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Women Taking the Lead

The Women Taking the Lead podcast is a resource for women leaders, allies, and organizations looking to promote more women into senior leadership. Episode formats include specific leadership challenges, "on-air" coaching with women leaders, and interviews with internal talent and organizational development leaders. Women Taking the Lead inspires women to overcome self-doubt and lead with confidence, integrity and a sense of humor.
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Now displaying: February, 2017
Feb 27, 2017

Tara Lynn Foster is a leadership development speaker, consultant and coach. After twenty years climbing the corporate ladder, she took the risk to start a new career helping other professionals push past barriers and accelerate success in practical and meaningful ways. Tara has presented concepts of confidence, charisma and leadership to audiences ranging from Fortune 500 companies to regional organizations and non-profits. When she isn’t speaking, consulting or coaching, Tara enjoys spending time at home with her husband and three kids – or on a sandy shore in a beach chair alone with a pen and paper, contemplating her future best-seller.

Click to tweet: .@taralynnfoster is sharing her story to inspire you on Women Taking the Lead https://womentakingthelead.com/204 #inspiration

Playing Small Moment

Tara had a goal while she was in corporate to have an executive role by the time her oldest was in kindergarten. She achieved this goal with a job within the same financial institution that she went after without knowing all of the details, but she was thrilled. On a day that it was her responsibility to pick up her children from daycare, as her husband was in study group, she was told she could not leave work until everything was finished. After informing her boss of these terms, she received a look and was asked why her husband couldn’t pick up the children. At that point, she knew her role was threatened and she had to continue to prove that she was reliable and capable of doing the job. If she was playing big, she would have realized that role was not right for her.

The Wake Up Call

Tara knew she was unhappy with her current role in the corporate world, and hired an executive coach. Tara was overwhelmed with life and unhappy at her job and she remembered driving to work, praying for just one happy moment in her day because her job was sucking the life out of her. Tara attended a women’s leadership conference and had major realizations. In the midst of a meditation exercise, where Tara was asked to focus on moments that brought her pure joy and laughter, she kept drawing a blank. In another exercise, she found that the fear of not having money from childhood experiences was what was holding her back. Tara spoke with her friend and her friend pushed her to make the jump. That Thursday evening, after the talk with her friend, Tara called her husband and confided in him about her need to change her life. He was supportive and kind, and not alarmed by this decision. On Monday morning, Tara made that risky move she had been dreading for five years, and started her new journey.

Style of Leadership

Tara takes an inclusive approach that is dynamic in nature. She loves to make things as interesting as possible. It’s important to Tara to be relational and empathetic, and to understand the perspective of those around her. She is also very focused and has a process driven mind, where solving problems becomes a puzzle she strives to solve.

What Are You Excited About?

Tara is excited about adding a new certification to her business to take the concept of personal branding and make it come alive in practical and useful way. She wants to help people take their slogan they could use on LinkedIn and push it past those boundaries into something completely new. This new certification will work with business teams and individual clients, as well.

Biggest Leadership Challenge

Tara’s first challenge is finding time to have time to maintain her family, marriage and social life while also running her business as a solopreneur. Because Tara does everything by herself, and is also trying to tackle this new project, she is struggling to find time to make it all happen.

Secondly, Tara is starting to realize more and more that she needs to incorporate her faith more into her business. She has always relied so much on her faith, that she hopes she can translate that into her daily work. Tara knows this may mean her clients will change, and she may have to niche more, but it is worth it for her to be her authentic self in her work.

Leadership Practice

Tara has a morning ritual that is critical to getting her attitude right and starting day right. First, she writes down five things each day that she is grateful for. Tara also reads scripture and meditates on that, while writing some notes down on how she can apply that scripture to her day. Lastly, she adds a little bit of time for prayer before starting her day. That quiet time in the morning is so important for her to ground herself and start the day off in the best way possible.

Advice For Younger Self

Tara believes that so much of what happens to us helps us become who we are. Of course, Tara wishes at times that she had known more, but wouldn’t change a thing. When she really thinks about it, she would listen more. Tara thinks that she really could have done better if she was more observant of the people and world around her and more empathetic. “Work hard and look forward, but be present. Enjoy where you are."

Inspirational Quote

“Fear is stupid, so are regrets.” ~ Marilyn Monroe

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Phillipains 4:6-7

 

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe in iTunes or Stitcher Radio and never miss out on #inspiration and community!

Find more resources at https://womentakingthelead.com

Feb 23, 2017

This is Jodi Flynn and you are listening to Women Taking the Lead.

And for those of you who are regulars to the show, did you think I forgot to celebrate the 200th episode?

Oh no I didn’t and just like when we were celebrating the 100th episode I gathered up all the quotes from episodes 101-200 and strung them together. This is a celebration I’m going to listen to over and over again.

What’s really funny for me is this episode kicks off our weekly episodes themed 100% Jodi and there is about 2% Jodi in this episode but I think after listening you’re going to forgive me for this.

Here are another 100 Quotes to inspire and lift you up.

Find all the quotes and leave a comment here: https://womentakingthelead.com/another-100-quotes/

Feb 20, 2017

Rene Brent is Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, an #1 International Bestseller author of the book How Big Is Your BUT?, International speaker and on faculty for The Institute of Interpersonal Hypnotherapy. Rene has been an RN for over 25 years and has worked in ICU, Trauma/ER and Recovery Room. She helps her clients use the power of the deep inner mind to release blocks and reach personal and professional goals. She is passionate about teaching people how to Practice Happy and becoming a Happiness Hunter.

Click to tweet: .@ReneHypnosis is sharing her story to inspire you on Women Taking the Lead https://womentakingthelead.com/203 #inspiration

Playing Small Moment

Rene grew up with an alcoholic mother. As a teenager, Rene knew she had to provide for herself and her little brother, that no one else would do it for her. Rene had a poor self image because of her height, and knew she had to find her strength from within. An instructor at Rene’s high school believed in her and gave her opportunities to succeed. This instructor finally got Rene to see herself from a different perspective. Rene realized that once she connected how she felt on the inside to her intimidating height, she could start playing big from the inside too. She now refers to herself as a warrior princess.

The Wake Up Call

Rene was married for 20 years to someone she later realized was a narcissist. Because of her past, she learned to find happiness in this relationship and didn’t realize she was still carrying falsehoods from her childhood into adulthood. During their divorce, Rene found herself rocking inside her closet as she did as a child and had a revelation. Rene realized she was not feeling pain from the actual divorce, but from the false beliefs she had held onto. Rene’s next steps were clear; she had to focus on herself and move away from the things that held her back.

Style of Leadership

Humor saved Rene’s life. She could always move through whatever life threw at her with humor. In the business and networking she does, she always maintains her authenticity. Rene knows that in stressful situations, we sometimes try to emulate someone else, but it never works. Rene also makes sure not to judge others, ever. What she learned to do was release judgement of herself. In each moment, Rene knows she is doing the best that she can. If she makes a mistake, then she learns from it.

What Are You Excited About?

Rene knows that we are not all taught to understand our subconscious mind and she wanted to get to a bigger audience. Rene is getting herself worked up to be a speaker. This is out of her comfort zone, but Rene knows people need to hear what she has to say about the subconscious mind and releasing yourself from perfectionism and how to move forward.

Biggest Leadership Challenge

Rene says she is blessed with an incredible life and a beautiful relationship, as she healed and moved through and welcomed someone into her life who is such a giver. Rene likes to make time for him and sometimes she finds herself quite busy and often working late. Right now her biggest challenge is finding that balance between work and love, relaxation and fun.

Leadership Practice

Self awareness. Rene goes into a meditative state, even if it is only 5 minutes. “Go into an altered state and find your truth.”

Advice For Younger Self

Rene would say to be nicer to her self, look within and trust her instincts. “You have great instincts and you’re beautiful.”

Inspirational Quote

“Do something every day that scares you.” Eleanor Roosevelt

Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReneBrentHypnosis/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PracticeHappyNow/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/renehypnosis

Website: PracticeHappyNow.com

Website: ReneBrentHypnosis.com

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe in iTunes or Stitcher Radio and never miss out on #inspiration and community!

Find more resources at https://womentakingthelead.com

Feb 17, 2017

Hello everyone and welcome to Women Taking the Lead. It has been a while since the last bonus episode and there is a good reason for that. There have been some changes going on behind the scenes here that I had thought about out loud in my last bonus episode but I am now ready to roll them out.

This will be the last “Bonus” episode. Will this be last time it’s just me talking directly to you on the podcast? Absolutely not. In fact, you’re going to be hearing a lot more of me going forward. Starting this coming Monday, which at the time of the release of this episode will be February 20th, 2017, I will be releasing one interview per week and one episode of 100% Jodi per week. In fact, 100% Jodi is what I am going to be calling these episodes. I got this idea for this title from one of The Accomplished Community members, Shelli Warren of SheConnex, so thank you Shelli!! I laughed when she proposed the idea and thought, “brilliant!”

So, each Monday I will be featuring a new amazing women who is taking the lead in her life and sharing her with you and on Thursdays I’ll be releasing an episode of 100% Jodi. But let me be clear, I want these 100% Jodi episodes to be inspired by your questions, your ideas, and the solutions to your challenges. The more you send me the more valuable these episodes are going to be for all of us.

Changing the format was in response to the feedback I’ve gotten from all of you. I kept hearing that you wanted more bonus episodes, more talk time from me during the interviews and questions on how to get more from Jodi. I love you all for that and I am incredibly humbled. I want to serve and be a part of your journeys because it is one of my guiding principles that we are all better together.

Here are some ways you can get more from me and be a more intimate part of me and my world:

(1) Listen to the episodes and even go back and listen to them again. Just like the movies we watch more than once we realize we missed something the first time around. Keep the inspiration going. If you like what you’re hearing subscribe in iTunes and leave me a rating and review so other women (and men) just like you can find this podcast.

(2) Want to keep the inspiration going? Share this podcast with your friends. Not only will you get inspired by listening to the episodes, your friends will bring up what they got out of listening in the conversations you have with them creating a shared experience – and this helps to integrate or anchor what you took away into your consciousness which will then show up in your actions.

Here’s where you can find the podcast: iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Google Play Music or iHeart Radio and never miss out on inspiration and community!

(3) Join the Women Taking the Lead private Facebook group. At this point we’ve got nearly 350 women who are up to things in their life asking questions, sharing resources, introducing themselves & their work, and finding collaborators to partner with. I’m posting questions and inspirational posts to keep you in the conversation and motivate you throughout the week. I’ve got the link in the blog post that accompanies this episode for you: https://www.facebook.com/groups/womentl/

(4) Buy my book, Accomplished: How to Go from Dreaming to Doing. The feedback I’ve gotten from the community is Accomplished is well written, clear and concise, inspirational, motivational and the free resources that come with the book have been invaluable in helping you to achieve your goals. You guys, this is my signature coaching system in a book and you are getting it for less than $15. If you have a goal that you are struggling to get off the ground or you can’t seem to reach this is the book for you. You can find out more at womentakingthelead.com/accomplished or go directly to Amazon. If you put Jodi Flynn Accomplished in the search bar you’ll find it quickly.

(5) Join The Accomplished Community. This is the community I created for those of you who are ready to go BIG and want to do it with support and accountability from me and others just like you who are also stretching themselves to be the person they know they are meant to be – the best version of themselves. I don’t know about you but this was what I was craving early in my career and in my business. I have definitely been successful but I know I would have achieved that success feeling more confident and less stressed out if I had formed a committed community of women just like me to be a part of.

Here’s a big announcement and let me give you some background. Each month in The Accomplished Community I bring on a subject matter expert to do a video call with community – not a webinar where we are being talked at and Q&A happens via chat. This is a webcast where everyone on the call has an opportunity to interact with the expert. We’ve had 2 so far: CS Wurzberger, The Green Up Girl, presented on how to have a wildly profitable business and Meredith Bell of Performance Support Systems presented on how to connect with influencers on LinkedIn.

Next up we’ve got John Lee Dumas of Entrepreneur on Fire coming to talk to us about Self-Mastery. If you don’t know John’s story let me give you a brief version to catch you up. After years of regularly changing careers looking for that perfect fit John decided to go after a dream and launched the Entrepreneur on Fire podcast. He didn’t know when he started how he was going to make money and for the first 6-8 months he had expenses and no income. Then it started to trickle, and trickle more and by the time he was 18 months in he was earning 6 figures a month from the multiple streams of income he created for his business. There’s a lot that went into how he did it but was always stood out to me about John is his unconquerable spirit. He doesn’t let much get him down and it’s nearly impossible to stop him and it’s self-mastery that is his secret sauce. Coming soon he will be doing an intimate presentation and Q&A for The Accomplished Community so if you want to be a part of it go to womentakingthelead.com/community and get yourself in there.

(6) Lastly, if you want to partner directly with me let’s talk about private coaching – either stand alone or included with The Accomplished Community. I love working one-to-one with you guys and witnessing the transformation that occurs while we are working together. Experiencing your ah-ha moments and helping you put them into action so you are achieving success more quickly than you first imagined – that gratifies my soul and energizes me to keep going. If you’ve been on the fence about working with me and not sure if this is the right time for you’ll let’s just have a quick chat about it. I am not a high pressure person. It’s either the right time for you or it’s not – and we’ll figure that out together within 20-30 minutes of chatting. The calendar link is too long and confusing to read so just head over to the blog post, click on the link and let’s get a chat scheduled on the calendar! https://calendly.com/jodimflynn/30-minute

Thank you so much for being a woman taking the lead, for joining with me and others just like yourself to hit our goals and make stuff happen. It is an honor and a joy for me to be a part of your journey and I’m looking forward to living the future that we create.

Here's To Our Success!

Resources

Private Facebook Community: Chat, share and collaborate with other women in the community!

Accomplished: How to Go from Dreaming to DoingA simple, step by step system that gives you the foundation and structure to take your goals and make them happen.

The Accomplished Community: A community of entrepreneurial Type A women uniting to achieve their biggest goals with confidence, integrity and a sense of humor.

Subscribe to Women Taking the Lead

If you enjoyed this episode subscribe in iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Google Play Music or iHeart Radio and never miss out on inspiration and community!

Feb 15, 2017

Elizabeth Williams-Riley, President & CEO for the American Conference on Diversity, brings more than two decades of experience in education, training, and consulting on diversity and inclusion matters working with corporations, nonprofits, professional associations, communities and schools, nationally and on the local level. She was recently named Girls Scouts of America Jersey Shore 2015 Woman of Distinction, 2013 Woman Worth Watching, and is featured in Diversity Journal. Elizabeth is also a 2014 Lead New Jersey Fellow. She is a dynamic presenter, facilitator, and diversity and inclusion expert.

Click to tweet: .@AmConfDiversity is sharing her story to inspire you on Women Taking the Lead https://womentakingthelead.com/202 #inspiration

Playing Small Moment

In Elizabeth’s teenage years, she had to come to terms with being comfortable with the skin she is in, her size and who she was. Her mother suggested that she audition for a beauty pageant. Elizabeth was convinced that she did not fit the mold for a beauty pageant. Though she was very involved in her community, school and church, Elizabeth felt that she was just not one of those girls. Her mom persisted and said there was no reason for her not to audition. Elizabeth followed her mother’s advice and ended up not only making her way through, but won! Elizabeth realized she was the one getting in her own way.

The Wake Up Call

There was a school in Orlando that was turning 100 years old and for the celebration, Elizabeth was asked to create a wall of history featuring images from the last century. As she was collecting the photos, she realized there were no pictures of people like her. Elizabeth used this as motivation to go out into the community and connect with people, often going door-to-door, listening to many stories and collecting photos. Elizabeth knew that she needed a complete picture of the history of this school, and she owed it to the community to feature the different people who contributed and why it was important for everyone to be included. From that point on, she made it a point to respect and value everyone she met and creating and believing in the humanity of individuals.

Style of Leadership

Elizabeth ensures to keep herself very humble. She also believes you need to be a good follower in order to be a good leader. Elizabeth is thoughtful when she engages individuals and keeps direct conversations but remains respectful throughout. Elizabeth is also very in tune with her own vulnerability. She is passionate, driven by what she does, but is also driven by the relationships she holds with those around her.

What Are You Excited About?

Elizabeth is part of a statewide No Hate campaign that was launched in January. To kick off the campaign, they held a town hall meeting discussing the meaning of hate and how it manifests in current society. Elizabeth finds it as a wonderful opportunity to engage people in bold dialog and learn from each other in a respectful environment. Elizabeth believes that when we want to learn and grow, we need to make sure we are thinking about all of us, not some of us.

Biggest Leadership Challenge

Fundraising is the greatest challenge that Elizabeth finds in the non-profit sector. That challenge holds so many great opportunities that it makes it all worth it.

Leadership Practice

The process of being able to really hear what people are saying without thinking of your rebuttal, active listening, is so important to Elizabeth. You are not listening to reply; you are listening to seek understanding. For Elizabeth, it has been one of her strongest skill sets because it allows her to see where people are coming from. Communication is a two-sided process.

Advice For Younger Self

Elizabeth would tell her younger self to never underestimate the value of her authentic self. Allowing your authentic self to show up wherever you go, provides consistency in your life. You don’t have to hide your mannerisms to fit in.

Inspirational Quote

“You never know how much your past will affect your future until it shows up in your present.”

Links

Website: http://americanconferenceondiversity.org/

Twitter: @AmConfDiversity

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/americanconferenceondiversity

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/1561082?trk=tyah

Google+: https://plus.google.com/+AmericanconferenceondiversityOrg

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amconfdiversity/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/AmConfDiversity

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe in iTunes or Stitcher Radio and never miss out on #inspiration and community!

Find more resources at https://womentakingthelead.com

Feb 12, 2017

Dana Malstaff is the founder of BOSS Mom and author of Boss Mom: The Ultimate Guide to Raising a Business & Nurturing Your Family Like a Pro. Dana has channeled her success as a content & business strategist, into a fast growing community of business women she has helped begin and run their businesses and families like a Boss.

Click to tweet: .@danamalstaff is sharing her story to inspire you on Women Taking the Lead https://womentakingthelead.com/201 #inspiration

Playing Small Moment

Dana believes in embracing the “hot mess-ness” and isn’t ashamed that sometimes she cries in the bathroom with the lights out or in the shower when no one is around.

After surveying her expenses in the beginning, Dana realized she was spending as much as she was making and hired a coach. Dana’s coach told her that she can continue to change her business and reopen parts that she had previously closed. It was, in fact, her business. Dana realized that she quit her job to make her own decisions, but wasn’t utilizing it to her potential. Dana opened the academy back up and told the participants that the structure would continue to change until it worked better for everyone and they were delighted.

The Wake Up Call

When Dana was brainstorming ideas for her business, she decided to focus on what she was passionate about, mindful communication and how people connect in corporate America. In her past, the wellness company she was the director of built behavioral modification programs for large companies and she knew how important good communication was. Dana tried to build her business around communication, and realized that it became much harder than she had originally thought. Dana attended a conference with a friend, where the speaker made a comment that entrepreneurs should focus on that one thing they are amazing at, the skill that comes easy to them, and to start their business based off of that. Unsure of what her gift was, Dana helped her friend brainstorm during one of the conference exercises and a lightbulb went off. Her gift was brainstorming and strategizing, and she had been focusing on her passion this whole time. Feeling fired up with this new information, Dana jumped into a Facebook group and tested out a few things, with amazing return. Now Dana focuses on her gift, while also intertwining her passion, but the gift is what makes her money.

Style of Leadership

Dana leads by letting others lead. While assessing corporate businesses, she would focus on what made the employees happy, engaged and want to stay employed with that company. That process has translated into Dana’s leadership. She is constantly asking her team if they are doing what they love to do, because someone can always be brought on that loves to do what someone else hates doing. Dana believes that when you allow people to show you how amazing they are, they will come up with ideas you may never have thought of yourself. Dana knows that she may be the face of her brand, but she is only one key player.

What Are You Excited About?

Dana is excited to have her first Boss Mom retreat and all of the buzz surrounding it. “It’s like planning a wedding!” Dana is also launching The Raising Your Business program, which she spent an entire year building. Dana combed through all of her content and courses to come up with this new evergreen program. Her dad always said, “Information isn’t knowledge,” and she believes that translating all of the information into understanding what to do with it, and it what order, is the real resource that everyone needs.

Leadership Practice

Dana makes sure to assess her priorities every single day.  She has a vision board and looks at what she is trying to do as a whole, not just the single tasks on a list. Dana believes that it is really easy to fall off the priority path and chase the shiny thing. Reassessing every day gives her the confidence to know she is saying yes and no to the right things.

Advice For Younger Self

Dana would tell her younger self that she is totally not an island. “I don’t care if you can make images in Canva, hire someone to do it.” Dana points out that by reaching out for help, you are actually helping move the economy forward by giving people jobs and you will get there so much faster.

Inspirational Quote

“Ah, but a man’s [or woman’s] reach should exceed his grasp, Or what’s a heaven for?” – Robert Browning

Links

Boss Mom Website: https://www.boss-mom.com/

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danamalstaff

 

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe in iTunes or Stitcher Radio and never miss out on #inspiration and community!

Find more resources at https://womentakingthelead.com

Feb 8, 2017

Nikki Groom is a digital marketer, brand strategist, and content marketing expert for business leaders and entrepreneurs who want to build a profitable business while making the world a better place. She is also the founder of The 100 Stories Worth Telling Project, which seeks to amplify the voices of women entrepreneurs all over the world by sharing their real-life stories of overcoming adversity, and a firm believer that all businesses should lead with empathy.

Click to tweet: .@nikkigroom is sharing her story to inspire you on Women Taking the Lead https://womentakingthelead.com/200 #inspiration

Playing Small Moment

Throughout her youth, Nikki was quite shy. She didn’t feel confident and had not found her voice yet. Nikki’s writing always gave her an escape and allowed her to use her voice, though. At the age of 15, Nikki spent two weeks shadowing a reporter at a local newspaper and remained quiet for most of her time there. When it was time for the editor to submit Nikki’s evaluation to her school, he reported that she met all the basic requirements, but included  a paragraph stating that Nikki did not possess the voice or personality to become a journalist. Nikki felt that the editor didn’t know her at all and what she was capable of, and was infuriated by his assessment, so she set out to prove him wrong.

Nikki remembers that she had a friend at university who laughed at the idea of her studying abroad. Well, now Nikki lives in the United States. Whenever someone challenges Nikki, it only pushes her further to succeed.

The Wake Up Call

Nikki was the UK manager at a global company, and was craving a new opportunity. She was offered a job in London, but when she asked her boss for his opinion, he told her they weren’t offering enough pay and that she should wait. Within the next few months, the North American manager in the same company sent out an email announcing her departure. As she read the email, her head started filling with ideas and possibilities. Nikki drove home and had an internal struggle over her next steps and ended up siding with the thrill of this amazing opportunity. That moment was her wake up call.

Style of Leadership

Nikki would describe her leadership style as real. It’s something that people have told her they really admired about her. Nikki doesn’t pretend to have all the answers. Sure, she is an expert in certain areas, but she knows that there is always room to grow and learn. Nikki also likes to lead from within and from a place of empathy and compassion. She wants those inside her community to really feel included, as that was something she struggled with in her youth.

What Are You Excited About?

Nikki is super excited about her new website. It has been a huge production with a great team, and she cannot wait for everyone to see it. There will be new offers and lots of new stuff coming up this year.

Current Business Challenge

Even with her business is in a transitional phase, Nikki knows that one of the key things she has to accomplish soon is gathering a team around her to lift her to the next level. She has been working with a diversity consultant who is surrounded by a wonderful team, which showed Nikki that is exactly what she needs.

Leadership Practice

Nikki is a firm believer in meditation.

Advice For Younger Self

Nikki would tell her younger self to speak up!

Inspirational Quote

“Just start.”

Links

Website: http://www.nikkigroom.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikkigroom/

https://www.facebook.com/100StoriesWorthTelling/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkigroom

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nikkigroom

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikkigroom/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/nikkigroom/

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe in iTunes or Stitcher Radio and never miss out on #inspiration and community!

Find more resources at https://womentakingthelead.com

Feb 5, 2017

Astrid Mueller is a creative serial SOUL-preneur with a background in branding and design, who loves helping women to dream big and shoot for the stars. She works specifically with soulful women freelancers and soul-preneurs who struggle getting their dream business off the ground. Astrid helps them ignite their superpowers and create a successful, beautiful brand their customers love. 

Originally from Switzerland, Astrid followed her heart to beautiful Kodiak Island, Alaska, from where she connects and empowers women around the world.

Click to tweet: .@Astrid_Mueller is sharing her story to inspire you on Women Taking the Lead https://womentakingthelead.com/199 #inspiration

Playing Small Moment

About 10 years ago, Astrid was trying to get her name out at a trade show in Europe when she was drawn to a stand selling handbags with her idol’s illustrations on them. Since she, too, was an illustrator, Astrid spoke to the owner hoping to work for him. When the owner asked if she had experience designing handbags, Astrid regretfully said no. She felt discouraged, but went home and did her research. This is when Astrid learned that sometimes you just have to be a little bold and go after what you want.

The Wake Up Call

Astrid attended a training called Unstoppable Live, where they were selling a program for five figures that she was interested in. Unsure how she could afford it and scared to death, Astrid took a moment to center herself. She heard her heart screaming to jump at this opportunity and decided she could come up with a way to invest. Astrid went downstairs and spoke to someone about the program and ended up breaking down with all of the empowerment she felt by saying yes. Since then, Astrid has been on such a positive roll and has lost her scarcity mindset.

Style of Leadership

Astrid only recently started seeing herself as a leader and she still finds herself caught off guard hearing herself referred to as a leader. Astrid is happy and easy going and loves to come from a place of collaboration, inspiration and empowerment in all situations.

What Are You Excited About?

Astrid feels so blessed to be super excited about everything she is currently doing. Over the last two years, she has found her calling helping female entrepreneurs who are a lot like her younger self. Astrid uses her branding super powers and laws of attraction to help those women achieve their goals in one-on-one coaching sessions.

Astrid is also working on an artistic side project with 10 other female artists. She was looking for ways to bring back the use of her art, and got inspired by her oracle cards. The oracle cards they are collaborating to create will focus on inspiring and empowering female freelancers and soul-preneurs in their business and in life.

Current Business Challenge

Astrid refers to her ongoing business challenge as grounded leverage, staying grounded and centered and having free time while also growing her business. It’s a work in progress for Astrid, where she feels she’s got it, but has to remain aware of it.

Leadership Practice

Astrid is adamant on always listening to her heart and centering herself.

Advice For Younger Self

Astrid would tell her younger self to stop hustling, look for her inner north star sooner, and to follow what helps her open up to her own heart, soul, and desires.

Inspirational Quote

“Follow the fun that comes from the heart.” - Astrid Mueller

Links

AstridMueller.com

https://twitter.com/astrid_mueller

https://www.facebook.com/AstridMuellerGirlpowerCEO

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

 

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Find more resources at https://womentakingthelead.com

Feb 1, 2017

Alyssa Wright is an artist, activist and capacity building expert. An accomplished facilitator and consultant, Alyssa works with organizations from East Africa to New England, all focused on powerfully creating social change, especially for women & children. A Co-Founder of the Massachusetts-based Recovery Theatre and a passionate advocate for the arts, Alyssa believes that when we place dignity and love at the forefront of our change-making efforts, there is nothing that we cannot accomplish together on this Earth.

Playing Small Moment

Because she didn’t feel that she had anything intellectual, philosophical or academic to say, Alyssa felt that her story wouldn’t necessarily help others and didn’t see the importance in sharing it. Alyssa had assumed that everyone experienced the same parental struggles that she had in her youth and that her story was just too common. Ultimately, she underestimated the significance of how she came to be who she was as a person.

The Wake Up Call

In July 2015, Alyssa had the opportunity to work with women and girls in East Africa with Heshima Kenya, a refugee organization. On her flight to Africa, Alyssa was filled with doubts and felt undeserving of the amazing opportunities that awaited her until she received an encouraging text from a caring friend. Once Alyssa arrived at the safe house, she was greeted by all of the girls, holding their beautiful children. The group took turns sharing their talents and when Alyssa was asked to share hers, she realized that her artistry made her feel more herself than she ever had. Alyssa was inspired and knew how she could make a difference.

Style of Leadership

Alyssa sees her leadership style as more of a mentorship that becomes kinship that becomes a legacy of doing the right thing. When Alyssa started in the world of philanthropy, she asked a more experienced peer how she stayed motivated when it didn’t seem they were moving the needle at all. The woman replied that they were in fact moving the needle, and to pay attention to the young people that were showing up. Those young people are what keep the movement going. With Alyssa’s leadership, it’s more than just inspiring a young person to work with her, it is making an investment in that person as a whole and making sure they are enjoying the progress, not just the goal.

What Are You Excited About?

Since last summer, Alyssa has been working with Tree Sisters, which has been an inspiring leadership journey for her. One of the projects they are working on that Alyssa is really excited to be a part of is a global philanthropic strategy that unearths feminine leadership within different communities while also repairing the nature around us.

Current Business Challenge

After working for Raising Change for seven years, Alyssa became partner and just recently received a certificate to further her leadership in her field. After building a new consulting business, Alyssa is challenged by finding her own identity and voice in an that same industry as a leader and not just an employee.

Inspirational Quote

“The time is is always right to do what is right.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

Links

Website: www.alyssafwright.com 

Twitter: @WrightAlyssa1

Tree Sisters Website: Treesisters.org

Mogul: https://onmogul.com/alyssa-wright-95

 

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe in iTunes or Stitcher Radio and never miss out on #inspiration and community!

Find more resources at https://womentakingthelead.com

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