Day: February 4, 2021

Women In Wellness: Fahti Khosrowshah of Ceek Women’s Health on the Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

For me mental health is really important. I feel we live in a society where one way or another we suppress mental health and it impacts all of us at one point or another in our lifetime. I’ve gone through certain periods of my life especially after I had my 2nd daughter that I was extremely anxious. I also think finding good support when we need it is not easily available and accessible

As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Fahti Khosrowshah.

Fahti Khosrowshah is the CEO of Ceek Women’s Health focused on developing products that make the gynecological exam easier for patients. Before that, she worked for 15-years as a management consultant in the Life Sciences working across companies and disease states. She is the mom or 2 girls and lives in Portland, Oregon.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?

Fahti is an Iranian American who came to the US to attend university. After getting her graduate degree, she started doing management consulting and loved it. She was working on challenging projects across different disease states and with different companies. However, after getting married and going through 3-years of infertility she became extremely passionate about women’s health. Realizing the inadequacies in the care women receive, she resigned from her job and started Ceek to first update the vaginal speculum and then introduce other innovative products that make the pelvic exam easier and more comfortable for women.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?

About 3-years ago when we were very early in our R&D stage, I bought a copy of Time and gave it to my Chief Design Officer. I told her that I wanted our products to be in TIME as part of their annual innovation recognition. In December of 2020, we were featured in TIME as one of the best innovations of the year. The takeaway is to set your goals high and work towards it. As a little girl who was born in Iran amidst the Iranian revolution, I never ever thought that one day I would develop a women’s health product that would be featured in TIME.

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

When I first started my work, I was eager, super excited to learn, and super excited to please. However, in my eagerness to learn and to please, I also allowed others to treat me like a doormat. It took me a few years to learn my lesson and pull myself out of it.

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?

However, after going through 3-years of infertility she became extremely passionate about women’s health. Realizing the inadequacies in the care women receive, she resigned from her job and started Ceek to bring innovative medical devices to frontline gynecological care.

People now based on a host of factors but the most important one for me is if I like them and if I can work with them.

Ok perfect. Now let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?

At Ceek Women’s Health we’ve developed a new vaginal speculum that is more comfortable for women and is easier to use by providers. Our Nella Nuspec is design to replace the existing metal speculum that was designed over 150-years ago. Most women have some level of anxiety before getting a pelvic exam and some women also suffer physically including having soreness after the exam, bleeding, and difficulty walking or sitting. Our device is designed to make the exam easier for women across all life stages and body types.

Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing? Please give an example or story for each.

1. I try to have balance between work and taking care of my family. It’s not always easy but it is important to me. If either is not going well, it impacts me.
2. I try to go for a walk, exercise, or just get fresh air every day. It has a huge impact on me.
3. I always make the time to speak to someone close to me every day — for me it’s either my husband, a friend, my mom or my sister. A 15-minute heart-to-heart puts my head back where it needs to be
4. I drink plenty of water every day. I actually don’t like water but if I don’t drink it, I feel yucky. So I do it.
5. I get dressed and put some minimal make-up on every day. It puts me in the right mood to start the day

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?

• Drink water and go for a walk — every day

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me before I Started” and why?

• Be happy with who you are, really accept yourself both physically and intellectually
• Being shy or an introvert is a strength (not a weakness)
• Being different is okay and sometimes even cool
• Don’t be passive-aggressive and don’t surround yourself with passive-aggressive people

Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?

For me mental health is really important. I feel we live in a society where one way or another we suppress mental health and it impacts all of us at one point or another in our lifetime. I’ve gone through certain periods of my life especially after I had my 2nd daughter that I was extremely anxious. I also think finding good support when we need it is not easily available and accessible

What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?

https://www.instagram.com/ceekwomenshealth/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/fahti-khosrowshahi-5223265/

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!

Women In Wellness: Fahti Khosrow on the Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Create an authentic inner narrative. If you experienced negative, toxic, and demeaning relationships in the past you may be carrying around the words of your perpetrator. Identify if you are using the hurtful words of your past as a map to your future self.

As a part of my series about the “5 Things Anyone Can Do To Optimize Their Mental Wellness”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Sasha Jackson, MSW, LCSW

Sasha Jackson, LCSW, is a licensed therapist and author who specializes in helping individuals build empowerment. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California with a Master of Social Work degree. In her practice, she has helped individuals work through trauma, depression, anxiety, and relationship issues.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?

It was 2014, and I was sitting in my living room. I had just bought my house, and I was seeking the next step in my life. I didn’t know exactly what that would be, but I did know that I needed to go back to my purpose. That purpose was to help people. During this time, I felt that I had learned so much. I needed to get into a field that I could share my knowledge with others. Also, I wanted to be in a profession that supported me as I continuously evolved in my own journey. I decided that I wanted to become a licensed therapist. How was the next question? My search led me to numerous Google results and Indeed job descriptions that took me to the career of Social Work. When I found my calling, I initially knew it was a good fit, while at the same time I was baffled it had not come to me sooner. However, I am a firm believer that things present themselves when it is time. I enrolled at USC in 2015 spring semester and started my journey to become a therapist. That day in 2014 has led me into a beautiful profession and purpose that has changed my life forever. I believe that we all know what we need to be happy. I encourage everyone to follow the voice that urges them to do something different. Most importantly, to trust your intuition when you are being guided to new phases.

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

Working in mental health and working with people in general you experience a lot of interesting things. I can say that this is one of the benefits of what I do, and there is never a dull moment. An interesting phenomenon that I have seen is how the mental health industry adapted to the needs during COVID-19. In the current environment of isolation, social restrictions, and new norms the need for mental wellness has grown more prevalent in the public eye. When I thought about my first practice, I was set on getting an office and trying to map out the perfect location. Now, my office is virtual, and I can reach out too many more people. In the career of mental health, you must be flexible. It is interesting to see how we continue to evolve and express that flexibility during this time.

Can you share a story with us about the most humorous mistake you made when you were first starting? What lesson or take-away did you learn from that?

Humor is part of life that allows us to grow from mistakes. When you can find humor in your journey, then you can find spaces of growth and understanding. A mistake I made when I first started my career was during one of my interview processes. I was so excited and nervous that I forgot the foundational components of a mental status exam. The mental status exam is a set of characteristics mental health professionals look for to evaluate a client. It is basically like knowing what a wrench is to a mechanic. Embarrassment was an understatement. I was mortified that I could not remember a simple component of my profession. The next day I got a call back for my second interview. I was stunned because I thought I completely bombed my chance. I learned that mistakes are not as detrimental as we assume. More importantly, the experience taught me to not be so hard on myself. Everyone has experienced that one interview they wish they could rewind. Remember that every experience allows you a chance to learn, evolve, and grow. As I look back at my own experience, I laugh. I laugh because I don’t ever want to doubt myself that much again, even if I make a mistake.

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?

Many people have helped me on my journey to become a professional therapist. However, three individuals stick out. My previous internship supervisor and clinical director, Dani Marchman LCSW. My previous deputy director of San Joaquin county, Genevieve Valentine LMFT. Lastly, my current deputy director of San Joaquin County, Tiffany Dewitte LCSW. These three powerful women supported, guided, encouraged, and believed in me throughout my entire journey. I appreciate that I could grow and trust myself through each stage of my profession. They have truly taught me how to be a therapist also, what it means to be a leader in this industry. Overall, I can say that their help has been a tremendous influence on my development and drive.

What advice would you suggest to your colleagues in your industry to thrive and avoid burnout?

