Month: June 2022

Wisdom From The Women Leading The Cannabis Industry, With Kara Kelly, Summer Rice & Monica Reese of Lure

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Great marketers don’t necessarily make great cannabis marketers- you see this across the board. A lot of executives and marketers have jumped ship moving over to the cannabis industry. They have tried to layer on marketing plans that work for other industries but the reality is because of cannabis’ limitations in terms of marketing you really have to write an entirely new playbook.

As a part of my series about strong women leaders in the cannabis industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Monica Reese, Kara Kelly, and Summer Rice. Founders of Lure.

Monica Reese: Design, Production, Sourcing

20+ years of problem solving through design- thinking with a unique combination of ideas and execution. Expertise in sourcing, growth and an HGTV featured designer that loves creating beautiful products and environments.

Kara Kelly: Strategy, Finance, and Operations

Over 25 years solving growth, innovation and profitability challenges for leading retail and consumer goods brands such as Nike, Sephora,Gap and Best Buy; trilingual global business leader; financial and physical wellness devotee.

Summer Rice: Branding and Marketing

Art History foundation with focus on the creation of a visual voice for brands. Recognized as top

4% achievers for billion-dollar female-focused product marketing and sales company. Lover of all things coastal and organic.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us the “backstory” about what brought you to the cannabis industry?

As GenX women, we found ourselves in a stage of life where we are balancing a lot and at times that can be really stressful. We are raising our kids, working, maintaining our households, and taking care of our aging parents with menopause creeping in to boot. We needed a tool to help us manage our stress, aid in better sleep and alleviate some of our body pains on a daily basis. We all wanted something not just to “wind down” at the end of the day but something to pepper in throughout the day as needed. All three of us had already harnessed the power of botanicals within our beauty routines and so when cbd was introduced to us as a tool to support some of these needs states we knew that would be a key ingredient in our formulations.

(Summer Rice)

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I think the most interesting thing to date has been the steep learning curve in terms of fundraising and marketing in the space. All three of us have had success in various parts of design, finance and marketing but synthesizing these skills and applying it to our own brand, in a very restrictive industry proved challenging. It’s funny, we could all recognize how many of our friends had excelled in their different industries but we had this unique opportunity to really sit down and learn about their superpowers and how we could apply it to different aspects of our business. We quickly realized that in opening up and being vulnerable enough to say “ I don’t understand about (x) aspect of the business” how responsive our friends would be to give us mini masterclasses on their specialty. This led to a really important arc of friends becoming advisors and ultimately investors. We believe it is imperative to really trust that whomever is investing in your company is not only thinking about the bottom line but is thinking about your needs as Founders.

(Kara Kelly)

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?

One of our funniest mistakes (well we can laugh at it now) was when we had our big moment to officially launch our website. We had created it ourselves- it was simple and beautiful and marked a big step in officially launching our brand. We hit the “live” button, but to our dismay, we immediately got a message from Shopify stating that they do not process payments for CBD. We eventually solved this issue through an arduous process of finding a third party payment platform. Our takeaway from this was that what are usually standard and easy steps in a non-cannabis related business, can turn into a complex maze within cannabis.

( Monica Reese)

Do you have a funny story about how someone you knew reacted when they first heard you were getting into the cannabis industry?

It’s really interesting to see how people respond to us being in the cannabis industry. My harshest response came from my sister. She flat out said, “I will never try CBD,” fearing that it was potentially addictive and that it would actually impact my social life. Even after I educated her on all of the health benefits and quelled any fears of addiction she was still a hard “no.” It goes to show that the long standing anti-cannabis messaging that was programmed into previous generations still takes a lot to dismantle.

On the flip side, my 10 year old son couldn’t wait to tell all of his friends about Lure because he said, “their moms are very stressed out, and they could really use some CBD!” I get a kick out of watching mom’s in my friend group realize they can skip the wine at night and wind down with our Lure CBD oil.

(Summer Rice)

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?

We are fortunate to have a super strong community of advisors, but from early on, fellow female founder Sara Happ of Sara Happ Beauty has been unbelievably generous. She took us under her wing and showed us the ropes. From sharing contacts in her supply chain to introducing us to other female founders, Sara believed in us and our products.

( Kara Kelly)

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

Yes, we are in awe over the groundswell of interest in our brand. Currently we are continuing to expand our sales relationships with our current line and getting some incredible exposure in press and events which allows us to speak directly to our core consumer or 40+ women. We are also excited to expand our roster of products and will be launching a few products focused for the body, bath and a daily gummy for whole-body balance. We are an (inner) beauty brand so as we develop new products we start with our own needs, then think about how that ripple’s out to our communities needs and then innovate from there. We also will be rolling out some elevated packaging and new brand design elements which put sustainability and functionality as key considerations.

( Monica Reese)

Ok. Thank you for all that. Let’s now jump to the main core of our interview. Despite great progress that has been made we still have a lot more work to do to achieve gender parity in this industry. According to this report in Entrepreneur, less than 25 percent of cannabis businesses are run by women. In your opinion or experience, what 3 things can be done by a)individuals b)companies and/or c) society to support greater gender parity moving forward?

I am so glad you asked this question. I would say the greatest challenge we are facing is lack of access to capital. It has been well documented that women-owned businesses in this space often receive less funding and fewer resources — such as mentorship and strategic guidance — than our male counterparts. That’s why it was such a watershed moment for us to secure our last round of funding since access to capital is such a critical component of taking a brand to the next level.

At the individual level we need to give more women a seat at the decision making table without repercussions for family responsibilities. We need to switch the narrative within our circles to an understanding and awareness that a whole person can have a career, relationships and family and that does not take away from a person’s value and ability to drive business.

In terms of society, I am encouraged by the initiatives surrounding social equity that are emerging. I think identifying the obstacles standing in the way of a more equitable industry is the first step and then creating state by state initiatives that address these issues is the most strategic way to go. The brands leading in practice and posturing to government and society around social policy and equity.

( Kara Kelly)

You are all “Cannabis Insiders”. If you had to advise someone about 5 non intuitive things one should know to succeed in the cannabis industry, what would you say? Can you please give a story or an example for each.

1. Great marketers don’t necessarily make great cannabis marketers- you see this across the board. A lot of executives and marketers have jumped ship moving over to the cannabis industry. They have tried to layer on marketing plans that work for other industries but the reality is because of cannabis’ limitations in terms of marketing you really have to write an entirely new playbook.
2. Trust your gut- you know what smells best. You know what looks good. You know if you are being sold snakeoil. Your gut got you to this place, now listen to it.
3. Your tribe ( consumer) is your greatest research panel- most brands speak about community. But there is no greater investment than creating authentic close relationships and being vulnerable with them about how you envision the brand growing. Share new product ideas, packaging, ingredients, and event ideas. They will give it to you straight and already have an inherent investment in the brand.
4. Disagree with your partner’s point of view frequently ( but respectfully)- in our case, at our core the three of us are aligned with our vision and our drive. But it is in the moments that we disagree that we really benefit from being partners. We call the moments when we express our deepest thoughts and most honest input, Radical Candor. Being able to pressure test ideas, share our very unique ideas on priorities all help strengthen every aspect of Lure.
5. If you don’t feel genuinely lucky to work with this plant, walk away- if you think that this is going to be a cash grab, my oh my, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. Most brands fail in this space, and if you don’t have a true reverence for the plant and how it can really affect change in people’s lives you won’t connect with your consumer in a way that is imperative for survival in this space.

(Summer Rice)

Can you share 3 things that most excite you about the cannabis industry?

1. Harnessing the other cannabinoid compounds from the plant and what that offers in terms of benefits
2. CBD being viewed as key to a daily clean beauty routine
3. The opportunity for people of color and women to benefit from the huge financial rewards of the industry

( Monica Reese)

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?

1. Access to capital for female founders– Women often work twice as hard to get half as far. Product businesses are notoriously capital intensive. Women need access not only to financial backing, but also business mavericks that will share networks, resources and ideas. Venture capitalist and senior business leaders just need to make supporting women a priority and tie their legacy to helping women succeed.
2. Shine a light on Black-owned products, especially CBD brands. We believe that supporting Black-owned businesses ultimately supports the community, builds independence and creates assets that can proudly be passed along for multiple generations. We want to help shape and inform initiatives to raise the visibility for beauty and wellness brands across the board. An initiative that provided visibility to our brands was The 15 Percent Pledge. They introduced us to Madewell and we are now on their platform. The trust that people have for Madewell’s brand is now extended to us. That is a game changer.
3. Social justice reform — Black and brown people who have been involved with cannabis have been persecuted and judged for decades. Research shows that despite comparable usage rates between Black and white people, Black people are 4–10x more likely to be convicted of a marijuana based crimes. There were several programs put into place that were meant to give people convicted of marijuana crimes an opportunity to build legal businesses, but they have largely proven to be ineffective. Those programs need to be revamped with access to capital, mentors who can guide through the maze of unregulated structures and true partnerships that bolster visibility of the brands.

(Kara Kelly)

What are your thoughts about federal legalization of cannabis? If you could speak to your Senator, what would be your most persuasive argument regarding why they should or should not pursue federal legalization?

I think cannabis being declared an ‘essential business’ during Covid points to the inevitable and long overdue need to federally legalize. This essential distinction means we look at cannabis ( medical) in the same way as grocery stores and pharmacies- it is a key component in our healthcare arsenal, it is key to our beauty regiments and it is as safe as our evening glass of wine. Unpacking the years of unfortunate and glaring falsehoods about the plant need to start on the federal level by signaling and pointing to the research both anecdotal and clinical.

( Monica Reese)

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

“The soul is the essence of who and what we are. It is the lure of our becoming.” ~Jean Houston

This quote is all about being your true self, your soulful self. When we feel calm, healthy and joyful, we are connecting to that soulful self.

( Summer Rice)

You are each people 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. 🙂

We want to change the way the wellness and beauty industry speaks to and develops products for the 40+ woman.

As a society, we tend to write women off once they reach a certain age, but guess what, we are not done, and we are not invisible. At Lure, We look at aging as a daily opportunity to feel better and know that we want sophisticated, healing brands that understand that beauty is not defined by an age. We want to create a movement to encourage woman to speak up about the rampant health disparity with topics like sexual wellness, shared pain points and overall wellness as we age.

( Summer Rice)

Thank you so much for the time you spent with this. We wish you only continued success!

Wisdom From The Women Leading The Cannabis Industry, With Kara Kelly, Summer Rice & Monica Reese of… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Founders: Suzie Carpenter of Savor by Suzie On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

In our world right now, we are undergoing a collective feminine rising — feminine energy is a beautiful balance to masculine. We need both — it’s yin and yang. Businesses are shifting, with conscious capitalism becoming more of the priority — that is what people relate to, feel good about, resonate with and trust. Tapping into this shift is one major reason for women to step up and become founders of their own businesses.

As a part of our series about “Why We Need More Women Founders”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Suzie Carpenter.

After 20 years of implementing a variety of dietary changes with her family, predominately a grain free diet that helped alleviate symptoms of autoimmune disease, gut issues and autism, Suzie Carpenter is the co-founder of the Savor by Suzie brand.

Eat to be your happiest self — the mantra Suzie taught her autistic daughter — is the passion behind the brand. At the core of the Savor by Suzie mission is the belief that just like every ingredient counts, so does every individual.

Suzie’s passion drives her focus on areas of product development, brand marketing and the company’s neurodiversity initiative.

Prior to launching the brand, as a nutrition consultant, Suzie worked with hundreds of clients to strategize how to implement dietary changes with ease. She is also the author of the book, On The Bright Side, A Mother’s Story of Love and Healing Through Autism.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! 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?

Absolutely! Our children are our inspiration. When our daughter was diagnosed with autism, Celiac Disease and numerous food intolerances, she and I became partners on a healing journey, using a diet recommended by her doctor. Watching the success of these changes, I became obsessed. I was reading labels and watching everything she ate to make sure she didn’t get sick or relapse.

The good news is that eventually I was able to teach her how to notice what was happening in her body so she could make her own decisions around foods that work for her or against her.

At the advice of friends who watched our journey, I went back to school to become a nutrition consultant so I could help others realize the same success we experienced.

As my own cooking style transformed into one that was extremely intuitive and focused on simple sustainable ingredients to bring out natural flavors in food, I began teaching cooking classes. This was a way to support my clients as well as to bring together women in the kitchen using food to ground us all.

Being a flavor maker, deliberately hand picking all of Savor by Suzie’s ingredients, is driven by my passion around the power of food.

Our family has been baking pretzels for over 40 years. We really wanted to create an allergen friendly pretzel with better for you ingredients that the whole family can enjoy. Bingo! We’ve created the best tasting pretzel that just happens to be gluten free, grain free, top 9 allergen free with zero grams of sugar!

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

A week after we launched our product at Stew Leonard’s stores in New England, we got a phone call from Stew. He said he wanted us to meet his nephew. A week later, we drove up to their store in Norwalk CT. We sat in Stew’s office and met with his nephew and his nephew’s wife. They shared with us some of the challenges they were having with their own son. All the of the memories of 20 years ago, when our daughter Kelly was diagnosed with autism came flooding back — and we realized that despite the organizations out there today, social media and other resources, parents still need other parents to lean on, commiserate with, confide in, and find compassion.

This is why we say autism is our superpower. It invites compassion into everything we do, It challenges us to see things in a new light, to respect all viewpoints, and to develop new ways of doing things. As we continue to grow, it is our dream to do more and more for and with this community.

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?

Looking back at the funniest mistakes… I would have to say they were most definitely in my kitchen, while I was experimenting with different flavors. My intention is always to create seasonings free of MSG, sugars, starches or gums. But when I started, I really had no idea what I was doing!

For example, while working on our Lil Bit Spicy flavor, I bought a bunch of spices and vegetable powders to test. I wanted to create a flavor that had a hint of heat without being overwhelming. Trying to figure out how much of each and which powders to use was laughable for sure! Probably the jalapeno powder being the funniest — I opened the bag, stuck my nose in and boy was that a mistake! All I could smell for days was jalapeno powder!!

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 think of a lot of people that have helped me along the way — and probably the most supportive would be my husband, Scott. But by far my greatest teacher is our daughter Kelly. While it can be exhausting and overwhelming to be a parent of an autistic child (managing behaviors, services, schools, therapies, diet etc), truly autism has completely changed my view of the world.

Every single day I use the three P’s to help me stay aligned with our core values and mission — patience, presence and perseverance. And each and every one of our neurodiverse team members remind me of this too, they are here to teach us, not the other way around!

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. According to this EY report, only about 20 percent of funded companies have women founders. This reflects great historical progress, but it also shows that more work still has to be done to empower women to create companies. In your opinion and experience what is currently holding back women from founding companies?

Limiting beliefs engrained from a long history of inequitable access to resources and assets that our male counterparts have been privileged enough to have based on their sex alone. Societal norms and gender expectations have certainly imprinted in our minds how we ought to be living our lives based on gender. I grew up in a family with five sisters in a time when women’s roles were defined by many generations prior. Gender stereotypes and inequality were prevalent in the classroom, workplace and frankly everywhere in society. We were not encouraged to speak up, in fact quite the opposite.

YET, several studies not only show that women are better leaders than men but also prove that women-led organizations have more profitable results than ones headed by their male counterparts.

Gender bias is similar to what we are seeing with autistic adults not being welcomed in the workplace. Our goal is to shift workplace norms to support the neurodiverse and to realize the benefits of neurodiversity just like those of women in leadership roles.

Good news! Gen Z is tapping into this reality and have done a phenomenal job of combating gender bias and moving towards a less gender derived norm society.

Can you help articulate a few things that can be done as individuals, as a society, or by the government, to help overcome those obstacles?

I think we need more resources to support women in business and women entrepreneurs. Not just to encourage them with mentorship or coaching, but also to provide sound business advice. Teaming up with like-minded entrepreneurs or leaders can be hugely helpful too.

For me, I also find my personal practices to be extremely grounding and supportive. It is through trusting my own intuition, and trusting Savor to give me the signs and signals of where we are and what needs attention, that I build strength and clarity. I definitely recommend exercises around intention setting, energetic clearing and purposeful positioning. Then constantly revisit those so as to continuously align with your core values.

This might be intuitive to you as a woman founder but I think it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you share a few reasons why more women should become founders?

In our world right now, we are undergoing a collective feminine rising — feminine energy is a beautiful balance to masculine. We need both — it’s yin and yang. Businesses are shifting, with conscious capitalism becoming more of the priority — that is what people relate to, feel good about, resonate with and trust. Tapping into this shift is one major reason for women to step up and become founders of their own businesses.

Another reason is that working for yourself, following your passion and purpose is the most rewarding job you’ll ever have. There is one caveat though, being okay with failure is part of the process. That’s what keeps us grounded in why we do what we do!

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

Two myths to debunk around being a founder:

Only young people can start a business

You need to know everything before you start

The first one, well that’s been disproved many times over! While there are some potential barriers to being older, the easiest way to solve them is to hire talent in the areas where you need help. The founder’s role is to be the visionary, to keep the business aligned with its core values at all times, by tuning in and asking a lot of questions. As I always say in our team meetings, “let’s get present with this”, which simply means being curious about all aspects of the business, what’s working, what’s not and why. Then you lead your team to take action in the right direction.

Starting a business doesn’t mean having to know everything or think of the next big idea. Leveraging what you are passionate about and tweaking that to create a value add for others, solve a problem, is what’s key. Even taking something that already exists and improving on it in some kind of creative way is a great idea! Often it’s the simplest ideas that are the most successful…

Is everyone cut out to be a founder? In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful founder and what type of person should perhaps seek a “regular job” as an employee? Can you explain what you mean?

It is possible that not everyone is not cut out to be a founder. No doubt, it’s a lot of work and a risk-taking proposition that many people simply aren’t comfortable with. Some traits that I believe increase the likelihood of being a successful founder are openness to learning, willingness to fail, perseverance, flexibility, follow through, and believing so strongly in what you stand for that you’re not intimidated by anyone who says No to your product or idea.

Being a “regular” employee means being part of a team and all founders need good teams to support their idea, mission and help drive it towards success. So, if you are more of the type of person who likes predictability and structure, you may find your success in a position on the team rather than as the founder.

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

Little things all add up — consistently do the little things to see big things happen

TRUST the process and trust your idea, believe in your idea standing on its’ own

Don’t worry about your competition — use it to accentuate what’s unique about your product

Keep the big picture in mind, your WHY, at all times. Use it to let go of control and focus on what you want to see happen, the change you seek

People will resonate with your story as much or more than your product

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

We believe in giving back to autism and we do this in several ways. Day by day, simply by sharing insights from our team on social media or otherwise. We plan to share resources on our website in the next 30 days that will be geared towards supporting the autistic adult community and their families.

In April, we had an autistic entrepreneur grant that we awarded to one individual which included the grant money as well as six months of mentorship with myself and the panel of judges, all working in the field of autism and neurodiversity. We hope to do this in an even bigger way as we scale and grow!

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.

Hire at least one person with autism in your organization!

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

Female Founders: Suzie Carpenter of Savor by Suzie On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Ask if they want to talk about it — If a friend shares that they are feeling anxious or you notice that they don’t seem like themselves lately, don’t hesitate to bring it up to them. Ask them if they are okay and offer space for them to talk about it. Also know that they might not be ready to talk, and that’s okay too. The most important thing is that you open the door to have that conversation when they feel ready.

As a part of my series about “How To Develop Mindfulness And Serenity During Stressful Or Uncertain Times”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Stephanie Weber.

Stephanie is a holistic transformation coach, 200-hour registered yoga instructor, mindful meditation facilitator, and sound healer. She empowers unfulfilled women to uncover their purpose and step into their power so they can create a soul-aligned life they LOVE! Stephanie started on her spiritual path after experiencing deep burnout from the corporate world and it completely transformed her life. Now she helps women who are feeling stuck to elevate their mindset so they can fearlessly follow their dreams!

Stephanie is the founder of Stephanie Weber LLC, a holistic coaching brand and online platform focused on helping women become the next-level version of themselves. She is also the host of The Inner Sunshine Podcast, which is dedicated to helping women embody their most authentic selves, live mindfully, cultivate abundance, and shine their light from the inside out!

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?

Thank you so much for having me! I graduated from college with a degree in Marketing and went straight into the 9–5 corporate world out of school. However, I realized rather quickly that the office job life was not for me. I went through a difficult period in my early 20s where I was very depressed and felt completely lost. I had no idea what my purpose was on this earth, but I KNEW I was meant for more than sitting in a cube farm doing repetitive, mind-numbing work for the rest of my life.

