Day: June 3, 2020

We live in a digital age where we are all connected and vulnerable to criticism, whilst constantly seeing entrepreneurs online, who appear to always be at the top of their game and a huge success.

It’s unrealistic to think that they don’t have bad days or self-doubt, yet people don’t always realize this.

When we are surrounded by (albeit false) perfection — it’s hard to feel worthy.

As a part of our series about how very accomplished leaders were able to succeed despite experiencing Imposter Syndrome, I had the pleasure of interviewing Amy Merrywest.

Amy is founder and director of two companies, one of which helps entrepreneurial mums create and implement their own PR plans. You can find out more here.

Amy has big agency PR experience as well as freelance and small boutique agency experience. She has worked on plenty of well-known brands and secured a great deal of national, glossy and TV coverage for her clients as well as helping others maintain their own public profiles.

Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’?

I am so pleased to be here, thanks for having me!

I started out my PR career in a small agency as a temp. I was tasked with pitching to the local press a story about the British Sub Aqua club.

This involved me calling journalists, all day, every day, and discussing the initiative. I can’t even begin to explain how hard it is to say “British Sub Aqua Club” over and over again! Needless to say — I soon became a pro on the phone!

From there I moved to a large PR firm in the city and took on some really great clients — I worked on many projects and became totally addicted to the buzz of getting great coverage — especially TV features.

This was a few years ago now and since then I have left the city and have a wonderful family. I now concentrate on helping entrepreneurial mums create and implement their own PR.

Can you share with us the most interesting story from your career? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘take aways’ you learned from that?

Naturally I enjoy getting a new piece of coverage — the bigger the better, and I love to see the benefit to my client that it can have.

There was a particular piece of coverage I had on a huge UK daytime TV program and it was a feature on a small eye cream from my client (a leading national supermarket).

If I’m honest, I got lucky because I had sent a press release to the producers not long before and I was in a position to courier over a sample of the product for them on the same day as filming. I was in the right place at the right time.

The eye cream was featured and overnight, pretty much all the stock in every branch across the UK sold out.

I took two things from that:

1. Doing PR well does involve knowledge and practice (this is what I teach), but sometimes you get lucky and appear in the right inbox at the right time.
2. One single piece of coverage can make a company, brand or product into a huge success.

What do you think makes your company stand out?

I have a naturally nurturing personality and this is thoroughly ingrained into my teaching.

I teach entrepreneurial mums how to create and implement their own PR plans for their brands.

The reason I focus on mums is because, as a mum myself, I get how tricky it is to juggle business and parenting — especially if you are working around school hours. I also understand how the internal narrative goes when you’re a mum and sometimes there is inner conflict — are they doing the right thing and can they really do it?

So for those reasons, I’d say that my company ethos is particularly nurturing and I don’t just focus on helping my ladies to make a success of their business, I teach them how to believe in themselves.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

My family is always the driving force behind what I do and that goes without saying.

But I also have to say that I owe a lot of my success to Lisa Johnson (Lisa Johnson Coaching). When I started out, I had times when I felt like I couldn’t do it and I wanted to give up, but Lisa really helped me change my mindset.

She gave me the practical tools to build my business and she gave me confidence in my abilities.

Ok thank you for all that. Now let’s shift to the main focus of this interview. We would like to explore and flesh out the experience of Impostor Syndrome. How would you define Impostor Syndrome? What do people with Imposter Syndrome feel?

Imposter Syndrome is the feeling people have when they lack confidence in their own skill, worth and knowledge. They feel that they are trying to be someone they are not capable of being — that they are a fraud.

We live in a digital age where we are all connected and vulnerable to criticism, whilst constantly seeing entrepreneurs online, who appear to always be at the top of their game and a huge success.

It’s unrealistic to think that they don’t have bad days or self-doubt, yet people don’t always realize this.

When we are surrounded by (albeit false) perfection — it’s hard to feel worthy.

What are the downsides of Impostor Syndrome? How can it limit people?

I work with lots of ladies with Imposter Syndrome and it can be really limiting. They often feel that they just shouldn’t bother and they’d rather settle for a 9 to 5.

It tends to peak as they realise that their business is starting to take off — they are excited but scared to succeed. Almost as if their potential success will expose them.

How can the experience of Impostor Syndrome impact how one treats others?

I think if a person is experiencing Imposter Syndrome, they can behave in many different ways that might be out of character. They may feel envious of others’ success and feel that they need to sabotage their work or be unsupportive.

This could be the cause of much hatred and negativity on social media — it is well known that if a person is trolling, they are often projecting their own insecurities onto others.

We would love to hear your story about your experience with Impostor Syndrome. Would you be able to share that with us?

When I first started out in PR I felt insecure about my own abilities — it was a long time ago, I was very young and I looked even younger. I had a feeling that people would think I sounded like I didn’t know what I was talking about and I absolutely hated people hearing me on the phone to clients.

Did you ever shake the feeling off? If yes, what have you done to mitigate it or eliminate it?

I guess for me, I winged it for a while and hoped that it would go away but it wasn’t until I got promoted and then moved onto bigger and better things that I realised that I was good at what I do and that I had learnt a great deal.

People had faith in me and I looked after the PR for some huge clients and then went on to freelance work.

It is likely that feeling the way I did, back then, was an important step in my career because it now helps me to coach my ladies through their own experience of Imposter Syndrome, with empathy.

I am lucky enough to be teaching some amazing entrepreneurial mums and it feels great!

In your opinion, what are 5 steps that someone who is experiencing Impostor Syndrome can take to move forward despite feeling like an “Impostor”? Please share a story or an example for each.

Look at themselves through the eyes of a friend.

If a loved one was experiencing Imposter Syndrome, we know it is likely that they are looking at themselves in an unrealistic and negative way and naturally we would see the best in them and help them through it.

I would ask them to look after themselves in the same way that they would for a friend and realise that they are thinking too harshly.

We are all still learning.

I am often told by my clients that they do not feel knowledgeable enough to do their own PR. But I explain to them that nobody is expecting them to be the best at it all — I am not teaching them to be head of public relations for Alan Sugar, I’m just teaching them how to do their own PR.

Look at others more realistically.

If you take a look more closely at someone you are comparing yourself with, try and think about them and their life more realistically.

If they are on Facebook talking about the 6 figures they just made, do you think they would also share the story about the two failed businesses that had before their success? Probably not.

This does not mean that they are not successful because they are, but it just goes to show that they are human, just like you and I.

There will always be something that you know that someone else does not.

So you might not be an expert in Facebook advertising, but you know a thing or two about social media content. Don’t give yourself such a hard time for not knowing absolutely everything because you have plenty of knowledge that others might not.

Practice not giving a hoot.

Try practicing some mindfulness and CBT to help reframe your thoughts. It might mean that you are able to let go of your inhibitions a little and stop worrying so much about what you are doing. Try and enjoy the ride.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the greatest amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

Educating our children in the skill of understanding and knowing their self-worth is so important. I’d make this part of the curriculum in every school.

We are blessed that some very prominent leaders read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them 🙂

Richard Branson, for sure. He always seems to handle everything so well, with such calm and kindness. Not to mention he’s pretty good at business!

How can our readers follow you on social media?

I’d love that. I am on https://www.facebook.com/AmyMerrywestConsulting/ and my PR group is www.facebook.com/groups/ThePrPowerhouse

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!

Thanks for having me!

