By Fatimah Williams, Ph.D.
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The podcast currently has 27 episodes available.
What are you doing right now to create opportunities for yourself? Sometimes we need to take matters into our own hands and create the job we want or need at any given time. Our guest today did just that.
Courtney Danyel is a business writer and content strategist with more than ten years of experience in professional writing. She has her MA in anthropology and her original plan was to continue on to her Ph.D. So, how did she wind up as a business writer? She didn’t conform and built a business from the ground up that allows her to live abroad, travel, and support herself and her family in Ethiopia.
From freelancing, ghostwriting, consulting, the options are limitless. Give yourself the permission to branch out and create something for yourself using the skills you know you have.
Show Notes:
[3:19] - Fatimah and Courtney met through Courtney reaching out for a collaboration and it has turned into a bigger collaboration than initially planned.
[4:09] - Courtney stumbled into freelance business writing 6 years ago. She is a content writer for various businesses that outsource their writing for blogs, articles, and social media.
[5:01] - Courtney has an MA in anthropology and had never intended to go into business writing. She planned to continue on through a Ph.D. and dreamed of being a professor.
[6:05] - The reason Courtney changed her path so drastically was due to burn out. She “plowed” through and had a master’s degree by age 24.
[6:49] - Through her favorite part of anthropology, field work, she found herself in Ethiopia and fell in love with the country. She didn’t want to go back to her original path.
[7:31] - Courtney knew she needed to be able to support herself in Ethiopia and with the advice she gained from her mother, she branched out into freelance writing.
[9:03] - In the beginning, Courtney’s experience wasn’t great because she didn’t know what she was doing. She needed fast money and put herself on a freelance site called Fiverr writing press releases.
[10:10] - Imposter Syndrome followed her into this world of freelance writing because she felt that she didn’t deserve to be paid well for this new venture.
[11:17] - Fiverr is an outsourcing site that can be good for making a little extra money, but is not the best for building a business. Fatimah describes another freelance site called Upwork that is similar but a better for building a more reputable and high-earning business.
[12:27] - Initially, Courtney was only writing about things in her anthropology niche, but it wasn’t lucrative enough. She then branched out into marketing content. She used her researching skills to write in areas that she wasn’t familiar with.
[13:38] - While researching for a client, she stumbled across one of her own written pieces on Forbes and realized that she wasn’t getting paid what she was worth.
[14:14] - Courtney was aware that she was ghostwriting, which means that someone was paying her to write something and then publishing it under their own name. But she had no idea she was ghostwriting for CEOs of businesses submitting to Forbes.
[14:52] - This experience was a turning point for her as she now knew she was able to create valuable content for people. She built her own website with her own pricing and is now running her own successful writing business.
[16:52] - Courtney feels that any academic who wants to branch out into entrepreneurship already has the skills to succeed at it. The key is persistence.
[18:02] - Going back to Ethiopia was very important to Courtney to be with her partner. Her freelance writing business has also allotted her the freedom to travel.
[18:54] - Courtney also has three foster children that she homeschools and this job allows her to do that.
[21:18] - There are a lot of ways to set up freelance work and Courtney breaks down the process of starting with a client.
[22:57] - Adding in 10% to what you think the project’s work is worth is a good idea as a buffer for the inevitable extra time it will take.
[24:40] - Creating a contract that is agreed on between you and the client is crucial to make sure you get paid what you are worth.
[26:37] - A challenge of being an entrepreneur is time management. Courtney explains that one week she won’t have any projects and the next week, she’ll have dozens.
[27:37] - Another skill Courtney says is crucial as an entrepreneur is being comfortable reaching out to people. She calls this cold-pitching.
[28:34] - The least important part of the business for Courtney is the delay in response from clients who drag their feet.
[29:27] - In addition to her freelance writing, Courtney built an online course after people were reaching out to her saying that they wished they could do it, too.
[30:17] - Courtney has found that many in academia don’t feel qualified to do anything outside of academia and the idea of freelancing is intimidating.
[31:16] - Her course, Academia to Affluence is designed specifically to help people with an academic background use their skills to begin and succeed in freelancing.
[32:20] - Courtney uses her anthropology degree everyday because of her research skills in writing.
[34:32] - Fatimah believes that everyone should have the ability to earn money at any point they need it. What skills do you have that you can use to earn money?
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Who decides what success looks like? If you branch out and go down a path you didn’t plan for, are you still working towards success? While it is wise to plan ahead, you can’t plan for everything and sometimes the unexpected opportunities are exactly what you need.
Today’s guest on the Gradschooled Podcast is Katina Rogers, an administrator, researcher, and faculty member at the Graduate Center, City University of New York. Her scholarly work focuses on higher education reform, including scholarly communication practices, professionalization and career development, public scholarship, and advocacy for fair labor policies. These topics are the focus of her book, Putting the Humanities PhD to Work: Thriving in and Beyond the Classroom. Her career pathway has taken her in and out of universities and by following her curiosity and interests she has found fulfilling opportunities that are now allowing her to focus on joy.
[1:46] - Katina has been in her current position at CUNY for 6 years and actually had heard Fatimah speak there when she started.
[2:33] - At the time Katina had heard Fatimah speak, she hadn’t begun writing her book. The process of writing her book has given her an opportunity to think one level up about her own journey from graduate school to career.
[3:53] - In the beginning, it was hard to see her own trajectory and as she moved forward, some things didn’t make sense to her. That sense of uncertainty is common.
[4:29] - Geography and other people impact our decisions. Katina gave herself permission to move to be with her partner who had a job opportunity out of state. She didn’t just consider her work.
[6:26] - Katina started working with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation which gave her the opportunity to learn the other side of the process of proposal evaluation and grant writing.
[7:24] - This experience gave Katina a broader view of what scholarly work looks like to other fields.
[8:39] - During her time in her next career move, she learned how to put people first and to let questions and inquiry drive the way things are structured.
[9:37] - She began researching career preparation which eventually led to writing her book.
[10:10] - The strongest disconnect Katina and Fatimah found between career preparation and their work is researching skills.
[12:01] - What Katina found was that former graduate students felt that they were not using their developed research skills but employers thought one of the most important skills they brought to the job were their research skills. Katina describes the distinction.
[14:15] - Sometimes, former graduate students who are accustomed to doing deep research that takes a lot of work and time find themselves working for an employer who needs more shallow research with a quick turn around. This can lead to that feeling of disconnect, too.
[16:32] - Fatimah presents the issue of transferable skills and the language used that develops friction.
[17:55] - Katina shares that she uses the term “skills translation” rather than “transferable skills.”
[18:37] - Look at a job ad as a text and think about what is being said and what isn’t being said. If you can understand what they are looking for, you can then look at your skills to see if you can fit their needs.
[20:53] - Katina describes skills translation as a bridge.
[22:46] - Fatimah and Katina discuss personal branding and social networking. Katina began on Twitter and with blogging, but points out that the internet is much different than it was in 2009.
[24:34] - As an introvert, the internet was a great way for her to listen in to professional conversations. It took a while for Katina to jump into these conversations but having already observed and listened gave her the confidence to join.
[25:48] - Katina also used Twitter to set up meetings with people. At the time, this wasn’t as risky as it could be now. The risk factor is not evenly distributed across platforms and caution is warranted.
[31:21] - Fatimah noticed through Katina’s story, that her trajectory was a slow process. There wasn’t a big “ah-ha” moment and it is important to remember that you don’t know what opportunities will unfold.
[33:10] - Katina describes her start at CUNY which wasn’t at all in her plans, especially since she had an infant at home and was returning to work after parental leave. But she was curious and by following her curiosity and interests, she found this opportunity.
[34:27] - We often just follow through to the next step in our plan instead of listening to ourselves and what we need. Katina’s story illustrates how fulfilling opportunities open up when you check in with yourself.
[35:38] - We can choose to thrive even if we don’t know what the next step is.
[36:34] - Sometimes the conversation around career preparation doesn’t always engage deeply with the structural issues within labor structures, adjunct labor, and the ongoing issues around bias and representation.
[37:29] - Katina and Fatimah discuss diversity issues within institutions of higher learning. Katina recommends a book called On Being Included by Sara Ahmed.
[39:40] - If your vision of success is the same across the board, you will always find the same kind of people. Success if broad.
[40:20] - What Katina has found at CUNY are students who have the most incredible and deep commitments to various communities.
[43:46] - How is Covid-19 impacting the future of higher education? Covid has started the conversation on what can change.
[45:12] - Katina describes her observations of living in New York during the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic and uses a science and social science lens to look at why certain things happened.
[47:07] - Katina shares her consistent writing practice and how she was able to write her book while also working and being a parent. She also recommends a book called Air & Light & Time & Space by Helen Sword.
[48:29] - By working a little bit at a time and creating a routine that worked for her, she was able to write her book, even if she felt that it was taking a long time.
[50:08] - Fatimah describes the Genius Retreat and how this was an expected turn in her trajectory because of Covid-19.
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Links and Resources from this Episode
After years in a successful and fulfilling career, our guest today experienced serious burnout. At first, she didn’t even know what was happening to her. Because of the shame and negativity surrounding burnout, people don’t always identify it or address it, especially if they are high achievers. And the pandemic has heightened our experiences of burnout. My guest today is Dr. Rebecca Pope-Ruark; she has been there and now teaches others how to avoid it.
Dr. Rebecca Pope-Ruark has her Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Professional Communications and has 17 years experience in teaching undergraduates. She is a writer, a coach to other writers, and a coach to high achievers. She is also working on an amazing book project with Johns Hopkins University Press around this topic of burnout in an attempt to help others identify it, address it, and destigmatize it.
Show Notes:
[2:19] - Rebecca reached out to Fatimah a while ago because of a project she was working on and they discovered a mutual connection.
[2:57] - Rebecca was a faculty member for 12 years and went through a serious bout of burnout. She ended up having to do some work on herself and made a lot of changes in her life.
[3:36] - Coming out of that burnout, Rebecca is now writing a book on the topic. She sees so many signs of burnout in everyone due to the pandemic and election.
[4:45] - The book Rebecca is writing is a unique blend of her own story, the stories of other academic women, and some advice chapters, too.
[6:10] - The World Health Organization recently defined burnout as a workplace syndrome based on unrelenting stress.
[6:29] - The three characteristics of burnout are exhaustion, depersonalization, and the loss of a sense of accomplishment.
[7:45] - Once these three things hit at once, you really need to address it and seek support.
[8:01] - Rebecca shares the signs of her own burnout. The main sign for her was the unusual feeling of not wanting to be anywhere near her campus or talk to anyone.
[8:36] - There are also physical signs that should be monitored for burnout, including sleep issues, food issues, and depression.
[9:25] - One of the things that burnout robs you of is connection because you will isolate yourself.
[10:20] - For people in higher education, this connection is so important. But once Rebecca started talking about it, she discovered that many others were experiencing it but were not discussing it.
[11:45] - Coaching is different from therapy. Therapists try to find the root of the problem but coaching works in the present and helps you try to achieve goals.
[13:08] - A coach can help you determine strategies in dealing with your present issues, which could include seeing a therapist.
[13:41] - Coaches in a lot of ways are like thinking partners. They aren’t here to solve your problems, they’re here to help you understand your goals and how to move towards them.
[16:03] - When you are feeling burnout, Rebecca says it is not a good idea to make huge life decisions while you feel this way. You have to deal with it because running away from the root of the problem will just cause burnout again.
[17:24] - Fatimah uses herself as an example when advising us to pause for a moment before stopping completely.
[20:00] - Self-care and vacation doesn’t mean it has to be expensive. It could simply mean to pause work and take a step away.
[21:01] - If you start to think about the things that you typically love to do in a negative way, that could be a sign of burnout, too. You may start to feel guilty for doing the things you love instead of working.
[24:52] - Fatimah shares a concept she discovered through Instagram called community care. Sometimes the care that is needed is beyond what the self can give and others are needed for support.
[26:53] - Isolation is one the first things that will happen with burnout, so having some sort of community away from the source is important.
[27:40] - In higher education, it feels shameful to have burnout because your reputation is so important.
[29:06] - Burnout is a shame and vulnerability issue and for some it can be an identity issue.
[31:36] - Being able to talk about it takes a lot of work but it is crucial in coming out of this burnout.
[32:12] - Rebecca is writing a book and looking for contributions to the stories within it. She is looking for voices of diversity.
[34:25] - The pieces are short (500-800) words about your story. Contributions can even be anonymous or can be an interview.
[35:28] - Fatimah announces that Rebecca is one of the speakers at the Genius Retreat! Her session will be about supporting people who are working on their big writing project.
[36:24] - Rebecca has 20 years experience as a writer and her session theme is “Getting Unstuck.” She is confident she will be able to answer many questions because of her very broad span of experience in different types of writing.
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Learn more from Dr. Rebecca Pope-Ruark
Co-editor: Redesigning Liberal Education: Innovative Design for a Twenty-First-Century Undergraduate Education, (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2020)
Have you ever felt that you don’t belong where you are because you aren’t qualified enough? Have you ever felt like there aren’t opportunities for you because there aren’t enough jobs? These feelings are normal and we call them Imposter Syndrome and Scarcity Mindset.
I’m excited to share this discussion and Q+A with my good friend, Dr. Vicki Johnson. In this episode of GradSchooled, we discuss how to confidently pursue the professional opportunities you desire. You will gain insights on breaking the barriers of Imposter Syndrome when applying to and excelling within competitive fellowships and jobs.
Dr. Vicki Johnson is Founder and CEO of ProFellow, the world's leading online resource for information on professional and academic fellowships. She is also the creator of Fully Funded, an online course and mentorship program that teaches the strategies to achieve full funding for graduate school and professional development. Vicki is an award-winning social entrepreneur, top PhD scholar and four-time fellowship recipient.
Show Notes:
[1:40] - Vicki introduces herself as the founder of ProFellow.com and the creator of the Fully Funded course and mentorship program for graduate school and fellowship applicants.
[3:00] - These mindsets can either be a positive fuel and a negative fuel, but are most often referred to in the negative light.
[3:40] - A layman's definition of Imposter Syndrome is the feeling that you do not belong and feeling like you are a fraud.
[4:27] - This is a lack of acknowledgement, ownership, and internalization of your true achievements and skills.
[5:09] - Fatimah says that people feel the effects of Imposter Syndrome at different points in their lives and gives examples of when they could pop up.
[6:17] - High achievers tend to feel Imposter Syndrome. Fatimah says this is because most high achievers are perfectionists and compare themselves to others. This causes people to feel like they aren’t qualified when in reality, they are very qualified.
[7:32] - Fatimah gives an example scenario of how we do ourselves an injustice when we compare our path with someone else’s path.
[8:47] - People see the result of your hard work and don’t always see the steps it took to reach that result.
[9:29] - Vicki didn’t experience Imposter Syndrome when applying for fellowships because she felt like she didn’t have anything to lose. However, she did feel it when setting up her organization.
[10:31] - When Vicki stopped caring about what other people’s expectations were and started focusing on what she loved to do, she began to feel more at ease as she built her business.
[10:56] - Entrepreneurship is so broad and when we settle into our own experience, we can focus on moving forward.
[11:43] - Fatimah works with highly educated people who are looking at a career pivot. These people experience Imposter Syndrome when they realize they have to network with new people in a new space.
[12:46] - You don’t have to explain yourself or justify yourself if you know that your idea is powerful to you. You can bring something to the table if you know your why.
[14:31] - A broad definition of Scarcity Mindset is feeling like there is not enough of something to do what you want to do. Fatimah gives examples on how this could present itself.
[16:21] - These competitive application processes for fellowships and jobs are an opportunity in and of themselves. Even if you don’t get the position, you are meeting new people and getting your name out there.
[17:38] - You have to be willing to see the abundance. Most opportunities that are out there are not created by others. They are actually things that you create.
[18:51] - Fatimah uses an example from her own experiences to demonstrate how opportunities may be dormant. She took the time to step back and wound up following her network and finding a hidden opportunity.
[20:27] - Knowing what you desire and what you are working towards and having that clarity for yourself instead of the track will help you in your search for the right opportunities for yourself.
[22:37] - The Genius Retreat is an opportunity for high achievers to reflect on this year and look forward and plan for 2021.
[25:02] - Vicki discusses how and why she took the opportunity of getting her Ph.D. Academia was never on her radar.
[26:58] - People who are finishing their degrees may feel the Scarcity Mindset as a response to the job market.
[28:34] - Many times, graduates with a Ph.D. lead a very narrow and specific search for a job, but when you dig deep into your core skills and the core values of what you really want out of your career, you will find different opportunities that are a better fit for your path.
[30:03] - You need to constantly look for the abundance of what is available to you throughout the process. You need to also think about how much abundance you can bring to the field as well.
[30:50] - Fatimah and Vicki discuss the phrase “fake it till you make it.”
[32:03] - Look back at your resume. Your resume will remind you of who you are.
[33:05] - One of the features of the Professional Pathways Planner is the Career Success Pledge. What this does is creates your affirmations at the time when you have the least drive to do that yourself.
[34:55] - We need a clear vision on where we want to go.
[35:48] - How do you want to use your time and energy? What do you want next for yourself? Ask yourself these questions instead of “What is possible for me?”
[37:01] - It is important to explore different types of work because you may be surprised by what opportunities will present themselves.
[38:31] - When we listen too much to what society says, we lose out on a lot of creativity.
[40:22] - Things were uncertain before COVID. Fatimah says to not let the Imposter Syndrome and Scarcity Mindset hold you back.
[41:27] - Moments of uncertainty are ripe for innovation and creativity.
[42:56] - Don’t try to force yourself into opportunity and change your approach.
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Resources:
Looking to make a career pivot?
Learn more about Options for Success and sign up for the waitlist. The next cohort opens in January 2021.
Options for Success career pivot course with Dr. Fatimah Williams
There is beauty in discovering the tasks and projects you dislike. Sounds crazy, but it's true! How can you use the energy of your experience with an unenjoyable project to move forward? How can you even finish this project you have taken on?
Welcome to Gradschooled, a podcast about how to organize your genius for better professional opportunities and a thriving life. In today’s workshop, we’re discussing accountability, finding your flow, and how to open and close a work session. Creating a plan and sticking to it will set you up for success, but what happens when the tedious tasks get you down?
Join us as we share our successes, our struggles, and our plans and let’s get our genius flowing!
Show Notes:[1:11] - Fatimah starts the workshop with a moment for guests to share their top three priorities for the week. A guest shares how she is working on her dissertation and what her successes were this week.
[2:54] - Accountability is important. Checking in with a group or sharing project progress in a safe space. Fatimah suggests setting up some sort of accountability system that works for you even if you tend to be introverted.
[4:34] - Sometimes it means being creative when bringing people into your group. That accountability is key for Fatimah who knows that she isn’t just showing up for herself, but her group as well.
[5:17] - Another guest admits that her lack of discipline caused her to not accomplish the tasks on her plan. She decided to not be hard on herself and still looked at the big picture of what she has been able to accomplish.
[6:55] - When experiencing a work block, decide whether to stick to your plan or completely release yourself from it. One of the things that holds us back from keeping your genius going is self judgment.
[8:45] - One guest says that she bit off more than she can chew with her current project and has discovered that the monotonous tasks involved in this particular project are not enjoyable to her.
[9:39] - There is beauty in realizing the projects and tasks that you dislike and you can now take those tasks off your list. Let the energy of this experience adjust how you approach what comes next.
[11:47] - Trying different types of work may help you find your groove with a project you don’t enjoy. For example, chunk the work into different amounts of time to allow yourself to step away.
[13:35] - Fatimah shares an exercise from The Professional Pathways Planner that discusses ways to open and close a work session. How you open and close a work session can affect how you pick up the work again.
[15:16] - Allow for tasks and ideas to be leftover. Fatimah says to “leave some in the tank” so you can pick your flow back up and know where you were going with your project.
[16:20] - Having a place to make quick notes, whether that be a digital note taking platform or a hard copy planner, is crucial to helping you pick up where you left off. Write down the three things you want to accomplish the next time you get back to work.
[18:00] - The Genius Retreat is a two-day retreat designed to allow you to refocus for 2021. Over the course of two days, you will join Fatimah and a team of wellness professionals to decompress, reflect, and prepare.
[21:03] - Fatimah shares how she opens up a work session of a project she might not enjoy by affirming what she does like about it and tries to find different techniques to bring focus to the task.
[22:53] - “Work makes life sweet,” is a great quote shared by another guest who offers her advice for getting through work that you do not enjoy by taking a meditative approach.
[24:32] - Using a timer to help you manage your time into smaller chunks is also another method that can help you get started, work diligently for a set time, and give yourself a break. This may also help cultivate your ability to focus next time.
[26:03] - The point is to get to your genius and find your flow. When you hit moments of friction, you will feel the negative side of that. For the sake of understanding why you may be experiencing friction to work completion, ask yourself what is this friction telling you?
Hang out with Dr. Fatimah Williams
We all have different amounts of autonomy over our time. We may be told what hours we have to work and what needs to be accomplished in that time. That’s out of our control. But what we can control is how we come into that time. You control your energy. But how? Especially now with the shifts in work space, work hours, and types of tasks during the Covid-19 pandemic, you need to know your optimal energy zone. You need to know how to manage the time within each energy zone and be prepared.
Welcome to Gradschooled - a podcast about how to organize your genius for greater professional opportunities and a thriving life. Today we’re discussing how we work in each energy zone and how everyone’s individual circumstances affect our efficiency. So, get your planners and calendars ready because we are diving into our week rejuvenated and ready to accomplish our goals!
Show Notes:[1:26] - We’re discussing energy zones today! What are energy zones? They are when you are the most focused and have the most creative energy in flow.
[2:15] - Fatimah breaks down the three energy zones as time blocks: 6:00am-11:00am is Zone 1, 11:00am-4:00pm is Zone 2, and Zone 3 is from 4:00pm to whatever your own cut off time is.
[3:09] - In order to be focused, rest is so important. During rest, your brain is refreshing and you are rejuvenating. You have to rest from all the things you have been active in.
[3:38] - Take a moment and rank your most productive energy zones from most productive to least productive.
[4:35] - If you know that you will have a mid-afternoon slump, that is when you should plan to work on tasks that don’t require a lot of energy to complete. Or that could also be when you take a break, grab a cup of coffee, talk a walk, etc.
[5:17] - A kid-free zone could also be the time where your most productive times are. A guest shares his experience with working from home, managing a side-hustle, and taking care of his son. He plans ahead and cuts projects into smaller chunks in order to be efficient.
[7:25] - Another guest shares the fact that these energy zones change when life changes. What worked in one season of her life is not working anymore and she needs to make a shift.
[8:06] - There will be times when your job or projects are scheduled during your most productive zone. This can be discouraging because you’d like to have this time for you. How do you build up and keep your energy for when it is your time?
[9:00] - What you can control is how you come to that time. You are in control of how rested, rejuvenated, settled, enthusiastic, and paced you are.
[9:49] - Fatimah takes a look at her weekly schedule. Starting with weekly meetings, she blocks out the “must-dos.” These are the non-negotiables.