About 5 years ago, I had an awakening when I hit my personal rock bottom. I was extremely burnt out and it started me on my journey to find deeper meaning and connection to life. I have spent the past several years investing in myself, continuing my education, and healing both physically and mentally.

I eventually left my soul-sucking corporate career to pursue my passions full-time. Since then, I have received 3 separate yoga teacher training certifications (Vinyasa, Sculpt, and Hot), my meditation teacher training certification, as well as my mindfulness coaching certification. I also became a sound healer and went back to school to pursue my dream career path in holistic health coaching and nutrition. I started my own soul-aligned coaching & sound healing business, and I now work with clients all over the world to help them elevate their mindset and live in alignment with themselves!

My healing journey completely transformed my life, and I have dedicated myself to helping other women do the same. That’s why I decided to become a coach — I want to help my clients uncover their passions and create their own personal path to happiness! Mindfulness, mediation, and sound healing also played an integral role in my transformation and I love being able to share these powerful holistic modalities with my clients and community.

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

The most interesting thing that has happened to me since starting my career is how incredibly aligned I feel in my life. When I was working my corporate career, I used to live for the weekends and would try to escape my unhappiness in all kinds of destructive ways. I had the mindset that life was happening “to me” rather than “for me” and I was always searching for something to fill the void and the emptiness that was there from not doing the work that I was put on this earth to do.

Since I began listening to my intuition and following my dream of becoming a holistic coach and sound healer, I have experienced so many incredible synchronicities in my life, and I feel more aligned than I’ve ever felt before. I’m working with the most amazing clients, I’ve expanded my sound healing practice, and I lead weekly sound baths at a local studio in Chicago. I launched my dream podcast and have made so many beautiful connections by putting my voice out into the world. It’s been an incredible journey — and I’m just getting started!

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

I have worked for many companies that have had a less than great work culture, and the number one piece of advice I have for other leaders is to create a work environment that respects employees and creates space for work-life balance. We’ve seen such a huge societal shift in our work culture over the past few years, and the outdated need for people to be in the office for 40 hours a week (or more) and live for the weekends is over. If your employees prefer to work from home and they get the job done, why force them to go into an office? The mental health and happiness of your employees should always be your number one priority.

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?

My favorite book is “Everything Is Figureoutable” by Marie Forleo. This book changed my life when it came to uncovering my purpose and creating a more fulfilling life. Marie shares so many inspiring stories in her book of people overcoming adversity and doing the “impossible” in their lives and businesses. She has grown her coaching business to be one of the most recognized brands in the world, but she is incredibly honest about her journey and what it took for her to become the person and businesswoman she is today. There is something so refreshing about people who are honest about their struggles and are willing to share their stories of growth and overcoming challenges.

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?

To me, being mindful is the practice of being deliberately and actively in the present moment without judgment. It’s a way to be fully aware of our everyday decisions and choosing to live out of intention rather than habit.

So many of us move through our days on autopilot — just going through the motions to get by. Mindfulness brings us back into the present moment and helps us focus on the task at hand, rather than having our minds wander in a million other directions. Stress is usually a byproduct of thinking about the past or worrying about the future. When we focus on the now, it helps us reduce stress, be more productive, and genuinely live happier lives!

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?

Mindfulness includes all facets of our lives including our mindset, how we interact with others, how we talk to ourselves and how we make our choices. Instead of constantly thinking of the future or of the past, mindfulness allows us to stay in the present moment and take things one step at a time. It has been scientifically proven to help lower stress, and there’s growing research showing that it can actually remodel the physical structure of your brain!

Mindfulness can have a profound impact on our health and happiness. With regular implementation of mindfulness in your everyday life, you will most likely start to see positive shifts in your mood, lower stress levels, and an improved sense of overall well-being.

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. 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?

Absolutely — here are 5 simple steps that we can take to develop a regular mindfulness practice:

1. Create a gratitude practice

This is one of my favorite exercises that I love to incorporate into my daily routine. Throughout your day, be observant of your routine & surroundings and find ONE new thing to be grateful for. Maybe you notice a beautiful bird on your walk, or maybe a stranger holds a door open for you? When you’re doing this exercise, not only do you feel the immense benefits of gratitude, but you’re also completely in the present moment. There is always something new to appreciate and there is no such thing as something too small to be grateful for!

2. Practice being mindful while doing mindless activities

Try staying present while doing a regular, mundane activity such as brushing your teeth or doing the dishes. Rather than thinking about your to-do list or things going on later in the day, try to focus on what is happening right now. What color is your toothpaste? What do you see, hear, taste, smell, and feel? This exercise is definitely easier said than done. There are so many tasks that we complete during our day on autopilot. See if you can focus on being present in the moment for just this ONE thing.

3. Practice mindfulness meditation

Meditation is the practice of training your attention and awareness to achieve a mentally clear, emotionally calm, and stable state. Mindful Meditation is a type of mediation where you focus on being intensely aware of what you’re sensing and feeling in the moment without judgment. To do this, find a quiet space somewhere where you will not be distracted or interrupted for a few minutes. Find a comfortable seat with a tall spine either cross-legged on the ground, in a chair with your feet flat on the floor or lying down. Close your eyes or lower your gaze to minimize visual distractions and start to tune into your breath. Notice how your belly and chest move as you inhale and exhale. If you find that your mind is wandering, know that it’s totally normal! Gently bring your attention back to your breath each time this happens. Stay here as long as you want, and when you’re ready slowly open your eyes. Take note of how you feel in this exact moment.

4. Do less on purpose

In today’s society, people wear their busyness as a badge of honor. I remember I used to gloat about how busy I was when people asked me how I was doing because I thought being busy was equivalent to being successful or hardworking. Our brains are not computers — we are physically not built to multitask and jump from one task to the next and expect 100% efficiency with everything we’re doing. Doing more is not always better and taking time to rest and recharge does not make you lazy!

Take some time to consider the purpose behind your daily activities. Are you trying to pack as much in as you can, or are you giving yourself room to breathe, take breaks, and truly focus on the task at hand? Give yourself permission to do less to be fully present and notice how you feel afterward.

5. Practice having a beginner’s mind

If you’ve ever watched a baby being introduced to a new environment, you’ve probably noticed their eyes wandering around the room — completely captivated and intrigued by each detail around them. When is the last time you noticed your current surroundings with that same sense of wonder? Try spending a few minutes looking at the sights around you as if it were the first time you saw them. Do you notice anything different or new? What are the things you use daily that you usually take for granted?

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?

Here are 5 steps we can take to offer support to those around us who are feeling anxious:

1. Ask if they want to talk about it

If a friend shares that they are feeling anxious or you notice that they don’t seem like themselves lately, don’t hesitate to bring it up to them. Ask them if they are okay and offer space for them to talk about it. Also know that they might not be ready to talk, and that’s okay too. The most important thing is that you open the door to have that conversation when they feel ready.

2. LISTEN and hold space for them to speak and express their emotions

If they do open up to you, take time to listen to what they say rather than responding with judgment, or interjecting with support or solutions. You don’t always have to understand exactly what they’re going through or know how to fix it to be there for them. Sometimes sitting in silence and listening is the best way to show love and support.

3. Validate and show your support

It’s important to validate people’s experiences, rather than saying “just calm down” or “it’s not that big of a deal — you’ll be fine”. These kinds of phrases don’t help and can actually make the situation worse. Let them know that you are grateful they opened up to you and that you understand it’s not always easy to talk about how we’re feeling. You can also reassure them that they’re not alone and that you are always there for them if they need someone to talk to.

4. Ask how you can best support them (and offer logical advice ONLY if they are open to receiving it)

It’s important to ask them how you can best support them, rather than just offering suggestions such as yoga or meditation. Those tools are great, but they don’t work for everyone in every situation. The best way to offer support is to ask what they need in the moment. If they specifically ask for suggestions or help, then you can move forward with helping them explore options for seeking help — including seeing a mental health professional. Also, know that not everyone is ready to talk to a professional right away. If they’re open to it but aren’t sure where to start, you can help by researching therapists in the area or offer to drive them to their appointment.

5. Keep in touch

Sometimes the best help we can give someone who is feeling anxious is to make them feel less alone. Check-in every so often or invite them to meet you for coffee. Let them know you love them, and that you are always there for them if they ever need someone to talk to.

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

There are many free resources available on YouTube if you’re looking for guided mindfulness meditations or exercises to practice. Some of my favorite mindfulness apps are Headspace, Calm, Aura, and Insight Timer. I also have several guided meditations on my own YouTube channel as well as a beginner’s mindfulness course available on my website!

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 “You will never experience this version of you again, so give yourself permission to slow down and be with her”.

We often get SO focused on achieving, reaching goals, fixing things, and being productive that we don’t always give ourselves time to appreciate how far we’ve come and all that we have right here and now. Life isn’t always about achieving our goals — it’s about the person we become along the way. At one point in our lives, we dreamed about everything that we have right now. If we’re always focused on the future and thinking that the next moment is better than the current one, we will never allow ourselves to be truly happy.

One day you will look back on this moment and wish that you could live it again. Not because you want to do something different, but because you will wish you had enjoyed the moment more. There are always going to be things on your to-do list. There is always going to be a bigger goal, more money to be made, new mountains to climb, etc. But the true secret to happiness is to choose it every day. It’s a powerful reminder that even if you’re not exactly where you want to be yet, you can still appreciate where you are right now.

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. 🙂

Wow, thank you so much! My goal for my life and my business is to empower others to understand their full potential and live an aligned life. If I could start a movement, it would be to help as many women as I can to uncover their true purpose, leave their soul-sucking jobs, and create a fulfilling life that they’re excited to wake up to EVERY SINGLE DAY!

I want women to understand how powerful they are, and that there is so much more to life than working 40+ hours a week at a job you hate, just to retire at 70 and hope to live out your best years before you die. Life is happening NOW! Quit the job, start the business, go on the trip, and do more of the things you love. Life is so precious, and tomorrow is never promised to any of us. Know that everything you need is already within you. Go for it!

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

Yes, please come say hi, and feel free to send me a message so that we can connect! You can visit my website at www.HeyStephanieWeber.com to learn about my coaching programs, listen to my podcast, access free guided meditations, and more!

Join my community on social media:

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/HeyStephanieWeber

Pinterest: www.Pinterest.com/HeyStephanieWeber

TikTok: www.TikTok.com/@HeyStephanieWeber

YouTube: www.YouTube.com/HeyStephanieWeber

Listen and subscribe to my podcast: www.TheInnerSunshinePodcast.com

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

Stephanie Weber: How To Develop Mindfulness During Stressful Or Uncertain Times was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Women In Wellness: Erin Sharoni Of FOXO Technologies On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Be kind. Sounds trite, but true. There’s so much unkindness in this world and we live in a competitive culture that rewards winning at all costs. That’s a false economy. Kindness costs nothing. Don’t be a pushover, but always treat others the way you want to be treated. It’s the “golden rule” for a reason.

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

Erin Sharoni is the chief product officer (CPO) of FOXO Technologies Inc., a technology startup using the science of AI and epigenetics to reinvent the life insurance industry. Erin has more than 15 years of experience building products and brands in molecular health, media and finance. Prior to joining FOXO, she served at InsideTracker as a creative director. Erin’s previous television career as a television host and journalist included roles on NBC Sports Network, CNBC, CBS Sports and Showtime. She also sat on Ray Dalio’s Core Management Team at Bridgewater as a management associate. Her multidisciplinary approach to problem-solving is driven by a lifelong commitment to the intersection of science and art, and she is passionate about disruptive technology that improves the human experience. Erin holds a master’s degree in biology from Harvard and a bachelor’s degree with honors in studio art from Wesleyan University. She is currently a Master of Bioethics degree candidate at Harvard Medical School.

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?

Very happy to be here! I’m always looking for breakthroughs that help people live healthier and longer, and that includes nutrition, fitness, technology, biology, all of it. For my day job, I’m the Chief Product Officer of longevity science startup FOXO, where we use epigenetic science and cutting-edge technology to improve the human experience by supporting lifespan and healthspan. Before FOXO, I was a television host and journalist on NBC Sports Network, Showtime, CBS Sports and CNBC. I jokingly call myself a science geek and techno freak — I’ve always had a lot going on at once. I’m a DJ playing techno and house music, a visual artist and writer, a fitness and nutrition nerd, environmentalist, animal rights advocate, you name it. My elderly Italian Greyhound just turned 14-years-old. His name is Bodhi and I rescued him 8 years ago — I’ve been a strong supporter of animal shelters ever since. I have a master’s degree in biology from Harvard and I’m currently a Master of Bioethics degree candidate at Harvard Medical School!

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?

As I mentioned, I have a lot of interests and passions, and I’ve always had a lot going on at once. I think the most interesting thing someone can do is to just keep pulling on the threads that interest them and follow them to see where they lead. I’ve always done this and it’s what has allowed me to pivot careers from finance, to television, to biotechnology. The way my television career happened is wild. Long story short, it was the peak of the financial crisis and, like many finance professionals under 30 in New York City, I had lost my job. The market was in the can and I was unsure of my next move, but I knew I wanted it to be something more creative than finance and more closely aligned with my artistic background. Someone at a party told me I should enter a fitness modeling competition for the brand FILA. There was a casting call the next day. I won and was featured in a national ad campaign. I thought it would be fun to be on television so I approached FILA’s marketing director and suggested that we do a “business of sports wear” pitch to CNBC. It worked and that’s how I ended up on CNBC for the first time, where I met the anchor who I would later go on to co-host NBC’s first sports business TV show with. Main lessons: Take risks and don’t be afraid to ask for what you want; create your own opportunities and leverage whatever luck comes your way; listen to your inner voice and follow the things that light you up. Some pretty cool stuff can happen.

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 think this is a pretty standard life lesson, but I cannot emphasize it enough: Do not care what anyone thinks about you. I can’t point to a single mistake related to this, but I can think of plenty of times that I let this dictate a choice that I’m sure had downstream effects. We’re all guilty of making (or not making) decisions based on what other people think of us, or out of a desire to appear the way we think we ought to be. This is a recipe for unhappiness and hinders success. It’s important to be kind and compassionate, for sure. But be that way because it feels good, not because you feel obligated to appease others or because you think it will help you get ahead.

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 FOXO, we’re doing research and developing tools to help people live better, longer lives. We saw that life insurance — an antiquated, outdated industry — could desperately benefit from longevity science. So, we decided to revolutionize the product to educate and empower the consumer to take control of their lifespan. We like to say we’re reinventing life insurance the way that Tesla reinvented cars, and we’re using longevity science as our engine. Right now we’re using the science of epigenetics (your gene expression) along with our next-generation technology to make a bigger impact in the world. Health and wellness interventions need to be accurate but also accessible. Very few people will use complicated, cumbersome products that are difficult to manage. Our goal is to make it easy — spit in a tube, drop it in the mail, and receive a longevity report. It’s fast, painless, and free of charge to our customers. People don’t need to drive themselves to a lab for invasive, costly blood draws. No one wants to deal with that. Our aim is to reach more people and help them take control of their longevity using simple, biological-based insights.

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.

Eat a predominantly plant-based diet. This is a main key to longevity, backed up by many scientific studies like the two cited here. You could live more than 10 years longer by making this change, says a recent study. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is. Most Americans have only about 10% of their diets comprised of plants — far from adequate.

Good news: Your genes are not your destiny! This means you have more control than you think. Your environment and everyday behaviors play a huge part in your health and wellbeing. Look to your epigenetics to help guide you in that journey.

Diversity for the win! Most people understand the importance of diversity in nature; the same goes for your microbiome. It’s critical for your health to have a diverse gut microbiome and you can accomplish this by introducing a wide variety of fiber-rich foods, spices, seeds, etc., into your diet. Research shows that eating over 30 different plants per week is beneficial; there are apps to help you track this.

What you put into your body is critical, but there’s more to boosting longevity. Stress-reduction and love are so important. Mind-body connection, maintaining healthy relationships with other people, and meditation or mindful breathing practices can be helpful.

What’s best for improving your wellbeing and longevity isn’t some shiny new wearable device or new drug. What’s best is actually pretty simple and inexpensive: Eat a predominantly plant-based diet, hydrate, avoid alcohol and drugs, have good sleep hygiene, maintain supportive relationships/community, and move your body more!

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 would do what I’m doing now at FOXO. We truly believe this is the vehicle that’s going to help move the needle in a major way — life insurance should be about life, not death, right? Along with that, I am hyper-focused on bringing more transparency and ownership to people when it comes to longevity and life insurance. That’s why we allow people to download their own epigenetic data, for free, to see where and how their data is being used, and to easily opt out of any scientific studies. I’m glad the life insurance industry is finally having the conversations surrounding transparency and ownership when it comes to an individual’s personal health, but let’s really push the boundaries to encourage these leaders to put their money where their mouth is.

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

You come first. Protect your time and your wellbeing or you’ll experience burnout, resentment, unhappiness, and illness. Like they say on the airplane, put your oxygen mask on first or you’re of no use to anyone else. Good employers understand and support this. I’m super grateful to work for a company like FOXO where this is a priority.

Don’t pay attention to what other people think of you. (see my earlier answer)

Be kind. Sounds trite, but true. There’s so much unkindness in this world and we live in a competitive culture that rewards winning at all costs. That’s a false economy. Kindness costs nothing. Don’t be a pushover, but always treat others the way you want to be treated. It’s the “golden rule” for a reason.

Practice the rule of 20. Before reacting to something that provokes a strong thought or emotion, first wait 20 seconds, then wait 20 minutes, and if needed, even wait 20 hours before responding. Thank me later.

Do not ever compromise your morals or what you believe in for anything or anyone, and especially not for money. Try to see things from the perspective of others, of course, but do not let their worldview dictate yours.

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

All of them. Everything is connected and many people don’t realize that. We live in an integrated biosphere, where everything we do plays a part. What we eat, what we buy, and how we live among nature and alongside each other affect humanity’s well-being and the climate. There is no such thing as longevity in a vacuum. In fact, the things that will help keep us living better and longer are also best for the planet and all life on it. Consuming plant-based products, living more kindly towards others and ourselves, treating the environment with respect — these all yield broad benefits. This is how we bring longevity to all.

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

Check out FOXO at FoxoTechnologies.com and you can follow me on Instagram and Twitter @erinsharoni.

Thank you for these fantastic insights! We wish you continued success and good health.

Women In Wellness: Erin Sharoni Of FOXO Technologies 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.

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Bring the outside in — framing your windows in soft curtains or using shades that allow you to really optimize your outside view helps bring nature into the space and that is very grounding.

As part of my series on the “5 Things You Can Do To Help Your Living Space Spark More Joy”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Lauren Czarniecki.

Lauren Czarniecki is the Owner and Principal designer at Czar Interiors, a high-end design firm located in Delray Beach, FL. Lauren is known for creating spaces that align her background in Interior Design and Art History as well as her extensive world travel and experiences in Los Angeles, New York and South Florida. Her designs boast a neutral, clean and sophisticated look creating a calm and serene style for her clients without compromising luxury.

Thank you so much for joining us in this series! 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?

I’ve pretty much been involved in Interior Design and construction my whole life. My dad used to take me to job sites when I was a little girl — he’s also in construction. I pushed back a little while I was in university, but ended up applying for the Interior Design program and got in. I realized how passionate I was about it while in school and studying abroad.

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

I think one of the most interesting experiences I have had is working with Kelly Wearstler in the beginning of my career and really being able to see her creative side and how she works to come up with some of the concepts, patterns, and designs she has created. It has really helped me as a designer to start with the conceptual and creative side of a project and bring the fun and life into our projects.

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?

When I was in LA I was super excited to finally be able to go onto a job site for one of our projects we had been working on. As I was walking through, there were tile and wood installers near the entryway. We had a lot of beautiful patterned tiles in this house and for some reason I thought they were laying tile instead of wood floor and I accidentally stepped in the wood glue instead of the covered floor. It was kind of a mess but the installers helped me out and we all laughed. I told them not to tell anyone about it!

What did I learn? Watch where you step!

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? How do you think that might help people?

We are working on some beautiful modern new construction homes right now in Boca Raton, Ft Lauderdale, and Delray Beach, FL. I love working on homes with clean lines and simple architectural styles — the devil really is in the details. When you have simple palettes and clean lines, you really focus on how things transition, what materials are being used, what textures are being used, etc. I work with my clients to create spaces that are warm, comfortable and inviting in spaces that still look like they were photographed for Architectural Digest.

I think that a lot of the current aesthetic has moved toward the look of cleaner lines, lighter and brighter spaces but I think our perspective and design lens brings the warmth back in — yes, we want you to have everything put in its place so to speak but we also design so that you can feel comfortable having your family sitting on the sofa, feet up, enjoying the Superbowl together without worrying that someone is going to mess up your home.

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

My guru always tells me to Love and Serve. This quote has given me such perspective in my personal life but also in my work life and how I connect and work with clients, vendors, employees, etc. Yes of course you have to put yourself first so you have something to give, but after that I remember that I do what I do because I love it and want to help people love and feel comfortable and happy in their homes. I genuinely am here to love our clients, their homes or spaces, and serve to achieve the goals we have set out together.

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 would say there are two people — most notably is designer Kelly Wearstler. The time I spent interning and assisting in her studio in LA was invaluable. I really learned how to research, see the world in a different light and find inspiration in the smallest details — her creativity is so inspiring and when I need a lift, I remember my time there and going back to step one to get creative again. The second person in Ryan Brown, another designer I worked for while in LA — although I had a construction background from being on job sites with my dad when I was younger, I wasn’t the one directing a job site at that young age (obviously!). But when I worked with Ryan, he helped train me and allow me to learn from the contractors, subcontractors, and artisans we worked with on site to understand the process of construction from start to finish. Both have really given me a well-rounded perspective on interior design.

Thank you for that. Here is the main question of our discussion. What are your “5 Things You Can Do To Help Your Living Space Spark More Joy” and why. Please share a story or example for each.

1. Add fresh florals or greenery — even just a flower in a bud vase can liven up a space!

2. Scent — add a candle or diffuser with a scent that speaks to you — I love grapefruit and citrus scents and feel that they always give me more energy in my space.

3. Soft, cozy textures — having furniture that has comfortable textures is a great place to start. If you already have your key pieces, adding soft pillows or throws bring warmth and comfort to a space.

4. Bring the outside in — framing your windows in soft curtains or using shades that allow you to really optimize your outside view helps bring nature into the space and that is very grounding.

5. Artwork — bringing in pieces of art that speak to each individual can really bring individual joy — I personally like adding artwork with pops of color into a neutral space.

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. 🙂

There are SO many things I am passionate about, but currently I am really into health and wellness — maybe because of everything surrounding Covid or just where I am at in my life. So, I would say I would start a movement around health and wellbeing and teach people all what they can do to be the healthiest, best version of themselves.

We are very blessed that 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 whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this, especially if we tag them 🙂

The Queen of England — she has seen so much and been through so much change throughout the decades that I would love to gain some of her life perspective and I’m sure she has some great lessons to impart!

How can our readers follow you on social media?

You can check out our portfolio and our projects on our website czarinteriors.com and follow us @czarinteriors on Instagram or like our page, Czar Interiors, on Facebook.

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

Lauren Czarniecki of Czar Interiors: 5 Things You Can Do To Help Your Living Space Spark More Joy was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Disruptors: Cindy Scott of INNOCEAN USA On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

When I was in elementary school, I got in trouble for making origami puppets for the class and disrupting the lesson with a silly sideshow. When I got home, my father sat me down and asked me if I wanted to be the class clown or if I wanted to be the best student in the class. He told me that class clowns rarely are successful in life, and that I should put my energy into being a better student. It refocused me on learning as much as I could, everyday. I’ve carried that forward with me in life.

As a part of our series about women who are shaking things up in their industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Cindy Scott.

Cindy Scott is the SVP of Strategy at INNOCEAN USA where she has led the charge in establishing proven and consistent strategic processes across all disciplines on a global basis. She has been the strategic brains behind Hyundai achieving the most successful years in its history and has also overseen the high-level strategy for Hyundai’s future looking mobility research. By tapping into her analytical and creative sides, she has the unique ability to connect short term success with long term value creation.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! 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 like to describe my career as a series of happy accidents. I started college as a mathematics major. After completing all my math credits, I switched to art as a major. My career counselor told me that I had a future in ‘illustrating math books’. At that point, I thought I could apply my analytical problem solving to law, so I graduated and went to law school, where I dropped out after a year. It was then I remembered a book that my aunt had given me years before titled ‘100 of the greatest advertisements’ and I got an MBA in marketing.

My first job was with Toyota’s forklift division, which gave me an entry into the automotive world and I’ve more or less been drawn to automotive marketing ever since.

Can you tell our readers what it is about the work you’re doing that’s disruptive?

I think the automotive industry is pretty insular, and usually compares itself to other automotive brands. Sometimes that results in being the biggest chihuahua. We are working with Hyundai to think outside the of category to benchmark to the best brands in the world. This is resulting in our thinking very differently about creative and brand behaviors.

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?

The first presentation I ever made was to the organization’s sales team. It was all about insights about their performance in their markets and comparisons across regions. I had about 50 slides. I was so nervous that I went through all 50 in about 10 minutes. Needless to say, I got an awful lot of ribbing about that for a very long time. But I also found out that they were really interested in what I was (trying) to present.

It was an embarrassing moment, but I learned a lot. I learned that if your presentation is relevant to the audience, they will want to hear what you have to say. And if you take the time to give your audience new insight, they will become your best friends.

We all need a little help along the journey. Who have been some of your mentors? Can you share a story about how they made an impact?

I’ve been very lucky to have a number of mentors along the way. There were several non- traditional women in my family. I had an aunt who got her PHD and was a government economist. She would send me books for holidays and birthdays that opened my world view at an early age.

At a time when it was unusual, my mother worked full time from the time I was in elementary school. That inspired me to think beyond the normal life paths open to women.

One of my early mentors in the automotive business told me I needed to go to the field if I wanted to be successful. I was sent to Minnesota to sell parts to car dealers — something completely out of my comfort level. At first I thought I was just checking a box, but I learned so much about operations and the business in general. I also took bonded with the parts managers by bringing them competitive intelligence and what I would call prehistoric dashboards that identified new opportunities

That advice and consequent experience spurred me to welcome challenges outside of my comfort level and learn as much as I can about all clients’ business, to add as much value as I can.

In today’s parlance, being disruptive is usually a positive adjective. But is disrupting always good? When do we say the converse, that a system or structure has ‘withstood the test of time’? Can you articulate to our readers when disrupting an industry is positive, and when disrupting an industry is ‘not so positive’? Can you share some examples of what you mean?

Interesting question. Of course, disruption works great for challenger brands who need to change the game. But sometimes, leaders need to consider disruption. Many years ago, when I was at an agency known for disruption, I co-wrote a chapter for a book that identified seven instances where brands might want to consider disruption, even if you’ve never been a challenger brand:

1. If you are no longer setting category values

2. If you are relying more heavily on deals and promotions

3. When you feel invincible

4. When the competitive set changes

5. When your customer base looks different

6. When your customer base fails to look different

7. When you cannot articulate a clear vision for your brand

Of course, just because you answer yes to one or more of these, you still need to carefully assess what to disrupt and what to keep…

Can you share 3 of the best words of advice you’ve gotten along your journey? Please give a story or example for each.

1) When I was in elementary school, I got in trouble for making origami puppets for the class and disrupting the lesson with a silly sideshow. When I got home, my father sat me down and asked me if I wanted to be the class clown or if I wanted to be the best student in the class. He told me that class clowns rarely are successful in life, and that I should put my energy into being a better student. It refocused me on learning as much as I could, everyday. I’ve carried that forward with me in life.

2) One year, it was time for my annual review. My boss at the time was a bit unconventional. I sat down, and he had written one sentence on a piece of paper — ‘be the leader that you are’. This was not the kind of review that I was used to, but in the end, it may have been the most constructive. It changed my behavior. It gave me more confidence, but also made me realize that people looked up to me, and that they wanted to learn from me. That taught me to up my game, but more importantly, it taught me to try to inspire and nurture team members to be their best.

3) When I was transferred to Chicago to call on dealers in Minnesota, a friend of mine told me to buy a warm coat! That was a great piece of advice!

We are sure you aren’t done. How are you going to shake things up next?

If I tell you, it wouldn’t shake things up, would it?

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

Oh, I could write a book!! Essentially, being a disruptor is in direct conflict with the expectation that women are congenial. Disruption, by definition, involves a bit of contrarianism. That’s not ‘nice’…thus women disruptors have a hard time, as sometimes the recipients don’t distinguish the thought from the messenger.

Do you have a book/podcast/talk that’s had a deep impact on your thinking? Can you share a story with us?

One Christmas when I was in about 6th grade, the Aunt that I referenced above gave me the book, ‘100 of the World’s Greatest Advertisements’. I loved that book, and deconstructed every ad –why it was great; how it communicated with impact, etc. It eventually inspired me to pursue advertising.

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. 🙂

When I taught marketing at Cal State Long Beach, I had many students who were going to be first generation college grads, and had no role models in their family. Essentially, they were charting their own course. I would love to see more companies engage in mentoring programs that could help students understand how to get their first job, and what to expect.

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

I had a boss that used to say ‘All’s well that ends’. While he said it as a joke, I believe that every experience, good or bad, can teach you something. Regardless of the outcome, always look at what you can learn from the experience.

How can our readers follow you online?

I have a Blog, ‘Creating Brand Traction’, that I wish I updated more regularly.

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

Female Disruptors: Cindy Scott of INNOCEAN USA On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Be happy that you were born a human being. There are many kinds of living organisms and animals in the universe. Among them, it is a miracle to be born as a human being who can think and act. Be grateful for that. Animals don’t have minds, so they can’t be enlightened. Humans, through various experiences, can understand whether something is good or bad, can evolve themselves in a better direction, and eventually become the best human beings they can be. It is possible for humans to raise their consciousness and become saints; to purify themselves inside.

As a part of our series about “5 Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Dramatically Improve One’s Wellbeing”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Yogmata Keiko Aikawa.

Yogmata Keiko Aikawa developed an early interest in yoga and naturopathy, which led her to travels in Tibet, China, and India. She has received the title of Mahamandaleshwar, or Supreme Master of the Universe, in India. Yogmata-Ji is the first woman and non-Indian to achieve this status. She is currently working with the United Nations on a series of international conferences. Yogmata-Ji’s charitable work includes the Yogmata Foundation dedicated to funding mobile hospitals to remote villages in India. Her global mission is to bring love and kindness to all. She has published over thirty books.

Yogmata performed 18 public Samadhis, most notably at the Maha Kumbh Mela, a festival held once every 144 years and attended by over 70 million people, including prominent celebrities and figures such as His Holiness the Dalai Lama 14th, Madonna, and Paul McCartney.

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 story about how you first got involved in mental wellness?

I had acne as a high school student. My dermatologist had difficulty treating my bad acne, so I tried eating a healthy diet, doing some exercise, and even fasting. Then I came across Yoga. Afterwards, I practiced “Zen”. At one point, I became too lazy to practice what I should, relaxed too much, and I caught tuberculosis. And that was when I became more serious about studying Yoga. Soon after that, I started teaching Yoga. Because I wanted to help others, I studied Yoga and other religions, psychology, oriental medicine etc.. I eventually came to operate 50 Yoga classes in Tokyo.

Then in my late 30’s, I had an opportunity to get to know a Himalayan Saint who was invited by a local TV station to take part in a documentary program about himself. This connection gave me an opportunity to visit the Himalayas with him.

In the Himalayas, I practiced deep meditation training to achieve the state of enlightenment. And finally, I reached the state of the ultimate enlightenment called samadhi where I became aware of the ultimate truth of the universe.

I became aware of the mechanism of our body, mind and soul. And I became the one who can bless people in the world. For many years after that, I performed a number of “public underground Samadhi” every year to send blessing to people, and to promote world peace.

Now, I am teaching essential meditation to guide people to know true happiness and reach the state of enlightenment. This is about mental health. I am teaching a practical method for people to strengthen their mind, purify themselves, balance themselves, then even go beyond mind, to become one with the energy of God so that they can be a wonderful person.

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

I had been trying really hard in my life, but through the experience of transcending the mind, transcending time, and transcending space, I found there was no more suffering. My possibilities expanded and my mind became free.

It means to reach the ultimate stage of consciousness.

Remove the mind from the point where you have been firmly attaching to something, then a good character from within will spring forth.

When we go beyond the body by practicing mindlessness — not thinking, dying, ceasing to breathe, stopping all physiological functions — we meet the astral body and beyond that, we meet the soul.

Then I realized that there is an immeasurable mysterious power within each person, that we are all children of God, that everyone has this potential, and to live that is to truly grow. By sharing this, we can all help each other to develop good energy and bring out the best in each other.

Can you share with our readers a bit about why you are an authority in the personal wellness field? In your opinion, what is your unique contribution to the world of wellness?

I purified my mind and body, transcended them, and became one with the existence of the source and experienced the truth. This means I had reached the state of ultimate samadhi. Then I obtained the power to change other people.

By connecting with me, believing in the Master of Enlightenment, and practicing the Himalayan sacred teachings that I teach, you can be led from suffering in darkness to the world of light, and evolve your lost and confused consciousness to become a person of love and peace.

What is the purpose of your lives? You will raise your consciousness to the true purpose of this life, and it will further awaken you to a way of life that will bring you true happiness. You will shift from the use of this body and mind and being caught up in desires and suffering to the true way of life.

You will connect to the source, believe, draw power, prepare your mind and body, and live a life of true growth with hope. As a Himalayan saint, I guide you on the path of truth. I guide you on the path to becoming the best human being you can be, and the way of living to realize the truth. I transmit energy so that you can practice it easily. That is the best way to be healthy.

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?

Hari Baba, a Himalayan Siddha master, and his disciple, another Himalayan Siddha master, Pilot Baba are the ones who influenced me. In my 20’s and 30’s, I often traveled to India to learn Yoga. In my late 30’s, Pilot Baba was invited to Japan by a Japanese TV station. At that time, I was already famous in the Yoga community in Japan, therefore, I was asked to assist the program.

Afterwards, Pilot Baba invited me to the Himalayas where I was initiated with energy to pursue the path to reach the state of Samadhi and I was taught this meditation method by the great Himalayan sage, Hari Baba. I practiced this method deeply. It was an irreplaceable experience to meet my father of the soul. Unintentionally, I was moved to tears when I met him. Also, Pilot Baba has always encouraged me as a senior saint.

Ok thank you for all that. Now let’s move to the main focus of our interview. We all know that it’s important to eat more vegetables, eat less sugar, exercise more, and get better sleep etc. But while we know it intellectually, it’s often difficult to put it into practice and make it a part of our daily habits. In your opinion what are the 3 main blockages that prevent us from taking the information that we all know, and integrating it into our lives?

I think one block is to worry about what people will think of you. As a result, we are unable to think about the importance of what we need to do and so we don’t continue.

Or we worry about what people will think of us if we are different from others.

The Himalayan sacred teachings are a path of truth, not dependence. To be connected to the truth means to be on the true path. Just do it and don’t worry about what others think.

The second block is a lack of respect for yourself, a lack of love, a lack of love for yourself, a lack of belief in yourself.

The third block is a lack of concentration, which weakens your willpower and your ability to keep going.

Can you please share your “5 Non-Intuitive Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Dramatically Improve One’s Wellbeing”? (Please share a story or an example for each, and feel free to share ideas for mental, emotional and physical health.)

1. Be happy that you were born a human being. There are many kinds of living organisms and animals in the universe. Among them, it is a miracle to be born as a human being who can think and act. Be grateful for that. Animals don’t have minds, so they can’t be enlightened. Humans, through various experiences, can understand whether something is good or bad, can evolve themselves in a better direction, and eventually become the best human beings they can be. It is possible for humans to raise their consciousness and become saints; to purify themselves inside.
2. There is a saying that “like attracts like.” We attract those with the same qualities as our own. When you practice the Himalayas sacred teachings and change yourself, what you then attract will also change. You will be able to attract the best things. Actually, it is not so much about attracting, but rather about returning to them. So, it is important to believe in your true self; the self from the eternal existence. Believe that there is a being inside of you that keeps you alive, an infinite being that always supports you. No matter how lost you are, how swayed your mind is, how much your mind moves, how much you suffer, there is an existence that watches over you.
3. Do what you’ve been given, enjoy it, and be grateful. Focus on the present. You have a job to do, you can creatively make various useful things for your life, you can make things that make people happy. You can do good deeds. It is good to do things, through your body, that influence true growth of your soul and others. Then, focus on the present and enjoy it. You will not attract anything negative. This way is the least draining on your energy.
4. Even if you have a bad day, it happened in order for you to learn, so accept it as a learning experience. Don’t take it negatively, be grateful. Be grateful for everything. Every situation teaches you something. When the mind thinks negatively, it causes bad things to occur. Be grateful what you have learned from all bad situations. Eventually, time will have moved on and it will pass.
5. There is a law of karma, which states that your actions sow the seed of a cause, and the result will either be fruitful or not. Therefore, a good action becomes a good cause and leads to a good result. As you accumulate such actions, your body and mind will be guided in the right direction and your destiny will change. An action is a good action, a good thought, or a good word. In this way, we perform various actions during our lives. It is important to be aware of these actions and do good deeds without hurting others or yourself. Then your destiny will surely open up. Even if you don’t get praise from others, do it selflessly.

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

This is a book about Buddhism. I enjoy wondering what the Buddha was actually like.

It is interesting to see how the Buddha lived his life and how he attained enlightenment.

After six years of hard training, he finally found meditation.

Now I am teaching you the secret of meditation from the beginning, but the Buddha spent six years seeking, here and there, a teacher of meditation and truth. At the end he was fasting and about to collapse.

When a woman named Sujata came to pray to the tree gods for a child, the Buddha was there, so she offered him some rice porridge.

The Buddha ate it and somehow gained enough strength and was able to sit down, meditate and attain enlightenment. Thus, he opened up the way.

Now, thanks to these predecessors, we are lucky enough to have found meditation without having to go through a rigorous process. And it is only by meeting a true, well-informed meditation master that we can continue on this path.

In addition, I came across the enlightenment teachings of the Himalayan saints who are older than the Buddha, and even in this modern age, the teachings of truth are still alive. It is the most important fundamental teaching for all human beings.

It is a miracle that I have the opportunity to share this with you now, and I am very grateful for it.

I believe that now is the time for everyone to become a real person.

You are a person of enormous 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. 🙂

Where everyone practices Himalayan sacred teachings. Everyone meditates and prays.

We become people of cosmic love and give out love.

We pray for the happiness of others. Be kind to others. We help others. We see God in each other and believe in each other. There is a Source, a Super Consciousness, and we can connect to it and draw its power. We pray for the happiness of all people with love for the earth, the universe, and humanity.

We do this in our homes, in our communities, across all religions, countries, and races. Because we are all children of the universe, we all have a soul, and everyone can practice this.

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

“When the mind is empty, the fire is also cool.”

Harmonize the workings of your mind and brain to create oneness.

Then the mind and body become silent.

Without thought, the workings of the brain and mind are stilled.

You are quiet, unaffected by the people whose activities are burning around you.

When you are not influenced by your surroundings, but are connected to God, connected to the truth, connected to the unmoving place, you can live while receiving power from it.

You can live for the happiness of all, calmly and without being at the mercy of those around you, making calm decisions, not decisions of the ego, but correct decisions.

I think this is a good way to describe this.

We are very blessed that 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 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 believe that everyone has great talent, is hardworking, open-minded, and has good karma.

I am interested in all of you. I wish you all happiness.

I believe that everyone is interested in becoming immortal, enlightened, becoming their own master, and enhancing the workings of their own life.

I would like to meet people who are interested in maintaining eternal youth.

How can we extend death, live without stress, and make life shine?

How can we inspire wisdom and contact infinite love?

These are paths that money can’t buy, but paths that will improve your quality and make you a saint. I think everyone is interested in this.

I would share this with you. To receive a new life, to die, be resurrected and reborn.

Be like Christ, be like Buddha. Even if you have everything, don’t be satisfied with that yet. You are an excellent person who can contribute more to the world.

You will be admired in this world and can aim for truth so that your soul can further influence your next life. Your encounter with me will enable this.

I am interested in everyone. The talents that God has given you are amazing.

And even more, you will experience God himself.

Please go back to your source. I’m looking forward to meeting you. I am looking forward to meeting famous people from all walks of life.

I am your mother’s age and I would like to share the benefits of the Himalayas with you.

Celebrities, rich people, actors, actresses, writers, politicians, and more, if you want to contribute to society, why don’t you become a saint?

You will meet even more amazing inner treasures just as you are!

How about Jeff Bezos or Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex?

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

Please search my website “Yogmata.com”

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

Yogmata Keiko Aikawa: 5 Lifestyle Tweaks That Can Dramatically Improve Your Wellbeing was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Founders: Magalie René of Workplace Catalyst On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

No one is doing you a favor: I thought people were doing me a favor by supporting me and they weren’t. As a business owner, it’s important to understand that you’re providing a service and others are partnering with you as a person of value. People don’t partner with you as a favor — they want to create a win/win and your talent and skill are integral to that. You are worthy.

As a part of our series about “Why We Need More Women Founders”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Magalie René.

Magalie René is a Compassion & Confidence Expert, CEO of Workplace Catalyst, and a Transformational Coach. She supports leaders in finding the confidence to shift their habits to create impactful solutions for compassionate leadership, workplace wellness, diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! 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?

As a compassion and confidence expert, I use radical compassion to conquer imposter syndrome. My dedication to Workplace Catalyst along with my other business ventures stemmed from my own personal and professional journey. Working hard and doing meaningful work has been instilled in me by my Haitian immigrant parents (i.e. failure wasn’t an option). They wanted me to become a lawyer, however, I ended up spending about 15 years in Public Relations and Marketing before becoming a founder.

Throughout my career, as a Haitian woman working in corporate America, I faced imposter syndrome, microaggressions, and plenty of adversity. Those experiences created a deep understanding of the connection between compassion and confidence. I created frameworks to transform discomfort (like the discomfort that I experienced) into engaging, positive, and meaningful experiences.

With a degree in communications, I have dedicated my life’s work to teaching people how to become confident and compassionate in both their workplace and in their personal lives. Because that helps us get beyond our unconscious bias and our limiting beliefs so we can create safety and empowerment.

Our Workplace Catalyst team facilitates interactive, thought-provoking workshops, and curriculums that bridge compassionate leadership, well-being, and belonging so that the ‘Magalie’s’ of today don’t allow false narratives — external or internal — to handicap them from unleashing their full potential.

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

I use radical compassion to normalize tough conversations and I use my own experiences to relate to my clients.

Once in a client setting, I shared a term I learned from my previous relationship with my Irish ex-husband, describing someone’s departure as an “Irish Exit,” and it offended an audience member.

Hypersensitivity was a topic I covered in this particular workshop and I leveraged this real-time example to demonstrate compassionate leadership. More specifically, I used our step-by-step “Responsibility” framework to demonstrate ownership of intention and outcome. I also personally was reminded of the delicate nature of race and ethnicity in storytelling, workshops, and the workplace at large. This particular moment in my career was significant because teaching in the ‘hot seat’ was one of my most effective programs thus far.

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?

Looking back, the funniest mistake that I’ve ever made was attempting to be perfect — which is a joke because there’s no such thing! As humans, we are always evolving and changing and I now view perfectionism as a limiting belief. I’ve learned that the idea and chase of perfection will undoubtedly damage your wellbeing.

While eliminating perfection as a goal I got clear on four key learnings that support my clients. Perfectionism is a thief of: opportunities, accomplishments, time, and impact.

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?

Agreed! I truly believe that you can learn something from everyone at all levels. I sometimes find myself feeling as inspired by a waitress as a C-suite executive and must note that I couldn’t have gotten to where I am today without the support of many, my mother in particular. As my first teacher she has always believed in and had high expectations for me. Her mantra is “yes, you can.”

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. According to this EY report, only about 20 percent of funded companies have women founders. This reflects great historical progress, but it also shows that more work still has to be done to empower women to create companies. In your opinion and experience what is currently holding back women from founding companies?

I am truly proud to be a woman and love the increase in female founders over the years. And, yes, we definitely have a lot of work to do to increase the number of women-owned businesses.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with several Fortune 500 companies, however, the majority of them are male-led. I’ve found that the following tends to hold women back: the internalization of external messaging that says we’re not as good as our male counterparts… which breeds self-doubt, Imposter Syndrome, fear of taking risks to name a few. This is why I’ve dedicated my life’s work to compassionate leadership and confidence. When women hone those two important areas it acts as rocket fuel and propels them forward.

Can you help articulate a few things that can be done as individuals, as a society, or by the government, to help overcome those obstacles?

Self mastery, society, and the government all play a part in the success of women-owned companies. As mentioned, self-work is the most important work that a female CEO will ever do. If you don’t believe in yourself you won’t truly believe in the vision of your company. And, if you don’t believe, who will?

As a society if we are really committed to supporting the next generation of female founders we each get to move out of judgment and negative culture and shift to a more uplifting and inspirational civilization. We get to create a culture of encouragers instead of naysayers.

Many resources are out there but people with less access may not learn about them. It’s essential that the government not only create grants to financially support the vision of women-led companies, but also make resources and capital accessible and visible to all women in every neighborhood. Free or affordable classes to help women learn the necessary skills to run a successful businesses move the needle in big ways when taken advantage of.

This might be intuitive to you as a woman founder but I think it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you share a few reasons why more women should become founders?

There are a lot of reasons why people want to become founders and women should become founders if they sincerely want to be entrepreneurs. However, it is important to understand that not everyone is meant to be an entrepreneur. Many consider stepping into the entrepreneurial space because they’re looking for financial independence, work-life-balance and control of their own destiny and schedule. We definitely need more women founders for little girls to look up to, but I must note that founders are never truly “off-duty.”

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

There’s this untrue narrative that there’s only one way to be successful when in reality there are a million paths to achieve what you define as success.

Many believe “you have to overwork to be successful” when in reality balance is what will help you achieve sustainably successful life and business. “Grinding for 24-hours a day,” isn’t it.

Another big Myth (read: lie) is that women can’t be successful founders and have families and women must instead choose one of the two options — family or success. But, women can in fact have it all without having to sacrifice their family or business. Having a supportive spouse and/or community who believes in true partnership will help you create the fulfilling life you want.

Is everyone cut out to be a founder? In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful founder and what type of person should perhaps seek a “regular job” as an employee? Can you explain what you mean?

Founders must be risk takers, committed, and have a passion, love, or deep interest for their business/brand. It’s important to have a growth/learner mindset. If future founders possess these traits, I believe they can do it. If you’re someone who needs a weekly paycheck to feel “safe,” or you’re not easily motivated, and lack deep interest — the founder-life is probably not for you.

Our Workplace Catalyst programs start with “mindset.” If a business owner has a fixed mindset and is not open to failing forward, they won’t succeed. To be honest, they probably won’t even be successful in a traditional 9–5 role.

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

I wish someone had told me the following 5 things:

No one is doing you a favor: I thought people were doing me a favor by supporting me and they weren’t. As a business owner, it’s important to understand that you’re providing a service and others are partnering with you as a person of value. People don’t partner with you as a favor — they want to create a win/win and your talent and skill are integral to that. You are worthy.

Show up as your real self: As a woman I used to believe I needed to act in ways that mirrored men (masculine energy) or were inauthentic to me. People see through that and most importantly YOU know you’re not being real. It is important to show up 100% as yourself when stepping into leadership. You’ll connect more powerfully and inspire trust and influence.

There’s power in being a minority: Understand that in comparison to men, the world has just a few female founders (even fewer women of color in leadership). While that comes with a great deal of pressure and adversity you conquering and succeeding will have enormous impact. You’re among the few and because of that you’ll be a significant example for those who come after you.

What you bring to the table is valuable and needed: Imposter syndrome comes up a lot in my work. Understanding that your service is valuable and others can benefit from you — believing in yourself will take female founders far.

Get comfortable with the unknown: Embrace the unknown as adventure and turn discomfort into discovery.

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

Through Workplace Catalyst, I’ve been able to impact over 400 corporate teams and more than 300,000 workers and step into several rooms with thousands of people. I believe fundamental transformation begins when my team and I address the people’s side of change. Conducting one DEI training doesn’t change corporations; working with people and helping them to hone their Compassionate Leadership skills and address their biases is what creates change.

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.

This might sound cliche, but I would love to inspire a world peace movement. We’ve heard it before, but the statement is true that “hurt people, hurt people.” Our world is in so much pain and there are so many people with fixed mindsets who can’t or won’t grow. I truly believe if everyone on this planet approached life with an open mind and took the time to truly heal themselves we could achieve world peace. Self-reflection and self-work are world-changing.

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.

My favorite pastime is laughing uncontrollably over a delicious meal. Whoopi Goldberg and Ali Wong are two female comedians who would be incredible to meet. Comedians have an important place in society and these two are truth-tellers. It’s so healing to find the humor in the painful parts of the human experience. That’s why I find it so easy to relate to comics. Whoopi and Ali have broken down unimaginable barriers and perfected their craft despite the adversity they’ve faced as female comics. I’d love to share a laugh with them!

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

Female Founders: Magalie René of Workplace Catalyst On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

An Interview With Candice Georgiadice

Iterate and Act on Ideas: Having small, achievable actions — in the place you already are- is important for one’s own faith in a project. It keeps the momentum going, and allows your own creativity to be part of your everyday life.

Many in the fashion industry have been making huge pivots in their business models. Many have turned away from the fast fashion trend. Many have been focusing on fashion that also makes a social impact. Many have turned to sustainable and ethical sourcing. Many have turned to hi tech manufacturing. Many have turned to subscription models. What are the other trends that we will see in the fashion industry? What does it take to lead a successful fashion brand today?

In our series called, “5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today” we are talking to successful leaders of fashion brands who can talk about the Future of Fashion and the 5 things it takes to lead a successful fashion brand in our “new normal.”

As a part of this series I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing San Kim.

San Kim considers himself a quiet observer — inspired by everyday subjects, regular people going about their day. That’s where he finds his inspiration, creating his own unique visual language that references society around him. During the height of the pandemic, he focused on what he could create within the chaos: Stuck inside, as we all were, he gathered up plastic supermarket bags he had lying around, sat down on his kitchen floor, and started one by one to begin to create.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood “backstory”?

I grew up in Seongsu-dong, which is a semi-industrial area of Seoul, Korea. Back then, there were a lot of factories that made shoes and leather bags, and there was always all kinds of factory waste, like leather scraps and acrylic scraps lying around. I would go and collect them and then cut them up, connecting them together in different ways. Growing up, I didn’t have toys to play with, so I would create my own toys by hand every day. I feel like I still create the same way: Working with what’s available to me.

Can you tell us the story about what led you to this particular career path?

When I was little, I was a very quiet and shy child. Like many other Korean parents, my parents wanted me to have a promising and stable job, like being a lawyer or doctor. But I was a timid child. I understood the value of these careers for our society, but I couldn’t understand why I personally should pursue such work. To me, a career in law depends on bad incidents happening, and a career in medicine depends on sick people- and these jobs seem to require a huge amount of responsibility, with a single tiny mistake influencing other people’s lives in tremendous ways.

When I was around 13 years old, I got an assignment from school to write about a job that I want to get in the future. Just then, I happened to watch a fashion show on TV for the first time in my life. There, I could see only happy people, including the audience, the designer, and the models. I saw how people waited for each dress to come out, and saw how much joy and excitement it brought to them. I thought to myself, “wouldn’t it be great to have a job like that? It brings so much happiness to so many people.” At that moment, I decided to be a designer.

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

I was completing my Masters in Menswear in England during the pandemic, and everyone was avoiding going out from home. You would barely see a single person on the streets. With my inflatable pieces that I made for my graduation work, I decided to go out on the Tube. There, I would see some people out and about. They would approach me, often with a weird look, and offer handshakes and words. After weeks of not seeing anyone, I finally felt like I was able to connect with other people by stepping outside in one of my strange pieces.

You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

I try not to do things simply for the sake of success, per se — but to share my personal outlook… First, I observe very ordinary things. I look at them with a telescope, with a microscope, in slow motion, in this way, in that way, flipping it, spinning it. Second, I start iterating right away, with very “doable tasks” that can begin in a corner of my room. Third, I go as far as I can, thinking “if not, whatever.” I always do what I can enjoy and believe in, so I don’t worry about failures. I just go until I can’t.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

I just keep my work close to my own interpretation of the world, drawing from my journal of what I see and what I feel. I interpret “fashion design” as an expression of what’s happening around me, what I see people experiencing, how I see them behaving–then I design toward my own interpretation.

With the inflatables I created during the pandemic, that was me interpreting how society was responding to the virus: As I searched on the internet I would often find images of people cautiously peeping out with supermarket plastic bags over their heads while they’re on the subway; or people doing their banking with large plastic water bottles on their heads. These images made me both sympathetic to the people, and also gave me a boost of positive energy because they weren’t using plastic bags for trash–they were being creative.

So I knew I wanted to work with plastic grocery bags for material; and then when I went about designing, my inspiration for some of the shapes I ended up with came from post-World War II Atomic Age artwork — you can find designs related to protective clothing and round spheres from that age. But that was really just about the design: I also focused on the complex emotions at that time, such as fear, and repulsion — but also hope and expectation. The reaction of mankind to the advent of a new era that had never been encountered before. These emotions were a great inspiration, and paralleled what I was seeing all around me.

Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story of how that was relevant to you in your life?

“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist” — Picasso

Once the project is started, whatever it is, I believe in focusing more than 90% of your effort on it, researching everything related to that project. Once I observe, understand, and identify in that way, I turn it over and subvert it.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Do you see any fascinating developments emerging over the next few years in the fashion industry that you are excited about? Can you tell us about that?

While I’m a fashion designer, I sometimes wonder if what I create is even “fashion” in the typical sense. Fashion (with a capital F) — which can evoke an idea of elegant, “fancy” fashion — is almost unapproachable to me; it’s too out-of-reach. So what’s interesting to me is watching how the onset of digital fashion is opening up new ways to create and to communicate to people. In a way, it’s much more approachable, and democratized in that there are no rules. There seems to be less judgment, and there’s more room to play because nothing is the “right” way.

Fashion for me is a “visual language,” in which every decision that I make within my designs is part of a language and a message that I want to communicate. With digital, I’m excited to expand my creativity even further, and connect with people in ways I wouldn’t normally be able to with my designs — like telling a story through AR or VR, or allowing people to wear my creations (that aren’t typically wearable) in a virtual way. I honestly hadn’t thought about this before my project with VMOD, but now I see how to work with digital as a new tool.

Can you share how your brand is helping to bring goodness to the world?

Well, I just do what I enjoy and what I believe is valuable. There must be some people who share the same values as me. I just work for me and them — connecting us together.

Can you share with our readers about the ethical standards you use when you choose where to source materials?

Going back to me as a kid, creating my own toys with found materials, the idea of “insufficiency” is what inspired me originally — and it’s what has helped me form my own creative style to this day. I bring that up because it’s something I reflect on when selecting materials — just like using plastic grocery bags for my inflatables — so I “source” from what’s around me, versus using virgin materials. And, in working with VMOD, I saw firsthand how real-life materials come to life in a different way in 3D or AR — which is a totally new way to think of “materials.”

Fast fashion has an advantage, that it is affordable for most people, but it also has the drawback that it does not last very long and is therefore not very sustainable. What are your thoughts about this? How does your company address this question?

I have to be honest: I still don’t know how we can make real-life fashion sustainable. Sustainability is important, and I know I still have a lot more to learn. As a person working in the fashion industry and as a designer who can make those choices, I clearly have an unlimited responsibility for the environment — so it is something I have to think deeply about. This is partly why I used the materials I did to create my inflatables you see on VMOD — I used what was going to go to waste.

As far as digital fashion goes, to confess, at first, I thought that this world of digital fashion was not for me: My materials are easily found around me, the shapes I use are simple… So I kind of assumed that cutting-edge areas like digital fashion were outside of my reach, that they were too far away. But while I was working on this project with VMOD, I gained the confidence to raise my work to the next level in all areas — how can I communicate and express the topics of breaking suppression from standards or sustainability? My imagination has become infinite.

Thank you for all that. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand”. Please share a story or example for each.

Well, I don’t think my brand is a “successful” brand just yet…Nevertheless, I will try listing up based on what I’ve learned so far:

1. Maintaining Personal Health (Physical, Mental): Focus on yourself first — feeling healthy and centered expands creativity and new thinking.

2. Be Deeply Interested: Allow yourself to be fascinated- pursuing an interest, a niche, a hobby all the way and learning from the community that also interacts with it.

3. Hone the Ability to Observe: There’s a slower pace in simply observing — for instance, sitting in a public space without the distraction of a phone, and allowing your surroundings to shapeshift and unfold around you.

4. Step Away / Lose Interest: Just as it’s important to become obsessed with something, it’s equally important to break the spell and step away. Interrupting a pattern and gaining some clarity can bring in new energy to a project.

5. Iterate and Act on Ideas: Having small, achievable actions — in the place you already are- is important for one’s own faith in a project. It keeps the momentum going, and allows your own creativity to be part of your everyday life.

Every industry constantly evolves and seeks improvement. How do you think the fashion industry can improve itself? Can you give an example?

All types of human industry seem to be evolving and changing at the speed of light. I believe in finding a balance: as we call it, 溫故知新 (“review the old and learn the new”). I find that it is key to embrace the newness- fusing it with older or different technologies, and even a brand’s identity or philosophy.

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. 🙂

Well, I am just a small, individual designer. I always try to learn what would be beneficial for our environment or society, and try to act accordingly. I think at least this attitude can inspire some people to think about their own openness to change, their own ability to have an impact.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

Vmod.com

San Kim instagram

VMOD instagram

San Kim Video

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

Modern Fashion: San Kim On The 5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Keep going: Throughout any career, there are going to be highs and lows but if you are able to stay even-keeled, you will be able to problem solve and overcome the challenges in a more effective manner.

As a part of our series about women who are shaking things up in their industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Gauri Shah.

Zaffori is led by 22-year-old Gauri Shah.The fashion industry became of such interest to her when she was residing in New York that she knew she wanted to combine her love of business and fashion. This led her to the creation of Zaffori, an e-commerce platform that aims to shine a light on international luxury designers that specialize in made-to-order/made-to-measure apparel.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! 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’ve always had great interest in business and fashion. While in university, many of the classes that I attended were related to business and fashion, and I knew that I wanted to incorporate both fields into my career, and fortunately, Zaffori has provided me with that opportunity.

Can you tell our readers what it is about the work you’re doing that’s disruptive?

We live in the culture of fast fashion and long-term that model for our environment and society is not sustainable. Where Zaffori significantly differs is that our pieces are hand crafted and made to order only when an order is received. Essentially, we operate in slow fashion.

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?

So actually the original idea was for Zaffori to operate as a designer itself. However, I quickly realized that there are many designers who are extremely talented and just need a platform to showcase their talents to a global audience.

We all need a little help along the journey. Who have been some of your mentors? Can you share a story about how they made an impact?

The support of my parents has been the most important and impactful in not only my life but in also helping build my career.

In today’s parlance, being disruptive is usually a positive adjective. But is disrupting always good? When do we say the converse, that a system or structure has ‘withstood the test of time’? Can you articulate to our readers when disrupting an industry is positive, and when disrupting an industry is ‘not so positive’? Can you share some examples of what you mean?

With regards to Zaffori breaking the cycle of fast fashion is a positive disruption. As I mentioned, long term it is not beneficial to our environment and society. When disruption is not so positive, well an example of that would be the opposite of slow fashion when fast fashion really entered in the late 90s/early 2000s it causes big disruption in the fashion industry. As it is so detrimental to the environment but also the value of craftsmanship and true design has diminished significantly over time.

Can you share 3 of the best words of advice you’ve gotten along your journey? Please give a story or example for each.

Work with passion: If you are not passionate about what you are building and trying to put out, the end result will never be what you envisioned.

Keep going: Throughout any career, there are going to be highs and lows but if you are able to stay even-keeled, you will be able to problem solve and overcome the challenges in a more effective manner.

One day at a time: When starting a new career path, many new challenges are thrown your way but if you’re able to stay present and focus on the day’s work ahead and not get caught up in all the work for the future, you will be able to see greater output in your work.

We are sure you aren’t done. How are you going to shake things up next?

Well you know as mentioned earlier, we are going to take it one day at a time and see what lines up for the future. As of right now, we are all working towards establishing Zaffori in the e-commerce space.

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

Lack of credibility, because oftentimes, women have to keep proving themselves over and over again even though their track record is excellent.

Do you have a book/podcast/talk that’s had a deep impact on your thinking? Can you share a story with us?

I read The Alchemist last year, and it told a great story about the importance of staying true to yourself and finding the path that’s right for you.

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. 🙂

Because of fast fashion, child labor has gone up dramatically over the past 2 decades. This obviously needs to be eradicated from society hence the movement I would like to be apart of would be: a safe working environment with fair labor practices and wages for all people regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, etc.

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

“Don’t sweat the small stuff” — Stressing over small things is just simply not worth it, as time is valuable and those things usually don’t matter after a few weeks.

How can our readers follow you online?

You can follow us on Instagram @zafforiofficial and Facebook @Zaffori

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

Thank you!

Female Disruptors: Gauri Shah of Zaffori On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.