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Publicist Amy Merrywest: “How I Was Able To Thrive Despite First Experiencing Impostor Syndrome” was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

I think a holistic approach for beauty is key. Look at the process in total to make it optimal. People focus on beauty and getting these treatments. However, today they can look at these efforts as preventative measures. We are seeing a shift towards younger demographics getting these treatments to be preventive. Whether it’s Botox at a younger age to prevent progression or deep-seated lines, or using augmentation, injectables to enhance patients at an earlier age. There is also a shift in taking a holistic approach to beauty and health.

This starts with good health, a healthy diet, exercise regimen. This is being healthy from within. If you have an individual, especially a young patient, that’s where the focus should be. This is done in combination with aesthetic treatments that will enhance the longevity to their beauty. Focusing on overall health, diet, nutrition, health and wellness, exercise and ultimately using the right treatment modalities. I don’t think you can have optimal beauty with missing out on any of the above.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Neil Nichols, MD, FAAO., AACS.

Dr. Nichols is a Board-Certified oculoplastic surgeon; specializing in Oculofacial plastic surgery and Reconstructive surgery, in addition Dr. Nichols has completed fellowship training in Cornea and Refractive Surgery. He is co-owner of Sight of Beauty medi spa located in Plainview, New York (https://sightofbeauty.com/). Sight of Beauty is a state-of-the-art medi spa provides clients with advanced aesthetic, non-invasive services.

Dr. Nichols earned both his undergraduate and medical degree from Tufts University. He obtained a B.A. in biology from Tufts University with honors, and subsequently earned his medical degree from the Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston. Dr. Nichols´ post-doctoral training included a one-year internship in internal medicine; Mount Sinai School of Medicine of New York University in affiliation with Elmhurst Hospital Center, followed by an ophthalmology residency at New York Medical College and affiliated hospitals. Dr. Nichols was then selected to serve as Chief resident in the department of ophthalmology at Westchester Medical Center.

Upon completion of his formal training in comprehensive ophthalmology Dr. Nichols completed a one-year fellowship in Cornea and external disease in affiliation with St. Barnabas medical center in New Jersey. Dr. Nichols then completed two years of fellowship training in Oculofacial Plastic Surgery under the tutelage of an American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive surgery (ASOPRS) trained surgeon and fellow in affiliation with New York Medical College and Westchester Medical Center.

Dr. Nichols engages in continuous education and professional development to stay up to date in the latest technological advances in all aspects of ophthalmic plastics, Oculofacial and reconstructive surgery. In addition, Dr. Nichols continues to have clinical and research interests in Cornea and refractive surgery. Dr. Nichols is a Diplomat of the American Board of Ophthalmology; and has helped publish numerous professional research articles in the field of ophthalmology.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

My subspecialty, oculoplastics surgery, is very unique. This is the main component of my practice, which consists of doing oculofacial aesthetic surgery, the mid-face up and around the eyes and facial rejuvenation.

My interest in how I got into the field was my desire to improve people’s lives; to help them with their vision and functioning. This led to the development and the growth of aesthetic practice, which focuses on facial rejuvenation. This consists of fillers, Botox, neuromodulators and all the different aesthetic treatment modalities to aesthetically improve our patients and clients.

My desire to become a physician was to help patients improve their lives and their beauty. What is great about my subspecialty is that patients can get immediate gratification and see instantaneously — after a surgery, injectable treatment or other procedure — that we are improving their lives.

What got me into this field is that I knew that having a surgical subspecialty would be very rewarding. I saw that I would be able to improve all my patients in that modality, if that makes sense.

I have always enjoyed science and learning. Even to this day, I think that to become a physician and to be a great surgeon you have to be self-motivated and have a desire to learn daily, improve yourself, improve your knowledge base. I think that is what keeps me interested in medicine in general. Every day is a new challenge and that interest was fostered within me at a young age. I always enjoyed biology, chemistry. I actually enjoy learning even if it didn’t have to do with medicine. I am a committed lifelong learner and with a tremendous about of internal motivation and desire to learn.

Are you able to identify a “tipping point” in your career when you started to see success? Did you start doing anything different? Are there takeaways or lessons that others can learn from that?

I think that there was definitely a transition from a point when I was in practice and getting great results for patients. The satisfaction level was growing among patients that I operated on and treated. The feedback I was getting allowed me to know I was successful and moving into the top tier or at a top state in terms of my skills. This was about 2012 after being in practice for about four or five years. The key indicator was the fact that I was getting many more referrals, mostly from patients that I had operated on and treated. The snowball started to grow and grow from there.

Patients and staff members trusted me. It is very rewarding when my staff members send their family members to me for surgeries. This is a great compliment. People I see every day trust me. I have a nurse that says “I’d like you to do a procedure on me”; this tells me that I am doing something right.

Are there any lessons you learned early on, from a business perspective, about working with your patients, communicating with them? What more did you do to build trust?

My philosophy is all about teamwork and working together to let the patient know that our objective is to give them the best results and that they feel it, they sense it and they know that you have the ability to do. We work as a team and communicate with clients to make sure that they are 100 percent satisfied that we will complete the procedure to their complete satisfaction.

We commit to spending enough time with patients to really know what their expectations are. We use this to identify treatment modalities we will offer to get that result. Working as a team we are almost guaranteeing that we will be successful.

For example, on a consultation, I always ask “what brings you here to see me today?” I don’t ever point out imperfections. I ask them to open up with me first. They tell me the areas that they are concerned about. I have them look in the mirror. We look and review and then I tell them what I think and what we can offer them to improve them aesthetically.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person to whom you are grateful who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

When I was in medical school at Tuffs, I worked with an oculoplastic surgeon.

I saw a very interesting case; a nasolacrimal lid obstruction, a lid laceration that involved the lacrimal system. We had to spend time repairing the tear duct system and the eyelids; he was my mentor.

What influenced me to go into medicine? It was my father. He was not in medicine, he’s an attorney and a CPA. In the Navy he was a pharmacist’s mate and he always wanted to be a general surgeon. Growing up he always encouraged me to become a doctor because he regretted not becoming a doctor. He was the one who influenced me the most to choose medicine. I learned business lessons from him too; this is why I am getting an MBA now.

Ok super. Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion. The beauty industry today has access to technology that was inconceivable only a short time ago. Can you tell us about the “cutting edge” (pardon the pun) technologies that you are working with or introducing? How do you think that will help people?

Just for example, the injectables and the options that we have now did not exist 10 years ago. Today we use different types of injectables for each part of the face so if you want a filler that’s a little thicker, we know exactly where to target. If you want it in the mid-cheek and the laugh lines versus finer material that you need to use in the lips and then vermilion border. We have injectables that are very effective in the temple region and we have a whole line of biostimulatory injectables that you can do body contouring.

We offer injectables that go anywhere from the buttocks to your dorsum, back of your hands, your upper arms, temple regions. These injectables are excellent because you inject a small amount and then you have your own body get induced or stimulated to add volume. This has an aesthetically pleasing result in areas where you have volume depletion. All these new modalities have improved our treatment options.

We have many different lasers and surface treatments that we didn’t have years ago.

For example, CoolSculpting for body contouring, to dissolve fat, Ulthera for skin collagen production and tightening. These are noninvasive modalities that can really rejuvenate our patients and make them look great.

What are three of the technologies or areas of beauty technology that excite you the most?

The new treatment modalities using autologous material. Vampire Facelifts, PRP, plasma rich protein, stem cell treatments or fat transfer are all extremely exciting and commonplace today.

All the biostimulatories to induce production of collagen by the patient is exciting. All the new laser treatments to target and increase collagen production and also tightening that is available now are excellent. Ultherapy is an extremely exciting treatment modality that offers patients a noninvasive facelift. The biostimulatories, the new lasers and all the different autologous treatment are top of the list.

