Tatsuya “Tats” Nakagawa of Castagra: How to Use LinkedIn To Dramatically Improve Your Business

Reach out to people that share your interests and values. LinkedIn gives you the option of following people instead of just asking for a connection request. This gives you an opportunity to build a relationship without pushing them for connection requests. Once you develop some dialogue with them, you can send a connection request. It seems simple, but I don’t see this method being used very often.

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

Tatsuya “Tats” Nakagawa is the Co-Founder and COO of Castagra, a sustainable roof coating manufacturing company. Castagra’s Ecodur roof coating is used by world-class companies such as General Mills, Tyson Foods, Sysco, NFL, MLB, and McDonalds. Ecodur was also voted top “Greenvention” by the reality show Dragons’ Den.

He has launched hundreds of products and services, co-authored the book “Overcoming Inventoritis: The Silent Killer of Innovation” (forward by Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple), and spoken to a variety of industry groups including: Chartered Accounts of Canada, Canadian Bar Association, The American Chamber of Commerce, and The International Internet Marketing Association.

He’s also written articles for Fast Company, Construction Today, and Industry Week, and has been quoted on CBS News, Global TV, CBC, The Globe and Mail, and BC Business.

He is the host of the popular C-Suite Network podcast, Specified Growth Podcast (check out his podcasts at www.tatstalks.com). The podcast features interviews with leaders who have overcome adversity, built massive organizations (zero to $100 million+), and made a positive change in the building materials and coatings industry.

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

It’s a pleasure doing this interview with you!

Growing up, I had a lot of business ideas that were fun but didn’t go anywhere. Deep inside, I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur — but I needed more help to get there. When I was in college, I was seeking out a mentor. A friend of mine then introduced me to Peter Roosen, a gifted inventor.

Sometime around 2009, one of Peter’s non-competes ran out (for those who want to know more about what a non-compete is, you can read more from this link). He worked on a building materials product that he built out and sold to a Fortune 500 company. In the process, he accidentally created a great coating technology. There were field trials in many different coating applications such as roofing, flooring, ferry decks and so on. It showed great promise, but nothing was done to commercialize it further. We decided that there was an opportunity to form a company and develop new intellectual property to redeploy this technology. Hence, we started putting up a company. We then came up with our company called Castagra, a combination of two words: Castor, which is from castor oil, our main ingredient, and Agra, which we picked up from the word “agriculture”.

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

This is my favorite story to tell.

While we were getting ready to organize in launching Castagra, we came across a reality game show competition through Dragon’s Den.

For those that don’t know, Dragons’ Den is a TV show in Canada like Shark Tank in the US that features five to six top business leaders (at the time, leaders like Robert Herjavec and Kevin O’Leary were on the show) who evaluate and potentially invest in businesses and new products, which the hopeful entrepreneurs pitch on the show.

At the show, there was a competition called “Greenvention”, which was not part of the regular reality show. However, they have put that in place to search for the top innovative green solution in the country. This was way better than the show’s original format since contestants could win the top cash prize worth $100,000 without giving up any equity.

Contestants from all over Canada then poured in, and about more than 4,000 businesses were ready to take their chances to win the jackpot. Stakes were indeed high.

We thought it would be great if we chose our plant-based coating and building material technology called Ecodur. Our only challenge was, “How do we make coatings look great for TV? It’s not like paint, but it’s just as boring watching its cure.”

We struggled with it for a while and suddenly, it occurred to us — we can present it similar to a cooking show, like Martha Stewart!

We would mix the ingredients in front of the Dragons and pour the substance into a frying pan. Due to its fast curing abilities, the coating would cure and stick to the Teflon frying pan right before their eyes. It worked, and we won! The show aired a total of twelve times and reached millions of viewers around the nation. Essentially, we received $100,000 plus millions of dollars of free exposure. Thousands of emails and calls poured from all over North America. The response was overwhelming.

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

When we were first starting out my business, I took a business trip which took me along the coast of California towards San Diego. We saw a beautiful sandy beach, so we decided to stop by and enjoy the beach and its ambience — but also get some work done. You know those ads you see where people are young and retired, sitting with a laptop by the beach, checking their investments or working comfortably? Well, that’s the image I had in my mind when we stopped by the beach.

Back to the scenario: so we stopped by the beach and there is a beautiful harrier jet flying slowly towards the aircraft carrier parked nearby. It was like a scene from a movie. I opened up my laptop, and suddenly, a gust of wind blew a whole bunch of sand on our laptops! We then spent the next two to three hours getting the sand out of the cracks of our keyboard.

Don’t trust advertising! I still get a laugh when I think how naive I was when I first started. I guess we all have to learn.

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

This is a good question which I usually start by giving out a little trivia. Let me share a “once upon a time” moment with you.

In Baku, Azerbaijan, a certain Garry Kasparov with the original name Garri Weinstein or Harry Weinstein, was born on April 13, 1963. He was a Soviet-born chess master who became the world chess champion in 1985.

You’d probably ask: how did he pave his way to being the world chess champion in 1985?

Kasparov found himself fascinated with the world of chess at a very early age, 6 years old. He then studied under former world chess champion Mikhail Botvinnik from 1973 to 1978. At 13 years old, he became the Soviet youth champion. When he became 16, he won his first international tournament in 1979. In 1980, he became an international grandmaster.

While being a prodigy in the field of chess at his time, the young Kasparov also encountered a setback. Though he was the first world chess champion to be defeated by a supercomputer in a competitive match, he was hailed as the youngest world chess champion at the age of 22 years old.

So, what does this tell us?

Even for the chess genius Kasparov, it took him 11 years to become a true expert (as a grandmaster).

In my opinion, there are two ways to become a recognized industry expert. You can either:

  1. Spend 20 or more years honing your craft and credibility through conferences, TV shows, content marketing, and others; or
  2. Carve out a niche in an area where there are currently few or no experts.

Say you choose the latter, now you ask yourself: What type of niche should I go for?

Technology, for one, is a good area.

For example, there is a new technology platform that’s released and you jump on board then quickly become extremely knowledgeable in it. Since it’s new, you’re not competing with people with a lot of experience.

When LinkedIn was first released, I was one of the early adopters of the tool. I moved in quickly and became an expert. I was so excited about the potential that I assembled a team of people that went around and promoted it.

What was the upside of that activity? I was invited to speak at countless business associations. I even went to a women-only business association only because they couldn’t find a women expert to speak.

Would I have received those same invites as a marketing speaker? No.

But at the time, I was the only LinkedIn marketing expert so I always got the call.

So with that being said, it pays being first in the industry to fast-track your expert status.

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

1. Cultivate a network of like-minded people.

LinkedIn is filled with millions and millions of people — it can actually be overwhelming. I know some people that mindlessly send out connection request after connection request, hoping for a good result.

I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t work. How would you feel if you got random request after request?

Instead of doing that, reach out to people that share your interests and values. LinkedIn gives you the option of following people instead of just asking for a connection request. This gives you an opportunity to build a relationship without pushing them for connection requests. Once you develop some dialogue with them, you can send a connection request. It seems simple, but I don’t see this method being used very often.

2. Use value-added DMs (direct messages) or post comments to build relationships.

The number one goal of any social platform is to eventually get to a one-on-one conversation. That conversation could be via phone, video chat, or in person. The important thing is to take time and cultivate the relationship before reaching out. I get tons of direct messages that are in person which are sales pitches outright.

Stand out from the crowd by being thoughtful and respectful of people’s time.

Ultimately, the approach you should take would be similar to what you would do if you were at a face-to-face event. Going around shoving your business card in people’s faces will not get results. Sending vague requests for meetings or messages asking to pick someone’s mind will be ignored. But a thoughtful well-researched value-added message will have an extremely good chance of getting a response. Quality is a lot better than quantity.

3. Share valuable content with your network.

When you open your LinkedIn from desktop or on your mobile app, what do you see? You see post after post of information and it can be overwhelming. Many of the posts will either be ignored completely or flipped past without taking a closer look.

However, if you’re like most people that have certain contacts and certain people with the same interests within their network, you will take the time to stop, listen or read, and understand their message. Those people deliver value with the content they provide. If you’re not delivering value yet, check your contacts that you look forward to seeing on what their next update will be — I’ll give you a hint of what type of content adds value to you and others on the platform.

Engagement and conversations generated from your content will lead you to better relationships that will ultimately allow you to have better conversations and other opportunities that will come to you in the future.

4. Respond to all thoughtful requests.

It’s easy to get jaded by the number of messages that you get on LinkedIn, but always remember: there is a real person on the other end. Assuming they’ve taken the time to write you a well thought-out message that you find sincere or thoughtful, always take the time to respond to their message. If there are certain questions that you get asked over and over, you can create a valuable response to their question. You don’t need to type it from scratch every time. You can use a tool like a text expander to write your detailed and valuable response to their question which will be helpful to the people that reach out.

5. Send invites out to people you meet.

Make it a habit to send out LinkedIn requests to everyone that you meet. This includes vendors, partners, friends, anyone. Making this a habit, and it will grow your network quickly and allow you to have bigger reach into the network.

Depending on the type of network you are in, you can also include your LinkedIn profile links on your email signature bars, business cards, and article bios. You may also consider opening up your DMs so people who are not yet connected to you via LinkedIn can send you messages as well. This is a personal preference — some people want a bit more privacy than others, but for people that want to meet as many people as possible, this is applicable.

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

I want to help people think bigger and live up to their true potential. I believe that all of us have the ability to positively impact at least 2 million people in their lifetime.

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

I would love to interview Bill Gates, Warren Buffet or Elon Musk on my podcast Specified (www.tatstalks.com). I mean, who wouldn’t? They’re one of the most successful and sought-after business tycoons and philanthropists of all time. I could pick up a lot from them and I would definitely be the luckiest man alive if I get to sit on a breakfast or lunch with them.

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


Tatsuya “Tats” Nakagawa of Castagra: How to Use LinkedIn To Dramatically Improve Your Business was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Podcaster Scott Aaron: How to Use LinkedIn To Dramatically Improve Your Business

The best content practice that you should initiate in your business, is providing one piece of content a day. It does not matter if it’s a post, article or a video. Just make sure that you do not sell or pitch in any of the content that you put out on the platform. Your network is looking to engage with you and learn from you at the very same time. This is something that I learned very early on when using LinkedIn. The more that I give to my audience, the more they give back to me. Ask questions in your content. See what their take-a-ways were. Find out their pain points and the problems they are having so you can be the authoritative leader to provide a solution.

As part of my series of interviews about “How to Use LinkedIn To Dramatically Improve Your Business”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Scott Aaron. Internationally acclaimed and award-winning online marketer, 2x best-selling author, top podcaster and speaker, Scott Aaron, is the go-to specialist when it comes to converting traffic, establishing connections, creating income, building brands and businesses using LinkedIn. Fully immersing himself in learning LinkedIn and social media strategies, Scott quickly gained traction as a leader in generating big results for other entrepreneurs, online business owners and business coaches. Scott is passionate about helping fellow business owners achieve success while building their own network organically without complicated and costly marketing tactics. His program has helped thousands experience explosive growth following his simple, strategic and effective system. People-focused and result-driven, Scotts strategic approach to teaching others how to create wealth online and organic traffic, is the game changer when it comes to competing in a saturated digital world.

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

Over a 23-year professional career as a personal trainer, business owner and coach, I realized I had a gift. I had a gift of building trust, rapport, relationship and connection with other people. As social media started to take over, I found myself feeling very disconnected on Facebook and Instagram. A lot of “posting and praying” and “scrolling and trolling” was a big part of my day. Then one day I stumbled upon LinkedIn. I had a profile, but I had no concept of how to use it. But as I had done so many times before, I figured it out. I realized that in today’s overcrowded social “selling” media world, LinkedIn is the ideal place for anyone who has a business that relies on human connection to build their business, brand and bank account. My strategy is simple. Use LinkedIn for what it is best used for: Creating human connection, rapport, trust and relationship with those that could benefit from you, your service or your product. It is also the most organic way to grow a huge network of those that actually want to hear how you can help and assist one another.

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

Starting at a young age, I learned the importance of being resilient. When I was 18 years young, my father made a poor business decision that landed him in federal prison for 24–36 months. Prior to leaving for prison, my father (with the help of my 2 grandfathers) purchased a failing health club in downtown Philadelphia. Little did I know that this gym would one day become mine. As we drove my father to prison, I had a lot of thoughts running through my mind, none of which were business related. That was all about to change. When we pulled up, the guards were waiting to escort my father into the prison. But prior to exiting the car, my father left me with a message that I will never forget….”Now you are the man of the house!” Those words have never left me. I was an 18-year-old kid now responsible for running a health club with no prior experience in business, wellness or being an adult. I always stress to people that you are always dealt certain hands in life. Some you want to fold and some you want to hold. I can honestly say that I have not folded a hand yet that I have been dealt. Being resilient is my superpower and it is one that we can all access if we truly want to.

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

One of the funniest mistakes I made when I was first starting out with my business utilizing LinkedIn, I was messaging people the wrong way. Namely, doing too much copying and pasting and forgetting to change the person’s name when sending the message. As much as we want to automate certain aspects of our life and our business, sometimes you need to slow down in order to speed up.

The big lesson that I learned from that mistake, was to really do my best to be as genuine, authentic and real as possible no matter what I was doing on the platform. If it means me taking a few extra minutes to make a message ultra-personal in order to establish that connection, then I was going to take that extra step.

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

In the beginning of my business journey in building it online, Facebook was most effective to increase my business revenue. That all drastically changed in 2015 due to the changes in the algorithm of the platform. That is what really drew me to LinkedIn. What I realized is in order to create more business revenue, as a business owner, you must have more conversations than anyone else. Most people are waiting for those to reach out to them on Facebook and Instagram, we’re on LinkedIn, you do the genuine reach out to start conversations. It’s all a numbers game.

One of the best stories that I can share is when I was going through this process of beginning to use LinkedIn, I happen to be reading a book called “Go For No”. The title of the book says it all. “Yes, is the Destination, but NO is how you will get there “. This rang so true for what someone needs to do on LinkedIn. The more NO’s that I collected; the more Yes’s started to show up. The more Yes’s that started to show up, the more my business’s revenue started to increase. This is a simple formula that can be applied to any business.

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

There are five simple but yet effective things you can do on LinkedIn to drastically improve your business.

The first thing is to make sure that your profile is optimized. What I love about LinkedIn, is when Microsoft bought them out a number of years ago, they embedded SEO on all of our profiles, so they are more searchable, visible and able to be connected with. There are specific keywords that you must have on your profile to appear in the searches for those individuals that you seek to connect with. This is something that I understood for the onset of me using LinkedIn. If I wanted more speaking engagements, client acquisitions and podcast interviews, I had to have those keywords fluttered throughout my profile.

The second thing that you should do is defining your client or business avatar. In other words, the person that you are most likely to want to engage with, the person that you are most likely to network with or the person that is most likely to purchase your services. This became crystal clear to me when I started to close more business on the platform. When you are super specific with the network that you were building, it raises your chances and ability to close more sales to grow your business using LinkedIn.

The third thing that you should focus on is the proper way to message a contact. For those that are reading this, I am sure you can relate to me when I say that I have been victimized by a lot of people sending me unwarranted messages on LinkedIn that are 18 paragraph long drunk-a-logs trying to sell me. That is not going to get me on a phone call or a zoom meeting with you. What I found is that there is a strategic and best way to message someone on LinkedIn. This took me years of crafting and perfecting messages that are getting back the responses I required in order to build my business. When sending a message make sure that you craft your message by stating the person’s name first. The next thing that you want to do is bridge the gap between the other person and yourself, stating the connecting point of why you should connect without trying to sell them. The final thing that you should do is to end your message with a call to action. Always remember, questions lead to answers and statements lead to nowhere.

The fourth thing that you should focus on within LinkedIn is using the automated notification messages that you were provided each and every day to reengage with all the connections that you have not spoken to in a while within your network. The great thing about LinkedIn is just that. The platform truly wants you to continue building meaningful and genuine business relationships with people on the platform. Use these automated messages that are given to you every single day in the notification section of the platform to your advantage. You don’t have to get fancy. What I found was, the more of these messages that I sent out every day, the more reengaged conversations I would create. This truly creates more leads than you have time. Which my friends, is always a good problem to have.

The final thing that you must do to grow your business using LinkedIn, is providing relevant, educational and informative content. The best content practice that you should initiate in your business, is providing one piece of content a day. It does not matter if it’s a post, article or a video. Just make sure that you do not sell or pitch in any of the content that you put out on the platform. Your network is looking to engage with you and learn from you at the very same time. This is something that I learned very early on when using LinkedIn. The more that I give to my audience, the more they give back to me. Ask questions in your content. See what their take-a-ways were. Find out their pain points and the problems they are having so you can be the authoritative leader to provide a solution.

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

The big movement that I am seeking to inspire others to latch onto, is the movement of understanding that we are all perfectly imperfect just the way that we are. Our flaws and our imperfections are what make us so special and so unique. It is my dream and mission to see people acknowledging and harnessing the power of who they are. Watching them step into that power each and every day being their true, genuine and authentic selves unapologetically. When we all realize that this is a superpower that we all possess, I truly believe the world will be a better place, because everyone is showing up the way they should, not the way they feel they have to.

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

There are so many people that I would love to have a private breakfast with, but who I would love to sit down with right now is Gary Vaynerchuk. What I admire so much about Gary is his willingness to fail in order to succeed. His willingness to try new things to see how far he can stretch himself and his businesses. Him and I have a very similar work ethic where we could do business all day, every day. But everybody needs to shut it down at some point so they can recharge their battery, in order to show up the proper way each day for those that look up to them. But the thing that I admire most about Gary is his unique way of being able to create genuine and authentic human connection no matter if it’s 1 to 1, or one to many.

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


Podcaster Scott Aaron: How to Use LinkedIn To Dramatically Improve Your Business was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Ari Katz of Sperling Dermatology: Why You Should Not Aim to Look Like an Instagram Celebrity

Don’t try an be an Instagram celebrity — so many of the photos we see on social media are completely filtered and doctored so that people appear to have perfect bodies, skin, hair, etc. Don’t try and hold yourself to this level of beauty as it’s not realistic, nor authentic.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Ari Katz. Ari is the Owner and Managing Partner of Sperling Dermatology, a multi-location NJ-based Dermatology practice. Sperling Dermatology was recently recognized as the #1 CoolSculpting Provider in the USA, as well as the #1 EMSCULPT provider in New Jersey, and is proud of their over 1,000 FIVE STAR patient reviews. Ari oversees all sales, marketing, and operations at the 3 office locations, and manages its 30+ staff members.

Thank you so much for joining 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?

That’s easy; I married a Dermatologist! In all seriousness though, I never would have imagined I’d be running one of the fastest growing and highest grossing spas in the USA — we were recently recognized as the #1 CoolSculpting provider in the country out of more than 4,000 providers! As a natural born salesman, I spent the first 10 years of my career focused on selling enterprise marketing and technology solutions into small businesses across the country. This really gave me the knowledge and experience to help my wife grow her Dermatology practice using the same digital marketing and sales strategies I had been utilizing for other small businesses for many years.

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

Honestly, it might seem a bit cliché to say (because it’s so recent and current), but trying to manage and transform a business amidst a pandemic has probably been the most interesting experience of my career. From the early months of trying to limit all expenses and conserve cash, to the very difficult experience of having to temporarily furlough almost 30 employees, to the current challenges of trying to restart a business in a totally new environment, I have learned and experienced more in the last 3 months than I could have ever imagined.

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?

Truthfully, the tipping point for me was when I learned that listening was way more important than talking. The more I listened, the more I learned about what my customers wanted, and the more able I was to custom tailor a solution to their problems.

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 have been extremely fortunate to have had incredible leaders, role models, and mentors throughout my career. One of the greatest was John Berkowitz (current CEO of Ojo Labs in Austin, Texas). John is one of the best business leaders (and people) I know, and what I always admired about him was even when he made decisions that not all of us agreed with, we never questioned his integrity or fairness, and in the end, almost all of his decisions turned out to be the right ones. It’s incredibly important to have a leader whom you trust, and someone who can see the big picture even when you can’t.

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

That’s a great question. Honestly, I always kind of laugh when people refer to me or my company as “marketing geniuses” because truthfully, we really aren’t doing anything that special. It only looks special when you compare it to the rest of the beauty industry. We use a combination of traditional digital marketing, like advertising on Google, Facebook, and Instagram, in order to drive leads for our business. Once someone submits their info to us (name/phone/email), we have a team of WFH women who are passionate about our brand, business, and services, who follow up with the leads, and help them book an in-person (or virtual, in COVID times) consultation. We also leverage a combination of email and text message marketing in order to help nurture our customers along their journey with us. And finally, the last piece of the puzzle for us is our Ecommerce strategy. We were one of the first companies in our space to offer patients the ability to purchase their cosmetic treatments online and last Black Friday we did almost $300K in sales.

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

I think in general, ensuring privacy on all pieces of customer data is the biggest concern as marketing technologies continues to evolve. Making sure to always abide by HIPPA laws, and taking all necessary measures to protect personal data has to be a top priority for any business. It’s pretty crazy how much some of the biggest companies out there like Google, Amazon, and Facebook know about us.

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

1) I love how many NON-INVASIVE bodysculpting treatments are coming to market recently. Treatments like CoolSculpting, CoolTone, EMSCULPT, EMTONE and EVOKE are some great examples. Not having to deal with needles, surgery or downtime and still getting incredible results is an absolute game changer for our industry!

2) I love how much our KOL’s (Key Opinion Leaders) are willing to share with the rest of the industry about their learnings and experiences. The more we share with each other, the better our industry will be as a whole.

3) I am excited about the ability for patients to give true and authentic testimonials of their experiences with various cosmetic treatments and providers. Websites like RealSelf and HealthGrades allow patients to share their own before and after pictures, and share their entire cosmetic journey — the good, bad and ugly — with others. The more info like this we can share, the more informed our patients will be, and hopefully it will lead to having more realistic treatment expectations, and better patient outcomes.

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

1) Providers who set bad expectations for patients is probably one of the biggest threats to our industry. Telling someone they will go from a size 6 to a chiseled 6-pack after one round of CoolSculpting is the best way to guarantee the next “CoolSculpting doesn’t work” post. We need to set better expectations for our patients and it starts with authentic, un-doctored before and after pictures.

2) Providers who violate various treatment MAP (minimum advertised pricing) policies are also a threat to the industry as (a) they cheapen the overall perceived value of the treatment and (b) they force the rest of their local competitors to follow suit in order to stay competitive. Providers need to respect the MAP policies of their treatment partners as they are put in place for good reason!

3) In general, bad patient outcomes are always a concern. Providers need to follow best practices, and always abide by FDA guidelines on all treatments.

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

1) Beauty is in the eye of the beholder — don’t worry about what you think “beautiful” is supposed to look like, worry about you yourself feeling beautiful both inside and out. Your perception is your reality!

2) Get a good night’s sleep every night and drink lots of water. When you feel your best, you will look your best, and sleep and hydration are a big part of that.

3) Don’t try an be an Instagram celebrity — so many of the photos we see on social media are completely filtered and doctored so that people appear to have perfect bodies, skin, hair, etc. Don’t try and hold yourself to this level of beauty as it’s not realistic, nor authentic.

4) Be yourself, and be proud of who you are. Confidence is key, and no matter what you look like, you are beautiful in your own way. Never forget that.

5) Write down 5 things that you consider to be beautiful traits that have nothing to do with looks — things like being a good, honest, loving and caring person — and then ask yourself if those are ways people would describe you. If you don’t say yes to all of them, then work on those things. The more you work on being beautiful in a non-physical, non-visual way, the more beautiful you will become all around.

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

I would love for the whole idea of money to disappear. As a father of 3 small children, it is very depressing sometimes thinking about how much time I am missing with my children in order to work because I need to make money to provide for them. If I didn’t have to worry about work or money, I would literally spend all day every day exploring the National Parks, riding horses, boating in lakes, and traveling the world with my family. Then again, with no money, I’m not sure how I’d be able to afford to do all that… oh, well.

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

My father always tells me: In the end, it will all be good… and if it’s not all good, then it’s not the end. I just love that quote!

How can our readers follow you online?

www.SperlingDermatology.com
www.Instagram.com/SperlingDermatology

Thank you so much for all of these great insights!


Ari Katz of Sperling Dermatology: Why You Should Not Aim to Look Like an Instagram Celebrity was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Chandra Gore: How To Thrive Despite Experiencing Impostor Syndrome

I was able to shake the feeling of being an imposter by having a very hard conversation with myself. I sat down and made a list of why’s. When I noticed that the common words of the list were Fear, Scared and I don’t — that was when I had to check myself. I had to become fearless and stop being afraid of being what I knew I could do. I had no choice but to be fearless if I wanted to be successful.

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 Chandra Gore.

Chandra has built successful and profitable businesses through her boutique consulting and public relations firm, Chandra Gore Consulting, working with entrepreneurs to help them create foundations to ensure longevity and growth. Quietly making strides with placements for small businesses, entertainment, authors, therapists and motivational speaking clients on local and national news outlets she has also been leaving her mark as a publicist in the industry. She is also an author, speaker, podcast host, festival founder and producer.

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’?

My entrepreneurial spirit started at an early age. Working alongside my father within his many businesses as well as his colleagues; I was a sponge soaking up the ins and outs of how businesses are started, ran and sometimes fail or succeed. I used this knowledge at the age of 18 when started my own baking company which blossomed into a full-service catering and event planning company. I used this same drive while working in the private sector in various careers that allowed me to learn more and grow.

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?

The most interesting story at the moment in my career was when I was able to secure a placement on a major podcast and work with some amazing producers to help with the placement. I mean it took months to get the placement on this national podcast for Wrongfully Convicted persons. I was unsure if I would be able to land it but that was the moment I knew I had to stop letting fear dictate my thoughts. My former client also got to attend an event with some of the most amazing people.

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

I feel my company, Chandra Gore Consulting stands out because we are more than just business development consulting, we are also a public relations firm. I have the ability to assist businesses and individuals in creating successful businesses and then securing media placements to showcase their great work.

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?

The persons who I am most grateful towards are my grandfather (Father) and Great Grandmother. Without the love and guidance from them I would not have been able to stay focused or to even learn from some the mistakes I have made. My grandfather who I will forever call my Father raised me. He used to push me to always follow my dreams. I remember when I was 18 and was unsure on if I should launch my baking business. He said words that have remained with me to this day, “If you don’t believe in you then no one else will”. This has been my mantra from that day forward.

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?

My definition of Imposter Syndrome is the fear of knowing you are worthy and knowledgeable of your craft and yourself. People with Imposter Syndrome will have extreme self-doubt, appear to be envious of others and have a negative mindset.

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

The downsides of Imposter Syndrome are not being able to complete projects (quitting), constant negative demeanor and no forward progression. It can severely limit growth and elevation from a starting point.

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

Imposter Syndrome can cause one to treat others with mistrust and skepticism. It can cause someone to push those who believe in you away and when people try to show they care they will be met with rejection and aggression.

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

My experience with Imposter Syndrome has caused me to miss out on so many opportunities. I would pass projects that were created for me to others or not give 100% or quit. I felt that my voice would not be heard or that I did not have the experience needed to make an impact. I would intentionally miss deadlines because I did not have faith in myself. It became draining and made me want to quit.

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

I was able to shake the feeling of being an imposter by having a very hard conversation with myself. I sat down and made a list of why’s. When I noticed that the common words of the list were Fear, Scared and I don’t — that was when I had to check myself. I had to become fearless and stop being afraid of being what I knew I could do. I had no choice but to be fearless if I wanted to be successful.

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.

If someone is experiencing Imposter Syndrome the 5 steps I suggest they take are to:

  1. Remember why you started your journey — I have had to take my ideas and businesses back to platform to rebuild and remember why I even embarked on the journey to bringing my idea to life.
  2. Self-Care is important — To avoid burnout and the feeling of wanting to give up. Take time to care for yourself — Mentally, Physically and Emotionally. There were times when I did not sleep and thought if I took a break I would not be successful. This will help you to work with a clear mind and see your worth.
  3. Avoid comparing yourself to others — I used to always pay attention to other consultants and publicists and wonder why my brand did not look as polished as theirs. You have to put your blinders on and understand that you deserve to be where you are. You have the knowledge and skillset and you determine the metric of your success.
  4. Be realistic in your goals and plans — I would write down these lofty goals and plans that I knew in the back of my mind were unattainable. The moment I began to be real with myself that is when my feelings of being an “Imposter” began to dissipate.
  5. BE FEARLESS — Fear is the largest contributor to the mindset of Imposter Syndrome. At the beginning of my journey to overcome Imposter Syndrome, I found that fear was the root of my feelings of being an imposter. I would self-sabotage by not giving my full efforts or even backing out of projects giving into my fear of not being worthy. I found that when I conquered my fears about success and became comfortable with knowing and owning my greatness I broke the hold and became unstoppable.

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. 🙂

The movement I would want to inspire is community outreach and activism. Being connected to your community is key to growing as a person. Where you make your home should be very important. You have the ability to have your voice and help others have their voices heard by participating in your local community. Be it a town council, farmers market or grocery co-op, you can create a bond with your community.

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 would love to sit and have a meal with Karen Civil. She has been my mentor in my head since I saw what she did with Lil Wayne in keeping him connected to his fans while he was in jail. Karen is the ultimate branding and marketing strategist. She has written books that have helped others and myself and is a brand of her own. Just to be able to sit and discuss with her what I have planned for my entrepreneurship journey and how I am able to create strategic plans for others would be amazing.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

facebook.com/chandragoreconsulting

facebook.com/chandragore01

instagram.com/cgoreconsults

instagram.com/conversationswithchan

twitter.com/cgoreconsults

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


Chandra Gore: 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.

Author Kelly Roach: How One Can Thrive Despite Experiencing Impostor Syndrome

…The more action I took the more skills I developed, and the more confidence I had in my ability to do what needed to be done. I had to develop mastery and the only way to do that was to commit to being the absolute best, and then doing the work to make that happen.

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 Kelly Roach.

Business strategist Kelly Roach transforms overworked entrepreneurs into seven-figure CEOs, by teaching them how to leverage timeless business principles, employed by billion-dollar corporations, with the speed and agility of the most powerful online marketing strategies of today. Prior to starting her own company, Kelly spent years in corporate America, rising through the ranks of a Fortune 500 to become the youngest VP in the company. Kelly is not only a best-selling author but is also an ongoing television business expert.

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’?

Growing up just above the poverty line, in a family of 5, I decided early on that things would be different for me and my children. I worked hard growing up, scrubbing toilets to pay for dance lessons, and working multiple jobs in college. After graduation, I got an entry level job in sales, for a Fortune 500 company. In eight years, I was promoted seven times to become the youngest VP in the company. I led my team through the recession of 08’-10’, without letting a single person go. In fact, we had record breaking sales that year. As I was climbing the corporate ladder, I realized that I was making millions of dollars, working 60+ hours a week, for OTHER people. When I thought about what I wanted in terms of lifestyle, that was not it. So, I started my business on the side, while continuing to work my corporate job, and built that company for two years before quitting. I relied on lots of hard work, my sales skills, and an unstoppable mindset to help me build what is now a multimillion-dollar business coaching company with over 500 clients, across the globe.

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?

So, this technically happened just before I started my career, but was a defining moment for me. At the time, I was a Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleader, and the year I joined, instead of doing their traditional swimsuit calendar, they decided to do a lingerie shoot instead. I knew that I wanted to build a career in business and that this shoot could do long-term damage to my career, so opted-out. The consequence? Missing out on an incredible trip to a tropical location, and all kinds of media and opportunities that came from the shoot (for the other girls). While I did not know exactly what my future career would look like, I knew that this was not a smart long-term play for me. That decision shaped how I made decisions for the rest of my career. I was able to handle the consequences and am now so thankful I made that choice, way back when!

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

I think the thing that makes my company stand out is that we are obsessed with getting out clients’ results. A lot of coaches in the online space are more concerned with making things easier for themselves. Our company is willing to go above and beyond to make sure our clients have what they need for absolute success. We are not willing to let go of human interaction for the sake of ease and automation. We are there for our clients and constantly improving the program so they will never need to go anywhere else.

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

My first mentor in the Fortune 500 world challenged me beyond belief. He was the toughest coach and hardest “boss” you could ever imagine. He saw the potential in me before I saw it in myself and pushed me to be my absolute best. He was the first person to encourage me to think big and begin to chart my own path to greatness. Many others who had the same opportunity to coach with him mistook the high bar he set for them as “unreasonable” and “too tough”, For me, he was a catalyst for achieving my highest potential and for that I will forever be grateful.

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

Imposter syndrome is that feeling like you do not belong. It is feeling like people are going to find out you are a “fake” despite having experience and are accomplished in an area. Imposter syndrome can leave you with a pit in your stomach and a sense of anxiety around being “found out!”

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

Imposter syndrome keeps people from acting, which ultimately keeps people from developing skills and confidence. It keeps people playing small, and never allows them to develop the mastery that comes from doing.

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

Imposter syndrome leads to either a sense of resentment towards others who are achieving the things we want to achieve, or a constant feeling of unworthiness around those who have accomplished big goals. It hinders your ability to connect with people in an authentic way.

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

When I was still working full time and building my business on the side, I was getting my clients superior results, but always had this pit in my stomach, like I wasn’t really an entrepreneur because I wasn’t doing my business full-time. I would ask myself if I was really qualified to lead people this way. At that point I had been in a coaching program for about two years. When I looked around, I realized my business and brand was growing faster than those working full-time in their business even though I was only spending a couple of hours per day on mine. That’s when the switch flipped for me and I realized that it’s not about how much time you have but about how you spend the time you have and the results you get your clients. That realization is what made me absolutely obsessed with getting my clients the best possible results and it helped me deal with the imposter syndrome I had been experiencing. Having to work full-time and really focus on efficiency turned out to be one of the best experiences ever because it forced me to focus on only what grew the business. I didn’t have the luxury of working 40–50 hours a week, so I had to make it work in the little bit of time I did have. That truly played a huge role in catapulting my company to success.

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

Yes! The more action I took the more skills I developed, and the more confidence I had in my ability to do what needed to be done. I had to develop mastery and the only way to do that was to commit to being the absolute best, and then doing the work to make that happen.

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.

  1. Set a clear goal for yourself. Who do you want to be and what big things do you want to accomplish?
  2. Determine what skills and experience you are lacking.
  3. Do the work to learn those skills and take action to gain that experience.
  4. Do not allow small failures to derail you. They are normal. Pick yourself up and dust yourself off, then get back to work.
  5. Celebrate the incremental improvements and the milestones you accomplish on the way to your big goal.

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 would love to see more entrepreneurs leveraging their earnings to give back. Last year I moved my coaching company to a 1:1 giving model. For every new client we add to one of our coaching programs, we donate to the foundation I started, that has three core focuses for philanthropy. I believe that if people are equipped to find financial freedom for themselves, that they can leverage that freedom to make a huge impact on the world. So, as I coach entrepreneurs, my hope is that more of them will adopt this model and leave a legacy that goes far beyond making lots of money.

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 🙂

Oprah Winfrey is the most fascinating businessperson that is ever lived. There’s been almost no unpacking of how she became what she is. This is something that should be studied for generations because clearly, she has an understanding of business building and brand, and authenticity, and reinvention, and overcoming obstacles, and determination that the average person can’t begin to comprehend. I would love the opportunity to explore, and uncover and understand her perspective on business specifically, and learn from her and her success.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

You can connect with me inside my free Facebook group: The Tribe of Unstoppables where my team and I go live with highly valuable weekly trainings on everything from social selling to messaging, to packaging and pricing you online offers. You can also check out my podcast, The Unstoppable Entrepreneur Show, wherever you listen to podcasts! I have got 5 years of weekly episodes available for binging!

You can also follow me on:

Instagram — @kellyroachofficial

TikTok — @kellyroachofficial

Twitter — @kellyroachlive

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


Author Kelly Roach: How One Can 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.

Interior Designer Perla Lichi: 5 Things You Can Do To Help Your Living Space Spark More Joy

Sometimes a mistake makes you creative and It eventually becomes a better design by turning on your creativity.

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

For over 38 years, Perla Lichi Design is a full-service Florida State-licensed professional interior designer, and a professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). Perla Lichi Design is known to create spaces based on individual style. Perla Lichi works individually and personally with clients in order to design the ideal space. Their versatile portfolio includes a wide range of contemporary/modern, classic, traditional and transitional design. Perla​ Lichi has received more than 650 national and international awards for residential and commercial interior design projects. Perla Lichi has published six coffee table books showcasing her extensive design work and offering design inspiration to people around the world. For more information visit the company website at www.PerlaLichi.com or view Perla’s work directly on Instagram @PerlaLichi .

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

I originally planned to be a fashion designer, but along the way developed an interest and a critical eye for interior design. I won a full tuition paid scholarship for interior design. It was my destiny. It chose me. Therefore, for 38 years, I’ve stuck to my passion for design — interior design

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

When I started my business in South Florida, I had an increased demand for my work in Dubai and other Middle Eastern countries, so it led me to doing many “Palaces” which kept me very busy working for the royal families. I manifested the process… started out very “modern”, but then the market turned into preference of a Mediterranean style to a point where Royalty made me (Perla Lichi) the IT designer of the region. Now it’s come full circle back to a modern style — today.

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?

Sometimes a mistake makes you creative and It eventually becomes a better design by turning on your creativity.

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

I’ve evolved into working on interior design projects with places of worship such as Synagogues, home renovation is in demand due to COVID-19, realizing how important home is today.

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

Never say never,” which sums up my passion to get things going and done properly with sweet success.

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?

Inspiration has been my family and children who helped me stay focused on my work and love for my trade.

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

  1. Color is key
  2. Open up the room space
  3. Get rid of clutter
  4. Proper usage of mirrors reflect the right elements
  5. Use lots of Pillows

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. 🙂

“Love thy neighbor regardless of color, race, age, weight and more….”

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

Elton John. I love his style, grace and forward thinking way…. Plus his wardrobe!

How can our readers follow you on social media?

@PerlaLichi

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


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

Olumide Gbenro of The Digital Nomad Summit: Six Ways To Leverage Instagram To Dramatically Improve…

Olumide Gbenro of The Digital Nomad Summit: Six Ways To Leverage Instagram To Dramatically Improve Your Business

I think with the recent things going on in America I realize the responsibility I have to continue to be an inspiration for people of color around the world, and not just that but to provide opportunities for funding, learning online, and creative ways to help people who have similar upbringings to me because I know what it’s like to grow up poor or to be an immigrant to a new country.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Olumide Gbenro. Olumide is an internationally respected businessman based in Bali Indonesia specializing in PR & Influencer Marketing. He utilizes social media to tell stories that attract business for his clients. His clientele include professional athletes, Olympians, notable business executives, and entrepreneurs. He is a world traveler, polyglot, creative artist, experiential film producer, and millennial influencer. He has hosted influencer & business networking events for diverse audiences ranging from Tokyo, Japan to Los Angeles, California, and built connections with some of the most notable entrepreneurs in the world. Mr. Gbenro is the founder of The Digital Nomad Summit, a conference where hundreds of location independent entrepreneurs can meet and connect in locations like Bali, Indonesia and Globoversity, an online learning and community platform for location independent entrepreneurs

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

I started my PR and marketing agency on the couch of friends that allowed me to stay with them when I first started working online and traveling 3 years ago. After what many would consider a successful educational career with 2 Masters degrees, I deferred a PhD program to travel the world. Along the way I built relationships with some of the most important people across diverse fields such as music, technology, and sports. Today I help purpose driven entrepreneurs become household names with media coverage.

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

I’ve been experimenting and learning what works and doesn’t work for years which allows me to have a clear idea of how to optimize different platforms and what is best for each client or personal brand. Further I haven’t just preached it, I live it because through implementing the same techniques with my personal brand @Globopreneur I currently have over 50,000 followers and over 3 million views across my social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, TikTok).

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

The most interesting thing is the places I lived while hustling. From my old college friends coach in a very tiny apartment in Copenhagen, Denmark. To a rented garage room that had a family living upstairs I never interacted with, living alone while traveling has been the most challenging but interesting things I’ve ever done.

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 think for me in the beginning it’s not planning ahead and being prepared in life. Basically I was just doing everything on the fly with no vision of what I wanted to achieve. I would buy one way tickets living the digital nomad lifestyle but did not have a plan as to what lasting impact I wanted to have on the world.

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

Instagram right now. It’s still a great way to get targeted followers, build a real community and start a conversation with people who follow you and indicate they have interest in you and what you have to offer.

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

Fix Your Bio

In your bio I recommend you be direct and in a few sentences share what value you have for viewers. Mine says “I help purpose driven entrepreneurs become household names through media coverage.” It’s to the point and let’s my target audience know how I can help them. People don’t follow you if they are confused about what you are about. Give them a great reason to want to get to know you and stay for the journey.

Get A Solid Background Color Photo

Make sure your background is a solid so your face stands out too. The color should also align with your brand or the feeling you want them to have. Bonus tip, be sure to take a clear photo of your face.

Write Long Captions

People do like pretty pictures, but they want to learn as well. Try to share some insights in business or your personal life that will stop them scrolling and force them to pay attention.

Don’t be afraid to speak your mind

Social media can be a scary place to be real. So many opinions and judgements. But remember if you are true to yourself, people sense that and will engage.

Share other people’s content

It’s not just about you. Yes you are building your personal brand or business but remember the community and sharing content from like minded people will show your audience that you care about people. They will remember you for this.

Be a leader not a follower

Don’t be afraid to try something first. Many trends often start with one person then the others follow along. Be a trendsetter and reap the rewards!

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

I think with the recent things going on in America I realize the responsibility I have to continue to be an inspiration for people of color around the world, and not just that but to provide opportunities for funding, learning online, and creative ways to help people who have similar upbringings to me because I know what it’s like to grow up poor or to be an immigrant to a new country.

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

Will Smith and Elon Musk. Two very different people but I like both of their humor and drive to leave an indelible mark on earth long after they’re gone.

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

Thank you! It’s Globo!


Olumide Gbenro of The Digital Nomad Summit: Six Ways To Leverage Instagram To Dramatically Improve… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Megan Murphy: Why I Started The The Kindness Rocks Project

With great influence comes an even greater responsibility: Each of us has a responsibility to treat one another with kindness and respect. With a very large following, this takes a lot of time and energy, so one has to remain committed.

As a part of my series about social media stars who are using their platform to make a significant social impact, I had the pleasure of interviewing Megan Murphy

Megan Murphy is a Women’s Empowerment Coach, Business Mentor, Kindness Activist, Meditation Instructor, Author and Lecturer.

She is a business mentor for SCORE, Freelance Writer, and Founder of The Kindness Rocks Project an International grassroots kindness initiative. She resides on Cape Cod, MA with her husband, three daughters and two giant dogs.

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

Although I am so grateful for my current role as Founder of an international grassroots kindness initiative at a time when our world needs more kindness and compassion, I did not choose this role, the role chose me!

During a difficult moment in my own personal life, I began walking the beach looking for guidance and inspiration from above when I realized that others walking that very same beach may also be doing the same thing. That is when I pulled a sharpie marker out of my pocket and began leaving uplifting messages on rocks for others along the way. Soon my personal hobby gained a lot of attention and people began reaching out to me asking how they could join my movement. I added social media pages and a website to both show others how to participate as well as share their stories and the impact that they were making in their communities. Before long, what started as a personal hobby grew into an International Kindness movement of many. Today, I travel around the US speaking about the importance of kindness and compassion.

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

There have been so many stories that have been shared with me from project members who believe that the messages they found on rocks were the answers that they were looking for or that they needed a moment of kindness at the very moment that they stumbled upon a rock. Personally, I believe that this project was waiting for someone to create it. It didn’t matter who created it, but the world needed an outlet where people from around the world could connect through something as simple as a rock to share kindness and inspiration for one another. On the very first day that I dropped just five rocks with inspirational messages on a mile and a half stretch of beach loaded with rocks, one of my friends found one of my five rocks and texted me a picture of it and asked if I had left it on the beach that day. She recognized my handwriting and knew that I walked that beach each day and said, “if it was you that dropped this thank you. I was having a bad-day and this lifted my spirits.” Had she not texted me that day, I am not sure that I would have continued doing 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?

The mistake that I first made was when I went hiking with some friends and I brought a painted rock to the top of a mountain and left it there. The saying was “Climb the mountain to see the world not so the world can see you.” I did not realize that leaving a painted rock on a mountain was in violation of LNT-Leave No Trace practices and that my inspirational rock was viewed as harmful. I was devastated when I learned about this and decided that I would educate others about Leave no trace so that they would not make the same mistake that I had made.

Ok super. Let’s now jump to the core focus of our interview. Can you describe to our readers how you are using your platform to make a significant social impact?

I truly believe that anyone who is an Influencer, has a responsibility to impact others in a positive way. One of the most important things we can do with the platform we have been blessed with is to impact others in a positive way. We must lead by example and urge others to join us. “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember, involve me and I learn” Benjamin Franklin

We must engage our audience in ways in which we urge them to think outside of the box and stretch beyond their comfort zones. We must include each other in our messaging, by sharing and supporting our collective efforts. We must collaborate with one another because change is greater when we create it TOGETHER. I have used my platform in this way. I encourage others to create similar projects in THEIR communities and to start their own social media pages spreading their message while remaining connected to my page so that we expand from community to community and country to country but remain tied together by one intention of making the world a kinder place.

Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted by this cause?

To give one example would be impossible. So many people from around the world have reached out to me to share their personal stories about how a simple act of kindness, words painted on a rock impacted their life. From Suicidal people finding a rock at the moment they were about to take their own life, to cancer patients who found courage to continue their battle after finding a rock outside of their hospital, to parents who lost their child and found a way to continue their memory and create a legacy by creating memorial rocks… each story is touching and profound. The impact of this project can be summed up on one statement “One message at just the right moment can change someone’s entire day, outlook or life”

Was there a tipping point the made you decide to focus on this particular area? Can you share a story about that?

I decided to give 100% of my attention to facilitating this project when people started reaching out to me and sharing their personal stories. The reason I started painting rocks, my why- was to support another struggling soul who needed uplifting. When the stories began flooding in, I quickly realized that I had a great responsibility in responding to each person by letting them know that they mattered and that someone cared. To this day, I personally respond to the hundreds of emails and messages I receive because THAT is how we impact each other. We listen, we take the time, and we let someone know that we care.

Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?

Community means belonging. Community means we share things in common. As a community we must realize that we are more alike than we are different regardless of our political beliefs, our economic status, religion or race. We must realize that as human beings we must care for the well-being of others and support one another because community means caring. We must never stop caring for one another and bridge that which divides us with compassion and empathy.

What specific strategies have you been using to promote and advance this cause? Can you recommend any good tips for people who want to follow your lead and use their social platform for a social good?

Always stay connected to your purpose or intention-your why. When things seem out of balance and you find yourself compromising yourself for the intention of gaining more likes rather than staying true to your beliefs and personal values, readjust your vision and go back to your why. Be honest, be authentic and at the end of the day ask yourself, “Am I proud of the impact that I am making on others?”

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.

  1. Innovation takes courage: anytime we put ourselves out there and create something new, people will tell you that us that we are crazy and that it if were possible, someone would have already created it. Listening to outside criticism kills creativity…. I know this as often people told me I was crazy. I am grateful I didn’t listen to them.
  2. Vulnerability is a superpower: I realized that when I shared my own vulnerable moments it created a greater connection and bond with my audience.
  3. You won’t please everyone, but isn’t that the point? As a people pleaser, this was a hard realization. Some people will not “get it” but that is okay, one day they might recall the way you made them feel and we may never know the impact we had on that person.
  4. With great influence comes an even greater responsibility: Each of us has a responsibility to treat one another with kindness and respect. With a very large following, this takes a lot of time and energy, so one has to remain committed.
  5. With success comes a lot of difficulty in dealing with people who wish to benefit financially from all of your hard work. Personally, I am inundated with requests from companies to share ads for their products and services. They throw proposals my way for thousands of dollars for one simple post, however, I have remained steadfast in not taking money for things that I do not care about or that do not serve the project or my followers. My authentic voice depends on my ability to remain purposeful about the intentions of my project.

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

I am living that dream with The Kindness Rocks Project and am beyond blessed.

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

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead

Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂

I just finished reading Alicia Keys book and she is a beautiful soul that I would love to meet one day. I love her energy and her passion for inspiring others and making a positive impact in the world.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

https://www.facebook.com/TheKindnessRocksProject/?ref=bookmarks

https://www.instagram.com/thekindnessrocksproject/

https://www.thekindnessrocksproject.com

This was very meaningful, thank you so much!


Megan Murphy: Why I Started The The Kindness Rocks Project was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Brad Lambert: “They Told Me It Was Impossible And I Did It Anyway”

Don’t surround yourself with “Cool” people, surround yourself with GOOD people. People who support you and your dreams, no matter how “crazy” they may seem. People who are there for you, not just during the good times, but the hard times as well. People who inspire you, due to who they are personally and/or professionally. People who are kind, to not just themselves, but everyone around them.

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

Brad R Lambert was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA so there’s no surprise why he got into the Sports Industry after graduating from North Carolina State University. Brad followed his passion for the Steelers and all things Pittsburgh and worked in that industry for almost 10 years. After working with his favorite athletes (Hines Ward, Lynn Swann, Willie Parker), top sports franchises (Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets) and global brands (Lagardère Unlimited, Hachette Filipacchi Media, Hershey, Barnes & Noble), he decided to follow his other passion, Film & Entertainment.

He moved to Los Angeles and hit the ground running with Robert Downey Jr. After about a year with the biggest name in Hollywood, he went to Warner Bros. Studio and managed their Digital Marketing campaigns for 2 years, winning 3 CLIO Awards during his tenure for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, The LEGO Batman Movie, and KONG: SKULL ISLAND. For the last 3 years he has been an independent producer, talent manager and speaker, working with the top brands, studios, celebrities, artists and professionals in the entertainment industry — prominent collaboration partners include: Walt Disney Studios, Marvel Studios, Warner Bros. Pictures, Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures, Gary Vaynerchuk and more.

​In 2019 he worked on the Marketing Campaigns for 2 of the biggest movies of all-time, collaborating with Walt Disney Studios and Marvel Studios on their release of “Avengers: Endgame” and Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios for their release of “Spider-Man: Far From Home”.

He is currently producing multiple film and TV projects, managing talent and speaking all over the world (most recently, he spoke in São Paulo, Brazil).

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

I’m a passion-driven guy. Ever since I was in high school I chased my passions and added whatever value I can around them so I could make them a part of my life. Being born and raised in Pittsburgh, I spent the early portion of my career in the sports industry, working with my favorite teams and athletes. I provided marketing, business, PR and content support; Adding whatever value I could to their lives both personally and professionally. After almost a decade in the sports industry (I started when I was around 16/17), I chased my passions out west to Hollywood, working with Robert Downey Jr. After my time with Robert and his incredible team, I went over to Warner Bros. and worked on the marketing campaigns for TV, Film and Catalog titles. After 2 years there, I’ve spent the last few years on my own, independently producing (film/tv/events), managing talent, speaking both here and abroad and consulting with the top brands, studios, celebrities, influencers and agencies in the business.

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

Right now I’m developing an un-scripted TV show with kindness at the forefront. The goal is to bring those in need a little happiness and in the process, help the viewers at home find their own happiness, empowering them to overcome their adversities or challenges and ultimately inspiring them to go out and be kind, because of the acts of kindness they just witnessed, and because frankly, they have the ability to do it too.

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

Speaking for myself, I pride myself on leading with kindness and I preach on the importance of “winning together”. I may be “young” in the industry, but I want to inspire and impact the next generation. My goal is to inspire them to achieve their goals, but also push them to choose “kindness” over everything and help others achieve their dreams too. We can all win together and there’s enough food at the table for everyone…the industry is hard enough that we shouldn’t be tearing each other down. We accomplish more when we’re working together and that needs to be the norm moving forward.

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

When I was a freshman at NC State University, my friend Willie Parker (Pittsburgh Steelers running back) suffered a horrible season-ending injury, which cost him the NFL Rushing Title, resulting in him slipping into a pretty severe depression. I wanted to help…and do whatever I could to help get him to a better place, a happier place. I was around 17/18 years old at the time and he was a famous professional athlete. What could a kid like me do for a guy that basically has everything? I swing for the fence in every aspect of my life, there really is no in-between and I take that approach in everything…It could be a business opportunity, a personal goal or even dating. After thinking about what Willie loved and what made him happy, I had an absolutely crazy idea. I was going to help him meet his idol, Michael Jordan. Mind you, I had no relationship or connections to Michael and everyone said I was out of my mind…but that was the goal I set for myself and the negativity/doubt motivated me to bring this dream to life. After putting in the work, connecting with a few wonderful people, and staying persistent, Willie and his entire family met the legendary Michael Jordan almost 3 months later. Willie later revealed to me that this experience was the best moment of his life. This man has won 2 Super Bowls, had 2 beautiful children and THAT was the best moment of his life…It just goes to show you, how impactful and important a simple act of kindness can be.

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

They all got to see the photos of Willie and his family with Michael Jordan…they saw the vision, the work I put in and the dream actually come to fruition. Let’s just say, they don’t instantly doubt my insane ideas anymore lol

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

I’m happy you brought this up because I speak about it all the time. NOBODY gets anywhere by themselves. People who say “I’m self-made” aren’t being truthful, because at some point in their lives, SOMEBODY helped them. Whether it be a friend, co-worker or most obvious, a family member. I would not be where I am today or who I am today without the help of MANY people. My family has played a massive role in my life and has supported me every step of the way. My friends are always there to be a sounding board, support system and “hype” squad whenever I need them. Most recently, when I made my transition to Los Angeles, a friend of mine took a chance on me, “opened a door” and allowed me the chance to prove myself for an opportunity and show what I could bring to the table. Without that incredibly kind gesture and that “leap of faith” on his part, I would not be in LA or have achieved what I’ve done so far out here. He’s one of my closest friends to this day and I am so grateful for all he’s done. I make it a point to thank him consistently (every few weeks/months), because it’s the least I can do in return to show my genuine appreciation. At the end of the day, we have to be there for one another. If you have the opportunity to help someone out, don’t hesitate, just do it. Don’t worry about what you might/should get in return, that’s not WHY you’re doing it. Impacting someones life in a positive way should not be something that you second-guess or “drag your feet” on because you just might change someone’s life.

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

Nobody wants to hear “you’re not good enough” or “there’s no way ____ is going to happen”. Early on, those things get you down. Through high school and college I really worked on my mental toughness and setting big goals…and guess what, I “failed” a lot. In those “failures” I learned a lot and “failing”/negativity began to not impact my mood/confidence like it used to. Since college, I was able to tune-out the “noise” as well as the people who would attempt to bring me down. If anything, it motivated me to prove them wrong…and I did. After the “Michael Jordan” Project, I did something similar shortly after for a girl who has cerebral palsy. I helped her meet her favorite music artist, American Idol’s David Archuleta and most recently, I surprised a 3x cancer survivor who loved Spider-man, taking him to the World Premiere of “Spider-Man: Far From Home”. With every success and “failure” you live, learn and grow. You gain confidence in yourself and your abilities and question yourself less and less. Dream big, set “outrageous” goals, put in the work and make it happen…As Les Brown said: “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars”.

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

  • Don’t be afraid or ashamed to ask for help. Nobody gets anywhere by themselves…
  • Challenge yourself and don’t be afraid to fail. If you’re not failing, you’re not pushing your limitations.
  • Take the time to celebrate your wins. Progress of any size needs to be recognized and celebrated. By doing this consistently, you’ll recognize the progress you’ve made, resulting in a boost of your self-confidence.
  • Don’t surround yourself with “Cool” people, surround yourself with GOOD people. People who support you and your dreams, no matter how “crazy” they may seem. People who are there for you, not just during the good times, but the hard times as well. People who inspire you, due to who they are personally and/or professionally. People who are kind, to not just themselves, but everyone around them.
  • If someone is telling you that you can’t do something, most of the time it’s because THEY can’t do it. Don’t let these negative “opinions” impact who you are and what you want to do. Use it as fuel, and keep moving forward with a relentless pursuit for your goals…because when you keep growing and winning, those doubters get more and more quiet.

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

“Whatever it takes”…I actually have it tattooed on my left forearm. For those who don’t know, this is a quote from “Avengers: Endgame”; the Avengers were heading into their final mission to bring back everyone who was lost in the “snap”, Captain America gives his final speech saying: “This is the fight of our lives and we’re going to win…Whatever it takes”. I had the opportunity to collaborate with Disney and Marvel Studios on the marketing campaign for “Avengers: Endgame”, so that quote means something to me for multiple reasons. I’ve always been a guy who was persistent in my goals and desires, and no matter how difficult the goal may seem or what naysayers were saying, I would do whatever it took to make it happen.

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

A big part of who I am and what I do is leading with kindness. I want to inspire others to do the same. For whatever reason, “kindness” has a weak and negative connotation to it. When in reality, it’s the ultimate strength. I want to make kindness “cool” again. It has such a viral effect and I think if more people were kind and were assisting others instead of asking others for things, the world would be a much happier and overall better place.

Can our readers follow you on social media?

Yes! Connect with me on Instagram at @bradrlambert !

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


Brad Lambert: “They Told Me It Was Impossible And I Did It Anyway” was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Elizabeth Yntema of the Dance Data Project: 5 Things We Need To Do To Close The Gender Wage Gap

Women need to actively fund each other’s work and stop thinking in terms of scarcity. There is more than enough to go around. We need to speak up. Whether its ballet or another cause, women should absolutely feel confident in challenging the status quo.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Elizabeth Yntema.

Elizabeth Yntema is the President & Founder of the Dance Data Project®. She is a member of the Board of Trustees for WTTW/WFMT, the Advisory Board of the Trust for Public Land in Illinois and the Board of Directors of the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. Liza was graduated from the University of Virginia in 1980 and is 1984 graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, where she was awarded the annual prize for Outstanding Contribution to Social Justice. Ms. Yntema is a past member of numerous organizations in the Chicagoland area, including the Joffrey Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Company, Women’s Bar Association, Winnetka Board of the Northwestern Settlement House, the Children’s Home and Aid Society, and the Junior League of Chicago, where she was named as Volunteer of the Year for her work advocating for homeless women and children.

Named to the final full year training cohort of The Philanthropy Workshop (TPW) in 2018, Liza spent a year honing her skills as part of “the next generation of strategic philanthropists.” TPW is a global network of over 450 selected philanthropists, from 22 countries.

Ms. Yntema has underwritten ballets for Sacramento and Pacific Northwest Ballets, the Joffrey Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Company and BalletX, including world premieres by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa (Mammatus) & Stephanie Martinez’s (Bliss!) She has also supported works by Penny Saunders, Robyn Minenko Williams, Amy Seiwert and Eva Stone, as well as Nicolas Blanc and Christopher Wheeldon. Liza was Lead Sponsor of Crystal Pite’s work Solo Echo as part of the celebration of the 40th Anniversary of Hubbard Street Dance Company.

In May 2018, American Ballet Theatre announced the launch of its ABT Women’s Movement, a multi-year initiative supporting the creation of new works by female choreographers for the company. Ms. Yntema, along with the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation and Rockefeller Brothers Fund, was an initial Principal Sponsor for this initiative and continues to support its development. Ms. Yntema recently joined the Boston Ballet’s multi-year initiative ChoreograpHER as a Lead Sponsor. Liza also actively supports the Pacific Northwest Ballet’s choreographic initiative for female students, New Voices.

Thank you so much for joining us Elizabeth! Can you tell us the “backstory” that brought you to this career path?

I am the product of generations of strong women. My mother was Senior Editor at Atlantic Monthly Little Brown, and I remember visiting her offices as a child. After graduating from University of Michigan Law School, I moved to Chicago, where I worked for a management labor firm. Taking time off from full time work, I spent a great deal of time volunteering, and moved on to more organized philanthropy.

As I looked around not for profit board rooms, I observed that almost all of the important positions, the C-Suite, higher paying jobs, are held by men. It turned into a sort-of “cubicles and windows” test. I would walk into the back offices/working areas of charities, and would discover rows of young women in little airless boxes. When I came across an office with a window, I found it was far more likely to be inhabited by a man. Finally, I would get to the big corner offices, and here the occupants are almost exclusively middle-aged, white men.

I advocate for women and girls in all aspects of my life and work, but I realized that while classical dance is a global, multi-billion a year industry with hundreds of thousands of girls & women heading to class each week, it was also amenable to reform. I have no interest in beating my head against a wall. I want to make real, lasting change, rapidly. With ballet — the timing was right thanks to the #TimesUp and #MeToo movements and with the scandals at the largest US ballet company, The New York City Ballet, I am familiar with the world of classical dance.

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

I think the most interesting story about DDP is how my team has pulled everything together, while working remotely, in such a short amount of time. The more I learn, the more I realize Dance Data Project® is upending how not for profits operate and charities are “supposed to be” run.

We will have produced 8 groundbreaking studies our first year, with a young team (oldest member besides me is mid 30s), dispersed throughout the US. All but my Research Director have other “gigs.” When senior fundraising professionals hear that DDP staff consultants are located in: Seattle, New York, Florida, Nashville, Utah, Chicago and its suburbs, their jaws hang open. However, I recently spoke with Jeremy Edwards, Senior Associate Dean, Harris School of Public Policy, University of Chicago. He also works as a consultant for not-for-profits seeking transformational change. When I described how my team works and traditional fundraisers’ skepticism, he laughed and said that this is how all successful not-for-profits will be run in the future, as it eliminates excess overhead. As I said to him, “we don’t have meetings.”

Picture us in the Summer of 2018: My first hire was off pursuing a career as a consultant in New York City, but still “in the game” and helping us move beyond a data base to a public presence. Her intern, my now Research Director, had just graduated from university, and was pitching in part time, remotely from a small city in France where she taught school. My website designer is in the city, and his graphics wizard is on the West Coast. My amazing administrative assistant, also part time, was holding the fort back home while I was traveling. Committed to hiking the Northern Route of the Camino De Santiago, I ended up with my computer in my backpack, navigating tiny village to even smaller “not really there” places with super sketchy internet. So, everyone was giving feedback and editing from wildly different time zones. Yet, working together, and adjusting for schedules, we produced a gorgeous website featuring important content. DIY in the best possible way. Experimental, kind of out there, but it works.

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

In terms of volunteering, it was not continuing to ask questions. A while ago, I was raising money for a gala and was asked to pitch a major donor for a big gift. I practically had my hair lit on fire, as the family had pledged $500,000 in non-specific operating support. The development director chose not to share this with me. I learned then and there to keep asking questions. Women tend to worry about being annoying, but when you are advocating for anything, whether that be a cause or an event, keep probing…

Ok let’s jump to the main focus of our interview. Even in 2019, women still earn about 80 cents for every dollar a man makes. Can you explain three of the main factors that are causing the wage gap?

That is interesting, because our research has found that in the world of ballet, if a woman gets to be an artistic director at all (and it’s still very rare), she was paid $.62 on the dollar for her male counterpart in 2016 and $.68 in 2017. Anecdotal research from our Listening Tour shows that female choreographers and teachers are paid far less than their male counterparts.

As for the reason, ballet is one of the more retrograde of the performing arts, so people don’t give it much thought. It is also peculiar — ballet is an art in which women represent 70% of the audience and the donor base, and outnumber boys 20/1, at least at the lower levels of dance schools, where male students get the best scholarships. Women aren’t encouraged to speak up in ballet, nor are they taught to dream past their performing days. The old adage is true, “Women become teachers, men become directors.” The result? Approximately 80% of ballets performed by the fifty largest ballet companies in both the previous and current seasons were choreographed by men. During the 2019–2020 season, the biggest, most prestigious commissions — those for new full-length main stage ballets — were 100% awarded to men. (Dance Data Project®, First Look, May 2019)

As the great Geena Davis says, (Geena Davis Institute) you have to see it to imagine it. So DDP pushes dance journalists and magazines, as well as ballet companies, festivals and competitions, to visually showcase women who command a room. Ballet is just the tip of the iceberg, though. I think most people would be shocked at the massive gender gap in leadership opportunities across classical music, opera, and museums. The arts in general just haven’t received the scrutiny they deserve. Part of our mission is to make donors, ticket buyers, funders, and the press pay attention.

Secondly, ballet teaches obedience, submission. My team hears over and over again, that women aren’t as forceful in pushing their own work forward. Women in ballet know that if they speak up, they can be replaced easily. Not so for the boys, who, if they show talent, are placed on a “glass escalator” with rich scholarships, per diems, as well as opportunities to choreograph. One of our most recent research publications is an examination of resident choreographers. We looked globally, but in the US alone, there is only 1 women resident choreographer among the 25 largest ballet companies. Not surprisingly, she was appointed by a female artistic director, Victoria Morgan of the Cincinnati Ballet.

Thirdly, there seems to be an extraordinary disconnect on the part of individuals and foundations who fund U.S. ballet companies. No one is connecting the dots between declining and aging audiences and the fact that millennials don’t see themselves or their experiences on the stage. I believe that is why only 3% have attended a ballet performance in the last year. (Wallace Foundation, Building Millennial Audiences, January 2017) To that point, when I talk about inequity in ballet, I ask everyone in the room to put a hand over one eye and squint the other eye 3/4 shut. This is the magnitude of the cognitive dissonance between the artistic vision presented on stage and those in the seats. The result? An art form rapidly losing relevance.

Can you share with our readers what your work is doing to help close the gender wage gap?

Dance Data Project® decided that we had to move the needle in less than a year and, we have done it! In 2020, for the first time, company heads publicly and routinely now admit both that ballet’s culture is misogynistic and that there is, in fact, an industry- wide problem. Dance publications, journalists, academics and leaders are now discussing concrete solutions. Following our launch last year, DDP will move towards unpacking the drivers of the industry as a whole, examining how to change the paradigm on a systematic basis globally.

Companies wipe their websites clean at the end of each season; therefore, no industry- wide numbers have been available year-to-year. This lack of accurate tracking has permitted certain influential critics, artistic directors and choreographers to claim that there isn’t a problem at all, that its simply just “noise.” Until Dance Data Project® proved otherwise, you would still routinely hear that women don’t want to lead, or it always has been this way in ballet and always will be. Or even, at most insulting, that as Balanchine famously said, “Ballet is woman,” so her only appropriate role is as a muse, not as a creator.

Simply by showing the shocking numbers: (Dance Data Project®, First Look, May 2019) of 645 works announced for next season, 81% will be by men; only 1 woman artistic director has a Top 10 salary; of the 7 of the 10 largest U.S. companies with resident choreographers, none gave the position to women. We are changing the conversation, giving journalists and advocates ammunition to question. Dance Data Project® celebrates those companies, festivals, and other institutions by promoting female led work and leadership on our website and social media. We also are amassing a world- wide data-base of female choreographers, set, costume and lighting designers.

Can you recommend 5 things that need to be done on a broader societal level to close the gender wage gap. Please share a story or example for each.

This is a complex and multi-faceted issue, best approached from a number of angles and pressure points:

1. Don’t work for free: So many female artists, whether its dancers, singers, or

actors, work for free, their theory being that “it will get me seen.” The problem is that they are seen, as not valuing their own work. I found in a previous career, that when I discounted my services or product, I lost respect, and was paid less and later. Hold firm, be pleasant, but decline to work without adequate compensation.

2. Run for leadership: In the case of classical ballet, the dancers’ union (AGMA) came down firmly on the side of the male dancers at New York City Ballet, which had fired them for degrading comments and passing around sexually explicit photographs without the consent of those filmed.(Dance Magazine Op-Ed “What AGMA Got Wrong”) Unfortunately, this is not unusual. When I first started my legal career, working for a management labor law firm, I often encountered situations where the employer would do the right thing and either terminate or discipline a worker for sexual harassment. Then, his buddies in the union, very often a friend who was a shop steward, would file a grievance. The result: Harassers were empowered and the company was completely frustrated in its attempts to enforce a legitimate policy.

3. Pay transparency leads to pay equity: That is the lesson of the BBC Crown pay scandal where it was discovered that Claire Foy, playing Elizabeth, and on screen virtually the entire time, was being paid substantially less than the actor playing her husband, Prince Phillip. The rationale? “Oh, he’s better known because he starred in Doctor Who.” Following those revelations, Parliament enacted legislation requiring companies to give pay scales. Turns out the BBC was paying senior women producers, editors and reporters, far less than their male counterparts. Of course, now there is push back and efforts to create big loopholes, but overall the legislation has transformed Great Britain. Similar legislation is pending in several states. (Paycor: State Pay Equity Laws). One good example is the recent legislation signed by Governor Pritzker outlawing employer inquiries into candidates past salaries. This practice has been found to adversely impact women.

4. Examine company policy: Whether it’s in the arts, sciences, business, services, it doesn’t matter. Not for profits are the same. Look critically at their mission statement, as well as their strategic plan. If there isn’t a commitment to pay and leadership equity, don’t buy their product, don’t give them your money, don’t donate. Why? Because it’s not the Mad Men era, women are earning majority of doctoral degrees and outnumbered men in grad school 137 to 100 (AEI.org) yet women are not getting the first promotions. Ditto hard sciences as well as the tech community. At this point, those in power are out of excuses, both the data showing that mixed gender teams perform better, and understanding of why women aren’t promoted (see Iris Bohnet’s work “Designing a Bias Free Workplace”-HBR).

There are small, but meaningful concrete steps that don’t cost any money:

• Pledge to eliminate “manels” (all male panels of experts)

• Cite women in the field when discussing or interviewing influences

• Put actual numbers behind the diversity, equity and inclusion pledges, and make executive or C-Suite compensation tie to meeting those goals

5. Own your power: Finally, women make the major purchasing decisions; we

decide where the philanthropic dollars go. The moment of maximum power is right before handing over a check. Ask, “where are the women?” I did, was rebuffed, and then it finally paid off. What we won’t do for ourselves, or men won’t do for their wives, they will often do for their daughters.

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

The answer is both very simple and very complex. By many estimates, women will control 2/3rds of the wealth in the U.S. within the next generation. According to the Lilly School of Philanthropy at Indiana University, women are involved in or are the sole decision makers on 87% of giving decisions. Yet, we don’t support women’s causes and each other. Women need to actively fund each other’s work and stop thinking in terms of scarcity. There is more than enough to go around. We need to speak up. Whether its ballet or another cause, women should absolutely feel confident in challenging the status quo. See my answer to Question 3!

DDP’s hashtag for this idea is #AskB4UGive. In the Advocacy page on our website, we provide an easy-to-use template of questions to ask before turning over a check or even buying a ticket. And, it’s not just for women. There are so many fantastic men who “get it” and want to help.

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

To quote a mashup of Winston Churchill and Sia, “Never give up.” I would also add in one by the inimitable Madeline Albright, “There is a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.”

On never giving up- when we first started our work, I consulted a well-known intellectual property attorney. He was adamant that Dance Data Project® would never receive trademark status because our proposed name was “too descriptive.” My team and I were convinced that the name was perfect. After arguing repeatedly, the attorney finally, reluctantly agreed to pursue the trademark while consistently advising me it was a waste of time. I didn’t give up. Sure enough we were successful, however, this gentleman, the Chair of the IP department at a major law firm, “lost” our file and the US Patent Office certification, and then retired without informing us. Despite repeated phone calls and emails, we never were updated on the status of our application. Eventually, we retained another attorney, who promptly determined that we were granted trademark status. The prior firm attempted to bill us for the hours spent hunting for the documentation they insisted had been forwarded to us. Months later we received an embarrassed phone call from his former administrative assistant, letting us know that our file was located in his old office. I had some very interesting conversations with his successor. As you can imagine, I flatly refused to pay any additional fees. Lesson learned: Keep pushing for what you know to be right. Also, again see my response to Question 3, “keep probing.”

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

Nothing in the world makes me as happy as hosting a group who embody the OG values I most admire: Perseverance, Kindness, Modesty, and a kick ass sense of humor. It’s the best kind of buzz to supply a wonderful meal, in a comfortable sunny setting, and then sit back to watch the unexpected affinities and friendships that emerge. On my dream list: Billie Jean King, Madeline Albright, Mary Beard (the classics scholar), Melinda Gates, any of the fabulous female SCOTUS members, and Wendy Whelan, since I am optimistic, she is determined to bring equity, transparency and excellence to New York City Ballet.

This was really meaningful! Thank you so much for your time.


Elizabeth Yntema of the Dance Data Project: 5 Things We Need To Do To Close The Gender Wage Gap was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.