The Female Insight Zone

How do we change the culture of business to value both masculine and feminine attributes? How do we learn to recognize the unconscious bias that fuels inequality? Betty-Ann Heggie contends that mentorship and open dialogue are key first steps in understanding gender dynamics in the workplace and overcoming our subconscious conditioning. Heggie is a speaker, author and mentor in the realm of gender physics, the study of masculine and feminine energy present in each of us. A widely recognized thought leader, Heggie’s work on gender dynamics has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Inc. Magazine and Huffington Post, and she has been inducted into the Hall of Fame of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women. Heggie is committed to helping men and women make progress together in the modern workplace, and she is the author of Gender Physics: Unlock the Energy You Never Knew You Had to Get the Results You Want. Today, Heggie describes the subconscious bias that informs our expectations of how men and women should act and explains how it makes impacts who we see as leaders in the workplace. She offers insight around making the conscious effort to overcome such conditioning, suggesting conversation and calling out inequality as the first steps in creating change. Listen in for Heggie’s advice on building relationships with potential mentors, both male and female, and learn how to look at mentorship as being open for growth. Key Interview Takeaways Subconscious bias informs our expectations around how men and women should act. We tend to associate the skills of leadership with masculine traits like independence and self-sufficiency, and female leaders have to cloak those characteristics in feminine skills to be liked and accepted. Initiating the conversation is the first step in changing the culture of business. Women need both male and female mentors to navigate the workplace, and when men fail to treat their female colleagues as equals, we need to call them out on it. We must make a conscious effort to overcome conditioning and take baby steps forward together. Build relationships with potential mentors before you ask for their time. Professional women are particularly busy, so start by inviting them to coffee. Let them know that you admire their achievements and value their opinions—and see where it goes. Mentorship means being open for growth. If you are struggling to find the right mentor, look to other resources. President Lincoln, for example, leveraged reading to learn about military leadership during the Civil War. Consider formal programs in which prospective mentors have already volunteered their time. Explore your local Chamber of Commerce and online communities like Lean In for established mentorship programs. Heggie also suggests reaching out to people you admire on social platforms like LinkedIn. Connect with Betty-Ann Heggie Betty-Ann Heggie’s WebsiteBetty-Ann Heggie on FacebookBetty-Ann Heggie on Twitter Resources Gender Physics: Unlock the Energy You Never Knew You Had to Get the Results You Want by Betty-Ann Heggie“Analysis of Human Brain Structure Reveals that the Brain ‘Types’ Typical of Males Are Also Typical of Females, and Vice Versa” in Frontiers in Human NeuroscienceLean InLean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We know that exceptional team members contribute to the success of a team. And yet, it takes more than a group of superstars to win a championship. How do you get people to put the team first? How do you create chemistry among players? How do you build a winning team that plays for each other, either on the field or in the workplace? Kristine Lilly served as a midfielder on the US Women’s Soccer Team through five FIFA World Cups and three Olympic games. A member of both the US Olympic Hall of Fame and US Soccer Hall of Fame, Lilly is an expert on effective teamwork. Dr. Lynette Gillis specializes in corporate strategy and organizational behavior, serving Concordia University in the roles of professor, Dean of the College of Business and Associate Provost. Lilly and Dr. Gillis are also the coauthors of Powerhouse Teams: 13 Teamwork Tactics that Build Excellence and Unrivaled Success.  Today, Lilly and Dr. Gillis discuss how the characteristics of powerhouse teams translate from the playing field to the workplace. Lilly shares some of the factors that made the 1999 US Women’s National Soccer Team successful, explaining how they built a winning mentality and put their egos aside for the betterment of the group as a whole. Listen in for insight around how leaders can unite a team with a big vision and learn how the opportunity to advance the game of soccer for women and girls inspired Lilly’s team to win big! Key Interview Takeaways Powerhouse teams share the same characteristics, regardless of setting. The 1999 Women’s National Soccer Team provides a model for excellence in teamwork that translates to any organization; the players exhibited trust, friendship, reliance on each other and a sense of resilience. A strong leader unites their team with a big vision. Lilly credits Coach Anson Dorrance with teaching the team to play for each other and inspiring them to go beyond winning to ‘sell the game of soccer.’ For a team to excel, team members must put their egos aside. Lilly’s team was successful because the players accepted each other’s differences and bought into the idea that it’s not about the individual, it’s about the team. Team chemistry is created by a center set. Teams that work well together are united by a common draw. For Lilly’s team, the players all bought into the mission of advancing the game of soccer for women and girls—and winning! Powerhouse teams build a winning mentality. Lilly and her teammates worked with a mental skills coach on imagery and intention, developing practices that helped players focus on what they needed to do on the field. Connect with Kristine Lilly & Dr. Lynette Gillis Kristine Lilly’s WebsiteKristine Lilly on TwitterKristine Lilly on LinkedInLeadershipXDr. Lynette Gillis on TwitterDr. Lynette Gillis on LinkedIn Resources Powerhouse: 13 Teamwork Tactics that Build Excellence and Unrivaled Success by Kristine Lilly and Dr. John Gillis Jr. with Dr. Lynette GillisAnson DorranceTony DiCiccoDr. Colleen Hacker Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Corporate culture is creating an epidemic of loneliness. As humans, we are wired for community, yet most workplaces disregard this need for connection and leave us feeling isolated. How can we, as individuals and organizations, build social bonds and foster collaboration? How can we establish a balance between masculine and feminine energy to promote a sense of belonging AND improve the bottom line? Dr. Barbara Cox is a psychologist, coach and author who explores the power of the feminine archetype to build community, cultivate intuition and create lasting, positive change in organizations. Her work has appeared on NBC News, Euro News and MSN, among many other national media outlets, and Dr. Cox was a featured speaker at