Are there any things that concern you about the industry?

What is very important is making sure that patients are seen by somebody who’s board-certified, trained, and has experience with the treatment they are offering.

We all have to look out for nonpractitioners or individuals jumping in to take advantage of the wave of aesthetics. Many of these individuals do not have the proper training.

It is important for clients to make sure that they see a board-certified medical doctor or somebody who’s working in conjunction with a medical doctor. They have to have the proper training. No matter what, patients have to be sure they see somebody who knows what they are doing not someone who does a little of this a little of that. Having a devoted practitioner with a track record and training is critical.

There are individuals who are out there, trying to get involved in this area but do not necessarily have the training, expertise, and background.

As for locations, don’t be fooled. A practitioner can have the most beautiful built-out spa. However, if they don’t have that background and experience and expertise, there could be trouble. Patients should always ask the questions and feel comfortable with their practitioners and their teams.

Can you share 3 things that most concern you about the industry? If you had the ability to implement 3 ways to reform or improve the industry, what would you suggest?

I think the industry has improved tremendously. Injectables are very safe. There have been many improvements in the area of injectables. If there is an adverse event, now we have different modalities to break down a lot of these materials. There is a lot of experience now, for decades, and we know which areas are safe to treat. Many of these treatments we are offering are safe and proven at this point, this is also part of the reason why it is so exciting.

There are always areas of improvement. There are complete safety profiles and they are going to get better and better. Our new techniques improve patients’ experiences, reduce discomfort, shorten downtime and post-treatment recovery in some cases can be immediate. However, post-treatment recovery is one area that can be improved.

For example, CoolSculpting treatments with the latest machine have a recovery time of less than half of what we had before; treatments that used to take 45 minutes, now take 20 minutes.

You are an expert about beauty. Can you share 5 ideas that anyone can use “to feel beautiful”?

I think a holistic approach for beauty is key. Look at the process in total to make it optimal. People focus on beauty and getting these treatments. However, today they can look at these efforts as preventative measures. We are seeing a shift towards younger demographics getting these treatments to be preventive. Whether it’s Botox at a younger age to prevent progression or deep-seated lines, or using augmentation, injectables to enhance patients at an earlier age. There is also a shift in taking a holistic approach to beauty and health.

This starts with good health, a healthy diet, exercise regimen. This is being healthy from within. If you have an individual, especially a young patient, that’s where the focus should be. This is done in combination with aesthetic treatments that will enhance the longevity to their beauty. Focusing on overall health, diet, nutrition, health and wellness, exercise and ultimately using the right treatment modalities. I don’t think you can have optimal beauty with missing out on any of the above.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

What would bring the most good to the most people? I think we were talking about a holistic approach that embraces beauty in that way. Definitely promoting and explaining to patients what they can do is the most important approach. For example, there is new treatment modality for skin called AQUAGOLD. This is where I do a superficial treatment with hyaluronic acid derivative and Botox to treat the skin. It gives patients a great natural glow. However, we have to explain that to get an optimal result from this or any treatment, that the patient can’t smoke, they must have a low salt diet, embrace healthy lifestyle and exercise. People talk about toxins in the system, overall health and wellness helps to reduce this. This recommended approach helps all patients live longer and healthier lives. We then augment this with our treatments and all that we offer.

Can you give us your favorite life lesson quote? Can you share how that is relevant in your life?

One quote my mother gave me when I was in medical school — “it is said every obstacle is a stepping stone to your success.” For this shows that life is a series of little speed bumps, obstacles, not everything is easy and you have to be persistent; with persistence, hard work, no matter what you do in life, this is how a person is going to fulfill their potential. This is what I instill with my children and those I work with. I let them know what life can be. Remember that in daily life, no day goes completely smoothly and nothing is ever perfect. Everyone must embrace this concept.

A series of stepping stones requires taking them one at a time in a series. Nothing ever got accomplished in one day. It is a series and you move forward. As you get better and better, this builds that trust and confidence. When your results are better, people recognize it and recommend you more. Continuing forward you feel more confident in your skills and ability. Repetition is critical, doing same techniques and procedures over and over again allows me to get better. I don’t necessarily get faster, but better and more proficient.

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The Future Of Beauty: “Vampire Facelifts” With Dr. Neil Nichols was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

I would love to create a platform where people can share their stories in a way that moves and touches others. I believe that everyone has a story that can impact and influence others in a positive and creative way. I’ve often stopped to talk to random people, including homeless people, and I have heard the most incredible stories and gained so many valuable life lessons. The life lessons from people who have lived extraordinary lives are laden with practicable wisdom.

As a part of our series about “dreamers who ignored the naysayers and did what others said was impossible”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Shannon Lavenia.

Shannon Lavenia is a high-energy, fun, and dynamic speaker, coach, and entrepreneur who transformed her life from bored, broke high school teacher to online business and branding expert. Her story is one of overcoming adversity to live an incredible life, having survived and thrived through being an orphan and beating Stage 3 breast cancer. She is the founder of Brand Builder Design Studios, voice of the Booming Business Podcast, and creator of the Brand Builder Course Collective. Shannon is family focused, operating her business with the philosophy of family fun first while still creating incredible results and serving her audience with results-driving expertise. Shannon uses her energy, experience, and expertise to create obsession-worthy brands for her clients and coaches her students in the creation of fun-fueled, passion-fulfilling, wildly profitable businesses. She’s an expert at business expansion/life balance and demonstrates how to implement systems and easy, results-producing marketing strategies that gets her clients the results they’ve yearned for while enjoying life to the fullest. You can learn more about Shannon and access her free training and resources at https://shannonlavenia.com

Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to ‘get to know you’ a bit better. Can you tell us your ‘backstory’?

I grew up in New Jersey and was orphaned at the age of 7. My single mom was a casualty of the 80’s cocaine boom, leaving me to be raised by her father and his second wife. My grandfather was a doll of a man, but my grandmother was a bit of a pickle. I believe my grandmother was well intentioned, but after spending much of her early 20s in psychiatric hospitals, she just wasn’t right. Her method of parenting was to tell me I was worthless and would never amount to anything. When I was 8, she sat me down and very sternly told me that since my mother had me without being married, I was a sinner and no matter how good I tried to be, I’d never get into heaven.

I ran away many times, but being a ward of the state, it was either a teenage group home for me or back to my grandparents. The toxic, abusive environment was too much to handle, so I ventured out on my own the day I turned 18 and miraculously landed a spot in an all-girls college. I say miraculously because I was top of the list of the truancy officer’s cases. Through all that, I was the first person in my family to graduate from college, working three jobs to get myself through.

That was followed by a career as a high school Biology teacher. I chose teaching because it aligned with my passions for helping people and traveling. I enjoyed it for the most part but soon realized that my teacher’s salary wasn’t going to afford me the lifestyle I desired, and the politics were getting ridiculous. I wanted to desperately to make a change but didn’t quite have the courage. That was until I was forced to make a change.

The weekend I was married, my husband was downsized at his job. The stress landed him in the hospital, and we were forced to find a solution. We prayed and an opportunity was presented to us. Although it was a financial stretch, we put it all on the line and went for it. It was the best move we made. We sold personal development courses and conferences plopped us smack-dab into an environment of successful people who were using goal setting, vision boarding, and visualization as tools to create better futures. We suddenly had friends who believed we could achieve the crazy, wild goals we were setting for ourselves. More than believe it, they were supporting us in achieving them.

From there, I began launching online marketing training courses. I love serving my students and helping them break free of their limiting beliefs and incomes. Creating online courses enables me to fulfill my love of teaching and helping others, but also provides the income I desire for the lifestyle I want. I have been very fortunate to speak on stages around the world and to have an incredible audience of goal-getting entrepreneurs.

My students wanted more done for you services and I noticed a demand for excellent branding services for female entrepreneurs which led to the launch of Brand Builder Design Studios. We focus on helping empower women in their businesses by creating obsession-worthy brands and marketing strategies to scale. I have a talented team who amaze me daily with their creativity and spirit.

I’m living in Arizona now with my husband, John, and my beautiful daughter Trinity. I’m so grateful for the businesses I have and for my family. Last year, I was diagnosed with advanced stage breast cancer and I was able to allot the time to heal through this journey because of how my business is structured, and the support of our customers and my staff. I’m proud to say I’m now cancer-free. I’m beyond blessed. Hundreds of people have sent us prayers, gifts, meals, etc. Now, I’m more passionate about helping women than ever.

Are you working on any new or exciting projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Yes! I’m about to relaunch my Booming Business Podcast on iTunes where I’ll be picking the brains of expert guests to help my audience gain know-how and expertise in what’s working right now. My past guests have included Grant Cardone, Amy Porterfield, and Chris Ducker, so my audience can look forward to very helpful interviews. I also have two new courses coming out to help entrepreneurs scale their businesses — the Profit Planning Workshop and Easy Marketing Academy.

In the fall, I’ll be launching an online store with a brand that retails products for women going through treatment for Breast Cancer. It will be attached to a 501c3 non-profit so we can send products to women who are most in need at no charge and also so friends can send gifts to these women as well.

In your opinion, what do you think makes your company or organization stand out from the crowd?

We are obsessed with delivering quality service and results to our clients. We really care about our students and clients and our fundamental driving principle is “The client always deserves to be heard, to be valued, and to be served. Our clients are thrilled with our exceptional service and are winning with the products we have provided them.” We listen and deliver what is wanted in the way it is asked for. Rather than having a rigid business model, we have a very fluid one and rely on a team of outsourcers who can meet the needs of our clients in diverse ways. We focus on results that are predicable, so our clients feel their investments in our services are worth-while. We want everyone to leave happy and ready to tell others about us. After all, a referral is the best kind of testimonial.

Ok, thank you for that. I’d like to jump to the main focus of this interview. Has there ever been a time that someone told you something was impossible, but you did it anyway? Can you share the story with us? What was your idea? What was the reaction of the naysayers? And how did you overcome that?

Oh boy, I’ve heard this A LOT. Just given my childhood, growing up in poverty and given my mother’s history, I was told I would never amount to anything. I even had a guidance counselor laugh at me when I told her I wanted to go to college. I was working a full -time job at 16 so my grades and attendance weren’t the greatest. But I knew that to have a better life, I had to get out of my current environment. When I tried to get into college, I was rejected by everyone, including the community college. But I kept on trying, and eventually, I found a school willing to give me a chance — the College of St. Elizabeth. Their belief in me drove me to do more and to be a better person. I graduated with Honors and started my teaching career.

When I was teaching and decided to start a business, I made the mistake of telling the other teachers. My husband and I truly believed we could create a phenomenal income and life with our own business. We constantly read books, including Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill and the Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles. The response from the teachers was disappointing. I was openly taunted and teased. One day I walked into school and my desk was covered in gold coin chocolates with a note that said, “Your riches have arrived!”. I moved my desk out of the shared office and continued to focus on my goals. I had a vision board at home and a goal card I carried everywhere. I read it like 20 times a day. I quit my job a few months later after hitting my first goal of $20,000 in revenue in a single month. That year, my husband and I grossed almost $500,000.

When I created my first online course, a mentor of mine told me I was making a huge mistake and no one would buy it. I was so excited when I told him about the idea and left the conversation feeling very deflated. That conversation left me in tears. I had already started putting the course together and invested countless hours learning how to set up an online course. This was back in 2009, so a lot of the tools available now didn’t exist. I abandoned the project for a few weeks but then kept looking at all the emails I was getting with questions on how to generate leads. I decided to put the course together anyways and really didn’t care if anyone bought it or not. I figured I would at least have a resource I could share with people and wanted to complete what I started. I haphazardly launched the course, making about every mistake one can make in a course launch, but I still generated $30,000 in sales with it and was able to help other businesses increase their revenues with a fresh source of leads.

I learned an incredible lesson through all of these experiences. When you know what you want, muster up focus and determination and go after it. I don’t think there’s one big thing I’ve gone after where someone didn’t tell me it wouldn’t work or warn me of the potential of failure. I’ve always been able to make it work. The worst has been when I have given up on a course of action because of seemingly “good” advice only to regret it afterwards. There’s always a price to pay. It’s either hard work, grit, and focus or missed opportunity and regret. I personally prefer to pay the price of hard work to get the results I want.

In the end, how were all the naysayers proven wrong? 🙂

I got results. In every instance, I kept on going and got results. I graduated from college, launched a successful business, launched successful courses, traveled the world, and continue to do what I think is best for my family, myself and my community. There have been lots of little and big failures along the way, but I don’t stop to fester on them, I just keep going and find new ways to get results. I believe what often stops people from pursuing their goals or dreams is the fear of the naysayers being “right” or “looking bad” to other people. I really didn’t care what anyone thought, I just kept going to reach my own goals.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I’ve had many mentors, but the one person I’m most grateful for is the Sister of Charity who granted me admission into the College of St. Elizabeth. I didn’t have the grades. My attendance was horrible. On paper, there really was no good reason for her to accept me into the college. I certainly didn’t have the money to pay for it. I was an orphan and a ward of the State of New Jersey, so at 18 I was fully emancipated. But I was so determined to go to college that when I drop by the College of St. Elizabeth, I decided to walk in and get an application. I stepped up to the Admissions Office desk in desperation and asked for an application. When the Sister, who was the Dean of Admissions at the time, saw me, she said “hello” and I burst into tears. She gently put her arm around me and walked me into her office. I shared my story with her. At the time, I was practically homeless, couch surfing from friend to friend. I so desperately wanted a chance in life to better myself, get out of the toxic environment I grew up in and have a chance at something better.

The sister asked me one question, “If I give you this chance, are you willing to give it your all? That means no drugs, no boys, no drinking and 100% dedication to your studies.”. She explained it would be hard work and I’d have to get jobs to pay for some of it along the way but she was willing to give me the chance. I said “YES”! and started college the next month.

I never knew exactly what it was that she saw in me, other than sheer determination. It was hard work. It did take dedication. While others were partying, I was working. I worked overnight shifts at the local hospital and did secretarial work for a local architect. I babysat whenever I had free time. I studied and did well, graduating with Honors. It wasn’t so much the degree that made my life so different and amazing, but the chance to be in a different environment, working towards a goal, with the belief of others that I could do it.

It must not have been easy to ignore all the naysayers. Did you have any experiences growing up that have contributed to building your resiliency? Can you share the story with us?

My grandfather was a hard-working, blue-collar, hold no punches kind of guy. He was also sweet as can be. My grandmother was very abusive and when my grandfather would find me hiding and crying when he arrived after a long day’s work, he would say “Never let anyone tell you what you are worth.”. He also said, “The only person who can decide if you can do it is you.”. He would never let me whine or complain about my circumstances, he guided me to find my own solutions, fight my own battles, and achieve my own success. He also taught me to work for everything I wanted and to keep on persisting until I got it.

While my childhood wasn’t ideal, what I walked away with was thick skin and the confidence to know that I can endure, survive and succeed. There isn’t much that ruffles my feathers, I’m able to stay focused through adversities that some people would crumble under.

Based on your experience, can you share 5 strategies that people can use to harness the sense of tenacity and do what naysayers think is impossible? (Please share a story or an example for each)

1. You have to want your goals as much as you want air. They have to excite you and you need to believe they can become real. When I set my first goal of $20,000 net revenue in a month, it wasn’t because it sounded “nice”. My husband had just been downsized and the stress landed him in the emergency room. He was 31 years old and a doctor told me he’d be dead within 5 years if we didn’t make some serious changes. We were married 3 months at that time and I definitely didn’t want to be a widowed newlywed or to live life without him. That goal represented a year’s worth of my take home pay and I wanted it as much as I wanted air. That goal meant freedom.
2. You have to keep your goals front and center and visualize them daily. I write my goals on a goal card. I carry it with me and read it aloud throughout the day. It’s the constant reminder of what I am doing that enables me to focus with total clarity.
3. Look at the naysayer’s life and decide if it’s what you want. Personally, I wouldn’t take health advice from someone who isn’t healthy, so why would I take success advice from someone who doesn’t have the success I want. When I was being taunted by the other teachers, I looked at their life. Their ability to live prosperously, their health, their happiness, and their freedom. Most of them were financially struggling and constantly penny pinching. They talked openly about how broke they were. They talked about their spouses negatively. They were unhappy, overweight and unhealthy. This was not the life I wanted so I decided not to listen to any of their opinions or “advice” on what I was doing.
4. Connect with a new group. I needed to find some new friends who would understand what I wanted to accomplish and would be supportive of it. I found a group of entrepreneurs who were all making more than I even imagined possible. I connected with that group and went to social gatherings they were at to be around them. I integrated myself like I was one of them, not less than them. I didn’t try to “pick their brains” but rather, listened to their conversations and assimilated what they were talking about and doing. Soon, I was having the same results.
5. Start BEING the person you want to be, BEFORE having the success. I realized early on that most of the people who were naysayers simply couldn’t “see” me being anyone other than who I was. So, I changed how I acted and dressed. I started behaving and being the successful person, even before having the success. I started sharing pictures of me with luxury cars and nice dresses. A colleague messaged and asked if I had inherited some money and that’s when I knew I had up-leveled myself in a way that others could see it. Suddenly people started to refer to me as a successful person and use words like “badass” and “guru”.

What is your favorite quote or personal philosophy that relates to the concept of resilience?

“She stood in the storm and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails.” — Elizabeth Edwards

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

I would love to create a platform where people can share their stories in a way that moves and touches others. I believe that everyone has a story that can impact and influence others in a positive and creative way. I’ve often stopped to talk to random people, including homeless people, and I have heard the most incredible stories and gained so many valuable life lessons. The life lessons from people who have lived extraordinary lives are laden with practicable wisdom.

The other, and totally unrelated, has to do with a movement I want to initiate entitled “Don’t buy pink.” I will be launching it in September before Breast Cancer Awareness Month. What few people realize is that when they buy pink, very little or none of those dollars spent goes towards curing Breast Cancer or helping women going through treatments. People have the most beautiful intention to help, but their money isn’t making the impact it should be making. I want to put a network together of amazing organizations that support Breast Cancer Patients with things they need and also fund Breast Cancer research at universities that people can donate to instead. I’m in the process of establishing the 501c3 non-profit to do this.

Can our readers follow you on social media? YES!

https://facebook.com/shannonlaveniafanpage
https://instagram.com/shannonlavenia
https://linkedin.com/in/shannonlavenia

Thank you for these great stories. We wish you only continued success!

Thank you for the opportunity to contribute.

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Shannon Lavenia: “They told me it was impossible and I did it anyway” was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Whenever you celebrate another person’s success, you draw that same energy onto yourself. I would love for everyone out there to want others to succeed and be happy for them!

I had the pleasure of interviewing Chelle Neff.

Chelle Neff has been a leader in the U.S. salon industry since founding Urban Betty in 2005 and has more than 20 years of experience creating innovative practices in the salon and beauty worlds. Neff has successfully grown Urban Betty’s revenue year after year and today has a space that houses more than 60 employees. So successful was the first location that she opened the second Urban Betty Salon in 2019.

In addition to her work with Urban Betty, Neff is fascinated with Austin architecture. She and her husband, David J. Neff, created The Weird Homes Tour, and their first book, {Weird Homes: The People and Places That Keep Austin Strangely Wonderful}, was released in 2018.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I was led to this career path from my sheer motivation to do better in my life. My parents had me when they were teenagers, and we lived from paycheck to paycheck when I was young. I knew that if I wanted to go to college, I would need to find a way to pay for it myself, along with my cost of living. I naturally had a knack for doing hair and art, so when I was 16, I had the chance to enroll in cosmetology school while in high school, and became fully licensed at 18. The beauty school route was much more affordable for me than the traditional college route, so that’s what led me to pursue it. Ten years later, I bootstrapped my brick and mortar called Urban Betty.

Can you explain to our readers why you are an authority about Social Media Marketing?

As a business owner of a salon, we leverage Instagram to its fullest! Our stylists use their accounts as their portfolios; we use our Instagram account to repost their work, create brand awareness, and drive in new traffic. We have made Instagram one of our top priorities for finding and retaining new business. We have 42.2k followers, and we have a system and formula which works beautifully! Due to our high volume, last year we hired a marketing director that helps us post several times every day. And in 2020, I launched a series of classes to help brands with Instagram called Betty Bootcamp.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started this career?

The most exciting thing that has happened to me since starting my career was founding a second company! My husband and I call our side hustle The Weird Homes Tour. We noticed an abundance of weird homes here in Austin, and we were just nosey enough to want to go inside them. So, we started a tour that happens once a year in Austin. We are in our 5th year, have expanded into five other cities, and wrote a coffee table book. I could never have guessed this would all happen!

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

In 2002, I launched a website with a terrible logo. At the time, I thought my logo looked good. It was a lady with a city background, and she seemed very cartoonish. Think Sex and the City if it were a children’s book. Not good. We reworked it after a couple of years. I recently found an old scrapbook with my first brochure and the original logo. I showed it to my employees, and they couldn’t believe how bad it was. We all had a good laugh! I learned that you should always be re-evaluating your brand and evolving to stay current.

Which social media platform have you found to be most effective to use to increase business revenues? Can you share a story from your experience?

I have found Instagram to be the most effective platform that increases our revenue. We consistently tweet, use Pinterest and Facebook, but Instagram outperforms them all. When I listen to our guests, a majority of them come to us because of our strong presence on Instagram. We know that because we ask every new guest over the phone, “How did you hear about us?” And it’s not only guests that we get from our Instagram, but we also attract new talent. Just last week, I was on a training call with another salon owner from another state, and she had heard of Urban Betty! I can’t tell you how many times that has happened. The first thing the younger generation is going to do before they come to work for you is inspect your social media. If it’s lacking, they are going to move on. You have to make it work for new guests and new talent, that’s key to increasing your revenue.

Let’s talk about Instagram specifically, now. Can you share 6 ways to leverage Instagram to dramatically improve your business? Please share a story or example for each.

1. First and foremost, separate your personal account from your business account. First impressions are everything. You are important, so make your profile present that. If it’s a business account, please set it as a business account. This change will give anyone searching for your business clickable links to your phone number and email. Your profile will automatically display your physical address and website. Don’t forget to have a profile pic that is clean, clear, and happy! Brands should be your logo, and personal pages should have your face as the profile pic.
2. Make your photo layout beautiful and cohesive. Pick a theme, color, and plan for every single photo and stick with it. Content is critical — post daily. Your photo has a 2-hour lifespan. Your page is only as relevant as your last nine photos.
3. Post what people want to see. They want to see your personality along with your brand, behind the scenes photos give people a glimpse into who you are. Be careful about posting too many selfies. Sprinkle them here and there if you have to, and be relevant to your brand. Post a “How-To” What can others learn from you? A hairstyle, a recipe, or how to use a particular beauty product.
4. Give people Inspiration and empowerment. Quotes, travel pictures, & nature photos. And again, try to tie these pictures into your brand subtly. Sometimes it can just be a pretty picture. Don’t overthink it! Always show the world how you are a part of the community. Give the public a sense of being part of your brand and success. Photos of events, promos for upcoming events, upcoming sales, and or contests. Who’s your employee of the month? Who’s your client of the month? I also love to include any philanthropic events in this category, as well. Show the community how you are giving back.
5. Contests are a great way to gain new business and followers. Tag a picture. Ask followers to like a pic, tag a friend, use a specific hashtag, and/or become a follower of your business to win. Make sure to let people know that a winner will be chosen at random, also be sure to set an end date and ask users to have their profile set to public if using a hashtag. Share a picture. Ask followers to regram your photo with a hashtag. Don’t forget to close out your giveaway after the date. I usually set a reminder on my phone. Loops. These can be great for getting followers. They can be a little trickier to coordinate, however. It would be best if you had several brands willing to give away something. Next, you send out one pic with text to each brand. You then all coordinate a time to post the pic and who will tag who in the photo. It has to be in a particular order that loops back to the original. (via group text or email is the best idea for communicating this) Each contestant must follow that user and then click on the pic to see who is tagged and keep following each user until they loop back to the original user.
6. The most crucial step is engagement! Follow. You must follow people to gain followers. Like. Like lots of pics. Comment. Tell them why you like the photo. The stats are that if you like three pictures and comment on one, a user is more likely to follow you. I understand that no one has time to sit around and do this all day! So, you can always ask for help. Seek out employees that are young and love to spend time on social media.

Because of the position that you are in, you are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

I would love to inspire a movement of supporting other people’s successes. The world is not one pie for everyone. We each have our own pie! When one person is successful, they are never taking away from you. Your worth and all that you have are based on your emotional well-being and your beliefs surrounding that. Whenever you celebrate another person’s success, you draw that same energy onto yourself. I would love for everyone out there to want others to succeed and be happy for them!

Some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂

I would love to meet Bethenny Frankel. I love the empire that she has created with her brand. She has had a ton of challenges in life and has overcome them all with laughter and even more success. I am so proud of her!

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Chelle Neff of Urban Betty: “6 ways to leverage Instagram to dramatically improve your business” was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Jessi Honard of North Star Messaging + Strategy: “They told me it was impossible and I did it anyway”

Be yourself — It can be easy to get caught up in what you “should” do, but tenacity comes from an ability to look inward, stay honest, and trust your intuition. There will always be people who want to insert their reality into your plans. But at the end of the day, you know yourself better than anyone.

As a part of our series about “dreamers who ignored the naysayers and did what others said was impossible”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jessi Honard.

Jessi Honard is a writer by day, and a writer by night. As co-CEO of North Star Messaging + Strategy, a content marketing agency, she supports small business owners in capturing their brand voice so they can outsource their content. As a novelist, she writes primarily fantasy and science fiction. An advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and the environment, Jessi believes in the power of community and perseverance. She lives in the Bay Area with her partner, where she goes hiking and rock climbing every chance she gets. She loves border collies, dark comedy, and not-so-dark coffee.

Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to ‘get to know you’ a bit better. Can you tell us your ‘backstory’?

Absolutely. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by stories. I devoured them, I wrote them, I dreamed about them. In third grade I decided I would grow up to be a writer, and since then I haven’t stopped. I went to college for English, tried my hand as a high school teacher and a marketing coordinator, and eventually co-founded North Star Messaging + Strategy, a content marketing agency.

Through all of this, I continued to write fiction on the side. I’d wrap up my work day and I’d scribble scenes that took place in far-off worlds.

Are you working on any new or exciting projects now? How do you think that will help people?

At North Star, we’re continuing to develop resources that empower small business owners to step away from being their own content bottleneck. By capturing their voice, stories, and values with our Brand Voice process, we set them up to outsource their content without sacrificing authenticity.

On the creative front, I have a co-written novel that has received an offer for publication! Plus, I have some solo projects up my sleeve. I like to stay transparent about my writing on social media to help other writers gain insight into my process and make creative expression feel more accessible for everyone.

In your opinion, what do you think makes your company or organization stand out from the crowd?

I want to go back to Brand Voice. A common thread in both fiction and marketing content is the idea of voice, and writing with a voice that is both unique and compelling. But “voice” can often feel abstract and difficult to capture and record. As a result, many business owners struggle to outsource their content.

At North Star, we go beyond simple content creation and dive deep into the voice of a brand, developing a Brand Voice Guide before a single word of content is written. This allows our clients to trust their their marketing materials reflect their brand, and it also empowers them to continue outsourcing content over time.

Ok, thank you for that. I’d like to jump to the main focus of this interview. Has there ever been a time that someone told you something was impossible, but you did it anyway? Can you share the story with us? What was your idea? What was the reaction of the naysayers? And how did you overcome that?

Writing is a career path that’s met with a lot of skepticism. There’s a common misconception that professional writers are all starving artists.

Growing up, I wasn’t shy about my intentions. I told anyone who would listen that I wanted to grow up to be a writer. I was met with responses that ranged from “Writers don’t make any money,” to “That’s nice, but what’s your Plan B?”.

Everywhere I turned, people reminded me that my passion was a hobby, not a viable career path. Instead of listening to them, I focused on becoming the best writer possible, across as many mediums as possible. I learned about fiction writing, copywriting, content marketing, journalism, blogging, and more. I was determined to prove that writing wasn’t just possible for me — it was inevitable.

In the end, how were all the naysayers proven wrong? 🙂

I never turned my back on writing, and as I got older I began putting my work out to the world, instead of practicing in private. I wrote curriculum for schools, text panels for museums, and even started up a travel blog. Every new project was a victory that took me closer to my ultimate job — a full time, self-sustainable writing career.

My dreams were put to the test in 2010 when my best friend and I decided to start our own copywriting business. It was risky, but we were both passionate about making a sustainable living off of writing careers.

Ten years later, we have a thriving content marketing agency that serves incredible clients. We’ve helped people put their dreams into words, and make an impact in all kinds of industries, including healthcare, education, business, and more.

Not only that, but we’d designed our business to allow for creative writing, too. To date, we’ve written several independent novels and co-written a fantasy novel together — which has received an offer for publication.

I’ve not only built a stable career as a writer, but I’ve managed to do it while living in some of the most expensive cities in the nation (Los Angeles and San Francisco), and without sacrificing my well-being, health, or sanity. My writing career allows me to support my family, do what I love, and constantly challenge myself.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

My business partner and co-writer, Marie, has stuck with me for more than a decade, cheering me on, brainstorming, commiserating, and sharing the belief that writers can create successful, stable lives for themselves.

There are a million ways in which she’s supported me over the years, but what sticks out is her commitment to maintaining a strong friendship above all else. As co-writers and business partners it can be easy to get caught up in to-do lists, workplace politics, and client needs. But we’ve always maintained a strict Friends First policy — one that we put into action every single day. We don’t live in the same state, so we also go out of our way to schedule an annual camping or hiking trip devoted simply to stepping out of the work and keeping our friendship strong. It may seem counter-intuitive, but the moments away boost my creativity and determination to write more than anything else.

It must not have been easy to ignore all the naysayers. Did you have any experiences growing up that have contributed to building your resiliency? Can you share the story with us?

Like many people, my middle school experience was awful. I was a nerd during a time when neediness was far from trendy, and I bullied extensively for it. From being tripped in the halls to having my books taken from me, school never felt safe.

I coped by retreating into my notebooks. I wrote poetry, short stories, and even my first novels during those years, all to escape my peers. The more I wrote, the more I fed my dreams of pursuing it as a career. I began doing anything I could to become a better writer. I read voraciously. I wrote Harry Potter fanfiction. I showed my fledgling novels to my English teachers, begging them for feedback. The more I focused on creating my future as a writer, the more tolerable middle school became. Those years, more than any, cemented the importance of writing in my life.

Based on your experience, can you share 5 strategies that people can use to harness the sense of tenacity and do what naysayers think is impossible? (Please share a story or an example for each)

1. Practice consistently. Whatever your dream, making it a reality requires continuous effort. One of the best things I ever did for myself was block off daily writing time. By making it a part of my routine, rather than something to “get to” when I “felt inspired,” I was able to hone my skills and make continuous progress. For example, before I created this habit, I sat on my debut novel with Marie for three years. We would make small bursts of progress, and then it would gather dust. Once we blocked off time specifically to write, we were able to complete a draft in ten months.

2. Build a support system. Surround yourself with people who believe in you, challenge you, and hold you accountable to your goals. For a long time, I wrote in solitude, and as a result I could only grow so much. In recent years, I began hiring mentors, attending writing events, and selectively inserting myself into leadership communities. As a result, not only has my writing has improved, but I feel more connected with my vision. Not only that, but when I hit a roadblock, I can bring it to the community and receive feedback and support.

3. Take calculated risks. At some point, your dreams need to stop living in your head. That means putting yourself out there in ways that can feel scary. I remember the first time I took a piece of writing to a critique group. I was so nervous I thought I might throw up. The idea of reading out loud to a group designed specifically to provide critiques, terrified me. But I powered through, and received great feedback and opportunities to improve. Since then, I made attending a critique group a weekly habit.

4. Build in breaks. As important as continuous practice and perseverance are, it’s equally important to step back. Our brains and bodies get tired when they do the same thing all the time, and taking a break can help fuel your next push. There’s no one right way to refuel, but I tend to seek out nature. I rock climb, find a new hiking trail, or just go on a long walk through my neighborhood. When I need a longer break, I’ll dig out my tent and go camping.

5. Be yourself. It can be easy to get caught up in what you “should” do, but tenacity comes from an ability to look inward, stay honest, and trust your intuition. There will always be people who want to insert their reality into your plans. But at the end of the day, you know yourself better than anyone. Over the years, I’ve learned to take time to reflect on what I want, and how it may differ from what those around me are saying. With so much free advice out there, this practice has become absolutely critical. Whenever I start to feel like I’m unsure of my path, I take out my journal and allow myself the space and time to get it out of my head and onto paper.

What is your favorite quote or personal philosophy that relates to the concept of resilience?

“Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

This quote reminds me, every day, that if I look inward, I can find the strength to pursue my dreams. It’s not about what others say or think, but about where I put my own energy, beliefs, and time.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

Creative fields, like writing, are in desperate need of diverse voices, innovative thought, and broader representation. Young people — especially those who have been historically marginalized — deserve the chance to pursue their passion without feeling like they have to sacrifice stability to get there. I want to help provide opportunities for aspiring writers to hone their craft and pursue a meaningful career that allows their voice to be heard and their bank account to be filled.

Can our readers follow you on social media?

Absolutely! You can follow me on Instagram and Twitter at @jessihonard

Thank you for these great stories. We wish you only continued success!

Thank you!

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Jessi Honard of North Star Messaging + Strategy: “They told me it was impossible and I did it… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The Future Of Beauty: “If we use technology for good we have the platform to redefine how we integrate the beauty industry into our daily lives” With Mac Fadra of MAXiM Hair Restoration

I have found that just as Steve Jobs once said, “It’s not faith in technology, its faith in people”, if we use technology for good we have the platform to redefine how we integrate the beauty industry into our daily lives. It is not so much to promote a compromised self image nor perpetuate idealized beauty standards of the self, but rather redefine our relationship with beauty as a pillar of wellness. This ultimately embraces technology as the door to deconstructing cultural myths around hair, taboos around treatments, misinformation around supplements, and instead empowers the conversation around beauty acting as a compliment to the health of our daily lives. We realize that the more connected we become to the digital sphere, the more opportunities there are to enhance this idea of wellness as it pertains to our bodies, beauty, and the personal self.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Mac Fadra.

Mac is the Founder, CEO, and Director of a number of related Cosmetic Medical Center related verticals including MAXiM Hair Restoration, National Stem Cell Centers, Systemic Laboratories, MAXiM Facial Aesthetics, MAXiM Cosmetic Surgery, MAXiM Breast Surgery and others.

Mac Fadra has led a diverse and visionary career as a management professional internationally and nationally in the elective, consumer, cosmetic, and health care services industry. Over 20 years of management, ownership, marketing, and consulting experience, Fadra’s background includes CEO of a chain of LASIK centers; Operating Executive for a NYC-based private equity firm, VP Consultant for Beautiful Forever Medical Aesthetics Consulting, and Sr. Consultant for Healthcare Consulting firms such as HMC (Health Systems Consulting Division of Booz Allen).

Mac holds a MBA and MPH from Columbia University in NYC and a bachelor’s degree from Texas Christian University. He is based in NYC and has lived, worked, and studied in seven countries.

Thank you for joining us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I grew up always fascinated by technology, specifically how it affects our daily lives as a platform of communication with limitless possibilities to educate, connect, and enhance the world around us.

When I was younger, I would help my family by working through each summer break and becoming more involved in biomedical technologies. These summers would later spark my passion in health care as I became more immersed in various biomedical devices, statistical analysis, and related projects that were all housed by the late Ross Perot’s flagship company called, Electronic Data Systems (EDS). I recognized early on how vital technology is and the power it has when used responsibly as a tool for improving society’s daily life, health, and self progression.

It was at that point that I decided to pursue a career in health care, I received my MBA and MPH in Health Policy and Management at Columbia University and began management consultancy at a company called HMC (formerly known as the Healthy Systems Division at Booz Allen.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

Coming out of Business School, I was recruited abroad to be the Director of Marketing, Planning and Information Systems at an eye hospital that was closely affiliated with Johns Hopkins. I met and later formed a team with a young NY-based ophthalmologist to open a laser vision correction center (LASIK) in Manila, Philippines. This experience became the foundation for my entrepreneurial career since at the time of the opening, the technology was not yet approved by the FDA which resulted in the highest volume LASIK center throughout all of Asia.

It was a great experience for me because at that moment I realized the exciting opportunities that can come from bridging expansion and access to communities or spaces that otherwise would not have had resources to improve their health care needs. Having the opportunity to witness this has been the most fulfilling part of my business ventures especially as it pertains to the cross between beauty and technology.

Are you able to identify a “tipping point” in your career when you started to see success? Did you start doing anything different? Are there takeaways or lessons that others can learn from that?

I would say the tipping point was definitely the experience I had in Asia opening the LASIK center, which was a thriving success. I felt that this achievement in particular gave me the confidence and determination to develop a career on the business development side of healthcare and marketing, specifically for medical technology devices and companies. Once the technology was approved by the FDA, I returned to the US to operate a network of fifteen LASIK centers which gave me a hard skill set and portfolio to enhance my experience and inspire my entrepreneurial spirit. I would say the biggest takeaway from this time in my life was how important it was for me to recognize the need as a service and then build with a reliable team partner to compliment one another’s assets.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person to whom you are grateful who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I’ve worked with two former CEOs at large public companies who served as both mentors and bosses. Their leadership, vision, scaling capabilities, management styles, bottom-line orientation, fiscal management skills, focus, compassion for their staff, and love for their work while maintaining strong family values was inspiring. Their influence gave me the moral compass that I valued in every stage of my career, no business can thrive without a core of united principles held together by a strong team, I am lucky enough to say that this philosophy still exists within each of our project details, services, and overall location operations.

The beauty industry today has access to technology that was inconceivable only a short time ago. Can you tell us about the “cutting edge” (pardon the pun) technologies that you are working with or introducing? How do you think that will help people?

The world is changing drastically and constantly with each technological advancement, at times it can feel impossible trying to keep up with each set of innovations and the creatives that are working endlessly to bring them forward. I believe in quality over quantity which influences the way we operate our training and patient relationships. This is why we are in the process of evaluating a technology for Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) hair transplants that is faster, superior, and more efficient compared to the current technologies in the market. The technology produces superior graft quality, minimizes trauma to the harvested hair follicle, makes it easier for the doctor or Techs to harvest, and speeds up the procedure, making it more efficient and easy on the patient. It also minimizes bleeding and requires less personnel, thereby reducing costs and making it more affordable and comfortable for the customer.

Keeping “Black Mirror” and the “The Law of Unintended Consequence” in mind, can you see any potential drawbacks about this technology that people should think more deeply about?

Often beauty is categorized within a space of overcompensation and insecure spending. However, over-indulgence in any form has its natural consequences that can reflect in pretty much any crevice of business and technological infrastructure. The ultimate goal for our business model is not to misguide our patients with temporary instant gratifying solutions, but rather complement our patients in beneficial ways to adhere to their pressing needs not ours. This is important to note because our individualized attention to detail and case by case approaches is how we humanize our technological integration for our patient care. Due to the fact that our service is in fact more a service than product, the experience is far more customizable than the competing solutions advertised on the market. We ultimately recognize that societal context and environmental factors affect the way healthcare providers develop as a whole. If stress, diet, environmental changes, genetics, and other underlying medical concerns impact the ways in which our bodies change over time, it is only responsible to confront cosmetic concerns with customizable options.

The only drawback to our technologies is more of a mechanical issue than a philosophical or cultural one as “Black Mirror” insinuates — and that is that our technology is currently confined to the FUE procedure. This means that it cannot be used in the Follicular Unit Transplant (FUT) technique since the process and technique is entirely different. However, this is not a significant drawback because the vast majority of hair transplant procedures currently being performed are FUE.

Can you share 3 things that most excite you about the “beauty-tech” industry?

I am amazed by Robotic technology, because it is showing immense promise and potential in the traditional as well as elective/cosmetic health care services sector. Robotic hair restoration technology is currently available to perform FUE Hair Transplants which improves precision and predictability of the procedure, providing our clients with better results.

In addition, IPL Technology is gaining momentum to treat dry eyes and related conditions that were previously untreatable and only managed by over-the-counter drops and medications. Chronic Dry Eye can be caused by advanced age, contact lens wear, certain medications, eye diseases, other medical conditions, or environmental factors that cause too much straining- ironically, digital use such as computer, phone, and TV screen time. This technology helps unclog the meibomian (oil) glands, improving secretion to the eyes.

Finally, I am always impressed and excited by the multiple uses that laser technology continues to provide giving its respectable front seat of the aesthetic industry as it provides a broad spectrum of applications including, but not limited to, hair loss, skin rejuvenation, laser hair removal, laser lipo and other applications.

Can you share 3 things that most concern you about the industry? If you had the ability to implement 3 ways to reform or improve the industry, what would you suggest?

The industry is very sensitive to consumer spending and the life span of its economic cycle. For example, the current COVID-19 crisis combined with an impending economic recession can scare consumers away from spending discretionary dollars towards elective/cosmetic procedures.

Another concern is technology obsolescence. A technology that works very well today may be outdated in a year or two, requiring expensive capital upgrades or replacement altogether. This increases the capital-intensity of a medical aesthetic practice, particularly an organization with multiple locations.

Finally, competition from unqualified or non-certified providers performing pseudo-medical treatments is concerning since this could harm patients and result in potential complications.

You are an expert about beauty. Can you share 5 ideas that anyone can use “to feel beautiful”? (Please share a story or example for each.)

It is important to create lifestyle habits that secure your wellness needs in a safe and preventative manner. Embrace the imperfections and the self affirmations, seek to feel natural and beautiful by incorporating as much as possible organic and natural products that avoid artificial ingredients or applications, and refrain from over doing the beauty thing.

Surgery is preferable to becoming dependent on prescription drugs or supplements to achieve your desired result. For e.g., a hair transplant provides a natural, permanent and affordable long-term solution vs. being dependent upon a prescription drug such as Propecia or Finasteride for the rest of your life.

Behavioral therapy to enhance one’s confidence, appearance, self-esteem and personality can go a long way in boosting one’s perception of beauty about themselves and help them focus on the more important aspects of their life and personality.

Beauty can also be achieved by fundamental actions such as eating right, sleeping right, doing the right thing, de-stressing, working right, and working out right, among other things such as avoiding sun exposure, minimizing travel across time zones, maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle including a work-life balance, and being surrounded by loved ones and quality friends and colleagues.

Inner beauty can also be attained by attaining wellness and hormonal balance which gets out of whack with the aging process. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) can help slow down the body clock and enable men and women to feel beautiful and good about themselves.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

The way we use technology to resolve hair loss inevitably becomes more of a successful solution because it is aiming to invigorate the actual cellular root (of the problem! Ha! Spin on words there). If I could inspire a movement it would be to advocate for innovators and entrepreneurs to use technology as a filter in locating the root of a health or medically related issue that we otherwise as an industry would be unable to detect let alone diagnose and then treat. I believe that technology is a movement within itself and can be the key to many wellness and beauty solutions for our future health. The need however to use these technologies should not be so much as a way to perpetuate obsessive behaviour acted on impulse but rather an opportunity to continue learning more about the evolution of our bodies, our limitations, our imperfections, and our societal relationship with hair. This allows all of us to adhere to hair loss as an integrated team of health care providers, beauty technicians, surgeons, and consultants to alleviate concerns and safely provide an experience that is far more empowering for our patients.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

I have found that just as Steve Jobs once said, “It’s not faith in technology, its faith in people”, if we use technology for good we have the platform to redefine how we integrate the beauty industry into our daily lives. It is not so much to promote a compromised self image nor perpetuate idealized beauty standards of the self, but rather redefine our relationship with beauty as a pillar of wellness. This ultimately embraces technology as the door to deconstructing cultural myths around hair, taboos around treatments, misinformation around supplements, and instead empowers the conversation around beauty acting as a compliment to the health of our daily lives. We realize that the more connected we become to the digital sphere, the more opportunities there are to enhance this idea of wellness as it pertains to our bodies, beauty, and the personal self.

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The Future Of Beauty: “If we use technology for good we have the platform to redefine how we… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.