Business Blasphemy: Success, Ambition & Other Things Women Question After 40

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Have you ever wondered how our digital age's obsession with instant gratification is impacting our businesses, our goals, and our patience? 

This week I take a quick look at the change technology has wrought and how it's influencing our expectations in life and in biz. I share my philosophy on the concept of "active patience," a practice that combines consistent efforts towards our goals while understanding that real success takes time.

I then share my absolute favourite metaphor -- the story of the Chinese Bamboo Tree. Through it we learn that patience, when combined with consistent efforts, can reap enormous rewards. Tune in to this episode for a nuanced take on the importance of patience in our businesses and our lives. You will leave with a renewed understanding of the role patience plays in our success and how to incorporate 'active patience' into your work ethic.

Love what you heard? Let’s stay connected!

Subscribe to Business Blasphemy for honest, provocative conversations about women in midlife, entrepreneurship, ambition, identity, and creating a next chapter that reflects who you've become, and not simply who you've always been.

Follow me on LinkedIn for more no-nonsense advice on leading with power and purpose.

And if you’re ready to dive even deeper, grab a copy of my book Bite-Sized Blasphemy and ignite your inner fire to do life and business your way.

The Business Blasphemy Podcast is sponsored by Purple Ember Consulting + Training and Sarah Khan Out Loud.

Business Blasphemy is hosted by TEDx speaker and leadership strategist Sarah Khan, explores success, ambition, identity, entrepreneurship, and the questions accomplished women start asking after 40.

Send me a direct message!

Have you ever had a business contract abruptly terminated by a client without any warning? I've been there, and it's a gut-wrenching experience that leaves you pissed off, inconvenienced, and questioning yourself. 

So, I decided to reach out to others in the business world to hear their tales of "Clients Behaving Badly." The response was astounding, with stories that opened up a Pandora's box of similar instances, which led to much-needed conversations about accountability and the human element in business transactions.

This episode looks at some of the murky, uncomfortable, but very real client behaviours that leave a shitty taste in your mouth, and are lessons learned about red flags to watch for in future client relationships.

Love what you heard? Let’s stay connected!

Subscribe to Business Blasphemy for honest, provocative conversations about women in midlife, entrepreneurship, ambition, identity, and creating a next chapter that reflects who you've become, and not simply who you've always been.

Follow me on LinkedIn for more no-nonsense advice on leading with power and purpose.

And if you’re ready to dive even deeper, grab a copy of my book Bite-Sized Blasphemy and ignite your inner fire to do life and business your way.

The Business Blasphemy Podcast is sponsored by Purple Ember Consulting + Training and Sarah Khan Out Loud.

Business Blasphemy is hosted by TEDx speaker and leadership strategist Sarah Khan, explores success, ambition, identity, entrepreneurship, and the questions accomplished women start asking after 40.

Send me a direct message!

Do you ever wonder why it's so hard for high achievers to shift their mindset? And why traditional mindset coaching methods aren't always the best approach to growth?

In this very candid episode, I talk to Marianne Smith (Daugherty), a psychotherapist and trauma trained therapist all about nervous system regulation and how dysregulation impacts high achieving entrepreneurs, CEOs, and founders.

Drawing from her 15+ years of experience, Marianne enlightens us about some incredible techniques to manage the pressures of success. We discuss polyvagal theory, exploring how different approaches can help high achievers thrive in their chosen fields.

We learn how to recognize states of dysregulation and why self-compassion is the cornerstone of maintaining balance. 

This leads to a very eye-opening exchange about the coaching industry, providing guidance on how to separate credible coaches from those who might not have your best interests at heart.

We close out the episode by addressing the elephant in the room - the glaring lack of checks and balances in the coaching industry. We share personal experiences and discuss the alarmingly easy route to becoming an unqualified coach. We break down the need for ethical standards of care in the coaching industry and the importance of research and scrutiny when choosing a coach, providing insights to help you ensure you're working with the very best. Tune in for an engaging conversation that promises to challenge the status quo.

Marianne Smith (Daugherty) is a psychotherapist, practitioner, and guide to high-achieving visionaries who are ready to ditch the chaos and lead from their inner zen master. She works privately and intimately with clients using cutting edge nervous system rewiring techniques, taking them on a multi-dimensional journey to uncover their next level calm. This process takes time, trust, and tools, but as a result, leaders can become infinitely resilient in the face of inevitable stress. If you’re ready to rewire your nervous system and carve new neural pathways for greater presence, creativity, and joy-in both your personal life and in your business.

Connect with Marianne:

• https://www.facebook.com/mariannelindausmith
• For coaching services: mldcoaching.co
• For psychotherapy services (in Ohio & Pa) www.happyvalleycounseling.net

Love what you heard? Let’s stay connected!

Subscribe to Business Blasphemy for honest, provocative conversations about women in midlife, entrepreneurship, ambition, identity, and creating a next chapter that reflects who you've become, and not simply who you've always been.

Follow me on LinkedIn for more no-nonsense advice on leading with power and purpose.

And if you’re ready to dive even deeper, grab a copy of my book Bite-Sized Blasphemy and ignite your inner fire to do life and business your way.

The Business Blasphemy Podcast is sponsored by Purple Ember Consulting + Training and Sarah Khan Out Loud.

Business Blasphemy is hosted by TEDx speaker and leadership strategist Sarah Khan, explores success, ambition, identity, entrepreneurship, and the questions accomplished women start asking after 40.

Send me a direct message!

As the scent of fresh notebooks fills the fall air and September excitement takes hold, something else takes hold, too.

The Fourth Quarter Push.

You know what I'm talking about. The online business world equivalent of "if your workout doesn't make you want to puke, you aren't doing it right."

You'll start to hear a lot of messaging around pushing harder and how you still have time to meet your 2023 goals in the last 3 months of the year if you "JUST KEEP PUSHING".

And we're here to question that advice. 

Tune into find out why I think the Q4 push is BS...and what you can do instead.

Love what you heard? Let’s stay connected!

Subscribe to Business Blasphemy for honest, provocative conversations about women in midlife, entrepreneurship, ambition, identity, and creating a next chapter that reflects who you've become, and not simply who you've always been.

Follow me on LinkedIn for more no-nonsense advice on leading with power and purpose.

And if you’re ready to dive even deeper, grab a copy of my book Bite-Sized Blasphemy and ignite your inner fire to do life and business your way.

The Business Blasphemy Podcast is sponsored by Purple Ember Consulting + Training and Sarah Khan Out Loud.

Business Blasphemy is hosted by TEDx speaker and leadership strategist Sarah Khan, explores success, ambition, identity, entrepreneurship, and the questions accomplished women start asking after 40.

Send me a direct message!

Have you ever felt drained, overworked, and yet still unappreciated by your clients?

That's where Chanel Robe found herself, not once, but twice. Now, she passionately advocates for balancing client needs with personal boundaries. 

In our conversation, Chanel shares her own journey from burnout to brilliance, illustrating why setting healthy boundaries in business and life with grace is so critical.
Boundaries that honor not just the client, but also the business and your personal needs. 

She shares her three-pronged approach to setting graceful boundaries, and shares how setting boundaries in contractual and retainer relationships can nurture a healthy client-business relationship.

We navigate through the complexities of difficult conversations, exploring how understanding and empathy can deflect conflict.

Guest bio:
Chanel Robe is the owner of The Robe Way & an authority on achieving customer success with less work. She helps business owners run profitable, impactful businesses and maintain client relationships without sacrificing their personal boundaries or quality of life. As a 2x burnout survivor and former people-pleaser, she is a speaker, author & passionate advocate for serving others while honoring yourself. On a regular day, you’ll find her traveling, belting out random songs, smiling contagiously, or lifting others up.

Connect with Chanel: https://en.gravatar.com/chanelrobie

Love what you heard? Let’s stay connected!

Subscribe to Business Blasphemy for honest, provocative conversations about women in midlife, entrepreneurship, ambition, identity, and creating a next chapter that reflects who you've become, and not simply who you've always been.

Follow me on LinkedIn for more no-nonsense advice on leading with power and purpose.

And if you’re ready to dive even deeper, grab a copy of my book Bite-Sized Blasphemy and ignite your inner fire to do life and business your way.

The Business Blasphemy Podcast is sponsored by Purple Ember Consulting + Training and Sarah Khan Out Loud.

Business Blasphemy is hosted by TEDx speaker and leadership strategist Sarah Khan, explores success, ambition, identity, entrepreneurship, and the questions accomplished women start asking after 40.

Send me a direct message!

To scale or not to scale? Not gonna lie -- too many people confuse scaling with growth and vice versa.

Brace yourselves as we break down the reality that only a minority -- a mere 22% of small businesses launched in the past decade -- have succeeded in doing: scaling.

In this week's episode we take a look at how scaling a business differs from growing a business and what it actually requires planning for as a CEO/Founder.

Then, we flip the script...

As a solopreneur, have you pondered the perks of running a sustainable business as opposed to scaling up? We give solopreneurs a little love by sharing the things that make being a solo entrepreneur the absolute bees knees.

Regardless of what path you decide is for you, this episode gives you a dose of loving reality about the ins and outs of business, both big and small.

Love what you heard? Let’s stay connected!

Subscribe to Business Blasphemy for honest, provocative conversations about women in midlife, entrepreneurship, ambition, identity, and creating a next chapter that reflects who you've become, and not simply who you've always been.

Follow me on LinkedIn for more no-nonsense advice on leading with power and purpose.

And if you’re ready to dive even deeper, grab a copy of my book Bite-Sized Blasphemy and ignite your inner fire to do life and business your way.

The Business Blasphemy Podcast is sponsored by Purple Ember Consulting + Training and Sarah Khan Out Loud.

Business Blasphemy is hosted by TEDx speaker and leadership strategist Sarah Khan, explores success, ambition, identity, entrepreneurship, and the questions accomplished women start asking after 40.

Send me a direct message!

Why do small businesses fail? This week we examine the 5 most common reasons why businesses don't survive long term. 

Join me as I illustrate how multiple factors can contribute to a business's downfall, including cashflow issues, weak marketing, and the founder themselves.

And don't worry -- I don't leave you hanging. You'll get several possible solutions to each problem helping you to prioritize for a sustainable future. 

This is tough love – not meant to discourage you, but to inspire and push you towards proactive steps for your business. 

So, listen up as we dig into yet another reality of small business ownership.

Love what you heard? Let’s stay connected!

Subscribe to Business Blasphemy for honest, provocative conversations about women in midlife, entrepreneurship, ambition, identity, and creating a next chapter that reflects who you've become, and not simply who you've always been.

Follow me on LinkedIn for more no-nonsense advice on leading with power and purpose.

And if you’re ready to dive even deeper, grab a copy of my book Bite-Sized Blasphemy and ignite your inner fire to do life and business your way.

The Business Blasphemy Podcast is sponsored by Purple Ember Consulting + Training and Sarah Khan Out Loud.

Business Blasphemy is hosted by TEDx speaker and leadership strategist Sarah Khan, explores success, ambition, identity, entrepreneurship, and the questions accomplished women start asking after 40.

Send me a direct message!

We've all been privy to the lessons of air travel shit shows.

And truth be told, there's a lot we can learn from the madness of air travel.

Picture me stuck on hold for 36 hours, trying to retrieve money from a canceled flight. Or dealing with a cancelled flight and losing a day of our vacation. Or dealing with a cancellation on the way back and a rerouting.

It was an eye-opening experience on how things beyond our control can wreak havoc in our plans. Sounds a lot like entrepreneurship, doesn't it? As we navigate this stormy landscape, let's keep in mind that we can't control everything, but our responses are totally up to us.

The pandemic has changed the rules of the business game, and it's not unusual to feel the heat and pressure building. But let's make one thing clear - resorting to manipulative tactics or pushing people into purchases they can't afford is not the answer. Instead, let's focus on what we can control - our responses, how we show up, how we price our offers, and how we share our content. I'll be talking about the importance of rest and slowing down to identify what we can let go of in our lives and businesses. Rethink, redefine and make your business not only rewarding but impactful. 

Remember, we're in this together.

Love what you heard? Let’s stay connected!

Subscribe to Business Blasphemy for honest, provocative conversations about women in midlife, entrepreneurship, ambition, identity, and creating a next chapter that reflects who you've become, and not simply who you've always been.

Follow me on LinkedIn for more no-nonsense advice on leading with power and purpose.

And if you’re ready to dive even deeper, grab a copy of my book Bite-Sized Blasphemy and ignite your inner fire to do life and business your way.

The Business Blasphemy Podcast is sponsored by Purple Ember Consulting + Training and Sarah Khan Out Loud.

Business Blasphemy is hosted by TEDx speaker and leadership strategist Sarah Khan, explores success, ambition, identity, entrepreneurship, and the questions accomplished women start asking after 40.

Send me a direct message!

Do you ever find yourself in "default mode"?

Let me backtrack...It's no secret that corporate programming runs deep.

I admit, with zero shame, that sometimes when things get tough I default to working harder because it's something I can control -- and I know I'm not alone.

This week, I share a technique that I have used to help me shift my perspective when I feel myself diving deeper and deeper into work as a way to distract myself from other things -- only to find when I no longer need to distract myself, I'm entrenched in the bad habit of equating productivity with worthiness.

Here is my 5-step audit, a process I go through regularly but especially when I need to recalibrate, when things feel overwhelming, or when I feel stuck.

Step 1: Make a gratitude and celebration list
Step 2: Give yourself some loving truth bombs
Step 3: Check your goals
Step 4: Re-evaluate your habits
Step 5: Make a ditch list

Want more info? Tune into this week's episode.

Love what you heard? Let’s stay connected!

Subscribe to Business Blasphemy for honest, provocative conversations about women in midlife, entrepreneurship, ambition, identity, and creating a next chapter that reflects who you've become, and not simply who you've always been.

Follow me on LinkedIn for more no-nonsense advice on leading with power and purpose.

And if you’re ready to dive even deeper, grab a copy of my book Bite-Sized Blasphemy and ignite your inner fire to do life and business your way.

The Business Blasphemy Podcast is sponsored by Purple Ember Consulting + Training and Sarah Khan Out Loud.

Business Blasphemy is hosted by TEDx speaker and leadership strategist Sarah Khan, explores success, ambition, identity, entrepreneurship, and the questions accomplished women start asking after 40.

Send me a direct message!

Mental health is a struggle for a lot of people, and entrepreneurs are no exception. This week I explore the less-talked-about side of entrepreneurship, with Shulamit Ber Levtov, the Entrepreneurs' Therapist, and the unique mental health challenges faced by entrepreneurs.

We talk about everything from the realities of isolation and how relentless hustle culture impacts us, to the tie between self-worth and business success. From why entrepreneurs hesitate to seek mental health support to the ripple effect of current events on our mental well-being.

Shula shares insights into the ways entrepreneurs, especially those unable to afford therapy, can manage their mental health, including the stigma and fear that sometimes keep us from seeking help at all.

She also shares her personal journey, emphasizing the need for mental health support specifically designed for business owners, because the emotional labor of running a business often requires external assistance.

Guest Bio:
Shulamit is the Entrepreneurs' Therapist and co-founder of the Business Therapy Centre. She works with women business owners to care for their mental and emotional wellbeing in an era of relentless stressors that can make you lose your shit on the daily.

An entrepreneur for over 27 years with more than 22 years of professional experience applying therapeutic, coaching and somatic tools to support women's mental health and personal growth. In addition to working with clients 1:1, Shulamit teaches in private and university business programs and speaks locally, nationally and internationally about the intersection of mental health, trauma, financial psychology and entrepreneurship.

As an award-winning entrepreneur, masters-level, licensed trauma therapist and trauma survivor, with certifications in Brené Brown's Dare To Lead methodology, Trauma of Money facilitation, Nonviolent Communication and Yoga, Shula brings a unique perspective and approach to supporting women in business.

Connect with Shula:

• On the Web: shula.ca
• Sign up for the Newsletter: shula.ca/newsletter
• Instagram: @the_entrepreneurs_therapist
• LinkedIn: @shulamitberlevtov
• 7 factors: https://entrepreneurstherapist.click/7factors
• Research and info on the link between mental health and entrepreneurship: https://entrepreneurstherapist.click/mheship 

Support the show

Love what you heard? Let’s stay connected!

Subscribe to Business Blasphemy for honest, provocative conversations about women in midlife, entrepreneurship, ambition, identity, and creating a next chapter that reflects who you've become, and not simply who you've always been.

Follow me on LinkedIn for more no-nonsense advice on leading with power and purpose.

And if you’re ready to dive even deeper, grab a copy of my book Bite-Sized Blasphemy and ignite your inner fire to do life and business your way.

The Business Blasphemy Podcast is sponsored by Purple Ember Consulting + Training and Sarah Khan Out Loud.

Business Blasphemy is hosted by TEDx speaker and leadership strategist Sarah Khan, explores success, ambition, identity, entrepreneurship, and the questions accomplished women start asking after 40.