UNESCO’s 2018 World Congress for the Organization of World Heritage Cities. She is also the author of The Muse Process: Unleashing the Power of the Feminine for Success and Fulfillment. Today, Dr. Cox explains how our bodies are wired to be in community, encouraging us to build in time each day to connect with friends and colleagues. She offers insight around developing an awareness of the times you DO feel like you fit in and finding one or two people you resonate with in any given situation. Listen in for Dr. Cox’s advice on tuning in to the wealth of information your body can provide and learn how to activate your own inner success muse! Key Interview Takeaways Our bodies are wired to be in community. Humans have evolved to live and work in groups, and when we feel disconnected, we don’t perform as well—and that impacts the bottom line. Build in time to connect with friends and colleagues. Dr. Cox argues that if you’re feeling isolated, others are too, and she encourages individuals and organizations to devote at least five minutes each day to social activity. Be aware of when you DO feel like you fit in. Dr. Cox encourages us to bring attention to the moments when we feel connected and cultivate those relationships. In one case, a client improved her sales numbers 106% by leveraging this advice. Activate your inner success muse. Get in touch with your holistic, right brain to foster creativity and access your subconscious mind. Give yourself the validation to fit in anywhere. Dr. Cox believes that you can feel a sense of belonging in any situation once you realize that fitting in is a state of mind and commit to finding at least one or two people you resonate with.  Get in tune with your mind-body system. Most of us operate from the neck up, dismissing the intelligence of our bodies. Dr. Cox contends that if you listen to the signals, your body will tell you who to connect with and who to avoid. Connect with Dr. Barbara Cox Dr. Cox’s WebsiteThe Muse Process on Facebook Resources The Muse Process: Unleashing the Power of the Feminine for Success and Fulfillment by Dr. Barbara Cox  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the secret to creating a successful personal brand? How do you make yourself memorable? Why do you need to share your WHY? What role does content marketing play in helping you connect with potential clients? Claire Akin is the founder of Indigo Marketing, a firm dedicated to helping financial advisors and third-party administrators grow their business. Prior to starting her own venture, Akin served as an Investment Advisor at Thomas J. Dobransky & Associates, and she earned her BA in economics from UC Davis and her MBA in marketing at UC San Diego. Akin is also the author of the popular book, The LinkedIn Guide for Financial Advisors: Six Steps to Identify Qualified Prospects and Generate Referrals. Today, Akin explains how she made the decision to start her own firm, describing how she created offerings around client needs. She also offers insight into running a business, discussing the importance of focusing on metrics that drive success and outsourcing everything you can. Listen in for Akin’s advice on creating a memorable personal brand and learn how she balances career and family through strong routines and accountability partners. Key Interview Takeaways The riches are in the niches. Akin’s side project, the Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant Resource Center, has eclipsed her primary business in terms of revenue by establishing her as the go-to expert in that specialty. Focus on the metrics that drive success. Looking at her numbers (site visitors, webinar registrations, sales calls, etc.) on a weekly basis keeps Akin honest about the performance of her business. Outsource everything you can. Build a talented team and delegate anything that is not a good use of your time. Create memorable branding and tell your personal story. Make it easy for people to remember you and explain why you are passionate about what you do. The secret to content marketing is consistency. Akin’s weekly blog posts keep her top-of-mind with financial advisors and drive her business. She contends that you should give away 90% of what you know about a subject in the spirit of helping people. To balance career and family, develop strong routines. Akin builds time into her day to get specific things done, and she outsources accountability to experts such as a business coach and personal trainer. Connect with Claire Akin Indigo Marketing Agency Indigo Marketing on Facebook Claire on LinkedIn Claire on Twitter Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant Resource Center Resources The Fiddle Leaf Fig Expert: Your Guide to Growing Healthy Ficus Lyrata Plants by Claire Akin Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek The LinkedIn Guide for Financial Advisors by Claire Akin The 2016 LinkedIn Guide for Financial Advisors by Claire Akin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tevis Trower is the founder and CEO of Balance Integration, a consulting firm dedicated to humanizing the work experience. Trower is a pioneer in the realm of cultural transformation, leveraging her expertise in mindfulness, leadership development and employee engagement to create an environment where people feel valued and in turn, develop a commitment to the organization’s goals. Balance Integration boasts a client list that includes heavy-hitters like Disney and Morgan Stanley, and Trower’s work has been featured in Forbes, Fortune and Business Week, among many other media outlets. Today, Trower explains why we cannot change work culture with policy statements, describing how leaders must move beyond proclamations around bringing the whole self to work and truly embody the authenticity they value. She also explores the idea of employee engagement, discussing the mistake leaders make in driving performance rather than engagement and outsourcing it as a problem to solve rather than a behavior to model. Listen in for Trower’s insight on the significance of leadership alignment and learn how you can foster a new sense of possibility in an organization at large. Key Interview Takeaways We cannot change work culture with policy statements. To truly shift the environment in an organization, we must go beyond proclamations and take our powerful mission and values statements to heart. Code switching implies a fear of being authentic at work. Trower points out that bringing our whole selves to work serves as an elixir, while the fear of being ourselves creates an environment where we must conform in order to feel safe. Leaders must role model authenticity in the workplace. If there’s a satisfaction gap in what you get out of work, then there is a contribution gap in what you’re bringing to work, and Trower suggests that the authenticity in organizations begins with the leaders’ willingness to show up as ‘more human.’ Engagement is not a problem to solve. Corporate leadership tends to focus on driving performance, while they outsource engagement to someone else in the organization. Trower argues that to engage employees, leaders need to see engagement as a behavior to model. Leadership alignment enables cultural empowerment. When the C-suite works to close the gap between what they want to create and what they are manifesting now, such a shift creates a new sense of possibility in the organization at large. Connect with Tevis Trower Balance Integration Balance Integration on LinkedIn Balance Integration on Instagram Balance Integration on Facebook Tevis on Twitter Resources C-Suite Sessions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The confidence you gain from incorporating healthy habits translates far beyond the gym. When you are working out, eating well and getting restorative sleep, you experience a total transformation that improves your performance in every area of life. So, what are the first steps to making health and fitness a priority? What strategies can you use to stay on track, making tangible progress toward your wellness goals? And what is the best approach to finding a nutrition plan that’s healthy for you? Becka Nieder is the founder of Becka’s Boot Camp, a small group, circuit-style training program based in Chicago. Nieder offers clients individualized attention and every class includes a total body workout with a focus on functional movement. She received her BS in Physical and Dance Education from Northern Illinois University and a certification in Personal Training and Nutrition from the National Personal Training Institute. Nieder is also the creator of The Health & Fitness Journal, a system for tracking workouts, nutrition and progress toward goals along your wellness journey. Today, Nieder discusses why it’s important to set actionable health goals that go beyond a number on the scale. She shares the power of accountability partners to help you stay on track and offers insight on using a health and fitness journal to gain an awareness of what you are eating—and why. Listen in for Nieder’s advice on finding the best nutrition plan for YOU and learn how tracking your exercise, water intake, nutrition and sleep can support you in improving your habits and overall health! Key Interview Takeaways Set holistic health goals that go beyond a number on the scale. Rather than focusing on attaining a certain weight, for example, Nieder suggests taking actionable steps to improve your endurance, strength, nutrition and sleep habits. Stay on track with accountability partners. Nieder leverages small group training to build in a community of accountability. She also suggests posting your goals as a visible reminder. Improving nutrition habits begins with awareness. Nieder encourages clients to write down what they are eating and how they feel at the time. This strategy helps you recognize patterns and understand exactly how close you are to healthy. Elimination diets are one way to figure out what’s healthy for YOU. Diets like the Whole30 or Plant Paradox require you to restrict what you are eating in the beginning—and then slowly add things back in to determine what foods are best for you. Connect with Becka Nieder Becka’s Boot Camp Becka on Twitter Becka on Facebook Becka on Instagram Becka on YouTube Resources Becka’s Health & Fitness Journal Becka’s Blog Whole30 Plant Paradox Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It is naïve to think that gender bias is no longer an issue in the workplace. In fact, we ALL have stereotypes that we carry with us to work, and women often face the frustration of being at a disadvantage based on assumptions that have nothing to do with our actual ability to do a given job. So, how do we overcome these biases to achieve at a high level? Andie Kramer is an accomplished attorney, author and advocate for women in the workplace. Kramer served as founding chair of her law firm’s gender diversity committee and cofounded the Women’s Leadership and Mentoring Alliance to address the limited mentorship opportunities for young executive and professional women. A recognized authority in the realm of gender communication and women’s advancement, Kramer was named one of the 50 Most Influential Women Lawyers in America. She is also the coauthor of Breaking Through Bias: Communication Techniques for Women to Succeed at Work and the forthcoming It’s Not You, It’s the Workplace: Women’s Conflict at Work and the Bias that Built It. Today, Kramer shares her approach to addressing biases and stereotypes in the workplace. She explains why the first step in breaking through bias involves a conversation with yourself and offers insight around the impact of nonverbal communication and language patterns in your communication with others. Listen in for Kramer’s take on why women hold C-suite female colleagues to a different standard than senior men in the organization and learn how to navigate the assumptions and gender biases we all bring to work. Key Interview Takeaways When facing stereotypes and biases in the workplace, avoid confrontation—but allow people to learn. Kramer suggests addressing such assumptions with humor when possible and discussing truly inappropriate behavior in private. The first step in breaking through bias involves a conversation with yourself. Women must think through strategies for developing a coping sense of humor, demonstrating confidence and competence, and learning not to take the world too seriously. Pay attention to nonverbal communication as well as language patterns. Women tend to preface our thoughts with phrases like I’m sorry or This may be a dumb idea, but… Kramer argues that such language patterns diminish the power of the statement that follows. Women tend to hold C-suite female colleagues to a different standard than senior men in an organization. We perceive female colleagues as cold or unfeeling, even when they are treating us the same way the men treat us. Kramer believes that gendered workplaces and our own biases about how women should act contribute to this phenomenon. Develop the strength to address being interrupted. The assumption that women won’t add value means that we’re often talked over in meetings and on conference calls. Kramer recommends diplomatically saying, “Allow me to finish my point, and I’ll pass it over to you when I’m finished.” Connect with Andie Kramer Andie and Al Resources Breaking Through Bias: Communication Techniques for Women to Succeed at Work by Andrea S. Kramer and Alton B. Harris It’s Not You, It’s the Workplace: Women’s Conflict at Work and the Bias that Built It by Andrea S. Kramer and Alton B. Harris Andie & Al’s Gender Bias Assessment Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Does the availability of big data truly give rise to better business decisions? Tabitha Laser argues that the answer is no. In fact, she believes that we get too focused on a single silo and make choices that increase risk in other areas. And this failure to learn is just one of the organizational culture killers that makes the modern workplace so dismal. Tabitha Laser is the CEL of TA Laser Consulting, a firm that collaborates with business leaders and industry organizations to