Free Agent with Meg Schmitz

Corporate refugees are coming out of hibernation! They're thinking of the future, making new plans and setting new visions. In this exciting process, many are rethinking how they present themselves online. What better person to talk about the free agent journey and visual branding than photographer extraordinaire Stacy Kaat! As one of Milwaukee's premier photographers and longtime free agent, Stacy is a genius at bringing out the authentic self in her clients. Her strength is seeing your true personality, giving creative input, and helping bring your entire visual brand together into a cohesive package. In this episode Stacy shares.. How a new visual brand can help you show up to sales calls with more confidence, energy and authenticity How the right headshot serves as a "virtual handshake" - capturing the essence of your personality How your visual brand can help you conquer common fears, such as "Am I good enough" We also dive into Stacy's story and her experience working with a variety of mentors, and how critical it is for free agents to build the right support system. If you're looking to supercharge your online presence, show your true personality and give people a great first impression, this episode will give you insight you won't get anywhere else! Guest Bio Stacy Kaat is a photographer, personal branding expert, and business owner. She helps Executives, Authors, Speakers, Trainers, Coaches and Entrepreneurs who are the FACE of their business and want quality brand photographs to attract the right people. She collaborates with them to create pictures that accurately represent their personal brand and business for social media profile, website, and marketing materials. Stacy also provides personal brand guidance so her clients can achieve their goals by aligning their social media profiles and posts with their vision. For more information, visit https://www.stacykaat.com/, send an email to [email protected] and call Stacy directly 414.758.0622.

2020 was a pivotal departure from work as we knew it before the pandemic. It wasn't just an interruption - it was a full scale disruption. We made huge strides in bringing more freedom and autonomy to the workplace, and it's evident that how we feel about the work we do definitely impacts the bottom line. We don't have to return to the "normal" so many people hated. 2020 taught us that the desire for more autonomy, flexibility and freedom resonates across industries, job titles and career levels. We have the opportunity to create just that. How has 2020 changed the way employees engage with their jobs, and what should employers be doing in response? What is the roadmap to being a happier employee? In this episode, I'm joined by author and speaker, Josh Allan Dykstra, business owner, Pamela Belyn, and executive recruiter, Corbin Beastrom. They share the perspectives of thought leaders, recruiters, and entrepreneurs as we discuss why returning to the pre-pandemic work paradigm would be a big mistake. Three Things You'll Learn In This Episode Why working from home made many people happier Working from home gave people more flexibility, autonomy and balance. We were able to share more of our humanity in the virtual workspace. This led to a reduction in workplace disengagement, and made employees more productive. Going forward, we need to create work environments that make people feel comfortable with sharing their humanity. Forcing people into the silo of just being a worker, and nothing else, won't cut it anymore. The job market shifts we're going to see as more people return to the office Recent stats show that 52% of the workforce is looking for a new job. With work-from-home coming to an end, a lot of people are looking at the culture they left at the office, and dreading to return. If people are dissatisfied at work, it will trigger movement in the market. If employers don't focus on their people, and make the work environment better, they will lose good employees. Why we don't have to be victims of a new paradigm, but creators Calling something "the new normal" is passive. It takes away the power and autonomy we all have in creating The Next Normal. We all have the agency and power to create the next iteration and culture of work. The future isn't a defined thing that just happens to us, it's what we create it to be. Guest Bios Josh Allan Dykstra Josh Allan is an author, speaker, thought leader and co-founder and CEO of Helios, a community of leaders and work revolutionaries committed to creating a world where everyone can love work. His articles and ideas have been featured by Fast Company, Forbes, The Huffington Post, and Business Insider and he's worked with some of the most iconic brands in the world (Apple, Sony, Genentech, Microsoft, among others). He holds an MBA in Executive Leadership from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and his latest book, Igniting the Invisible Tribe: Designing An Organization That Doesn't Suck, is available on Amazon and Audible. He lives with his family in beautiful Denver, Colorado. For more information, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshallan/. Pamela Belyn Pamela Belyn is the owner of Zoom Drain of Chicago. In her work as an attorney, she often represented clients in the home services industries. She was inspired by these trade clients and eventually left her law career behind to become President and Owner of Men In Sewers (MBE/WBE Certified), learning the trade and exploring ways to innovate and improve the business side of the industry. In early 2020 she opened Zoom Drain of Chicago, doubling its staff, growing apprentices to technicians, and expanding commercial and residential business month over month. You'll often find Pamela alongside her crew in the field (look for the purple steel toed boots), at home with her family, or avidly supporting the Bears. For more information, visit https://www.zoomdrain.com/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamela-b-a095677/. Corbin Beastrom Corbin Beastrom is an Accounting and Finance Executive Recruiter and Search Partner at SkyWater Chicago. Corbin currently works with a "full desk" on the Accounting and Finance recruiting team. The SkyWater Accounting & Finance team focuses on growth-oriented, middle-market companies based in the Midwest. Corbin lives in Chicago, IL, and primarily serves clients in that area. Within Accounting and Finance, Corbin specializes in recruiting & placing talent in full-time, permanent positions at various levels & titles: CFO, Controllers, Accounting Managers, Senior Accountants, VP Finance, Finance Directors, Finance Managers, Senior Financial Analysts, Audit Directors, and Audit Managers. His team also has the capability to work on staff-level accounting and finance roles. For more information visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/corbinbeastrom/.

We become entrepreneurs for freedom, peace and joy, but it's so easy to get off track and become trapped by our own businesses. It's human nature to keep going after more clients and revenue streams, but when that comes at the expense of our inner peace, joy, and ability to be present, we're paying a steep price. If we're struggling to find inner peace as entrepreneurs, it's critical to do the inner work to make every single day a joyful and meaningful experience. What are the warning signs of being trapped by your own business, and how do you turn things around? In this episode, I'm joined by "The Joy Slinger", Erin McCullough (Erin Mac). She shares how she went from extreme stress to stillness as a business owner, and the process we can use to start finding joy alongside the prosperity we business owners aim to achieve. Three Things You'll Learn In This Episode The difference between happiness and joyHappiness is a fleeting, temporary experience, based on an external event or achievement. We often race towards certain accomplishments seeking a lasting emotional boost, and discover that the feeling is temporary. Joy is an internal experience, something we can cultivate daily. Why entrepreneurs struggle to find true happiness As entrepreneurs, we diminish our joy when the work we're doing isn't in alignment with what we value. When we combine our purpose with the clients we take on, and the service we provide, we make room for joy and fulfillment. If we try to do all the things and serve everyone, we'll always miss the mark. How to shift our perceptions so we can find joyChange starts with awareness. When we aren't happy, we have to start paying attention to the voice inside our heads. That voice is rooted in structures we created at a young age, and it's where we form all of our important decisions. If this voice constantly brings up negative messages, awareness can help us start challenging our beliefs and inserting new perspectives. Erin is a thought leader, speaker, coach, and the "Joy Slinger". She teaches people how to have impenetrable JOY so they can be calm, have peace of mind and meaning in their lives. For more information, and for a free consult discovery call visit https://www.erin-mac.com and follow @erinmacllc on Instagram.

"Successful but not satisfied" is a very common experience high achievers have in the corporate world. Many people find themselves paying a high price for their success, and they have to reconnect, reground and pivot in order to get career happiness on their own terms. We all have a wellspring of information and data within us that tells us what lights us up. In corporate, we're so focused on what the job expects of us, we end up defined by other people. How do we step out of the corporate mental silo, and leverage being the multidimensional people we are? How can we feel more confident about the pricing of our services? In this episode, executive and career coach, speaker and best-selling author of Winning the Game of Work, Terry McDougall shares how she empowers people to find true happiness and fulfillment at work. Three Things You'll Learn In This Episode How to re-establish fulfillment in our careersWhether we excel and find joy working with people, ideas, problems or data, there's a thread that runs through the work we love doing, our zone of genius is also found in that area. When we get away from those things, that's when we start feeling unhappy in our careers. If we have an important value and a place we derive our professional energy from, moving away from it will make us unhappy. How to price our services without undervaluing ourselvesOne of the biggest challenges of stepping out of the corporate structure and becoming a consultant is knowing how to price the service we offer, and determine the value of the coaching we provide. It's so important not to undervalue ourselves and overlook the costs that go into running a business. Why our limiting beliefs hold us back from getting what we wantA lot of the times, when we want something, we hold ourselves back from getting it because we immediately think about why we can't get it, or that we don't deserve it. Wanting something and going after it are two separate things. When you admit that you want something, and step into the feeling of deserving it, you put yourself in alignment to receive it from the Universe.

For many free agents, the last year has been a period of pivots, adaptations and growth. Even though the entire business world was faced with a huge crisis, many leaders saw past the difficulty and tapped into opportunity. As a result, the companies that used the crisis to reframe and reimagine their businesses externally and internally are now miles ahead of their competition. Businesses that used the recent challenges to create new connections and ease of engagement for their customers have accelerated their success for years to come. They have future-proofed their businesses. When the normal way of doing business is interrupted, those who adapt quickly will realize success, leaving everyone else struggling to catch up. What are the opportunities of a crisis in business and how do we capture them? How can business owners position themselves for success, not stagnancy? In this episode, I'm joined by business coach, speaker, author and entrepreneur, Patti Mara. She shares her greatest insights from the last year, and why we should never waste a crisis. Three Things You'll Learn In This Episode The key thing that determines success in a crisis One of the most fatal mistakes companies made in 2020 was choosing to hunker down to just get through it, and waiting for the crisis to inevitably blow over. Every crisis interrupts our daily patterns, which gives us a wealth of information about what's working and what's not. By digging into this information, we can find the insights that help us get better going forward. How to win at the game of business Most independently-owned businesses play the wrong game, they focus on what they're selling instead of the value and relationships that drive their growth. Our goal should be to understand our customers so well that we can speak to their pain points and create value by coming up with specific solutions. Why business metrics need our constant attention As businesses evolve and mature, metrics need to be the driving force of future decisions and growth. Every business needs to have a dashboard of the top 5 metrics that matter and need regular reviewing. These metrics serve as the barometer of whether we're on track or not, and we can't ignore or neglect them. Guest Bio Patti Mara is a business coach, speaker, author, owner of Maranet Inc. and creator of The Profit Generator Program*. She has worked with hundreds of entrepreneurial owned and operated businesses to reposition them for success and dramatically increase their growth, customer retention, and profit. Patti also created the Breaking Through Barriers Program*, which helps business owners identify and eliminate the bottlenecks that impede growth and success. Patti is a popular speaker to groups from diverse industries, ranging from finance and commercial real estate, to restoration and cleaning, restaurants, and independent pharmacies. She has also been a featured speaker to North American women's and entrepreneurs' groups. For more information, visit https://www.pattimara.com for more information. To get Patti's free resource, training and a copy of her book visit https://www.pattimara.com/freeagent.

Free agents start their business in order to have more control over their lives, and more fulfillment from the work they do - but our ventures also have to be financially rewarding and sustainable. It's impossible to build something financially stable without systems and procedures that keep the pipeline full. What we've learned from the last year is that the state of the economy doesn't always spell success. When we build a sustainable referral-based business and diversify our income streams, we can always navigate challenging times. What are the most important systems free agents need to be aware of? How do we find the most beneficial and productive networking opportunities? Why is a healthy business pipeline so important? In this episode, I'm joined by entrepreneur, B2C & B2B ad pro and real estate agent, Robert Krieghoff. He shares the most important business lessons he's learned on his journey and how he has created a diversified and self-sustaining business model. Three Things You'll Learn In This Episode How to find a productive networking group Networking is about being willing to give. You can't go into it from the perspective of what you're going to get out of it. Focus on being a resource for other people and learning from that environment. If you find yourself in a networking community where people are selfish and impatient, you're in the wrong place. The two things business owners have to focus on to have sustainable results As business owners, we have to spend a lot of time cultivating the business, while also doing the actual work at a high level. If we focus on current business at the expense of our future pipeline, our income will always be unstable. It's really important to have systems and people in place to help us manage both sides of this equation. Why pivoting can be dangerous There's a difference between making a pivot and getting away from our purpose, and the things our clients hire us for. Sometimes, when we pivot, we actually end up eliminating the things that drive our results and make us different from everyone else. It's also a common mistake to veer away from our purpose by working with the wrong clients. Business isn't just about adapting, it's also about staying true to ourselves. Guest Bio Robert Krieghoff is an entrepreneur, B2C & B2B Ad Pro and Real Estate agent. He is a 27-year veteran of the media industry who has achieved success as an Account Executive, Sales Manager and independent consultant in Madison and Milwaukee. His areas of expertise are account management, digital sales, and statewide campaign strategies. Robert uses proven solutions for local business owners looking to get more out of their English and Spanish advertising. For more information on Robert and Amy Krieghoff's real estate business visit https://amykrieghoff.firstweber.com and email [email protected].

Leveraging LinkedIn is a blend of business invigoration and authentic connection; it's a critical piece of putting our best professional selves forward and establishing relationships. Simply put - in today's world, establishing a personal brand and showing up online in a powerful, consistent and impactful way is must! Jobs, company roles, projects and businesses may end, but our personal brands carry on. They are living, breathing things that constantly need tending. The first impression, when someone seeks us out online, is solely dependent on how we brand ourselves. LinkedIn isn't just a place to list our qualifications and work experience, it's a platform for us to showcase our value and set ourselves apart. Instead of selling ourselves, we have to show how we can serve. What makes a LinkedIn profile stand out? How do we make our profiles more reflective of the unique things that make us who we are? In this episode, I'm joined by brand builder and LinkedIn specialist, Andrea Enright. She shares how we can create LinkedIn profiles that make people want to connect with us. Three Things You'll Learn In This Episode How to create an impactful and relevant LinkedIn profile Our LinkedIn should be treated as a living representation of our free agency journey. It should always be a reflection of what we're doing professionally. Train your mind to recognize the things you can share on LinkedIn to make yourself more relevant on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. How to leverage your LinkedIn profile In your LinkedIn profile, it's okay to throw in small tidbits of information that reveal your personality. Leverage all the real estate that LinkedIn provides to share what makes you interesting. Creating consistency across all our social media channels Know yourself and know your messaging. If you are going to have a presence on multiple social media platforms, create a uniform presence and branding. That way you ensure that even if the audience is different, you have consistency and continuity. Guest Bio Andrea is a brand builder and messaging strategist, LinkedIn expert, storyteller, boot-wearer and founder and owner of The Boot Factor. She partners with entrepreneurs, coaches and creatives to help their brand sing and generate a little thing called leads. For more information, visit https://www.thebootfactor.com and call (303) 746-1503.

So many Corporate Warriors grew up in the system to believe that working a job is a straight line to retirement, and that their singular value is determined by the role that they assume within the corporate structure. Through free agency, we can expand beyond how a 9 to 5 defines us, without being confined. We're all multi-dimensional human beings, and being able to transition our skills is key to success outside of the corporate world. As a free agent, you can exert freedom on your life by leveraging your unique capabilities and skills. How do we invest our lives in work we're passionate about? Where can we find more opportunities to expand our skills? In this episode, career development and career transition expert, Howard Fox shares his own journey to free agency and how to align our work with our passion. Three Things You'll Learn In This Episode The truth about the corporate world While there are companies that care about their people, ultimately they will always take care of the business first. When things get tough, those same companies will have to manage their expenses and when that happens, jobs will always be on the line. Why we should look beyond the roles our corporate jobs set for us In corporate, our value and our usefulness is often limited to one role and one silo. This puts us into a trap of thinking that our skills are only useful in one company and in one job position. Our skills are actually extremely valuable and transferable into other companies, businesses and even free agency. How to find where we have the most value The hardest thing as an entrepreneur is figuring out how to monetize what we have to offer. We have to learn to represent and advocate for ourselves so we can uncover our value, build our confidence and zone in on the most monetizable opportunities for us. Guest Bio Howard Fox is a Career Development and Career Transition Coach, LinkedIn strategist and host of The Success InSight Podcast. He is a self-proclaimed recovering IT Business Consultant, and for the last 13 years, he has pursued a career in coaching and leadership development. Howard currently delivers one-on-one career development & transition services, facilitates classes, including Strategic Career Management, Personal Branding, Resumes, Networking, Interviewing, and LinkedIn, for a Fortune 500 company's onsite, Las Vegas Career Development Center. For more information, and to connect with Howard visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/foxcoachinginc.

Franchises are extremely powerful financial engines. When built properly, franchised salon systems are a potent business model leveraging community, industry training and support. Becoming part of a franchise is a path many investors choose for diversification, to enhance financial freedom. But for some entrepreneurs, becoming The Franchisor is an opportunity to leverage past business success to create something that aligns with a future vision: systematic financial reward for all, in any economic or pandemic climate. Here we learn how to build an invincible system for stylists to invest in themselves, to grow a stable income, get advanced training, all with proven leadership, and to support qualified free agents to thrive and grow beyond their wildest expectations. Listen in! My guests today are brothers who took a hard look at their struggling car dealerships to then pivot and build a franchise system of salon suites. They jumped into this business at the height of the recession and now they have built a thriving empire. What is the story of Image Studios, and what makes this franchise such a great model? How do they build value in their franchise, deliver exceptional initial and ongoing support, and help their franchisees build stable businesses? In this episode, Shaun and Jason Olsen share their free agency journey and what they have learned about building super successful franchise business owners. Three Things You'll Learn In This Episode The power of the franchisor path Becoming a franchisor is one of the best ways to grow our vision and also bring people along on the journey. We can create a community of people moving in the same direction as us, and we can help them get to the next level and provide them with not just business support, but emotional support too. How to provide value in a beauty suite franchise system In the beauty industry, people don't just need technical skills training, they also need ongoing training on new techniques and skills to help them build and grow a business. The problem in the beauty industry is that most education is skills based. As a franchisor in the industry, we need to provide business and technical training to help solve our clients changing expectations. Why we need to lean into fear It's natural to feel fearful about starting a business and going out on our own. Instead of letting it stop us, we can use fear as leverage to guide us. There are two kinds of fear - the fear of taking a leap into free agency and the fear of staying in the same place and not achieving anything. If we lean into the fear that comes with going after what we want, we won't live with regret. Guest Bio Shaun is the Vice President/Co-Founder of Image Studios. In 2004, Shaun joined Corey and Jason Olsen, as co-owner and Purchasing Director for Prestman Auto, and now serves as company president. Through their success at Prestman Auto, and their mutual desire to create and innovate, Jason and Shaun developed their salon suite concept, Image Studios 360. Image Studios 360 has grown from five corporate locations to 50+ franchised units nationwide. As Vice President, Shaun drives company image and culture as he partners with the leadership team on onboarding support and resources for franchisees. Shaun Olsen is a member of Entrepreneurs Organization (EO) and has been recognized for his work with Prestman by the INC 5000 "Fastest Growing Companies in America" two years running, as well as the top 100 growing companies in Utah by the Mountain West Capital Network. Jason is the President and Co-Founder of Image Studios. He started his first business at the age of 16, launching a specialty automotive parts and accessories website under the name www.street-looks.com. As the company grew he began selling products all over the world, eventually importing and private labeling his own line of automotive lighting under the name "VisualFX". He sold the company seven years later in 2004 and made the move from his hometown in Atlanta, GA to Salt Lake City, Utah. In 2009, he and his brother Shaun put their heads together to create an upscale salon suite business model, and in June 2010 IMAGE Studios® was born. Today they oversee the growth and expansion of the brand across the country with plans to open 300 locations nationwide by 2023 – eventually, they'll take the company into international markets that are ready for the IMAGE business model. For more information visit https://imagestudios360.com