Burnout can happen within any profession and, it is vital to find ways to protect yourself from the impact. You can tell if you are suffering from burnout if you have chronic stress at your job, increased exhaustion, find yourself less motivated, and experience feelings of helplessness in your ability to have a positive impact. To help prevent this from happening you must first, check-in with yourself. Be honest about how you are feeling about your job. If you think about your job and it emotionally triggers you ( frustration, sadness, resentment, anger, nervousness, or irritability) this is a sign that you may be experiencing burnout. If these feelings do surface take time to journal about it, find a creative outlet to express your feelings, talk to a support person, create better time management around your job, and implement self-care routines in your life. The second tip to buffering the effects of your job is to practice radical acceptance. Radical acceptance is the practice of understanding what you have control over and what you do not. It does not mean you are helpless instead; it provides a pathway to what you can fix versus what may be in someone else’s control. An example: is knowing that you can turn in your assignments and work on your project. However, it may be the manager’s duty to get everyone else to do their projects. Sometimes not taking responsibility for everything can make you feel less stressed and hopeful about what you can do personally.

What advice would you give to other leaders about how to create a fantastic work culture?

A powerful way a leader can transform their work culture is to cultivate intrinsic motivation within employees. Intrinsic motivation is defined as the act of doing something without an external motivator ( such as money, status, or rewards). An individual can genuinely enjoy performing an activity/job duty because it makes them feel good, gives them a sense of purpose, boosts their self-esteem, and adds to what they consider a valuable characteristic. The benefit of helping individuals create intrinsic motivation is that they can take pride and ownership in the outcome of their work. Which in turn, benefits the entire company, clients, and community. A way a leader can help promote intrinsic motivation is to 1) see how the company mission resonates with the employee on a personal level; 2) explore and identify the employee’s strengths; 3) find out what motivates the employee; 4) lastly, create a way that the employee can highlight the following identified areas within their work duties.

Ok thank you for all that. Now let’s move to the main focus of our interview. Mental health is often looked at in binary terms; those who are healthy and those who have mental illness. The truth, however, is that mental wellness is a huge spectrum. Even those who are “mentally healthy” can still improve their mental wellness. From your experience or research, what are five steps that each of us can take to improve or optimize our mental wellness. Can you please share a story or example for each.

Here are five steps that anyone can use on their journey to create mental wellness. 1) Is to recognize when you are self-rejecting. Self-rejection comes from doubt about your ability to be successful or your right to happiness. When you self-reject you limit your ability to engage in activities or thoughts that make you feel good about yourself. 2) Start to reframe the process of change as an opportunity versus a threat. When you view change as a threat you tend to stagnate yourself and limit yourself from accessing different opportunities. Learn to see the unknown as a chance to grow and expand. 3) Begin to make choices in your life. You can begin to feel powerless when you allow others to make choices for you or you opt-out of making choices. It’s important to take accountability in your life and be an active participant in your life journey. 4) Start challenging the notion of learned helplessness. Learned helplessness is created from a history of invalidation, rejection, and limitations. It limits you from taking risks and makes you question if you are going to be successful. Learn how to trust yourself and have faith that you will reach your goals. Lastly, 5) Create an authentic inner narrative. If you experienced negative, toxic, and demeaning relationships in the past you may be carrying around the words of your perpetrator. Identify if you are using the hurtful words of your past as a map to your future self. These five steps will allow you to take control of your life and live confidently.

Much of my expertise focuses on helping people to plan for after retirement. Retirement is a dramatic ‘life course transition’ that can impact one’s health. In addition to the ideas you mentioned earlier, are there things that one should do to optimize mental wellness after retirement? Please share a story or an example for each.

Retirement is a life transition. The key to managing a new life transition is to be ready for the change of identity roles. An identity role can be a parent, a spouse, or a job position/title. They all have significant meaning to a person’s life. When a person transitions into a new identity role there is a grieving process that occurs while they learn to accept their new identity. Since most retirements are planned an individual can make this process easier by doing the following: 1) exploring the change the new identity role will have on the person’s current lifestyle, 2) finding ways to incorporate old identity roles into the retired life role, and 3) being flexible with the natural grieving process that comes along with changing roles. By doing the following a person can visualize their new life, feel more comfortable about the changes, and feel more in control of the outcome.

How about teens and pre teens. Are there any specific new ideas you would suggest for teens and pre teens to optimize their mental wellness?

The era of teenagers and pre-teens is all about peer validation and identity formation. A key to creating mental wellness is to have a healthy balance between these two important influences. To help you create balance during this time, you should first identify your values and beliefs. Write down what is important to you and what makes you unique. Find ways to celebrate these aspects of yourself and share them with people. The next step is to see how these values and beliefs resonate with your peer group. We tend to hang out with people who have similar interests to us. It is necessary to identify these aspects to help you search if your current peer group is helpful or harmful. If you find that your personal values collide with your current peer group. You can always find more ways that you can be authentic with them or how you can create another supportive peer group. Remember that communication and boundaries are important skills to use during this time as you find yourself and cultivate friendships.

Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story?

A particular book that has helped me is Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini, PH.D. I have learned about the dynamics of human nature, why we continue to repeat the same mistakes, and how to break the cycle. There are many important elements in this book. One that stands out to me is the impact of consistency. We are creatures of habit. This can be a good thing but a barrier in breaking out of toxic thinking and situations. Consistency ties us to behavior and people that we should leave. However, the notion of the time we put into a situation, and the hope that our consistency will change the outcome tethers us to our commitment. You can become aware of this silent bond, and then you can make a conscious choice to do something different. One of the biggest things we can do that makes us feel powerful is to make a choice.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start 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 like to see a TV network/channel dedicated to mental health. Really! I see that there are talk shows that discuss mental health, youtube channels, tik-toks, and podcasts. But I would like all these great platforms to be in one dedicated place. It will make information accessible to all as well as continue to help normalize the need for mental health. I also believe that this will transform the need for mental health on a global level.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life?

One of my favorite life lesson quotes is by Steve Jobs. He states, “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” Being authentic and true to your self is sometimes a difficult journey. This quote reminds of the importance of showing up as yourself and for yourself. As a therapist I see how many of my clients sacrifice their life, happiness, and chances at success because they are afraid to live for themselves. That is why my goal is to help people become empowered by taking ownership and responsibility of their life. Once you are able to do this then you can truly live free and at peace.

What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?

Please follow me on IG: @I_Am_SashaJackson, on FB: @SashaJacksonTherapy, and on Linkedin: Sasha-Jackson-MSW-LCSW. I appreciate everyone’s support and I look forward to continuing to build my community.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!

Sasha Jackson: 5 Things Anyone Can Do To Optimize Their Mental Wellness was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Women Of The C-Suite: Gilda D’Incerti of PQE Group On The Five Things You Need To Succeed As A Senior Executive

Being the CEO of a company does not only mean having greater responsibilities in terms of business. Holding the highest office also means having to set an example of loyalty and fairness, but above all I believe that those in CEO roles tell their vision, convincing, through daily actions, employees to share it and pursue it together.

As a part of our series about strong women leaders, we had the pleasure of interviewing Gilda D’Incerti.

Gilda D’Incerti CEO & founder of PQE Group recognized as an international expert in the IT field of system validation and transformed her company from a small family business to a multinational corporate company. Gilda stands strong behind her mission to create as many jobs for people as possible which is evident as the company now has 900 employees worldwide. This has led to Gilda receiving an honorable recognition of Territory Ambassador for the Tuscany region by the Senate of the Italian Republic.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?

I graduated in statistics in 1978: certainly not the usual title for a woman in those years. It all started with my desire to go beyond customs, trying to make room for myself as a woman in an often male-dominated and patriarchal society. Therefore, when a London consultancy company fired me I decided to come back to Italy to found PQE: a small start-up with great potential, where anyone could demonstrate their professional skills.

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

A nice early anecdote could be when I went to the station to pick up the man who would later become my partner in the company. At first, we were not able to find each other at the station simply because we had imagined one another completely different than how we really were

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 can’t say it was just one person who helped me. I am grateful to all those who along this path have allowed me to grow professionally and humanly and have built the success of the company with me: from the colleagues who started this adventure with me in 1998 to my new collaborators and employees who through their actions and enthusiasm gave new life to my business idea.

In my work, I often talk about how to release and relieve stress. As a busy leader, what do you do to prepare your mind and body before a stressful or high stakes meeting, talk, or decision? Can you share a story or some examples?

I wake up very early in the morning and this allows me to be able to take some time for myself, doing free body exercises, reading a good book, not forgetting to read journalistic articles to stay informed. On weekends when I can, I dedicate myself to long walks. I find it the best way to release the stress accumulated during the week.

As you know, the United States is currently facing a very important self-reckoning about race, diversity, equality and inclusion. This may be obvious to you, but it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you articulate to our readers a few reasons why it is so important for a business or organization to have a diverse executive team?

I strongly believe that diversity is a great added value for a business. My goal as an entrepreneur, which I repeat on every occasion, is to give work to as many people as possible without distinction of sex, race, religion, or age. This is because diversity means differentiation and therefore growth: both for the employee who feels proud of belonging to an inclusive group, and for the image of the company that acquires greater value.

As a business leader, can you please share a few steps we must take to truly create an inclusive, representative, and equitable society? Kindly share a story or example for each.

I believe to have a more equitable society, it is simply necessary to respect, in every way. If each individual lives their daily life respecting others and their freedoms, surely ours would be a better society, in which integration prevails over discrimination, and in which kindness prevails over arrogance.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Most of our readers — in fact, most people — think they have a pretty good idea of what a CEO or executive does. But in just a few words can you explain what an executive does that is different from the responsibilities of the other leaders?

Being the CEO of a company does not only mean having greater responsibilities in terms of business. Holding the highest office also means having to set an example of loyalty and fairness, but above all I believe that those in CEO roles tell their vision, convincing, through daily actions, employees to share it and pursue it together.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a CEO or executive. Can you explain what you mean?

I never understood why, but the CEO always creates terror: we are normal people with a normal life. So much so that another myth could relate to the fact that a CEO of a company thinks only and exclusively of the business: that is not true, and being the mother of three sons is proof of this!

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by women executives that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?

Certainly motherhood and all that goes with it. And unfortunately, although there has been progress in our society in this regard, there is still a long way to go to achieve parity.

What is the most striking difference between your actual job and how you thought the job would be?

I consider myself very lucky because I have always had the opportunity to do a job that I liked in the ways and times I have chosen. Therefore, I have never found too many differences between what my job is and what I would like it to be.

Certainly, not everyone is cut out to be an executive. In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful executive and what type of person should avoid aspiring to be an executive? Can you explain what you mean?

In reality, I believe that everyone can become an executive if they really want to, there is no recipe for the perfect leader. Surely it is necessary first of all to be objective and aware of your abilities. Once this first step has been passed, I believe that the tenacity to achieve the goal and the courage in dealing with every situation are the two most important characteristics, without ever forgetting ethics and fairness.

What advice would you give to other women leaders to help their team to thrive?

To always believe in yourself and never allow anyone to tell you otherwise. You have what it takes to achieve everything you set your mind to.

How have you used your success to make the world a better place?

As I often say, you don’t need to be Bill Gates to change the world. Everyone in their own small way can do their part. For this reason, in the company, we have introduced numerous social responsibility campaigns through which we allow our employees the opportunity to do voluntary work and be themselves to make their contribution. For example, last year, 10 employees paid by the company, went to Kathmandu, Nepal to volunteer at an elementary school. Experiences like these are certainly informative and help people to see difficult situations closely that inevitably allows them to look at reality from a different perspective, thus becoming more aware citizens and consequently more responsible.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

Believe in yourself, do what you like, follow your dreams, you don’t need a man by your side to move forward, be positive. When I started PQE in 1988, the company was a start-up in Florence to now having offices in over 14 countries with almost 900 employees worldwide. Never give up on what you believe in.

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.

A movement linked to environmental protection, because this is a global issue that involves all of us. At the same time, as you will have understood, I am for equal opportunities and in the past, I have always been part of associations that fought for human rights.

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

My life lesson quote is by Mahatma Gandhi “Be the change you want to see in the world”.

This sentence is the perfect summary of my philosophy of life both as a mother and a woman and as an entrepreneur: to be an example, but at the same time to change, to think about others, but with a view to sharing, to look forward with enthusiasm and the desire to always get involved.

We are very blessed that some very prominent 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

Nancy Pelosi, an inspiring, powerful woman who is a trailblazer and made history by becoming the first female speaker of the House. An individual who stands for diversity and empowering other women.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.

Women Of The C-Suite: Gilda D’Incerti of PQE Group On The Five Things You Need To Succeed As A… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Be consistent. Getting business from LinkedIn won’t happen overnight. Create a schedule of how often you’ll post and how many minutes per day you’ll spend engaging with those in your network and stick to it.

As part of my series of interviews about “How to Use LinkedIn To Dramatically Improve Your Business”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Andrea Moxham.

Founder of Horseshoe + co, a Platinum HubSpot Solutions Partner, inbound marketing extraordinaire, entrepreneur, speaker, compassionate country-gal, and mother, Andrea Moxham’s life embodies that quote. Determined to live life by her own design, she launched Horseshoe + co on a mission to guide businesses to greatness with the power of HubSpot.

From her keen eye for analytics to her fuss-free marketing solutions, clients praise Andrea’s multi-faceted capabilities and confident execution. Offering functional strategies and customized deliverability, she makes inbound marketing a breeze. Guided by a fearless and future-focused approach, she’s willing to break the mold to get results.

Devoted to her client’s success, Andrea is ready to tackle HubSpot projects of all kinds: including marketing automation, workflows, templates, emails, live chat configurations, HubSpot COS design, and more. As a Canadian HubSpot partner, Horseshoe + co harnesses Andrea’s exceptional marketing expertise and business-building know-how.

Andrea will launch, strategize, and scale your HubSpot journey to generate leads, increase client closes, and drive revenue.

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 knew early on I not only wanted to be an entrepreneur, but I needed to. Even during my first job in high school, I was already making my own rules. I never knew what kind of business I wanted to own until I started working for a marketing agency. Almost immediately, it became clear that this was a business I could start with very little overhead and finally be my own boss. I quit without any backup plan or promise of any of my own clients and hope to do $500,000 in sales this year!

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

I offer inbound marketing services, yet don’t apply a single method I learned in my University undergrad marketing program. I’ve learned everything I know from experience, mentorship, and self-taught research!

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?

I really had no idea what I was doing when I started my business so I looked on job boards for employers that were hiring freelance positions. I applied for all of them and considered myself “successful” because I was busy. But I wasn’t building a business for myself. I can laugh about it now but it was tricky to transition away from that mindset.

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?

LinkedIn. It’s where my ideal customers spend time and I’ve found ways to create new relationships and bring awareness to my services. On a few occasions, I’ve done my research to find good-fit prospects, reached out in a genuine and helpful way, only to hear responses similar to “it’s like you read my mind and knew what I needed”. This is how I know the platform and my processes are working.

Let’s talk about LinkedIn specifically, now. Can you share 5 ways to leverage LinkedIn to dramatically improve your business? Please share a story or example for each.

Rule number one: always, always personalize your connection request with a statement that shows you did your research. Copy and pasting a generic sales-y message will never foster the right relationship. Look up the person on Google and Instagram, find something interesting about them or something you have in common.

Rule number two: Tell stories in your posts. LinkedIn is still a powerful professional networking platform but it doesn’t ignore the fact that it’s still people using it. People crave real human interaction and relate to stories much more than they do to facts or hard data.

Rule number three: Leave meaningful comments that are more than a few words. Start conversations by asking and responding to questions. This applies to your own posts and those in your news feed.

Rule number four: Optimize your profile to communicate the value you provide to your customers. Skip documenting what you do and focus on the outcome your customers achieve by working with you. Use verbs in your job title and about section.

Rule number five: Be consistent. Getting business from LinkedIn won’t happen overnight. Create a schedule of how often you’ll post and how many minutes per day you’ll spend engaging with those in your network and stick to it.

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. 🙂

The death of interruption-based outbound marketing. It’s a waste of marketer’s time and irks people on the receiving end.

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 🙂

Someone I idolize is Jenna Kutcher. Anything she touches seems to turn to gold (photography, branding, podcasting, social media marketing, and even parenting) because of the power of her words. She’s extremely well-spoken, intelligent, charismatic, and humble.

Thank you so much for these great insights. This was very enlightening!

How to Use LinkedIn To Dramatically Improve Your Business, With Andrea Moxham of Horseshoe + co. was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Women In Wellness: Mindy Eisenberg of Yoga Moves on the Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

Surround yourself with kind, joyful people. Their positive energy will impact you. It is contagious. My favorite yoga teachers are integral to my positive outlook and mood. They have a certain glow and speak with authenticity about yogic philosophy. When I feel down, taking their class can be very healing. When I am upbeat, being around them feeds my optimistic energy bank.

As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Mindy Eisenberg.

Mindy Eisenberg, MHSA, C-IAYT, ERYT-500 is the Founder and Director of Yoga Moves MS, a nonprofit 501(c (3) with the mission of improving the quality of life for individuals with MS, Parkinson’s Disease, and neuromuscular conditions. She is the author of Adaptive Yoga Moves Any Body, created for individuals with MS and neuromuscular conditions and Adaptive Yoga Cards, daily yoga moves for all ages and abilities. Mindy has provided yoga therapy to individuals with mobility challenges for over fifteen years and thrives on building a strong, mighty community for her students and families. She is a Qualified Mindfulness-Based Stress reduction teacher. Her experience as a health care administrator at the University of Michigan Medical Center contributes to her ability to bring the Yoga Moves philosophy of healing and the importance of the mind-body relationship to the health care arena. Mindy has a Bachelor of Science from Northwestern University and a Master of Health Services Administration from the University of Michigan.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?

Though one might expect that I had a grand plan to create a yoga for MS program, I truly didn’t…one existed, but no one told me about it. The path to where Yoga Moves MS is now was more organic than a stepwise process. I firmly believe that we all have a purpose on this earth. If we are open to possibilities and pay attention, we will find synchronicity.

My mother had progressive MS. Since I was a little girl, I did not know how to help her feel better. She lived much of her adult life in bed or in a wheelchair. As time passed, her muscles and bones contracted into a fetal position. While she was becoming more stagnant, I loved to move. She encouraged me to take ballet beginning in pre-school. My father provided me the opportunity to continue my dance studies in high school and in my early college career. Fast forward eighteen years, after I completed yoga teacher training, my son’s teacher asked me to conduct a yoga class for her support group at a leading institute for MS in Michigan. This hour provided the seed that grew into seven weekly adaptive yoga for MS classes. Serendipitously, I met a special individual at an MS Society presentation who was planning a yoga for MS fundraiser called Yoga Moves MS (YMMS). We swiftly merged and planned the YMMS annual YMMS ‘Party with a Purpose’ for several years. These fundraisers have been instrumental in bringing people together to support our adaptive yoga classes. They created further impetus to build community and empower individuals to make a difference. Adaptive Yoga Moves Any Body serves as an umbrella for Yoga Moves MS because ‘Any Body’ with a neuromuscular condition is a welcome member of our community.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?

One of my favorite stories took place during one of my evening adaptive yoga classes. This particular student with MS, who ironically also happens to be a neurologist, gave me an incredulous look when I asked my students to spread their toes. She had been telling herself that she could not move her toes, and that her teacher was ridiculously enthusiastic. A few months later, I saw her smiling in a spinal balance pose, and asked her why she was so gleeful. She said, “I moved my toes.” That student taught me to believe in my students, before they believe in themselves, and that possibilities can become reality. It meant a lot that this student, a physician and scientist, was also an important data point. Yoga increases neural pathways. Neuroplasticity was experienced and celebrated.

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

I am not sure I would call it a mistake, but I did use a lot of energy doing things the hard way by myself. When I first began teaching adaptive yoga, I took on the role of teacher and assistant. It was rewarding, exciting and exhausting all at the same time. I lugged yoga supplies to my car, brought them into the building, set them up, taught class, massaged feet, and cleaned up. Good thing I was highly energetic, and eager to help my students! It was a relief when other teachers joined the YMMS team and we found a place to house our supplies in the different building locations. This same pattern occurred with the fundraising role until I got smart and asked for help from my team of instructors and students. The mantra is, “do things the easy way!” Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it!

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?

Numerous family members, friends, YMMS instructors, students, and donors have supported the growth of YMMS. It takes a village to build a community.

There are those who helped from my inner circle, including many family and friends. My kids have been supportive of my dedication to the cause, and very generous with their mother’s time. Without the emotional and financial support of my husband of 36 years, I could not afford to build a non-profit. We give each other the space to pursue personal interests and dreams. I think that is one of the secrets to marital success.

Dr. James M. Voci is the Chair of Yoga Moves MS. A leading neurologist, Dr. Harold Rossman of Blessed Memory referred me to him. This was really the beginning of the growth of YMMS in southeastern Michigan. Dr. Voci thinks BIG, and connected me with other successful leaders. His ideas and ability to think strategically, together with idealism, is a perfect mix. His patients are very fortunate to have them as their physician and YMMS is lucky to have him as a leader in our community. He experienced firsthand how yoga improved migraines and he has a really big heart. He is a healer in more ways than he knows.

The students are the main reason that our community is so vibrant. They have a strong desire to help each other. They are cheerleaders and develop meaningful bonds. When a student is absent from class, they often check in with that person to make sure that they are okay. We have students who enjoy making connections with potential referral sources which expands our community reach. A student, who is an occupational therapist, learned how yoga therapy complements occupational and physical therapy from her experience with us. Through word of mouth, she is a strong advocate who shares information about YMMS with colleagues, physicians, and other patients. Another student loves to connect with leadership from other non-profits who complement our mission. Other students plan gatherings outside of class for lunch or dinner, or more serious events to memorialize and grieve the loss of a student. We are all connected in this web of life.

Ok perfect. Now let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?

Our focus is Adaptive Yoga For Any Body, more specifically individuals with neuromuscular conditions. Yoga therapy principles can be adapted for those with multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, stroke, spinal cord injury, and more.

YMMS classes may be the student’s only connection with human beings, outside of the medical community in a week or longer. We understand and accept students just as they are. This is a safe and creative place of connection, empowerment, peace of mind and kindness.

When I first became a yoga therapist, there were very few of us who specialized in adaptive yoga for MS. Looking back, we were pioneers. The profession of yoga therapy was in its infancy or even pre-birth phase, with no certification. Thankfully, more yoga instructors and therapists are interested in specializing in specific conditions and causes. Accessible yoga is a movement to make yoga available to everybody. The International Association of Yoga Therapy created an accreditation process only a few years ago which increases professional standards, research and overall credibility.

Interest in adaptive yoga is growing from clinicians such as physicians, physical and occupational therapists, and nurses. They have a greater appreciation for how yoga therapy fits into the integrative and holistic health care continuum. I developed an Adaptive Yoga Teacher Training that is attended by clinicians, exercise physiologists, and yoga teachers. With more people educated about adaptive yoga and therapy, more are seeking training. I receive several inquiries a week.

Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing? Please give an example or story for each.

*Note — I added 7 as there are just too many to offer!

1. Meditate daily, in the morning if possible. It sets the tone for the day. Mindfulness has changed the way I experience the world. Make space for it in your routine, and be patient. Allow the practice to sink into your body, mind and soul. It took about six months for meditation to become an integral part of my self-care. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction is purposely designed as an eight-week program to give students a solid foundation.
2. Karma Yoga refers to being of service to others without attachment to the result. Tikkun Olam is a term in Judaism that refers to repairing the world. These two concepts from two different cultures sum it up. When we dedicate time towards a personal cause with passion, it is a natural way to build optimism and hope. It reminds me that we are not alone and connects us to something bigger. Volunteering with and for others is an important part of living. As our kids were growing up, as a family we participated in activities with intention so that they could “feel the good” in helping others. This is one of the reasons I am so dedicated to Yoga Moves MS. Our students gain great joy in helping each other in class and in contributing to the success of our annual fundraiser.
3. Our bodies were meant to move…find a routine that you like and exercise at the very least, three to five days per week. For me, exercise is necessary to spur creativity and amplify productivity. My yoga practice keeps me in alignment, internally as well as with the external world. I build my schedule around yoga. While I realize that everyone can’t build their schedule around exercise, I do believe everyone can make time in their schedules to move their bodies three to five times a week. My mind and body inform me when I miss a day that they are cranky and achy. My husband and kids even tell me when I need to practice based on my mood. This is the mind-body connection. Emotions are intricately interconnected to the physical body.
4. If you are an animal lover, pets are the best. They need us and we need them. My mother loved dogs and I had several pets growing up. When she could no longer take care of a dog, she found a cat that required less care. My daughter pressed my husband and I to adopt a dog at the age of 11. Even though I knew it would be my responsibility, I acquiesced. Garfield, our Daisy dog, added so much fun and love to our lives. My friend who is a veterinarian used to say, “a pet makes a family complete.” As another option, I love fish and the sound of water. It can be very relaxing and peaceful to gaze at them. They require relatively less care and do not ask for much in return.
5. Read an inspiring book, article, quote or poem regularly. Staying up on the news is important but finding inspiration and learning from others is key for spiritual development. I keep some favorite books and a journal by my nightstand.
6. Surround yourself with kind, joyful people. Their positive energy will impact you. It is contagious. My favorite yoga teachers are integral to my positive outlook and mood. They have a certain glow and speak with authenticity about yogic philosophy. When I feel down, taking their class can be very healing. When I am upbeat, being around them feeds my optimistic energy bank.
7. Hug a tree. Get outside, enjoy, and align with nature. There is something mystical about trees. They have so much to teach us. They are firmly rooted in the earth and yet reach skyward. We have an old “Mama” Oak tree in our yard. When I look at her, I know she has so much to say if I mindfully listen in shared silence.

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?

I do not need to reinvent the wheel. The self-care movement is already in motion with holistic health care, mindfulness, meditation, and of course, yoga. They may not cure disease, but they make coping with symptoms and life’s challenges easier. Holistic care complements traditional medical care, it is not a replacement.

We need to ensure that health care is available to all, and this includes holistic alternatives. Our country has a lot to learn if we look at international morbidity and mortality statistics. For all of our intelligence and technology, our statistics must change. Our system manages health problems with pills and procedures in lieu of investment in preventative care. The United States has the lowest life expectancy at birth among comparable countries according to the Health System Tracker.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

1.) Meet with successful leaders and choose a mentor. Learn from their depth of experience, ask questions, and feed your creative juices.

2) If you are fundraising, there is an art to silent auctions. Learn it. Guests at our ‘Party for a Purpose’ love them, but they can be overwhelming. We figured out how to tackle the beast, but auctions require a lot of time and organization skills.

3) If you do not like the focus on you, you had better get ready for that kind of attention if you are the leader. Organizations and movements need a leader and members will refer to you. You are the face of the organization. I love being part of something bigger than myself and have had to ease into the fact that the attention is on me.

4) Make a plan. Once you create a valuable organization, cultivate leadership in others so that the organization can survive and thrive with or without you. At some point, you and the organization will be ready for the next chapter.

5) The fruits of division of labor are real. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Seek out others with skills that complement your toolbox. With a strong cause, they will be there for you. Human beings have an innate desire to help others. Your family and friends will thank you.

Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?

Mental health and suicide prevention is at the top of my list. Depression is an epidemic. No one family is untouched by it. I lost my sweet father to suicide back in 1991 at the age of 52. My family was shocked to the core. He was a jovial, charming, energetic man, and an old-fashioned physician that would visit patients at their homes. He was a mensch, and was generous with his family, friends and community. He was also very good at hiding the signs of deep depression. At that time, I was uneducated about suicide and did not have a clue about the mental anguish that he was going through. It is my hope in sharing this personal story, that I can be a part of breaking the stigma associated with mental illness and help raise awareness about the importance of having expanded health insurance to cover mental health therapy. Education and awareness can change lives if we know what we are looking at and how to act.

What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?

IG: @yogamovesms; FB: https://www.facebook.com/YogaMovesMS/

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!

Women In Wellness: Mindy Eisenberg of Yoga Moves on the Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Women Of The C-Suite: Busy Burr of Carrot On The Five Things You Need To Succeed As A Senior Executive

There will be times when your career really sucks. Maybe you get laid off, maybe you can’t find a job, maybe your business idea doesn’t get off the ground, maybe your boss is bad — like really bad. Jobs, work life can really suck. There are setbacks. Everyone has them. Don’t believe all the happy, perfect stories. Know that change will come and be persistent, say yes to new opportunities as much as you can.

As a part of our series about strong women leaders, we had the pleasure of interviewing Busy Burr, President and CCO at Carrot.

Busy Burr is a cross-industry executive who has made a career creating innovation strategy and operationalizing commercial initiatives in some of the largest, most complex organizations in the world with functional roles spanning finance, marketing and operations. At Carrot she leads the team focused on bringing the company’s digital health solutions to market.

Prior to Carrot, Busy served as Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer at Humana, a $40 billion US healthcare company. In this role, she led a 60+ person team driving the design, build, and adoption of new product platforms in digital health, provider experience, care in the home, and telemedicine.

Before joining Humana in 2015, Busy held leadership positions at Citi Ventures, Gap and eBay, and spent seven years in investment banking at Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse First Boston, executing IPOs and M&As for companies in the technology space.

Busy is a sought-after speaker and collaborator, and a long-time performing member of the Bay Area improv troupe ‘Subject to Change’. She holds an MBA from Stanford and a BA in Economics from Smith College and sits on the Board of Directors of Rite Aid and Mr. Cooper. She was named one of Silicon Valley’s Women of Influence and has been honored as Frost & Sullivan’s Innovator of the Year.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?

I was born and raised in Massachusetts and came to California for what I thought was going to be 2 years at Stanford for my MBA, but I graduated into Silicon Valley in the ’80s which was just getting going, so I stayed.

I shun the expression ‘career path’ because it implies something linear. I think of my life more as a collection of amazing experiences: I’ve been a Wall Street financier, restaurant cashier, filmmaker, caregiver, CEO, receptionist, global brand manager, researcher, venture capitalist, camp counselor, board member and now President and Chief Commercial Officer at Carrot and a Board Member of two public companies. All of the experiences I’ve had over the many years of my career contribute to everything I do today. I have a lot of arrows in my quiver.

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

Most interesting? That’s hard. Here’s a good story: I was struggling to make a decision between two amazing opportunities that I had — going back and forth — writing pros and cons. After sleeping on it and meditating on it, I still couldn’t decide and I was so stressed out. I was having coffee with a good friend (who also happens to be an executive coach) and I told her I couldn’t land on what to do — I expected some brilliant insight that would open it right up. And you know what she said? She said, “It doesn’t matter.” Excuse me?!? This is my career we’re talking about! She said it again, “It doesn’t matter- it really doesn’t.” She said everything will be fine no matter which one you do. So it doesn’t matter. It just doesn’t matter. At first, I thought that was so lame. But ever since that day — I realize how brilliant that was — that I have agency in how I experience what I do. It really doesn’t matter. Just pick one and move on.

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?

I have always been a bit of a prankster at work and occasionally like to send around fake memos and emails to people for fun. Long ago I worked at a huge, global investment bank that hires a lot of smart, fresh out of college, financial analysts — most of them Ivy League and all expecting to be the next big Wall Street barons. One year, I sent around a fake email that over the holidays they would each need to take shifts covering the reception desk so our awesome receptionist could take a break. They were indignant, so indignant, that one of them sent the email to the Wall Street Journal to put in the “Heard on the Street” column. The WSJ called the Global Head of Communications and the firestorm went from there. Not pretty. Thankfully, it didn’t end up running in the WSJ. Has it kept me from messing with people at work? Not really, I’m just more careful about email.

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 am grateful to so many people — especially my women friends and colleagues — we’ve seen it all. But if I had to pick one person I’d have to say, my wife. She and I have been through so many twists and turns with our careers and in raising our two amazing sons. She knows me better than anyone and is my #1 cheerleader when things seem dark and impossible, and I like to believe I’m her #1 cheerleader as well. We were both on Wall Street in the ’80s (don’t even get me started) and it was not easy for women but there’s been so much change, it’s really remarkable.

In my work, I often talk about how to release and relieve stress. As a busy leader, what do you do to prepare your mind and body before a stressful or high stakes meeting, talk, or decision? Can you share a story or some examples?

Oh my, so funny. When I worked at Citigroup on the Ventures team, the senior leadership team of Citi Ventures was all women and we used to get together and do the Amy Cuddy / Wonder Woman power pose before big meetings — for fun, for focus, and just well, maybe it’ll work? But more seriously, I read a little Brene Brown. I highly recommend it.

As you know, the United States is currently facing a very important self-reckoning about race, diversity, equality and inclusion. This may be obvious to you, but it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you articulate to our readers a few reasons why it is so important for a business or organization to have a diverse executive team?

This should be such a “duh” by now. We are in the innovation age, change is rapid and ideas are currency. Creativity is king. Innovation and creativity are a result of thinking broadly, of seeing what isn’t seen, of exploiting what others are missing. Diversity is the vital force, it delivers the creative energy that drives innovation. And while Silicon Valley companies are just now getting the memo about race and gender equality — there is something about this area, this community of people. Almost everyone who lives here is a transplant from somewhere else — people grew up in Ohio, Texas, Maine, Montana, Canada, Korea, India, Germany, you name it. I’m convinced that the diversity in Silicon Valley is a major factor in its innovation engine.

As a business leader, can you please share a few steps we must take to truly create an inclusive, representative, and equitable society? Kindly share a story or example for each.

We all need to start with being conscious. Recognizing that if we aren’t solving the problem, we are part of it. And that there is in fact a problem. A big one. People of color in this country face a far more difficult journey to achieve their dreams than I do, and the barriers they have to deal with are systemic and often unconscious. We’ve just had 4 years of a President who unleashed a tide of racism and white supremacy. The bizarre upside of that is that there are many more important conversations taking place, but we have a long way to go. We have to stop expecting people of color to solve it by themselves. This is an American problem, not a Black problem, Native American problem or Latino problem. If we fix it, we fix it for all of us — life, community, work, the economy — everything about American life will be better. I firmly believe this. This isn’t zero-sum. All boats will rise. I sit on a couple of public company boards and that’s one place to start, for Boards of Directors to hold management teams accountable for digging and understanding the way merit and promotion are handled in a company. It’s not enough to just report the numbers, instead, we need to demand a deep look at company culture — what are the informal networks and behaviors that support the status quo. Discuss this at the board level and hold management teams accountable for real change.

Most of our readers — in fact, most people — think they have a pretty good idea of what a CEO or executive does. But in just a few words can you explain what an executive does that is different from the responsibilities of the other leaders?

I’m actually a member of an improv troupe and have been for over 10 years. I’ve learned a lot from doing improv and it’s influenced how I think about leadership. Improv is a creative art form — you create a story in real-time, in front of an audience — there’s no script so you’re figuring things out on your feet. The most important elements of improv are about listening intently, paying attention and focusing on making your scene partners look good (and they’re doing the same for you). Improv is incredibly selfless. You have to trust yourself and your team and face your fear of failure every time you’re on stage. So, what does this have to do with leadership? The more senior you get in an organization, the more your job is about listening, connecting people, connecting ideas and making your team successful. The more senior you are the more you have to observe and see how the whole system works. It’s messy, there are massive unknowns, conflicts, failures and successes and you have to navigate through it all — making complex decisions on your feet along the way.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a CEO or executive. Can you explain what you mean?

I think there’s a myth that senior executives have this magical intel that will answer all of the unknowns that people need to do their jobs but they just don’t share it. In a smaller startup, this isn’t such a big deal because there aren’t as many layers, information is shared pretty freely and everyone lives in unknowns. When I’ve been in leadership roles at large, global corporations, there’s this feeling that things are complex and uncertain because those of us in leadership are somehow holding back on our strategic brilliance. The reality is the senior executives do not have all of the answers and we rely on the answers coming up from our teams.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by women executives that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?

There has been so much change since I was starting out in my career, but I still think women have to navigate a complex way of communicating — we can’t be too pushy, we can’t be too soft. Men just don’t have to think about this stuff but women do all the time. We have to talk tough but with a smile on our face. Women of color have an especially significant challenge. I also think we have to spend way more time on how we look than men do. Our gray hair, our weight — they all factor into how we are judged in the workplace. For men? Not so much.

What is the most striking difference between your actual job and how you thought the job would be?

I think the most remarkable life change happens to people when they quit smoking. At Carrot, I have been moved by hearing so many inspiring stories of our users who’ve quit smoking. I think I always thought about smoking as a health thing — and it is. But for people who quit, it’s disentangling. They have spent years — I mean YEARS everyday preoccupied with when they’re going to have their next cigarette and where they will need to be. When that goes away it is remarkable the space that opens up — they spend focused time playing Legos with their children. Their child falls asleep on their chest for the first time ever — because they don’t have to go anywhere. It is live changing when someone quits smoking.

Certainly, not everyone is cut out to be an executive. In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful executive and what type of person should avoid aspiring to be an executive? Can you explain what you mean?

I’m not sure I agree with you actually. I think the mythology that someone is “cut out” or sort of “born” to be an executive has been part of what has kept us back. I remember when I worked on Wall Street out of college, there were a handful of women in my department and the head of the department — a pretty famous Wall Street guy — said to my face, “Women don’t belong in mergers and acquisitions because a CEO would never trust his company’s strategy to a woman.” True story. I think people start small companies because they see a problem they want to solve and before they know it, they are a CEO. I would advise people not to aspire to be an executive but rather aspire to achieve mastery, find things that you can learn — learn constantly — and you will be called on to lead others.

What advice would you give to other women leaders to help their team to thrive?

I learned from Lisa Salamone who I worked with at Gap, to trust my team members to do the right thing and to be there to catch them when they made inevitable mistakes. Micromanaging to prevent mistakes results in a team that doesn’t feel trusted and worse, a team that isn’t learning from painful mistakes.

How have you used your success to make the world a better place?

Hopefully in two ways. First, I see myself as a heart-centered leader — I lead with empathy and trust. We spend a zillion hours in our lives working and I have the privilege of leading and influencing people at different stages in their career. I like to believe that people who have worked for me over the years have learned a lot and have felt challenged and supported and I like to believe that they have become heart-centered leaders as well.

The second way is by being out about my life, my wife and my kids. I think that has made a difference over the years.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

1. “It doesn’t matter” — see the story from question #2
2. Life is short but your career is long — there are so many different things you can do. Don’t ever feel like you are stuck. You aren’t.
3. Pick your boss not your job.
4. A career doesn’t have to be a linear ascension.
5. There will be times when your career really sucks. Maybe you get laid off, maybe you can’t find a job, maybe your business idea doesn’t get off the ground, maybe your boss is bad — like really bad. Jobs, work-life can really suck. There are setbacks. Everyone has them. Don’t believe all the happy, perfect stories. Know that change will come and be persistent, say yes to new opportunities as much as you can.

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.

As my parents aged, their friends moved away to warmer climates or to live closer to their children. Their social circle got smaller and smaller and many friends were heard from just once a year with a Christmas card. After my Dad died, I noticed how isolated my Mom was becoming. On her 80th birthday, I spent weeks tracking down old friends, buddies from college, neighbors, you name it and had them call her on her birthday. The phone rang off the hook and every call was so amazing. It was such a great day for her. I think we should all do this as a gift for people, especially if they have become isolated. Think how amazing it would be if we took the time to help reconnect people who long to be reconnected.

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

I love the Lucille Ball quote, “I’m not funny, what I am is brave.” Her fearlessness is what made her so successful. A couple of years ago I was asked to give a lecture on taking risks at my alma mater. I’m not sure I had ever really reflected on how being brave was part of my life journey but I think it has been. There have been chapters where I was focused on security, on staying in place and those are the times when the rug was pulled out from under me. When I embraced the reality that my life will be full of the unexpected, then I started to have more confidence and bravery. Boldness drives change, resilience and living without regret.

We are very blessed that some very prominent 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

Deb Haaland. What a moment to finally have a Native American poised to be Secretary of the Interior. My great-grandfather was an attorney and served as deputy secretary of the Interior at the turn of the last century. He and his family moved from Massachusetts to live in Oklahoma, working with many of the tribal leaders there — as I understand — to represent Native tribes in their efforts to retain their land (though I imagine there is likely more to the family folklore). Our land is filled with such natural beauty and we are so lucky to have so much of it protected. To have a Native American take on this official stewardship role is groundbreaking. I want to meet her and hear her story.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!

Women Of The C-Suite: Busy Burr of Carrot On The Five Things You Need To Succeed As A Senior… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Anne-Marie Emanuelli of Mindful Frontiers: How To Develop Mindfulness During Stressful Or Uncertain Times

Reach out to young people. Youth are struggling during this uncertain time a lot more than adults realize. Children, teenagers and young adults have minds that are developing; being isolated from their peers and community is taking a significant toll on their mental health. Youth need adults around them who are healthy role models to help them understand how to embrace self-care, understand healthy media consumption, and make healthy choices. Share what you are learning and exploring with youth in your life with non-judgement and vulnerable courage.

As a part of my series about “How To Develop Mindfulness And Serenity During Stressful Or Uncertain Times”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Anne-Marie Emanuelli, creative director at Mindful Frontiers.

Anne-Marie Emanuelli brings over two decades of meditation experience as Creative Director at Mindful Frontiers. Mindful Frontiers welcomes a mindful future; one child, one family, one adult, one educator; one present-moment at a time. Mindful Frontiers offers meditation guidance through online courses, virtual meditation classes, videos and one-on-one coaching.

Semi-retired after 25 years as a classroom educator, Anne-Marie’s mindfulness teaching credentials include certificates from Mindful Schools and the 200-hour meditation leader certification program with Sage Institute for Creativity and Consciousness. Anne-Marie participates regularly in ongoing silent & online meditation retreats and is affiliated with the Mountain Cloud Zen Center and Rio Grande Mindfulness Institute in Santa Fe, NM.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?

My path to becoming a mindfulness meditation teacher began 20 years ago when I sought out alternative health modalities to heal from a physical ailment that limited my quality of life. Meditation provided the spiritual and emotional support that helped me decide to seek medical intervention. Later, while teaching, I again turned to meditation to help deal with the grief of three student suicides. Mindful meditation became the self-care that I needed and students and teachers at my school benefitted from the guidance and expertise I willingly shared. Now that I am retired from teaching (my second career) my dedicated turns to the success of Mindful Frontier and its mission of welcoming a mindful future by teaching, guiding and coaching families, adults and teachers through meditation and mindfulness.

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

Last summer I retired from the career I’d had for over 25 years: classroom teaching. Since 2017, my dream has been to teach the life-changing practice of mindful meditation. I had decided to retire a long time before the pandemic hit and of course had no idea that the decision would be much more than a career change. As it has turned out, the pandemic fueled my passion even more and brought purpose and focus to my dream. So many people are experiencing mental health challenges during this uncertain time. I am grateful to have been able to create Mindful Frontiers, a virtual and infinite teaching space, to share mindful meditation with children, families, and adults. Years ago, I had no way of knowing that my dream would become essential to healing my community and the world. Mindful meditation is a tool to generate higher consciousness and may fuel the transformation of our society.

What advice would you give to other leaders about how to create a fantastic work culture?

I would recommend that leaders read Brené Brown’s book “Dare to Lead” and also listen to her podcast by the same name. She advocates that effective leaders nurture a culture that accepts vulnerability and growth. Also, “leading with” rather than “leading over”.

The transformation of our society through higher consciousness requires that we let go of the controlling ego and create a work culture based on human compassion. A healthy work culture starts with all people committing to working together towards a common vision for the enlightenment of society.

Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

One book that comes to mind is “Buddha in the Classroom” by Donna Quesada. It was given to me by a colleague when I first began exploring mindfulness in the context of teaching students. I had a personal meditation practice that dated back 20 years and had not thought about teaching others until 2016, when our school experienced the trauma of student suicides.

The book speaks to educators looking for ways to bring peace of mind to their teaching. Quesada uses Buddhist philosophy to explain challenges she encountered as a teacher. The stories fascinated and intrigued me. I knew very little about Buddhism or the historic traditions of meditation when I first read this book. I believe this book fueled my interest in bringing mindfulness into the classroom and ultimately to dream and then create Mindful Frontiers.

Ok, thank you for all that. Now let’s move to the main focus of our interview. From your experience or research, how would you define and describe the state of being mindful?

Mindful meditation is a life-long practice. It is a journey, not a destination.

Mindfulness is “the awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally” (Jon Kabat Zinn). The enlightened purpose of being mindful is to find peace in the here and now. Learning how to find this peace is a fabulous and worthwhile journey.

Once a person learns to meditate and makes the decision to incorporate mindfulness into their life, they generally realize the benefits extend far beyond a healing practice. It becomes a state of being and a lifestyle choice.

Whether it is to get through a difficult illness, grief of losing a loved one, or simply to carve out a daily moment of relaxation, everyone can benefit from meditation.

The benefits are plentiful and scientifically proven. A few of these include the ability to stay calm during emotional experiences, to be less reactive to behaviors, to listen more carefully to conversations, and to have compassion and empathy for self and others.

This might be intuitive to you, but it will be instructive to spell this out. Can you share with our readers a few of the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of becoming mindful?

Mindful meditation is present moment awareness that trains the mind and body to relax.

• Meditation quiets the mind and settles the nervous system. The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) is a bodily system that determines how we respond to emotional experiences. It is made up of the sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic (PNS) nervous systems. These two systems are activated in times of arousal or recovery. By quieting the mind’s reactivity and calming down our attachment to emotional thoughts, we settle the fight or flight reactions of the SNS, thereby stimulating the PNS which helps our body and mind come back to homeostasis.
• Another benefit of mindfulness is self-reflection and acceptance. When we practice mindful meditation, we pay attention to our breath, sounds, body sensations and other present-moment “anchors”. In this awareness, we are able to let go of emotions that control us; watching them from the perch of a witness or observer. In this way, we are able to learn that in this present moment all is well.
• Finally, and maybe the most important benefit of mindful meditation is our relationship to equanimity. Through the act of observing what is in the present moment, using kindness and non-judgment, we realize that reality only happens in the here and now. We can accept, acknowledge and allow ourselves and our world through the lens of equanimity.

Ok. Here is the main question of our discussion. The past 5 years have been filled with upheaval and political uncertainty. Many people have become anxious from the dramatic jolts of the news cycle. The fears related to the pandemic have only heightened a sense of uncertainty, anxiety, fear, and loneliness. From your experience or research what are five steps that each of us can take to develop mindfulness during such uncertain times? Can you please share a story or example for each.

1. Establish a personal mindful meditation practice. Seek out meditation guidance and start practicing daily with short meditation sessions, increasing a minute or two each week until you can sit in mindful meditation for 15 minutes a day. From there, you can keep building on this practice until you are ready to attend an extended silent meditation retreat. These are invaluable for personal healing. There are many excellent meditation apps that can help kick-start a personal mindfulness practice. Mindful Frontiers offers virtual meditation circles, online courses, video guidance as well as one-on-one coaching and resources for the new ad seasoned meditator.
2. Being of service to family or community: Find something you can do to help your family or community raise their consciousness towards positivity and love. Serving others is a healthy way to find peace and purpose in life. Volunteering in a non-profit or donating used clothing to charity are just a start.
3. Physical movement or exercise: Move your body daily! Walking, hiking, jogging, biking, swimming, yoga, etc. This time can also be a form of mindful meditation, self-care and self-reflection. While exercising, we can practice awareness of our body, muscles, breathing, sounds, environment.
4. Strengthening sleep to feel your best: Incorporating gratitude practice and body scans before bed can improve sleep quality and overall health. Write about what you are grateful for in a journal and do a body scan (apps can also help with this) to release and relax before going to sleep will enhance physical and spiritual wellness.
5. Embrace creativity: create things that stimulate the mind and heart. Some ideas are: writing, learning a craft; documenting your life through drawing or scrapbooking; cooking and baking for your family and friends. These are some creative ways to bring mindfulness into daily activities. The pleasure of creating cannot be overstated.

From your experience or research what are five steps that each of us can take to effectively offer support to those around us who are feeling anxious? Can you explain?

1. “Put your oxygen mask on first” before helping others. What this means is that in order to be in a healthy space to offer support to others, we need to feel good ourselves. Self-care is crucial. Learning how to handle our own anxiety will help us understand how to help others.
2. Establish a mindful meditation practice for your well-being and share your experiences with friends and family. We are all feeling anxious during this uncertain time. Together we can improve our mental health and shift our consciousness. Mindful meditation is accessible to everyone.
3. Learn about different kinds of meditation. From loving-kindness and compassion, Insight (vipassana) meditation, Zen Buddhism, to contemplative spiritual practices. From a place of knowledge and wisdom, we can more effectively share with others.
4. Expand your mind. During this transformative time in our collective consciousness, the more we expand our knowledge and wisdom, the better off we will all be. Read inspiring books and listen to podcasts and teachings and enjoy the confidence and empowerment that comes from an expanding awareness.
5. Reach out to young people. Youth are struggling during this uncertain time a lot more than adults realize. Children, teenagers and young adults have minds that are developing; being isolated from their peers and community is taking a significant toll on their mental health. Youth need adults around them who are healthy role models to help them understand how to embrace self-care, understand healthy media consumption, and make healthy choices. Share what you are learning and exploring with youth in your life with non-judgment and vulnerable courage.

What are the best resources you would suggest for someone to learn how to be more mindful and serene in their everyday life?

Incorporating mindful meditation into your life is a worthy endeavor. Simply wishing to be more mindful and serene is a blind resolution unless we take action. It takes guidance and commitment to establish a mindful meditation practice and is well worth the effort. Mindfulness is a lifestyle choice that has life-long benefits.

There are a plethora of resources available:

• meditation apps are a good place to start
• many meditation centers offer online retreats and teachings
• Mindful Frontiers offers online meditation courses, virtual meditation guidance, video instruction, and one-on-one coaching (see links)
• Commit to self-care: healthy eating, meditation, exercise, good sleep are the foundation of a healthy life.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life?

“Resilience and Perseverance” is my life’s motto.

Recently, I heard Simon Sinek (The Infinite Game) speak about “the infinite mindset versus the finite mindset.” The concept of infinity of mind explained why resilience and perseverance are so important in my life.

Everything I have accomplished in my half-century of life on Earth has come from an infinite mindset wherein resilience and perseverance led to the realization of many dreams. From a young age all the way to the present moment, all that I have accomplished has been because of determination and believing in the existence of infinite possibilities.

How did I do this? I believe it was by continuously asking, “Why?” “Why not?” “Why not try?” From physical healing to mental healing to professional accomplishments, resilience and perseverance have been the cornerstone of infinite possibilities.

And the vision of Mindful Frontiers also illustrates an infinite mindset: “Welcoming a mindful future; one child, one family, one adult, one educator; one present moment at a time.”

You are a person of great influence. If you could start 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. 🙂

Mindful meditation for youth is a movement I believe would have a positive impact on our world. By teaching families with young children the benefits of meditation and present moment awareness I believe the tools/skills learned and incorporated into their daily life would have a long-lasting impact. The reasons I wish to teach young people and their families meditation are:

• to teach students about present-moment mindfulness-awareness.
• to teach them that they aren’t judged by their thoughts, sensations, and feelings.
• to show by example that mindfulness is a way to feel good about yourself, just as we are, in this present moment.
• to model being happy, grateful, loved, peaceful.
• to explain what it feels like to be confident yet relaxed.

The Dalai Lama once said, “If every 8-year-old in the world is taught meditation, we will eliminate violence from the world within one generation.” This quote reminded me that teaching mindful meditation and compassionate awareness to youth are ways to encourage a kinder future. I’ve had this idea for a while when contemplating future endeavors in mindfulness.

I’m curious whether teaching mindfulness-based calming practices would be a way to avoid school shootings in the future. What if one would-be gunner had learned mindfulness meditation, and if that child used meditation instead of guns to deal with stress, how many young lives would be saved?

How old is “old enough” to teach children mindfulness, meditation, contemplation of self in the moment? Surely, the very young can sit and color a mandala, walk a labyrinth and follow a finger labyrinth. Eventually, each child could learn to focus on breath, bodily sensations, internal feelings and as a result, benefit from a practice that would last a lifetime.

What is the best way our readers can follow you online?

web: Mindfulfrontiers.net

FB: @mindfulfrontiers

Instagram: @mindfulfrontiers

LinkedIn: Anne-Marie Emanuelli

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2_ITJgY4mI7U1feUDiDlpA

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!

Anne-Marie Emanuelli of Mindful Frontiers: How To Develop Mindfulness During Stressful Or… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.