reduce risks, support cultural improvements, and maintain sustainable growth. She has worked to build and/or fix management systems for industry giants including Shell, BP, 3M and the US Department of Defense, among many others. Laser is sharing the lessons learned in her 25 years of operations and consulting experience in the new book series, Organizational Culture Killers: How Leaders Build Cultures of Success. Today, Laser describes how seeing the same issues over and over in her work in management systems led to the creation of her book series. She explains how each volume serves as a guide to help the next generation of leaders avoid organizational culture killers, discussing how Deadly Expectations explores our failure to learn from past mistakes. Listen in for Laser’s insight on how extreme focus in a particular area can increase risk in others—and learn her system for making thoughtful, balanced business decisions. Key Interview Takeaways You don’t have to learn the hard way. Given the right mentorship, millennials can avoid the mistakes we made in the past. Laser’s book series serves as a toolbox to help people go in to the workforce smarter and be successful sooner. The failure to learn is an organizational culture killer. With the advent of big data, we have so much information coming at us that we tend to make kneejerk decisions that are not thoughtful or balanced. And extreme focus in a single area increases risk in other areas we may not be aware of. Balanced decision-making involves considerations around people, the public and our performance. Rather than thinking on a scale of yes/no, making good choices requires that we explore how our decision will impact the workforce and our communities at large. The concrete barrier between senior leadership and the workforce results in a failure to learn. Communication breaks down when team members are afraid to tell the truth or incentivized to lie in order to meet certain benchmarks. To make positive change, you may have to rub people the wrong way. Laser knows that her book series will receive pushback from senior leaders who are set in their ways, but she is committed to building a positive future nonetheless. Connect with Tabitha Laser TA Laser Consulting Tabitha Laser on LinkedIn Resources Organizational Culture Killers Book 1: Deadly Expectations by Tabitha Laser Failure to Learn: The BP Texas City Refinery Disaster by Andrew Hopkins Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I meet way too many women who are passionate and purposeful and committed to what they’re about in the world. But they are exhausted.” Driven women, especially entrepreneurs, play full out to achieve their vision. But too many of us do so at the expense of our health, overriding our bodies’ needs until we are too depleted to make our greatest contribution to the world or take any pleasure in the wins. What can we do to prioritize our wellbeing and find a little more balance in our lives? Brie Wieselman, LAc, MTCM, is the Clinical Director of Brie Wieselman Integrative Health, a practice focused on supporting women entrepreneurs in optimizing their health. Wieselman has 11 years of experience as a functional medicine and acupuncture practitioner, and she is dedicated to empowering people to resolve their health issues for good. Wieselman believes that good health is the springboard for living an inspired life, and she combines the best in Eastern philosophies with the best in Western medicine to heal chronic health problems.  Today, Wieselman describes how she solved her own health challenges through changes in lifestyle and nutrition as well as targeted supplements. She explains why it is just as important to develop a strategy for health outcomes as it is to develop a strategy to achieve results in business. Wieselman also discusses how our bodies respond to chronic stress and what we can do to treat adrenal fatigue and restore optimal function. Listen in for Wieselman’s insight on prioritizing your health and sustaining the creativity and passion that motivated you to begin with! Key Interview Takeaways Your body has always got your back. Wieselman points out that your body is doing its best to help you survive and thrive. To solve her own health challenges, she listened to her body’s clues and treated herself in a targeted way. Many ambitious women play full out—at the exclusion of their body’s needs. Wieselman argues that when our health is compromised, we cannot make our biggest contribution, nor can we sustain the creativity and passion we had for our work to begin with. Prioritize your health and wellbeing. Developing a strategy to commit to your health and wellness is just as important as developing a strategy to achieve results in business. We are not designed to withstand the effects of chronic stress. The constant stimulation we experience releases extra cortisol and leads to adrenal dysregulation. A functional medicine practitioner can design a personalized supplement program to reprogram your body’s function. Once testing has determined where your hormone levels are out of balance, herbs and nutrients can be used to ensure you’re getting the right amount of cortisol at the right time of day. Connect with Brie Wieselman Brie Wieselman Integrative Health Brie Wieselman on Instagram Resources DUTCH Test Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Sharon McRill was laid off from her corporate job in 2003, she started a business running errands for busy professionals. Initially, she was doing a wide range of tasks from grocery shopping to organizing to pet care. But as the business evolved and her team grew, McRill realized that relocation management was their sweet spot. And now that she has niched down to a specialty, McRill’s business is ‘growing like crazy.’ McRill is the owner and president of The Betty Brigade, a business that helps busy professionals with moving, home staging, organizing and handyman services. McRill’s 10-member team of ‘Betties’ is committed to bringing peace and ease to organization and relocation, and their clients include individuals, realtors, trust officers and estate planners. McRill has been featured in a number of media outlets, including The Detroit Free Press, Crain’s Detroit Business and Forbes. The Betty Brigade was recently named one of the Ten Growing Companies to Watch by The Ann Arbor Business Review and honored as the 2014 Affiliate of the Year by the Ann Arbor Area Board of Realtors. Today, McRill explains how getting laid off from her corporate job served as the impetus for starting The Betty Brigade. She describes how niching down to her team’s sweet spot in organizing and relocation management has led to significant growth. McRill also shares her insight around the psychological aspect of her work, discussing the case study of a woman whose relationships are strained because of her hoarding tendencies. Listen in for McRill’s advice on leveraging perseverance to build a financially viable business you believe in! Key Interview Takeaways Hone down to your sweet spot. In the beginning, McRill’s team