacchiello. She also has a free Facebook group. Maureen works with some 1:1 coaching clients and has also developed courses. The first being the Sales and Marketing Academy. She focuses on creating revenue to move your business forward. Her program focuses on the ideal client and how to speak to them. If you get the ideal client right, you can 10x your business. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more about Maureen and connect with her: Website: https://www.maureenborza.com Instagram: @maureenborza Facebook: @maureenborza LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/maureenborzacchiello-inc  

The first step in building a personal brand is to recognize that it is not about you, it's about the perception others have of you.   Before we dive into how to build a personal brand, let's define the phrase personal brand. What is a Personal Brand? Your personal brand is what others think, say, and feel about you. With that said, your first item of business when building a personal brand is to define how you want to be perceived. That doesn't mean, coming up with who you want to be based on what you see everyone else doing and being, but sharing your authentic self, your values, beliefs, passions, the skills you have, your why, and the level of service you want to provide. How to Create a Personal Brand – Step 1 The first step in creating a personal brand is to identify and define your specific personal brand. Every step of your journey to date is part of your personal brand. The successes, mistakes, failures, everything. These things are all unique to you and the business you want to form or have already created. Three Key Questions to Ask When Creating a Personal Brand Ask yourself these three key questions and create your personal branding strategy around them, with the focus on differentiating yourself from all others in your area of expertise. Who are you? What do you do? Why does it matter? Who you are matters to your audience. They need to know who you are in order to trust you.  And they won't hire you until they trust you. Trust determines hiring practices. What you do also matters. Communicating what you do is key for reaching the right people who need the service you provide. Why does what you do matter to your audience? Mattering is marketing. You have to matter, or you can't market. Remember, marketing is communicating your brand story, so if your personal brand doesn't matter, you can't market it. All of the above factors can be evaluated as you write the mission statement for your business. How to Build a Personal Brand - Step 2 The second step is to define your ideal client avatar. Who is it that you are being called to serve? What is her name? What problems does she have that you can solve? Is she a mom and/or a wife? Does she have a corporate job or is she an entrepreneur? I want you to get very specific with who you serve. Example of My Ideal Avatar Jules is 45, she has worked in corporate for 20 years and garnered a lot of experience and expertise. She is burned out from working 9 to 5 and raising her family. Jules wants to start a business where she can have freedom with her schedule and have more family time while making an impact on the lives of her clients. She has a heart for service. Her biggest question is how to build a personal brand and launch a business. Jules struggles with confidence and is afraid to start something new and of the unknowns of entrepreneurship. She has tried to build a business by using her Google search bar. Purchasing on-line courses, joining Facebook groups, listened to podcasts, and has downloaded every free piece of information she could find online but now she's on information overload. She's wondering why these things are working for everyone else and not for her.  Hiring a coach has been on the back burner because she doesn't think she can find the time and is hesitant to spend the money when there are so many free resources. However, she's spent money on “quick fixes”. And these quick fixes have cost her time, energy, and money, left her feeling overwhelmed and confused, and she is now on the brink of burnout. Jules is realizing that she needs help. Just like every one of us, she is not meant to do this alone. She wants someone to guide her step by step on creating a strategy that will work for her and her business, save her time, energy, and money so that she can create profit sooner than later. Jules loves to work hard and is ready and is finally willing to invest in herself and her dreams. Basically, Jules is me 5+ years ago!  Your ideal client avatar is most likely you too. How to Build a Personal Brand – Step 3 The third step is to decide where and how you want to represent yourself as your personal brand. Do you need a website right away? Should you be on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or Tik-Tok? Where is your ideal client hanging out? The answers to these questions can be found by mapping out the questions your ideal client avatar is asking. What problem is it that she has that you can solve? Where will she be searching for those answers?  Is she searching by hashtags or is she using Google? My ideal client is going to be using Google but is also hanging out on Instagram for inspiration, joining Facebook groups for free information and opportunities, and is using LinkedIn as a business networking tool. Keep it Real But let's be real. You can't be everywhere all the time. Choose the platforms that you love, and you know you'll be able to build relationships on. More about this when we talk about step 5. Key things to consider when building a personal brand and making decisions about what platforms you will be present on. Always have your face front and center. You must be present for people to get to know love and trust you. If you decide to go with a website, which I always recommend, your image should be on your home page, about page, and sprinkled throughout your website. Custom stock photos related to your business are also helpful, whether you are a product or service-based business. Your profile photo on your social media platforms should be the same or similar to the images on your website with your eyes and smile showing. Be consistent and create a cohesive feel for your brand so that you become recognizable and memorable. Doing so will help build a connection which will lead to relationships that will build trust. And by now you can probably repeat it without me…trust determines buying practices. How to Build a Personal Brand - Step 4 The fourth step in building a personal brand is to establish realistic goals. This is another mistake I made. I didn't set long-term goals when I first started my business and the reality is, that if you don't set long-term goals, you aren't moving the needle forward. For the first year of your business, map out the goals you have for building the foundation for success and attracting X number of clients to make X amount of money. Content strategy will be important for achieving these goals, from SEO to social media presence. Your goals for the second year should include your growth and additional steps you will take to achieve that growth.  Will your business model shift in year two? Where do you anticipate opportunities for team expansion? You are now the CEO of your business.  Can you hire someone to take over the responsibilities that you don't love or aren't great at and focus on your zone of genius? Not Too Long-Term I personally don't think setting a 5-year plan is necessary, but a two to three-year plan is important and it must include how you will continue to control what others think, feel and say about you as your business grows. You need to stay present no matter how your business grows, and it's important to stay authentic. You may change, your goals may shift, and your team may grow, these are things you can share to continue connecting with your audience and controlling the perception they have of you. In your budget, include professional branding photoshoots and updates to your website as you plan for growth and additional service options. Be sure that as you establish your goals and tasks within your business you are creating processes and systems so that in the event you can't be present, a team member or family member can step in and take over for a set period of time. How to Build a Personal Brand – Step 5 The fifth step is to start creating content and being present. In order to create, develop, and grow a personal brand you must be present. Creating content can be overwhelming but doesn't have to be. If you are an expert and passionate about what you do and the people you serve, the content is at your fingertips. Each client interaction you experience results in something you can use for content. Every question your answer is a question that others have too, and you can share to help more people. Not to overwhelm yourself, create a content strategy. This is where brand marketing comes into play. Refer back to step 4 – where will you be present? How often will you be present? How much time do you want to dedicate to creating content? Maybe your content strategy will look something like this: A weekly blog post Three Instagram posts 4 LinkedIn posts Or maybe you only want to create long-form content once a month so you write a blog post once a month but are on social media every day. Your content plan has to be something you are comfortable with and can commit to without becoming overwhelmed, frustrated, and burnt out. Every time you create a blog post you have content to share on social media. Do not reinvent the wheel. Repurpose, repurpose, repurpose. Every piece of content you create must provide value, entertain, educate or inspire. The key is to focus on differentiation. Remember, you do not have to be on every platform. Start small. Focus on mastering one or two platforms.  Once you have done that, start sharing the same content on other platforms. Chances are that your audience is not on every platform you are on and if they are, the algorithms are determining what they see and they are probably only seeing your content in one place. It never hurts for people to see things more than once. One it helps with recognizability and two it takes 14 to 21 times for someone to see something before it truly resonates. What a Personal Brand Is Not  Note that I didn't mention creating a logo, identifying your color palette or typography. Why? Because they are what make up your brand identity. You first have to create a personal brand. Once you have created a personal brand and decided if you want to move forward with a website, create your brand identity. You will need the elements from your brand identity to design your website and for creating visual content on social media. The goal will be to use your brand identity elements to keep your brand consistent and cohesive across all of your platforms. Your messaging will be the core for consistency and your identity elements will be the mainstay for cohesiveness. Being consistent and cohesive is key to being recognizable, memorable, and for building trust. Who Needs a Personal Brand? One thing I want to add before I close out this episode. I often get the question who needs a personal brand? Everyone! Whether you are in corporate or an entrepreneur, you need and have a personal brand. Remember, your personal brand is the perception others have of you. It's what they think, say, and feel about you. That means you have to be mindful at all times of what content you put out into the world.  That probably sounds a little dramatic, but it's a reality. Even if you are in corporate, people have thoughts on you as a person and those thoughts can influence your career path. Here is an article from Thrive Global that reiterates with my belief that everyone has a personal brand and should be controlling what other think, feel and say about them. Think about it. Have you ever Googled yourself? What comes up? Then ask yourself what you want to come up in search results if anyone else Googles your name. You can control, or at least influence what is found. Questions Have questions about how to build a personal brand, or feel like you could use a rebrand? Let's connect for a free brand strategy assessment. Know Anyone Who Needs This Information? If you found the information in today's episode helpful, be sure to share it. And if you know anyone who is thinking about starting a business, tell them to listen too. It just might save them a ton of time and stress! If you are looking for more information on personal branding or how to build a personal brand, check out my free resources HERE. Download the 5 components of a personal brand or the Look Book eBook and get started building your personal brand today. Learn More About Your Host, Robyn Graham, Click HERE. Book a Free Brand Strategy Assessment HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest

How to overcome fear and start the online business you've been dreaming of. About Rhiannon Leila Rhiannon helps women overcome fear in order to find clients and build a successful business online. She has supported clients to have multi-five-figure launches, fully book out international retreats, launch #1 bestsellers, triple their pricing, and book out their services 12 months in advance.  Rhiannon loves to travel, learn languages, good and what she does! She is passionate about and feels blessed to be able to help other women build successful businesses and create lives on their terms. Rhiannon got her start as a travel blogger. It began as fun but quickly turned into an online business opportunity, which led her to start the coaching business she has today. How Rhiannon Helps Her Clients Overcome Fear and Find a Career Online Rhiannon helps women overcome fear to start a business, share their stories, and become more visible online. She also helps women work through mindset challenges to successfully launch online businesses. Both Rhiannon and I help women find clarity and confidence in their messaging to build successful businesses and attract their ideal avatars. Women are often afraid to leave corporate and lose benefits, etc., but the reality is, when they overcome the fear of what they will leave behind, they find joy in the journey of entrepreneurship and the freedom it offers. You can't compare your day 1 with someone else's day 5. Every single entrepreneur started someplace. The key is recognizing the experiences you've had that you can now guide others through. Each one of us has had to push through fear and doing something we were afraid of. The fear never ends, you just navigate different ways to work through it. How Rhiannon Helps Her Clients Overcome Fear Rhiannon uses her experience of fear to stop her from moving forward to help others. Fear can halt growth, but there are things you can do to overcome fear and move forward. It isn't about you. No one really cares. Others are concerned with their own lives and aren't focusing on you. Think of worst-case scenarios. Even worst-case scenarios aren't that bad most of the time. Focus on your why. Why did you start your business? Why do you want to do that? Focus on that and it will get easier as you go on. When Trust is Broken, Fear Sets In A lack of trust sets fears in motion. It can be in personal or business relationships. Try to move forward no matter the situation that broke your trust and resulted in fear. It may take baby steps to start, but take the action no matter the size. Look at the Proof Chances are that the experience is one-off scenario. Take a look at the previous proof and recognize and focus on the positives which will help you continue to take steps forward. Why It is important to focus on the why, to come back to it, because your values are going to keep you stabilized in the action you take. Think about why what you do matters to others. They need you and what you have to offer. Flip the script and focus on the clients. Exercises to Overcome Fear, Self-Doubt, and Procrastination Work on identifying the fears. If you can't name the fear, it will be very difficult to move forward. Flip the script. Find your why and focus on who you are serving. 4 Key Questions to Help You Overcome Fear or Negative Thoughts in General (Reference:  article in Oprah Magazine) Is it true: Do you know that someone is going to judge you? Can you know it absolutely knows it's true? How do you react when someone does react negatively to something you do. How would you be without that thought? Ask yourself these questions and think logically about the answers to reframe the negative into positive. Listen to Episode 94 on Overcoming Procrastination to learn more about how to overcome these negative thoughts. Our thoughts create our results, so it's super important to reframe the thoughts and take intentional positive action. Focus I struggle with focus especially when feeling overwhelmed, stressed, afraid, or get stuck in the cycle of these thoughts going through my head. This happens when we have a lot of goals. Take These Steps To Focus. Be cognizant of what your priorities are. Ask yourself, what is something that is going to move my business forward? What is going to make money in my business? Choose 3 things each day that you need to accomplish. Some people do better with choosing just one task, others do better with multiple tasks, but three is a reasonable number that both Rhiannon and I find achievable.  Once these three tasks are accomplished, can add more, but keep to the three first. Create time in your calendar for specific activities. Each day, there are certain tasks that you will accomplish. Robyn breaks out her to-do list by days of the week. Write things down and make lists. There is a connection between the brain and writing things down so creating lists can help with staying focused on tasks and accomplishing them. Journal around the things you don't want to do. Write about why you don't want to do them and convert the thoughts so that you can take action. Delegate the tasks you don't want to do.  Work in your zone of genius and the things you enjoy that will move your business forward and outsource everything else. The reference for Zone of Genius is “The Big Leap” by Gay Hendricks. If you are growing your business, know that every single entrepreneur has felt fear when doing the hard things. Pushing past fear is what helps you grow. Know you aren't alone. Sit with the fear and keep moving forward. When you do you and stay true to your authentic self, you will make the right decisions for your business and no one will care if you make a mistake. Just take imperfect action. Join Rhiannon's Find Your Fearless Challenge Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. Book a Free Brand Strategy Assessment HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more about and connect with Rhiannon: Website: www.flameandarrow.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flameandarrow LinkedIn: https://LinkedIn.com/in/rhiannonleila/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/flameandarrow/

Looking For A Way to Create Passive Income? Christina Scalera Answers The Question, What is Digital Commerce? And Shares How To Use It For Passive Income!   About Christina Scalera Christina is the attorney and founder behind The Contract Shop®, a contract template store for creative entrepreneurs, wedding professionals, and coaches. In addition, she is the founder of D-Commerce, standing for digital commerce, a term she not only coined but Trademarked. In 2014, Christina found herself dreaming of pursuing a more creative path, and she started to look for alternatives to her in-house legal job. She explored everything from teaching yoga to becoming a freelance graphic designer to opening an Etsy shop. In the process, she ended up coming full circle by creating a business that brought the benefit of her legal training to help her fellow creatives. She's now teaching others how they too can create an online shop phenomenon, create daily income, and get out of the client-getting hustle with her course, Products on Tap®. The Importance of Connection When Starting a Business Christina connected with The Rising Tide Community and the live webinar is what gave Christina her start to success. A great start to creating an email list and presenting yourself to the world. There is No Linear Path to Success Christina's journey is an example of taking a risk to find happiness in your work. Don't expect your path to be linear, there will always be transition and bumps in the road.  The journey to success is about taking wrong turns to learn and then create. Each mistake or failure will teach you something you can use for your next step. Think of it as an opportunity to lead you and support you on your journey. It's so hard to be known for a thing. Just get out there and do something because that will start you on your journey. Let life unfold as you go through it and tuck each experience away to refer to it later. The Pull to Leave What You Are Doing, Despite the Degree Not happy in the 9-5?  Afraid of what other people are going to say? No longer going to have the benefits? It's time to stop letting external influences make your decisions. Evaluate how you react to things from an internal perspective, not the external comments and beliefs. Start to change the input you are getting. You can't ignore the people in your life, but you can rephrase it in your mind to make the final decisions for yourself. The only way to move away from the negative influences is to take action and do the things you feel pulled to do. You have to change the internal dialog to convince yourself that what others are saying is not accurate. Remind yourself of the truth. Logistics of The Digital Commerce Shop Etsy is a platform that enables digital downloads. It is a place to start. Square Space is a great site to start a digital shop. It is inexpensive and easy to use. Shopify has a steeper learning curve. Shopping on one of these platforms is similar to shopping at Target on-line, except that the product is delivered via email. Zapier is a great tool that connects your shop to the delivery source. The key is to have an automated and reliable platform to sell from. What is Digital Commerce (D-Commerce)? Digital downloads sold through an online storefront. It doesn't include courses and group coaching. A digital product is a digital product, not a course. Examples of digital products include ebooks, an audio file zipped, templates, workbooks, stock photos, any kind of download. Digital products are different than courses because courses are housed on a website and you are going there to learn.  A digital product is a download that provides immediate results. An online course takes time to implement. A digital download will provide results within 10 minutes of downloading it. Digital downloads solve a problem and save you time. What is E-Commerce? Selling items through Amazon or drop shipping items.  Etsy is a form of E-Commerce but is also a D-Commerce platform. Building a Personal Brand The key is to build a personal brand even when you have a product. If you don't, your product could become commoditized. It's important to build your personal brand to differentiate your product or service. Your product is not your brand. Trust determines buying practices and if you haven't created a personal brand you can't build trust. Use analytics to determine sales and building your audience. Keys to Digital Sales Evaluate analytics to determine where your buyers are coming from. If you can get people off of Etsy to your own platform, you can learn more about the customer journey These things are important to increase average order value and conversion. The 4 Metrics to Focus on As a Shop Owner Traffic is the first and most obvious. If you don't have traffic, evaluate conversion rates. Conversion rates.  A good conversion rate for D-commerce products is 1 to 3%. Average Order Values. If you don't have a lot of traffic and if your conversion rates aren't high, look at the average order value. If the average order value is high enough, you can focus on driving traffic and conversion. Lifetime Customer Value.  Look at the customer journey and ensure repeat buyers and referrals. Download Christina's free guide, “Ultimate Digital Download Product Creation Plan”. Pitching Podcasts and Being a Podcast Guest Podcast Ally is a fabulous PR agent for podcasters and people who want to be a podcast guest. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. Book a Free Brand Strategy Assessment HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more about and connect with Christina: Website: www.christinascalera.com Contract Shop: www.thecontractshop.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/christinascalera.com  

No more diets! It's time to lose weight for the last time by living a healthy lifestyle through well-balanced eating and fitness.   About Nicole Nicole Simonin is a former professional ballet dancer who is now a health and wellness coach who helps women over 40 lose weight for the last time. She believes that there is no reason to eat like a bird or run yourself ragged with extreme cardio workouts. No more diets, no more insane workouts. Nicole's passion for physical health began as a young girl diagnosed with juvenile Rheumatoid arthritis.  She went on to help others with their physical health as a physical therapy assistant. After having children and trying to balance work and parenting, Nicole realized that sometimes we have to make a decision between family and work. Nicole went into a very dark place after closing her fitness studio to raise her children but then found the book, “You Are a Badass” by Jen Sincero. After reading the book, she began to do mindset work and discovered more about herself, and transitioned to working with women over 40 to help them lose weight the healthy way, with no fad diets. Studying Results to Find Her Ideal Audience to Help Women Over 40 to Lose Weight for the Last Time You Get to Choose What You Want to Think After you turn 40 you are more mature and less worried about what others think of you and more about who you are. Nicole switched gears to personal training and because of Covid now works with women virtually. Using Mindset to Lose Weight for the Last Time You don't need fad diets to lose weight. Mindset work can get long-term results by accepting your body, eating healthy foods, and exercising. If the donut calls to you, it's OK to have the donut. As we age, we can reflect back and realize, that we had an unhealthy mindset when we were depriving ourselves.  We were all taught that calories in had to equal calories burned. It was an unhealthy mentality. It's Not Always the Goal to Lose Weight But, it Should Always Be the Goal to Be Healthy   Physical appearance doesn't necessarily indicate healthy or unhealthy. It's important to look at labs and be sure that you aren't diabetic or borderline diabetic if you are overweight. Likewise, a person with six-pack abs could still be unhealthy if they are anorexic. It's OK to be proud of your body, even if overweight, but take care of your body. This is where mindset comes in. If you love your body, then you want to take care of it. There is a difference between accepting your body and taking care of it than accepting it and not exercising and not eating healthy. If we truly love our bodies, we will take care of them. Weight does not define beauty, but the important thing is to take care of your body. Staying Healthy Over 40   Look good, feel good, be good! Hormonal changes definitely occur.  We are all unique and different and every woman transitions through perimenopause and menopause differently.  It's very important for women to be in touch with their doctors. Body changes may not be related to genetics or hormones. Sometimes people stop working out and then get frustrated because they've gained weight.  But the reality is, they have stopped exercising.  They eat the same but don't move the same. It's important to take a look at what you are doing differently.  Pay attention to hunger and satiety. Another question is to ask yourself what you are thinking about perimenopause and menopause.  You won't progress if you are believing that it's doom and gloom after 40. Aging is how we frame it. It can be positive or negative, it depends on how we think about it. Muscle is the Fountain of Youth, Especially When You Want to Lose Weight The more muscle you have the more metabolic rate you will have, the more calories you burn even when doing nothing. Having strong muscles helps keep the body healthy overall. If you want to lose weight and stay healthy, lifting weight is an important addition to your exercise regimen. You don't have to lift heavy weights and you aren't going to have bulging muscles, to be healthy and have a healthy muscle mass when lifting weights. As we age, we need more weight-bearing exercises and fewer cardio exercises. What is the Balance of Cardio vs. Weight-Lifting to Stay Healthy or Lose Weight?   Every person is entirely different.  But for beginners who have weight to lose, the key is to get them up and moving if they haven't been. Start with two days of resistance work and a few days of cardio, walking. If already at your ideal weight or more body composition, the workout plan gets more detailed. Four days a week of gym work, maybe up to six days. This doesn't have to mean hours in the gym. You can do 20 to 30 minutes of weights mixed with 20 to 30 minutes of cardio. Generic workouts and diets are so generalized.  When over 40, you need something specific to your body and your needs.  They might work for some people, but they don't work for all people the same way.   Have No Equipment at Home? You Can Still Work Out to Lose Weight or Stay Healthy.   Use your own body weight. You can use your own body for resistance. For example, pushups. You can do pushups on the wall, on the counter, on the floor. The advantage of having a health and fitness coach is that they'll teach you what you can do based on your body, previous injuries, and goals. Squats and planks are also great bodyweight resistance exercises. Weight Loss Can Be Super Simple   All you have to do is move your body, fuel your body and have to manage your mind. The perfect diet won't work if you don't take action and do the work because you don't like it. Chronic Illness and Exercise Mindset and working with a coach can help people who have a chronic illness because they'll help you be consistent and create a fitness regimen that works for you. This is very dependent on each individual person. Do what you can each day and use the mindset work, because you might have to give yourself the grace to pause so that you can move forward. It's important to take action that works for us as individuals. Weight Loss for the Last Time is Accessible and Affordable if Willing to Invest in Yourself   The more we invest in ourselves the more others are willing to invest in us. Think of how can you afford not to do it? When you invest in yourself, you are more likely to achieve the goal because you value the money you are spending to accomplish the goal. You will be more likely to show up to get what you want from the coach. Invest in yourself and be sure to select the coach that is best for you. Start with selecting someone who has credentials. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more about and connect with Nicole: Website URL: https://shapeitupfitness.com/ LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-simonin-shape-it-up/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/shapeitupwithnicole Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/shapeitupwithnicole/ YouTube – Shape It Up with Nicole https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCejA1qc34KE6IZXg6qrFG-Q Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/shapeitupwithnicole/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/ShapeItUpNicole Apple Podcast Link https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shape-it-up-over-40-podcast/id1494213769

Everyone Has A Story To Tell. To Become An Author, Start By Tapping Into Your Story, Writing, And Sharing. About Shelly Shelly Pordea is a former teacher, turned author, and story coach. She helps clients with their creative process to tell their story, become an author, and publish books. The Search for Home Shelly likes to say, that homing in on little bits of our story will help us create a full piece of art.  I asked her how this statement correlates to her trilogy. Her response was that Stephen King says every author's first book is a memoir.  He and Shelly believe that we weave our story into everything we write. Shelly found this was especially true and her entire trilogy was about her journey to find a home. The Everyday Author Every day authors don't make a lot of money from their books. Like Shelly, many are ghostwriters and write articles for corporations, and coach others on writing and publishing.  Shelly focuses her coaching on people who want to start a new career and others.  She works to help you find the pieces of your story that create a full work of art, your work is your art. To find the through-line is to look back on your life and pull those pieces out. Shelly recommends the book, “The Art of Work” by Jeff Goins. People want to relate to someone who has a journey similar to ours. As humans, we are curious and want to know as much as possible about the person teaching them. Trust Telling your story, helps other people trust you. Value of Stories Telling stories of people gives value to others' lives. If thinking of becoming an author, start with your story and see how you can tell it in a way that resonates with others. Where to Begin to Write Your Story? What are the steps to writing your story? If someone wants to start on a journey to tell their story, where do they begin? 4 Steps to Take to Become an Author 1. Just write Shelly is a huge fan of “The Artists Way” by Julia Cameron.  Julia talks about morning writing. Just putting pen to paper and getting things out of your brain. Don't make excuses, just write and you will come up with something. 2. Read – read-write, read-write, and repeat. Research what people are looking for. If no one has done it before, chances are no one is looking for it. Take something on the market and inject your new spin on it to make it new and unique to you. One must be original when becoming an author. 3. Sweet Spot - Find your sweet spot that will work for you and others but you have to realize that not everyone will like it. 4. Coming up with a new idea is similar to creating your brand and differentiating yourself. It is about finding your sweet spot that will work for someone else. Self-Publishing When You Become an Author Where can you begin to self-publish? There are pros and cons with self-publishing, and you do the majority of the work yourself. Traditional publishing isn't that much different, you still have to do a lot of things by yourself. There are courses available to guide you, but you are doing the work yourself. Start Googling information and see what works for you. Get into a Facebook group about self-publishing. A lot of people will answer your questions for free. Shelly offers a free download, “Write Your Story Now” on her website. You can also send Shelly an email directly from her website and she will answer your questions. Self-publishing really isn't that hard, it just takes time. Other self-publishing resources: Amazon publishing Fiverr 99 Designs Ingram Spark – hardback books and they distribute world-wide KDP.com – tutorials Know your standard of quality and your goals for the project before making any final decisions. Number of Pages and Words What is the target number of pages or words for a book? Self-help books:  40,000 to 60,000 words which are about 150 to 200 pages depending on graphics included. Novel: 80,000 to 100,000 words. If self-publishing, there really isn't a specific number, but if working with a publisher, there are standards that have to be met.  One should follow the standards when self-publishing to avoid calling attention to the fact that you are self-published. Branding Question: Advice for a multi-passionate entrepreneur, which is most creatives. First and foremost, the person has to be the overarching brand. Your face must be present everywhere. You are at the top, and then the areas of business fall underneath and should merge at some point, meaning, they all have to tie back into you at the same point.  The feel, the emotions, the relationships should be cohesive and consistent so that you are perceived as one person, one brand, who has branches of expertise. Your story has to resonate with others and ultimately build an emotional connection with you. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more about and connect with Shelly: Website: https://www.thereativu.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shellysnowpordea Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shellysnowpordea LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/shelly-snow-pordea Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/shellypordea Twitter: https://twitter.com/shellypordea  

Money Doesn't have to be stressful!  If You Change Your Money Mindset, Money Can Flow Freely In and Out of Your Business. About Stacey Stacey Isetta helps women entrepreneurs breakthrough their stress around money and develop strategies and systems to build personal freedom and wealth inside their online business.  She helps women increase sales, and strategize and plan for growth so that they can increase income and have more time to spend with their families. Stacey believes that stories are told through numbers in your business. Her goal is to help people understand the numbers so that they can fully understand their business and what is happening. Let Money Flow Freely When you have a positive money mindset, you can allow money to flow freely through you. As you make money, you need to pay everything off so that you don't owe anyone. Once you gain peace and allow money to flow in and out of your life, you will let go of control and be able to be a catalyst to give money away to help others. Be grateful for the blessings and bless others as you let money flow in and out of your life. Gratitude can shift your money mindset. Find the value by being responsible and content with what you have. As discussed in Episode 102, be responsible with purchases so as not to collect things that will ultimately be thrown away. Spend responsibly and put good back into the world through the money you make and spend. The Budget The word budget can trigger a negative money mindset. Instead of calling your money management system a budget, call it a spending plan. This gives money permission to take care of the things that need to be taken care of.  Be conservative. If you don't have enough money, don't eat out, but do meal planning and be conscious of spending. Dave Ramsey has a fantastic money mentorship program through which you can work on money mindset. This principle applies to businesses too. Start your business slow and try not to use credit cards but invest in things that will give you a strong return on your money and effort. When you become more focused and put systems in place and become more efficient, your profitability in your business skyrockets.  As the income coming into your business grows while you've limited spending, that income portion can pay off debt. Your business should be funding the values and needs of your family so keep your business structure tight to keep the expenses low. Time to Scale The other thing to do is to scale your business as much as possible. Once you are making enough money to take a paycheck home to your family, hire help. Automate Take your emotions and physical triggers away from processing your money. If you work 9 to 5, be sure to take your retirement investment out before you receive your paycheck. Automate bill pay, college savings, etc. so that your money is coming out and paying for those things right upfront so that you can see what fun money you have left. Have a vision in mind but find what works for you. Emergency Fund Have an emergency fund. If you are a two-income family, you should have three months of your combined salaries saved. Single-income families should have 6 months of salary set aside as an emergency fund. Be conservative with spending until you have this amount saved. Imposter Syndrome Many entrepreneurs struggle with money mindset and charging for their services and under charge because of imposter syndrome. Often times entrepreneurs overlook that they have tremendous value to offer their clients. There are people who are willing to pay you for your expertise. Your experiences have given you the right to charge for your services. It's important to have a positive mindset so you can value your own time and experience and charge for it. When should you increase what you charge? Increase your prices every 6 to 12 months 3 to 5%.  People will be willing to pay for the service you offer. Most importantly, value your time. Value yourself and charge accordingly. Banking System Having systems in place to manage your money can help you have a positive money mindset. One core system that Stacey has implemented is a banking system. Start with a checking account. This account will be where cash flows in and out for payments and for expenses. The second account is a tax savings account. For every dollar that comes in, put 30% in this account. It is also important to have a savings account. Save a percent of everything that comes into your business. This becomes your emergency fund and your resource for education and other investments for your business. The fourth account is a bonus account. This is an additional savings account from which you can draw a bonus that you can bring into your family for fun. You can also do this inside of your family. Branding Question How Do I Grow an Audience and Make Them Be the Star of The Show? It is so important tell your story so that people can get to know, love and trust you. Your story is what is going to build the foundation for people to understand that you are an expert at what you do. All the years of experience are what have given you the knowledge to allow you to help your clients. Use your story to create case studies to share how your audience can see the same results. Your why is important for connecting with your audience. When your audience understands what you do, why you do it, and why they need you, they will be more likely to engage, connect and hire you. Combine your story with their story to help them see how you are going to make them the hero of their own journey. Use content pillars to create content: Your story, your why. Money mindset. Systems and tools. Strategy. Articles you've read. Create 3 to 6 pillars/buckets to intertwine your knowledge with the needs of your clients. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more about Stacey and Connect with Her: Website: www.thesmallbusinessbff.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/thesmallbusinessbff Clubhouse: @smallbizbff

Facebook Ads aren't a Magic Potion for Your Business, They Are Simply a Marketing Channel   About Jennifer Spivak Jennifer Spivak is on a mission to help amplify women's voices in the world through the powerful medium of Facebook Ads. She is known as the conversion queen by Forbes and has generated over $16 million for hundreds of notable clients worldwide. Jennifer is also on a mission to work less and make more. She a rebel of the hustle culture. The Second Phase So many people feel stuck and believe they have to stay because they need the money or the benefits and so they live in a happy job. When you want to move into something new, ask yourself the question, do you want to stay stuck, or follow your values, visions, and passions.  Starting a side gig is an option to make money on the side while building your business. When deciding whether or not to leave her first company, Jennifer was asked by a friend, “how many days in the last month have you thought about leaving this job?”  Her answer was 30 and that was her sign to make the change. Facebook Ads vs. Instagram Ads Setting up the ads is exactly the same, but you choose where the ad will be presented, Facebook or Instagram.  It is best not to look at them differently, and let the algorithm automatically adjust to the best place based on the demographics, etc. that you are looking to target. Select Facebook and Instagram when setting up the ad and then the algorithm, which knows more than we do, adjust based on where the best results are. When Should I Run Facebook Ads Jennifer shared that it is best to wait until your offer, your messaging and your customer decision journey have been validated.  People think Facebook ads will solve all of the problems in their business and help them make more money. But that isn't true. Facebook Ads are simply a marketing channel.  They are a way to get people into the “thing”, program, funnel, etc. Facebook ads will get more eyes on the “thing”.  Most people are not ready for ads until they are making at least low six figures.  If you are making less than $100K, your offer isn't statistically significantly validated so that you can say what your conversion rate will be from the ads. This is definitely a case-by-case basis. It's less about the ROI and more about the length of time it is going to take to see the benefit of the ads. When you are coming in with a validated message, offer, and funnel, the variable, the piece that is being tested is just the ads.  This is when the ads manager should be able to get you results in a few months. If you don't have a validated variable, it will take more time to test different variables and get the ads correct to reach your audience. Jennifer believes it's best to be scrappy to get to the first $100K and wait to do ads until there is validation. What is the Investment for Facebook Ads? If you want to run a few ads a day, you can spend as little or as much as you want. The question is, do you have the skills and knowledge to make the ads work for you. When talking about hiring someone, you can find a freelancer for about $1500 a month to deliver the service, manage and set up the ads for you. Agencies who manage and set up ads maybe $5000 to $10000 per month.  There is a wide range depending on if you are working with a freelancer or agency. You can spend $500 per month just on the ad piece, without even considering the management and setup. Know Your Goals for Running Ads Think about your goals for doing ads and work backward to get a ballpark on what you might have to spend on ads for them to work for you. Get Baseline Data Through Beta Testing Testing will give you data to tell you every time you spend X you get a sale, every time you spend X you book a call, and so on. Then you have real data specific to their business and this data will help you determine how much you have to spend for your specific business. There is definitely value in hiring someone to do the Facebook Ads for you. Bringing in a Cold Audience vs. a Warm Organic Audience Ads will bring in a cold audience where engagement and relationship building gives you a warmer audience. In general, a warmer audience will convert higher and need fewer touchpoints because they already know you. Messaging has to be tweaked for a cold audience vs. a warm audience. Boost This Post Is it effective to boost a post?  You will reach a larger audience. It isn't a question of whether or not boosting a post works, but more so understanding what different types of ads do and are your expectations in alignment with that. Every type of ad that you run, whether it's a boosted post or going through ads manager, there is still an important fact that you need to know what you are using the ad for. Using ads manager is going to drive action and help you convert to sales. Be sure to think out your customer's journey and what you want to happen once the person sees the ad, through a boosted post or through the ads manager. What is a Facebook Pixel? Absolutely, without a doubt, you need a Facebook Pixel on your website.  The pixel will collect data on the people who are visiting your website so that when you do ads, you can target the right audience. The Facebook Pixel has two purposes. Retargeting – anyone who visits your website may need multiple touchpoints. The Pixel allows you to see who visited so that you can then retarget them with additional information or more touchpoints. Track Actions – sending people to a page to sign up for free training. After they sign up, they end up on the thank you page. There is a special part of the pixel that reads that sign up and then Facebook knows what page or ad generated the sale. This helps set up ads for the lowest cost possible with the best results. Lead Magnets For certain types of businesses lead magnets may be creating a certain type of barrier. When selling a high ticket and done for your service, you are working with a different audience. This audience does not want to do anything for themselves, so will a lead magnet actually help them? They are just looking for the right person with the right messaging to show up at the right time. Jennifer believes that just showing up and telling people what she does, is how she makes 7 figures.  Her ads are getting her a 23% conversion rate. When creating a lead magnet, consider whether your clients are done for you clients or clients who want knowledge to try to do something for themselves. It is on a case-by-case basis. Effective Email Sequence Jennifer uses a funnel of emails. She has a nurture campaign that kicks in after the person books a call. Her email sequence starts when people book a call up until the time the call actually occurs. This works, because by the time Jennifer gets on a call with the person, they are warmed up to her and ready to buy. Think about differentiating yourself through your email sequence. What it comes down to it, it is creating true authentic connection that makes the difference and eliminates the need to do proposals. Clients are already to buy so no need to send a proposal. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more about and connect with Jennifer: Website: https://www.jenniferspivak.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spizzak

At a Young Age, Derrick Kirk Learned Skills for Success.  If He Hadn't, He Wouldn't Be Where He Is Today.   About Derrick Growing up in the face of adversity, and experiencing true abandonment, Derrick Kirk used his inner wisdom to develop skills for success that enabled him to not only survive but thrive. Today Derrick is an entrepreneur and refers to himself as a hope dealer.  He is a motivational speaker, podcast host, and investor. And through the Derrick Kirk Foundation, he helps and inspires underprivileged youth and gives them hope for a strong future. Derrick overcame obstacles he shouldn't have, now he teaches others how to do the same by sharing his unique skills for success. Orphaned At 8 years of age, Derrick and his three siblings, ages 10, 9, 8, and 6, were placed into foster care. Shortly thereafter, Derrick was removed from the foster home he and his two sisters were placed and taken to an orphanage. He spent the next ten years navigating life as an orphan. Because of fear of being judged and isolated, Derrick lived one life during the school day and another in the evenings and on weekends, to hide the fact that he lived in an orphanage. From the beginning, he asked teachers not to treat him differently. He wanted to be treated just like the other kids at school.  At an early age, he discovered the power of relationships and standing up for himself. Derrick was released from the orphanage when he was 18 years old. He had aged out of the system and was given an apartment for one month, 30 days of shelter, and then he was homeless. Going to college is what solved his homeless problem. He was then adopted, as an adult in college. Using Skills for Success to Make Good Decisions Derrick attributes wisdom to his ability to make good decisions and stay out of trouble. It isn't easy for everyone to gain a level of success. Derrick always asked a lot of questions, listened, and observed others which led him to knowledge and wisdom that helped him make good decisions. Wisdom comes from being curious and listening. No Body Cares I've lost count of how many times I've failed, but you know who cares? Nobody! So pick yourself up! There is no reason to be embarrassed or ashamed, start over, start something new so keep pushing. Don't Let You Beat You You may think that there are things holding you back, but you are the only person that can hold yourself back. Make it a point to not let others beat you, but don't let you beat you! Take action and have accountability. Quiet the voices in your head and just take action and make mistakes. Make a lot of them, oh well. And then, at one turn or another, what you are trying will work out. The Derrick Kirk Foundation Derrick is helping underprivileged youth through his foundation. He helps elementary schools by providing school supplies they are short on, he gives to single mothers and help pay for utilities, helps support homeless teens, and provide transportation.  Derrick's goal is to help the kids learn to help themselves. Derrick tried so hard and did so much to support himself, but he realized the little things that would have helped him so much.  Something so small can make such a difference and he wants to help kids make a difference. Being Homeless When Derrick was homeless, he didn't know how long he was going to be homeless. His school was not near where he was homeless, and he had no resources. Using his skills for success, he adopted forward-thinking to navigate each day to get to another day and find resources. Derrick had a few dollars to use to make phone calls on a payphone. He used the money to arrange transportation to college. While he was homeless, Derrick's mind raced, and he had no time for reflection. There was a drive inside him, he feels like you either have it, or you don't. Unfortunately, a lot of kids do fall victim to homelessness. Derrick can't explain how he and others make it and others don't, but there is definitely something internal that drives them forward. The Top 5 Skills to Achieve Success Communication When you open your mouth, you tell people who you are. Be ready. Read, be well-rounded, and able to speak to others.  If you have great communication skills, you are going to automatically get farther than someone else. Negotiation You must be able to negotiate.  Whether you are negotiating a job, or anything, negotiate. Don't let it scare you, because negotiating will give you a tool for being well rounded and help you get ahead. Listening Listening is everything! When you listening you are able to build relationships and be a good co-worker, boss, mentor, or partner. When people know you are a good listener, they will come to you. Listening helps build relationships. Time Management Show up on time, show up early, show people you are dependable. Problem Solving Strive to be the person that solves problems.  You want to be the go-to person.  Even if the problem isn't your problem, be prepared to solve the problem. The King of Orphans Derrick's book, “The King of Orphans” provides a look inside his life as an orphan.  The book will be available on Derrick's website in March. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest To Learn More About Derrick and Connect with Him: Website: http://derrickkirk.com The Derrick Kirk Foundation: http://derrickkirk.com/foundation/ The Podcast: http://derrickkirk.com/podcast/ The King of Orphans: http://derrickkirk.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dkirkforus/?hl=en

Even Successful Actors Experience Fear, Self-Doubt, and Overwhelm When It comes to Creating a Personal Brand   About Katie Chonacas Katie Chonacas is a model, actor, voice-over talent, creative, and poet.  She is multi-talented and multi-passionate. Despite her success at a young age, Katie struggled with creating a personal brand and putting herself out into the world as her own brand. The fear of judgment held her back at times. Katie has other factors that compound this challenge because she is in the actor's union and there are rules and restrictions. Katie has since built her brand on the foundation of her values, ethics, and morals. This is similar to what I recommend as a brand marketing strategist, to start creating a personal brand by mapping out your values, visions, and passions because where they align, is where you should focus your energy for creating a brand. The Sophisticated Psychos To create additional projects, Katie created The Sophisticated Psychos with Nicky Scorpio. The two have created the online series, “Couples Therapy”, produce music and other projects, and both are podcast hosts.  Katie is involved with a number of successful creative initiatives. Katie shares how she's had to learn the value of vulnerability and how she brings people along with her.  It's boring doing life alone and if we can help others along the way, it's a win-win.  Certainly, trying to go it alone is isolating and keeps one from being vulnerable. Overcoming Fear and Vulnerability The power of vulnerability and being courageous is one of our greatest strengths.  To learn more about vulnerability, listen to episode 4 of The Second Phase Podcast. Brene Brown has published invaluable content on vulnerability.  She has a Ted Talk and a Netflix show as well as her book, The Gifts of Imperfection, which are incredible resources. Likewise, Katie recommended Roaming Free Inside the Cage by William M. Shafer, PhD. Invest in Yourself If you aren't willing to invest in yourself, why should anyone invest in you and your services? Similarly, don't do the things you aren't good at. Delegate and hire others to assist you. A Lover's Fairytale by Katie Chonacas Katie's poetry book will publish in March of 2021. Learn more and subscribe to her email list, click here. What Works for One Doesn't Mean It Works for All  It's OK to take advice from others, but you have to discern whether the advice is applicable to you and your brand. Behind the Scenes Katie shared that Morgan Freeman is amazing, a super sweet and kind man. She has worked with some really big names, Jennifer Aniston, Nicholas Cage, Jennifer Lopez, and others. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Article on Katherine Heigl that Katie referenced. Learn More About and Connect with Katie Chonacas Website: www.chonacas.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/chonacas The Sophisticated Phychos Website: https://www.chonacas.com/music/ She's All Over The Place Podcast  

Building a Sustainable Brand and Community to Promote Sustainability in Fashion and Life-style industries for a Healthy Environment and Better Future   Introduction of Fox-Holt - Sustainable Brand and Community Dale and Katy met when they were thrown into Texas at the same time in the same building.  Their kids connected and while their kids played together, Dale and Katy bonded over money spend over the holidays and their passion for sustainability in fashion, the longevity of products, and the desire to purchase ethical products. Fashion is a slow movement and so Dale and Katy adopted that flow as they dove into a meeting and processing their designers and artisans and ethical trade. Katy and Dale realized quickly how much they needed to learn. Sustainability covers such a huge range, and different levels mean different things to different people and how it affects an overall community. As the two realized this, it changed their trajectory as they wanted to build a community, not just a store. Building the Foundation of Fox-Holt Dale and Katy took the time to build a strong foundation.  They didn't rush into the business they build a foundation first for long-term success. The foundation of the Fox-Holt brand is built on what it means to be sustainable. From there they built relationships with vendors and customers. Sustainability In the fashion industry, there are several types of sustainability. Recycling, upcycling, and so on. Dale and Katy knew they wanted to have a vintage section. Dale knew James Veloria so they partnered with him right away. Recycled products using recycled materials. They have 9 stamps of sustainability that determined how they selected products.  Every product must fall under at least two sustainability stamps. Sustainability is doing the best you can to make as little footprint on the world as possible. To make the best difference possible. The small things that you can do to make a big impact on the world. Upcycling Taking something and creating something new from it. The Nine Stamps of Sustainability The sustainability stamps of Fox-Holt include being organic, eco-friendly, vegan, made in the USA, Fairtrade, hand-made/artisan, recycled, and/or giving back. Naming the Business Volpe means fox and Dale has always had an affinity to foxes because of the meaning of her name. Katy's surname is Rowley and means, wooded in or fox's den. Another word for that is Holt.  They are working to protect their planet as a fox defends his den, so it blends beautifully. Selecting Vendors The key is to build sustainable relationships. As they researched vendors from around the world, they selected vendors who believed in their mission, were like-minded, and were willing to partner with them. Fox-Holt is a marketplace. They don't hold inventory. This method cuts out the middleman and shipping and prevents waste from items that aren't sold. They are female founder collective members. Brands now contact Fox-Holt instead of Dale and Katy having to research them. They are always moving in a direction that is ethically sound and that they love. One of their first vendors and a favorite, is St. Roche, out of LA.  And a second favorite is Bastet Noir, from Macedonia. How Can You Be More Mindful and Practice Sustainability? Think about who made the product. Why is it so cheap, did a child make it, or someone who is only making $0.50 a day? When you spend more money on a purchase, it changes your perspective.  It becomes something you'll still have in ten years. Reuse what you have in your closet and add to it instead of throwing away the old stuff. Add creative fun to your existing wardrobe. It comes down to educating yourself. Declutter, have less stuff, and lean towards simplifying. Buy things that will last and can be passed down to future generations. Make small changes and don't worry about being perfect. Remember every little bit helps. Spend time learning what you are buying and who you are buying it from. It's an awakening and changes the way you shop altogether. About Dale and Kat Dale Volpe As a vegan and a motivated, artistic force, Dale Volpe aims to represent and serve the sustainably-minded shopper; those who seek quality pieces but also seek to nurture the planet. She believes strongly in educating consumers specifically about how “fashion” choices affect the environment and the future of our children. Volpe worked for Calvin Klein post-college (approximately 100 years ago), before becoming the National Merchandise Manager for a licensee of Ralph Lauren. She went on to Moschino as a Showroom Account Executive and found her first real calling when she began styling private clients for years following that. After moving to Texas and starting a family, Volpe found a space lacking in the mindful market: a need for well-crafted products founded on the principles of living beautifully, while properly caring for the planet and its inhabitants. This is where she joined forces with co-founder and fellow new Texan, Katy Rowley, a consumer and fashion expert who loves spreadsheets and has an unmatched eye for detail. She co-founded FOX HOLT in 2019 with Rowley, and began to foster a community of like-minded, creative designers and artists who are passionate about change and lasting impact. Katy Rowley Katy Rowley wanted to create a place to make shopping mindfully easy and simple; to develop a space where a sustainable consumer, or an accidental one, could buy pieces that help create change, while still living beautifully. A London native, Rowley worked as a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) executive, before landing her dream job at Matchesfashion.com, where she was the Head of CRM. This is where she honed her love of fashion, e-commerce, and developed an in-depth understanding of the luxury customer experience. Like Volpe, a move and motherhood brought her to be more thoughtful about the brands she supported. The fashion and lifestyle professionals responded to the demand for well-crafted, luxurious products, made ethically and sustainably, and launched a successful marketplace to house different designers, specialists, and artists, who adhere to their principles. Mothers first, she and Volpe wanted to help educate about the benefits of sustainable fashion, to inspire ethical purchasing, and leave a better world for their children. The fashion industry mavens share a deeply-rooted belief that purchases directly impact the future, the future of their loved ones, and beyond. FOX HOLT supports the people who are creating with the future in mind.   Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn More About Fox-Holt Website: https://fox-holt.com Coupon Code = Robyn15 (expires February 28, 2021) Instagram: www.instagram.com/fox_holt Email: info@fox-holt.com

Have You Been Contemplating Using a Facebook Group to Grow Your Business? Here Are All the Details You Need to Know to Start a Facebook Group and Monetize It!   About Brooke Brook Jefferson is a lifestyle and family photographer and organic growth strategist.  She is also a mom and wife, who has built a successful photography business and is an expert on how to start a Facebook Group and monetize it. Why Should We Start a Facebook Group Build a community Be seen as an expert and authority in your niche Create revenue-generating programs – trainings or challenges Facebook rewards you for having a Facebook Group How to Start and Grow a Facebook Group Run a virtual event 5-Day challenge Offer workshop Have a paid offer at the end of any workshop or challenge. Quick growth opportunity when you offer free training. Once you put out great content, people will share your group and tell others they should be part of it. Name your group so that when people are searching, the keywords they are searching will be found in your title. Once your engagement increases, Facebook will start pushing out your group to other similar groups. Have a great photo on your group to attract people. Provide a detailed description so that people become intrigued about the group and content. Questions to Ask When Setting Up a Facebook Group When you set up a group, you have the option to set up three questions. Use the questions to get to know your audience, monetize your email list, and for getting content ideas. Suggested questions include: How did you find my group? What challenges do you have in your business? Number one struggle you have in your business? Email address to add to your email newsletter. How to Monetize a Facebook Group People are more likely to buy from you within the first 5 minutes that they get to know you. Through virtual events, you can find your super fans and they'll buy from you. Build the know love and trust factor and then offer a paid-for program after a workshop. Be Intentional About What You Want Your Group to Be When creating a Facebook group, you must be intentional about it. Why are you creating a group? What value will you provide? How will you monetize the group? As you start building the group, be strategic with your content and try to monetize it early. Prepare your audience that you will be offering both paid for and free content. The more intentional you can be about the purpose of the group, the more success you are going to have. Pop-Up Facebook Group You can create a group for challenges or short-term projects. The nice thing is to help others grow, share knowledge and get to know your audience while monetizing it.  Once you've created the group and offered value, people will want the group to stay around as a place for others to learn. Keys to Success for a Facebook Group Building community Getting your audience to trust you Being seen as an expert while building relationships Live video training Set it up to run by itself but your audience knows that you are still in charge Content Creation Rinse and Repeat.  What worked, and what didn't work.  Ask yourself what your audience really seemed to like.  Do surveys and ask your group what it is they want to learn and what they feel will be valuable. Listen more and find what your group really wants. Ask engagement questions that people will definitely respond to. Then create more content around the answers and additional problems that arise from the responses. Engagement is how a group grows so it's important to ask engagement questions.  Keep the engagement questions about the topics your group focus is. Educational content. Educate but don't give everything away, use the educational content for your paid offers. Inspirational content.  KITA posts that shake up the emotion and get more engagement and conversation flowing within the group. Download Brooke's Free Facebook Group Content Tips Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Connect with and learn more about Brooke: Website: www.brookejanaephotography.com Facebook Group: Social Selling for Photographers Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brookejanaephotography/ The Book More Clients Photography Podcast  

It's the 100th Episode of The Second Phase Podcast and You're Going to Get the Inside Scoop! Special Episode to Celebrate To celebrate I wanted to do something special so I decided to give you, the listeners, the inside scoop of my life behind the scene. I know I've said it in previous episodes but my kids are my life!  It was such an honor to showcase their personalities and have them by my side to celebrate this major milestone. The Inside Scoop Josh - Question 1 If I could personal brand Josh in 20 seconds. A: "I'm Joshua Graham. Your go-to for everything health, wellness, and fitness." Gracie - Question 1 What is your favorite vacation? A: I don't really have favorites. But, if I had to choose, Italy, Hawaii, and Costa Rico are probably my top three. Most important for me is spending time with just the five of us having fun and being relaxed. Sam - Question 1 What is your favorite memory carrying out my life's dream? A: I've had so many incredible clients and wonderful experiences. So many amazing conversations and inspiring people that I've gotten to work with. Josh - Question 2 Have you set any goals for 2021? A: I just launched my 1:1 6-month coaching program. My passion is to help entrepreneurs build a strong foundation for long-term success. I want to reach 50K downloads for the podcast. There are financial goals that I've set and I want to help at least three women brand themselves and their businesses every month. Sam - Question 2 What drives me in my business and work so hard after being in the business for so long. A: I am rewarded every single day when I help people build their brands. Seeing them light up when they realize something and to be able to capture their true essence and feel confident and beautiful. I also love to help others succeed and see my goals come to fruition. But, an important note, is that when you are passionate about something, it isn't like work. Josh - Question 3 After a long day of work, what is the first thing you do to relax? A: Just being together to talk or play games.  I love a good book, a cup of tea, or a glass of wine, or maybe a good TV show. Gracie - Question 2 Do you ever miss when you used to just take pictures and put them in galleries? A: Yes, I do. But, because I'm so busy I don't get the opportunity to just create still lifes like I used to. But in 2021, I do hope to get back into it.  Photography actually is one way I relax, the creativity takes me away. Sam - Question 3 What is the biggest driving factor for my business? A: When I first began, it was practicing. I loved to photograph and create and learned as much as I could.  But, I love to work with people and love human connection.  That is what drove me to do portrait photography. There was a fear component to jumping straight into portrait photography. But once I had my first shoot, I fell in love with working with branding clients. Then, over the years, I realized how much I could help people and teach them from a branding perspective and that is what set me on the trajectory of coaching and working with clients the way I do today. Josh - Question 4 Do you see yourself staying in this phase, or do you see yourself moving onto something else? My next goal is to publish a book and become an author. Turning the Tables on The Inside Scoop What has inspired you to get the degrees you are on the course to get and who were the big influencers in your life. Josh - Answer I have a passion for learning chemical and biological processes in the body and how food affects the body. Growing up you always taught me not to accept everything but challenge it. You showed me all of your work ethic. You've always been an inspiration and taught me how to find out and promote who I am and who I want to be.  Sam - Answer I just always knew I was going to go to college. Everything about sports is what led me to Syracuse to study sports management so that I can be an agent. The biggest inspiration for going to school and wanting a good life is seeing how hard mom and dad worked. We come from a long line of people who work hard and I want to carry on that tradition. Gracie - Answer I'm not exactly sure what I want to be yet.  (Gracie was being shy.) To Get More Inside Scoop on Your Host, Robyn Graham, Click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest  

I'm not weird, I'm an intuitive personality type. What Does That Mean? What Does it Mean to be intuitive in Life, Business, and Relationships? Jessica Butts is a therapist, speaker, coach, and author. She helps female entrepreneurs with an intuitive personality type to find their strengths.  Her most recent book is “Don't Do Stuff You Suck At”. Using the Myers-Briggs personality assessment and her own Front Seat Method, Jessica dives into personality strengths and weaknesses so that her clients can be unapologetically themselves and only do the tasks that produce effective results for their time. Jessica is also the author of “Be Unapologetically Who You Are: A Journal From Jessica Butts”. The Power of Personalities Myers Briggs and the Front Seat Life Method I am an INTJ personality on the Myers-Briggs personality scale. Read more to learn what that means! An INTJ Intuitive Personality means: I for Introverted. That means I get energy from being alone, with only one or two people, and having quiet time compared to extroverts who find energy from being with other people. Jessica's Front Seat Method goes into more detail explaining that introverts can also find energy from being with other people, and extroverts do sometimes like to be alone or have quiet time. N for Intuitive. Only 25% of the population are intuitives. Intuitives think outside the box, feel like weirdos, and are unorthodox in their thinking.  People with intuitive personalities are very into self-development, think a lot about the future, do not like the status quo and typically don't function well in a 9 to 5 job, don't like routine, and always need something to look forward to. T for Thinking. A thinker makes decisions from the head and is very logical, which is excellent in business.  Only 25% of the female population are thinkers. Very few people.  In life, and business a more logical decision-maker. J for Judging. Organized, decisive decision-makers, typically on time, have a plan for their future and can get very headstrong with their plans. Jessica's goal is to get everyone back to who they innately are. Environmental factors, the way we were parented, and experiences cause us to change over time.  The more people show up as the personality type, they were born with the happy they will be, the more successful they will be, the more money they will make, and the more things will flow. The more unapologetically we are who are, the better life is. But it does take courage. As an INTJ I am kind of a nutty professor.  I like projects and researching.  As an intuitive, I am more interested in things and concepts where an INFJ is more like a therapist. The Intuitive Personality Type Intuitives are weird. We are outside the box. How can someone with an intuitive personality type fit in and feel better about themselves? Seventy-five percent of the world are S's.  When learning this fact, it's mind-boggling as an intuitive personality type to realize that you aren't weird and there is nothing wrong with you. Intuitives are experiential learners. They are often not very scholastic, who are often labeled as learning challenged because we learn differently. Everything in school is set up for S's, and N's don't learn the same. Intuitives learn by doing.  They want to engage with things and touch things.  They are very hands-on. Humans are very egocentric. We need to learn about how God designed us, how we were born, and start our businesses and relationships based on how we learn, and who we are. Don't Stuff You Suck At Being well-rounded is not practical. Certain cultures believe that is how we are supposed to be, but it isn't possible to achieve. Not everyone can do everything and do everything perfectly.  So why do we try to do things we suck at. We need to start accepting ourselves as who we are and not try to be everything. People are designed to be good at two specific things.  Good at details and data or creative, outside the box, futuristic, personal development type of things. Think of the front seat and back seat analogy.  When we are doing things that we aren't good at because we weren't meant to be doing them, it's like we are in the back seat drunk.  It isn't bragging. It's about doing the things you are good at and not wasting your time, money, or energy to do those things. When people try to do things that they aren't good at, it's like everyone in the car falls asleep and the baby in the back seat wakes up.  The baby is equal to a reptilian brain.  The reptilian brain in times of stress either flights or flees. As an introvert, the baby gets loud and bossy, and angry.  In this situation, an extrovert will flee.  They will want to be in bed and hiding and not able to show up. When we try to do things that we aren't good with, we lose energy, we aren't in flow, and it feels like walking through mud or pushing a boulder up a hill.  The result is depression and not want to get out of bed. Our front seats are where we were born and what we are meant to be. The First Step is Awareness We don't need to try to change ourselves, just recognize what we are good at and what we are not good at. Hire out the rest and contribute to the economy. It is destructive to try to be well rounded. Mindset Work is Great But we Need Action The 3 S's of Taking Action Systems Structure Singular Focus When we try to do everything, it doesn't work.  And when you sit around thinking positive thoughts, but don't put action into play, you aren't going to accomplish anything.  Action is necessary! Being an entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart. Everyone gets to be who they are, they just have to understand who they are. Don't let your life dictate, determine who you are, and take action. Necessary Action to Let Go of Control Man's Search for Meaning by Victor Frankel is an incredible resource for this topic. Victor writes that there is always a stimulus. Our personal freedom comes between that stimulus and our response. We have to realize what we don't have control over. There is no control over other people, but we can control our reaction to them. “Codependent No More, How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself” by Melodie Beattieis another book that can change one's life by helping them realize what they have control over and have no control over.  When people's lives feel out of control, they try to control other things and problems can arise in life and relationships. Learning your own personality type, learning how to self-soothe and take care of yourself, then be in healthy relationships, results in true freedom. Recognize your strengths and weaknesses, then take control to take action to do the work needed to discover your personality to adjust your life accordingly to make an impact on the rest of the world. Self-learning is very powerful and is a lifelong journey of self-exploration. Jessica's methodology always starts with who are you, where are you going, how are you going to get there? You have to have the foundation before you can move forward or everything will crumble. Don't jump ahead before you build the foundation. Don't try to get everyone to like you. Your brand is who you are and how you differentiate yourself. You aren't meant to work with everyone and if people don't like you, it's OK as long as you are being true to yourself. If people don't like you, they aren't a good fit and they'll save you so much time and frustration because they aren't your ideal audience and who you're meant to work with! The more authentic you are, the more you will attract your ideal audience and repel those you aren't meant to work with. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more about and connect with Jessica: Website: www.jessicabutts.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/frontseatlife Personality quiz: https://jessicabutts.com/front-seat-life-personality-assessment/

The 10 Life Lessons I Learned In 2020 That I Want to Share So that We Can All Learn and Grow Together For all of us, 2020 was a year of trials, challenges, loss, chaos, and overwhelm, but there were so many opportunities to embrace life lessons. As I look back and recap what I learned as I moved through one of the hardest years of my life, I want to share everything with you.  Maybe you learned the same things, or maybe you are still trying to make sense of 2020 and what's to come from it.  Either way, I hope my experience and evaluation will help you. Life Lessons #1  A Choice The result of any experience is what we make of it.  We can choose to be sad, angry, overwhelmed, and frustrated or we can choose to be grateful and look forward to brighter days. I have probably told you that in a six-week time frame we lost my grandmother who I was very close to, Daisy, our 11-year-old Goldendoodle, and my mother-in-law, whom I adored. Loss is never easy, but not being able to attend funerals or have hugs and share memories with family made it a thousand times worse. I still don't feel I have closure. But there was beauty and peace in the fact that both grandma and my mother-in-law had faith and weren't afraid of death. Neither one suffered for a long period of time.  Both were strong, independent, inspiring women who had dementia but were surrounded by people who loved them and left legacies for future generations. Hidden Lessons and Blessings Not everyone gets to experience having a wonderful grandmother in their life. I was blessed to have had her, her love, and her inspiration for so many years and I am grateful for the memories and everything she taught me. Likewise, not everyone gets a mother-in-law that they love and appreciate.  I've heard some real horror stories about mothers-in-law, and I feel truly blessed to have had a great relationship with mine. Another thing I am grateful for. Before our sweet Daisy passed away, we ordered a puppy.  The same breed (because we all have allergies) and we were excited to have Daisy help raise the puppy. She passed away, unexpectantly, 10 days before the puppy was to come home with us.  Had we not ordered the puppy thinking Daisy was going to be here, we never would have ordered the puppy. Nor would we have ordered the puppy if it hadn't been for COVID and the fact we were all five home all of the time. Stella, the puppy, has been a source of joy for all of us, especially me.  She hasn't replaced the humans we loved and lost, nor has she replaced Daisy, but she's provided so much laughter and given us so much love that we've had a sense of comfort since the day she arrived.  God's timing is always impeccable. Life Lessons #2 I have never been a patient person. Never! Twenty-twenty changed that. I've learned to live in the moment and not rush. Taking things one day at a time and sitting with decisions and experiences instead of rushing through to the next thing. With patience has come the acceptance that things aren't always on my time, but God's time.  I am more willing to let things come to me and not forcing things to happen. Having more patience also means giving myself the grace to learn and do more peacefully instead of rushed and hurried and anxious about the outcomes. Life Lessons #3 I'm never too old to transform. For years I've lived in a state of anxiety, fear, doubt, and insecurity, my entire life, really. As I started to become more grateful and more patient, I became more aware of my emotions and less anxious. I dove into mindset work that I would never have done had 2020 not provided on-line networking and growth opportunities. Transformation is not easy, it takes dedication and hard work, but it is possible and it's beautiful when it happens.  It's like looking at myself from above and watching me grow into who I always knew I could be. Life Lessons #4 After faith, the family is everything. Don't get me wrong, I adore my friends, but my family, and my best friends who I consider family, are all I need to survive. I have cherished every extra moment with them. It's amazing how people come into your life for a purpose. With all of the chaos and political unrest, we experienced in 2020 I also learned that a lot of people aren't who I thought they were. I was shocked at a lot of the content I saw on social media and it really made me reconsider how I adhere to my values and integrity and who I will let into my life.  I was at times heartbroken by the statements and actions of others, other times just disappointed. Yet other times, shockingly proud depending on who it was and the circumstance. Moving forward, I will continue to welcome people into my life because I believe God puts people in our lives at the right time for the right reasons. But, when it comes to day to day relationship building and maintenance, it will be with those dearest to me. Those whom in 2020 were my go-to humans and I was theirs. People whose values align with my values and whom I know I can trust and be my authentic self without fear of judgment or berating. Life Lessons #5 Faith gives hope. Without hope, there is no joy or courage. There were moments in 2020 that fear overcame me. I didn't want to leave my house, every sniffle, cough, or sneeze made me nervous one of us had contracted COVID. But the more I put my trust in God for protection and for His will to be done, I became more at peace, less afraid, more hopeful and courageous. Likewise, as I became more courageous, I was able to live in the moment and experience joy instead of living in fear. Even when we lost our loved ones, faith gave me hope that I'll see them again someday in heaven.  Oh, what I wouldn't give to hug them one more time, but I am grateful they are in heaven, watching over us. Life Lessons #6 Self-discipline and daily habits are empowering. There were so many days I felt like doing nothing. Everyone was home so it felt like a holiday. I didn't want to work, I didn't want to exercise, I didn't want to journal.  I wanted to eat chips and cookies all day. However, what I found is that staying consistent and being disciplined rooted me in the daily practices I need to stay healthy physically and mentally.  I maintained my healthy eating habits, daily exercise, and doing daily devotions and journaling, and to my surprise. It became easier to do all of these things every day because I needed them to give me a sense of security. The more I stuck to my routine and took care of myself, the better I felt. I could focus better and the more hope I had for staying healthy, keeping my family healthy, and keeping my business afloat. Life Lessons #7 I learned to get more curious outside of my box. Curiosity has enlightened me and enabled me to build new relationships and take both my business and personal life to new levels. Life Lessons #8 I learned to dance through the storms of life.  To keep the positive energy flowing. Life Lessons #9 Grace Along with patience and gratitude, I learned to give myself grace. As I dove into mindset work, I realized that I need to be gentle with myself. I can easily become consumed with to-do lists, what everyone else is doing, trying to keep up, and racing through life to do all the things and be all the places. Through grace, I am allowing myself to take it all in and then choose which direction I want to go, which thing I want to do, etc.  It's self-care at it's finest. Life Lessons #10 When it's time to pivot, pivot. For the first few months of the pandemic, I wasn't able to do any photography. I missed it and I missed working with people face to face. But what I realized is that what I really loved was coaching women and building brands that stand out and make an impact. I don't ever want to give up photography. However, as I learned in 2020, there may be times when because of environmental factors that I can't control, or my physical health that I won't be able to work as a photographer. Having the time to focus on building my coaching business to help women find their second phase and build a solid foundation for success has been the most incredible experience. If I hadn't experienced the mindset transformation of 2020 and been forced to look to the future to create other streams of income, I might not have built the coaching business to what it is today. Everything happens for a reason and God always has a greater plan for me than what I could ever imagine. Full Circle This brings me full circle to gratitude. If it weren't for technology, many of us would have been lost and not able to work in 2020. So alas, even though I may have Zoom fatigue some days, I am grateful for the gifts of technology and the ability to continue to grow my business, educate and inspire others and help women grow their brands and businesses. And not only has technology been great for business, but it's also been great for keeping up with family. There will never be an excuse for not seeing someone again. We have Zoom, Skype, Facetime, and others to keep us visually connected. Technology will never replace the hugs I am so desperate for, but at least it gives me a touchpoint. I would love to hear from you about what you learned in 2020.  I'm guessing you probably learned the same things I learned but which one resonated with you the most? If you know anyone who could use some advice for looking at 2020 in a positive light, please share this episode with them. The more positive vibes we put out into the world, the better place it will be. Learn More About Your Host, Robyn Graham, Click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest  

Unique Skill Sets Lead to Success in The Second Phase.  It's about discovering needs and being willing to divorce our sense of identity from what we do for a living.   Finding her second phase meant using her skill sets, having a positive impact, and helping others tell their stories. Telling untold stories was part of Charlie Grosso's goal but she wanted to do it in a way that would empower. Likewise, she wanted to tell stories with integrity. She didn't want the stories to become watered down. Charlie grew up with the internet. She believes in the initial promise it had. This was a reason for starting the non-profit, Hello Future. She and her team at Hello Future teach refugee youths how to use the internet. Using the internet empowers them. To find a second phase align your values, visions, and passions. It is powerful to find your calling. Living Simply to Start a Business and Achieve Goals As a career freelancer, Charlie has never relied on a paycheck from someone else. She's always planned for unknown outcomes. To support her livelihood, she has her photography business, but she also lives a simple, non-extravagant lifestyle. Similarly, she was used to taking risks as a freelancer. Starting the non-profit may have been a risk, but she believed in it. Her goal is to prove that Hello Future will be a success and have an impact on refugee youth. The Syrian Refugee Crisis Led Charlie to Start a Business, which is a Non-Profit Charlie chose to immerse herself in the crisis in Istanbul.  While there, she researched the relationship people in the communities had with the internet.  Likewise, she started to ask the question, what do they do with their mobile phones.  The answer, Facebook, Instagram, and What's App.  They used the platforms for news and keeping in touch with family. The apps were their only view of the internet. Surprisingly, the refugees had never performed a Google search. It hadn't ever occurred to them.   Charlie came to the realization that you don't know what you don't know.  If they didn't know Google existed, they didn't know to use it. Once Charlie identified the need to improve digital illiteracy, she decided to focus on teens.  Teens can teach up to their parents and down to younger siblings.  In addition, there are limited programs for teens so it was an opportunity to educate and empower them. The program is structured for in-person education. Hello Future has paid employees that teach the students.  Having paid instructors instead of volunteers helps with accountability. Digital Literacy The simple definition of digital literacy is to find, share, and create content online.  It is important to realize the need for evaluating whether or not the information consumed is accurate.  Is the information based on fact or not? To Start a Business and Create a Second Phase You Have to separate from the Sense of Identity Associated with the Work that You Do One of the most freeing things to do is to separate your sense of identity from your career. We present a brand image with what we do for a job. Defining ourselves by what we do and holding ourselves back because we always have to be on-brand, is like wearing a straight jacket. Therefore, when making the shift into the second phase, it's important to ask, what is an ideal day. From there, discover what you can do to have as many of those days as possible. What can you do to feel in charge of your own time? Look at success and value based on impact, not numbers and measures. It's also important to realize that there are always human variances that can shift the level of success you achieve. To Start a Business You Must Get Curious and Take the Necessary Action Once you've identified your calling and purpose it is necessary to take action. To figure out your next phase, get curious.  Learn.  When we get curious, we explore more opportunities. It's about finding what has meaning for you. When you get curious, you learn.  When you learn, you can create opportunities. Push fear aside and put curiosity into play. Remember, our futures are intertwined. About Charlie Charlie Grosso has 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur.  Founding her business at the age of 20, she went on to be a successful advertising photographer. Charlie worked with Lexus, Nike, JC Penney, Comedy Central, and more.  As a creative director, her clients included Paramount, Variety, and FX.  In the last 10 years, she's traveled to over 80+ countries working as a writer, documentarian, filmmaker, and consultant. She specializes in strategic management and program design for social enterprises, tech/media companies, and NGOs.  Hello Future is the culmination of her lifelong passion for innovation and social justice. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more about Charlie and connect with her: Website for Hello Future: www.hellofuture.io Email: charlie@hellofuture.io Website: www.Charliegrosso.com Instagram: @charliegrosso Facebook: @charliegrosso LinkedIn: @charliegrosso Twitter: @charliegrosso

How to build a membership program for consistent monthly income. Creating a membership is a great way for having a consistent stream of monthly income.  Natalie Arent shares how to build a membership program. She created her membership by taking messy action and is sharing what she learned. About Natalie Natalie Arent is a personal branding coach for Christian female entrepreneurs struggling to get visible and gain momentum. She helps them find their people online and build a client-attracting brand, so they can live out their God-given calling in business. How Natalie started her Membership Natalie started her membership by taking messy action. She realized that if she continued to wait until the timing was perfect, she never would have taken action.  Instead, taking messy action, launched her forward. Two great resources for creating a membership program: Stu McClaren The Membership Guys How to build a membership program by starting with a Founding Members Special While mapping out the program, offer a discount price to the founding members.  They will appreciate the discount and they will help you build the program. How many people do you start a membership with and where do you find them? Natalie had 400 people in her Facebook Group and the founding members of her membership were already in her audience.  She originally capped the founding members to 12 people because she was new to group coaching and the membership program was going to be a group coaching membership. Keep it simple The key to creating a membership is to keep it simple.  She created a few announcements and a handful of posts and then launched. When keeping things simple and focusing on the people who already trust you, it makes it easier and less overwhelming. Accountability Sometimes, we have to put things out in the world to give us the push and accountability we need to accomplish our goals. Knowing when it's time to pivot Through the 7 months of growing the membership and doing all the right things, Natalie came to realize that the membership wasn't the best container for the information Natalie was teaching. Natalie follows her gut, her God-Gut she calls it. When feeling the need to pivot, block time to focus, and hit pause.  Use the valuable feedback from serving the population you are serving and evaluate with fresh eyes what needs to change. She isn't going to scrap the program she's going to refine it and make it better.  It is growing and evolving and it's important to think about how you can improve it versus scrapping it and starting over completely. Lessons learned from starting a membership   Looking at why you are starting a membership? Evaluate your motive and have a clear focus.  Are you starting it solely because you want consistent monthly income?  Do you love to create community? What is the true reason you want to start the membership and be sure it aligns with your values and works for you and your business?  Be super clear on what this membership is for.  Keep it simple.  There is no need to add bonuses and extras. If people in the membership don't have time to consume all of the content, they will leave the membership because they don't feel like they are able to get their money's worth.  Think about the singular problem you solve for your audience and provide that solution.  It's more valuable to focus solely on the problem that you want to, and know you can, solve so that you don't water down the value. Level of Support and Client Journey. What level of support are you going to provide with your membership? Get super clear on the content you are offering and how it will be delivered. Think about the destination you want your members to reach. Price accordingly. Take offerings into account.  The more detail-oriented and time-consuming the more value. If just providing content ideas, the membership will be much less. Be sure you are being reimbursed for the value you are pouring into the membership to avoid burnout. Know that when you set the bar with the type of support you are going to give your members you need to price accordingly. People will recognize the value and will be willing to pay for it. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more about Natalie and connect with her: Website: nataliearent.com Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/presencepurpose Podcast: bit.ly/presenceandpurpose

The Strategies You Need to Overcome Procrastination, Fear, and Self-Doubt so that You Can Build a Solid Foundation for Brand Success   If I told you I have never procrastinated, I'd be lying. Procrastination has been a blessing and a curse for me. I used to say that I worked better under pressure.  That I could actually focus better when I knew I was under the gun.  I convinced myself that it was OK to procrastinate because some of my best work was created under pressure. Maybe there was some reality to this thought, but on the flip side of it, I was spending a lot of time in a state of inaction.  The state of inaction led to increasing amounts of fear, anxiety, stress, and overwhelm. Procrastination is the lack of action to accomplish something, anything. It's a delay in taking action, oftentimes because of fear.  It's a vicious cycle. Fear, procrastination.  Procrastination, fear. As 2020 comes to an end and we approach 2021, I ask you, what have you been putting off, and what are you willing to put back on the table to take strategic action to accomplish? I've been doing a lot of soul searching and mindset work the past two months and I want to share how moving from a state of procrastination is changing the scope of my business for 2021 and opening my life up to more success, less stress, fear and overwhelm. What is the number one enemy of productivity?  Fear. Fear will keep us in a place of inaction.  Hold us back from achieving our goals and dreams.  It will drive us to a place of anxiety and overwhelm. We think we have to be doing something because everyone else is and they are showing strides forward and announcing successful months, and here we sit, stagnant, anchored by fear. Self-Doubt What anchors the fear? Self-doubt. The thoughts that we aren't good enough, the voices we've heard, ours or others, saying that we didn't go to school for that. You aren't good enough.  Who do you think is going to hire you?  You can't accomplish that.  No one is going to hire you without certification or diploma proving you are good enough.  You really don't know what you're talking about. Have you ever caught yourself thinking any of those thoughts?  Hearing the statements as though someone else is saying them directly to you?  Or, maybe your parents or partner or friends have said these things to you over the years. The reality is, if you've been procrastinating the way I have over the years, you are robbing other people of the help you can give them.  Or the service you can provide for them to help them impact the world. A Year Ahead of the Rest Here's the thing.  You can help the you that existed 3 years ago.  What do I mean by that?  You have lived and experienced and created over the past few years so much so, even weighed down by the anchor of procrastination, that you have the expertise to help someone else who is where you were. Now is the time, as we close out 2020 and begin a new year, to lift the anchor and start taking action.  You no longer have to wear the chains of negative thoughts and fear that have been holding you in a place of inaction.  I don't either. How to Break Free from Procrastination Remember that self-doubt and fear are the strongest chain links to holding the anchor of procrastination. So how can we break the links of fear and self-doubt? Let's start with identifying your goals for your business or life in 2021. Write them down. As Krista Resnick told us in Episode 93, there is power in writing our thoughts to connect our mind, body, and spirit. Now, any time thought of fear comes in and tries to hold you back, catch it, and write it down. Once you have written it down, challenge it. What is the situation or circumstance?  Is it writing a book, launching a program, becoming a coach, opening a business? The situation or circumstance is real, valid, no one can argue it.  But your thoughts around it may not be rational. Next, change the negative or fearful thought you caught.  If you want to become an author and the negative thought was that no one would buy your book, rephrase that thought to people need this book.  This book will help people. There will be sales of this book if I write it. Write these phrases and implement them as mantras.  Say and write them down every day. The next step is to take control of the thoughts by taking action. If you want to become an author, start by writing one paragraph every day, this will lead to one page a day and so on. Taking action gives you control and will catapult you toward successfully accomplishing your goals, dreams, desires. Catch Challenge Change Control Catapult The 5 C's of breaking the chains of procrastination. The Positive Mindset Content Pattern In the past few episodes, we've talked about pivoting or rebranding, setting intentions and living with intention, job security, self-compassion, and now procrastination. Do you see the pattern? I chose these topics to help launch us into 2021 with a foundation of success.  So much of our success is centered around mindset. You can have all the skills and expertise, but if you don't have the right mindset, you are going to sink yourself.  Mindset is what propels us into intentional action and 80% of what we accomplish is due to action. When I talk about working on mindset, I don't mean to read about it.  I mean, read about it and intentionally implement the strategies you learn.  The only true way you will beat procrastination is to strategically work on it every single day. With every link of the chain to the procrastination anchor that is broken, there becomes less fear and overwhelm and more light that will come to the surface. Getting to the Root of Procrastination The link between mindset and procrastination is that there is almost always a root cause for procrastinating.  As I mentioned before, that root is most likely fear or self-doubt. Taking intentional action to overcome fear and self-doubt will allow you to break the habit of procrastination. The 5C's, journaling around them, and creating a plan of action, even something as simple as time blocking, will be a great start.  I can tell you it's done wonders for me the past few months. Working with a Coach to End Procrastination and Have Accountability Working with a coach has also made a huge difference for me in terms of getting out of my own way. I was afraid of spending the money, but I have been blown away by the return on investment and transformation I am experiencing. It proves to me that we all need support and other eyes on our businesses if we are going to continue to grow and succeed. Break all the bad habits. Overcoming fear and self-doubt. Live with less procrastination and build foundations for success. And this is why I am announcing a new coaching program for 2021.  My goal is to help entrepreneurs build foundations for brand success.  To create personal brands that stand out, attract clients, and make money while making an impact. I want to contribute more to the ripple effect of making the world a better place.  How better to do that than to help other women build solid foundations to in turn help others. This program will have a heavy concentration on brand marketing strategy and personal branding, but also mindset.  I will be taking a limited number of clients, so if you are ready to invest in your brand and business to build a solid foundation for success, be sure and reach out before January 11th when I officially launch.   We will be accepting applications on January 2nd. Choose a Word of the Year to Overcome Procrastination Another idea to help break the habit of procrastination is to choose a word of the year.  For example, two years ago, my word was confidence. I created a vision board with confidence in huge letters across the middle.  It served as a constant reminder to believe in myself and be courageous over the fear that had been holding me back. For 2020, my word was gratitude.  It's kind of ironic, but when I think about it, it was the perfect choice because having gratitude and patience is what has helped me get through this trying year. And for 2021, my word is action. I have worked really hard to ramp up momentum the past few months and I am going to continue to take intentional action to propel myself toward each of my goals for 2021. Instead of setting a new year's resolution, which who really keeps those anyway, think of a word that can inspire, motivate, and help you move forward throughout 2021. If you struggle to find the “right” word at first, pray on it.  Look back on 2021 and see where you needed the most help.  Could action be the word for you?  Maybe it's confidence, courage, faith, gratitude, grace, discipline, love, intention. It could be a value that you want to focus on. You don't have to create a vision board.  Write the word at the top of each of your journal pages and then create a mantra around it that you can say and write daily throughout the year.  Try it and see how it changes your mindset.  It really is remarkable. The Last Episode in 2020 On that note, this is the last episode of 2020. A year ago, I was just moving out of a state of procrastination to start this podcast. How I wish I'd take action earlier in 2019.  But it's worked out and God has blessed me with more success for the podcast than I could have ever imagined. As we move out of 2020 and into a new year, I wish you all a year of love, hope, gratitude, and success.  Remember to give yourselves the gifts of grace and self-compassion daily. And, I want to thank you for being here with me each week.  I appreciate you and I especially appreciate the shares on Instagram and Facebook, and the ratings and reviews.  All are how we continue to be able to host inspiring guests.  So, if you enjoyed this episode, please screenshot it and share it!  Hopefully, we can help many others move from the weight of procrastination to propelling toward success and joy. Oh, and one more thing.  As a podcast host, I sit here behind this mic, but I never know who is listening.  It's hard because I love to see people's reactions and I love to get to know people.  I love to hear your stories and hear how the podcast has helped you. Will You Help Me Out? Will you please pop into my DMs on Instagram and introduce yourself or join The Female Entrepreneur Insider on Facebook so that I can meet you!  I'd love to know who's listening and connect with you. And if there are topics you'd like me to cover share them with me!  I'm always open to fresh ideas! January is for Celebrating Lastly, we have a big month in January.  It's the one-year anniversary of the show, celebrating almost 11,000 unique downloads, the 100th episode, and my birthday!  Look for an announcement of a give-away the week of January 4th!  I'll be announcing the winner during the Attract More Client's Accelerator Workshop from January 11th to 13th. There will be opportunities for prizes in the workshop too! Happy New Year and May you find God's presence and blessings in all you do in 2021.   Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest

Self-compassion means being warm, kind, and giving yourself grace. Have you ever felt like a sheet being tossed to and fro in the dryer? A lack of self-compassion and clarity can leave us feeling like a sheet in the dryer. Swish, shush, swish, and a ton of other noise going on in our mind as it spins with overwhelm. Often, but especially during the holiday season, we feel like we don't have direction or clarity and it's important to give ourselves the gift of self-compassion. Instead of having self-compassion, we often only see what's wrong with us.  We lack compassion and self-judgment overrules. Krista Resnick saw this first-hand with her photography clients and decided to become a life coach so that she could do deeper work and impact women and how they feel about themselves. Everything Happens For a Reason When we are on a journey, every experience leads us to something more meaningful, for purpose. We need to stop looking at life from why is this happening to me, to why is this happening for me? This outlook shift will move us from a victim's mindset to become seekers.  This mindset shift will help us heal and grow and be our authentic, beautiful selves. What Does Self-Compassion mean? Self-compassion means to be warm, kind, and to give yourself grace. That is true self-compassion.  Talking to ourselves like we would talk to a friend.  We give compassion to others, but no for ourselves. When we aren't coming from a place of self-compassion, we are coming from a place of self-judgment. Self-judgement is a form of protection.  It is a way to protect ourselves from being hurt or judged.  We are judging ourselves so others can't judge us.  If we are being cruel to ourselves by judging ourselves. This is an act of blocking ourselves from expansion, up-leveling, growing, and stepping into the most powerful version of ourselves. When we are doing this to ourselves, we can't build relationships with others. Self-Love and Self-Compassion go Hand-in-Hand Self-love is the power cord to all things.  Knowing that you were made for something powerful and great and that you are enough. We aren't taught how to have self-compassion or to love ourselves. Self-judgment is Learned and Blocks Self-Compassion Many people have been taught to judge themselves. When people grow up in a home of judgment and squashing of ideas, they will be more likely to judge themselves and lack self-compassion. Start to make judgment unfamiliar and start to make self-compassion familiar. Awareness Awareness is where we begin.  We can't change what we aren't aware of.  But we have to embody the beliefs and implement them.   It takes action.  Information doesn't equate to transformation.  Embodiment, action, and intention have to come into play. Patience is an underutilized tool.  It's not a one and done when it comes to learning self-compassion.  You can't just read about it, you have to take action. Fear leads us to procrastination and when we procrastinate, we don't take action to embody the things we need to embrace self-compassion. Ask Yourself What is it that stops you from practicing self-compassion? Clarity It is often clarity that stops us from having self-compassion and taking action to achieve our goals and dreams. You have to have clarity around that to be able to shift it. "Clear is kind.  Unclear is unkind." – Brene Brown Not being clear on what you want in your life causes suffering. The mind knows that once we get clear we have to take action, and taking action is intimidating. Find out what stops you from practicing self-compassion. When you are kind to yourself, is when you have terrific gains. 3 Elements of Self-Compassion Self-awareness We cannot shift what we are not aware of.  Notice when are you being the mean girl. When do you feel low? When are you bombarding yourself with the should have's, etc. Common Humanity We have to stop isolating ourselves because we aren't the only ones going through hard things.  Every human has pain and suffering. We are all in this together and should be supporting each other. Kindness over judgment Kindness over self-judgment. Grace over self-berating. I am enough.  I deserve unconditional love.  If we aren't nice to ourselves, how will we rise and make the impact we are meant to make.  You can't rise and answer your diving calling if you don't have self-compassion. Action Start to make self-compassion familiar. Patience and Grace What stops me from being more compassionate with myself? Identify What stops me from being warm and understanding with myself? What are my go-to self-judgments? Take self-judgments and flip them – write them in the voice of self-compassion Identify one way we can give ourselves grace? Everything starts with just one thing. Honor yourself by taking action to that one thing to offer yourself grace. It's important to write these out, not type them so that the brain can truly connect with them. Be aware of the two voices: the voice of judgment and the voice of compassion. Notice when you take that action how it feels in the body.  What is your mind offering you when you take that grace.  Pay attention to your body and trust yourself to know when it's time to give yourself another compassion break. Patience Much of this work is about slowing down.  Patience comes into play to be able to slow down, take time, don't rush through it, and we'll know when it's time to move forward with another step. Often times when we slow down, we start to panic.  Rushing through life is a response to trauma.  So when we stop, a flood of emotions come into our mind and heart. Then we want to numb ourselves. Picking up our phones or other addictions are tools we use to numb ourselves. When these moments come, take an inventory of what's going on.  Take them as a reminder to slow down and treasure the emotions and moments that are fleeting. About Krista Krista is a women's leadership expert, success coach, sought-after speaker, and mother of three teenage boys. She is a powerhouse of soul, fun, compassion, and vibrancy.  Her honest and curious approach guides the women she serves in a way that is both real, true, and supportive. Krista's work empowers female leaders to stop settling, embrace their wholeness, and define success o their own terms.  Her Selfish Badass Movement has helped hundreds of women across the globe.  Krista is a walking permission slip, inspiring women to show up unapologetically and live a life that lights their souls on fire. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more about Krista and connect with her: Website: www.kristaresnick.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristaresnickcoaching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristaresnickcoaching LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krista-resnick-4a406713b/

Is there such a thing as job security?  Maybe Entrepreneurship is the only way to find it.   Whether you are unhappy in your job or were laid off, entrepreneurship is a great place to find job security for the future. Your second phase is waiting for you! Why are you showing up to a job every day that you hate? Or, maybe, it's even worse.  Maybe in the year of layoffs, you were laid off too.  If that happened to you, I'm very sorry. I'm sending you hugs and strength. But, unfortunately, that is the reality we are living in.  I think the number of people that lost their job in 2020 is around 3 million. What does that tell us?  That there is no guarantee of security when working for someone else. So instead of being unhappy, or spending hours, days, weeks, months looking for a new job, why don't you create something of your own?  You can! Not sold, yet?  Here's the deal. Don't Settle for Unhappy to Have Job Security If you're showing up unhappy to work, you are showing up unhappy at home. Unhappiness with your work leads to unhappiness in every aspect of your life.  You'll be grumpy with the kids, grumpy with your spouse or partner, grumpy about life in general.  Being unhappy will also lead you to be unhealthy. Not to mention, your anxiety levels will be higher, which can lead to a higher risk of depression and other health problems. Did you know that in less than 6 months' time you could put all of that behind you and build a business? If you are still working and haven't been laid off, you can approach it as a side gig at first, if you need to. A side gig can bring in additional income and give you hope for the day you reach your goal and can take the side gig to full-time entrepreneurship. Can't Quit Your Day Job? Find Job Security in a Side Gig. Even if you can't quit your day job today, or next week, or next month or even next year because you need the benefits to keep your family secure, you can start and do it on the side until you are making enough money to walk away with full satisfaction and security. People will tell you that you are crazy.  They'll tell you that you can't do it, that it's too much or not enough.  But the nay-sayers will always have something to say.  Don't listen to them unless they have something constructive to say because they don't know what's best for you. Only you know what's best for you and what your intentions are. What's Holding You Back from Creating a New Type of Job Security? Maybe not having any idea what you could do or how you could help others is holding you back in addition to the security of the full-time job you're miserable in. But that's just an excuse. If you have lived, you have experiences that you've gone through that you can now help others with.  There will always be someone 1, 3, or 5 years behind you that could use your help.  Maybe through mentoring, maybe through coaching, or maybe through teaching. You do not have to have a certification to be an expert at something.  If you have been successful in your corporate roles and responsibilities, you can guide someone else to be successful too. If you look back on the times you felt amazing about a job well done, or were given a reward, what were you doing?  Can you use that expertise to create a business of your own? Still don't have any idea how you could apply your skills to create a side gig or start your own business? Opportunity Can Be Found In Your Values, Visions, and Passions Let me ask you this.  What are you passionate about?  What makes you want to get out of bed in the morning?  What lights you up inside when you think about it?  Do you have a hobby that you could turn into a profession? What are your values?   Do they align with your passion, or can you make them align with your passion? What are your visions for yourself?  What do you see yourself doing when you are daydreaming?  Who do you see yourself working with when you are fantasizing about leaving your current job? What About Money? Is Money Security? If you don't know where to begin, you'll be wise to hire someone so that you don't waste time, energy, or money on starting and doing things wrong.  Sure, doing things wrong gives great learning opportunities, but if you hate your job and want to get your new business off the ground sooner than later, you don't want to risk doing things backward, or not establishing a firm foundation for success. It's one thing to make mistakes along the way, but something completely different to not know what you are doing and waste time not getting clients when all you really want is to create financial security to move forward, whether it's leaving your current job, or replacing the job you lost. But, if you really can't afford to spend a dime to start something, start anyway.  I know you have a Google search bar, use it. Action Can Create A Second Phase with Job Security Google your idea and see what comes up.  Has anyone else created something similar? If yes, research them.  You don't want to duplicate what they are doing, but by researching, you can identify the areas of their business that needs improvement.  How can you build on your idea by improving what someone else in the same space is doing? The goal is to continue creating in a way that will differentiate you from all others in the space while taking advantage of your unique skill sets and creative ideas. Once your research is complete, you start building the business. Some of the first things you'll need to consider are: Niche and Ideal Audience Now that you've done your research and identified your area of focus, your niche, you must identify your ideal audience.  You've all heard me say this many times before,  you must know who you're talking to or you'll be talking to no one.  Make sure that your niche and ideal audience align with your values, visions, and passions. Learn more about niching down here. Naming Your Business Will you use your name or will you create a catchy name. No matter what you decide, invest in the URL with your name in it, if it is available. Then purchase the URL with the name of your business.  You should be able to purchase URLs with privacy protection for around $40. I recommend SiteGround as a hosting platform and will include a referral link in the show notes. Realizing you may not have the resources to build a website immediately, you should purchase the domain names so that you have them when you are ready.  This will prevent someone else from purchasing them before you. When naming your business think about your long-term goals.  Are you building a business that you could grow and sell in the future?  If yes, you will want a catchy name (no more than 4 syllables), something that will transfer with the business if it's sold. If ultimately selling the business is not your goal, then using your name is a great idea.  Why?  Because you can expand your business and add additional services as you grow.  For example, if you use your name and decide to write a book, you can use your current website and add a landing page for the book. Grab the URL's Now If you can't afford a website upfront, create a business page on both Facebook and Instagram. Drive traffic to these pages and as you get clients ask them for reviews on the Facebook business page. You need a place to house your information and let people know you are legit. I will never tell you that not having a website is the best way to proceed, but if you are on a tight budget, lost your job, or resources are limited because you're starting a side-gig, at a minimum use Facebook and Instagram to build an audience and build the know love and trust factor. The most important thing is to start taking action to build the business. Creating a Logo If you are on a budget and don't have a lot to invest in your business upfront, do not create a logo.  That may sound like a crazy recommendation, but it's sound. I promise. Here's why.  Your logo is not your brand.  A logo is part of your brand identity, but if you are starting out on a budget, invest in a professional headshot, and use that as your brand identifier.  You will become recognizable and memorable faster, which is critical when first starting out. Read more about the 5 components of a personal brand here. Your professional headshot, and if you don't have a surplus of money to invest in a professional headshot, download my Smart Phone Photography for Business eBook to learn how you can create a good enough selfie for starters.   (the link will be in the show notes). Being the face of your brand will pay off faster than any other investment you can make when starting a business.  People buy personalities they trust so get out there and introduce yourself to the world. Create Content No one will find you if you aren't presenting yourself to them. Where to begin?  As I mentioned before, having business pages on Facebook and Instagram are key starting points. The Bio Start with your bio, which I like to call your I help statement, on your social media platforms. This statement should tell your audience who you are, who you serve, and the problem you solve for them. For example, I help women create personal brands that stand out, attract more clients, and make money.  Host of The Second Phase Podcast, and Headshot and Branding Photographer. You are limited on character count, so you have to be creative to get your message across as simple and concise as possible. Educate, Entertain, and Inspire Social media posts should be clear, cohesive, and consistent. Educate, entertain, and inspire. Always have a call to action.  Invite them to ask you a question, remind them to download your lead magnet, ask them to answer a question related to your post topic. Your goal should be to build relationships that will convert to clients or become collaboration opportunities or referral sources. Email Marketing Another strategy is email marketing.  Use your existing contact list and create an email marketing plan to announce your new business and let people know what you are doing, how you serve, and the problem you will solve for them. It gets a little tricky because people don't like to be added to an email list they didn't subscribe to.  However, your family and friends adore you and want to know what you're up to so start with them. The List Create your list in Mail Chimp, Constant Contacts, or Active Campaign.  I have an affiliate link for Active Campaignon my website if you decide to go with that platform. The link will be in the show notes.  But start with a free platform until your list grows enough that you need to start paying for a subscription. Create an email announcement to send to your existing list.  Introduce your business and give them the opportunity within the body of the email to unsubscribe if they don't want to follow along with your journey. This is how I created my email list 10 years ago and very few people unsubscribed.  Most were curious and wanted to follow along with my journey and many are still with me today. At the same time you are creating this list, create a lead magnet.  This is a free gift related to your expertise that will drive traffic to your email list.  People will gladly give you their email address if you create something that will solve a problem they have. Lead Magnets Lead magnets can be short and sweet, but they must solve a problem.  Think about the Smart Phone Photography for Business eBook I mentioned earlier.  People want to have great photos for their business, but they can't afford to have a professional photographer at the ready.  My ebook is a free gift that helps people create eye-catching photos for their social media feeds, brochures, etc. You can offer a tip sheet, for example, a checklist, or your top 5 favorite products for your business, etc.   Other examples I have are the 5 Components of a Personal Brand, The Personal Branding Lookbook eBook, and How to Prepare for a Headshot Session.  The links to each one of these will be in the show notes if you'd like to download them. The lead magnet should showcase your expertise in your niche and help you stand out as an authority while also solving a problem for your audience. A Website is Still Best You can literally start a business and build a brand using the tools I've mentioned.  Do I recommend having a website and do I believe a great website will help you build your business faster and have more credibility, yes?  100%, but if you are starting with limited resources, start by following the steps I've suggested above. Are you still struggling with where to begin? Book a call with me to learn more about my coaching program that will guide you every step of the way to create a personal brand and business and stands out, attracts clients, and makes money. Not sure about investing in a coach?  Attend the Attract More Clients Accelerator in the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group from January 11th to 13th at 12 pm ET.  The link is in the show notes or search for the group on Facebook. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest

Setting Intentions Or Not Can Be a Deal Breaker For Achieving Goals for Business and Life Success   Intentions.  What are they? They are basically a purpose or objective for achieving something.  If you have a goal, you set an intention to achieve it. Intentions come in all forms and sizes.  It could be something as simple as setting an intention to clean the house on Saturday morning, to making $200K by the end of 2021. Anything is possible if you set intentions or live with intention. Some of the areas in life and business that we can be intentional are: Relationships Listening Intuition Goals Strategy Social Media Self-Care Before we talk about how to set intentions in each area, or how being intentional can change our lives, let's understand a little bit more about intentions. Understanding Intentions When you set an intention, you are opening up to receive what you want. Think about setting intentions as a guide for your day, week, month, or year.  If you want direction, you have to establish it upfront.  An intention serves this purpose. When you set out to go to your friend's new house, you use your GPS, or Waze, to give you step by step directions.   Likewise, when you are setting goals for yourself, you need to intentionally map out the actions you need to take to get to the finish line, to accomplish the goal. Just like driving to your friend's house, there are multiple routes you can take.  There may be construction or heavy traffic, or God forbid an accident, and you'll be redirected.   But you can still get there. The intentions we set are like GPS.  As long as we've set them and we have a goal to work toward, we can use the intentions as our road map. It's about taking intentional action. The Power of Intentions The power of intentions comes from stating what you want, declaring your goal or desire, and how you want it to happen.  When setting intentions, we are more likely to take action than to leave the result up to the life events happening around us. Intentions aren't about manifesting material things, I guess they can be, but they are more about our emotional well- being.  Kelsey Patel refers to it as the mind, body, and spirit triad. Intentions should be set based on overall goals and objectives for the well-being of mind, body, and spirit, which collectively will include our brands and businesses because this is life as a whole.  In other words, there has to be intention with the intention. Have Gratitude When Setting Intentions When setting intentions, it's also key to have gratitude for the blessings we've already experienced or have.  Approaching intentions with gratitude, allows us to come from a place of peace, not want and scarcity. Gratitude, for example, for previous successes or successful relationships takes us to a mindset of confidence, not fear or desperation that comes from thoughts of scarcity. There is no time limit to intentions.   Intentions can be set monthly, weekly, or daily, but no matter the timeline, we must remind ourselves of them and take time to focus on them daily. When setting intentions, start with a mantra. Incorporate the mantra into your morning routine.  Write it when you journal, say it when you meditate, say it when you take your lunch break, and again at bedtime. Say it as often as you need to keep it front of mind. Deepak Chopra wrote: “The ancient Vedic texts known as the Upanishads declare, “You are what your deepest desire is. As is your desire, so is your intention. As is your intention, so is your will. As is your will, so is your deed. As is your deed, so is your destiny.” Our destiny ultimately comes from the deepest level of desire and also from the deepest level of intention. The two are intimately linked to each other.” Just like our personal brands are linked to our whole being, our desires and intentions are woven together. Setting Intentions for Life and Business   Relationships If we want successful relationships, we can't leave them up to fate. We have to take action and set intentions to communicate, to show love, kindness, respect, and vulnerability.  Relationships with family and friends, colleagues, and clients, are all a two-way street.  We have to set intentions for being present in the relationships if the relationships are going to blossom into something deeper. Listening Are you a good listener?  If you are, I commend you!  Cheers to you! Being a good listener is so much easier said than done.  How often do you deeply focus, and when I say you, I'm referring to me too, when having a conversation? I'm guilty of going on about my work, and even worse, picking up my darn phone when my husband or kids are talking to me.  It's awful.  Thank God I catch myself now and stop before I commit the ultimate insult! But in all seriousness, listening intently is hard.  Our lives are going so fast-paced around us that we often have surface conversations instead of truly listening.  Listening with intention is something that we all need to do more of, listening with our mind, body, and spirit, to show respect to our families and friends as well as our colleagues and clients. If we don't listen with intention, two things happen.  One, we miss out on important information and feedback, and two, we insult the one speaking to us. Intuition Do you follow your gut?  Intentionally listening to our intuition can be so powerful for our overall well-being and the well-being of those around us. Our gut tells us things all day every day.  Little warning signs to slow down and really think before acting or a rush of pleasure that tells us to proceed full speed ahead. Listening to our intuition, our gut talking to us, is key for making good decisions in life and business. It can also impact how we treat others.  Our intuition is powerful at picking up the world around us and the needs of others.  It could be something as simple as noticing someone seems down and intuition prompting us to ask how they are, to give them a chance to express themselves or ask for help.  Intuition can also save us from harmful situations. Be intentional about listening to and following your intuition.   Don't ever ignore those gut feelings.  God made the body so intricately that it communicates as an entirety; gut to mind, mind to gut! Goals Goals.  Desires.  Wants. Dreams. Those things we want but our mind sometimes gets in the way of. In order to achieve goals or have our dreams come true, we have to be intentional about setting them and taking effective action to accomplish them. It isn't enough to set a goal and sit back and wait for them to come to fruition.  We have to intentionally establish an action plan to achieve them. Start by stating the goal out loud. Then journal about the goal and the steps you think you need to achieve it.  Next, tell a friend or family member about your goal so that you have an accountability partner.  Someone who will call you out when you are getting in your way and someone who will praise you when you've taken action to achieve the goal. Setting intentional goals includes setting goals that are achievable through intentional action. If we set unachievable goals, intentional action may not get us there.  It's important to be realistic so as not to set ourselves up for failure and then fall into a place of no confidence and a scarcity mindset. Strategy Whether talking about relationships or goals, we have to have a strategy in place. We have to have intention around who we want to serve and how we will serve them. If we want a successful brand, we have to set the intention for telling our story and sharing enough about ourselves that we can become recognizable and memorable and build trust. Strategy comes into play when creating content to tell the world our story and welcoming others into our community, our audience so that we can ultimately serve them. Have an intentional strategy that provides clarity with what you do and who you serve. Be intentional with differentiating yourself by creating content that demonstrates your unique skills and the value you provide. It's important to have an intentional strategy to build an action plan that allows each action step to propel us forward for another action that will ultimately lead us a series of actions to achieve the success we want. Social Media I can't forget to mention this. Social media has beautiful benefits for building relationships, staying in touch with family and friends, creating community, collaboration opportunities, and attracting clients. But, social media, if not used with intention can lead us down a rabbit hole of comparison, and imposter syndrome resulting in a lack of productivity so that our intentions are never accomplished. Be aware of when you are picking up your phone. Are you using it as a numbing tool? Do you pick it up when you are sad, frustrated, overwhelmed, or anxious? When you pick up the phone, are you picking it up with intentions of posting, of engaging, following up with someone, building relationships, or creating collaboration opportunities? Be mindful that each time you pick up your phone you are picking it up with a specific intention in mind.  And if you don't have an intention in mind, put it back down and focus on the intentional action you were working on previously. If you begin practicing intentional social media use, you'll see a big difference in your productivity level because you won't be as distracted or succumb to comparison or imposter syndrome as often. Self-care Lastly, be intentional with self-care.  Keeping with the GPS analogy, if your gas tank is empty, you will not be able to serve others with intention.  When you are tired, you can't listen with intention. Without regular exercise, your body won't have the energy that you need to push through the long days of taking action to accomplish your goals. When you don't exercise, your body isn't as healthy and therefore your mind isn't as healthy.  The mind needs the endorphins released with exercise to help boost energy and creativity.  Exercise can also help decrease anxiety. It's also important to be intentional with your mental health. Take breaks. Journal, meditate, block out time for daily devotions and time to reset. Doing so will help you find joy which will help you stay positive when it's time to do the action items that aren't as fun or take more patience. Practicing gratitude will also help with maintaining a sense of peace, joy, and patience as you implement your intentional action plans for business and life success. A Little Intention Inspiration I want to leave you with something fun and inspiring. If you haven't seen it, check out Justin Bieber's music video or listen to his song with Quavo titled “Intentions”.  I'll include the link to the video in the show notes. If you found this episode helpful for being more intentional, please share it with family and friends who might need to hear it too.  And let me know your favorite takeaways in The Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group! Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest

As an Entrepreneur, You Have to Know How to Start an Online Business.  Once the Business is Built, You Need to Market?  The Easiest Way to Reach a Large Audience is To Do  Podcast Interviews. But First, You Need to Know How To Find the Right Podcast and How to Be a Guest.   Case Lane Case Lane is a global writer, entrepreneur, podcaster, and the founder of Ready Entrepreneur.  Her business prepares aspiring entrepreneurs to understand how to take advantage of technology and global resources to achieve lifestyle freedom by starting their own online business.  She is a former diplomat, consultant, and corporate executive.  Case is also the author of Recast: The Aspiring Entrepreneurs Practical Guide to Getting Started with an Online Business.  She is also the author of The Life Online Series, a fiction thriller. Building an online business is like playing a new role in your life.  Similarly, being an entrepreneur gives you the freedom to arrange your schedule. The 1st Ten Steps On How to Start an Online Business 5 Fundamental Steps 1.Deep Breath – survey the scene, get organized Designate a Proper Place to Work Gather Your Tools Around You Remove Distraction s Set Your Schedule and Stick to it 5 Creative Steps Business Idea Focus on the value you deliver Try different ways that it will work, may take time, that's why you want. something that you love and are interested in. It may take perseverance and that's what wins it in the end. Discover what will work for you. Research and get enough information to get started Connect with Others Go Beyond the People Around You Ask for recommendations for people you can talk to Answer questions on Quora Doing the work gives you the momentum to move forward Facebook groups Create Your Action Plan This will change, but you need a place to start Do the 1st Activity to Set Yourself into Action Now you know how to start an online business, you've established it, how do you market it? Using Podcasts for Marketing and Online Business Being a guest on podcasts is the best way to meet the masses.  It is great for name recognition, presenting yourself as an expert and authority in your space, and building trust. But there are so many podcasts, how does a person find the right podcasts that are going to align with your values and your business. The Process of Finding, Researching, and Contacting Podcasts Use Podcast Directories Apple Podcasts Podcast Index Digital Podcast.com Listen Notes Blueberry You want to use a directory that shows the names and a description of the shows. Come up with Categories and Keywords Input the categories and keywords into the directories to search for names and types of podcasts Look at the Last Episode Post Date Some shows end.  If there hasn't been an episode released in the last 3 to 6 months it may no longer be active. In Apple Podcast you can see the date of the last published episode, the description of the show, and the description of each episode. Obtain Contact Information for the Podcast Obtain email Email Pitch to Podcast, direct contact to podcaster is best. Tailor the pitch to the podcast host When pitching, be sure to include your website URL, your social media handles, and any other information that will help the podcast host learn enough about you to make an informed decision about you as a guest without having to do additional research. The Value of Podcasts Podcasts are a great way to learn and connect with others.  Information is at your fingertips. Podcasts are a permanent asset.  Even when the podcast ends, it is still available unless the podcaster stops paying for the hosting fee. Use the podcasts as permalinks back to you and your information. What are the Responsibilities of a Guest Once they are on the Podcast? Share the podcast on your social media platforms. Put the link on your website on a media or press page. Put the link on the features on LinkedIn too. Having a place to showcase your interviews help people see you as an expert and authority in your area of expertise. Come up With a Promotion Plan Use Canva and create a template for promoting shows you've been a guest on. Share the graphic on social media and your website and share the link. Have a process and promote the episode within a week. Create templates for what you want to share about your interview. Use the links when you reference the discussion at later dates.  Backlinks are powerful for SEO. Always tag the host when you post so that they know you have promoted the show. It's a joint effort and a win-win for the guest and the host. Related Podcast Episodes mentioned during the interview: Podcast Etiquette with Michele Glogovac - Episode 53 How to Pitch to the Media with Yvette Walker - Episode 89 PR Strategies for Free Marketing with KJ Blattenbauer - Episode 29 Free downloads from Case: The 1st 10 Actions to Create an Online Business The Check List for Pitching to Be a Podcast Guest Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE.   To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more about and connect with Case Lane:   Website: https://www.readyentrepreneur.com/ Facebook: @readyentrepreneurHQ Instagram: @readyentrepreneur LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chi-emeruwa-7a36b14/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/caselaneworld/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/CaseLaneWorld YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCovzFtOHutvmlD0_pqFZUUg Email: contactcase@readyentrepreneur.com  

As a Business Owner, It's Important to Know How to Pitch to Media Outlets, but Even More Important to Adhere to Your Faith and Values as a Personal Brand   Yvette Walker Yvette Walker is a journalist, podcast host, and Dean of Student Affairs and Administration at Gaylord College at the University of Oklahoma. She is passionate about Jesus, podcasting, and her students. The key message that Yvette shares are that God is in every day, and His joy is in the details. Adhering to values is very important to Yvette and something she teaches her students. During our conversation, Yvette shares her view on journalism ethics and her calling to start the Positively Joy podcast. She also shares how to pitch to media outlets effectively, so that they will tell your story. 5 Tips on How to Pitch to Media Outlets First, surround a news peg. a. Explain why the pitch is important at the present time b. Holidays, current events, etc. Second, have a Good Story. a. A new book or the work you do are good, but you have to have a story around them                         because most journalism is human interest Third, have good artwork. a. Provide artwork to save the newsroom and journalist time and money b. Artwork includes photos c. Personal Branding photos are fabulous if you are an entrepreneur pitching a story Fourth, anticipate questions the outlet may have and answer them in your pitch. a. Anticipate their questions and provide the answers to save them time b. The easier you make it for the journalist or media outlet, the more likely they are to                        accept your pitch Fifth, know the outlet. a. Know who you are talking to b. Be aware of the interests of the outlet c. Know the audience of the outlet d. Find the right person within the outlet to pitch your topic to The Ethics of Journalism Yvette shares her perspective as a journalist, an ombudsman, a professor, and a podcast host. The daily news cycle has increased, and journalists are now limited on time. They are chasing stories and sometimes because of deadlines, they can't tell the entire story. There isn't enough time to spend on each story when deadlines are demanding. Bias Yvette shares that she has never met anyone who tried to cause intentional malice to anyone when telling a story. Journalists have a bias because they are human, however, when they are presenting material to the public, they have to follow ethics and share all sides of the story to make it as representative as possible. Most importantly, stories have to be told in a way to reach all populations. Diversity is a form of accuracy and journalists have to be objective. However, the "talking heads", or show hosts, reporting the story can and will infuse their opinions into the story. As a result, the facts can be skewed and the perspective of the listener altered. There are definitely media outlets that lean more left or right. But, the journalists working for the outlets should adhere to their code of ethics and report honest facts. It's important to differentiate between the journalists and the talking heads. Journalism is a complicated career. People don't see the behind the scenes, they only see what's shared. Positively Joy Podcast Yvette felt called to start a podcast. It wasn't originally meant to be Positively Joy, she had other ideas, but God guided her to do this podcast. She hadn't shared her faith openly often but knew her gifts and talents were all from God. After going to a DIVE conference by Rita Springer, she was opened up and started writing songs and a devotional. As 2020 unfolded and COVID hit, she finally had time to start the podcast she'd been dreaming of for the past 5 years. Yvette's goal with the podcast is to encourage and teach others to help them find joy. She believes God is using her to share His word and get his message out into the world. "We look for God every day, and his joy is in the details." Following your values, is key, and doing so can help instill joy in your life. It's important to know what you stand for and what you are willing to do. Holding to our values helps us to make the right decisions, especially when faced with challenging decisions. The Personal Brand and Values Above all, no matter where you are working, you need to uphold your faith and values. When people know who you are and what you stand for, they are more likely to hire you. No matter if you work for yourself or as an entrepreneur, you have a personal brand, which is what other people think of you. Your personal brand is how you will build relationships and trust. Choose Joy If we spend time with God each day, we will be able to find joy. When we turn off for a little bit and let God enter our hearts, joy will flow within us. Yvette has a special gift to help you find joy too. Download Yvette's 5 Steps to Choosing Joy by Building Systems and Creating Spaces to meet with God Daily. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more about and connect with Yvette: Website: https://positivelyjoy.com/ Facebook: @positivelyjoypodcast Instagram: @positivelyjoypodcast Pinterest: @positivelyjoypodcast

Are You Curious About Creating a Personal Brand as a Network Marketing Company Representative?   Network marketing companies are very popular and a gateway into entrepreneurship.  I know many women who have created a beautiful life for themselves by joining such organizations.   The most successful have created personal brands while using the resources that the company provides.   You might be asking how to create a personal brand as a network marketing company representative? For starters, let's keep in mind that your personal brand is your personality infused into your business. It is the perception others have of you, how they think and feel about your brand.  Your personal brand is your opportunity to differentiate yourself from others in your niche or area of expertise. If interested, you can learn more about personal branding, here. People want to get to know you and the only way for them to do that is for you to share who you are with them.  Let's dive into a few action steps you can take to create a personal brand that stands out, makes an impact, and sells without selling. What are the Steps to Creating a Personal Brand When you are part of a Network Marketing Company?   Be the Face of your Business You may be working for a large company that provides a lot of resources, but you are still the point of contact for any of the clients you sell to or any of the people who sign on under you.   When you present yourself using professional photographs you will become recognizable and memorable. This will help people get to know like and trust you.   The more you put yourself out in front of your audience, the more they will remember you and connect with you emotionally. When you step out from behind the business and the shadow of corporate content, people begin to trust you more and associate you with the products you are selling. Network Attending networking events and getting to know people in your community (presently virtual networking organizations and via social media) is a great way to grow a personal brand and be seen as an expert in your product area. Whether you are in the skincare, health and wellness supplement, fitness, essential oil, home décor, or jewelry industry you can demonstrate the effectiveness of your product by showing up in person. Realizing it isn't always possible to attend networking events in the community because of family commitments and time, you can use social media to network.  There really is no excuse because you can network straight from your sofa or kitchen table.   Show up for your audience and engage with them.   Ask them questions.  Get to know them.   Build relationships. Find out what they need help with and be their problem solver.   This can all be done by engaging in your social media feeds, asking questions of your audience having a call to action in each post, using stories with testimonials or examples, and sending direct messages to past and prospective clients.  Engage with your audience! Content As a network marketer, you have the best scenario for content creation.   Yes, you need to be the face of your brand and have branded photography specific to you, but you also have a plethora of written content available to you from your parent company.  You also have access to the professional photographs that your company has for each product they offer.  I suggest you take full advantage of every piece of content the company shares with you. You can use the pre-created content for blog posts.  You can break down the content into multiple social media posts, and you can use the stock photos specifically created for your product(s) to create a fantastic social media feed that looks fun and professional. Don't underestimate the content that has already been created for you. Use it and then add your client testimonials and your experiences to it to make it more meaningful.   When you personalize the pre-created content, it becomes your own and is more relatable for your audience.  This is how you build an emotional connection with your audience. You infuse your personality into your business. Your content should provide clarity for what you offer your clients: products and the level of service. Content should be consistent so that people learn to trust you.  And, your content should be cohesive from your website to social media platforms. As you create and use content, be sure it provides clarity for your audience, is cohesive from your website or sales page to your social media platforms, and is consistent. When your audience has clarity around the problem you solve for them, they will be more likely to connect with you and trust you.  If your brand is cohesive, you will be readily recognizable and memorable and when you are consistent with your messaging your audience will trust you. The 5 C's of Personal Branding come into play for creating content that genuinely connects.  You can learn more about the 5 C's here. Website Network marketing companies always have a website that you can personalize for your sales page.   Take advantage of it.  Add a professional headshot to the page to personalize it.   Use the bio to include your personal story to grow an emotional connection with your audience.   People buy personalities not products and services so you want to help them get to know you. Building trust is also key because the foundation of buying practices is trust. Your Why What is your “why”?  Why are you involved with this company, why do you use this product, why did you sign up to sell this product, why do you believe in this company and product? Your why is what people want to know most and it is what is ultimately going to help you improve your sales.   When people understand why you are selling to them they will understand why they should buy from you.   Maybe your why is that you lost a relative to cancer and swore to be healthy so that your children never have to lose you to cancer.  Or, maybe it is that your child became ill and you found that essential oils helped them overcome the illness. Whatever your story is, share it.  This will create a deep emotional connection with your audience. The deeper the emotional connection the more your ideal audience will trust you, which, will naturally result in sales. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest  

Want to Change Your Brand or Rebrand? Here's How to Pivot or Rebrand Successfully.   I recently did a presentation on personal branding and discovering clarity, confidence, and connection for your brand. One of the questions I received was "Do you have recommendations on how to pivot or rebrand successfully?". My response was that you first have to be clear about why you are pivoting. Why Pivot or Rebrand? If you are pivoting because your current brand isn't attracting clients, have you looked at every aspect of your brand to ensure that your efforts have been everything needed to attract the right audience. Have you had clarity and confidence in your current brand? Did you take time to differentiate yourself in your niche? Has your messaging been clear? Have you been consistent? Do people understand what you do and the problem you solve for them? If not, how do you see pivoting as a solution?  Pivoting will not solve the problem or make life easier.  You will still have to put forth efforts to communicate and connect with your audience to attract clients. On the flip side, if you are pivoting because you no longer feel aligned with your current brand, then you need to decide how much of your current brand you are going to carry over with you. When deciding on which components of your brand you are going to keep, you'll have to consider the differences between a brand, branding, and brand identity.   The Brand A personal brand is the perception others have of you.   It is how and what people think, feel, and say about you.  Your personal brand is how you've differentiated yourself from others in your niche. What your brand is not, is a logo.  And, it is not what you say it is.  It is what “they,” say it is. Branding Branding is telling the story of your brand.  It is communicating to the world what you are about and the problem you solve so that you can build a reputation and awareness around your brand.  Sharing your brand story is going to help you become recognizable, memorable, and shareable while building the know like and trust factor. Brand Identity Your brand identity involves the visual aspects of your brand.  The color pallet, typography, logo, and photography.  The things that visually make your brand recognizable and memorable. How to Pivot Your Brand When you consider pivoting, you must evaluate how your brand is going to change, how you will tell the story of your new brand through branding efforts, and whether or not your brand identity components will remain the same or change completely. If you've decided that pivoting is indeed the right action to take because you weren't being fulfilled by the work you were doing, you'll need to take steps to ensure your new brand has a foundation for success. What steps can you take immediately to build that foundation to Pivot or Rebrand successfully? Have Clarity Define your niche – if you need help with defining your niche, go back to Episode 69 in which I detail the 5 questions to ask yourself that will transform your business. Don't worry, you can be multi-passionate and niche down so that your brand is built on clarity. Defining your niche is imperative for identifying your ideal client avatar so that you can create content that connects directly with them. Talk to one person. If you are talking to everyone, you are talking to no one. Aligning your values, visions and passions will be a key step to identifying if you are on the right path to obtaining clarity, fulfillment, and success. Be Consistent Your content, both written and visual needs to be consistent so that your audience can be clear on what you do and the problem you solve for them. Content should be consistent from your website to your social platforms to your email marketing. Build Community Your community is your ideal audience and those you collaborate with. When you create content that is clear and consistent your ideal audience will find clarity in your messaging and begin to trust you.    Trust is the foundation of your brand.  People make buying decisions based on trust.  As you build a community, you'll build relationships, which will result in trust. I just summarized a few of the 5 C's of Personal Branding.  If you'd like to learn more about the 5 C's of personal branding, you can go back and listen to Episode 9. Before You Pivot or Rebrand But I have to reiterate.  Before you take the initiative to pivot, be sure that you've evaluated your efforts for your current brand.  Ask yourself if you are chasing a dream, feel that you are being called to pivot, or are frustrated with your current brand's level of success and think starting over will do the trick.   Because, if the latter, you will be much better served to revisit your current brand to ensure clarity than to invest resources in starting over completely. When starting over, you risk confusing your current audience.  If you decide the pivot is the way to go, lay the foundation so that you avoid confusion and hit the ground with complete clarity for yourself and your audience so that you can achieve success. In summary, pivoting can be beneficial if done for the right reasons, but it is imperative that you lay the groundwork first and evaluate how you will ensure clarity for your brand, your branding, and your brand identity as you move forward. If you are curious about how I can help you find clarity or create a brand with a detailed blueprint for branding strategy, book a call with me here. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest  

Having Gratitude Can Transform Your Life and Business   Thanksgiving   For those of us living in the U.S. today is Thanksgiving, a day designated for gratitude. It's my first Thanksgiving as a podcaster and having this platform to share my thoughts and feelings. Because it is a day set aside for thanksgiving, I felt it was a good time to talk about gratitude. “Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity...it makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” That is a quote from Melody Beattie and it's one I love to read as a reminder to myself to be grateful. If 2020 has been anything, it has been a year of turmoil, animosity, chaos, and confusion.   And yet, there have been so many blessings, both large and small. It can be extremely hard to see through loss and realize that there is something to be grateful for.  But there truly is always a reason to have a heart of gratitude for. Things we might take for granted: Health Family Someone to love A bed to lay your head at night Chairs and a Table to gather around The freedom to go to church Shade from a tree on a hot day The beautiful color of a flower Technology that enables us to work virtually Healthcare Feelings of joy, love, safety. The list goes on and on. Gratitude = Happy   Germany Kent said, “it's a funny thing about life, once you begin to take note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack.” In 1st Thessalonians chapter 5, verses 16-18, Paul tells us to be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. That sounds a lot easier than it is.   But one thing I've learned is that something good always comes from something bad.   Of course, I don't see it right away, but eventually, it becomes obvious, and I know that I can look back and say, “that's why that happened”.   Sometimes it's that I am able to help someone else through my experience.  Other times, it's that I was saved from some major stress, heartache, or bad circumstance because the thing I wanted didn't happen. Douglas Wood said, “The heart that gives thanks is a happy one, for we cannot feel thankful and unhappy at the same time.”  This is so very true!   Think about it.  When you've been feeling down, sad, or lost someone or something, if you stopped and felt grateful, the negative emotions were softened, decreased, or muted.  There's always a positive amidst the negative. Gratitude Even in 2020   In a year like 2020, it's really hard not to succumb to negative emotions, anxiety, stress, depression, and feelings of overwhelm.   I know I have felt them, sometimes to great depth.  But Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” If there is one verse that I love it is this one.  Knowing that there is nothing I can't ask God to help me with or provide for me is a great comfort. It may not take away all of my anxiety, but it does give me peace I wouldn't otherwise have.  Knowing He's got my back, even though His answer may not be the answer I want and the answer may not come at the time I want it to, I know that the answer will arrive at the right time and in the way that is best for me. If I can't think of anything else to be grateful for, at least I can always fall back on the fact I have Him watching over me and my family! When Paul was writing to the Philippians, he said to them, “I thank my God every time I remember you.”  Philippians 1:3 I want you to know that I am grateful for all of you who have been on this podcast journey with me this year.   The podcast is a major source of gratitude for me.  I have met amazing people and am so grateful I have been given this platform to share them with you and that you have so generously spent your time with me and left ratings and reviews. A quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson reads, “I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my friends, the old and the new.” I feel this way every day!  I am so grateful for you, my friends, and the fact you are here with me!   Not just today, on Thanksgiving, but every day! Charlotte Bronte read my mind when she said: “For my part, I am almost contented just now, and very thankful. Gratitude is a divine emotion: it fills the heart, but not to bursting; it warms it, but not to fever.” What is Gratitude?   Gratitude is the attribute of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. As Melody Beattie said in the quote above, “Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It makes us realize what we have, not just tangible things, but emotions too.  Simply being able to feel is something to be grateful for. I want to share this quote from Tecumseh: “When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself.” There is always something to be grateful for, large or small.   And there are always circumstances that you can move through or survive by being grateful.   In Episode 35 I talked about gratitude when in the midst of comparison and in Episode 66 I talked about being grateful for your unique gifts when imposter syndrome kicks in.   If you are struggling with either one, I encourage you to go back and listen to those two episodes.  I think they'll inspire you and definitely help boost your self-confidence going into the last six weeks of the year and into 2021. If you are feeling down, burdened by comparison or imposter syndrome, mourning the loss of a loved one, suffering from anxiety or depression or other illnesses, I encourage you to start writing down at least one thing every day that you are grateful for.   The list will grow each time you sit down to write, and you will begin to realize, your blessings far outweigh the burdens, stress, or overwhelm. I'm so thankful for you!   If you feel alone, know that I am thinking of you and am grateful for you. Happy Thanksgiving!   Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest  

When you stay healthy, you are more productive and your personal brand achieves more success and life overall is better. Are you wondering how to stay healthy, especially during the holiday season? Staying Healthy as an entrepreneur, especially when you are a mom, can be challenging!  But Abbie shares five health hacks you can implement, even though you are busy, that will help you be more successful and feel more energized. It's time to wring out the towel and get ready to start 2021 on the run. About Abbie Stasior Abbie comes from a long line of physicians.   It had always been assumed that Abbie would follow suit and become a physician.  But, deep down, Abbie knew that medical school wasn't where her heart was. Abbie is passionate about helping people strive for a higher level of success and live authentic and abundant lives.  She is also passionate about helping people mitigate their risk for developing chronic health conditions in natural ways: optimizing nutrition, engaging in physical activity, and managing stress. When applying to medical school, Abbie started to explore how to stay healthy and teach others to stay healthy. She is now a health coach and entrepreneur working to help others through her business, Be About Being Better. Abbie's motto is “What is easy is sustainable and what is sustainable will mitigate one's risk for developing chronic conditions.” If You Are Wondering How to Stay Healthy, Learn These 5 Health Hacks that Every Entrepreneur Should Implement A Morning and Evening Routine You need your time to ensure your mindset is in the best place it can be so that you can tackle the day at the best level possible. Morning Routine Enables you to feel how you want to feel when you walk into your first event of the day. Be intentional about what those things are that will make you feel that way. Exercise, meditation, journaling, or listening to a podcast. The order of the activities you choose makes a difference as well. Evening Routine What do I need to do in the evening to set myself up for success the next day. Unplug from devices, journal, meditate, whatever activity helps you relax. Prepare what you'll need to start the next day off on the right foot, pack lunches, lay out clothes, etc. Rest is Success Prioritize Sleep Watch Dr. Mathew Walkers Ted Talk on Sleep. “Sleep is Your Superpower”. If you are sleep deprived for even one hour, your immune system is significantly compromised. Loss of sleep impacts: Mood Digestion Hunger hormones Sleep helps keep a level head when we are around so many temptations, especially around the holiday. Cycle Syncing If you still have a menstrual cycle, this is very important. The book, “In the Flow” by Alisa Vitti Energy levels vary depending on the time of the month. When you align your activities with your cycle you will feel better. Eat, exercise, and structure activities based on your cycle.  Have the Treats (how to stay healthy and have the goodies too) Don't be restrictive When restrictive, it drains energy Being restrictive causes over-indulging Be intentional about when you have treats and how much you have Three Rules – only break one throughout the day or maybe one and a half on a holiday. Hit all of your nutrition goals by eating clean Exercise No alcohol The book, Eat that Frog by Brian Tracy  Nutrition 50% of the plate should be fruits and vegetables, 25% carbs and 25% protein For the holidays, go with 30% of each instead of the 50/25/25 Drink a lot of water Water decreases bloating. When you feel thirsty, you are 2% dehydrated. 15% dehydration is fatal. Water helps with energy and keeps your skin looking great too. Movement From a muscle physiology standpoint, there isn't a difference between 20/30 minutes and 45/60 minutes for the average person doing the average workout. From a muscle physiology standpoint, there isn't a difference between 20/30 minutes and 45/60 minutes for the average person doing the average workout. Mini-Coaching Session Question 1 When do you feel you should implement Facebook and Instagram ads instead of using organic growth? Things to consider: Organic growth brings in a warmer audience. Cost - Ads can be costly. Time - Ads are time-consuming. Ads are complicated if doing them correctly. Return on Investment Question 2 How do you build an Instagram Account for Business? Profile photo – should be a picture of you, not a logo.  Your logo is not your brand. Bio – have your name and a description of what you do, i.e. Abbie – Health Coach I help statement Identify who your audience is, what their problem is, and how you are going to make them the hero of their story or life. Link to your website or a Linktree Link. Within the first 9 to 12 squares of your feed, you need to have at least one or two images of yourself so that you can be recognizable. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more about and Connect with Abbie Stasi0r: Website:  https://beaboutbeingbetter.mykajabi.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alstasior Instagram: @abbie.stasior LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbiestasior/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/beaboutbeingbetter/_created/

The Enneagram helps us choose to respond to life rather than react to life. It wasn't until Liza Jean found Jesus and the Enneagram that she was able to move past all of the trauma she's experienced throughout her life.  Now, she has created a successful personal brand to empower women to walk through life with purpose, breaking free from fear and shame, rebuilding a life filled with self-support, setting boundaries, and cultivating healthier relationships through the framework of the Enneagram. Surviving Abuse After being sexually abused as a child, Liza Jean decided to share her story to help other women not only survive abuse but thrive on the other side. Her transformation came after she became very ill, Jesus had given her a second chance to change her life. She found a church and was given an opportunity to attend a retreat where she met an angel. Liza Jean started her healing journey after meeting God, and an angel.  She then had permission to look at her life and the life God was calling her to lead. The Enneagram The Enneagram is a personality assessment but instead of looking at your behaviors, it looks at your motivations.  It allows us to see our strengths and our weaknesses. Liza Jean used the Enneagram to climb out of the dark place one brave moment at a time.   As she went through this journey, she found her calling to help others. When one person shares a hard story, it opens the door for others to share their pain, shame, and journeys. The Enneagram is a guide map to show you who you are. It shows you why you think, feel, and behave the way you do through your internal motivations that others do not see. The Enneagram Helps You See the World The focus of the Enneagram is on why you do what you do through your motivations and how you see the world.  When you use the Enneagram, you start to see your patterns and behaviors.  It allows you to understand why you react and how you can change the way you react.  It shows your strengths and weaknesses. There are 9 types of Enneagram.  It is very complex.  Each type goes very deep. Nine Types There are different stages of the 9 types of the Enneagram. Unhealthy patterns Average Healthy Excess mode - when going through trauma Where you are on your journey will determine the results of your test.   Different results will arise, for example when stressed your results will be different because you aren't feeling as confident. The Enneagram is set up so that there is the main dominant type and then there is a stress path and a growth path. You can take on characteristics of each path, your stress or growth paths as well as your wing numbers. Discovering your Enneagram type isn't the destination.  It is just the beginning of learning about yourself. Discovering the Best Version of Yourself The Enneagram isn't only great for the healing process but also for discovering the best version of yourself.  It helps to take a look at the strengths that you have and those things that maybe you aren't great at. When you start looking at your strengths and weaknesses, you can start delegating the tasks that you aren't great at, and then you can focus on what you do well. The Enneagram Type Two The Type twos are all about relationships and making connections with other people.  If you are in an unhealthy state, you might be seeking relationships that aren't in alignment with your core values.   This is referred to as a scarcity mindset. Giving people inspiration and empowering them to change their lives.  But we can't change their lives for them, they have to do it for them.  The Enneagram twos have a magical gift to see what others need.  But they often struggle with seeing their own needs.  They often forget about their own personal needs.   If lean into wing 3, twos become workaholics who like to control everything and if they lean into wing 1, they fall into perfectionism and wanting to do all the things and make them all right.   This can delay us from putting things out into the world. People can lean into both wings, and in different seasons they may lean more into one than the other or some twos don't lean into their wings. You can lean into the Enneagram to break free from the habitual patterns that are holding you captive in your life.  It's a way of choosing to respond to life rather than reacting to life.  The Enneagram really allows us to step into our own potential. We cannot type other people or judge people and type them.   Every individual needs to type themselves. It's a tool to discover who God is calling you to be, who we are meant to be. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more about or connect with Liza Jean Enneagram Bootcamp:  www.LivingSimplyBrave.com/bootcamp/ Take the Enneagram quiz:  www.LivingSimplyBrave.com/quiz The Living Simply Brave Community on Facebook Instagram: www.instagram.com/livingsimplybrave

Create a Personal Brand on Social Media using these Instagram Tips   Allison Scholes was a previous guest on The Second Phase Podcast.  I interviewed Allison in Episode 24.  During that conversation, Allison shared her journey to her second phase and a few Instagram tips. Allison is a creative who loves to help busy moms create personal brands on Instagram. She believes Instagram is a great tool to build relationships for creating a personal brand. About Allison Allison is an Instagram Coach and Podcaster. She helps mompreneurs build their Instagram presence through coaching, creative copy, and content. Allison also hosts her Podcast, Social Media for Mompreneurs. Each week, the show helps busy moms build their brand online in just minutes a day—even when those minutes are hard to come by. Allison believes social media should be fun and easy, not daunting! With her sassy and fun personality, mixed with her creativity and love for sweatpants and coffee, she's able to deliver the simple and creative tools to help mompreneurs boost their business with confidence and ease. The Pressure People often feel pressure regarding how to show up on Instagram, what to post, how to be authentic, and how to not let imposter syndrome or comparison consume them. Why Instagram Why should entrepreneurs use Instagram to build a personal brand?  Allison believes that you can build relationships much faster on Instagram. There is so much potential with Instagram.  People don't have to follow so many people or follow a set of rules based on the influencers.   It should be used as a tool to build your presence and that is what leads to sales and profits later on. You have to have intention when getting on Instagram.   Those intentions should be about helping and serving others and help your audience by sharing content. Building connections by helping others then transforms into building relationships which is how we advance in our businesses. The Number One Question or Struggle When building  a Personal Brand on Instagram The number one problem people have with Instagram is that they don't know what to post. What this really means is that they don't know how to show up because there are so many influencers saying what to do that it is overwhelming. There are two questions that people struggling often forget to ask: What do they really want? Who is their ideal audience? It's important to remember that posting has to feel right and it has to reach the ideal audience. One way to find clarity is to list three things that you want to be known for.   Then create content around those three content categories or brand pillars. It is important to be consistent with your content and to post on a regular basis.  Consistency is specific to you.  It's how you define it.  It can be three, four, or five days a week.   If it becomes forced, it will feel inauthentic. You control your Instagram content.  Instagram doesn't control you! Pillars of Content Brand pillars or content pillars are the categories or topics you want to focus on creating content for.   Use them to create content consistently. That One Key Thing to Build Your Personal Brand on Instagram Show your face!   Your face should be in the first 9 to 12 tiles on Instagram at least once, if not twice.   The important thing is to show up, if you don't have perfectly curated photos, no big deal.  Post anyway because it's important to show up and show your real self so that your ideal audience can relate to you. It's fine to show up messy! Personal branding photos are awesome, but it's OK to not always have professional photos in your newsfeed. Remember, people are following you for the content and value you are giving them.   Your Instagram feed is about the people who follow you, not about you.  Make your content about them, not about yourself! Instagram Tips for a Great Bio Make the bio about your ideal audience. It isn't a business card.  People want to know what you are going to provide when they follow you. In the name field, have at least your first name and your title, what you do. Directly underneath that, have your brand message or “I help” statement.   Identify who you help, what their main pain point is, and what is your solution for them. Also, include a link to your website or your business Facebook page or lead magnet. Instagram Tips for Video Show up on video in your stories first.  Instagram stories is the number one spot for being noticed. Share a quick tip, a quick story, show your personality. Record outside of the platform.  Use your phone and record a video and put the video in the app “In Shot” to trim the video down to 15 seconds for reel or one to two minutes for IGTV. Use IGTV to teach in two to three steps.  When talking to your phone camera, talk to one person, not a mass audience.   Say what you have to say and then upload the video to IGTV. Instagram will allow you to upload a 1-minute video to stories and then break the video down to 15 second intervals and you can add your gifs, captions, etc.   Cut Story is another app that edits videos and will clip a 1-minute video to 15 seconds. Direct Messages on Instagram What is the etiquette for DMs?  The best way to start a one on one conversation is to comment on stories.  Build a relationship first before you start talking about yourself or your products or services.   Don't become an ad.  Invite people you engage with to join your Facebook Group. Another tip is to include posts in your stories about your lead magnets. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn More About and Connect with Allison: www.bossladyinsweatpants.com www.instagram.com/allisonscholes bit.ly/SocialMediaforMompreneursPodcast Free Instagram Makeover: https://bossladyinsweatpants.com/instagram-makeover/ Free Instagram Captions: https://bossladyinsweatpants.com/free-captions/ Instagram Coaching: https://bossladyinsweatpants.com/instagram-success-method/    

Learn How to Create Your Elevator Pitch and Hear an Example of a Personal Brand Strategy Session for a Multi-Passionate Entrepreneur   Brand strategy.   It is the cornerstone of building a brand and business whether you are a small company, corporation, product business, or entrepreneur.   Your story and how you use it to differentiate yourself is what ultimately, determines the depth of your connection with your ideal audience. Sarah Braud shares a love for brand strategy with me.   Although we work in different ways with different client types, our end goal is to support our clients in building brands for success. About Sarah Sarah Braud is a writer, brand marketing consultant, and keynote speaker who loves talking about how entrepreneurs and leaders can use storytelling devices to connect with audiences.  Her writing has been published in a variety of online publications, including Art House America, Hippocampus, Numero Cinq, and Hungry Mountain. Sarah is most proud of her scripts, many of which have been produced by Nadus Films.   She also taught at the University of Pennsylvania and Vanderbilt University in their English Language learning Program.   From there, she went back to school to get a master's in creative writing.   When money wasn't readily available as a creative writer, Sarah went into social media marketing.  Instead of focusing on analytics, she wanted to focus on branding and storytelling so she sold her business and started another to focus on brand marketing strategy. Collaboration over Competition There is no benefit to getting caught up in the competition between two businesses.  Instead, when people work together to collaborate, they can take their efforts to the next level and help more people.  Likewise, the phrase community over competition applies to the conversation with Sarah. We are all better off when supporting each other versus comparing and competing. The Story Brand Sarah is a firm believer in Don Miller's “The Story Brand”.   She believes in the concept that your client is the hero and you are not.   Likewise, storytelling helps clients' brains rest and focus on what problem you will solve for them and helps them find clarity. When applying brand strategy, it really isn't your story you are telling, it's your customer's story.  You are coming alongside your client to help them and solve their problem.  Similarly, our brands are not about us they are about what others think of us.   Above all, brands are about differentiation and that is where stories come in to help us connect and build relationships. Authenticity is Key for a Good Brand Strategy People can tell when others are telling their stories to bolster themselves or whether they are telling their own stories to serve others.  Your brand story can include your own personal story, but if your motivation is to serve your client by telling your story, people will be drawn to you.   You want to use your story to connect with others and serve customers.  The key is to serve others. Using Brand Strategy and Storytelling to Create a Tagline The tagline is your one-liner.   It is an inspiring way to express your aspirational identity.  Telling what it is that your customer will feel or the transformational story your client will feel.  Think of Nike and “Just Do It”.  It is about connecting with the clients' inner self.  Above all, a tagline is a way to connect emotionally with your ideal audience. Using Brand Strategy and Storytelling to Create an Elevator Pitch Your elevator pitch is a micro-story.  The idea behind it is that if you get on an elevator, you only have 30 seconds, the time between floors 1 and 3 to tell your story.  It is condensing your story to the most important elements. There are three parts to your elevator pitch or any story: The problem – tell the problem you are solving. How you will solve the problem. What happens once the problem is solved. Problem, Solution, Results! This template can be used for doing case studies, product descriptions, and almost anything you do in copywriting. Writing Scripts for Films Nadus Films makes films to help people make a difference, primarily working with non-profit organizations.  Sarah has helped with writing scripts and creating the narratives for the films.  She also helps build storyboards for projects. Using and Creating Story Boards To Build Your Brand Strategy Take parts of a story using Don Miller's 7-part story building framework. Create a document that pieces out the different parts of the story.  Through using this process, Sarah has created her own framework called the non-profit narrative.  Visually block out the parts of the story you want to show. Example of the film on Sarah's website for Scarlet Hope in Louisville, Kentucky. N – Name Name your target audience, their age, background, goals, and dreams A – Adversity The problem they are experiencing.  Show how the problem is being amplified so show the statistics, political climate, context, and added complications that make adversity even harder. R- Reason What is your philosophy and mission statement – your “why” A – Achievement Demonstrate you are a trustworthy partner. Success stories, partners, etc. T – Tactic What is the plan, how will you serve this population to create change? I – Invitation or call to action How can your audience help? What can they do, what is the next step they can take; become an ambassador, donate, or volunteer? V – Vision What does transformation look like?  What does the other side of the journey look for? E – Extended metaphor Clues to details for the story. Symbols, objects, animals, etc. that demonstrate your work. Mini Personal Brand Strategy Coaching Session How do you create a personal brand when you are a multi-passionate entrepreneur? Sarah has her brand marketing clients, an online course that teaches her NARATIVE Framework, and how non-profits can tell their stories using film, and she has her own creative writing. The question is: How can Sarah create a brand strategy for all of these things with one message? It is very hard to narrow focus as a multi-passionate person. Think of your personal brand as an hourglass.  All of our ideas and goals and dreams are at the top of the hourglass.  Where the hourglass narrows, that is where we begin to focus. At this point, we want to look at our values, visions, and passions.  Ask yourself what really fuels you and what your visions are. Make a list of your values, visions, and passions.   What items in the three columns mirror each other or feel like a marriage?  What is the common thread? Now the hourglass begins to open back up. Think of it as a flow-chart. Sarah, the personal brand is at the top. The buckets of her business fall underneath Sarah as the overarching brand.  But the common thread is storytelling.   Now Sarah shares with her audience on all of her platforms that she uses storytelling to help her clients find clarity, spark interest, and attract more clients. Sarah will now begin to describe herself as a storyteller.  No matter which bucket of work Sarah is doing, she is using creative writing and storytelling to serve others. Now that Sarah has identified that her personal brand is herself and her gift of being a storyteller, she can create consistent and cohesive content to tell her audience what she does. Sarah can now begin to share content across all of her platforms from her website to her social media pages and all of the content will refer to her as a creative storyteller and using stories to solve problems for her clients. Sarah's favorite phrase: You can't read the label from inside the bottle.  She is referring to the fact that we all need outside help once in a while to achieve clarity and further our business. Keep a Breast In February of 2020, just before the Covid pandemic hit the United States.  Sarah is very fortunate that she was diagnosed with stage 1A cancer and even though it was an aggressive form of breast cancer, it was diagnosed early and Sarah didn't have to go through chemotherapy and radiation.  She had a double mastectomy in March and reconstruction surgery in June. Sarah's advice is that early detection can save your life.   She is now working with a non-profit organization, Keep a Breast, that promotes early detection.   Keep a Breast has an app that reminds young women to do monthly breast exams. Sarah offers a free clarity and connection website audit that you can access here:   https://mailchi.mp/5f5882378c44/cc   Learn more about Sarah and connect with her: Website: https://www.braudcreative.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/braudknows Facebook: www.facebook.com/braudcreative Instagram: instagram.com/braudcreative LinkedIn: linkedin.com/sarah-braud Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest  

One, or the other, or both?   In this case, the one and the other are strategy and mindset.  Both are needed to build a successful business.  You can't change your mindset overnight or without some work, but if you follow this method, you'll be able to leverage journaling for strategy and mindset. When we talk about creating a personal brand or building a business, we often go straight to strategy.  But, when we focus solely on strategy, it can take quite a while to get clients and reach the monetary goals as quickly as we'd like. Why?  Because if we don't have the right mindset or are wondering if we made the right decision or are worrying about the what-ifs, we aren't going to be successful. About Kim Kim Trathen is a former strategist and marketing executive.  She had quite the journey to discovering the value of mindset and how impactful it is on producing positive results in life and business. Kim is an international business and marketing coach that helps female entrepreneurs grow profitable businesses they love. She launched her own business while working in corporate and raising her 3 crazy boys and 2 huskies alongside one amazing husband. Kim loves helping other women scale their businesses using strategy and mindset. She believes that getting clients online doesn't have to be difficult and loves sharing the strategies that help women make a consistent income. The Power of Mindset When Kim launched her business, she was worried about money and bad things happening that she wouldn't be able to make enough money to support herself and her family.   All of these negative concerns and worries started to come to fruition. It was after a serious illness, that Kim realized she had to change her mindset. Mindset carries power for reaching your goals. Spending energy on fears and what-ifs and worrying causes bad things to happen.   Worrying is like praying for the bad things to happen.   Our thoughts are incredibly powerful.  They are there to either propel us forward or hold us back. Manifestation Manifesting is putting your mind to something, and because you put your mind to it, you took the actions to make it happen. To have a successful business, you need equal parts strategy and mindset. Without a positive mindset, you can do all the strategic actions, but not see positive results, and vice versa.  You can have a positive mindset, but without action, nothing will happen. Clear intentions are key. You can document your intentions through journaling for strategy and mindset to work collectively for the success of your business or life. A Process that Emphasizes Journaling for Strategy and Mindset C – Circumstance T – Thoughts F – Feeling A – Actions R – Results Circumstance The circumstance is what is truly going on around you.  It can be proven in a court of law. Thoughts Thoughts create a feeling. Feelings Feelings are what drive your actions. Actions Actions give you the results you have. Results Results are the outcome of actions. It is important to distinguish between a circumstance and a thought.   A circumstance is provable in a court of law. Think of this example.  A friend says, “I am fat!”   That is not provable in a court of law.  The number on the scale is a fact, but saying you are fat is not.   The circumstance is the number on the scale. Action can be action, reaction, or inaction. When we don't approach situations looking at circumstances, we will feel stuck and out of control.  How do we change this?  We have to get rid of the unintentional thoughts that hold us back. Create a new intentional thought to replace the negative, unintentional thoughts. Consciously doing the work daily and taking the actions.  Brain dump in your journal.  Then, go through everything and highlight the circumstance and the thought and then pick three and model them in the C.T.F.A.R. model.   This action will help create new intentional thoughts. This method of journaling for strategy and mindset produces positive results fast. An example is: I can't afford this and shifting that to how can I afford this?  This gets the mind thinking of a more creative and resourceful way.  Another way to change the thought is, I'm open to finding ways to invest in my business.  This is a more productive thought.  This equates to determination and resourcefulness.   But you have to have belief in the thought. Where there is a will, there is a way.  It isn't one size fits all, but if you change your thoughts and believe in them, you can accomplish whatever you desire. Consciously Do the Work to Experience the Power of Journaling to Change Mindset Consciously doing the work daily and taking the actions.  Brain dump in your journal.  Then, go through everything and highlight the circumstance and the thought and then pick three of the goals and model them in the CTFAR model.   This action will help create new intentional thoughts. If you start slipping back into the negative unintentional thoughts, you come back to the new intentional thoughts and physically force yourself to focus on the new thoughts. Doing this daily practice is like cleaning out your brain in the morning and now you have a strategy for reaching your goals.   It is like exercise for your brain the way you exercise your body. Journaling doesn't do as much good when you are journaling out of reaction and anxiety, depression, and other emotions that have already built up.   Small incremental action will make a difference.   Be intentional.  Make a conscious effort.  And you will become laser focus on reaching the goals. Goals often feel like dreams because we don't know how to make them become a reality.   This journaling practice will help. Take the action you need to get the results you want! Your history is a circumstance.   You can't change that.   What is in the past is in the past, but you do get to choose your thoughts about the future. Kim's Three Steps to Get Client's Online Learn more about Kim and connect with her: Website: https://kimthebusinesscoach.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimTheBusinessCoach Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimthebusinesscoach/ Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest

From Homeless to Entrepreneur Karen Peterson is a multi-passionate woman who went from homeless to entrepreneur and created a personal brand on the foundation of service. She is the founder and Executive Director of Women of Harmony, Inc. (W.O.H.), established in June of 2014 as a non-profit organization operating under section 501 (C)(3).   Karen has over 30 years of experience working with women and children, as a foster parent, personal care assistant, case manager, consultant, mentor, teacher, parent educator, and Doula.  Among Karen's credentials are certified lactation counselor, full-spectrum doula, and the owner of KMP Doula Service which offers private practice birth and postpartum doula and mentors doulas and trains doulas for CAPPA, Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association. Women of Harmony, Inc. Women of Harmony provides services to local shelters in Delaware County, Pennsylvania.   W.O.H. was established for the purpose of mentoring, empowering, and engaging all women to pursue their dreams beyond their circumstances.   It is designed to encourage women to be educated and self-sufficient, to maintain healthy lifestyles for themselves and their children to connect women to other women and resources that assist them in attaining their goals while limiting their barriers. Through faith and hope, anything is possible, Including going from Homeless to Entrepreneur Karen started Women of Harmony, Inc (W.O.H.) because she was homeless about twenty years ago with a one-month-old baby.   But before this time period, at the age of 25, she had three young children of her own and became a foster parent to young girls and their babies.  At any given time, she would have six children under her care. This experience was the seed that was planted and later grew to be Women of Harmony, Inc.    During the six years as a foster parent, she began to see herself as someone who would work with women and children in the community. Her entrepreneurship journey in the making. In 1999, hurricane Floyd hit, and Karen's apartment was destroyed.   She went from house to house and stayed with relatives but wasn't able to find any stability.  During this time frame, Karen became pregnant. While pregnant, Karen's lung collapsed, and she delivered her baby a month early.   Karen left the hospital and within a month she lived in a shelter with her three young children. The rules for living in the shelter: You had to work. Children had to go to school or the daycare on site. You had to save part of your earnings. Weekly case management meetings. Every morning at 5 am Karen took her children to a family member who would get them to school and she would go to work.   Her days were long and exhausting as she was also responsible for chores at the shelter and her baby was born with an underdeveloped stomach which caused her to cry for an hour every evening. This was a very trying time for Karen.  She was not only exhausted from the long days, but she was still healing from the surgery she had on her lung after her daughter was born. During this time, Karen built relationships with the people at the shelter.   She had fortitude that she would survive and thrive again. Upon leaving the shelter, she developed an 11-week educational program to help other women do what she had done.   The women all came from different backgrounds, but they had homelessness and hardship in common.  This program was the beginning of Karen moving from homeless to entrepreneur. Homelessness was not part of hers or their plan, but they ended up homeless one way or another. Karen's goal was not only to pull herself up but to pull someone else up with her.  The 11-week program was the answer. The program was another bloom or blossom for starting a non-profit, and this is how Women of Harmony, Inc. Women of Harmony, Inc. was started in 2014.  The goal of Women of Harmony, Inc. is to help women who live in shelters.  Today the organization helps women in three shelters. The three shelters are: The Westley House – West Chester, PA The Pathway Center for Families – Media, PA Mother's Home – a Maternity Shelter Women of Harmony helps women build relationships with other women.  They offer scholarships to women who have secured affordable housing, but perhaps they have a barrier that would keep them from maintaining it, like a former line of credit.  W.H.O. also has a focus on helping children. When the mothers are young, there are times they end up having to raise their children in a shelter.   W.H.O. does activities to give the children a sense of fun, hope, and excitement.  Things to look forward to. They also partner with other organizations to provide funding for women to go to school or find work or housing. WOHI also provides holiday joy through gifting women and children in shelters and making them feel special. Because Karen experienced homelessness herself, she can genuinely connect with the young women and learn their story and give them hope. Mentorship Karen is ultimately mentoring young women and giving them guidance and hope.   You can also listen to Episode 57 in which Betty LaMarr shared her personal journey with entrepreneurship, and how she mentors young girls in L. A. Homelessness It is not necessarily the result of an act by an individual.   There can be catastrophic circumstances, like in Karen's instance, or mental illness, or domestic violence, or simply a lack of familial support and resources. Karen gives women the tools and skills they need to move forward and transform their lives so that they don't have to stay stuck in residual homelessness and helplessness. Harmony The word harmony comes from alignment and rhythm.   Karen believes everyone has a gift or talent.  No one says they can't wait to be homeless, no one plans on that.   But everyone comes across roadblocks for that harmony in our lives. The key is to give these women the tools, support, and hope they need to get back into alignment with the harmony they have set out to achieve for their own lives and their children.  And, to give support in a way that the women do not have to feel shame but can take the support to build independence and confidence. Mental Health There are generations of families who cycle through homelessness and living in shelters because of mental illness.   They lack good medical benefits and can't get the care they need.   Shelter employees are not trained in mental health treatment thus mental health doesn't improve.   There is much to unpack related to homelessness and mental illness. There are homeless children in every school district, you just don't know about them.   At any given time in Delaware, County there are at least 600 families who are homeless, documented homeless, not people going from house to house or living with relatives.  Sixty percent of these people are women and children. A Multi-passionate Woman, from Homeless to Entrepreneur The common thread throughout Karen's work is family.   Karen's goal is to get the fathers involved.  Whether the father is involved with the mother of the baby or not, they need to be involved with the baby/child. Often times the fathers only hear is “you have to provide”.   But the reality is so much celebration happens for women, but fathers are often left out.   Fathers experience postpartum depression, post-traumatic stress disorder after traumatic births. As a doula, Karen works with fathers to teach them what to expect and to help prepare them for birth, nutrition, and more.  Karen's mission is to ensure the dads know as much as the moms. What mothers bring to the table is undeniable.  Women have a unique power to bring children to life. Self-esteem We aren't born with self-esteem we learn self-esteem through experiences.   Childhood trauma, which is in the eye of the beholder, greatly impacts self-esteem. The key is to be present and help young women, but never to judge them.   If girls have a good mentor, their lives can be much different than if they have no one. Karen's philosophy is to do things with heart and a smile.  When coming from a place of surface, not a place of making money.  This philosophy led her to her work as a Doula. The Doula A doula is a person who helps others emotionally and physically through the pregnancy and birthing experience.   Karen not only educates pregnant women and the fathers of their babies, but she empowers them.  She also mentors other doulas and educates them to do the work she so dearly loves.   Through her work, she gives others hope and peace. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more about Karen and her work at Women of Harmony, Inc.: www.womenofharmonyinc.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/womenofharmonyinc Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/wohinc/ Email:  womenofharmany@gmail.com Pettaway Pursuit Foundation: https://www.pettawaypursuitfoundation.org

A Personal Brand is Your Unique Story If you're like me, there are parts of the journey that have been more challenging than others and there are some things I really don't want to share.  These things are what will help you create a successful personal brand. However, there are a lot of things that, good or bad, have made me who I am and are the parts of my journey that have rooted me in the work I do today. If I hadn't experienced a need to transition from corporate to creating my own business, I might never have found the work I do now.   My story has differentiated me from all others in my industry and given me the gifts of both strategic thinking and creativity with which my business is built on. Everyone has a story and journey that leads to unique gifts that differentiate you from others in your area of expertise.  But how do you identify those hidden gems that differentiate you and compel others to purchase from you or hire you? What is a Personal Brand? You all know that I talk about personal branding…all the time.   As an expert in personal branding, I'm often asked what a personal brand is. My answer always includes differentiating yourself from others in your space. Your brand is not what you think it is, it is what others think it is. Therefore, there is power in differentiating yourself and differentiation is key to creating a successful personal brand. Your Personal Brand is Someone's Perception  If your brand is the perception someone else has of you, where is that perception coming from?  You must help them create that perception.  You do this through your brand messaging, the content you have on your website, in your blog posts, in your email newsletters, and on your social media platforms. The next question is how can you differentiate yourself so that you not only stand out in the sea of online noise but also leave a great impression so that others have a good perception of you? Your Personal Brand Must Be Compelling Be compelling.   The more compelling you are, the more different you will be in your area of expertise. How can you be compelling when there are so many others in your niche?   Especially if you are a coach or a photographer.   There is one of each on every corner of almost every town, at least in America.   It's wonderful, and there is certainly enough work to go around for all, but the competition is tough! Compelling means: to evoke interest, attention, or admiration in a powerfully irresistible way. The more compelling you are through your personal brand messaging, the more you will differentiate yourself in your area of expertise. If you are sitting there thinking that there is nothing compelling about you, think again! An Example of  Differentiating We all have a compelling story or at least compelling parts in our journeys.   Our stories of who we are, what we do, why we do it, and how we got here differentiate us and compel others to connect with us, like us and trust us. Every unique thing about you is part of your compelling story.   If you are a business coach, you might focus on mindset.   That's fantastic, everyone needs help with mindset.   But why do YOU focus on mindset? What things in your journey led you to focus on the importance of mindset? Within the answer to that question is the thing that will compel someone to connect with you and eventually purchase from you. Differentiation is Zigging When Everyone Else is Zagging Differentiating also goes beyond being different within your niche.   It's about disrupting your industry by zigging when everyone else is zagging. Thinking outside of the box becomes critical.  If 10 people are mindset coaches and you are one of them, how can you differentiate yourself in that space?  It's a must-do exercise if you want to stand out from others in the professional space you are in. Here's a simple exercise for you.  Make a list of ways that your work is different or unique.  Sticking with the mindset coach as an example, perhaps you've created a reverse thinking model. Or maybe you've developed a strategy for transforming negative thoughts into positive action. Could it be that your approach is so unique that your clients are experiencing more positive results than you've ever seen or read about before?  If yes, then you are doing something unique that differentiates you in the area of mindset coaching. Another Example In a recent interview for the show, a guest who is a business coach who uses mindset within her coaching structure.  But she doesn't focus solely on mindset because she believes that mindset alone won't propel you forward.  You need strategic thinking too.   Therefore, her method is combining both strategy and mindset to produce results. When it comes to differentiating, you want to remain focused on your gifts and abilities.  If you are good at mindset coaching and have a nice book of clients, don't try to add on another type of coaching to get more clients.   The more focused you stay, the more long-term success you will have. Instead of thinking about new ways to branch out and risk losing focus, think about more ways to differentiate yourself. How to Differentiate Here is a list of ideas for differentiating yourself and your personal brand: Services The services you offer are unique in the niche you are in. You may be doing the same thing, but you are serving your clients in a unique way.   Think about the mindset coach who also combines strategy. Customers Your ideal audience should be unique to you. Define the people you want to work with and look around to see who thinks you're great. You have gifts that are meant to serve a certain group of people.   Likewise, you only want to work with certain people.   Who are they?  Create your content for those people specifically and this will differentiate you as the person who works for/with those select people.  The strategy and mindset coach works only with female entrepreneurs in service industries. Location Do you work only in your geographical area or do you work with clients across the continental United States or even internationally? Is there direct competition?  Branch out with your location to limit the competition. Speed and Ease Is it easy to work with you? How fast do you provide results?  Can people get on your calendar or do you have a waitlist?   There is no right or wrong answer.  Both can be right depending on who your ideal avatar is.  In fact, sometimes when people have to wait to work with you, the demand actually increases. Pricing Higher prices – if your prices are higher, you won't be for everyone. You can differentiate yourself as best in class by having higher prices and great testimonials and referrals. Lower prices – warning! Don't be undersold.  If you have lower prices you will attract a different clientele than if your prices are highest in the industry.  Don't undercut your prices so much that you start hating your work and become resentful of the people only willing to pay the low price you set.  You have to know your value and stick to it, but if you believe your prices should be the lowest in category, be sure you are still providing quality so that the perception of you is great value for the price, not only the lowest price. Quality This refers back to results. How impactful are the results you are achieving for your clients?  How quickly are your clients achieving the results they came to you for?   The mindset and strategy coach has clients that are achieving $10K months within the first month of working together, while the mindset only coach has clients achieving $2K months within the first month of working together. Differentiate yourself by the results you are achieving for yourself and your clients. Disrupt Your Niche Here's something I learned in my brand specialist certification training.  The more you make assumptions for your industry and disrupt them, the more you will differentiate yourself. Keep in mind that your goal is to differentiate yourself in a way that provides a positive perception for those who are in your ideal audience.   You want to differentiate yourself in a way that converts your ideal audience to raving fans, clients, and referral sources. Your personal brand is not what you think you are, it is what others think about you.   It is the perception that others have of you.   You have the power to control that perception and differentiation is the key to driving the focus onto your brand and business. Struggling to Create Your Personal Brand? If you are struggling to find clarity with your personal brand, struggling to differentiate yourself from others in your niche, or finding it hard to stand out in the sea of online noise connect with me. There are different ways we can work together to help you find absolute clarity with your personal brand and to differentiate within your niche so that you can improve your brand messaging and attract more clients. You learn more about personal branding HERE. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest

Let's Talk About Becoming an Influencer Did you know that you are an influencer? You are! Being an influencer isn't about the followers, likes, and shares on Instagram.  It's about solving a problem for the community that knows, likes, and trusts you. In other words, if you are building an audience that engages with you, you are an influencer. Jenny Melrose, author of Influencer Entrepreneurs is here to give us all the details on being an influencer; the framework, how to pitch sponsors, blog, and grow an audience to make more money online. About Jenny Jenny is a former reading specialist turned influencer blogger, turned author, and business coach.   Through hard work and dedication, her lifestyle blog, The Melrose Family, became regularly sought out by nationally recognized brands.   Combining her passion for teaching and her experience creating content, she is now an author, podcast host, and content strategist that helps entrepreneurs better understand their messaging and unique position in the online space. Influencer Bloggers The first step is to build an audience that engages with you.  If you don't have an audience that engages with you, you will not be able to attract sponsors and affiliates. Understand your position is in the marketplace.  Know what your audience is looking for.  Sponsors want to understand your audience, so you have to know them well. When you pitch sponsors, you must include the goods they will receive, i.e. blog posts, social media posts, etc.  The posts should show how you authentically use the products to build the know like and trust factor. Pitching Sponsorships as an Influencer Understand the marketing place and know your audience. Make a list of products that you know, use, and love, that you have in your pantry or makeup cabinet.  Show the brand how your audience is the right fit for them. Know how many followers you have on social media, how many readers you have, etc. Building an Audience Know who you want to attract.  Know your personal avatar and understand what she doesn't, where does she shop, what is she looking for. Your avatar is often you three years earlier combined with your best friend.   The best friend piece is there because she's the one that is going to call you out and tell you if you wouldn't really say what you are saying. Then, create your content and talk to your audience that you are looking for. The Difference Between and Audience and Followers Followers are just that.  You can buy followers.  You can do the follow/unfollow game on Instagram.  But an audience is the number of people with the engagement included.  You are actually having conversations with them and they are engaging with you. Build a connection so that they are more likely to take action. Blogging It's content that we own, it is evergreen, it can be repurposed, and can drive traffic to your website. How do you build an audience by blogging?  When you create content and use keywords, people can find you when they search for something. Title your posts and use keywords and phrases that people are searching for.   What is your audience going to type in the search bar?  That keyword/keyphrase should be in the title and throughout the blog. Tools to Identify Search Terms and Key Words/Phrases You Should Use Uber Suggest SEM Rush Ask the Public Use keywords that are more specific to get a range of searches from 500 to 5000.  Not, 25,000 because then you won't rank for those. Put yourself in your audience's shoes and use keywords they will use. Instafamous Being an influencer is not about being instafamous.   It is about influencing someone to take action, which starts with creating connections so that they will take that action.  Influencing is not about a hard sale.   When influencing, you are building a connection and listening to what your audience needs and then giving them the opportunity to take action. Pitch Perfect Pro Jenny's signature online course. The Influencer Entrepreneurs: The 4-Step Framework to Building Your Audience, Growing Your Business and Making More Money Online.  Jenny's 4 Step Framework - PACK Positioning Understand the problem you solve and know your audience. Authenticity Do you truly believe in the product you are talking about?  When you are authentic, you build connections. Your audience wants to see the reality of your life and the products you use. This is how people get to know like and trust you. Confidence We assume that women are born with confidence, but they are not.   This isn't true.  Confidence is a skill, something you have to build on.  You may have to fake it until you make it. Kindness Even businesspeople should be kind to each other.   Collaborate and build each other up instead of competing against other women.  Don't think of scarcity and competition.   Understand that you fill the marketplace a certain way based on your positioning.   Raise other women up. The Number of Followers The industry standard for the number of followers you need to become an influencer depends on your niche. If you have a really specific narrow niche, you will have fewer followers. The rate that you can charge for sponsorships based on Instagram follower numbers is: For every 10,000 followers, you can charge $100 per post, per story, and maybe a little more for a reel because they take longer. If you have 5,000 followers you can charge $50 per post, per story, and again, maybe a little more for a reel. For a 30-day time period, your blog and other social media platforms will also come into play. For 2,500 followers you can charge $25 per post, per story, and again, maybe a little more for a real. Give sponsors a package price.  For example, one package price for a blog post, 3 social shares, a Pinterest Pin, and a story on Instagram. If sponsors come back and say they don't have a budget, which they'll say every single time, and if they don't say that, you aren't charging enough.  If they come back and negotiate that means you are in a good price range.  And if they come back and say we have to go down $100, then you take something out of the package so that it is still valuable for you and your time.  The Hate Rate Jenny suggests, to be aware of the hate rate.   The hate rate is the rate at which you will hate yourself and the content you create because you've gone too low on your price.  You need to know your hate rate so that you are getting paid for your time and you don't start resenting creating content for sponsorships.  This is very specific to individuals. Micro-Influencer Sponsors still find value in influencers with a smaller following.  Jenny never had more than 10K followers on Instagram when she had her blog and she was still making $1500 per post and $10K per month just in sponsorships because she created long-term contracts with sponsors. The key is to be able to show sponsors your numbers across all of your platforms. Having a strong personal brand tied to your business are the influencers who do the best. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more and connect with Jenny: Website: https://jennymelrose.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennymelrose1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenny_melrose Podcast: Influencer Entrepreneurs with Jenny Melrose

Having Systems in Place Can Ease the Overwhelm Are you overwhelmed with finding time to get all of the things done in your life and business?  Similarly, maybe you've heard about all of these fancy systems and you've read about creating processes, but don't know where or how to begin using them. If you don't have time, to begin with, how do you decide which system you should invest in or what processes to create and implement?  I've asked myself these questions many times and just sat and stared at my computer screen in utter dismay. But Shannon Baker recently shared with me how we can strategically implement systems and processes so that we no longer need to fret about time. Who is Shannon? Shannon is a coffee-loving, serial entrepreneur, podcaster, and business systems coach who helps busy women with service-based businesses create systems to automate the time-consuming tasks required to run a business.  Doing so enables business owners to work more efficiently and have more time for what matters most. Through reading “The Big Leap” by Gay Hendricks and listening to The Mompreneur Mastermind Podcast, Shannon realized her zone of genius, systems, and processes. You Can't Operate Your Business Without Systems If you don't have systems in place, your business is running you.  You started a business for lifestyle freedom but if you are changed to everything in your business, it is not going to thrive the way you want it to.   Likewise, if you have to do everything in your business yourself, it's not going to survive. Shannon's motto is, keep calm and streamline. In other words, move out of chaos and into consistency.  You can't run a business without consistency.  To clarify, systems lead to consistency and consistency leads to happy clients, free marketing, and more referrals. To help her clients do this, Shannon has created her 6 Core Systems Method. The Six Core Systems Are: First, is a Central Filing System Be able to work on the go!  Never miss a deadline. Google Drive One Drive Dropbox Second is a Scheduling System Put boundaries around your schedule and keep your activities segregated to allow for more focus and fewer interruptions. Acuity Dubsado HoneyBook Calendly Third is Communication Inside your business and external potential and current clients Automate responses Email templates Direct Message response templates Fourth is Money Management Track money coming in and going out Spreadsheet Quick Books Keep a pulse on your money – cash flow The fifth is a Back-up System Emergency response system – if something happens to you, someone can step in and keep your business going. Computer files Website and blog Export subscribers to a spreadsheet periodically to back up your email subscriber list The Sixth is Sales and Marketing Email Social Media Branding Content Lead Tracking Content Planning Tools and Systems to Use in Your Business Zappier Connects apps together Trello Organization tool Click Up Organization tool Asana Organization tool What is a System? A system is a process, tools, and people. The Day to Day Take 15 minutes per day to work on one process. Identify your goal Map out the process Focus in 90-day increments Do one task at a time Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more about and connect with Shannon: Website: https://theshannonbaker.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theshannonbaker Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_shannonbaker LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/shannonbaker Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/the_shannonbaker  

Building an email list can be cumbersome.  Lead magnets are great, but they don't always drive traffic the way you want them to. Are you tired of asking people to subscribe to your email list? Or maybe, creating yet another lead magnet has you wanting to throw in the towel. Today's guest is here to share her secret to growing her email list to get more clients and it's super fun!  Using this tool, you'll not only get people on your email list but get to learn more about them at the same time. What's the secret weapon?  Quizzes! About Linda Sidhu Linda Sidhu is an email list building expert who helps entrepreneurs create irresistible personality quizzes that bring in new subscribers on autopilot.  Her quizzes convert views to leads at a rate of 60%.  A former pharmaceutical sales representative, Linda now helps online business owners learn how to take full advantage of email marketing. Personality Assessment When working in the pharmaceutical industry, Linda learned how to read personalities.   This taught her how to genuinely work with each doctor more effectively because she understood what they were looking for.  Linda now uses her gifts of understanding personalities to create quizzes and help her clients get to know more about their audiences. Building Relationships Understanding personalities is key to building relationships.  This helps us understand buying processes.  Likewise, as you build relationships you build trust. Quizzes for Building an Email List Quizzes are shared 1900 times on average.  They are a great way to grow an email list. Personality quizzes are the best you can take because people want to know more about themselves.  As a result, personality quizzes have a higher conversion. Likewise, using personality quizzes helps you understand your audience's buying practices.   A slower-paced personality is going to want to see more testimonials and low risk.   Faster paced people want the options right away and more likely to buy from you right away. Quizzes take approximately 40 to 50 hours to create when done right. Once a quiz is complete, you have to think about the email sequence.  A quiz should have an email sequence based on each personality.   The welcome sequence will help the participant get to know you and your business and help you get to know more about them. Quizzes are the fastest way to grow your audience and make money at the same time. Email Sequence Linda recommends a 5 email welcome series.   This is how you build the know like and trust factor.  Validate the customer.  Talk about them, talk about their quiz results, and their pain points.   Then introduce yourself.  In the following emails, provide testimonials and a call to action.   Each email is personalized. Designing Quizzes for Building an Email List The quiz quadrant that Linda uses to design quizzes is based on the DISC personality assessment.   She uses this to learn whether the person is slow-paced or fast-paced, are you people-oriented or task-oriented.   Most people will fall into one quadrant over the others. Work backward from your offer.  Know where you are taking the people who take the quizzes.   What is your offer? Once you have established your offer you can begin working backward.   Then do research. Reach out to 8 to 10 people who fit your ideal client avatar (ICA).  Do a call with each person.   Ask them 10 questions to understand the language around what they need.  Themes and phrases will show up and you use this information to write your quiz questions. Map out the quadrants and then write out the questions.  The title and topic come after you've mapped out the questions and answers. Keep quizzes on theme.  Know your questions and know the behaviors associated with each result. There really is a science behind designing the questions and answers to go along with the personality types.   It doesn't have to be perfect, but it's best when you do so that you can personalize our marketing approach. Personalized Marketing Linda believes that personalized marketing is the way of the future.  We really need to know our audiences and their buying behaviors.  When you figure out who's buying from you, you can use the information to build your marketing efforts.  Doing so helps you save time and work effectively.  Make more money in less amount of time. Platform to Host Quizzes used for Building an Email List Interact is the company that Linda uses.   You can learn more about Interact HERE. Linda is a strategic partner with Interact and offers trainings for them. Email Marketing Only 50% of business owners are using a nurture series.   There is a lot of potential for improving your email marketing when using nurture sequence. Having a nurture sequence is useful for converting clients, but also important for people to leave if they are not interested. Linda recommends a 5-email series delivered 5 days in a row. Learn more about email marketing HERE. Tip for Email Marketing Automate things to make them simple for your audience.  When people sign up for the download, invite them to sign up for your Facebook Group.  This is a way to capitalize on growing your community. Access Linda's Quiz Learn more about and connect with Linda: Website: www.lindasidhu.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/linda.spencesidhu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/linda_sidhu_quizzes/ FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/813848232379718 Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest  

Getting found on Google helps bring people, that are already looking for the solutions you offer, to your website. Are the thoughts of SEO and Google Analytics overwhelming you?  Or, are you working day in and day out to drive traffic to your website to no avail? About Mariah Mariah Liszewski is an SEO and Google Analytics strategist who believes that showing up on Google and making sales doesn't have to be as difficult and overwhelming as everyone makes it. SEO Your audience is already searching for your solutions and SEO is how you help them find you to solve their problems. Getting found on Google isn't impossible and it doesn't have to be terribly difficult.  When you show up with purpose, you show up on Google. Clarity As business owners, we have to be absolutely clear on what we do and who we serve so that we can build our SEO to attract the right people. Google is like a filing cabinet.  Our content has to be filed in the right section of the filing cabinet so that when people are searching on Google, we are found. That is to say, we must know what our audience's pain points are so that our content addresses those pain points and responds to their Google searches. Likewise, it's important to get very specific on the pain points you solve for your audience. Most importantly, niche down and know your ideal audience.  You can learn more about niching down here. The User Perspective People go to Google when they are looking for a solution. Therefore, if we want SEO to work for us, we must know the solution we provide and how to communicate it in a way that our content answers Google searches. Likewise, you need to know the keywords and key phrases that your audience is using when searching for the solution they are looking for. The best way to know what keywords and key phrases to use is to use Google yourself and search for the terms you think people are using related to your business. It Isn't Just About Getting Found on Google, Your Website Should Work For You Too Think of the bigger sales journey. When people land on your website do they know what to do next? For example, is there a call to action? Do you want them to sign up for your newsletter?  Or, do you want them to book a call with you? Above all, your website should be set up to convert the people that arrive there to raving fans and then clients. Showcase the solutions that your audience needs.  People will be grateful that you are proving a solution. Think of creating your website as a way to communicate that you are the solution to a specific problem. Lack of Confidence and Afraid to Put Yourself On The Google Radar? If you are fearful of creating a website and using SEO, start by testing and tweaking.   Begin by getting really curious and do research to discover how you can show up effectively for the people waiting for you to come along and be the solution to their problem. Your website is evolutionary.  It is going to change as you evolve as a business owner.  Therefore, it's best to start, create the website, and begin getting found on Google. 6 Parts of Successful SEO Audit Find out which keywords and key phrases you are already showing up for in Google searches Foundations Set up the groundwork for SEO Topic and keyword research On-page content optimization To ensure that Google knows where to put you in the index Off-Page and Word of Mouth Position Backlinks Authority and expertise PR is important for this Check-in on Ranking Factors Be sure SEO is growing with you No broken links, etc. Give your audience an all-encompassing solution to build a great rapport.  Collaborations and referrals are helpful with this. Likewise, Answer the Public is a great resource to find what people are searching for. It gives a great perspective on keywords, key phrases, and long-tail keywords.  Common Mistakes People Make that Prevent Them from Getting Found on Google First, not doing keyword research Using words that are too generic Understand the user's intent Google your keywords to discover if they are accurate for helping people find you Secondly, not using the Free Google Tools Google Analytics How users see your sight Google Console How Google sees your site These tools give you the power to be strategic with the content you are putting out. At minimum check your stats quarterly Using Content Organization for SEO to Help with Getting Found on Google Have Categories of Content. Start with a Pillar Blog Post or content hub. Subsequently, create blog posts with Sub-topics that link back to the pillar blog post. What is Bounce Rate? A high bounce rate is not necessarily a bad thing. It really depends on your content and how users are using your website. For example, if you have a lot of blog posts, you are going to have a higher bounce rate. Similarly, it depends on the purpose of the content, blog, or website page. To improve your bounce rate, you can interlink pages and posts so that people stay Remember, getting found on Google is about being the best solution for your audience's problems.   Download Mariah's Roadmap to Successful SEO Connect with and learn more about Mariah: Website: https://www.mariahmagazine.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/mariahmagazinestudio Facebook: www.facebook.com/mariahmagazinestudio LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariah-liszewski-29850693 Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mariahmagazine/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTTmZq04aCmZGy5nfonns1A Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest  

Every intimate garment does not fit every woman, especially after breast cancer.  Dana Donofree experienced this first-hand. She started her entrepreneurial journey to not only design a beautiful bra that fit her but to empower other women to find confidence in their body and feel sexy after living with breast cancer. About Dana Dana is young, vibrant, energetic, and empowering women daily.  Her journey is not the typical experience you would expect for a 37-year-old. She always had an entrepreneurial spirit, but it wasn't until she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 27 that her current journey presented itself.  Dana's journey will inspire you to be your own healthcare advocate, start facing your fears, and take action. She will enlighten you on breast cancer awareness and action you need to take to be your own advocate. Talking about Breast Cancer and The Changes Women Experience After Dana had reconstructive surgery 10 years ago, she couldn't find a bra that fit and quickly discovered that there were very few young women that she could ask for advice or support.  She finally found a middle-aged breast cancer survivor who gave her the opportunity to begin having the much-needed conversations.  It was through these conversations that Dana learned that options were limited and she wasn't the only woman struggling to find comfort and feel sexy again. Not only did Dana begin creating beautiful intimates for herself and other women with breast cancer, but she also opened the door for difficult conversations and has been empowering other women since. Ana Ono Dana's brand began as a mission to create comfortable bras that didn't have underwire or molded cups.  Traditional bras do not fit post-mastectomy.  She quickly realized that the world needed bra options for many other reasons such as open-heart surgery, shoulder surgery, and even young girls whose breasts are developing at different rates.  Ana Ono now provides the options that women around the world need to feel comfortable, confident, and sexy in their own skin. The Entrepreneurial Journey  Dana's journey as an entrepreneur started when she was very young.   She is a fashion designer and always had the goal of having her own clothing line. Dana recommends that if you have dreams and goals, you should live life the way they want to, push fear aside, and do what you want to do.  Don't wait until there is a life event to push you into doing what you dream of because time is running out.  If you have an idea, don't stop before you start. There is a way to find financing and make your dream come to life. Breast Cancer Awareness and Action Although great strides have been made for breast cancer awareness and treatment, there is much work that needs to be done.  We now need more action than awareness.  We know breast cancer exists. It is the second leading cause of death in women. Awareness is no longer the issue. One in eight women is diagnosed with breast cancer.   Over 40,000 people are being buried each year because of the disease.  Men get breast cancer too. Breast cancer is a real threat to lives and it is truly an epidemic.  Years of life have been lost focusing on awareness versus taking action to create new and better treatments. The increase in awareness has helped with earlier diagnosis. However, since the advent of COVID, breast cancer diagnoses are down 50%.  That doesn't mean that the incidence has gone down, it means that people aren't going to the doctor and aren't getting mammograms.  If people aren't getting diagnosed, the disease will be more advanced upon diagnosis, and there will be less time for treatment. Research Funding for Breast Cancer Treatment Billions of dollars have been raised because of the pink ribbons we see on products, but chances are that the money raised is not funding the necessary research for treatment. The money is funding awareness.  But it's research that saves lives. Of funds raised, only two to three percent goes towards research for the treatment of metastatic stage 4 breast cancer. Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer is the only breast cancer that kills.  Early diagnosis doesn't mean you survive.  People with an early breast cancer diagnosis have a one in three chance of advancing to metastatic disease.  Breast cancer is not cured. Organizations that Fund Research Metavivor is an organization that puts 100% of donations towards cancer research.  Larger organizations have so much power, but they aren't using the funding for research.  It's a disadvantage because, without the research, there is no advancement in treatment or a cure. The median life span of stage 4 metastatic breast cancer is 36 months.   That is not a stat we should accept and do nothing about. Three Pillars of Supporting Breast Cancer Patients There are three areas of support needed for patients with breast cancer.  The three areas are: Funding Support for Research Emotional support for patients Financial support for patients Living Beyond Breast Cancer is one such organization in the Philadelphia area that provides the aforementioned support for breast cancer patients. Many communities have local organizations that provide similar services and support. Early Identification of Breast Cancer It is important to note that mammograms are not perfect identification tools.  Only 7 to 10 percent of breast cancer diagnoses are made from the results of mammograms.   This statistic is not based on patients who found a lump first, these are stats for patients having a routine screening. Note that you are your best detection tool.  Mark your calendar for the same day every month so that your breasts will feel the same based on your cycle.   If you feel a change, such as a lump, skin irritation, discharge from the nipple, itching, or heat, call your doctor.  Should your doctor dismiss your concern, do not take the answer “it's nothing”. Follow your gut and push for answers.  Be your own advocate.  See another doctor and ask for a scan, an ultrasound, and/or a mammogram.  Do not take no for an answer and be your own advocate. You must fight for yourself to ensure you receive an early diagnosis. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE.  To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more about and connect with Dana: Website: www.anaono.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/anaonointimates/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anaonointimates Metavivor: https://www.metavivor.org Living Beyond Breast Cancer: https://www.lbbc.org

Voting.  It's not just about privilege, it's about responsibility. It Started with a Post About Voting A couple of weeks ago I saw a post on Instagram by Barbara Majeski.  Barbara was my guest on the show in episode 25. The post read “If you are my friend and you support Trump, you are my friend.  If you are my friend and you support Biden, you are my friend. If you feel the need to degrade those who feel differently than you…maybe we are not friends.” The Hate Of Politics This quote really resonated with me.   I've unfollowed or blocked so many people because of the hate they were putting into the world over differences of opinion.  The hate literally turns my stomach and it comes from all sides of the fence. I read the comments on social media and they are like daggers to the heart.  I see no need for this type of commentary on social media or anywhere.  And especially because most of the time, they are uneducated lashings based on assumptions that are not factual. Being an American Let's think about this.  If you are an American, you… have the right and privilege to vote and you are blessed. are blessed to have the right to free speech, but that doesn't give you the right to be hateful live in a country built on love, hard work, principals, faith, and justice don't live under a suppressive government that makes decisions for you have freedom of religion and to practice the faith of your choice or not practice at all are especially blessed if you are a woman because you have rights that women in other countries do not have and are in fact suppressed and criminalized and punished for little things, we take for granted every day Not Pointing Fingers Why am I pointing this out?  Where am I going with this?  I am in no way pointing fingers, but I believe that I have been called to use my platform for good. And hate breeds hate! If you are disgruntled over politics, spend time educating yourself on the beliefs of each party.  And don't stop there.  Go deeper and ask the people you care about why they believe what they believe.   Start the dialogue and open the door for understanding. Don't let your friendships die because of a difference in opinions. Agree to Disagree Agree to disagree.  Respect opinions.  This is one of the most beautiful things about living in America.   You have freedom of choice and that includes freedom for voting. The assumptions need to cease.  Relationships and friendships are being destroyed because of assumptions. Titus 3:9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law because these are unprofitable and useless. Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time.  After that, have nothing to do with him. Whether you are part of the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, or are a conservative Christian or a liberal on the far left, there will be no judgment from me. What matters to me is that so many people are taking a side because of popular opinion, family legacy, or because a friend or neighbor said so.   If this is you, I'm going to call you out as a fool! The Responsibility of Voting Voting is important for the future of our country and if you haven't educated yourself on the candidates you are voting on, you have absolutely no right to complain or attack others on their opinions when things aren't going your way. We have been given the privilege to vote.  People have fought for this right. It isn't a right all humans have, and it should never be taken for granted. But it isn't just a privilege, it is a responsibility and a moral obligation.  The responsibility doesn't begin and end at the ballot box.   It begins with research and learning exactly what each person or organization believes before taking on a cause that doesn't even align with your values and beliefs.  If you don't like the options on the ballot, vote for who you believe is the lesser of two evils and base the decision on your values and beliefs and what you have found by researching the topics of concern. Generalization Party lines don't define the people in the political party.   There are always discrepancies.  You cannot accurately generalize in politics. It is your job, your duty, and responsibility to discover and uncover the truth about what each candidate stands for.  Generalizations are not applicable or appropriate and especially when making accusations or posting hateful comments on social media. Education Before Voting Make educated decisions.  Do not follow a crowd or vote based on popular opinion, especially if that opinion is based on mainstream media and not on your own research into the facts. There are always two sides to every story.  Only believe what you have researched from reliable sources.  Do fact-checking.  Do not rely solely on one source of information and whatever you do, do not post before you know that what you are posting is accurate. There is no need to spread false information.  Doing so is just adding fuel to the fire. Here's an idea, do fact-checking with your children.   It's a great way to educate them on politics, our government, personal values, and holding true to a moral compass. Prayer is Powerful Lastly, pray!  Before making any decisions and voting, pray. Our country is at a crossroads.  There is great turmoil on the streets and in the homes. If we've ever needed God to strengthen this country it is now.   God is a peaceful God and doesn't want to see hate spewing from the mouths of his children. Galatians 3:26 to 29 reads: You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. I'm all for fighting for what you believe in but will never condone false accusations based on generalized assumptions. Social Media Posts Remember, the posts you are putting on social media are being read by someone you care about that doesn't have the same opinion as you.   You may now know they have a difference of opinion because you haven't talked about it.  When you spew hate, you hurt that person.  You will lose the respect of that person.  The relationship will be damaged because they will no longer trust you.  Even if you post a generalized post, if there is anger, hate, or judgment, people will interpret it as directed specifically at them. Instead of hiding behind the computer and saying hateful things, before you post think of a person who you know, that has a different opinion than you.   Is their political stance worth losing a friendship or relationship?  Can you afford to lose a client or business based on political opinions? If yes, then that is your choice. But if not, think before you post. Pray before you post. If you are a business owner, then you certainly better think about whether or not your political rant is on-brand.  Does everyone that fits into your ideal avatar have the same views as you?   Chances are, no!  So that post you just put up is making them think twice about working with you.  When you offend people, they will lose trust in your character. Check the Facts Before Voting Likewise, if you are going to post and you have a business, I urge you to confirm your facts before you post.  The last thing you want to do is to provide false information and lose your credibility. Seriously, stop and think before you write the aggressive, angry posts.  Even if you think you are being subtle, think twice! Titus 3:1-2 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men. Don't Idolize Lastly, do not idolize political candidates.  God very clearly states that we are not to have false gods. 1 Corinthians 10:14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. An idol is an image or representation of a god used as an object of worship. The definition of idolatry is the worship of idols, extreme admiration, love, or reverence for something or someone.  And I might add, that we are talking about politicians.  It's no different than the influencers on social media.   They don't have us, as individuals, in mind. Political candidates are not going to save us.  If you are going to put your hope in something or someone, put it in God.  Our only hope for eternal salvation is through Christ. I'm going to leave you with two things: Proverbs 29: 25-26 Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.  Many seek an audience with a ruler, but it is from the Lord that man gets justice. Secondly, I am a proud American and I have no tolerance for intolerance. Thousands of people have fought for this country and for our freedoms. Is it perfect, no? But nothing and no one is perfect.  The reality is, there is no better place to live for opportunity and freedom.   Let's keep our country alive and thriving.   Take responsibility, educate yourself, and take voting responsibly, and be kind in the process! Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest  

Do you ever stand in your closet and think, or say, I have nothing to wear?  I do, all the time!  And it really isn't about not having anything to wear because there are plenty of clothes, it's about what is going to make me feel good and be on-brand.  Jeanne Rhim recently joined me for a conversation to share fashion styling tips for dressing with confidence for success. About Jeanne Jeanne Rihm is a personal clothing stylist who specializes in styling men, women, speakers, executives, and entrepreneurs. What she is most passionate about is creating a look for each of her clients that represent, who they are, and how they want to be perceived in their industry, so that they always feel confident and empowered.  Jeanne's 25 years of industry experience is rooted in the fashion capital of NYC collaborating with major designers and retail stores. She has also worked with Speakers Who Dare, and for TEDx Lincoln Square as their official stylist for all of their speakers. Understanding the Body and Fashion When working for Ralph Lauren, Jeanne realized that she had a gift that she could understand women, their body, and how to dress it and what would look amazing on their figure whether they were petite, tall, size two, or size 22. At that point, she decided to start Fashion Jeanne. Jeanne believes that through fashion you can feel confident and show your true essence, part of creating a recognizable personal brand.  Feeling confident in how you look helps you own the space you are in, whether presenting, networking or working.   The more confident we feel and appear, the more people will trust us as an authority in our niche. Your Fashion is Part of Your Brand When creating a brand, it's not only what you're selling, it's how you look. How you dress is your calling card.  Each niche and industry are different.  It's really important that you dress according to what's expected and how you want to be perceived.  When it comes to representing your brand and differentiating yourself, fashion is not only the wardrobe but the accessories and your overall look.  It can really help you connect with your audience. Empowering Confidence Having a sense of fashion that makes you feel confident is empowering. It's important to find the right cuts and silhouettes for your body type.  It isn't about your size, it's about the choices you make when purchasing. New Fashion Perspective Post Breast Cancer Having breast cancer changed Jeanne's perspective on life and her business.   She didn't want to live with any regrets, so she decided to really focus on her business and serving people in business to help them look great and feel confident in all of their business activities. Styling Tips Weight doesn't matter.  The way the clothes fit is what's important. There are three facts to consider about the body when selecting fashion items: Shape Proportion Deviation Each factor will influence the style and size of clothing you should choose. In addition, there are closet basics.  Once you have accumulated the closet essentials or basics, you can mix and match items to create additional outfits.  Jeanne has a closet essential guide that can be downloaded from her website. Staple Fashion Tips The first tip is to think about layering.  You want thin, soft layers so as not to add bulk, especially on camera. Open necklines and v-neck tops elongate the neck for a slimming look. Camisoles or lightweight blouses with little cap sleeves are great for layering. Hoop earrings in a size appropriate for your industry. Blazers and stretch sweater blazers or denim jackets are great for layering. Comfortable but structured items for more flattering fits. Nothing clingy. Anything bulky will add weight to your figure, especially on camera. A flat necklace, nothing too large to take away from you. A classic trouser pant or crop trouser pant for warmer weather. Neutral colors. Keep it classic, on-trend, and modern but classic so that you can wear it for a couple of years. Colors will shift with seasons. Blouses and tops that drape away from the body but are not boxy. Tops should hit between your hip bone and your pubic bone. No matter the style, your fashion will look better if you have a good bra that has been sized. Spanx – underwear lines are not cool! Dress on Brand and on Trend The most important thing is to dress on brand to appeal to your ideal audience. Keep your wardrobe up to date and have the fashion essentials to mix and match. Learn More and Connect with Jeanne Jeanne's online style course. Download Jeanne's Style and Body Guide. Website: www.fashionjeanne.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fashionjeanne_/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FashionJeanne LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/fashionjeanne YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1vNTP4AHQEXendfvnY6gfg?view_as=subscriber Style & Body Guide Closet Essentials Guide   Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest

Are you like me? I have so many ideas (including a product or two) swirling around in my head that sometimes I even overwhelm myself. Nicole DeLarzac has twenty plus years of marketing experience, primarily in the product industry. Today she works with entrepreneurs to help them bring their ideas to reality and create a strategic plan for bringing their product to market. About Nicole Nicole graduated from business school and started consulting.  She quickly realized that she wanted something more creative and less analytical. She left consulting and joined Kraft foods.  Coke-a-Cola took her away from Kraft.  She and her husband moved to Australia and while pregnant with her first child she started her own business to have flexibility with being a mom. Her business was importing foods from South America and selling to wholesalers and brands like Kohls and Woolworths. Upon moving back to Canada, she left her business and decided that she wanted to help other female entrepreneurs who needed help creating a business and being a mom. What are the steps to bringing an idea to fruition? Ideation Iterations of the product and what problem can it solve and what makes your product different Come up with ideas and narrow it down based on competitive marketplace – 5 Top Ideas Concepts  Written and visual expressions of the product so that people will understand exactly what the product is and the problem it solves Testing Surveys Appeal - what appeals to your audience What are they likely to buy Could the product be improved Feedback What they like, what they don't like. Feedback is important because you want to understand what the consumer wants and likes. Refine the Top Concept Results in final idea Development 1st prototype Consumer market feedback from a target audience Does it meet their expectation Business Plan Road map with goals – how are you going to achieve the goals and market the Be rooted in strategy so that you know what that business will produce revenue. Finished Product Presale Before production Create a waitlist Know you can sell before producing large volume Production Marketing Your Product Website Tease out product Think of where the target audience shops Amazon Etsy Wholesalers Large Market Places – i.e. Wayfair Multichannel approach Retail location Driving Traffic Multi-channel approach SEO Keywords and key phrases What are people searching for Be strategic Blog posts Social channels Engagement Paid Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Display Ads Earned Earn the right for people to see your product PR Influencers Big Influencers Build relationships with them Send product and include the media kit Micro influencers A great place to start Smaller number of followers but more likely to work with you and promote your product. More trustworthy. People are skeptical of big influencers because they know they are getting paid for promoting. Personal Branding How important is it to have a personal brand when you are a product entrepreneur? Very important. People want to get to know you and your process.  Show up for your audience and get them involved with your process and product. Develop a community around what you are doing. Be the face of your brand. Lifestyle and Product Photography Show people using your product so that people want to use it too. Have great photography because people can‘t touch your product, so you want to show as much detail as possible through great images. Look professional. Bonus Tips Be persistent Know your why Imagine yourself where you want to be – know your 5-year vision and plan Learn more about Nicole and connect with her: Website: https://nicoledlarzac.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicoledelarzac Instagram: https://instagram.com/nicoledelarzac LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolemarketer/ Podcast: https://nicoledelarzac.com/podcast/ Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest    

About Chelsea As a Certified Gut Health coach specializing in Health Optimization through Gut Health and the Abundance Mindset, Chelsea believes that with a healed gut, healing your mind and soul is inevitable. Chelsea Haines helps women finally heal their gut so they can live their happiest and most abundant lives. She believes that: If we want things to be different, we have to do different things. The body can and does heal itself if given the chance. We have everything that we need, we must simply let go of that which is no longer serving us. Our Intuition is wise, and we CAN and MUST trust our gut! Life does not have to be either/or, and it can be all and more! Life is Similar to Digestion First and foremost, realize we are talking poop! The journey of self-development and everything that unlearning, releasing, and letting go, is very similar to digestion.  That is exactly what our bodies do when we have a bowel movement.   We release the toxins that don't serve our bodies. Digestion is when we chew our food and swallow down and simulate what we need, then get rid of what we don't need.  If we are digesting our life experiences and learning from them, digesting the juiciness of the experiences, then we are letting go of the things that are keeping us small, causing limiting beliefs and holding us back, and keeping us stuck. Trauma and Gut Health Chelsea's childhood led her to have a mindset of scarcity and that money wasn't meant for her, that it was meant for others.   She was on a compare and despair spiral for many years of her life. Likewise, Chelsea felt she had to prove her worth.  The stress of having to prove herself resulted in an autoimmune disease which in turn led to anxiety.  The more the anxiety rose, the more health problems and stress she felt. Finally getting fed up with the vicious cycle and not satisfied with putting a Bandaid on a bruise, Chelsea decided to seek help outside of the dermatologist. At that time, she decided to invest in a health coach.  She knew she no longer wanted to invest in sickness and pay money for healthcare that wasn't working, so she decided to pay for health and try to heal from the inside out.   After doing cleanses and removing inflammatory foods from her diet and changing her mindset, she was on the road to healing. Mindset and Gut Health As a health coach, Chelsea never looks at gut health as either-or.   The mindset piece of it is so very important. The mindset piece, the understanding that if we live in a grasping, elimination, and sacrificial mindset, then we are living in scarcity.  The diet mentality of having to work out more and eliminating things from your diet and life that give you pleasure is miserable and not sustainable. The pivotal of shifting into an abundance mindset is to look in the mirror and say, “man, I'm living in a place of scarcity and I think I'm willing to change that.”  That is the hardest piece of healing. The gut health piece is much easier than the mindset piece. Trust Your Gut, Trust Your Intuition Chelsea's health coaching business is based on trusting her intuition, trusting that which is greater than her, God, and the Holy Spirit.  She views herself as a vessel to whatever ears are there to hear her messages. Her physical healing was directly in correlation to her emotional and spiritual healing and they fed each other. It was a systematic shift from fear and scarcity mindset to trust and abundance mindset all while going on the physical journey of releasing the things that were no longer working for her, eliminating the toxins of her life, absorbing the life lessons, and no longer being victimized by the things that were seemingly hard and feeling like she is a victor from there. Through hardships, she learned things that without them, she wouldn't have learned. Small Manageable Lifestyle Shifts Start with Recognition of Mind Body Spirit. That which is greater than us.  The life force that is within us that makes us want to beat a drum or dance.  This starts with the physical body, the breath.  It is the most tangible thing.  The thing you can taste, see, feel, and hear.  This is where we get measurable results. If you are struggling, implement help.  A local doctor, a health coach.  Start with figuring out the physical problem and what you need for your body. A State of Rest and Digest for Gut Health The secondary deeper layer is following your gut and making decisions that aren't emotionally based. Trauma is very broad spectrum, but it sends us into a survival state.  The process of being able to come back to a place of trust and make conscience decisions to make daily habit changes begins with dropping back down to a state of rest and digest. Rest and Digest This is the baseline that we are meant to be operating from, not fight or flight.  It is important to slow down.   It's not about doing more, it's about being different.   It's about implementing these slow, small changes that will get us back to rest and digest. Small habit changes for Gut Health Shift into rest and digest Breath deeply to digest your food more appropriately 5 – 5 -7 Rule Breath in for 5 seconds, pause for 5 seconds, and exhale for 7 seconds Be comfortable with our emotions…shift from guilt and shame to hope and joy and reason and desire Ask yourself who are you being while you are eating. Is stress dictating how you feel? Are you using food to cope with life? Deep breathing can help you enter a place of calm. Chew your food to applesauce consistency Spend time eating mindfully Chew about 32 chews to get your food to applesauce consistency Relearning Pleasure and Desire by Following Intuition Intuition is the remembering of what we already know to be true. As women, we've learned that desire is going to lead us down a bad road. There are so many levels of desire and pleasure, but as women, we need to relearn what we've outsourced.  Pleasure and desire are good things.   We don't need to live in the confines of the boxes that society has put us in. Come back to intuitive knowing, which will help improve gut health and emotional stability. Healing If your physical body has been damaged, then you need to embark on a healing journey.  You cannot heal in the environment that got you sick.   So being willing to make a change and is critical.  The body can and will heal if given the chance. The Root of Growth and Development Humility Self-awareness Self-accountability Habit change and Accountability Attach to your why.  Think about the bigger purpose and reason you are making this change.   Part of healing is reestablishing your habits.  If we don't make the effort to take action, there will be no change.  Responsibility must be taken to realize that bad things happened, but they didn't happen to you, they happened for you. Your desires are leading you to your purpose.  Invest in them, invest in yourself.  Make the commitment to gut health and emotional health, joy, and abundance. Learn more about Chelsea and connect with her: Instagram: www.instagram.com/thethechelseahaines Podcast: Let's Start Health Website: www.chelseahainescoaching.com Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest  

I am often asked about niching down and so I thought I'd address the most frequently asked questions that I receive. The first question is:  Why do I need a niche? Here's the nitty-gritty about niching down.   When you don't have a niche, you aren't able to focus and create content that reaches the people you are meant to serve. A Photographer as an Example of Niching Down Jane loves to work with families and capture memories that will last a lifetime.  Nothing makes her happier than capturing those precious moments, smiles, and hugs, and twirls of children while their parents stand by and take in the joy of the moment.  Looking at the proofs after the shoot Jane's heart skips a beat when she sees the expression of the mom's face as she watched her children candidly connect with each other.   Her sales sessions are graceful and produce additional revenue because she is able to sell the memories she's captured and create artwork for her client's homes and offices. When Niching Down is Avoided, People Get Confused But, Jane sees other photographers working all year and doing headshot sessions and wants to tap into that additional source of revenue.  She figures it's an easy way to make extra money, especially in the months when family portraits are slower. After making this decision Jane starts marketing herself as a headshot photographer.  She gets a few clients but isn't relaxed and doesn't feel good after the sessions.   Her confidence isn't the same when working with professionals as it is when capturing families and children.   The lack of confidence is causing her to not trust herself and this lack of trust in herself is coming through during sessions, and her clients don't feel comfortable or trust her.  As a result, the clients are flat in the headshot images and don't look relaxed or approachable.   The clients aren't happy and neither is Jane.  She continues down this path and is now being questioned by her family portrait clients about whether or not she is still doing family portraits. The number of likes she's getting on social media are much lower when she posts headshots compared to her family portrait work. What is happening? Jane's messaging has become confusing.  She is no longer reaching her ideal audience.  Trying to be everything to everyone, and it isn't working.   Business is slowing because people are confused about what she does and who she serves through her photography.  Niching down is important for creating clear and consistent messaging to avoid confusion. The bottom line, as you can see in this example, is that you need a niche to have focus and define who your ideal audience is.   Niching down is important for having clarity around your brand messaging, for having confidence and trust in the work you do and fulfilling yourself as a business owner and meeting the needs and wants of your clients. The second question is: What if I'm multi-passionate? Not a problem.   You can be multi-passionate, but you still need to identify your ideal audience.  You can't serve everyone effectively.   Meaning, you can't do everything for everyone and be efficient.  When you are speaking to everyone, you are speaking to no one. Niching down becomes critical for identifying your ideal audience so that  you can create content that resonates with them. What I suggest to my clients who are multi-passionate is that they become the brand and have umbrellas underneath the main brand. Message Clarity is Key and Why Niching Down is Important You can create messaging effectively if you have definitive roles.  Let's take Jane as an example. If Jane is multi-passionate about being a family and children's portrait photographer, and a headshot photographer, she needs to have clear messaging on her website.   She needs to have proof that she is an expert and authority in both types of photography.   Jane, nor anyone else, can flip flop from one thing to another depending on the time of year and whether or not she is booked with clients. The question becomes, how can she effectively have multiple passions successfully? First of all her business name should not be some cute little name indicating that she is a family and children's photographer.    Doing so would not attract professionals needing a headshot.   Likewise, if she had headshot in the name of her business, she wouldn't attract family portrait clients. What she can do is use her name, or a less specific name for her business and the services page on her website should specify the opportunities people have to work with her.    She should also have portfolios for each type of client.  Portfolios and testimonials for both types of clients are what will prove that she is an expert in both types of photography. Niching down doesn't mean you have to give up on your passions.   You can successfully incorporate them into your business successfully as long as your messaging and communication plan is clear, cohesive and consistent. What Not to Do What she shouldn't do is what I used in the example above.   You can't be a family portrait photographer part of the year and a headshot photographer the other part of the year, unless of course, this is your business model and you have effectively established your messaging around that business model. Do you see how if she is works with one type of client part of the year and the other type of client another part of the year it looks like she is just trying to keep her pocket-book full of money. What To Do Whereas if her website and messaging all state she serves both audiences she can easily reach both audiences and prove she is a master at both types of photography. Something to remember is an analogy that my friend and previous guest on the show, Pia Silva, made during her interview.   If you want more details, go back and listen to episode 26.   But for now, think of an hourglass.   You have the wide-open space at the top where all of your ideas and passions are.    Then the hourglass becomes narrow.  This is where you niche down.  Once you niche down, you can identify your ideal audience, focus on finding out where they are so that you can be present on those platforms too, and create brand messaging that is going to resonate with them. Now that you have fine-tuned your brand messaging and your business is functioning at a level that you can manage, you can think about opening back up.  Just as the hourglass widens at the bottom, your product offerings can expand.  The key is to be sure that they align with the original niche so that you can maintain the clarity and confidence in your messaging. The third question is:  How do I Decide on My Niche? This is where my brand equation comes into play.   To identify your niche, you can make a list of your values, visions, and passions. Values Values come first because if your core values are not at the foundation of your brand, you will not be able to have clarity, confidence or serve your audience. Visions Your visions are how you see yourself.  How you see yourself interacting with clients.   What you see yourself doing.  Who you see yourself working with and serving? Passions Next are your passions. What lights you up?  Think about what it is that you do that makes you feel the most fulfilled, happy, joyful, or accomplished?    Is it a hobby, speaking, or teaching?   We all have something that we do that just lights our heart and soul on fire. Now that you have made your three lists, where is there cross over?  Are there any synergies, marriages or things that align? An Example Sarah's core values include compassion, empathy, faith, and service.    She sees herself working with children and she sees herself speaking and guiding.   Sarah is passionate about sharing her knowledge and has a love of learning.   For years, Sarah has been writing as a hobby and putting together snippets of stories and compiling Bible verses that have influenced how she sees the world and how she lives her life and wants her kids to live their lives. Now that Sarah has her list, she can think about where they align. There seems to be a thread with faith, serving, a love of learning, and writing and speaking.   What could Sarah do to create a business around her values, visions, and passions? She could write children's books, she could write devotionals for children, she could become a teacher, she could start a YouTube channel or monthly membership program for children or start a tutoring business for children. The opportunities really are endless if your values are at the core of the business you start. The fourth question is: How do I know that My Niche is the Right Fit for me? This is probably the easiest question to answer.    You'll know your niche is right for you when you have absolute clarity and confidence in what you are doing.   That you trust yourself as the expert that you are.  When you feel fulfilled at the end of the workday you will know you are on the right track.   And, you won't mind doing the work to get you to the point of success.   You will see every part of the journey as a steppingstone toward your end goal. The 5th question is: How do I determine if my Niche can be profitable? Any hobby or passion can be turned into a business.   Will it be easy to make money initially?  Not necessarily, but if you are hesitating to start a business because you are afraid you won't make money here are some things you can do to help you decide if your business will be profitable. Poll your friends and family and ask if they would purchase your product or service. Use your Google search bar and see if there are other businesses in your niche. Follow those businesses on social media and see how they are doing. Calculate your overhead, the number of hours you will have to work to create a product, or perform the service you are going to offer, and think about how many items or service hours will you have to sell to come out even. Your time is the most precious thing you have.  You do not want to work for free so be sure to put a value on your time.  And, keep in mind, that you God-given gift that is meant to serve a certain population.    There may be others doing what you do, but none of them will be doing it the unique way you do. If your business model doesn't seem profitable, revisit it, and see how you could make changes to allow for a higher profit margin. Or, if it does seem profitable, start your brand creation by being the face of your brand and telling your story. Once you have crafted your story, you can begin marketing by communicating your story and attracting clients. Questions About Niching Down If you have any questions about niching down or finding absolute clarity and confidence around your brand, don't hesitate to reach out!   You can book a strategy session with me by visiting my website. You can also join my private Facebook Group, The Brand Marketing Insider.  The group is a great place to poll members, share tips, ask questions, and learn more about brand marketing strategies.  I'd love to see you there! Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Private Facebook Group HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest  

Time Flies When You're In the Nest Whether you are already an empty nester, or you are a young mom, the time with our children flies by.  We have a narrow window of opportunity before it's time to give them their wings and say “fly, be free”. There are so many mixed emotions with the send-off process.  We're proud, excited, nervous, maybe even anxious, part sad and part happy. But what do we do when they're all gone? Even if we have a full-time job there will be new vacancy's in our schedule.  If we've been a stay at home parent, now we really have an open calendar. So, what's next? Well, Jodi Silverman is here to guide us on the next phase of empty nesting and teach us how to dare on! Jodi says it's creating little new normals. Jodi spent 20 plus years in sales. When her children were young, she left corporate and started her own printing business.   She was still in sales but working for herself.  Once her children started high school, Jodi realized that she started to have much more time on her hands.  The additional time shed light on the fact that she really wasn't fulfilled in her business. Jodi left her company and joined a network marketing company.  This led her on a journey of discovering things about herself that she hadn't realized.  She was introduced to coaching during this time.   Jodi was saying yes to things she never knew she could do.   She found strengths she didn't know she had and embraced them. Upon this realization, Jodi decided she wanted to help other women entering the empty nest phase discover themselves. Vulnerability We as women have to support each other.   If we are in a place of influence, we should share the limiting beliefs and fears that we experience to help others do the same.  Our journeys can positively influence others to push through and accept the fact that fear is always going to be part of you, but it isn't going to keep her stuck.   We can't fear judgement. Our gifts and voices will resonate with certain people.   When we reach one person, it's a mic drop moment. If we can touch even one life, we have done our job.  We aren't meant to help everyone.  When we talk to everyone, we talk to no one. When our children leave us, it is sad, but it isn't just a loss, it is an opportunity.   It's an opportunity to expand and grow ourselves. An Adjustment It is such an adjustment when our children leave us.   When they leave, our purpose changes dramatically.   And there is a phase of reconnection with our partners. The Phases The empty nest doesn't start when the kids leave the house.  There are phases, just like menopause.   Pre-empty nest, empty nest and post empty nest. The empty nest phase actually starts when the kids are in high school and driving themselves. Reconnection is important and it can happen.  But we do need to invest in the reconnection. Ways to Reconnect as an Empty Nester Do a day swamp – each partner plans a day based on the things they enjoy doing. Reflect on what you did before you had kids. Get vulnerable and tell your partner what you want to do and that you want to spend more time together. Compromise – relationships are give and take Discovery Accept a new adventure. Step out of your comfort zone. Dare to do something new. A Series of Questions for Finding Your Second Phase as an Empty Nester What do you value? What makes your heart sing? When in your life, outside of motherhood, that made you excited and fulfilled? Sometimes you just sit with the questions and then step out and do something new. By daring, you are stepping out to do something new, or something that you haven't done in a while, but something that fulfills you. Daring doesn't mean jumping out of an airplane.  It could be as simple as riding a bike or learning to play Canasta.   Daring could be spending a day giving random compliments to strangers.   It could be doing something for other people, anything that is moving out of your head and into your heart space. Your next phase doesn't have to be a paid position.  It could be a volunteer position. Use the skills you've developed and perfected over the years.   Organization, event planning, budgeting, and so much more. Discover your values, visions and passions. Don't assume you have to work when the kids leave.  You can find meaningful volunteer opportunities instead if you are blessed and don't need additional income. Find Your Community Don't listen to the shoulds. Ask yourself “if money is not an issue, what would you love to do”? You can find a passion, a hobby, a job or a volunteer position.   But focus on what is going to make you happy, give you joy and purpose. Permission to Create a Second Phase As an empty nester, give yourself permission to create a new normal. Start having date nights. Go for a walk and then have a late dinner. Break away from the traditional clock. Shake things up a bit.   Eat dinner and what TV. The vacant time is a gift.   You haven't been able to do whatever you wanted until now. Find new hobbies as an Empty Nester. Golf Tennis Book Club Photography This is your time!  It is limitless! The Kids' Point of View Our kids are watching us.   They are paying attention to how we are handling life and what we are doing.   Kids will learn that it is OK for us to have our time too. Our job as parents is to show them how to live instead of just taking care of them to live. Learn more about Jodi and Connect with Her: Website: www.jodisilverman.com Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/jodibsilverman/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jodi_silverman/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodisilverman/ In the Nest with Jodi: https://www.youtube.com/inthenestwithjodisilverman Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE.  To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE.  Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest  

Improv is a powerful tool and has benefits both professionally and personally. Ralph Andracchio is a professional coach who uses applied improv techniques in concert with his coach training to give his clients tools that empower them to live more focused, mindful, confident lives. Too many of us live dual lives of professional success and personal fulfillment. Ralph wants us to live one authentic life filled with strength, confidence, happiness, and success. The Power of Improv Improv gave Ralph the strength to overcome self-doubt and, imposter syndrome and it gave him the strength to step into his power and his voice and say to himself that his point of view was valuable.  Similarly, improv gave him permission to open up to other people. The Thread of Improv The true thread through improv is helping other people realize what he realized, that you matter.  You have a power inside of you that if you stop and take a breath and embrace and slow down and open yourself up there is a whole world of excitement out there.  The key is to listen for it and be accepting of it. Coaching Through his research of what he could do with his background of improv he found coaching, which is what lead him to his business. Improv and the Power of Listening Listening is about listening to others and ourselves.   It's about holding the space to really truly deeply listen what is going on around you and what the other person is saying and feeling.  Listening isn't just waiting for your turn to speak.  It's listening to everything the person is saying, what they aren't saying, the words they are using and the silence that happens and embracing the silence to settle into the moment. Listening opens up to connections that we don't realize are possible.   It's about trusting others and ourselves. True conversation and connection is having a reaction and opinion and wanting to connect on that, and have a conversation about it. Likewise, it's important to be able to practice deep listening, being present and holding space and not getting so caught up in opinion. Being intentional with our listening helps building emotional connections that lead to genuine relationships. Leadership We are all leaders in our own right.   The best leaders are those who listen.  True leaders will ask what is needed and how they can support you.   They listen to the responses and let go of their ego of thinking they have to be the most important person in the room. There are so many opportunities to learn and leaders are eager to learn. Life is about being open to letting others teach you something.   We aren't meant to know everything.  Imposter syndrome makes us think we have to be an expert at everything, but we aren't meant for that, we are meant to learn as we go along. The Foundation of Improv Improv is when two or more people get on a stage without a script and get some form of input from the audience.  It is whatever happens, happens and you become hyper aware in the moment.   Your senses are very aware.  Paying attention to body language, what they way and what they don't say. Improv teaches you to live wholly and completely in the moment.  To take in all of the information you can because everything means everything, and you take in all of the information to formulate a response. Similarly, improv teaches us to trust ourselves and support each other and the team.   The only way you can fail at improv if you negate what is happening and say no to the experience.   You really can't fail at improv. People use improv to learn to roll with the punches and go with the flow.  Life is improv.  We don't have any idea what's going to happen when we get up in the morning. Can an Anxious and Fearful Person Do Improv and How? Yes and is the main thing taught in improv.   It is a philosophy of being open to everything that is happening.   Accept the situation and reality and add your two cents.   It's about trusting yourself to say things.  Turning down the volume on the fear of judgment is the key. In other words, improv teaches us to let go of the fear and say what we believe is the right thing to say and believe in our partner to respond.   Getting lost in the moment with your on-stage partner.  It is like floating in a warm space and all of the negative thoughts float away. Storytelling Improv is also about storytelling.   Public speakers are great story tellers.   Improv helps us tap into the storyteller in us. Storytelling helps us engage and build relationships.  It's how we connect with each other. Storytelling is also a great way to network.   Ask others to tell their story.  We aren't defined by the work we do, so change the dialogue to asking others to share their story instead of asking what they do.  This helps build relationships and trust. Learn more and connect with Ralph Website: www.informationcoaching.com LinkedIn: Info Coach Ralph Facebook: Info Coach Ralph Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest  

Imposter syndrome, you've heard of it, right? What is Imposter Syndrome The root of imposter syndrome is self-doubt.  Self-doubt leads to a compilation of beliefs of inadequacy, not being good enough. People who suffer with imposter syndrome live with the belief that they are fraudulent, that they aren't good enough, smart enough, talented enough and shouldn't be doing what they are doing.   That they aren't worthy of being in the position they are in or doing what they are doing. The overwhelming thoughts of intellectual fraudulence overrule achievement, success and recognition. Or, we take on everything because we feel we have to prove ourselves by doing it all. Both result in frustration. If you are shaking your head because you've felt these feelings or believed you were a fraud you are not alone. Imposter syndrome impacts even those who have achieved great success. The Symptoms of Imposter Syndrome What are the symptoms of imposter syndrome?  How can you start paying attention to prevent imposter syndrome from capitalizing your thoughts and potentially ruining your business and life? Self-doubt is at the top of the list. A lack of self-confidence. Comparison of others, constantly, which results in more negative self-judgment. Fears of failure and of the future that are irrational. Anxiety. Negative self-talk. Inability to trust yourself. Frequently referring back to the past and dwelling on mistakes or failures instead of looking at what you've learned and how you've improved. Taking on too much, not saying no, because you believe you need to prove yourself. Questioning your qualifications. Discounting praise, recognition or accolades. How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome What can you do once you recognize the symptoms of imposter syndrome and realize it has over-stepped its boundary and is negatively impacting your day to day abilities to thrive? Take a step back and start implementing a self-care regimen. Set boundaries. Keep your head down.  Meaning, don't look at what other people are doing.   You do you to the best of your ability.  Focus on what you can do and not what others are doing.   If you find yourself struggling with comparison, go back and listen to episode 35.  The entire episode is tips and tricks I've learned to overcome the comparison game I've played. View success as subjective.   Recognize that success looks different for everyone. See a therapist for help overcoming low self-esteem.   Sometimes low self-esteem is deep rooted and we need to get to the root to be able to change our mind-set and be able to trust ourselves and our abilities. Pray.  When going into situations or evaluating projects, ask for God's guidance and for the Holy Spirit to fill your mind with the wisdom and focus you need to accomplish the tasks.  Remember, God believes in you.  He recognizes the gifts he's given you and knows that you have the ability to use the unique gifts to his glory and for your own personal success. Similarly, These Items will Help You Overcome Imposter Syndrome Likewise, recognize that humility is wonderful, but being humble is totally different than not accepting rewards, accolades and success because of your hard work. Start journaling.  Document your thoughts and separate facts from feelings. Change the way you look at failure and mistakes.   See them as learning opportunities and chances for growth.   Remember they are temporary bumps in the road, and you can overcome them by applying what you've learned from them. Your internal monologue is powerful.  Change it.  When you think something negative, change it to a positive.   Is that going to be easy, no.  But with practice and consistency, you can convert the thoughts. Visualize success.  When you begin a project or consider starting something new in your business, or even working with a client, visualize success.   Manifest the positive. Don't forget to reward yourself.  Overcoming self-doubt and imposter syndrome is no joke.  Follow your journey through your journaling and reward yourself when you make progress. Give yourself grace.   You are a beautiful human you are smart and talented and have unique gifts that are meant to be used.   Shine your lights, friends.  Good will follow.   Create a mantra to remind yourself of this and look in the mirror at the start of each day and say it to yourself. Learn more and connection with the host, Robyn Graham: Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Join The Brand Marketing Insider Facebook Group HERE. Ask Me Anything and Be Featured On the Podcast HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest

Converting leads to sales doesn't have to be hard or spammy!   Are you ready to learn the most effective, genuine and authentic ways to sell? Today's guest colors outside the lines and does things differently.  She's one-part intuitive, one-part strategist and one-part creative. Emi Kirshner has worked in many different industries from restaurants to motorcycles to financial services and now helps entrepreneurs work effectively to double and triple their revenue. In this episode Emi teaches us how to increase sales by maximizing process and lead capture. Who Loves Sales? No one ever says they love sells.  Well, maybe a few people, but the rest of us don't like it! When we come from a place of servitude, we sell more.  It's important to take ourselves out of the equation. Converting Leads to Sales Your job is to help the person gain clarity on the problem they have.   They will then be able to make a better decision to either hire you or someone else. Don't have a mindset of getting people to sign on the dotted line, think about the outcome of serving them.  Coming from a place of service makes converting leads to sales painless and a lot less spammy. People often don't realize the problem they have.  When we come from a place of giving, people will learn about what we do, and it will help them realize that they need your service. “People don't know what they want until you show it to them.” ~ Steve Jobs We all live in a box and we only see what's in the box.  Even when actively seeking to look for new things, we miss what we actually need.  As humans, we don't know what we don't know. Having someone bring the awareness of what we need or a problem we have, is a gift. Before a call, writing copy or creating a sales page, think about what your ideal audience needs, and you'll be able to create content that really grabs the attention of your ideal avatar. We need to listen and pay attention with intention when communicating with people so that we can really be in tune to their needs.   Doing so will help us better connect with our audience and help them learn more about the problem we solve for them. Maximizing Process Think about simplifying.   Streamline action items to create an efficient method to accomplish them.  If you are doing things repetitively, then create a process to do them quickly.  If tasks are taking forever, it's time to reevaluate how you are doing them.  Look at how to simplify them to create freedom. When you have systems in place, it is easier to delegate. The Sales Process Know your main offer?   This can change from time to time, but you need to know what it is at the time.  Once you identify your main offer, serve your audience and you will begin converting leads to sales.  It may take time, but it will happen. Think about the number of leads you need.  People aren't going to come knocking on our door because of social media posts.  We need to warm up our audience. When doing a webinar, you may have 20% of the registrants actually show up, and only a small percent of those will purchase from you. Build your audience with ads, social media, have affiliates.   Start with asking your inner circle to share the program or webinar.    Share your excitement and that you want to share value. Make a 100-lead List When you do this, even if people on your list don't buy, someone they know will buy.   It's the energy that you create that attracts people to become a warm audience, or purchase from you. Secrets to Capturing Leads The key is giving value through content.  Follow up is the key.   It takes 10 to 20 touch points for people to buy from you.  Your email list is a great way to stay in touch with your audience and provide value. Reframe how you look at sales.   When you think positively about it, you'll have a more positive experience. When leads come in: Pick up the phone – conversations are different when you are talking instead of texting or emailing. Do follow-up – even if it's been a couple of months, check in. Track your leads in a CRM or a spread sheet or on Monday.com. Be authentic and genuine and real. Just keep the process simple or it will fail. Learn more about and connect with Emi: Website: http://emikirschner.com/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/groups/tribeofleaders/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/emi.kirschner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emikirschner Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Private Facebook Group HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest  

Julia Armet is a community leader who believes in high touch, high tech and shares her innovative business practices for virtual entrepreneurship by leading a community of powerful, passionate, and purposeful service professionals. Her organization is The Higher Playbook. She is a former match maker who is energized by service and community and is going to inspire you to follow your values, visions and passions to live a life of fulfillment. At a young age Julie decided she wanted to help people and make a lot of money.   She first found this opportunity in the hospitality industry and then transitioned to match making.   Her curiosity and love of community drove her to success in this role. Higher Playbook for Virtual Business It started with the curiosity of what is possible.  Julia believes in creating a higher standard of leadership.   The way to create a higher standard of leadership is to tap into the possibilities that exist when they are in alignment with their purpose and values and playing out their dreams by their own rules. Mastering the Virtual Business World Anyone can find success virtually if they show up and share. Higher Standard of Leadership Julia believes every human is a leader.  Energy leadership is all about knowing how to lead yourself so that you can lead others. Spiritual Stress When you are feeling a spiritual disconnect and not feeling fulfilled, you are in a state of spiritual stress. Leadership Julia describes leadership as the ability to pull from the power within and exercise the ownership of who you are and what you do. After working with a leadership coach, Julia decided she want to work with others on leadership and went back to school.  This is when she started to recognize values and spiritual stress.  Regardless of where you are, when you start to look at purpose, a purpose journal, you can identify when you feel most purposeful. Which ultimately aligns with your values. Julia likes to say how we do anything is how we do everything.   Your values are what regulate how you do things every day and this is the high playbook that she speaks of.  Your values can lead you and you can lead your values into creating the life of your dreams. The Number One Question or Struggle That the Higher Playbook Helps Resolve When Julia thinks about problems, she also thinks about possibility.   One question is how am I going to be able to create my next move?  When people come to Julia, they are often times asking how, but the real question is who.  When we discover who we are, the how is answered. Consistency Being consistent is how we build the know like and trust factor.   Trust is important for others to believe in us, but we also must trust ourselves.  Self-trust starts with honoring intuition and knowingness.  To trust knowingness, is empowering. High Touch High Tech in the Virtual Business World How do we maintain the high touch concept when working primarily, on line. The key is showing up and sharing and it all starts with your belief system.   And, you must believe that anything is possible on the world wide web. Start with a vision and then trust the great idea.  Strategy comes next.   Think about what a virtual business would look like. If connectivity is important, then you must show up and infuse love languages into your business.  Think about quality connections instead of the quantity of connections. Mastering the tech available such as Zoom, email marketing, etc. and then play them out purposefully. Branding Your brand is going to grow, evolve and change with you.  The key is to always let your values lead you.  Aligning your values is what will sustain you long term.   Consistently being who you are and embracing authenticity will allow you to bring your gifts into any part of your journey. Virtual Tools for Evergreen Content Zoom allows us to create recordings that can be repurposed on YouTube, Vlogs, etc.   Your email list is something you own and allows you to initiate conversation with your ideal audience at any time.   Think of it as a constant point of contact with potential to convert your audience to clients.  The important thing is to always show up and share yourself. Learn more about and connect with Julia: Free bonus gift:  Virtual Kickstart Playbook : https://www.higherplaybook.com/services/virtual-kickstart-playbook Code: FREEKICKSTART Website: www.higherplaybook.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/307507426863766/ Instagram: @higherplaybook LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliaarmet/ Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Private Facebook Group HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Diva Girl Community Webiste: https://community.divagirl-inc.com Diva Girl Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/divagirl411 Majet Reyes Website: https://resilientmindworks.com    

Jose Miguel Longo is a life and career coach helping millennials and beyond achieve meaningful and successful careers.  He is also the director of career services for SUNY Polytechnic Institute.  Jose is a strategic leader with over ten years of experience of health and human services, talent management, career development, coaching and counseling. He believes everyone has a God given talent and is passionate about helping people discover theirs.   To top it off, he is a fellow Goldendoodle lover. LinkedIn In the early 2000's LinkedIn was a professional networking platform, but over the years it has evolved into a mega platform where you can network and build relationships that are sustainable.  The year 2020 has become the year of online networking. LinkedIn is a place to harness your profile and brand that you are building along with engaging with people in groups.  Some groups have hundreds of people that you are able to connect with. Building an Online Presence LinkedIn is a great platform to build relationships and become the authority in your area of expertise. The LinkedIn Profile Customize your specific LinkedIN URL.   The URL is sharable.  Customize it to your name or business. The headline is the most important piece.   Put the juicy key words associated with your brand and business in the headline because they are searchable. In other words, your LinkedIn profile is like your resume on steroids.   It is the resume that never sleeps.    You can get connections and people will find you while you are sleeping, even when you aren't engaging. Recommendations, Endorsements and Features They become a powerful way to showcase your expertise and that you are an authority in your space.   It is free PR.   Having all of these things help you with visibility, but they may not be the reason for connection. When building your network, connect with those you know, or already have a relationship with.   Ask them to endorse you or recommend you. Keep in mind they are value added, but not a requirement.   However, they are great to show that you provide value and are an expert in your area of expertise. Posting and Engagement Engagement is the way that you will build your network and drive traffic to your website.   It is important to post every day.  Post your content daily and spend time engaging in groups. When creating content, think about what you are using the platform for.   You can do the same think on LinkedIn that you would do on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.   LinkedIn isn't just a blog, it's a platform built for networking. Post a post or article at least once a week and engage at least 3 to 4 times per week. Hashtags LinkedIn followed Twitter on the hashtag bandwagon.    Hashtags will determine who sees your content.   Use hashtags that tell the story of your content. Connecting and Growing Your Network Don't just hit connect and walk away.   The key is to build relationships therefore it is important to take the time to write a comment and explain why you want to connect with them.    People are very protective of their network and don't have time to accept hundreds of requests a week.  Therefore, it is very important to personalize requests to connect for higher odds the person will connect with you. Keep in mind that you want connections that are meaningful. Quality connections are more powerful than just a large quantity of connections. LinkedIn Posts versus LinkedIn Articles Articles are longer, more significant content.   Repurposing blog posts in articles is a way to use evergreen content. Posts are shorter, meant to be quick reads or updates. The LinkedIn Profile Photo You should have a professional photo or at a minimum, a really good selfie. It is so very important because people judge us by what is online.     We live in a digital world and you must showcase yourself and help others identify you. If you are using LinkedIn to find a job or have clients hire you, you must have a professional photo.    Be professional.   The profile photo is your first impression and your introduction to the online world.   Having an updated professional headshot helps build the know like and trust profile. Don't bother having a LinkedIn profile if you aren't going to have an updated professional headshot. Free versus Paid LinkedIn Accounts There are a few benefits with having a paid LinkedIn account.  However, you can do almost everything you need with a free LinkedIn account. Key Takeaways on Using LinkedIn Make sure your headline has key phrases related to your niche Show up 3 to 4 times per week. A free account is absolutely good enough. Use groups to build relationships. Be authentic. Learn more and connect with Jose? Website: http://www.coachingwithjosemiguel.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/LifeandBusinessCoachingforMillennials/ Instagram: @josemiguellongo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josemiguellongo/ Pinterest: @josemiguellongo Twitter: @josemiguellongo Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Private Facebook Group HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest

Here's a secret: if you are going to invest time and money in marketing, you must have a brand.  Confused?  Let's take a deeper look at branding versus marketing. Branding Versus Marketing You need a brand, everyone says. Marketing is a must, everyone says. So, which do you do?  Which one do you spend your time, money and energy on? If you are feeling your heart skip a beat at the thought of spending money on marketing, stop right there! I am going to share the difference between branding and marketing and help you discover the steps you need to take to not only get the word out about your business, but also attract more clients. Branding Branding is about crafting and telling a story.   The story of your business and of you as the CEO of your business. You are what differentiates your business from any other in your niche or area of expertise.  I've said it before.   You have gifts that no one else has.  There may be a thousand other people in your niche or area of expertise, but only you have the unique gifts that are meant to serve the specific people you are here to solve problems for. Branding is: Who you are Your why Differentiation Positioning Mission Statement Personality Creating a perception Core values, visions and passions A strategy Marketing Marketing is communicating your story and spreading the message of what you do and the problem you uniquely solve for your ideal audience. Think of Marketing as: Communication SEO Content Marketing Social Media Print campaigns TV Radio Pay per click marketing Influencer marketing Podcasts Which Comes First? Branding!  Your brand is at the core of your marketing and must come first.  Therefore, without a brand you don't have anything to market. This is where clarity comes into play.   You must be clear on what you do and who you serve to create your brand in a way that builds an emotional connection and becomes recognizable and memorable. Your brand and the emotional connection with your audience is what will keep your customers coming back and referring you. Likewise, it's important to remember, that you must build the know like and trust factor first.   Without trust built through your branding efforts, your marketing efforts will fall short. Long-Term Differences in Branding Versus Marketing Branding Stays the Same Branding will always be the same.   It will always be about positioning your business and differentiating it.  Creating perception and building connections.   Emotional connections that result in relationships that convert to clients. You may make changes in your brand, but your brand will always include your core values, visions and passions.   Branding is who you are. Marketing Changes with Trends Marketing is communicating who you are and attracting your ideal audience.   It is trendy and will change as the industry changes.  For example, think about how social media has shifted the marketing paradigm. There are so many opportunities for free marketing using social media, however, you must have content that connects for them to be effective.  That content is your personality infused into your business, which is your brand. You might be wondering if you can achieve success by marketing without building a clear, cohesive and consistent brand.   The answer is yes, but you will achieve a much higher level of success if you have a brand.  That success will have greater longevity as well because your audience will trust you and want to return to you. As I mentioned earlier, your brand is the infusion of your personality into your business.  Therefore, your brand is how you build an emotional connection with your ideal audience and develop the know like and trust factor. Above all, you must realize that you can market all you want, but if you don't build relationships and attract your audience through the know like and trust factor, you aren't going to achieve as much success. In conclusion, let's recap priorities for your brand marketing strategy.  Recap of Priorities: Absolute clarity around your brand and brand messaging Infuse your personality into your business and create a brand Differentiate yourself Create compelling, cohesive and consistent content for your brand messaging Build an online presence Begin marketing efforts Continue to build relationships Provide invaluable customer service Nurture your audience Continue marketing efforts Savor the success Connect with Me Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest    

The Hustle Mindset Stefanie Gass is a coach who believes in doing less and making more.   She doesn't believe in the hustle mindset.  Similarly, she believes that doing ads and spending thousands of dollars isn't the key to success.  Success comes from speaking directly to your audience and providing value from a place of service.    Stefanie is the host of the Mompreneur Mastermind Show.   If you go back to Episode 5 of the podcast you can learn more about Stefanie and her journey from corporate executive to networking marketing success to online entrepreneur.  The Struggle is Real Many entrepreneurs struggle with discovering how to grow a business, to get more followers, and to get more people to resonate with their content . They try so hard to no avail.  Showing up everywhere, pouring out their hearts and it's so much with little benefit. You Can't Do It All The truth is that in order to be seen and heard as an entrepreneur, you have to stop doing everything and pick one thing.  Choose to speak to one person, your ideal avatar.  Have extraordinary clarity on who that is and make sure your message is clear and directed to your avatar. Keep the Focus Likewise, instead falling into the hustle mindset of talking to everyone everywhere, start solving your avatar's problems for free, in one place.   And then, don't look up.   Just serve and solve the problem over and over again for six months to a year. Pour out free information over and over again and don't get distracted by all of the shiny tactics that you hear about and see on social media. If you do this in your business, Stefanie “almost” guarantees you'll have success.   When you follow this process, you will find success and make revenue. The important thing is not to be influenced by what other people are doing.  The hustle mindset will lure you into trying to do what everyone else is doing.  Don't fall for it. If you spend time getting to know your audience, you will be able to figure out what they need and be able to create exactly what they need. Validation The validation of your gifts and how you can help your audience is between you and God.  Don't look at what others are doing, focus on how you can help the people who you are meant to serve.  Speak your truth and pour content out into the world and look down to focus on creating and listening to the feedback. Look down instead of up. Put your gifts out into the world. Look at your analytics. Where is your traction.  You only need your audience to tell you what's working.   You don't need feedback from external sources. Long form content is key. You want to be on the platforms that you own, not social media. Serve and give value for free. The More You Give, The More You're Blessed Remember, the more you give the more you are blessed.   You can't give too much away to grow a business.  When we help, and give and serve, God gives us everything we need.  At times when we aren't serving, we aren't coming from a place of good intention. Steps to be seen and heard over the next year Have absolute clarity. Know who you are serving and how you serve them. Identify your avatar's problems. Know how you can solve the problems for your audience. Have long form content: podcast, blog, YouTube and repurpose the content. Content should educate your audience and solve problems for her (for free). Use SEO and trigger words for podcasts and blog posts. Facebook group – drive traffic to a tight knit group so that your audience feels seen and heard. Make money – if your audience loves all the free information, then teach them how to do it through online courses. Don't look up and focus on your gifts and how you can serve and you will grow a brand and business so much faster.   Start with your gifts, your abilities that you feel at peace with instead of looking at what other people are doing.   Get in line with what God wants in your business and you'll find success.   Let the external sources slide.  They will not help you grow. To learn more about Stefanie Gass: Podcast: bit.ly/themompreneurmastermindshow Website: stefaniegass.com IG: @stefaniegass Community: bit.ly/successsupportgroup Is Podcasting Right for You? Free Quiz and 10 Steps to Podcasting webinar: podcastquiz.gr8.com To learn more about Podcast Pro University and to purchase the class go to: http://www.stefaniegass.com/robyn.html. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Book a Brand Strategy Clarity and Confidence Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE Join the Brand Marketing Insider Private Facebook Group HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest  

As Bryan was working as a photographer, he realized he was spending a lot of time going back and forth from system to system in order to accomplish tasks and repeating the same tasks over and over again.   He saw a need for process mapping and an all- inclusive management program.   A system that would streamline his business.  Sprout Studio was the result of Bryan's need to solve a problem and streamline his business. About Bryan Bryan Caporicci is an award-winning wedding and portrait photographer based out of Fonthill, Canada. In 2014, he was awarded his Masters of Photographic Arts (MPA) designation by the Professional Photographers of Canada (PPOC), making him one of the youngest Canadian photographers to receive this level of achievement. Bryan is the host of the Business of Photography Podcast with over 2 million downloads. He teaches at workshops across North America, including industry-leading conventions and conferences such as WPPI, Shutterfest and Canada Photo Convention. Bryan is also the CEO and Founder of Sprout Studio. Become a Problem Solver The best solutions often come from being in the trenches.   When things aren't working, we identify the problem and can find a solution.  There is no better way to become a problem solver. Outsourcing It's important to realize when we are not an expert at something and hire the people who are experts to do that task for us.   For example, attorneys, accountants, bookkeepers.  Surrounding yourself with a tribe of experts who excel in areas you don't excel at is key for overall success in entrepreneurship. Marcus Buckingham in The StandOut Assessment goes through the example of we are taught our whole lives to focus on what we aren't good at to become better.   As entrepreneurs, play to your strengths and do more of, and outsource the things we aren't good at. Process Mapping Think about where your time is best spent in your business.   Is it worthwhile to do all of the activities you are presently doing? Having processes in place could mean you can spend more time on your business for creating more revenue, or it could mean having more time to spend on yourself and with your family.  Being able to enjoy the fruits of your labor and take better care of yourself is so important. Start with looking at anything in your business that you do more than once and pass those items through this list of filters. Does this need to be done? Am I the best person to be doing this? Can I automate this to be as hands free as possible? How can I streamline this: templates, scripts, etc.? Systemize action items when in a place of clarity. Have your Process Documented as a Contingency Plan In The EMyth Revisited, Michael E. Gerber, writes about the importance of process documentation for business owners.   If you hire someone or in the event you are not able to be present in your business, you need to have your processes mapped out.  Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are important for maintaining efficient workflows. It also helps to have your processes mapped out and have a second set of eyes review them.   As Donald Miller says in Building a Story Brand, assuming can make us ignorant.  Don't assume your process is perfect.  Someone else may see a better way. Solving Problems If you want to solve a problem, you have to get creative to find the solution.  Tap into available resources and the humans you know who can help you.  Your network and community are invaluable. Learn more about and connect with Bryan: Website: www.getsproutstudio.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/getsproutstudio Instagram: www.isntagram.com/getsproutstudio Instagram: www.instagram.com/bcapphoto Podcast: The Business of Photography About the Host Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest

Julie Hale Maschhoff is a former first grade teacher and college professor.  She is the author of “Golden Fruit: Living the Fruit of The Spirit through the Best Times of Your Life” and “But Now I See: Finding God's Plan for Your Life.”  Her journey is remarkable.  She's one of my heroes and a true inspiration. Julie has Usher's Syndrome.  Usher's Syndrome is a rare recessive genetic disease that causes severe hearing and visual impairment.  This diagnosis didn't stop Julie.  After her diagnosis she went on to achieve her doctorate degree. Finding Peace Julie shared how she's found peace by finding God's purpose for her.   After retiring, she thought about what she could do, and writing was the answer.  She wrote her first book and submitted it to a publisher, and they accepted it right away.  At that point she knew that she was on the right path, following God's will for her and she found a sense of peace. In this episode Julie shares inspiring insight on how we can find our purpose and follow God's plan for our lives, as entrepreneurs and personally, and find peace. “God sends people and situations we can learn from.” – Julie Maschhoff Humor Julie believes strongly that we have to laugh at ourselves.  Life is too sad and heavy to not laugh. Starting a Business If you want to start a business, you have to try it.   If it doesn't work out, or if you don't feel at peace, then you might not be on the right path.   Pivot.  Change directions.  Sit with prayer and see what door God opens for you.   Leave the door open.   Don't close it, put yourself out there and see what other opportunities God puts in our path. When you try something and it doesn't work or you don't have peace with it, that's a sign that it isn't meant to be.   But you have to try things.   If God wants you to do something, you will find peace when doing it. Fruits of the Spirit If you want peace, follow the fruits of the Spirit.  Peace and joy are things we are missing in our society today.   Julie wrote her first book because she was depressed and wanted to find joy. The Fruits of The Spirit Joy Peace Patience Kindness Goodness Faithfulness Gentleness Self-Control We often look for peace in the wrong places.  If we don't put in effort or take action, we don't find peace. When we are depressed, find someone you can help.  Get out of your own skin and find a way of living with the people around you by serving them. The more we display these traits in our lives the more blessings we will receive in our lives.  If people are kind and civil and exhibit human decency life can be so rewarding. Stop, Look and Listen As humans we think we have all the answers but whatever the situation, we have to stop, pray about it.  We have to stop!  Stop and ponder.  Live with patience. After stopping, it's time to look around.  Look around and see what's there, what opportunities is God putting in our path?  What doors is he closing?  What doors is he opening? We also need to listen, something we don't do for each other enough.   Instead of listening we start thinking about what we are going to say next.  Instead, stop doing and wondering and listen. God often uses other people to speak to us for Him.   If we aren't taking time to listen and instead jumping in to answer for someone or moving on to the next topic, we will miss an opportunity to hear God's plan for us. God sends people and situations we can learn from.  Thus, we need to stop, look and listen. The Angels Among Us There are angles among us.   God uses angels to communicate his plan for us.  If you pay attention to the world around you, to the people around you, and stop to pay attention, you'll see them.  You'll hear them. Be Brave Each one of us must be brave enough to advocate for herself and never be afraid to follow her dreams.   We have to encourage our girls to be strong and brave.  Girls need to realize that they can take care of themselves and know that no partner is going to complete them, that they have to complete themselves.  It's important to teach girls to advocate for themselves.  Girls need to like themselves first. Be brave, advocate for yourself and follow your dreams! Learn more and connect with Julie Website:  www.jjhale50.com Email: jamaschhoff@gmail.com Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Private Facebook Group HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest        

What is stress? When the person perceives that the demands on them exceeds their resources.   There is also a secondary definition which is the emotional, mental or physical strain or tension. How do we recognize stress? Stress shows up differently for each of us, but most commonly it presents as irritability.   It can also show up as depression and anxiety.  There are also physical signs, headaches, migraines, stomach aches, heart attacks. The first sign though is going into that irritability, and exhaustion.  When we experience stressor after stressor, and don't process them, we have a breakdown or blow up. We've been trained to ignore our emotions, to feel them later, but not now.   When those instances come up, we go back to the mindset of pick yourself up by the bootstraps and go forward. Start feeling emotions and let them pass through. Recognizing the Physical Signs of Stress An exercise that works is to help identify how stress physically affects you is to look in the mirror and say something to yourself that you know will cause stress.   Feel the emotion.  Where do you feel it, where does it show up in your body? Then, do the same exercise, but say something pleasant and kind to yourself. It's important to know the difference between the good feelings of excited and the feelings of stress. Think of it as a mind body connection exercise. Stress is unique for everyone. What is burnout and how can we prevent it? Burnout can show up in a variety of ways but the most common is irritation and exhaustion.   To the point of “I hate everything, I can't do this anymore, I don't have the energy for this any more.” When in burnout, everything feels to hard and so heavy. Burnout requires a different set of tools than stress.   We can't prevent it at this time.  People who experience burnout often get sick.   Burnout takes a lot more time and energy to overcome than recognizing and alleviating stress. If we take the pickup by the bootstraps approach to managing stress, we'll end up in burnout. About Carlee   The First Phase Her real story started at the age of 12.   At that time her mother dated a man who was abusive.    He broke into their home and shot and killed her mom's new boyfriend and her mother.   Her mother was not expected to survive, but she did. While her mother made a full recovery, Carlee struggled with PTSD for years.   She didn't tell anyone because she didn't want to bother her family.   When she finally did open up, people only asked her to try the latest mainstream resolutions. For ten years she struggled with this and nothing worked to move her to a place of joy.   This is when Carlee ended up in a state of burnout. Her second phase began when she discovered that there is no one-size fits all approach to stress management. The Second Phase Carlee recognized that she was ready to give up and wanted to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to get the help they need so that they don't get to the point Carlee got to.   This is how the Stress Less Company began. Exercises for Stress Management Carlee tried anything and everything.   At the time, creativity and drawing was what released her from the burnout mindset. Creative Stress Reduction Creative stress reduction is any activity that gets us out of fight, flight, or freeze mode to a state of play or flow. People make poor decisions when in a state of stress.   The first step to get to what is going on, is to get out of the fight, flight or freeze mode. One of the most common things Carlee experiences when working with entrepreneurs is that they go to fight or flight and assume that people are not going to hire them, they are ghosting them, etc.    It's important to take a step back and reach out to follow-up instead of ruining a relationship. How to Find Your Creative Activity for Reducing Stress Once you have identified your creative activity, you can identify and recognize the stressors.   We have to identify the triggers to avoid them or handle them going forward. Start with a list of one hundred items that you love doing.   It can be anything.   No editing. It can be wine, yoga, hanky-panky, cookies.  Anything goes.   If you get stuck, go back to your childhood and think about what you loved as a child. Then, ask yourself these four questions. Would this item put myself or someone else in harms-way? If the answer is yes, it gets scratched off the list. Is this item in my resources? Do I have enough money, do I have enough time, do I have enough social resources to make this happen? Does this item have the potential to trigger me? Cross it off the list if it does. How healthy is it?  Meaning, if I did this item every time I am stressed out would it be healthy? If not, cross it off. What we left out are the items that are accessible and healthy for us to explore.  Circle the items that really excite you and start taking action on those items and not whether or not they help you or not.  If they don't help, abandon them. There may be items that help with different stress responses.  For example, if you are more excited, reading a good story might be best, but if you are angry, a kick boxing class might be best. Take the time to do this.  Maybe start with ten items if you don't have a lot of time.   But if you do a hundred, then you are done, and you don't have to do the exercise again. We waste a lot of time when we are in a stress state.   If we do this exercise and find our creative stress reducer, we'll actually have more time because we'll be able to focus more.  A lot of creative stress reducers only take ten minutes.    And that is all it takes to get into the play or flow state and be able to focus again. Learn more about Carlee and connect with her   Website: www.thestresslessco.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thestresslessco/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thestresslessco/ Free stress evaluation: www.thestresslessco.com/apply   Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest  

Betty is passionate about advocating for those who think they don't have a voice. She is also passionate about helping girls and women reach their fullest potential. Mentorship is much like planting a seed and coming back months later to see this beautiful bloom! Betty built her non-profit, EmpowHer around her passion.   Passion leads to vision.  Action, even on a small vision, can have a huge impact.   Likewise, it takes confidence to take action. It's often necessary to push fear aside leads to positive action and inspiring results. The Power of One Similarly, Betty wants us to know the power of ONE. ONE person can make a difference for many people by taking action on that 'small' vision. Betty didn't realize that she was creating  a 'movement' that would contribute to gender and racial equity. But that is exactly what she and her organization do every day by empowering the girls and women that are involved with EmpowHER. Together, through mentorship, they are changing the trajectory of those who once thought of themselves as voiceless. Each of us has the power to become part of a solution and help solve problems in society. First Phase Betty's first phase was in sales and marketing for tech companies like IBM and other major brands. As a teen, she could never have dreamed of her life as a Sales Executive managing hundreds of people and $100 million budgets. She was the first in her family of 8 to graduate from college even after becoming a teen mom right out of high school. Betty has traveled to over 50 countries and lived abroad in South Africa after leaving corporate America in her 40's for a job with more meaning and purpose. Second Phase She found her second phase by becoming aware that her life would have meaning if she could share what she had learned during her lifetime.  Upon this realization, she set out to enhance the lives of others.   Betty realized that money, fine cars and clothes did not provide her with lasting satisfaction. It was not a straight line to get to her second phase. She actually started an Executive Coaching business and had many satisfied clients, but coaching wasn't satisfying her. In fact, she was developing EmpowHer at the same time that she was coaching. Betty realized that her joy came from helping people and making a difference in their lives. She further realized that she wanted to focus on helping those who might not have the chance to become an executive unless someone like her was there to mentor them and show them the way. Starting the EmpowHer Mentorship Program Upon this realization, she decided to let her coaching business go and adjusted her lifestyle to give her time and talent by creating a path for teen girls to avoid the pitfalls that she had fallen into. She had seen the evidence of mentoring teen girls when during her time in corporate America. As she mentored young women she witnessed the impact she could have on another person's life just by sharing her knowledge and encouraging them to dream big dreams. That is what EmpowHer does with more than 100 mentors who volunteer and help students imagine what is possible. The Power and Value of Mentorship – Giving and Getting There is a tremendous amount of power and value in mentorship.  Mentorship is about giving and getting. EmpowHer is based in Los Angeles, California and exists to help teen girls become the best version of themselves by providing them tools to build strength from within. The organization partners with middle schools in under resourced communities that are invested in building the next generation of compassionate leaders and developing the social emotional skills that will contribute to the success of these students. EmpowHer is the only external agency that is embedded as part of the school day as a gender specific class. The EmpowHer Institute serves over 400 teen girls annually while providing a safe environment to overcome trauma and excel academically. About Betty Betty LaMarr, Author/Founder/Executive Director of EMPOWHER INSTITUTE, is passionate about serving others through coaching and mentoring. While living in South Africa, Betty saw the devastating effects poverty and powerlessness have on girls and women. She also saw what happens when girls and women are offered even modest opportunities for empowerment: Women discover independence; girls seek education and life-chances for entire families and communities are positively altered as the cycle of poverty and dependency is broken. Inspired by her South Africa experience, Betty came back to the United States and founded EmpowHer Institute in 2003. Her mission was to create self-driven success for low-income middle and high school girls to reduce the high school dropout rate of more than 50%. The strategy is providing sisterhood, relevant training, power of choice and resiliency as a means to overcome poverty and to help young women meaningfully serve their communities. Betty earned a BA in Business Administration from California State University at Los Angeles, and an MBA from Pepperdine University.  She is a featured author in books: Discover Your Inner Strength, The Heart of Women in Business, Million Dollar Conversations and Life Moments for Women. As an activist for change, the Mayor of Los Angeles and California's Lieutenant Governor honored Betty for outstanding community service as well as her contributions to a variety of youth organizations. Betty was most recently awarded the Pepperdine Graziadio School Waves of Service Award to an alumna whose career demonstrates a life strengthened for “purpose, service and leadership” “Believe in yourself, you are better than you believe – Take the risk and believe in yourself.” – Betty LaMarr Learn More and Connect with Betty and EmpowHer Wine Down Summer Event: Swirl, Sip, Support - August 20th, 2020 Register Here:  https://empowhervirtual.eventbrite.com Donate to EmpowHER:  https://empowher.org/donate/ Website: http://www.empowher.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmpowherOrg/ Instagram: @empowherorgla Twitter: @empowherla YouTube: EMPOWHER INSTITUTE Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Private Facebook Group HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest  

Launching an online course can be intimidating to say the least.  It doesn't have to be though. Denice Whiteley recently stopped by The Second Phase Podcast to share great insight on how to plan, create a process, and share the systems we need to effectively launch an online course. First Phase In Denice's first phase she was a computer programmer for the Navy.   She worked as a civilian and had some pretty cool experiences.  When the base closed, Denice was nine months pregnant, so she took the opportunity to be a stay at home mom. Eventually, Denice wanted to go back to work.   She tried some part time jobs but they weren't exactly what she wanted to do nor did they last.  Then, she discovered the world of virtual assistants (VA's).   Denice studied VA's and eventually started her business as a VA. Second Phase While working for clients as a VA, Denice quickly realized that her gift is her ability to figure out the “tech” quickly and easily.  For her, tech is a jig-saw puzzle that is fun to put together where for the rest of us it is one giant headache. Denice quickly niched down and changed her title to online course launch concierge and her VA business shifted gears to helping entrepreneurs launch on-line courses. Time Needed to Launch an Online Course Two months is the amount of time Denice suggests you allow yourself for launching an online course.   You will first create the content, then, identify the process, set up and automate the tech, and launch. The Online Course Launch Process Email List Use your email list to survey your audience to learn what problem they need/want you to solve for them. You need 300 to 500 people on your email list to effectively launch a course. Create the online course content Once you have the survey results, create the content for the online course. Begin with a webinar that will introduce you to your audience, tell them about the course and direct them to purchase the course by going to your sales page Create a sales page. The sales page provides more detail about the course and sells the course to get people to register. Write your email series. You will need an email for welcoming attendees to the webinar and giving them the login credentials, an email to be sent as a thank you after the webinar, an email the day after the email to remind them about the problem you will solve for them and information on how to purchase the course, and a couple of additional emails for day 2, 3, and 4 post the webinar each with additional facts about the course and the link to register. Map the Process for Course Delivery Register for Zoom for delivery of webinar Create link for people to join the webinar Do the webinar Register participants Release modules Schedule group discussions Send out survey Ask for testimonials Market the Webinar and Course Use Social Media Blog posts LinkedIn Email Marketing Pinterest The Tools, Tech and Systems for a Successful Online Course Zoom Learning Management System Teachable Thinkific End to End System Kojabi Click Funnels Zapier Google Drive Email Management System Active Campaign Mail Chimp Constant Contacts Convert Kit Don't Make this Mistake The biggest mistake people make is not having a warm audience before they launch a course and start selling.  Build your audience and know specifically what they want/need before launching. About Denice Denice Whitely is an online course launch concierge.  She's a tech savvy virtual assistant who can solve most of your tech woes in minutes instead of the hours it takes you.  Denice coaches you through marketing strategies to help you create a course that sells to your ideal audience.  She lives in rural Upper Bucks County, PA with her husband and 5.5pound Chiweenie dog.   In her free time, she loves to hike and go to concerts of her favorite musicians. Learn More about Denice and Connect with Her Website: https://www.denicewhiteley.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/denicewhiteleyplc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denicewhiteley/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denicewhitely/ Free Download: https://www.denicewhiteley.com/launch Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest    

“Your intuition already follows your values system you just might not realize it yet.  By understanding what is driving you, it allows you to remain curious through the process and explore all those silly, little, weird, crazy ideas.”   ~ Deanna Frances First Phase Deanna was in corporate insurance industry for 12 years and then became a 1099 consultant.  Deciding she didn't want to be tired to one revenue stream or one company, she decided to really explore curiosity.  From here she started two small businesses, a corporate health coach and a plant-based chef). During the last couple of years that she was in the insurance industry Deanna set out to dive into creativity, learn from like-minded women who were exploring their curiosity and taking action.  This led her to begin her podcast, Lean Into Curiosity Podcast. Second Phase After a year of podcasting, Deanna has learned and taken imperfect messy action to create a business around discovering values and applying them to both your personal life and business. Every business has a set of core values and those values came from a person, a leader within the organization. Values Deanna believes your intuition is following your values.   You are making decisions based on your values, but you just might not realize it yet.  It isn't until you hone in on the feelings of those values that you identify what's holding you back, what's making you not feel good about a certain area of your life, but you first have to determine what's important, why it's important and how you can apply it to your life. Start with applying values to little decisions in your life.   This will filter into the major, life changing decisions you have to make. As you change, reevaluate your values and what's driving you to make decisions. Identifying Your Values Listen to Episode 2 of Lean Into Curiosity Podcast. Choose from the list of 200 words that represent core values.  Follow your intuition and circle 20 to 30 words.  From there, identify overlap between the words.   This will permit you to narrow your choice down to 3 to 5 words. Applying Your Core Values in Entrepreneurship The entrepreneurship life lends to more balance.  Being able to structure your work-life around your family life and the times your most creative and most effective. “You can't effectively serve people if you are not first in alignment with your core values.” – Robyn Graham Your core values will help you align with the people you work with and the projects you work on.  You want to attract clients who appreciate and respect your core values.  This will help you have effective client relationships.   It's important to convey your core values to attract clients that align with you. When you attract clients that align with your values, you'll have more balance, feel more productive, and more success with each client. Balance Achieving balance is one when one area of your life is not overshadowing another.   It is empowering to understand what balance is to you specifically. Book Recommendations that Tie into Values You're Not Lost by Maxi McCoy Adventures for the Soul by Sara Kaiser The Universe has Your Back by Gabrielle Bernstein Intuition Follows Values Start following your intuition and recognizing your values when making small decisions and let this guide you to how often following your intuition works out for the positive or the negative.  Take note and adjust accordingly. This takes work and tracking the outcomes will empower you to make bigger decisions using your intuition. Learn more about Deanna and Connect with Her: Website: www.leanintocuriosity.com Access Deanna's Personal Values Guide - Choose, Define and Align Instagram: @iamdeannafrances Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest  

As entrepreneurs it is important to build genuine relationships. Having likeminded people in our network is critical for growth, building the know like and trust factor and achieving and sustaining success. About Chip Baker Chip is an ordinary guy working hard to do extraordinary things. He is a 4th generation educator and coach, founder of The Success chronicles, and a multiple time best selling author. One of Chips greatest gifts is the ability to build genuine relationships, both personally and professionally.  Along that line, Chip takes care of people who take care of people and gives them a heightened awareness of their greatness so that they can see that they are capable of making a positive difference. Building Relationships (3:55) “Our life moves at the speed of our relationships.”  is a quote from Chips paster and included in the book  “Effective Conversation to Ignite Relationships.”   People who are doing great things in their lives, have great relationships.   Conversely, people who are struggling in life, probably haven't surrounded themselves with the right people.  In other words, they haven't taken time to build the right relationships. (5:30) Likewise, there are no things wasted.  Throughout our lives we are surrounded by people every day that we can learn from.   It is so important to realize the wisdom of others and therefore, take the opportunities to learn from them. One of Chips goals is to out give.   To not just take, but to give more than we receive.   Likewise, be competitive and strive to be "THE" friend, not just "A" friend.   Being consistent in relationships is key to becoming that person. (6:50) Similarly, God doesn't call the equipped, he equips the called.   The people around us that we have the opportunity to build relationships with are meant to help equip us.  Build the relationships, be consistent with your support of others, and build the know like and trust factor. It Starts with a Habit (7:28) It all starts with habits.   Habits lead to routines.   Routines lead to consistency.  Consistency builds trust.   Yes, other's trust you, but you also show yourself that you can be dependable and can achieve greatness because you are consistent. The Flow Habits + Routine + Consistency = Trust Relationship Consistency (8:18) It is important to show up consistently in relationships, but also for our ideal audience.   Chip is a great example of creating a consistent personal brand. We have to show up, have a great attitude and give your all to be able to be consistent and authentic. “The Formula Chart for Life” (9:45) The equations for success.  Formulas to help with success for all aspects of life. Success (11:00) Success equals maximum effort times consistency times positive attitude. Success = maximum effort X Consistency X positive attitude Law of Balance (11:31) The balance Pie – 10 areas that Chip tries to focus on for balance and integration. Faith Family Work Personal Growth Relationships Making a Difference Being present Attitude Effort Being the Glue (13:27) It's important to always be aware, in every situation, and put things together.   Meaning we should add value to every situation and every relationship. Greater Than (14:06) Significant Success is Greater than Regular Success We are all blessed and born with potential.  We are all one of one and we all have potential to achieve great things.  But we need to be intentional about what we are working to achieve, and that allows us to maximize our potential.  This allows us to not only have success, but significant success. (15:07) When we are intentional there is no waste of time. Time Management (16:01)  It is certainly best to be proactive instead of reactive. Plan everything to avoid wasted seconds.  When we waste time, we feel like we didn't do what we needed to do. Chip is strict with is time and prioritizes the non-negotiables.   After fitting in the non-negotiables then can add other items into the schedule. Operating Systems (17:53) Importantly, we have to have operating systems to be efficient.  Without systems and processes we don't accomplish what needs to be accomplished. Above all build relationships. If you can build relationships, be consistent and build trust, you can be successful through every aspect of your life. Learn more about and connect with Chip Shop: https://chip-baker-the-success-chronicles.square.site Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100014641035295 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chipbakertsc LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/chip-baker-thesuccesschronicles-825887161 Twitter: @chipbaker19 YouTube: youtube.com/c/chipbakerthesuccesschronicles Learn more about your host, Robyn Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest  

Michelle Glogovac is THE podcast matchmaker!   Not only is she a podcast host, but a PR agent helping others get featured interviews on other podcasts.   As a podcast host and PR agent, she knows the ins and outs of getting interviews and following podcast etiquette tips! First Phase Michelle was in corporate aviation for 18 years doing sales and business development. She sold jet fuel to corporate flight departments. Her career started while she was in college at UCSB and she had the fun experience of meeting a number of celebrities and CEOs. Michelle was never into planes, fuel or sales, but it was a job that paid well and allowed her to travel and also move to different cities. She was laid off in April 2018 and by then had two young children at home. Her husband is also in the aviation industry, so she had juggled schedules and traveling as a family plus a nanny for long enough. She wanted to work for herself from home and be with her kids. She listened to her first podcast in September 2018 and in December 2018, started pitching her first client. Second Phase Michelle owns a podcast production and PR agency. The problem she solves for her clients is getting their voice and message heard by a larger audience. Whether it's in launching their own podcast and helping them use their own voice to reach the masses or finding them podcasts that are a good fit for them to spread their knowledge and message while providing the host with something they weren't already providing. Podcast Etiquette For PR Identify your key message What are you an expert at? It's good to have more than topic you can focus on. Focus on what the host and her listeners will learn from you Research podcasts Listen to podcasts to ensure they are a good fit for you. Learn about the host to ensure the conversation will be effective and they will want to learn what you know and share your message with their audience. Additional questions Is the podcast current? Does the host do interviews? Suggested things to do prior to pitching Listen to at least two episodes of the podcast(s) you are pitching to Leave a rating and review for each podcast you are pitching to Create a pitch to send to podcast hosts Tell the host that you have listened to their podcast episodes Share your review with the host Explain what the host and her guests will learn from you if they have you as a guest Express your willingness to share the interview on your website, social media pages, and email newsletter Make the pitch personal Email the pitch Follow-up approximately two weeks after emailing the pitch Podcast Etiquette For Guests Research the podcast (hopefully you did this prior to pitching yourself) Listen to podcasts to ensure they are a good fit for you. Learn about the host to ensure the conversation will be effective and they will want to learn what you know and share your message with their audience. Familiarize yourself with and test the recording platform prior to the interview Be prepared With your topic To answer unexpected questions This is not a sales pitch, this is an opportunity to share your expertise and serve the host and her listeners Create a lead magnet or freebie Something valuable to share with the host and her listeners Create a unique bit.ly link so that you can track downloads from the podcast (this will help you measure your ROI on being a guest) Be on time for the interview Turn your phone on airplane so that it doesn't make noise and interrupt the interview Turn off notifications on your computer Record in a quiet space to alleviate editing from external noises such as pets, kids, doorbells Be ready to share all of your contact information and freebie when the host asks you to. Thank your host At the end of the episode and by email after the interview Share the episode Social media Email list LinkedIn Pinterest Website Blog post This helps you with being seen as the authority in your space and helps the host of the podcast. They have given you an opportunity to reach more people so thank them by sharing the episode and helping spread the word about their show. Learn More About And Connect With Michelle: Michelle Glogovac is THE podcast matchmaker, producer, PR agent and host of the My Simplified Life podcast. After an 18 year career in corporate aviation, Michelle discovered her love of all things podcasting. She works with entrepreneurs and business owners to niche down, grow their businesses, and visibility while ensuring their message reaches the masses. Michelle is a natural relationship maker, which is why her passion of helping experts be interviewed on podcasts is so successful. Michelle is a wife, mom of two, stepmom of two, and a fur mom. She has her B.A. and M.S. in Law. She resides in the Bay Area and loves to share what her favorite wines are! I truly believe that everyone has a unique story to share and that someone in the world needs to hear it. I love being able to make that happen and also having the opportunity to introduce strangers to each other and form new connections and relationships. Podcast Guest Checklist https://bit.ly/SecondPhaseGuest Website: http://www.themslcollective.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themslcollective Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelleglogovac LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleglogovac Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/michelleglogovac YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLXE_Hs6IFerBiqj1Y1IEVQ?view_as=subscriber Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/micglogovac Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Private Facebook Group HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest    

Are you wondering how to stand out from your competition, build brand credibility with your audience and increase your bottom line?   Branding Branding is everything that represents you as a business.  Your brand is how your audience views you.  It's what makes you, you. A brand is the perception that others have of you.   And it is differentiation, not just with a logo, but a conglomeration of things. First Phase First and foremost, Lydia is a designer. She has always been a designer and can't imagine not being one in the future. Her first phase was as an in-house designer working in corporate settings — as a junior designer at a publication right out of college, as an art director at a retail packaging company in Philly and, then, as a creative director at a pharmaceutical company for 12 years. During those last 12 years she built her design business on the side, which ended up being a good safety net and her fulltime business when she was laid off from her full-time job. Second Phase She was cast into it when she was laid off from the fulltime job, she held for 12 years with the same company. Her side gig became her fulltime business.  People saw her work and liked it and started to hire her on the side. Steps to Moving a Side Gig to Full time Entrepreneurship Lydia was fortunate that she had a client base for consistent work.   When she became a fulltime entrepreneur, she had to document her processes, create workflows, and put an infrastructure in place. Branding her business was also a necessity.   She had to build her website SEO, her mailing list, her social media accounts, do marketing and sales as well. Attracting New Clients First and foremost, you have to identify your ideal clients.  Start with identifying your niche so that you can define your target audience. Networking became a key to growing her referral source.   Consistent messaging is key.   Branding is about consistency.   The consistency must be across all platforms, print and digital media. You need an attractive, memorable brand that is consistent.   Doing so is the key to building brand credibility and the know like and trust factor. Recognizability is also key!  Think of quality over quantity.  Quality messaging is key to reaching your target audience.  As you build trust, you will increase your bottom line. First Steps To Creating Brand Credibility The starting point is to take a look at what you already have.   Put everything you have out in front of you and evaluate if it is consistent. Do you have a color palette?   Use a minimum of four colors, but no more than five to use across all of your platforms. Establish a consistent logo.   It is hard to have just one file because social media profile images are not the same format as what you might use on your website.   You can create a logo mark for social media and the original full logo on your website and print materials. Creating A Color Palette Use Pinterest to create a color palette.   Collect visual references and get a feel for what colors trigger the emotions you want for your brand.   Create a private board and use this as your working document to narrow down the feels you want.   Start with color and then do a separate board for typography and shapes you want to use.   As you narrow these down, combine the boards. All of these steps can be applied to creating a brand or rebranding. Websites Are Important Having a website is important for building brand credibility and reputability.   If you don't have an aesthetically pleasing, professional website people will move right off of your site. A website is validation that you will provide quality services and products.   Your website doesn't have to have a lot of bells and whistles, but it must look professional. Price Shopping Remember, you get what you pay for!  It's important to decipher the service the person offering the cheapest price is offering.   Look at portfolios and ask designers how they create their sites.  Do they build from scratch, do they use themes?  What hosting services do they recommend? Keep in mind that as the number of pages increases, the price is going to go up.   If you want to blog, that is going to increase the price.   You can start with a one-page website, but it is going to provide less SEO value. What Is SEO SEO is making sure you have key words and appropriate content that explains the services you offer.  The main goal of SEO is to make your business searchable and demonstrate brand credibility.   You want to attract search engines to your website so that they will rank you in searches. Everything from the quality of hosting, having an SSL certificate, which is now mandatory as a security measure for websites, the speed of your website, all the way up to optimizing the photos on your website and having relative and rich content. Most of the time people are thinking of the word part of SEO when they reference it.   However, it is so much more than that.   Search engines like content, unique, reputable, and relative content and that is hard to have in just one page. You want your website content to be interesting to keep readers on your site.  Good informative content helps reader retention, and this also impacts SEO. About Lydia Lydia is a branding innovator with 20+ years of experience and a passion for creating bold and impactful designs that position her clients as leaders in their fields. She has been in the design, web, and digital strategy trenches since 1995, working with corporations, retail packaging, pharmaceutical and healthcare organizations, magazines, direct mail agencies, small businesses, and entrepreneurs alike. Today she consults on brand, website, and digital strategy, leads all design projects, and specializes in print and digital design. She also leads training sessions and speaks at both virtual and live events. Email: Lydia@expressodesign.com Website : https://expressodesign.com Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/ExpressoDesign/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExpressoDesign Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/expressodesignllc/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lydiagrossov/ Learn more about me, your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE.

Patricia is an Emmy Award winning filmmaker and video creation expert.   She presently has three areas of focus within her entrepreneurial journey: Custom client videos Show Runner for “Life on the Line” television show Coach entrepreneurs on video creation First Phase Patricia wanted to be a news report like Lois Lane, but after doing competitive internships she was told that she looked too young, her hair was too long, and her voice was too high.  As a result, she took a job in PR for a non-profit.   Her role quickly changed to creating video instead of writing and photography. She received a crash course on video creation so that she could embark on a project.   From there she learned how to create and edit videos.  She traveled the world and did assignments creating documentary films.  Patricia observed the increase in revenue that flowed as the documentaries were released for the organizations she worked for. The non-profit she worked for was Loma Linda University Health in Southern California. Throughout her career she has earned 7 Emmy Awards. The Second Phase Patricia is living her second phase by teaching others how to create lucrative videos.   She shared so many valuable tips on how to create videos that will not only increase your online presence, but also generate revenue. Keys to Creating Great Videos Using the MAP Method (Messaging, Artistry, and Promotion) Messaging Set a goal Are you trying to grow your email list? Do you want people to schedule a discovery call? Create a how-to video? Think about the emotions you want your viewers to feel. Artistry Filming Lighting Ring light Indirect Sunlight from window  Audio  Microphone BOYA BYM1 for $20 on Amazon Stabilization Camera is stable, not shaking Tri-pod and phone adapter Amazon Basics 60 inch light weigh tri-pod $22 Adaptor for phone – Vastar Universal adaptor $9  Composition Want your eyes on the 2/3 line of the frame – not too low in the frame Fill the frame with negative space around but not dominating  Motion Get your establishing shot and show a wide view of where you are Create a medium shot Take close up shots Have diversity in the shots Put phone on slow-motion mode and tuck your elbows into your ribs to steady the phone and slide it horizontally or vertically This technique is great for a website banner Editing Music – evokes emotions  Promotion Optimize using key words Listen to Episode 37 of the podcast for ways to label the videos on your website, same as for pictures.   Length of Videos - Best Practices Have a hook at the very beginning Want to capture attention within the 1st 5 to 8 seconds Start with a smile and greet the audience Use a fact or statistic Share a transformation and tease your audience – irony Open with how you can make the audience's life better or easier YouTube loves videos that are 15 to 20 minutes Social media platforms want you to keep viewers on their platform The longer you keep them on your video the more likely they are to push out your content Have a Call to Action (CTA) at the end of each video Video Editing Tools iPhone iMovie Videorama ($) Android Kinemaster Mac Computers iMovie Final Cut Pro ($) PC's Filmora ($) Evoking Emotions with Video B-Roll - Video footage of you doing something while you are talking over it. It's the magic of editing.   You aren't live, you are talking, and the video is playing without your face being present the entire video. This is used for creating emotion. Music is another way to evoke emotion for the viewers. The Power of Video for Branding Viewer feels emotionally connected with you. Aberdeen Research reported that businesses that use video grow revenue 49% faster HubSpot found that 64% of customers say that seeing a video makes them more likely to buy Forbes said that the average user spends 88% more time on a website that has video – when more time is spent on a website, search engines are alerted, and they will drive more traffic to the website Evergreen video is like your twin selling for your all the time Multi-Vision Digital recently reported that the average life span of video is 4 years The average life span of a Facebook post is 3 hours and 7 minutes Learn more about and connect with Patricia Patricia Kelikani is an Emmy Award winner who has helped companies double and even triple their revenue with video.  She has 15 years of experience traveling the world as a documentary filmmaker, creating story-driven promo videos to help companies make more money, and producing a national television series. Known for her fun and simple teaching techniques, she's now helping entrepreneurs create lucrative videos for high impact, more money and reminding clients that not having a CTA after a video is like meeting the man of your dreams and not giving him your phone number! Website – https://lucrativevideos.com/ Free On-line course – https://lucrativevideos.com/training YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/patriciakelikani Instagram – www.instagram.com/patriciakelikani/         Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Private Facebook Group HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest  

“Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future, and renders the present inaccessible.”  ~Maya Angelou 50th Episode - An Empowering Conversation about Prejudice For my 50th episode I wanted to do something that was enlightening, empowering and inspiring.  I had to get really vulnerable and admit that there is a lot I don't know.  I chose to have an uncomfortable conversation, but one that I believe is necessary if we are going to experience positive change towards prejudice and racism. It's important to me to make a difference.  I want to understand how we can collectively bridge the gap between whites and blacks.  God gave me this platform and  I want to use it for serving others and making a positive difference. With that said, I interviewed three women who were willing to be vulnerable with me and have an uncomfortable conversation.   I am grateful for Taira Bell, Jill Jones and Erica Devose for their time, vulnerability, friendship, wisdom, faith, resilience and strength! Introduction to The Panelists   Taira Bell Taira D. Bell is a proud native of New Orleans, LA.  She currently resides in Pennsylvania with her husband and their 3 beautiful and fun-loving children, ages 14, 12, and 10. As a family they love to travel globally, and enjoy taking road trips across North America including Canada, and along the US East and West coasts! Her core beliefs are centered around Faith, Family and Friends. She is a senior leader at one of the world's largest healthcare companies, and has held various leadership roles in Supply Chain, Project Management, Procurement, International Operations, Global Brand Protection, and Sales & Logistics. Through her career she has had the opportunity to travel extensively across the US and globally which has influenced her views and experiences in not only racism and social injustices in the US, but challenges that are faced around the world. She has also had the opportunity to live in Puerto Rico and Northwest Arkansas (NWA) for career relocations. In her spare time Taira is active in her church and community service efforts in the greater Philadelphia area, New Orleans and in NWA.  She is also an ambassador for the Women in STEM program and African American affinity group at her job and has a passion for people, leadership and development.  Over the course of her career she has also been instrumental in implementing organizational training, education and awareness for Diversity & Inclusion efforts. Jill Jones Jill Jones is the owner and manager of MV (Martha's Vineyard) Tee Shirts, an apparel and accessories store. She is a dedicated and active member of her community. Jill has been a member of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., Bucks County, for over 18 years, and has held many leadership roles such as serving on the executive board, Corresponding Secretary, and Chair of numerous committees.  In her role as Education Chair, Jill was responsible for the creation of the Scholarship program for the Chapter. Jill was honored by the other members, being voted as the 2015-2016 Distinguished Mother of the Year, and as the YWCA, Salute to Woman award recipient. Jill also serves in a leadership role at her church, Central Bucks Christian Fellowship. Creating and planning the yearly Easter Outreach, Community Easter Egg Hunt, that celebrated their 16th annual event this April, is something Jill truly enjoys. In addition, Jill has a passion for music education and has co-chaired the CBSD Save-the-Music, Basket Bonanza fundraising efforts for the past 8 years. The event has raised over $200,000 for underprivileged school districts. Jill resides in Doylestown, PA with her husband, BJ, and is the proud mother of four amazing young adults, Tré, Gabrielle, Cameron and Ben. Erica Devose Erica De Vose has a Master's degree in Educational Leadership. She has been an elementary school teacher for twenty-three years. Locally, she is the Legislative Chairperson for the North Penn Education Association. Statewide she passionately presents leadership workshops for the Pennsylvania State Education Association.  Erica also serves on the Legislative Committee and Elections and Credentials Committee as the Chairperson. Modern Day Experiences with Prejudice and Racism Each member of the panel has had at least one experience themselves or with one or more of their family members.  The experiences were frightening and disheartening as well as left each individual feeling hurt, angry and frustrated. The effects have been lifelong.  Experiences of racism aren't momentary but everlasting.   They can destroy a person's sense of worth, ruin chances for careers and life success, and leave emotional scars that may never heal.  Unfortunately, experiences with racism are not a thing of the past, but something that still occur too frequently. The N-Word!!! Robyn asked about the N-Word.  That word that has never been used as a positive reference to the African American community but yet, is still used.  Robyn asked for clarification as to why it seems Ok for black singers/song writers to use the word. It's very confusing to younger generations who hear the negative connotation being used by African Americans themselves. The consensus from the panel is that the N-Word should never be used, period.  Not even in music by fellow African Americans. Appropriate Descriptions People are often confused by which term is appropriate when referring to African American people. People of Color – A reference for all people of brown or black skin – various ethnic groups such as Asians, Hispanics, Blacks, etc., not only black or African American people Black – preferred by some people who are not of African decent African American – preferred by the panelists and the most appropriate for the majority Negro – only slightly better than the N-Word and the N-Word with an “A” on the end should not be used as an alternative to the N-Word. Fear African American women live with fear.  Fear for their children and fear for male relatives.   White women may worry, but we don't live in fear when our loved ones leave the house. The fear is deep rooted from centuries of experiences of African American men being falsely accused and convicted for crimes they didn't commit.   One in three black men are imprisoned compared to 1 in 17 white men. Prejudice is a major driver in the fear that has been deep rooted since slavery and the Jim Crow laws.   One would think that racism, prejudice, cruelty and lack of humanity would have improved over the past 400 years, but it hasn't.   There have been times of growth and positive movement for advancement of the African American population in the US.  However, they have been set back by the government or other organizations halting the progress. The Media's Impact on Prejudice, Bias and Racism Perhaps there have been some advantages of the media sharing stories recently.   People have been more attentive because of the pandemic, but the reality is that the majority of the news has always focused heavily on the negative. Peaceful protests, which can be so powerful for informing others about a cause or movement, aren't reported on, but the brutality of riots is shown 24/7.   This leads to further bias.  The media can be a powerful resource for change, but it needs to be done in a way that showcases the good in addition to the bad. History of Prejudice and Racism History does repeat itself.  There are times when history isn't history, but experience that just lives on.   We aren't taught limited amounts of African American history in school.   As a result, we lack knowledge and understanding of the root of prejudice and racism.  Without knowledge we can't understand the long-lasting effects of slavery and the Jim Crow laws. In addition, because of a lack of understanding people are afraid and not willing to have uncomfortable conversations.   Discussing prejudice and racism will educate and empower change. It will also help cease the negative effects history has had on the African American people and encourage progress. As Female Leaders How can we as female leaders in our communities, workplaces, churches and schools work to promote equality and abolish racism?  It starts with having the uncomfortable conversations, like this one, and sharing the answers.  If we start to work together and take opportunities to mentor younger generations, we will empower them to have a stronger, more peaceful future and open doors for humanity and success. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Join the Brand Marketing Insider Private Facebook Group HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIN | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest