Month: August 2022

Female Disruptors: Courtney Bigony of 15Five On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

I want to inspire the world to join the modern human potential movement, both tech creators and technology users. I want tech creators to join together in a larger movement to build positive technology and for technology users to have access to technology that helps them self-actualize.

As a part of our series about women who are shaking things up in their industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Courtney Bigony. Courtney is on a mission to unlock human potential at scale and invented a new method for creating human potential technology called Positive Product Design™ to do just that. She is a Strategic Science Advisor at 15Five, the first company to implement the method to unlock human potential at work, and founding member of The Positive Product Design Collective, an invite-only community established for companies and tech creators who publicly pledge to design for good and help humanity thrive together. She holds a Masters of Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania where she studied with Martin Seligman, the father of positive psychology.

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?

My career path is far from traditional. I went from being a full-time yoga instructor to becoming a Silicon Valley tech leader. My journey started in college, when I wrote my honors thesis on authenticity at work. I was always drawn to this idea of self-actualization and human potential and was inspired to bring these ideas to the workplace, because it’s where people spend the majority of their lives.

I was a yoga instructor for several years before transitioning to People Ops (HR), a move I made because I thought it would best position me to help people thrive at work. Entry level roles for women tend to be admin-heavy, but I went into the position with a “no-admin-work” rule (research shows women are disproportionately given office housework). So, I had to find a way to move beyond admin work and impact the business in a way that was aligned with my strengths and interests.

I have always been drawn to TED Talks and books on business psychology (think: Drive by Dan Pink, Peak by Chip Conley, Start with Why by Simon Sinek) and learned about the science of thriving workplaces by following academic thought leaders like Adam Grant and saw science as an untapped resource to design the world’s best workplace.

I job crafted a new role six months after being hired that allowed me to build people programs, including onboarding, recognition, performance management programs, out of the latest science.

Inspired to help this science spread even farther, I created a website called The Deep Feedback Movement where I broke down complex research into actionable tips to inspire other companies to develop their own innovative people programs.

The website captured the attention of 15Five CEO, David Hassell, who hired me to instill 15Five’s product with the latest science. My first task was designing my job description where I drew upon my strengths, passions, and interests to define a role that would benefit both myself and 15Five.

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

I’m on a mission to unlock human potential at scale and invented a new method for creating human potential technology called Positive Product Design to do just that. In short, it teaches tech creators how to use science to innovate healthy product features.

To truly make an impact, tech creators and leaders must measure the impact of their products and whether they are truly unlocking human potential. This is why I, with cognitive scientist Dr. Jeff Smith and leading self-actualization scientist Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman, developed the Human Potential Index, which is currently the most complete measure of human potential for tech creators.

Outside of developing these tools, I lead people science at 15Five, a human-centered workplace technology company and the first company to use the method to unlock human potential at work. I’ve helped them design and build features into their platform that help thousands of organizations unlock psychological safety, increase intrinsic motivation, and strengthen relationships at scale, as well as help people foster a growth mindset, promote nonviolent communication, and counter biases. I am also developing the world’s first self-actualization software to help individuals unlock their unique strengths, purpose and potential.

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?

My greatest mistake along my journey was expending my finite energy and attention on non- allies or only partial allies. It took me a long time to understand how draining it can be to waste energy on a situation that doesn’t give back. I’ve learned to only spend my attention on true allies and people who are 100% committed to my success. And for all the non-allies, I don’t reward their behavior with my attention.

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 am very lucky to have studied with Martin Seligman, the father of positive psychology at UPenn. He has been a key figure in transforming psychology, similar to Freud or Maslow. While the majority of psychology has focused on curing illness, humanistic and positive psychology focus on how to thrive and lead a self-actualized life. Many of the top academic thought leaders and TED Talk speakers in the world flock to Marty’s program to be part of the community, teach, and spread their science.

One of my professors in the program, Adam Grant, has also deeply shaped my thinking. He instilled a science-first approach in me that I have used to develop everything from people programs to product features. It’s been revolutionary.

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?

I believe most structures and systems need to continually evolve. So many women are held back by outdated systems — for example companies that don’t pay and promote women well or don’t have a strong parental leave policy.

Science on grit shows the most successful people strategically place themselves in environments that are designed for them to succeed. When it comes to where women choose to work and what systems they place themselves in, I urge women to vote with their feet and only work for positive, conscious leaders who create the conditions for their success. In other words, rather than spending time battling a broken system, it’s better to spend time finding the right system to be in.

Women who place themselves in the right environment are more likely to rise to the top and can then develop systems that help others succeed. For example, Melinda Gates chose to work for Microsoft, then an up-and-coming company, early on in her career — long before she met Bill Gates. She chose it over IBM because oftentimes it’s much easier to have impact and move up in a smaller company. She worked her way to the top, co-developed the Gates Foundation and is now a global advocate for women and girls.

I have found there are a few ways women can place themselves in the right systems:

Work for smaller companies and start-ups because there’s less bureaucracy and red tape to deal with. It’s much easier to disrupt and break the rules in smaller companies and pave your own way.
At this moment in history, the majority of CEOs are male. I would like to see a shift in the workforce towards women choosing only to work for companies with positive, conscious founders who intentionally create the conditions for women to succeed (think: Brit Morin at Brit + Co, Dustin Moskovitz at Asana, David Hassell at 15Five, and any founder who has worked with Diana Chapman’s Conscious Leadership Group).
Focus on founders over big company names — the rest of the company is a reflection of them.

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

In 2005, Steve Jobs gave a commencement speech at Stanford saying, “‘Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking and don’t settle.”

Steve’s thinking is backed by the latest science that shows meaningful work and leveraging your unique strengths in service of a larger purpose is the key to long-term happiness.

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

I am currently helping 15Five unlock human potential at work by supporting our customers’ HR teams, and I am also in the process of building the world’s first self-actualization software for individuals.

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

The biggest challenges faced by women disruptors have to do with economic inequality, which limits women’s ability to have financial independence, freedom, and take risks:

Female founders secure only 2% of venture capital
Women are penalized for becoming mothers
Women are overrepresented in low paying jobs and underrepresented in senior positions

When women start from a disadvantaged position, it is harder to achieve equal status, let alone disruptor status.

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

In her book, The Gifts of Imperfection, Brené Brown who studies wholehearted living, shows that people with the most worthiness are also the most boundaried.

Kind boundaries are a muscle I’ve learned to flex over time and a communication tool I use every day. Most feedback and boundaries are either too soft or too harsh. When I set boundaries with others, I use non-violent communication to identify and express my feelings and needs in a compassionate way. My goal is always to set kind boundaries that get my needs met and also keep the other person feeling whole. I use this method on a daily basis.

Examples of strong boundaries that have changed the way I work:

Saying no to admin work
Carving my own path and adjusting/negotiating job descriptions so they leverage my top strengths
Prioritizing rest and renewal
Advocating for fair, equal pay
Only working with conscious founders and leaders
Only surrounding myself with people who give me energy at and outside of work, who science calls ‘positive energizers’
Only attending to my allies and choosing to conserve my energy when confronted with non-allies rather than rewarding them with my attention

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. 🙂

Despite human progress over time, depression and anxiety are on the rise globally and women tend to suffer from depression most. Positive Product Design was created to help people thrive at scale, so every person has the opportunity to realize their full potential.

I’ve always been interested in how to have the most leveraged form of positive impact, and I believe the way to do this is by combining technology with the latest science of self-actualization. Essentially, taking the best of the best in science and helping it spread as far as possible through technology.

I want to inspire the world to join the modern human potential movement, both tech creators and technology users. I want tech creators to join together in a larger movement to build positive technology and for technology users to have access to technology that helps them self-actualize.

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

Brené Brown frequently quotes Howard Thurman who once said:

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

I’ve used science to get to where I am and to discover what makes me feel most alive. Science helps the most self-actualized people (think: Oprah, Brené Brown, Albert Einstein) explore their unique gifts and leverage them to serve the rest of humanity. This positive sum game idea is known as “synergy,” where what’s good for you is also good for the world. To self-actualize, go find what makes you come alive and channel that energy toward making the world a better place.

How can our readers follow you online?

Follow me on Twitter @CourtneyBigony.

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

Female Disruptors: Courtney Bigony of 15Five 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.

Women In Wellness: Tamara Jefferies of On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support…

Women In Wellness: Tamara Jefferies of On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

Give Yourself Regular Technology and News Detoxes — Not enough people are aware of how being connected to so many devices and taking in so much divisive and upsetting news is impacting their nervous system. Our nervous systems are very sensitive and they pick-up on even the most minute disturbances, so if you’re on social media “doom scrolling”, your nervous system is registering that as low-level anxiety that can, over time, escalate into severe anxiety or panic attacks. So, give yourself a block of time when you unplug from everything. I like to give myself one day during the weekend when I don’t go online for any reason, and I don’t read any news. It gives my nervous system and my brain a break. If you can give yourself the whole weekend even better!

As a part of my series about women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Tamara Jefferies, MA.

Tamara Jefferies, MA, is a holistic counselor/coach, speaker, and author of the forthcoming book, The Empowered Woman’s Guide to Healing Trauma. Through all her training, certifications, and credentials, she has gained a variety of healing tools that she devotes to helping people heal trauma, depression, anxiety, and grief. Her passion is helping people transform traumatic histories into joyful futures!

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?

Sure. Back in 2001, I got involved in women’s circles that were focused on healing and holistic health. From there my interest deepened into focusing specifically on trauma as I knew many women who were survivors of either childhood sexual abuse or sexual assault, myself included. So, I decided to pursue holistic health and wellness for women trauma survivors. And the decision came down to one of those funny moments in life where two very different paths are before you. I had an undergrad degree in art history and part of me wanted to pursue a career in museums. I found a program that would train me in public relations for museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Art. At the same time, I found a really incredible holistic health program in San Francisco that would teach me the fundamentals of what I wanted to learn about working with the body. So, I had a choice to make, and it came down to following what felt like a “calling” in my spirit versus a logical decision to continue pursuing the area of my degree. Ultimately, I chose what my heart and spirit wanted most. I moved to the Bay Area and enrolled in the holistic health program. It was definitely one of the best decisions of my life.

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?

I think one of the most interesting stories that happened so far was how I came to open my wellness center in South Carolina back in 2016. Since 2010, I had this dream of opening my own wellness center where I could have my holistic counseling practice, teach yoga, and offer various holistic classes. I tried and failed to get this dream off the ground in Berkeley, CA, in Los Angeles, then in South America in Cusco, Peru, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was a long journey of stops and starts.

Until I moved to South Carolina and in 2016 opened an office within the beautiful community of Lake Wylie. Within a month of renting this tiny office, the office manager of the property came to me saying that she knew I wanted a bigger space, and she walked me into this gorgeous lakefront building that was just perfect for my vision of a holistic wellness center. So it was that after many failures, within months of moving to this new place, I had my dream of opening a wellness center.

Every instance in my move to Lake Wylie were examples of synchronicity. This was my biggest lesson: when you try to force something to happen and you find yourself failing again and again, it is neither the right time nor the place for whatever it is you were trying to do. But when you are in the right place at the right time doing exactly what is your purpose to do, you enter a state of flow and synchronistic events unfold effortlessly. And you’ll know it’s right because you will stand back in amazement at how easy everything fell into place.

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?

It takes time, effort, and perseverance to build anything worthwhile. I think the biggest mistake I made early on was living a nomadic life and not being in one place long enough to plant roots and build. Work like mine grows via word-of-mouth and building community. I’ve finally settled into an area I love and am planting those roots while fostering community.

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?

I’m a big believer in the ripple effect. The work that I do with my clients is helping them to become stronger, healthier, happier, and more confident. Their transformation ripples out and transforms their relationships, their families, and their communities. Beyond that, with my public speaking and writing, I’m sharing tools to help you live a more embodied, centered, and joyful life.

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.

I like to take a holistic approach when thinking about beneficial lifestyle changes, so doing things that will attend to your mind, body, and spirit.

Prioritize Silence: This maybe something few think about, but when was the last time you had a moment of complete silence? If you’re a working parent, the answer to that will probably be, you can’t remember. We’re all so busy going from one responsibility to the next, information is incessantly being pumped into our eyes and ears, family or co-workers are vying for your attention. With all this, it’s difficult to feel settled or calm. This can lead to low-level anxiety, where it feels like your nervous system is always a little agitated. This is why prioritizing silence is so important. Even if you take just a few minutes to yourself before you get out of your car before you walk into your home after work or give yourself a moment after a stressful meeting to just sit in silence and take several breaths, it will do wonders for your mental health. Silence is restorative.
Start a Mindfulness Meditation Practice: This expands on the above tip of prioritizing silence. Mindfulness has become such a buzzword, but its benefits can’t be overstated. To cultivate a mindfulness meditation practice simply means to adopt an attitude of nonjudgment as you begin to pay attention to what you’re doing at any given moment. So, you don’t have to be sitting in a cross-legged pose being perfectly still. No, as long as you are giving your full, non-judgmental attention to what you’re doing, you could be practicing Mindfulness Meditation while you’re washing dishes, driving to work, or playing with your kids. Mindfulness helps to bring our attention to the present moment, and when we do this, we tend to let go of stressors or worries because those things are not present at this moment. Try it out the next time you’re doing a task like washing dishes — bring your full attention to what you’re doing, every move or gesture, and notice how you feel once you’re done. It can feel like time stretched and slowed down in those brief moments.
Stop Turning to Food as an Outlet — I work with a lot of clients who “stress eat”. It has to be one of the most accessible coping mechanisms we have, and everyone turns to food once in a while. However, I like to educate my clients about what the food is actually signifying because people immediately write it off as due to stress. What I’ve found is people turn to food as a source of fulfillment when they are feeling disappointed, or unloved, or bored. People turn to food as a pacifier when they are angry, irritated, or frustrated and rather than expressing their feelings they stifle them with something to eat. People turn to food for comfort when they are dissatisfied with some aspect of their lives, and when they are lonely. As you can see there is so much more to it than just stress. So, the question becomes, “What do you need in this moment?”. When you’d usually reach for something to put in your mouth, you want to ask yourself, “What is it that my body, mind, or spirit is really craving?”. Is it companionship or physical touch? Is it to tell off your boss for cutting you down in front of your coworkers? Is it to give yourself a feeling of control in a time when you feel powerless? Uncover what it is you really need and give that to yourself rather than food. Sure, maybe telling off your boss is not the best way to handle the situation, but you can release your anger in healthy ways, like a kickboxing class. That will leave you feeling more satisfied than a fast-food run.
Invite More Movement and Play into Your Life — Think back to when you were a kid and how much you moved your body — all the running, climbing, bike riding, swimming, and play you did. Recall the last time you watched small children and the spontaneous movements of their bodies. We are meant to move so much more than we do. But after years of conforming to sitting still at a desk throughout school, to sitting at a desk at a job, our bodies have lost their spontaneous expressions of movement and as a result our experience of joy is diminished as we experience such deep and rich joy when we freely move our bodies. So, invite more spontaneous movement in your day. If you’re walking down a street where kids have drawn a hopscotch on the ground, jump the hopscotch. Then try not to smile. On your coffee breaks get up and shake your body out; let it move however it feels drawn to move. You will feel rejuvenated within minutes.
Give Yourself Regular Technology and News Detoxes — Not enough people are aware of how being connected to so many devices and taking in so much divisive and upsetting news is impacting their nervous system. Our nervous systems are very sensitive and they pick-up on even the most minute disturbances, so if you’re on social media “doom scrolling”, your nervous system is registering that as low-level anxiety that can, over time, escalate into severe anxiety or panic attacks. So, give yourself a block of time when you unplug from everything. I like to give myself one day during the weekend when I don’t go online for any reason, and I don’t read any news. It gives my nervous system and my brain a break. If you can give yourself the whole weekend even better!

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

It would be the Reparenting Movement. Narcissism, low self-esteem, and low self-worth are rampant in our society. These conditions come about largely because children aren’t given the love, positive reinforcement, and emotional nurturing they need. This develops into personalities with zero self-esteem, that are selfish, self-centered, and at the furthest extreme of the spectrum, violent. Everyone could benefit from large doses of love, and they can give that love to themselves when they reparent themselves and give themselves the love, appreciation, and encouragement they didn’t get from their parents growing up. Many of my clients are women who are married to narcissists. What that tells me is there are a lot of people out there who did not get the loving nurturance they needed in their formative years.

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

Seek out the advice of those who have succeeded in your field — They will guide you in the right direction and help you avoid unnecessary setbacks.
Make sure you have enough capital before starting a venture — If you don’t you could end up burning the candle at both ends working hard to keep your business afloat.
Plan with the end in mind — If you know what kind of lifestyle you want and where you want to be financially once you hit retirement then you can make your choices accordingly.
Understand what a “sunk cost” is in terms of your energy, time, and resources and don’t be afraid to walk away — It’s hard to abandon a plan after putting a lot of time, effort, and/or money into it but at some point, if the plan hasn’t panned out, and you’re just getting into a deeper hole either financially or emotionally, then it’s better to cut your loses and try something else.
Don’t make decisions from a place of fear or lack — Fear constricts our perspective to the point in which we can only take in the narrowest view of options. If a decision is before you, particularly a life changing one, take some time to shift your mindset out of a place of fear. Put on your favorite music and dance, play with your pet(s), or spend time reflecting on some joyful moments in your life. After doing that you’ll notice you can see more and better options than those you were limited to when you were coming from a place of fear or lack.

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

Clearly due to the nature of my work, my choice is mental health. With the rates of depression and anxiety climbing in our country, it is crucial that we do all we can to help support one another. If you know someone who is going through a hard time, reach out to them, give them a call. Let them know they are not alone.

What is the best way for our readers to further follow your work online?

They can follow me on Instagram or Facebook @Growandthrivewellness and they can visit my website and subscribe to my newsletters at www.growandthrivewellness.com.

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

Thank you, Authority Magazine!

Women In Wellness: Tamara Jefferies of On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Founders: Cheyenne Smith of Dakota Ridge On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed…

Female Founders: Cheyenne Smith of Dakota Ridge On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

You will fail I am a perfectionist so failing and learning as I go is hard. You will fail but the key is to learn from it and improve upon it so that next time you try you will succeed.

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

Cheyenne is an ex -marketing agency kid turned entrepreneur. She is the founder of Dakota Ridge- a fashion forward rubber cowboy boot that cowboy boot that is stylish without compromising functionality. Cheyenne also runs a marketing agency specializing in paid media in the e-commerce space.

I’ve been in advertising since I got my first intern at an agency when I was 19 but started my entrepreneur journey after I had my daughter and couldn’t go back to work after maternity leave to a job I hated. I needed to find a way to
financial help support my family while being able to stay at home with my daughter.

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

My favorite stories to tell are around spending the entire first year at home with my daughter while taking zoom calls. We called her my executive assistant.

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?

It’s not a funny mistake but I tried to pack so much in a day every day that I would just lose track of the house and
would forget to eat myself because if I wasn’t in a meeting I was feeding or napping or changing my daughter! So, the learning there is make sure to schedule in breaks for walks or eating!

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

My best friend and ultimately co-founder of Dakota Ridge Kylee. She is also a mom and saw how much I was struggling to schedule time for myself, so she came in and really made sure I was taking time for myself and taking A LOT off my plate.

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 think our society tends to see women as mentally split between having a family and having a good career. Each one is not individualized, and women can have one or the other or do both without sacrificing pieces of themselves.

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 it starts with those around us and supporting us. Women tend to take the brunt of the housework according to
studies just based on past societal structures and expectations. Offer help to women in your family and always always support them in their endeavors without pushing what society says a good woman should be. THROW THAT OUT THE WINDOW. Allow the women in your life to be who they are whole heartedly.

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 my opinion women are extremely great at problem solving and multi-tasking to get to the right solution quickly. It feels like most of the women I know have 15 tabs open in their brain in any given instance worrying about their partners, their job, their clients, their children, their dogs, and then on top of that themselves.

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

I think people always think I know what I’m doing. To me that is the biggest myth about founders. I feel like we all are just shooting in the dark. Taking WAGs. wild ass guesses and hoping that it works.

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?

I think founders need to be willing to do anything to not fail in the long run. Hustle for lack of a better term. Everyone will have small failures when starting a company but the biggest thing that sets founders apart I believe is the willingness to fail in the short term to learn something for the long term.

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.)

You will fail I am a perfectionist so failing and learning as I go is hard. You will fail but the key is to learn from it and improve upon it so that next time you try you will succeed.
You need to take time for yourself Not slowing down and breathing every once in a while will actually slow you
down in the long run. I wish someone told me to take more time for myself.
It is harder than I ever expected but the cost is worth the prize of flexibility I have stayed up until 2a more times than I’d like to admit but I wouldn’t trade being able to volunteer at my daughter’s school on a week day without having to ask permission for anything.
once you pop you can’t stop I feel like I was bit by the bug and now all I want to do is start businesses and learn the ins and outs of them
you will meet amazing people along the way I have met some of the smartest most amazing women while becoming a founder.

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

I am doing my best to support other women in starting their own business and helping them realize they can have everything they want out of their life whatever that is.

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.

Supporting women who want to run their own businesses in a man’s world while also following other dreams.

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.

Brene Brown!!

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

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

Female Founders: Bridgitt Haarsgaard of The GAARD Group On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and…

Female Founders: Bridgitt Haarsgaard of The GAARD Group On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Use your superpowers. Each of us have natural talents. You will be the most successful when you focus on utilizing your strengths. My strength is working with clients and being strategic. My weakness is organization and budgeting. I quickly learned to hire talent and resources to focus on the activities that I was not good at or did not enjoy so that I could align work to my talents.

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

Bridgitt is the CEO & Founder of The GAARD Group, a team of executive coaches and facilitators known for their outstanding work with the Fortune 500 and executives worldwide. The GAARD Team believes that leaders are forged from the inside out and utilize the GAARD Method to create actionable and lasting behavioral change in the business world and beyond. Bridgitt specializes in leadership, strategy, change management, individual and team effectiveness and women’s leadership. She uses her Clinical Psychology education to prepare professionals — from entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 executives — for the challenges of today’s business environment.

My career has taken many twists and turns. I started my career as a clinical psychologist. I wanted to help improve the lives of children. Unfortunately, compartmentalizing the work was a challenge. I found it very difficult to separate my work from my life, and I knew I had to switch gears. I built a career in sales and sales management. As I faced the challenges of leadership, I realized that I could blend my background in psychology with my business skills and a lightbulb went off, which led me to take this entirely new path. I began my career as an executive coach, leadership expert, and development facilitator in 2002. I worked with small and large consultancies until 2006, when I launched my first business, Point Consulting Group. Then in 2020, we expanded to The GAARD Group. Each step has been a learning opportunity for which I am grateful.

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

There will always be people who will challenge your ideas, criticize your approach, or tell you that you are just plain wrong. For years, I would listen to them and delay my decision-making or stop in my tracks. As I was creating the business plan for The GAARD Group, people told me that using video to teach core skills was overrated, and the market was saturated. Even my board felt that between platforms like LinkedIn Learning and YouTube, building an online network of courses would be a waste of time and money. My gut said otherwise. I was paying attention to the generation shift in the workplace, the movement toward hybrid working, and what my clients were saying. I strongly believed that I was on the right track. Once I started trusting my instincts, I found that the business flourished, my confidence soared, and seeing how this work significantly impacted the lives of others made me even more motivated.

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?

Haha. I am chuckling at that question! There have been many mistakes and many, many learning opportunities along the way — that is the life of a founder! The funniest mistake was during our very first filming session for the Emotional Intelligence course. In one day, I filmed seven video segments and was feeling proud and excited about what we had accomplished. Then, I watched the footage. We captured all this brilliant content, and I wore a white sweater with navy undergarments. Haha! The outfit looked great in regular lighting but not under the studio’s bright lights. What I learned — your undergarments must match your outfit!

I have been blessed with a strong network that has guided me on my entrepreneurial journey. My own personal Board of Directors has been critical to my success. They are a group of exceptional and brilliant women who have given me advice, made connections, and shared knowledge that allowed me to build The GAARD Group. My biggest cheerleader and my most prominent board member is my mother. My mom was a special education teacher who struggled to raise my sister and I on a teacher’s salary. She taught school during the day, went to law school at night, and raised us both without skipping a beat. Her strength, determination, and focus have always been and will always be an inspiration to me. She taught me to keep going no matter the challenges in front of me and to always put one foot in front of the other. Thank you, Mom!

Several factors hold women back from founding companies, and I experienced many of them myself. One factor is the pull between family and founding. There is a pull between being there for your family, specifically your children, and being there for your other baby — your business. For many women, it feels like you must choose one or the other because it will be impossible to do both with excellence. The truth is — you can! As women, we need to embrace and learn to navigate the gray space. Things are not always black and white.

Another factor is belief in self and our personal confidence level. Many women experience imposter syndrome and have an inner critic that is loud! The inner critic says, “You can’t start a company. You’ll never be successful. You don’t have what it takes! When you fail everyone will say ‘I told you so!’” Women need to learn to defeat the inner critic, embrace a growth mindset, and accept mistakes and failures as learning opportunities. Shut down that inner critic!

Other factors like societal pressures, access to funding, and lack of training also play a role in the number of women founders.

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?

Support each other! Woman to woman — we can offer guidance, make introductions, share insights, and help each other to succeed. Individuals can be proactive — shop at women-owned businesses and promote brands led by women.

At the corporate level, companies could expand community programs, invest capital in women-owned businesses, and connect women with mentors that can help guide women as they build their businesses.

As a society, we still have work to do as we reframe what it means to be a woman. Many remarkable women have worked hard to help the women of today have options and breakthrough narrowly defined roles, only to have society turn those choices into stereotypes that pit us against one another, like the working woman vs. the stay-at-home mom. This creates that pull between family and founding that I talked about earlier. It makes it seem like we can have one or the other. Women are rockstars! We can have both. We can have more. With the right mindset, women can be successful on any path they choose.

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?

Women are resourceful and can figure out the answer to any problem, often through innovation. When speaking to large groups of women, I remind them what they have accomplished before they begin their workday. Women will exercise, meditate, clean the kitchen, pack school lunches, return emails, update calendars, and walk the dogs all before 8 am. This level of accomplishment takes resourcefulness, planning, and innovation.

Women are empathetic and creative. Women are gifted at understanding different perspectives, concerns, and needs. Women founders understand the needs of their customers and create products and services to fulfill those needs. Empathy is a foundational skill and a greatly needed leadership skill too.

Women build good teams and have a knack for finding talent. Women use their creativity and people skills to find talent in unexpected places. They may hire someone with no technical skills to do the job. Why? Because they see potential and often choose to hire for soft skills and attitude instead of just the hard skills.

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

There is this belief that you must have everything figured out before you start. Many people feel like they must have all their t’s crossed and all their i’s dotted. This is simply not true. As a founder, you are building the plane as you are flying it. You will face unexpected problems and have to make decisions daily. As a founder, nothing ever goes 100% to plan. As my friend and colleague, Lisa says, “Go early. Go ugly. Just go.”

I wish the answer to this question was “yes” because I think the world needs more founders. Unfortunately, not everyone is cut out to start a business. To be a founder, you must take risks, be flexible, and be willing to make sacrifices. To be successful, you have to take risks, and if they don’t pan out, you have to understand that mistakes and failures happen and that the only way to grow is to learn from the consequences. Also, things move fast, and building a business is complex, uncertain, and ambiguous. You wear a lot of hats, and expectations change from day to day. Sometimes you have to choose your company over your comfort and sacrifice in the short-term for your long-term success. If you hate taking risks, prefer a predictable environment, and are unwilling to give up your creature comforts, being a founder may not be for you.

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.)

1. Use your superpowers. Each of us have natural talents. You will be the most successful when you focus on utilizing your strengths. My strength is working with clients and being strategic. My weakness is organization and budgeting. I quickly learned to hire talent and resources to focus on the activities that I was not good at or did not enjoy so that I could align work to my talents.

2. Leverage your network. The old saying “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” is absolutely true! Look to your network to help guide you and your business. Your network can be a source of support, information, introductions or even funding. Keep your network updated on what you are doing. My personal Board of Directors introduced me to many of the resources I currently use in my business.

3. Learn how to say “no”. As a founder, you get pulled in many directions. Prioritize your activities. For me, I had to fight my urge to please people. On the personal side, I had to say “no” to nights out with friends. On the business side, I had to say “no” to partnerships that would have been good financially but did not align with our mission. Get good at saying “no” and do not feel guilty about it.

4. Know the numbers. The key to running a successful business is knowing the numbers. Early on, I did not have my arms around our production costs. I was underpricing our products and services and ultimately leaving money on the table.

5. Ask for help. You will feel overwhelmed. It’s a guarantee. When this happens, be vulnerable and reach out for help. There have been many times when I felt like I was drowning and had to reach for a lifeline. Last year, I experienced a very difficult situation with a client. Very difficult. I reached out to a trusted advisor for support. Having someone listen, ask good questions, and ultimately help you to make a thoughtful decision is invaluable. Fight your ego and ask for help!

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

We know that when people feel respected, appreciated, and seen they become unstoppable. A lot of that feeling starts from the inside. The GAARD Group strives to make a difference and help people become and present the best versions of themselves.

It’s easy to help people once you know that everyone wants to feel those things. I use the same tactics I teach throughout my day in my work. I focus on the positive. People spend so much time focusing on what’s wrong, which is just exhausting! The world would be a better place if we focused on what is going right vs. what is going wrong. I look for opportunities to give compliments. I want to make their day, flash a smile, say “good morning”, hold the elevator door, and have fun. A positive attitude makes a difference inwardly and outwardly.

I am always happy to lend a helping hand to neighbors, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, orphanages, communities, etc. and I have partnered with my “little” from Big Brother/Big Sisters for 27 years. I helped him grow, and he has taught me lessons that will last a lifetime.

Our greatest asset is our children. I’d want to invest in our next generation of founders. We need to teach our children to be accountable for their actions, to lead with emotional intelligence, to have empathy for others, and grant them the courage to be themselves. Kids are our future, and I cannot suggest a greater movement than making our kids feel safe and empowered.

That is an easy one. For the last 30 years, I have been in awe of Richard Branson. I admire his courage, intelligence, creativity, and his wit. Sir Richard pushes the envelope and always has his pulse on the needs of the customer. He works tirelessly to make things better for the 3 C’s — customers, companies, and communities. He is one of a kind. He has always been my dream dinner date.

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

Female Founders: Bridgitt Haarsgaard of The GAARD Group 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.

Female Founders: Amber Kers On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Don’t rate your success on the success or perceived success of others. It’s so easy to look at someone on social media and assume they are doing really well; better than you are. That may not be the case, but it’s your perspective. Just worry about you and appreciate the hard work and struggle that the artist probably had to go through as well.

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

Amber Kers always loved jewelry, but it wasn’t until she started creating it as a hobby that she discovered it was her passion. From the moment Amber lit that torch in her “Intro to Soldering” class, she realized she had found something she never knew was lost and was forever changed. What often takes people a lifetime to find, Amber was lucky enough to stumble upon and she created Amber Krs Jewelry.

Mastering the basics as well as silversmithing, Amber learned about setting stones, and as her love and curiosity for the material grew, so did her desire for knowledge. She began dabbling in the art of stone cutting, lapidary, to understand how to fashion gemstones and the degree of care each stone requires in order to maximize its natural beauty. From there, Amber earned her Gemology degree at the Gemological Institute of America, where she learned how crystal structure and formation contribute to unique physical and optical properties. To this day, she continues to master her craft and expand her wealth of knowledge as well as her creative consciousness.

From concept to creation to the finished project to finding each jewelry piece a forever home, Amber loves every step of the process in her business. Thoughtfully handmade with intention and purpose, each piece is conceived and crafted around the beauty of the gemstone. Every stone is chosen for quality, beauty, and uniqueness, ensuring no two pieces are alike; much like us a people!

For her, jewelry provides a physical symbol that changes the way we feel when we wear it — if Amber can be part of a positive impact on anyone’s day, she feels she’s completed her life’s passion with purpose.

I started out doing hair, it was the only thing I ever really wanted to do, my first love. As I was doing hair, I also did jewelry as a hobby. I’ve always loved jewelry. I loved wearing it and buying it, it’s an important aspect of how I represent myself and my own personal style. It got to the point where I would want a particular piece of jewelry and couldn’t find “the right piece” or I would make additions to pieces I had already bought. I had even started making simple pieces for friends and family. Then one day a lightbulb went off in my head where I thought “well why can’t I just make everything myself?” I took an “Intro to Soldering” class and that was it, I was hooked. I was finally able to create jewelry myself without the restrictions of having to find everything to put my pieces together or modify pieces from other artists.

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

One of the most interesting things that happened was about three years into making jewelry. I walked into a shop where they sold gemstones and jewelry, all the things I love! I get to talking to the woman behind the counter who was super nice and very interesting. She complimented me on a cuff bracelet I was wearing. I said, “Thank you, I made it. I’m a silversmith and jeweler.” She then proceeded to invite me to coffee and said she would love to see my collection to potentially purchase some pieces for her shop. I was super excited but nervous as I was still pretty new at doing jewelry and was afraid she’d leave having not bought anything. I convinced myself that no matter what happened I’d just be happy to have had the opportunity to show her my collection and that she took interest in what I was creating. I met her for coffee with all my wares, we were talking and went through everything, and she ended up buying my WHOLE collection. I was honored and SO excited I wanted to cry. It was so validating. It was one of the many moments I thought, “I’m doing it! It’s happening!”

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

I was working on one of my first custom pieces; a pendant. I was a little nervous but it had been going well. I was 90% finished when I realized I hadn’t soldered on the bail, the ring that the chain goes through to hold the pendant. At that time I didn’t know how to do simple repairs with stones set in the piece. So I had to start all over again. The lesson was, “The details are not the details, they make the design.” Something so simple I had overlooked in my haste to get the piece done, a piece rendered useless without the bail.

My partner Bek. She still has the first piece of jewelry I ever made at my “Intro to Soldering” class. If it weren’t for her I might not have made it. I wasn’t feeling well. I had menstrual cramps and was feeling sorry for myself and she convinced me I should go. It was hard to get into the class and I didn’t know when I could make it to the next one with my work schedule at the time. She believes in me even when I’m having trouble believing in myself. Honestly, success is a mindset and she has been instrumental in keeping my mind clear and open to success.

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 think it’s a lack of understanding that’s even a possibility. Outside of questionable celebrity fame, there aren’t a lot of successful women founders in the mainstream. I think for me, what’s been most inspiring is having found people I can look up to and try and emulate. Hearing stories of hardship and struggle with the outcome of success is always a great way to inspire people who may be doubting themselves and questioning whether they can or can’t.

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 any true change has to be done from within. “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” It’s easy to blame outside sources when things don’t work out. It’s hard to look within oneself and go, “OK this isn’t working, what can I do to correct and make it happen?” It all starts with empowering oneself and validating your ideas and self-worth. Everything starts with you. I think at the end of the day you need to decide whether working for your dreams or someone else’s dreams is worth it.

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?

Because women can do it all! Women are hard workers, great communicators and great listeners, problem solvers, empathetic, and above all, brave. These are all admirable traits that should be exercised and celebrated.

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

That it’s easy. Don’t let the Shopify commercials fool you. It’s not as easy as creating something, posting it on your website, and getting a sale. You are competing against big box stores that have advertising and marketing departments as well as other small businesses. The hardest part about this is setting yourself apart from all the other people doing the same thing as you are.
That it’s fun. I know this sounds counterintuitive because I LOVE what I do. But sometimes it’s not fun. I don’t just create jewelry and play with pretty sparkly things all day. The amount of blood, sweat, and tears (literally) that have gone into creating and sustaining my business has been astronomical. Some days I get frustrated and don’t know what to do. I don’t have a boss or manager I can go to for direction and advice. I have to figure it out on my own.
You’re your own boss. In a lot of ways, I get to dictate how I do things. However, I still have custom clients I need to please. You will always have to answer to someone.
It’s the best way to make money and get rich. It’s not. I can think of a million different ways that would be easier and more reliable to make money. With no risk.

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?

Absolutely not, and that’s OK. To start your own business you really need good time management skills, discipline, and willpower. I don’t go into an office where I have a boss or manager dictating to me what I need to get done and by when. I’m solely responsible for everything that happens or doesn’t happen in my business. Some people don’t want that responsibility or stress.

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.)

Don’t rate your success on the success or perceived success of others. It’s so easy to look at someone on social media and assume they are doing really well; better than you are. That may not be the case, but it’s your perspective. Just worry about you and appreciate the hard work and struggle that the artist probably had to go through as well.
You’re going to want to quit but don’t, keep going. It will be worth it. There have been so many times I’ve wanted to quit because it’s hard, but I worked through that and kept going and it’s been so worth it. I’d always say to myself, “Well what else are you gonna do?” and truly quitting was never an option. This is what I want to do, so I’ll make it work.
Don’t be afraid to fail, because you will. If everyone were to quit after the first time they tried something, think of all the beautiful art we would’ve never been able to gaze upon and admire, or all the ideas in science and technology that benefit our lives every day. If all of these wonderful creators that have impacted our lives in such positive ways would have quit because something didn’t work, we would have truly missed out on so much beauty and innovation that make this world and our lives so amazing.
“Have no fear of perfection, you’ll never reach it.” This is a favorite quote of mine from Salvador Dali. You can always find something that you can pick apart, but the variations and imperfections are considered part of the beauty of the design. It’s what makes every piece valuable and unique.
If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will. No one should believe in you more than you do. You have to be confident in your talents and abilities and sell yourself. Because your customers aren’t just buying a thing, they’re buying a small piece of you.

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

I make people happy. I’ve been lucky enough to be involved in major milestones in people’s lives by creating jewelry pieces that mark those special occasions. Weddings, anniversaries, graduations, birthdays, and holidays. Pieces that trigger those happy memories they can hold onto forever. I create simple beautiful pieces that are empowering and meaningful.

Focus on the beauty and individuality of people instead of the minutiae that makes us different. I think the majority of what we’re exposed to daily is meant to take the focus off the real problems of the world and to separate us. Corruption, wealth disparity, poverty, hunger, pollution, etc. are things that affect all of us. If we could come together we would be unstoppable.

Kris Jenner; get at me! Say whatever you want, Kris Jenner is a marketing genius. I would love for her to do my marketing and PR. There is a reason why everyone knows who that family is and why they are so objectively successful and always relevant.

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

Female Founders: Amber Kers On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Inga Tritt of Original Sprout: Five Things You Need To Know To Succeed In The Modern Beauty…

Inga Tritt of Original Sprout: Five Things You Need To Know To Succeed In The Modern Beauty Industry

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Never give up. If someone tells you no, knock on every door until somebody says yes. Don’t stop!

As a part of our series about “Five Things You Need To Know To Succeed In The Modern Beauty Industry”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Inga Tritt-Yater.

Inga Tritt is a Serial Mompreneur, Brand Builder, Health & Wellness Expert and top Beauty Influencer with 20+ years of experience in product innovation, brand management, and business consulting. She has built award-winning multi-million-dollar brands that shaped the beauty industry — and empowered thousands of women along the way.

Her story begins after beauty school graduation when she learned all the ins and outs of salon management as a high-profile master stylist. In her mid-20s, after discovering no bank would give her a loan, Inga bought her first hair salon on Mastercard in Santa Barbara, CA and evolved it into a full-service spa with a celebrity clientele. She soon opened her second spa and mentored aspiring beauty stylists.

A self-created millionaire by age 33, Inga knew the title of her next story chapter — motherhood. It’s why she sold her salons and started a family. After her daughter was born, Inga realized there were no clean, safe, all-natural (and effective!) hair and bath products she felt comfortable using on little Maya. So, she leveraged her industry experience and created them. In 2003, the Original Sprout company was born.

Today, Original Sprout is a leading brand that has grown to a global reach, and whose certified vegan and all-natural family-friendly hair and skin products are sold in well-known grocery chains, natural food stores, farmers markets, family resorts, and salons, including Sprouts Farmers Market, Whole Foods, Regis Salons, Lassens, Disneyland , and Harrods.

Ask Inga about her professional journey, and she’ll tell you she walked alongside a powerful tribe of women who organically built brands and a thriving fan community base. Her mission: To empower women to be better and do better.

Inga continues to grow the brand to meet ever-changing consumer demand. She speaks globally about beauty, health, and wellness, and inspires thousands of women through national interviews, publications, TV appearances, and conferences.

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

When I was a little girl, my mom didn’t have lipstick or high heels. She would wear basic clothing and would hide her body. I was inspired by my great grandmother who did have high heels, makeup, party gowns, etc. However, the makeup stole me since I realized how it could make you feel prettier and lively. I was brought up in a salon, so as a child, I was intrigued by my surroundings. I soon became obsessed with masks, and would even go down to my local creek in Montecito, CA and experiment with different plants and dirts and create my own masks.

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

My most interesting story that has happened to me is when the Royal family discovered my Original Sprout products and bought them at Harrods of London where the Queen of England shops. Before my creation of Yater Actives, I was the creator and CEO of Original Sprout. Kate Middleton thanked me in People Magazine for making healthy, safe products for babies.

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

In the last 20 years, I found out that the cosmetic industry is run by men who don’t even use the products that they have made. The beauty industry is male-dominated and I am here to create good trouble for women in the world of cosmetics. People can be fooled by advertisements and buy products that claim to work and don’t. This makes people lose faith in product performance. The German in me does not allow for products to not be perfect. The first time I saw success was when began traveling abroad and meeting many influential people that loved my products When people come to me and raved about how well my products worked for them, it motivated to make more great products for great people. I want the world of beauty to come together to create healthy products that work for the consumers and our planet.

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

I am grateful for my husband, Lauran Yater, who has been my biggest supporter, which inspires me to be more innovative and think outside the box. I grew up on the fringe of society and was an outcast who felt like she didn’t belong. Lauran showed me love and empathy and I realized that there is so much good in so many people and this is why I stay focused on how to help others.

Ok super. Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion. The global beauty industry today has grown to more than a half a trillion dollar business. Can you tell us about the innovations that you are bringing to the industry? How do you think that will help people?

I am bringing innovations from the earth and plants. The difference is how we age our masks and activate them before shipping. They stay in a cool, dark place, and they’re aged until they’re cured. We use MicroSilver BG, a non-skin penetrating and natural preservative in all our products. We don’t use fillers, artificial colors, parabens, or plastics. We only use recyclable glass and plastic. Our products are 100% vegan, cruelty free, gluten-free, MicroSilver BG, and is naturally preserved. Our mission is to help others feel good about the way they look and feel, so they live their best lives.

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

1. I’m excited that more women are gaining recognition for their work in the modern beauty industry.

2. There’s a lot more creativity going on with hair, skin, and nails. There’s more innovation and new products, and this excites me since that’s how my brain works. Many of my relatives are inventors.

3. I like that finally, people of all shades and hair types are being embraced in the beauty industry.

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

Revamp the FDA to test products on the market to make sure they’re safe. Companies that keep their ingredients a secret since so many toxic ingredients are used in this industry and the consumer should have the right to know what they’re putting on their body.
Children and teens are heavily influenced by social media and feel inferior. They’re told they need surgeries and products to alter their bodies in order to be accepted. I want people to understand that the beauty industry should lift up and embrace all people.
I would get rid of petroleum.
I would get rid of photoshop and make it so companies had to show un-edited skin and real before and afters of their products. People need to see the real results of the products they are consuming.

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

Every morning and night, you should have your best skincare routine in place. Make sure to stick to it. Also, focus on one aspect of yourself that you love.

Here is the main question for our discussion. Based on your experience and success, Can you please share “Five Things You Need To Know To Succeed In The Modern Beauty Industry”. Please share a story or an example, for each.

You need to have social media.
Your social media has to be done correctly or else you won’t get results. Work with the right people.
Always work with people you trust.
Always remember that fashion is cyclical. Always be ahead, never behind. Always be yourself and remember you have the freedom to be yourself.
Never give up. If someone tells you no, knock on every door until somebody says yes. Don’t stop!

Always remember kindness and empathy. Helping people feel better about themselves adds positively that we are so in need of today. Always look for the positive and never focus on the negative.

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

“Leave them wanting more.” This quote was relevant to me in life since people love my products and want more.

How can our readers follow you online?

Website: https://www.yateractives.com

Instagram: yateractives

Facebook: Yater Actives

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

Inga Tritt of Original Sprout: Five Things You Need To Know To Succeed In The Modern Beauty… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Ana Redwood of Redwood Reserves: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started Leading a…

Ana Redwood of Redwood Reserves: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started Leading a Cannabis or CBD Business

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

The limitless opportunities, the experience of being a part of the first era after prohibition, and the potential cannabis has not only to be an alternative to alcohol or other drugs but to be medicinal in ways we haven’t even fully discovered yet.

As part of my series about “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started Leading a Cannabis Business” I had the pleasure of interviewing Ana Redwood.

Redwood Reserves didn’t become an industry leader overnight. Founded in 2019 by Ana Redwood, the need for quality CBD smokables led to the creation of Redwood Reserves. “I had been in the CBD industry for almost 2 years at this point and kept seeing the demand for CBD flower rise, but the quality of the products I was trying were really subpar.” explained Ana. “I set out to create something I’d feel comfortable with using myself, and that’s how Redwood Reserves came to be.” By focusing on the taste and experience of smoking CBD flowers, Redwood Reserves has gained popularity and skyrocketed to the top of review websites and Google search results as one of the best CBD cigarette companies in the market.

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

Thank you for having me!

My original plan was not to get into the cannabis industry when I moved to Oregon. I was planning on finishing my degree and applying to law school, but the opportunities in cannabis kept coming up, and I felt that I’d regret it later on if I didn’t at least explore them. My brothers were on board with taking a shot on this, and together, we got one of the first recreational Marijuana licenses that Oregon handed out. Unfortunately, they handed out way too many licenses, and with the supply outweighing the demand, the flower prices plummeted, and we were faced with the option to either pivot or go broke — so we chose to pivot. Now we run and operate two vertically-integrated international hemp companies, Redwood Reserves, and USA Hemp.

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?

The most interesting story was almost getting my team and I kicked out of an industry event for smoking a CBD flower cigarette. We had just finished a trade show in Miami and attended the industry after party back in 2019. We lit a celebratory smoke for a job well done, and the security guards immediately ambushed us — flashlights in our faces, yelling at us to put out the weed, threatening to call the cops. It was an intense situation, and my team was incredibly uncomfortable. The interaction caught me off guard, but I knew we couldn’t be escorted out like that. It was an industry event; buyers and competitors were watching this whole fiasco, and at the end of the day, hemp was federally legal. So I had to think quickly. I told the team to put out their cigarettes and calmly asked the security guards to listen for just one second. Thankfully they did, and I could explain that these were hemp cigarettes, not weed. I showed them the pack and the QR code linking to the lab report while explaining that they’re completely legal (even if they smell a little bit like weed). They let us stay and asked us to smoke them off to the side for the rest of the night, and one of them even took a smoke for himself! When I came back to the party, everyone that saw what happened wanted to ask questions and try one for themselves, and we ended up making some great connections that night. It taught me that any publicity is good publicity, depending on how you handle it.

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?

This one was embarrassing at the time, but I’ve learned to laugh about it now. I once attended a lunch meeting with a huge potential distributor early. This may not seem like a big deal, but I was 24 hours early. I didn’t realize until I called them asking if we were still on for our meeting, only for her to say yes, we’re still on for our meeting tomorrow. I felt so silly, laughed, and told her I had my dates mixed up and was already here, so it looks like I’m eating at the same place two days in a row! We had a good laugh the next day, and I’ve always triple-checked my calendar before leaving for a meeting.

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

I got into the cannabis industry very young, which was a bit of a shock for my peers. The first time I posted a picture of our plants on my Instagram account, I got a flood of DMs from people I used to know growing up asking me variations of “how much for 1lb“. It was surreal to me; I was trying to build a business, not supplying little Jimmy and his friends with weed!

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?

I’m fortunate to have gone into this venture with my brothers as my business partners. We each manage our business division and can give each other real and constructive criticism in a way I feel would be difficult for most traditional business partners.

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

Yes! Right now, we’re working on Project Favela, a program that will empower and strengthen the communities inside Brazil’s favelas. Favelas is a neighborhood that has historically received the brunt end of police brutality and government neglect and has been the center of Brazil’s war on drugs. Project Favela is working on providing tools for these communities to help sustain themselves in the form of equipment and buyback programs to help provide sustainable livelihoods instead of relying on non-existential government assistance and handouts.

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?

The gender gap is slowly closing, but we still have much more to do to level the playing field. As an individual, you can choose to use your voice and show support for companies run by women. As a company, you can hold your managers accountable in the hiring process to ensure there’s no discrimination at play. Teams should be hired based on qualifications, but if you’re looking at a team with 18 men and two women, there may be an underlying factor skewing those numbers. As a society, we need to keep pushing for gender equality not only in the workplace but as a whole, as those gender norms will shape the thinking of future generations so that one day it will be a no-brainer that women should get equal pay as men.

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

The limitless opportunities, the experience of being a part of the first era after prohibition, and the potential cannabis has not only to be an alternative to alcohol or other drugs but to be medicinal in ways we haven’t even fully discovered yet.

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?

My three biggest concerns in the cannabis industry tie together: the black market, taxes, and fees. The black market still runs rampant even in states with legalized marijuana. For example, an article Forbes published claimed that 80% of cannabis operations in the state of California are the black market. That high number sounds crazy, but when you factor in the added cost of taxes and fees for cannabis businesses, it turns out that the black market can sell their cannabis for a much lower price. They don’t have to worry about testing for banned pesticides, heavy metals, and chemicals. If I had the ability to implement three ways to improve the industry, I would lower the state taxes on cannabis to be more on par with taxes on common goods, reevaluate the regulations to trim back on unnecessary expenditures for cannabis businesses, and build programs to better support the industry instead of holding it back.

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?

The most persuasive argument for the federal legalization of cannabis is simple — it’s already happening whether you like it or not, so why not be able to tax it? Many states have legalized cannabis and proven it’s no more (if not less) dangerous than alcohol. Legalizing cannabis will not only allow new businesses to emerge and strengthen our economy, but they’ll also bring a new source of revenue for the government to allocate for things we currently don’t have the budget.

Today, cigarettes are legal, but they are heavily regulated, highly taxed, and they are somewhat socially marginalized. Would you like cannabis to have a similar status to cigarettes or different? Can you explain?

While they both can be smoked, tobacco has historically been detrimental to the health of millions of Americans and has nowhere as many regulations as the cannabis industry has. Have you ever seen a lab report for a Marlboro showing the potency, pesticides, heavy metals, and microbials? These are all things that are required in <50lb batches in the cannabis industry, making the cannabis industry a much cleaner one and not on par with tobacco.

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

“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” — Seneca. I like to think back to this quote when contemplating taking the easy way out. I always try to remember that while I am lucky to have opportunities come my way, they’ll pass me by if I’m not prepared to take them.

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

I’d bring back the movement of giving back and being a community. You see so many movies from back in the day about working in food kitchens, volunteering with the elderly, and just overall knowing one another, and I feel like that’s lost in our time. We’re so wrapped up in our lives that we forget others are living theirs too.

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

Ana Redwood of Redwood Reserves: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started Leading a… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Modern Fashion: Michelle Valadon On The 5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today

An Interview With Candice Georgiadice

Passion and Purpose: First, a brand has got to have that fiery passion inside that inspires the designer to create. It’s the inspiration that lights them up, what they get from doing what they love, and the purpose behind why they are doing it. It’s the purpose behind what keeps the persistence going to create and that can live within a product that can be felt from one to another. The purpose is in the why and why the brand is created and what is being provided. When you have a purpose you are able to have your wearer connect and relate to a brand on a deeper level. And when it can also solve a problem that the wearer is seeking it is remembered.

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 Michelle Valadon.

Michelle Valadon draws inspiration from nature, the gothic elements of architecture, gothic couture elements in high fashion, and the romance of times past. She creates quality and versatile, gothic, fine jewelry that has a bit of dark romance, edgy, and slightly vintage aesthetic style. She brings her designs to those that seek something that is not readily seen everywhere and that identifies and expresses their individual style. Not only as a fashion statement, but she also brings what signifies a deeper purpose and symbolism to each collection of pieces through the materials she uses and the designs that are created.

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”?

First of all thank you for asking and for your invite to include me in Authority!

I was born and raised in Southern California. I somehow always had a fascination with a European ambiance, history or items from another time, and the arts. From an early age, I knew my path was to be in something artistic. It was a way to express myself my appreciation of the beauty around me. I also found that traveling, listening to music, and dancing allowed me to connect to my imagination to visualize and create.

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

I lived in Dallas, Texas for about 7 years working as an assistant photo art director for a few well-known home fashions and fashion companies after my attendance at Pasadena Art Center College of design. I studied graphic design, where I learned that design had to have a purpose and a meaning behind it. There I learned about sacred geometry, which has come to play a critical role in my design. At one time, I had the interest to be a fashion designer, then my interest shifted to photo art directing and styling, and then to a jewelry designer with combining these interests. There was a jewelry store I discovered in Dallas that featured independent designers that I never knew existed in the market. It opened up my eyes to all the possibilities. But most of all it was my attendance at a gothic nightclub, where I loved to go dancing which was what brought inspiration to me and paved my way. The ambiance of old-world charm the club radiated, made me feel like I was transported back in time. I would dream up designs that I was not able to find and express and experiment with my own style and vision of something that I wanted to bring to the market someday. I then wanted to know about the industry, so I enrolled at the Gemological Institute of America where I received training and gained knowledge in jewelry and gemstones.

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

It’s been a journey and an experience to achieve what I have envisioned in my mind and see it come to life. It’s learning to explore ways to bring that human emotion element into my creations and not the mechanical feel that can be lost, leaving it cold and emotionless. Since jewelry is an emotional product I want to stay true to this while maintaining an emotional connection with the products that were created. It’s what my jewelry is about and it is part of that story. I’ve been fortunate to work with some amazing and very experienced individuals who are as passionate about their craft. I work side by side with them to achieve the desired look, often combining the computer as a foundational base and old technique processes. I have had a few creations done entirely by hand, ones with intricate carvings to old techniques done by giving textured examples of old swords and European stones to reflect the uniqueness of a piece. It all seems to come together when creating these designs from start to finish. They all fall into place from being intentional to becoming unintentional as a serendipity experience has a greater meaning and symbolism behind it.

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 believe in connecting with others in the industry and building upon those relationships with those you work well with. As I mentioned in the last question, my collaborations with whom I work to bring a piece to life are always a joy to work, as well as, an exciting process. I’m flexible and open-minded to suggestions as I work with them yet stay true to the vision it needs to be.

The other is being inspired and incredibly excited about what I create and connecting to my inspirations. It’s when I go out into the world and allow my visual sense of the beauty of nature and the specific elements from the past to inspire me. It’s trying a new idea out and exploring it. I find I’m persistent and intrigued to see how an idea I came up with will turn out. It’s the need to consistently stay inspired that lights me up!

I have faith in myself and in a higher power. It’s also my persistence that keeps me going. I’ll be honest and say it’s not been easy and rather frustrating. I’ve learned a lot about myself and learned a lot about what works and what doesn’t. It’s like we are literally shaped every day like a diamond in the rough through our experiences. I’ve learned to always have a backup plan and go with my intuition. I’ve had some amazing people that I’ve met and have worked with, and I’ve met some not-so-nice people that have not been supportive and very self-serving. I’ve had some barriers and obstacles along the way. Regardless, I’ve kept moving forward and finding ways to see what I can do to solve the issue and believing I have a quality gift I was given to bring to others.

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

The jewelry designs I create represent something that is more intricate like the days when jewelry had that special essence with its carefully thought-out designs, quality and craftsmanship before mass production came into play. I believe in bringing jewelry like the days of once ago with the same approach of using feminine motifs to symbolic elements that describe a woman’s essence. I use solid precious metals of gold and silver with oxidized patina and textures to give that old-world charm, and precious to semi-precious stones in a fun edgy way. All designs are made in the USA and have a European influence. It’s jewelry that isn’t just about a beautiful unique piece but also that it can have significance to what it brings to the wearer. There’s a deeper meaning behind the pieces I create as to what it represents. Collections and pieces that are made carry a symbolism of their own by the name that is given, stones that are chosen, and the type of style/design of that piece. I also use sacred geometry, which is a spiritual meaning of shapes; it’s the law of where beauty is derived from and is the formula of creation. My designs represent a fashion statement that is stylish, fun, and edgy yet its purpose is for women to connect, embody, and embrace their femininity. It’s also to feel a sense of empowering confidence that is very magnetic.

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

I have a few that have all helped me with my frame of mind and one is “What your mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve” by Napoleon Hill, as these are words of wisdom from a brilliant man that was highly successful. It’s helped me as a reminder to see where my focus is at. There are various biblical scriptures I go by that have helped and brought a sense of reassurance. There was another that I saw many years ago somewhere in a fashion magazine that stood out to me and still to this day, “When you’re mysterious you’re mesmerizing”. It signifies the intrigue of a woman when you leave enough for others to want to know more.

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?

I’m excited to see developments in the fashion industry report that gothic couture is making its way back. I have read articles about this trend and seen elements appearing on digital outlets like a runway show of Dior’s fashion next season. It is seeing high-end fashions in luxurious black silks, satins, velvets, leathers, and laces that I’ve seen making their way back as a form of a statement. This usually circulates back from previous decades by the leading fashion houses. It’s a style that is captivating to both niches and to the mainstream. My brand and jewelry fall in alignment with this style and I’m excited to see this showing up in various attires such as dark weddings to evening attire and to everyday wear.

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

I’m hoping to bring a product that can empower the potential and confidence of my wearer. I want this to be a reminder to embrace the femininity (soft power) that women possess or that hasn’t been awakened and that it is something powerful that they are not aware of yet. Not only as it makes a statement to be worn, but it also transforms the way you feel, and how you show up inside and out. It is the symbolism that connects you to your femininity, harmony, and balance to whom you were created to be. When we feel good about who we are we have the capacity to reach more of our full potential, we also give others that freedom too to be themselves to express themselves.

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

It’s important for me to use credible and ethical resources in the industry from which I buy my materials. I have resources and connections to gemstone dealers and precious metals that have been in business for decades and are known to be credible in the industry. I was introduced to them by mentors in the jewelry industry business and independent designers and casters who used them as well. With my knowledge and continued research about stones, I know what to look for. I always ask about the origin and I desire to know everything about the stone. It’s an important selling point especially if there is a story behind it and also to make sure it’s an ethical piece. I find sourcing to be exciting as when I pick out a stone I come from knowing what I’m looking for by what I envision the stone looking like in my design and other instances where the stone creates the design. All pieces are limited editions and made to order once bought giving a sense of specialty and to cherish for a lifetime or recycled for the value rather than short-lived to a landfill.

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?

With jewelry, it also depends on personal style, their sense of personal identity, and what speaks to them when they try on that particular item while making those decisions. It’s those that understand quality vs. quantity. With more affordable pieces, it’s not meant to last but to have a short period of time to own. It also has a different feeling and looks that can be seen and felt. The jewelry I create it’s meant to be cherished for a lifetime with the attention to quality and craftsmanship in the way it’s made and also the materials that are used. Authentic stones have an identity and energy to them that can be felt and seen. Artificial stones do not have this. The feel of some certain metals doesn’t have the sheen or texture as precious metals do. It’s very important for me to have a quality-made piece using all authentic materials from ethical sources that will last and bring out the special qualities the wearer can connect with. It’s the specialty and the attention to detail from the moment it’s envisioned to the last stone set. There are limited quantities made to maintain a special one-of-a-kind feel to the pieces rather than the mass-produced products that tend to bring the lack of specialty to an item.

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.

As I noticed with successful brands they tend to have these 5 elements that are interconnected and built among each other:

Passion and Purpose: First, a brand has got to have that fiery passion inside that inspires the designer to create. It’s the inspiration that lights them up, what they get from doing what they love, and the purpose behind why they are doing it. It’s the purpose behind what keeps the persistence going to create and that can live within a product that can be felt from one to another. The purpose is in the why and why the brand is created and what is being provided. When you have a purpose you are able to have your wearer connect and relate to a brand on a deeper level. And when it can also solve a problem that the wearer is seeking it is remembered.

Uniqueness: It’s when a brand can understand and deliver what they can offer and bring something that is different that stands out for their wearers. It’s bringing fresh ideas that are not readily seen everywhere that suit a purpose with personal style. I feel it’s bringing an item that the wearer can personalize or identify with that excites them. It’s something that speaks to them and where they feel a connection in their own personal way that reflects with their style and how they feel as they wear it. Usually, something that feels more specialty has a sense of uniqueness that a wearer seeks. Custom items can offer specifically something that can truly be personalized that makes it unique to them. I offer bespoke items as well as offering to change out stones or metals for those who may want something specific for sentimental reasons from designs that carry a uniqueness.

Brand story and Identity: When brands have a story and narrative for their products and to their messaging, it connects to their audiences on a greater level creating powerful connections and an identity that is relatable. It takes them to another world or a message that speaks to their souls. It identifies who they are and serves a greater sense of connection to their audiences with the products and to themselves. I find it important to create a story that others can identify with and provide a message that is powerful and that one can connect and relate to.

Evolving and versatility: It’s when a brand can evolve through the changes of what is trending and adapting to that as well as stay true to its core values and to its style. It’s finding ways to incorporate that style in being versatile in possibilities and pushing through.

Customer service or creating connections: When brands care to bring service to those by providing support and listening to their customer’s needs and wants, results in satisfaction. It’s an important integral part of a business to deliver something that is desired and design around that to the wearer. It’s a part that is forgotten and overlooked but when it’s not it can serve a purpose for the client who feels heard and in the design process results in solutions and something desired. I have found it to be helpful to know what others seek so I can provide that solution in the design and combine it with my creative inspirations.

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

I feel the fashion industry could be more open-minded and not be closed to possibilities of various creativities and ideas. To only focus on what mainstream outlets are doing and not be open to niche markets means missing out on those possibilities. I find niche markets like mine can bring something new and fresh to the market in which people seek something different and new. It’s what distinguishes the trends, varieties, and aesthetics of the decades. It’s why stylists go to niche outlets seeking ideas.

Within the jewelry industry, there could be better disclosures on details on ethical and sustainable practices as to origin and info on stones and materials. I know this is something they are working towards improving.

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 several yet I’ll name a few. One is to appreciate design from the past and where it comes from. Two appreciate the beauty around us and that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes instead of discarding the possibilities. The last is for women to embrace their femininity and to see there is power in that instead of perceived weakness.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

You can go to my website www.michellevaladon.com

Also can follow me on:

https://www.Facebook.com/MichelleValadonDesign/

https://www.Instagram.com/MichelleValadonDesign/

https://Pinterest.com/MichelleValadonDesign/

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

Modern Fashion: Michelle Valadon 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.

Lorrie Thomas Ross Of Web Marketing Therapy On How To Thrive Despite Experiencing Impostor Syndrome

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Put yourself in an advisor role. If you were advising someone who was having these feelings, what would you say to the person feeling like they don’t have what it takes for the job, experience, or challenge? This is why I have clients write things down first. Getting out of your head is key. Then you can honestly look at yourself and help break down the barriers.

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

Lorrie Thomas Ross is the CEO of Web Marketing Therapy Inc., a marketing agency that diagnoses, prescribes, and guides healthy, sustainable marketing solutions. She has worked with thought leaders for over a decade, putting practices in place to help them brand, build and boost business, and leveraging their expertise to help them grow their authority status to reach career goals. Thomas Ross is also the founder and CEO of Wild Web Women, coaching and marketing support to help digital women grow gorgeously, where she leads one-on-one and group retreats for intentional women leaders. In addition to her roles as a marketing advisor and retreat leader, Thomas Ross is also an educator and author.

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

Happy to! I’ve seen digital marketing through it all…. Starting back in the early “dot com boom” days! In 1999, I had a job I loved, working in retail management when I was recruited by a loyal client to go work for her selling ads for a leading advertising network. I had never used email before that job — I didn’t even own a personal computer! — but I learned the art and science of online advertising and grew quickly. Success in sales aside, I chose to leave the company on the day they went public, handing out my sold contracts to my fellow sales team members (talk about leaving on a good note!) because I was disillusioned by big marketing budgets but no marketing heart.

At 21 years old, I walked away from a 6-figure salary and went back to college. Even though it was a time where dropping out of school to “make money on the internet,” was celebrated, the money wasn’t enough. I wanted meaningful work. Within months of returning to college, I was recruited to sell ads for another web company. After turning them down at first, they made me an offer I couldn’t refuse and I was back in the online ad sales world, this time in the dot-com bust. Tough times aside, I still thrived, helping the company reach profitability. A few years later I was asked to lead online marketing efforts at this company as a buyer (vs. seller) to help the company grow their subscriber base. Leaving sales behind, I had a major marketing “drinking from a firehose” career experience. I was managing display ads, affiliate marketing, paid search, SEO and working with brand managers on web pages, copy, email campaigns, PR and more. This was before there were digital marketing books and classes, so I learned experientially and fast. I found a love for marketing and how all the pieces of the puzzle connected to brand, build and boost business.

When UC Santa Barbara asked me to teach through their continuing education program, my career took a new direction. The challenge of sharing the breadth and depth of web marketing in a way that was digestible to both experienced and inexperienced adults was an opportunity for me to share my passion and help companies of all sizes. While it was scary to teach at first, it became the most rewarding thing I had done professionally at that time. Around the same time, I was recruited to be an internal marketing consultant at an outdoor recreation company that owned multiple brands, giving me another taste for helping multiple businesses simultaneously. About a year later, I got recruited to work for a health company which seemed like the perfect job (marrying wellness with web marketing), but it wound up being a highly dysfunctional organization. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it took a job like that to force me to let go of the ledge and transition to doing what I love — optimizing marketing.

In 2005, I left corporate for good and started my consultancy. One rebrand and 17 years later and here I am now with a dream team and fabulous clients, still fueled by my desire to help great people and organizations implement healthy, sustainable marketing solutions.

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

One of my most memorable career stories was from my retail management days at Saks Fifth Avenue. I answered the phone and spoke with a woman who had called the store several times and left messages inquiring about fur storage and was upset that nobody had gotten back to her. While we didn’t offer fur storage at our store, I was mortified that nobody had communicated with her. There were two problems to address: One — the issue that nobody had been responsive, and two — that while we didn’t offer fur storage, success comes in CANs, not CAN’Ts, so while I couldn’t store them at our store, I felt that we needed to guide her to a solution, even if it wasn’t in-house.

People need to feel seen and heard, so I immediately apologized for her initial calls going unanswered and let her know that moving forward, I would be her direct point of contact. I also informed her that while we did not offer fur storage, I knew the Beverly Hills store did (which was 90 minutes from Santa Barbara where I worked) and I was going to connect with them to find out how we could best help her get her fur down there. I asked her to give me a little time and I’d be in touch within a few hours with options. While I am NOT a fan of fur, and personally wouldn’t wear it, this wasn’t about me or my opinions. This was about customer service and making a client feel like a VIP. I was able to coordinate with our shipping department and the Beverly Hills fur salon to have her fur delivered within 24 hours. All the client needed to do was get them to our store. Solution identified! Or so I thought. I called her to give her the news but she said she preferred that someone come pick them up. I found out where she lived and offered to personally pick them up on my way to work the next day (this was before GPS days, so I had her directions on a yellow sticky note taped to the dashboard of my red Ford Escort!). When I arrived at the house, her husband opened the door and invited me into the living room where I found a rolling rack of not one, but 8 coats and 4 huge fur hat boxes! Internally, I was gasping “oh my gosh!!!” but I was smooth on the outside. We crammed my little 2-door car with all of the coats and hats and I made my way to the store, unable to see out my rear window! It turns out that this woman was a Platinum client of Saks nationally (in 1998, that meant she spent over $30k/year) and became one of my top clients. I shopped for her from head to toe. Makeup, fragrance, evening gowns, vacation wear, lingerie, gifts, you name it, often shipping things like fragrance to all 4 of her homes so she didn’t have to be bothered traveling with it.

The lesson here is that we always need to be thinking beyond service and looking at solutions to grow business. No matter what business you are in, you are in the people business first. Finding solutions and communicating them to serve and support your audience is the key to success.

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

One of my favorite stories that sums up why my company’s work stands out comes from an experience working for a client who became, at that time, my first BIG client. He hired me to help him optimize his website for better search visibility. I drove to the kick off meeting and met with my client, his business partner and got a tour of the office. On the walls were numerous awards, photos of them with big-name radio hosts and a ginormous 3-ring folder that was packed with love letters from extremely happy clients. While we got into the geeky science of SEO, nailing down key phrases that they wanted to rank on, I also asked them about the heart of why they started this company. Listening to their story was so inspiring. This company was very different from their competitors, not only in the results they delivered, but in their approach and how they operated. I drove home, excited to get to work. This was an easy SEO optimization project. But, the more I geeked out on the code changes and structural stuff to make the site more search friendly, the more I kept thinking back to the awards, client success letters, how much they were investing in radio etc.. After taking a good, hard look at their website, I realized that all the SEO in the world to their current website wasn’t going to be their best investment. Their site at the time was good, but it had so much more potential to marry credibility, usability, visibility, sellability and scalability.

One of the many things that makes my company unique is that we focus on solutions, not problems. We educate and empower our clients so they know how to prioritize “need to have’s” over “nice to have’s”. While a rebrand and new website was not part of the project I was hired for, I paid one of my designers (on my dime) to do a mockup of a new/improved website as well as logo concepts to show them how a more credible, professionally designed site could look, explaining that they needed more than SEO. They needed an elevated logo, website, user experience copy and content marketing so all of the puzzle pieces came together and clicked. As per our contracted agreement, I had done all the SEO work and had that ready, letting them know we could do the SEO as planned, OR we could wait to add it to a more “on-brand” and “on-purpose” site to take marketing to a whole new level. The costs for the graphic design were on me to show them vs. just tell them how effective a new site could be.

These two partners sat there after I shared my observations, recommendations and options for next steps and were silent. I was still pretty new to being an entrepreneur and worried I had overstepped by speaking up about things beyond what I was hired to do. Then the partner opened his mouth and said “Wow, you really care about your work.” I breathed a sigh of relief. He went on to say that for years, they had countless vendors make promises and under-deliver, and that this was the first time that they had someone really “get” their business who could put all the marketing puzzle pieces together.

That was a new beginning for my company. From there on out, I led with my distinction — using my breadth and depth of marketing expertise to diagnose, prescribe and guide healthy sustainable marketing solutions.This turned into our five-factor success framework that we layer over all our work — advisory, training and marketing management. There is an art of marketing and a science of marketing, but when you approach marketing from a place of heart, everything falls into place. We approach our clients in a way that focuses not on selling marketing services, but solely on supporting them with strategic solutions. Super custom, solution-centric marketing. Optimization first.

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?

One of the most influential people who helped me get to where I am today is a very revered industry colleague (who will remain nameless). This person was so kind to me when I branched out on my own, taking me to lunch, giving me advice. She had a very successful one-person agency at the time, worked extremely hard and was very intense. On paper she was successful, but not the kind of success I wanted. I wanted a quality company and a better quality of life.

Over one of our lunches I excitedly shared with her my desire to rename my business Web Marketing Therapy to align with our diagnose, prescribe and guide approach. She shut the name down immediately. I don’t remember the exact words, but it was along the lines of; “Oh no.” “Nobody is going to like that.” “There is a stigma around therapy.” “Don’t do it.” But I wasn’t upset or deterred. In fact, I felt even more inspired to rebrand (my original name was Lorrie Thomas Web Marketing) because everything I was was the opposite of this person. She was hard, my approach was heart-centered (tough love as needed, but less intense). Her approach was formulaic, mine was very custom. Her clients were demanding and commanding, I wanted clients who valued their relationships and were a pleasure to partner with. Her nay-saying my brand name was one of the most influential moments for my company’s marketing, changing the course of my company’s future. Being shut down can be such a gift. It reinforced why I wanted to do this, helped me better articulate who we are, what we do, whom we serve and reminded me that I needed a brand that would connect with my ideal clients …and she wasn’t one of them!

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

Impostor Syndrome is when someone, regardless of their age, education, experience or achievements, experiences feelings of self-doubt and/or lack of competence. While Impostor Syndrome can impact anyone, it’s often prevalent among high-achieving people. People with Impostor Syndrome feel like they aren’t ready for opportunity, even if it’s handed to them, and usually find excuses to be “unqualified.”

Years ago, when I was asked to teach a marketing class for UC Santa Barbara — an opportunity I had coveted for a long time — Impostor Syndrome kicked in. Instead of immediately saying “yes”, my first words to the person who invited me to teach was that I only had a Bachelor’s degree (at that time, I have a Master’s now), shutting the opportunity down. Looking back, I cannot believe that I had admired other colleagues who had adjunct teaching jobs, dreaming of my own opportunity, and when one fell into my lap I almost blew it because of Impostor Syndrome! Thankfully, she didn’t take no for an answer and told me something like, “You are an industry veteran, that doesn’t matter. We need experts in the field who can teach.” I was perfectly qualified to teach, but I almost allowed Imposter Syndrome to let me pass up on a dream.

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

Impostor Syndrome is a self-imposed barrier which can completely inhibit someone from leveling up. I liken it to the FEAR acronym — False Expectations Appearing Real. It’s one thing to have “optimal anxiety,” a psychological state where performance and alertness are optimized (like right before you make a presentation) but it’s so debilitating when you believe that you can’t take advantage of an opportunity “until _____” (I get that degree, take the class, get more experience, etc.)

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

I find that when someone experiences Impostor Syndrome, they often act one of two ways. They either project those feelings of inadequacy onto others, which can manifest as criticism, negativity, demotivating others, or jealousy, or, it can be the opposite, where those with Imposter Syndrome put people with the same qualifications as them on a pedestal, unable to see they are an equal.

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

My first brush with Impostor Syndrome was when I was in retail management. I was a super strong salesperson and had grown my business to levels beyond what the store had anticipated. One day, I was asked to come up to the general offices to meet with store leadership. I sat down and was immediately offered a promotion to take over an area in couture within the store. The pay increase was almost double, a huge income opportunity for me, but I turned them down. All the Impostor Syndrome feelings rose up: I felt I wasn’t qualified to work in couture because I didn’t have the same experience that the current employees in that department did. I also felt like I’d be pretending with the extremely high net worth clients who shopped in that area. I proceeded to tell the store manager why I was not the right fit. She cut me off and told me that they needed someone like me who had a background reviving struggling businesses within stores (which was true, that was my jam) and they wanted some young blood mixed in with the seasoned professionals to shake things up. Thankfully, I shut up and took the position. And, I crushed it!

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

The first couple of weeks in that new position weren’t easy. I had a lot of self-doubt, which only grew as I got to know my new team and learned that some had client lists beyond anything I’d ever imagined, one was a former model who had collaborated directly with designers and some used to be designers themselves! Here I was, a 21-year old whose experience was working at JCPenney and a cosmetics line, and was now the one at a luxury store tasked with reviving couture. Thankfully, I had a super supportive life partner who reminded me of why I was selected to do the work and reminded me to take things one day at a time. But what I found to be the most helpful in mitigating the Imposter Syndrome was trusting my leadership. They were smart people, they wouldn’t have given me the opportunity if they didn’t think I could do it. And I had done it for other brands, so I started small and snowballed the business…and got promoted again! It turned out they didn’t need a couture expert, they needed a marketing expert, and that was me!

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

Step 1: Feel the feelings. This is part of the growth process. It’s never healthy to suppress emotions. See it, hear it, forgive it, then move on. The mind is for thinking, not storing, so get it out of your head and on paper. Let’s say you want to write a book but you feel like an impostor. The feeling might be “I don’t have what it takes to write a book” or “I don’t have enough experience to be qualified to write a book on ___.” Or, my personal favorite that came from a narrative fed to me in my childhood (which is a whole other interview lol) “Who do you think you are?”

Step 2: Write down why you feel this way. For the above example, it might be things like:

“I’ve never written a book”, “I don’t have formal education in this subject to write this book” or “I’m never going to be able to finish.” Get it all out. Even if it feels silly, get all the reasons why you feel like an impostor out.

Step 3: Read through all of these. Then ask yourself, are they really true? Any author who has a book had a point in their life where they too, had never written a book. Many people write books who may not have a formal writing education or education in that space. As for being able to finish, it might make you laugh to read that.

Step 4: Ask yourself what is really holding you back. Be honest. This could be fear of failure, ridicule, having to work really hard, letting people down. In the coaching work I do with entrepreneurs, I’ve heard things like “I’m not as attractive/educated/experienced as other people on stage giving these kinds of talks” emerge as underlying reasons. A lot of people who experience Impostor Syndrome deal with perfectionism. This is a callout I want to make because this is a big issue that holds so many people back from trying. Remember, nothing is perfect — life is a creative process!

Step 5: Put yourself in an advisor role. If you were advising someone who was having these feelings, what would you say to the person feeling like they don’t have what it takes for the job, experience, or challenge? This is why I have clients write things down first. Getting out of your head is key. Then you can honestly look at yourself and help break down the barriers.

I would love to inspire a movement of women asking for what they want — clearly, confidently, unapologetically. This movement will elevate relationships, family dynamics, the workforce and the world. The world needs more feminine power. Growing up professionally in a man’s world, it has taken me years of education, coaching and personal work to uncoil from trying to survive in a man’s world vs. thriving as a woman and making an impact by tapping into my feminine power. I want to see more women get rooted so they can grow in gorgeous ways. It’s time.

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

I adore Diane von Furstenburg. I read her book “The Woman I Wanted to Be” and was beyond inspired by her positivity, story and passion in her life and work. She is a goddess of reinvention and staying relevant. She is a great example of the type of woman who asks for what she wants without hesitation.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorriethomasross

https://www.instagram.com/lorriethomasross/

https://www.facebook.com/lorrie.thomas

https://twitter.com/webtherapist

https://www.youtube.com/user/webmarketingspeaker

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

Lorrie Thomas Ross Of Web Marketing Therapy On How To Thrive Despite Experiencing Impostor Syndrome was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Women In Wellness: Sara Woodward Of Memory Care On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support…

Women In Wellness: Sara Woodward Of Memory Care On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Know that it’s okay to be silly. I promise it’s okay to have fun. Yes, even at work. I think many of us get into this mindset in adulthood where we convince ourselves that if we’re silly or having fun at work, we aren’t going to be taken seriously or viewed as professional. I just don’t believe that’s true. I’ve recently started to begin all my team meetings with a fun song that everyone can dance to around the conference room. This has changed the tone of our meetings completely, with everyone being more relaxed and energetic during our conversations. I think having space to have fun at work is really important.

As a part of my series about women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Sara Woodward, Director of Memory Care at The Seneca in Rockville, Maryland.

Sara Woodward is the Director of Memory Care at The Seneca in Rockville, Maryland. In her role, Sara manages the day-to-day operations of the memory care program including the department budget, supplies requisition, scheduling, admissions and administrative support. Sara is a certified dementia practitioner and a board-certified music therapist. She holds Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Music Therapy from Shenandoah University.

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?

Some of the coolest interactions I’ve seen are between young children and the residents of the community I work in, The Seneca in Rockville, Maryland. In one particular instance, we were all working on a musical together for about six months. There was this four-year-old boy who was really shy and wasn’t really into it for a while. However, about halfway through preparing for the production, we started to see him come out of his shell and, by the end of everything, he’d done a complete 180 and made friends with all of the residents in the community who were a part of this show. At the time, I thought to myself, “Wow, what a wonderful, yet unexpected, transformation.”

About three months after we had put on the production, I got an email from the little boy’s mom who thanked us for the experience and explained the impact that it had on her son’s life. It turns out the reason he was so quiet at first was because he was scared of the community, to the point where he would refuse to see his grandmother who lived there at the time. But after going through the musical experience and getting to know the residents who participated, he began to initiate visits with his grandmother. I never would have known the impact the musical had on the little boy if his mother had never sent me that email.

The main lesson I learned through that experience is, you never know the impact that you’re going to have on somebody’s life down the road. You should make the most of every moment and interaction you have with others, in a positive manner. The second lesson I learned is to always thank people who have motivated, inspired or positively impacted me in any way.

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?

At the beginning of my career, I worked in hospice as an intern — my first real supervised job in a medical setting — and I was learning a lot of new terminology. One day, I was in an interdisciplinary team meeting with doctors and nurses who were talking about patients and their cases. I can’t remember exactly what word one of the doctors used to describe a particular patient’s diagnosis, but I recall that I wasn’t exactly sure what it meant. However, I thought that it sounded like another word I knew so I never asked for clarification. Well, that same afternoon I had a music therapy session with that exact patient. I used the similar word I assumed the doctor had meant, only to find out I was completely out of context by the confused look the patient immediately gave me. She explained her diagnosis and I was so embarrassed to find out that it was a completely different medical condition from what I thought it was.

Though we ended up laughing about it, I knew that if I had just asked for clarification from the doctor in the first place, the situation would never have happened. I learned it’s okay to ask questions, no matter how dumb you might think your questions are. It’s better to be uncomfortable seeking knowledge than to be content in ignorance. I also learned to never assume that everybody sitting at my table knows the exact language or words I use. I make sure to always ask the people I’m working with if they understand what I’m saying.

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?

There’s definitely a stigma surrounding aging in our society and I think it’s so important to positively shift that perspective. We’re all going to grow old one day and we should make it a respected experience, rather than a feared one. At The Seneca, I work with aging individuals, particularly those with dementia. Through my work, I help these individuals stay active and continue thriving. I want everyone to know that, though you may need to change up your daily processes a bit when you get older, you can still lead a very meaningful and whole life.

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.

Know when to set and hold boundaries. This tweak encompasses everything from knowing when to say no, to verbalizing that you need to take a break or vacation. Doing so can be difficult in a professional setting, where there’s a lot of pressure to constantly produce, but it’s still very much possible. Recently, I was set to present at a conference, but my grandmother fell ill that same week. I had to be honest with myself and admit I wasn’t in the best mental space to handle the conference, so I canceled. I got to spend time with my family and the conference was still a success.
Turn off notifications. I bought an Apple watch a few years ago and at first everything was great. I could recieve all my text messages and emails right on my wrist. It even gave me notifications on when to stand up and move around. However, after the first week I began to notice how distracting the constant notification buzzings and vibrations were. It felt like every 30 seconds there was a new email, phone call or text message. I then decided to shut off my notifications and, voila, it became so much easier to focus. As a result, I became so much more productive.
Always say what you mean. Growing up in a family that always placed a strong emphasis on politeness and modesty in women, I sometimes felt a hesitancy to share my honest thoughts on certain topics, even when I knew I was correct or could help somebody. Through a leadership training I undertook a while ago, I learned the importance of speaking my mind and I encourage everyone on my team to do so as well. It’s so uplifting to have your thoughts and ideas be heard and considered (plus, you never know the innovation your words could spark).
Set a fitness routine. During the pandemic, I believe people experienced a decline in physical activity — I know I certainly did. Not being as active took a toll on my mental, emotional and physical health, and I noticed I was consistently drained at work and in my personal life. When things started opening back up, I began incorporating more physical activity into my everyday life — whether it was going to the gym, a 5-minute walk or even just 10 jumping jacks — and I noticed a huge difference. Moving your body everyday really helps your overall well-being.
Know that it’s okay to be silly. I promise it’s okay to have fun. Yes, even at work. I think many of us get into this mindset in adulthood where we convince ourselves that if we’re silly or having fun at work, we aren’t going to be taken seriously or viewed as professional. I just don’t believe that’s true. I’ve recently started to begin all my team meetings with a fun song that everyone can dance to around the conference room. This has changed the tone of our meetings completely, with everyone being more relaxed and energetic during our conversations. I think having space to have fun at work is really important

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 want my movement to be focused on helping people become their authentic selves. Though I think we’re starting to see this a lot more, especially with the younger generations, I believe more can be done. My movement would also push people to get out of the stiff box society calls “professionalism.” Everyone should be able to do things like dying their hair funky colors and showcasing tattoos, while still being perceived as professional. Being forced into a tiny, homogeneous box in the name of professionalism just isn’t healthy for people.

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

Conflict isn’t inherently bad. If handled well, it can result in innovation and other positive changes.
How to handle conflict. Learning how to acknowledge what you feel while also leaving space to actively listen to and understand somebody else’s opposite viewpoint is very important. Don’t shy away from conflict, but step into it. You can learn so much from having those tough conversations.
It’s okay to take your vacation. When I began my career, I thought that if I asked for time off too often, then people weren’t going to view me as someone who wasn’t as committed to their job as other people. I now know that that’s just not true. I believe that if you don’t take the time to refill your cup and have experiences outside of work, then you’re not going to be able to function as well as you could professionally.
Take a break during the workday. If something is not going well or working the way you imagined, don’t be afraid to take a step back from it. Take a lunch or snack break, a 10-minute walk, just something to get some distance from it. Sometimes your best work comes after you’ve had a chance to step away from stress and allow your subconscious mind to process it while consciously thinking about other things.
Prioritizing your mental health is important. I want to reiterate that you cannot pour from an empty cup. If you don’t first take care of yourself, then you’re not going to be able to take care of other people.

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

Definitely mental health, because I’ve always really connected to the field. That’s why I decided to study music therapy. Mental health is so important for our professional lives, but it tends to get overlooked and put on the backburner at some companies. I believe if employers made it a priority to care for the mental health of their employees, they’d have healthier companies with better employee retention.

What is the best way for our readers to further follow your work online?

Please connect with me on LinkedIn using this URL: www.linkedin.com/in/sarajwoodward.

Thank you for these really excellent insights, and we greatly appreciate the time you spent with this. We wish you continued success.

Women In Wellness: Sara Woodward Of Memory Care On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.