performed a wide range of errands for busy professionals, but she found that their strength was in relocation management. Since she niched down to organizing and relocation services, her business has taken off. It’s about the stuff, but it’s not about the stuff. In working with hundreds of hoarders over the years, McRill has learned that the psychological aspect of the issue is paramount. In fact, she requires that those clients be in therapy to work through their inability to let go. Running a business is not for the faint of heart. McRill contends that every day brings new challenges and celebrations, and she credits her success to perseverance: If you really believe in what you’re doing, keep going and the reward will come. Maintain change with new behavior. Once McRill’s team has finished a project, she encourages clients to develop new routines, like setting aside time once a week to put everything back where it belongs. Connect with Sharon McRill The Betty Brigade Resources Downsizing the Silver Tsunami: Who to Call and Where Does the Stuff Go? by Sharon McRill The 5 Love Languages Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you turn a part-time job in a call center into a career? How do you grow your business when everyone else is downsizing? How do you become a C-suite leader in an industry dominated by men? Laura Brandao contends that the answer lies in making the most of every opportunity. Brandao is the President of American Financial Resources, a wholesale firm that serves thousands of mortgage professionals and customers nationwide with their residential financing needs. Brandao was honored as one of 2018’s Most Influential Women in the Mortgage Industry, one of 2017’s Mortgage Business Hot 100, and one of the 50 Elite Women in the Mortgage Industry—three times! She has 20-plus years of experience building strong teams, consistently leading new divisions from launch to industry leadership. Today, Brandao shares her journey from the call center to the C-suite, discussing how she survived the implosion of the mortgage industry to become president of AFR. She speaks to the importance of a strong work ethic and passion for the work you do. Brandao also reflects on her achievements in an industry dominated by men, explaining how a laser focus on making a name for AFR contributed to her success. Listen in for Brandao’s insight on making the most of every opportunity and hear her advice around differentiating yourself to remain relevant in your marketplace. Key Interview Takeaways Look for the opportunity in every role you take on. Brandao turned a part-time job in a call center into a career, and she attributes her success to the attitude that every position is what you make of it. Show up every day. Brandao’s strong work ethic comes from her family, and she has always been committed to giving 110% every day, no matter who she works for or how much money she makes. Focus on getting the job done. Brandao rarely thinks about being one of the few women in leadership in the mortgage industry because she is too busy making a name for her company. Differentiate yourself. Brandao is proud to be a female leader in the mortgage space, and she argues that where you come from doesn’t matter if you go beyond the day-to-day and find unique ways to be relevant in your marketplace. Understand your value. Brandao focuses on the fact that she gets to ‘bring families home every day,’ and the opportunity to impact other’s lives inspires her to do her best work. Connect with Laura Brandao Laura Brandao on LinkedIn AFR Wholesale Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In recent years, we have experienced a massive transformation in the way organizations relate to the people they serve. The focus has shifted from ownership to access, from transactions to relationships, from single payment to subscription pricing, and from one-way conversation to open dialogue. In this new Membership Economy, businesses are called on to build trusted relationships with customers in order to earn their loyalty. Robbie Baxter is the founder of Peninsula Strategies, a consulting firm that supports solopreneurs, venture-backed startups and industry leaders in developing business strategy. She has 20 years of experience working on growth initiatives with nearly 100 organizations in 20-plus industries, including ASICS, Netflix and The Wall Street Journal. Baxter is also the author of The Membership Economy: Find Your Superusers, Master the Forever Transaction, and Build Recurring Revenue, an Inc Top 5 Marketing Book of 2015, and she received her MBA from Stanford, where she serves as the Vice Chair of Stanford Women on Boards. Today, Baxter explains the Membership Economy, describing how she supports entrepreneurs and startups in building authentic relationships with their clients and customers. She shares her transition from corporate product marketing to independent consulting, discussing how being the mother of young children made it difficult for her to be an A-player in a traditional nine-to-five setting. Listen in for Baxter’s insight on defining your area of expertise and learn how to choose a career path that works for your life. Key Interview Takeaways Businesses benefit from building relationships with customers. Baxter coined the term Membership Economy to represent the massive shift in how organizations relate to the people they serve, developing trust with consumers in order to win their loyalty. Independent consulting requires niching down to a specific area of expertise. Baxter fell in love with the Netflix business model and leveraged her understanding of the Membership Economy to build a successful consulting business helping entrepreneurs and startups establishing meaningful relationships with clients and customers. Integrity is key in the membership economy. Subscription businesses that don’t treat their customers well will lose them. As an independent consultant doing knowledge work, it doesn’t matter WHEN you work on a project, as long as you complete it on time. The flexible model affords more control over your career and may be ideal for women who are the mothers of young children. Connect with Robbie Baxter Peninsula Strategies Robbie Baxter on LinkedIn Robbie Baxter on Twitter Resources The Membership Economy: Find Your Superusers, Master the Forever Transaction, and Build Recurring Revenue by Robbie Kellman Baxter Stanford Women on Boards Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brianna Sylver was facing a challenging time in her business. Seismic shifts in the industries she served translated to a shrinking client base. She was exhausted and unhappy with the way she was showing up as a businesswoman, wife and mother. That’s when she found a new mentorship group that helped her tap into her spirituality—and cultivate it purposefully in her business. She found her center as an individual, and over time, she found the center of her business as well. Sylver is the Founder and President of Sylver Consulting, a global inquiry and innovation firm operating at the nexus of market research, UX design and strategy. The Sylver Consulting team supports Fortune 500 companies in the transformation of their brands by providing clarity and focus around their next steps of growth. Sylver has been recognized for her contributions to the fields of innovation and consumer insights, and she speaks regularly on topics such as innovation culture, hybrid research methodologies and entrepreneurship. She earned her Master’s in Human-Centered Communication Design from the IIT Institute of Design in Chicago. Today, Sylver shares her journey as an accidental entrepreneur, explaining how her strength in understanding the strategic side of design and a partnership with LaSalle Bank led to the birth of her company. She offers insight around finding new clients by understanding how you best connect with people and describes how to look at sales as an opportunity to serve others. Listen in for Sylver’s insight on bringing together the spiritual and business aspects of your life and learn how to reengineer your business systems for continuous, sustainable growth. Key Interview Takeaways Leverage how you best connect with people to find new clients. Sylver has grown her company by leaning into her relationship-based, go-giving spirit, expanding her client base by talking to people at conferences and networking on LinkedIn. You have been called to serve others by helping them solve problems. If you’re uncomfortable selling your services, change your perception: Remember that you are helping people rise to the best version of themselves as an individual or organization. Don’t be afraid to marry the spiritual and business aspects of your life. Sylver overcame a challenging time in her career by tapping into her spirituality and cultivating it in a purposeful way through her business. Re-engineer your business systems to support continuous, sustainable growth. The systems that brought you to a particular point of growth may not be the systems that are going to take you to the next level. Connect with Brianna Sylver Sylver Consulting Brianna Sylver on LinkedIn Brianna Sylver on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you consumed with work, neglecting yourself and your relationships? What if you made the choice to focus on what matters and cultivate connection—with yourself and others? What if such a shift in your priorities would allow you to lead with greater impact and influence? Relationship and Transformational Results Expert Wendy Darling is the founder of The Miraculous Living Institute. With 36-plus years of experience as a management and organizational consultant, master healer and coach, Darling has created the innovative Miraculous Living Method, a system that allows you to get the results you want with greater ease. She works with business leaders and their teams as well as private clients, and Darling trains other practitioners in her programs and methodology. She is the Amazon bestselling author of the groundbreaking book, The Miracle That is Your Life. Today, Darling explains how she works with executives and their teams to bring the happy back into an organization by way of engagement and contribution. She shares her Live-Love-Lead philosophy, describing the importance of fostering purpose and relationships first—before you can lead with maximum impact and influence. Listen in for Darling’s insight around the Miraculous Living Method and learn how to overcome the misalignment that’s holding you back, identify your unique gifts, and share your greatness with the world! Key Interview Takeaways Unhappiness is caused by living a life of SHOULD. Rather than doing what you think you’re supposed to, ask yourself, “What can I contribute?” Live, love and then lead. As a recovering workaholic, Darling had to learn to put her own oxygen mask on first. Now she prioritizes living a life that matters and cultivating relationships, and that allows her to lead with greater impact and influence. Believe in miracles. Darling argues that each and every one of us is a walking miracle, and it is your job to share that greatness and make the mark on the world that only you can. Get your mind in alignment with what you want. Darling’s Miraculous Living Method involves identifying what’s holding you back and then retraining your brain to overcome health issues, grow your business, manifest positive relationships, and ultimately make your dreams a reality. Recognize just how special you are. Because your gifts are such a natural part of who you are, you may not realize your own uniqueness. Connect with Wendy Darling The Miraculous Living Institute Email wendy@wendydarling.com Wendy Darling on LinkedIn Resources The Miracle That is Your Life by Wendy Darling Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What differentiates high-performing salespeople from all the rest? How do they use their time differently? What tasks do they prioritize? And what is their mindset toward the process? Kelly Roach is the founder and CEO of Kelly Roach Coaching, a consulting firm that supports small business owners in achieving exponential profit, sales and income growth. Her diverse resume includes experience as an NFL Cheerleader and Fortune 500 Executive. In her corporate role, Roach was promoted seven times in eight years, quickly becoming one of Randstad Holding’s top-performing salespeople and eventually managing 100 people in 17 locations. In 2012, she made the decision to pursue entrepreneurship for its freedom and flexibility—and to fulfill her purpose in helping other entrepreneurs build profitable businesses around lives they love. Today, Roach shares her view of every life experience as a stepping stone, explaining how her time as an NFL cheerleader introduced her to strong empowered women and ultimately prepared her for entrepreneurship. She describes how to reignite a passion for work by reconnecting to your mission and offers advice on balancing work, family and a demanding travel schedule. Listen in for Roach’s insight around the habits of high-performing salespeople and learn how to approach sales with a nothing-to-lose mindset! Key Interview Takeaways Every life experience is a stepping stone. Roach contends that her time as an NFL cheerleader prepared her for entrepreneurship, helping her learn how to put herself out there in a big way. Top-performing salespeople use their time differently. Roach had early success in sales because she prioritized the things that get results. She spent the majority of her time in conversation with prospects and clients, making it a point to follow up and follow through. Nurture a nothing-to-lose mindset. Roach’s approach to sales begins with a recognition that the prospect is not paying her now, so a ‘no’ isn’t the end of the world. She frames sales as simply asking a qualified buyer to investigate your solution. Reignite your passion with a clear focus on WHY. If you’ve lost connection with your mission, Roach suggests beginning and ending each day with a reminder of your purpose, the meaning behind why you do what you do. Work toward balance by making family a priority. For every decision, Roach asks herself, “Is this the right thing for my family?” Connect with Kelly Roach Kelly Roach Coaching Unstoppable Success Radio Text biggerthanyou to 44222 Resources Unstoppable: 9 Principles for Unlimited Success in Business & Life by Kelly Roach Bigger Than You: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Building an Unstoppable Team by Kelly Roach Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The most effective way to attract business is through relationship or credibility marketing. Establish yourself as a thought leader in your field, and the clients will come to you! So, how do you step into the spotlight and position yourself as a credible expert in your little corner of the universe? Marie Swift is the President and CEO of Impact Communications, a full-service PR and marketing communications firm that serves independent financial advisors and allied institutions. A thought leader in the realm of financial services, Swift hosts the Thought Leader Roundtable series and writes the popular Best Practices in the Financial Services Industry blog. She served as the Director of Corporate Communications for the Worldwide Investment Network before establishing her own firm in 1993. In the past 25 years, Swift’s work has appeared in Forbes, Barron’s, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Advisor, and On Wall Street magazine, among many other publications, and she speaks regularly at professional conferences including TD Ameritrade Institutional, Pershing Advisor Services, Fidelity Investments, the Financial Planning Association, and the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors. Today, Swift shares her journey from corporate marketing to entrepreneurship, explaining how prioritizing her family led to the creation of Impact Communications. She walks us through the significant challenge she faced in having to let people go during the recession as well as her big win landing a contract with one of the top ten broker-dealer firms in the country. Listen in for Swift’s insight around giving your team members a sense of ownership, attracting business through relationship marketing, and leveraging video to position yourself as thought leader in your field.   Key Interview Takeaways What matters most? Becoming a mother made Swift’s life working in corporate communications for a wealth management firm unmanageable. She reinvented herself as a freelancer for the sake of her family, and Impact Communications was born. Entrepreneurship comes with significant challenges. Swift was forced to let people go during the Great Recession, right-sizing her business based on the economy. This was no easy task, but the business emerged stronger. Give your team a sense of ownership. Every individual at Impact Communications has a role that makes a difference, no matter where they fall in the consulting and service-delivery spectrum. Become a thought leader and business will find you. Impact Communications walks the talk, attracting clients by way of credibility and relationship marketing. Leverage multimedia to become a celebrity in your corner of the universe. Digital assets like video can help you step into the spotlight and position yourself as a credible expert in your field. Connect with Marie Swift Impact Communications Impact on Facebook Marie Swift on Twitter Marie Swift on LinkedIn Marie Swift’s Best Practices Blog Resources The Advisor Thought Leader Summit Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For survival’s sake, we are hard-wired to scan for what’s wrong. The problem is, when we focus exclusively on what we don’t want and what’s not working, we get stuck in the negative. What if we could shift the conversation to the things that ARE working and what we DO want—and solve our problems along the way? What if we could leverage everyday conversations to dramatically improve outcomes in both our personal and professional lives? Cheri Torres is an author, speaker and catalyst for change. She specializes in leadership and team development, partnering with clients to facilitate positive organizational change through Appreciative Inquiry. Torres is also an entrepreneur, founding the management consultancy Innovation Partners International as well as NextMove, a firm that helps organizations invigorate collaboration and create a culture of excellence. She is the author and co-author of numerous books and articles, including Conversations Worth Having: Using Appreciative Inquiry to Fuel Productive and Meaningful Engagement. Today, Torres shares the Appreciative Inquiry conversation model, explaining how a focus on what IS working opens us up to higher-order thinking. She describes the top two components of conversations worth having: generative inquiry and positive framing. Listen in for Torres’ insight on improving outcomes for our organizations and relationships by way of Appreciative Inquiry—and learn to make a conscious choice to scan for what’s RIGHT!   Key Interview Takeaways Appreciative Inquiry is an approach to organizational change and design that focuses on the best of what IS and what’s possible. Rather than looking at what’s wrong and how to fix it, Appreciative Inquiry asks: What do we want? Where can we go together? How do we get there? By focusing on what’s working, we open ourselves to higher-order thinking. Torres contends that we are energized by our successes, and directing our attention there leads to creativity and innovation. Worthwhile conversations begin with great questions. Torres explains that inviting people to share information (rather than making statements) breeds deeper understanding and connection. Positive framing means choosing a tone and direction that moves us toward what we want. The process of Appreciate Inquiry is not about ignoring the negative but finding the pockets in an organization where things are going right—and replicating what works through the system as a whole. Connect with Cheri Torres NextMove Innovation Partners International Cheri Torres on LinkedIn Cheri Torres on Twitter Cheri Torres on Facebook Resources Conversations Worth Having: Using Appreciative Inquiry to Fuel Productive and Meaningful Engagement by Jackie Stavros and Cheri Torres Jackie Stavros on LinkedIn Jackie Stavros at Lawrence Technical University Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As an entrepreneur, you are guaranteed to face challenges. The difference between failure and success hinges on how you handle those setbacks. Do you throw in the towel? Or do you innovate past your problems and find a way to prevent them from happening again? Monica Eaton-Cardone is a powerhouse entrepreneur and business leader with expertise in technology, eCommerce, risk relativity and payment-processing solutions. She is the COO of Chargebacks911 and CIO of its parent company, Global Risk Technologies. Eaton-Cardone was a finalist for the 2016 Women in IT International Star of the Year and the 2016 ETA Technology Innovation Star Award, and she was recently named as a finalist for the 2018 Woman in PayTech Award. Today, Eaton-Cardone shares her unconventional path to entrepreneurship, explaining how being forced into computer programming electives as a high school student uncovered her aptitude for technology. She addresses why other countries are making strides we’re not to promote women in finance, engineering and technology—and how we might reposition those careers to stress the design and relationship-building aspects of those fields. Listen in for Eaton-Cardone’s insight on innovating past your setbacks and learn how to develop a shatterproof sense of self-worth!   Key Interview Takeaways To promote more women in fields like tech and finance, a bottom-up approach is most effective. Eaton-Cardone discovered her affinity for computer programming because she switched high schools, and the other electives were already filled. She believes that requiring courses in technology and engineering will help girls discover that they have an aptitude for those disciplines. The skills necessary for software development are very similar to those used in interior design. Eaton-Cardone argues that both involve creating something of artistic value, and if we reposition careers in finance and technology to stress the design and/or communication aspects, more women would show an interest. Innovate past your problems. Eaton-Cardone credits her success to persevering through the difficult times and finding ways to prevent setbacks from happening again. In fact, a product she developed to resolve her own problem as an online merchant has become Chargebacks 911, a thriving company in its own right. No one should be able to shatter your self-worth. Eaton-Cardone defines self-worth as an awareness of your achievements and confidence in your ability to learn. She trusts that there is no problem that can’t be solved, and she doesn’t allow other’s opinions to hold her back. Connect with Monica Eaton-Cardone Monica Eaton-Cardone on LinkedIn Monica Eaton-Cardone on Twitter Monica Eaton-Cardone’s Blog Chargebacks911 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If it’s not important to do right now… Is it really important to do? It is easy for entrepreneurs and business leaders to get caught up in the busyness of our own design, letting a stack of What If projects grow until they consume us. But we don’t have to get caught up in the ‘burden of the backburner.’ We can stop, take stock, and build the life we want based on a clear purpose. We can start with WHY. Priscilla McKinney is the CEO and resident Mama Bird at Little Bird Marketing, a boutique agency based in Joplin, Missouri. Little Bird works with premiere brands, helping them gain clarity around messaging and develop an annual plan for content delivery and lead generation that aligns with their sales goals. McKinney also serves as the host of Ponderings from the Perch: A Modern Podcast for the Modern Entrepreneur. Today, McKinney explains how others saw her potential in the realm of marketing when she did not. She shares the lessons she learned when her creative studio burned to the ground and how the experience helped her to ponder the WHY—and build the business AND the life she wanted. Listen in for McKinney’s insight on what she calls ‘the burden of the backburner’ and learn how to let go of the What If projects and focus on what’s important to do right now!   Key Interview Takeaways Listen to the people who see you. McKinney took over a local advertising firm when the woman who owned it pointed out that marketing is her native genius. Start with WHY. Little Bird Marketing is different because McKinney’s team asks good questions up front to help clients get clarity regarding their desired outcome. Your business is the people. When McKinney’s creative studio burned to the ground, it gave her the opportunity to carve out the business she wanted—and the life she wanted around that business. If it’s not important to do right now, it’s not important to do. It is easy for entrepreneurs to get buried under the pressure of What If projects—but rebuilding after the fire in her studio helped McKinney get free of the ‘burden of the backburner.’ Team up with premiere brands. To avoid disingenuous marketing, Little Bird makes it a point to work with companies that deliver at an 8, 9 or 10, simply bringing their branding and content strategy up to the same standards. Connect with Priscilla McKinney Little Bird Marketing Priscilla McKinney on LinkedIn Email priscilla@littlebirdmarketing.com Resources Little Bird Marketing Free Resources Ponderings from the Perch Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To rise through the ranks of corporate leadership, women learn to fight. But that competitive attitude often means that we feel threatened by other women in the workplace and hold each other back rather than lifting each other up. How can we let go of a ‘me versus you’ mentality and shift to a collectivist view that benefits us all? How can we be mindful about banding together as women in business? Jessica Higgins is an organizational workplace expert, strategic consultant and author of the new book, 10 Skills for Effective Business Communication. Huffington Post named her one of the Breakthrough Female Founders of 2017, and her work has been published in Entrepreneur, Thrive Global and The Ladders. Higgins holds executive and board positions in companies in the arts, consulting and technology space, and she regularly speaks on issues including women in the workplace, female entrepreneurs and the future of work. On this episode of The Female Insight Zone, Higgins discusses the ‘me versus you’ mentality that fosters competition among women in business. She shares the mindset shift that helped her transition from being a fighter to being a leader and what she is doing to mentor other female business leaders and entrepreneurs. Listen in for Higgins’ advice around banding together as women and taking on new challenges with confidence.   Key Interview Takeaways Women must break free from the ‘me versus you’ mentality. To climb the corporate ladder successfully, female business leaders often live in fight mode. But we cannot achieve equality until we stop competing against each other and shift to a collectivist view. Lift up other women through mentorship. Higgins is working to promote women in business by mentoring other women to develop a leadership presence and supporting fellow female entrepreneurs. Put your hand up. Too many women keep their heads down, believing they are not qualified for a particular role or raise. Higgins argues that no one walks into a new project or position knowing exactly what to do, and our job is to minimize the window of time it takes to ‘fake it until you make it.’ Connect with Jessica Higgins Jessica Higgins’ Website Jessica Higgins on LinkedIn Jessica Higgins on Facebook Email jessica@cultured-group.com Resources 10 Skills for Effective Business Communication: Practical Strategies from the World’s Greatest Leaders by Jessica Higgins, JD, MBA, BB Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg The Red Zone Leadership Foundation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices