Dare to Leap

Angelic Veasman is the Founder and CEO of Lady PowerHouse Solutions, a project and event support firm that helps women in business get organized and prioritized. Angelic was in the corporate hamster wheel for a while, but she'd had enough. The pandemic forced her to reevaluate certain things in her life and take a full leap in her business, and she's so glad she made the jump! Find out more in this week's episode!

Key takeaways:

• Angelic has been working since she was 16 years old and has had a wide range of career experiences since then!
• She is super passionate about what she does and is always excited to learn something new!
• Angelic was on a corporate hamster wheel and she'd had enough! She joined Kathy's group and wow, it was great to have such a fresh perspective!
• After attending Kathy's event, Angelic was in tears because she finally found her tribe.
• Kathy got fired at the end of 2019 and she was faced with a decision. Get a job or dive into her own business! And then, her husband lost his job too.
• Kathy and her family moved to Florida for a job, but it didn't work out two weeks later. They were in a tough spot and their finances were drained.
• With so many changes happening in Angelic's life, what has she learned the most from it all?
• COVID-19 and these latest transitions have really opened everyone's eyes to a new way of working.
• What types of people does Angelic work with and how does she help her clients?
• Angelic has strategic intensive offerings which help business owners understand what they really need in their business; not what they think they need.
• For a lot of Angelic's clients, they often don't know what they need, they just know they're overwhelmed.
• Kathy recommends Angelic! She has a very creative outlook and out-of-the-box thinking when it comes to how she approaches problems!

Resources:

Ladypowerhouse.com

Angelic on LinkedIn

Quotes:

"Kathy was super honest and authentic about it. This isn't going to be super easy. There's a financial investment. These are the criteria. Kathy wasn't saying it was a get rich quick scheme."

"I was crying. It was basically I found my tribe. I had found this community of women that weren't cliquey. They were supportive."

"What really matters isn't what we do, it isn't what we make, it isn't what we have, it is who we are."

Jackie Barker is the Owner and Founder of the Barefoot Design Collective, a web and graphic design firm. In this episode, you'll learn a little bit about Jackie, how she got started, and how she's different from other web development firms. Jackie provides an all-encompassing look at your website and makes sure it's optimized and running to its full efficiency, and then some! Find out more in this week's episode.

Key takeaways:

• Jackie shares a little bit about how she got started in graphic and web design.
• How does Jackie provide a "website in a day"? She breaks down her service offering.
• Jackie shares how she makes it super easy for clients to get the knowledge and skillsets that they need to have a professional website.
• What does website maintenance look like with a pre-built WordPress template?
• People might complain about WordPress, but it is a very solid platform to be on! They are constantly updating their platform.
• Jackie shares how she saved her client $300 a month in maintenance fees! And, improved her site speed.
• If your website is down or broken, how many customers would you lose? Not many people would reach out to tell you that your website contact form is broken.
• What tips does Jackie have to help attract the attention of your ideal client on your website?
• How knowledgeable is Jackie about SEO?
• What is a meta description?
• Jackie explains how easy it is to get started working with her. Bundle your website elements together and Jackie takes care of the rest!
• Kathy is so glad she has people like Jackie. She can easily spend hours on a website, and not even understand what went wrong!

Resources:

Barefootdc.com

Jackie on LinkedIn

Quotes:

"If you're a small business owner, $10,000 for a website that is going to constantly need to be changed and updated, that's a lot of money!"

"At least go out to your site once a week just to make sure everything is updated, security plugins and backups running, that's what somebody that maintains your site should be doing."

"[With your words], it's about having a call to action. It's all about psychology and where the eyes go around the screen."

Mark Struczewski is known as Mister Productivity. He helps his clients reduce the overwhelm and dread in their lives so that not only are they more productive, but they are also able to enjoy more of life outside of work. In this week's episode, Mark talks about how he was able to reduce his time down through building a conscious process in his business, and so much more! It all comes down to intentionality and doing the work!

Key takeaways:

• Kathy was on Mark's show, but she almost didn't go at all!
• Why is Mark so passionate about what he does?
• So many people have the golden handcuffs on, the job is too good for them to quit, but it sucks their soul.
• Can you be both happy and wealthy? Mark says yes, but it takes a bit of intentionality to get you there.
• Mark talks a little bit about social media and his feelings around it.
• Mark is a huge wellness buff. His mother and grandmother have both been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and he's trying to prevent that from happening to him.
• What does Mark like to eat on a given day?
• A lot of people simply aren't taking good care of themselves. Don't let busyness get in your way of good health!
• Mark is so high-energy that he really can't sit still to watch movies. He wants to be doing something productive.
• How did Mark become known as Mister Productivity?
• If you don't know what your "thing" is, sometimes it takes a few tries to understand what you're best at.
• Mark believes most people on this planet are good people.
• When it comes to the news, you have to be cautious about what types of sources are being referenced. No one talks about the source anymore.
• How does Mark produce a show a day? Where does he find the time?
• Don't aim for perfection, just aim for serving your audience.
• If you serve from the heart, you're already halfway there!
• Want to be more productive? You need to have a process.
• Mark doesn't make more people productive, he helps reduce overwhelm. There is life outside of work!!!

Resources:

Markstruczewski.com

Mark on LinkedIn

Mark on Instagram

Kathy on Mark's podcast

Think Again, by Adam Grant

Quotes:

"Do you want to be happy or do you want to be wealthy? You can be both, but you need to choose happiness first."

"If you're not happy now, you won't be happy when."

"Most people are good people. I really truly believe that. Unfortunately, they just don't get the press."

Teri "Tag" Gustafson grew up in a small town in Minnesota. A country girl at heart, Teri moved from the city back to her hometown to care of her mom. However, during that time, she realized she could not stock shelves for 40 hours a week while also taking care of her mother. Teri decided to take the leap and start her own graphic design and video editing business. Find out a little bit more about Teri, also known as Tag, and the work she does in this week's episode.

Key takeaways:

• A little bit about Tag and why she started her first business.
• Tag has done a lot of mindset work and it really helped her appreciate herself a little more.
• How did Tag find out she had dyslexia?
• There are so many creative people who have dyslexia! Kathy's husband is also dyslexic.
• Tag has never been good at following the rules.
• Kathy understands the challenges. That's why she likes to offer different learning options in her program: Video, Audio, and Transcriptions.
• Tag's father disappeared suddenly. She still to this day doesn't know what happened to him. It's very difficult and traumatic for her family.
• Although Tag was living in the city at the time her father disappeared, she knew she had to move back to her small town to be close to her mother.
• Tag is the 2nd oldest out of her 4 sisters. She loves being close to family.
• Tag was working a nine-to-five and it was very difficult to take care of mom and work a job at the same time.
• After seeing Kathy's virtual expert training, Tag knew that the nine-to-five lifestyle was simply just killing her body.
• Tag knew she was completely capable, but she had cashed out her 401(k) in the past to pay for programs that didn't work at all.
• How did the nickname "Tag" come about?
• How does Tag help her clients? What types of people does she love to work with?
• Interested in working with Teri! She'd love to hear from you.

Resources:

Wowfactorvirtualsolutions.com

Teri on LinkedIn

Quotes:

"I was listening to your podcast and I said, yeah, somebody needs to hear what I have to say! Maybe they're not quite there yet."

"I was working really hard and I was trying to balance mom's medical stuff. I realized I can't keep doing this."

"Stocking shelves for 40 hours a week, my body couldn't take it. My back goes out in different spots."

Barbara Field has published pieces in newspapers and magazines, and her novel attracted the attention of Hollywood for a nanosecond. She also was an instructor, ghostwriter, and keynote speaker. After falling seriously ill and being near death's door, Barbara realized her son did not really know her. While she was recovering at home, she realized we don't know people's life stories and she wanted to help people write their memoirs to leave as a legacy. She now teaches people just how to do that. Find out more about Barbara and her journey in this week's episode!

Key takeaways:

• How did Barbara become a writer?
• Don't think you can write? The smartest people Barbara knows are actually terrible spellers!
• Barbara talks about her work with the Afghan Women's Writing Project.
• Barbara learned that by writing a letter and by asking for what you want, a lot of doors open for you. People are happy to accept your help!
• Don't overthink it. Just leap and do it.
• When Barbara worked on the Afghan project and the OpEd Project, her career skyrocketed and she was asked to speak about her work from all over.
• Barbara's biggest leap in her career was moving back to New York City at the age of 50 and starting her memoir business.
• Why did Barbara start her own business?
• People remember stories more than they do facts.
• Barbara loves helping people tell their stories!
• Don't have a story? That's a lie! We all have stories we can share and give to the world.
• Your legacy can be leaving people you love with your stories.
• You have to get your stories down first, and then you can clean it up a little.
• Who does Barbara love to work with?
• What sometimes stops people from writing?
• Why is Barbara's writing class so much more fun and engaging compared to others? It's because it's guided and intentional!

Resources:

Writinglifestories.com

Brenda on LinkedIn

Awwproject.org

Quotes:

"I was a struggling single mom and I finally gave myself permission to do something that I wanted."

"A study at Stanford Business School said people remember stories more than facts 22 times more!"

"Most people don't get their stories down first because they're intimidated by the writing process."

Brenda Swann comes from the non-profit sector and loves what she does. She helps business owners with over $1M in revenue set up a giving back component in their business. In this week's episode, Brenda shares a little bit about her background, her expertise, her big vision, and why she loves doing this kind of work.

Key takeaways:

• A little bit about Brenda and her nonprofit work.
• Did you know St. Augustine, Florida is the nation's oldest city?
• What made Brenda want to switch careers? She was seeking something new and was a little burned out by the inefficiency.
• Kathy made the same mistake Brenda did. In her first year, she recreated her job and didn't have balance. She realized this line of work is not really what she wanted to do.
• Brenda had to dig deep and find out what her big "why" was.
• Brenda wants to build a community that has a positive impact on the world.
• How is Brenda's business structured?
• If you're looking for a non-profit to give back to, Brenda is your person! She will connect you with a non-profit that you're passionate about so that you can give back!
• For example, if you want to give a scholarship away, how do you find the right person to receive it?
• Who are Brenda's ideal clients?
• What are some of the benefits of giving back?
• What kind of legacy would you like to leave?
• Brenda shares a bit about her grant writing work.

Resources:

Growingyourgoodwork.com

Brenda on LinkedIn

Quotes:

"My big 'why,' what I want to provide to the world, is community. I want to build a community that works to have a positive impact in the world."

"The benefits aren't just the 'feel good,' which really is the best benefit, but clients appreciate it."

"My grant services clients get 36% ROI."

Dan Rondeau transitioned from the pharmaceutical industry into his own business full-time in 2020. However, he had been working on his side hustle for nearly three years before finally making the leap. There were a couple of life challenges that had gotten in the way and had put his dreams on hold, but he knew that corporate life was not the place for him. Today, he shares his story, why graphic design and branding are so important to him, and what it was like getting direct encouragement from Kathy and her team throughout his entrepreneurial journey.

Key takeaways:

• A little bit about Dan and his graphic design work.
• Kathy shares why she loves working with Dan. He understands her brand!
• Dan is so grateful for having a coach. He's grown so much as a person because of it.
• Dan's coaches are both part of Kathy's company!
• Dan left his job last year in 2020. It was a scary transition. He's so glad he's out of that corporate drama!
• Corporate life just isn't flexible or really all that kind to you. They really try to take as much as they can from you. The moment you say no, you get blacklisted.
• How did Dan work on Kathy's program while working a full-time job?
• The year that Dan was officially going to leave his corporate career, he and his wife lost six people in his family throughout that year. It was painful.
• Despite setbacks, Dan kept working with his coaches. He never gave up.
• In July 2020, Dan's company wanted him back in the office. That's when he decided it was time to quit officially.
• Dan was burned out. Not only was he working in the office. He was coming home and also working on the job. He didn't have a chance to work on his own business. They were running him to the ground.
• Dan understands Kathy is a bit of a last-minute kind of person. He's more than happy to adjust based on her schedule.
• What is Dan's work process like?
• Dan shares the types of clients he loves to work for.
• Interested in working with Dan? Reach out!

Resources:

Mymarketingva.com

Quotes:

"2018 was the year I planned on leaving my job and plans got put on hold, but getting put on hold was not relinquishing the dream."

"It's not about what you've been through. It's about who you are as a person."

"There are so many other ways you can express your feelings behind the design you're looking for."

Kevin Chemidlin is a Podcaster and Podcast Coach. He is the host of Grow the Show, where he helps podcasters grow their podcast numbers. With over 100,000 downloads and $100,000 of revenue generated, Kevin is passionate about podcasting and helping others learn the ropes of this industry! Kevin shares a bit about his story and how to build a loyal podcast following in this week's episode.

Key takeaways:

• A little bit about Kevin and his background.
• Kevin was raised to go for stability. He went into corporate because it was "the thing to do."
• How did Kevin get into podcasting and grow his podcast?
• Kevin realized nothing was working in growing his podcast, so he decided to take a step back and study from the greats.
• Make sure you have something that people want to pay you money for before you leave your job.
• Entrepreneurship is so much more "in" than when Kathy first started.
• How did COVID-19 impact Kevin and his business?
• When you have a good mindset and perspective, you can tackle any challenge thrown at you.
• What results are Kevin's clients seeing from growing their podcast?
• Kevin shares some tips on how to grow your podcast listenership.
• Kevin recommends you unfollow or mute everyone on social media that you don't have a positive reaction with.
• Focus on growing your following for just 15 mins. a day. Kevin caps it at 60 mins. max, or else you'll get distracted and waste your time.
• How do you engage online in four different ways?
• Go where your followers are and don't promote, but participate.
• Leave thoughtful comments on people's posts. Don't just comment "nice."
• Engage with your dream collaborators! Kevin shares how.
• Remember, it's all about starting a dialogue and not asking people for stuff.
• Do you have time for this? Yes! How long do you spend on social media? Take 15 mins. of that and do it intentionally.
• A confused mind says no. Make sure you have a focus on all your social media profiles.

Resources:

Growtheshow.com

Kevin on LinkedIn

Quotes:

"You have to make yourself happy first before you can make everyone else happy."

"Social media is designed by people with multiple PhDs in psychology and human behavior where their whole job is to make you stay on that app."

"If you're not asking people for stuff, your dream guests and celebrities will DM with you!"

Molly Trotter-Gomez is the Founder of Dream Factor Co, where she helps coaches and consultants get clarity on their offer, messaging, and how to be more visible in a noisy world. Molly got her start as a news anchor and reporter for CBS affiliate stations in Oregon and Washington State. However, Molly made the leap to start her own business when she realized that she did not want to glorify destructive and demoralizing stories anymore. Find out more about Molly's journey in this week's episode!

Key takeaways:

• Molly recently got married in 2020. She didn't want to wait to marry her best friend.
• How did Molly go from television news anchor to digital marketer and on-camera consultant?
• Molly shares some crazy stories she encountered as a news anchor.
• Molly felt stifled in her career. There were always voices in her ear telling her how she needed to represent herself.
• After being fired as a news anchor, Molly had enough. She fell in love with digital marketing because you can create everlasting change from anywhere in the world.
• How does Molly help her clients?
• Molly doesn't regret standing up for herself. She's okay with getting fired.
• What has shifted in social media since COVID-19 hit? What's working and what's not working?
• You can't skip the hard work. Being an entrepreneur is not easy.
• People are hungrier than ever for real relationships.
• Molly is in a leadership course and one of the exercises you need to do is write your own obituary. What do you want people to say about you?
• Molly shares tips on how you can stop hiding and get yourself out there!
• When you give value, people will pay attention to you. People will hire you!
• Don't let the "witness protection program" stop you from achieving your dreams and getting good work done! Get out of that program and let yourself shine.
• Stop thinking you can always do this on your own. You will eventually need help if you wish to scale and grow.

Resources:

Mollytrotter.com

Molly on LinkedIn

Quotes:

"They fired me for wanting to inspire people. The news is depressing."

"I always encourage people to show up authentically to who you are, not to who somebody else is trying to make you be."

"Until you get your voice, don't hire it out. Until you get your brand and who you are, stop trying to hire the VA. You need to discover who you are first"

Monica M. Bijoux is the Founder and CEO of Decide to Move. She is also a licensed Psychotherapist and Business Strategist. She uses her decades of experience to help high achievers, aspiring entrepreneurs, and veterans have the financial freedom to live a life of purpose. She created a personalized strategy using a twelve-step model that focuses on transformation, transition, growth, and development. Find out more about Monica and her work in this week's episode!

Key takeaways:

• Monica shares some of her achievements and life experiences.
• While working with veterans, Monica found out that a lot of them didn't know what they wanted to do after they retired. So she decided to build her own coaching business to help them.
• Monica helps people by taking their ideas and turning them into successful businesses.
• You have to set clear boundaries and intentional time if you hope to get your to-dos done for the day.
• Monica went through a lot of abuse during her childhood. Physical, sexual, emotional, was homeless at fifteen, and ended up pregnant at sixteen. These experiences motivated her not to let her child go through what she has been through.
• She always tells her daughter that she can accomplish anything she puts her mind to. The only person that limits her is herself and that she is wonderful for who she is.
• Because of how parents handle their children nowadays, Monica believes children can't handle stress and don't know how to make decisions when a crisis comes.
• How do you identify high achievers?
• High achievers are easy to work with because they are motivated and driven. However, the downside to that is they can be a bit full of themselves.
• You have to lay down a good foundation in order to grow.
• Military veterans are so humble that they don't think of their accomplishments as being that noteworthy. However, they are some of the most high-achieving individuals that Monica knows!
• Despite how much effort they put into whatever they do, a lot of tough moms don't think that they are high achievers.
• How can you help people realize that they are high achievers?
• Monica helps her clients in a smooth way and doesn't like to push them for things that they are uncomfortable with.
• Decide to Move is Monica's company where she helps people achieve their goals and find their passion inside of them.
• We have coping mechanisms that are no longer serving us as adults. Monica offers some strategies to help you have healthy relationships and learn how to love yourself again.

Resources:

Accomplishmoretogether.com

Monica M. Bijoux

Decidetomove.com

Quotes:

"No one actually wakes up and says I'm gonna be an abuser. No one wakes up and says I'm going to hurt someone. It's usually hurt people who hurt people."

"No matter how you start, it doesn't mean it's how you're gonna end."

"Be the light that they're meant to be."