[11:38] - Schedule the tasks you have control over around the “must-dos.” Consider the life cycle of that task. What timing and what day makes sense for your energy zones and the type of energy needed to complete the task?
[13:08] - When you take a step back and look at the week, you will see all these pockets of opportunity for creative work.
[14:00] - Now it is time to look at your priorities. What are you working on this week that will help you move toward your 90 day goals?
[14:30] - A guest shares her experience as a procrastinator and how that has affected her energy zones.
[15:17] - How can we move with our energy and not try to become something we are not? Make your goals specific and clear.
[16:21] - Fatimah also recommends asking someone else to watch you work. This could seem uncomfortable, but it adds a level of accountability that you wouldn’t have on your own.
[18:27] - A guest shares how she is only productive when she leaves her home. The pandemic has impacted her efficiency greatly. Her responsibilities in her home take away her focus from work.
[21:20] - There is so much to do at home that will become distracting. Having distinct areas in your house for specific tasks and projects is beneficial to channeling your focus.
[22:58] - Another guest shares an idea of taking breaks from work for “therapy.” Her “therapy breaks” include folding laundry and housework tasks.
[23:30] - You not only have to have set boundaries on your time, but you need to have physical space boundaries, especially if you share a space with someone else.
[24:29] - Even if you have a small space, don’t limit the importance of dedicated work areas.
[25:30] - Fatimah has a goal to run three times a week and needs a visual reminder of how she is doing with hitting that goal. She uses a small calendar and marks on the calendar on the days she runs. This is something that doesn’t need to be specifically outlined in her weekly schedule, but the visual reminder is helpful to fitting that time in.
[26:44] - Consider the season of your life you are in. Something that worked in the past may not be what you need right now. Allow yourself some breathing room.
[27:36] - Now that you know your “must-dos” and what your priorities are, plan the night before what tasks you will complete the following day, taking into consideration your energy zones and the life cycle of the tasks.
[28:57] - A guest shares her experience with a friend who is her “accountability buddy.” They tell each other three tasks that they need to get done in a day and make a plan to support each other.
[31:09] - It is okay to back up and then come back to a project when you are ready. That is part of the journey.
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When I think about 75 year-old Fatimah and her quality of life, I want to make sure that 75 year-old Fatimah also has the option to have beautiful things and experiences. That starts with me looking out for her right now.
Welcome to GradSchooled! This is a podcast about how to organize your genius for greater professional opportunities and a thriving life. Today, we are talking about money. I know it isn’t a sexy topic, but it is so important. I hope that with the right tools, you can expand your financial literacy and confidence. And today, I have a lot of those tools outlined for you to take the next (or the first!) step to having the right foundations for your future 75 year-old self. During this pandemic especially, it all begins with education, planning and intentional spending. So, take a deep breath and let’s get started!
Show Notes:[1:11] - This week, we are talking about money, specifically how to match your financial planning with your goals and your job type.
[2:03] - A lot of financial planning advice tends to be so traditional and doesn’t often take into account how to plan for irregular income that accompany entrepreneurship, freelancing, seasonal professions like teaching, and periods of unemployment. .
[2:41] - Fatimah grew up in a household that did not talk a lot about money or have a strong foundation in financial literacy.
[3:49] - Whether you have an employer who takes care of some aspects of your finances (like insurance, for example) or you are an entrepreneur with all the financial responsibility, financial planning and goal setting is crucial.
[4:19] - Fatimah’s ultimate goal here is to help us be more intentional with our money. With the current pandemic, our spending habits have changed. How does that affect your goals?
[6:21] - Due to her change in spending habits during the Covid-19 pandemic, Fatimah made the realization that some of the things she previously spent money on were unnecessary. This has given her the opportunity to rethink some things in regards to her spending and goals.
[6:58] - One change Fatimah has made during this period of reflection is to contribute more to her IRA each month.
[8:01] - Whether you are self-employed or have an employer, you need to make sure you are thinking about yourself in the future.
[9:12] - Thinking ahead to your future self will help you with impulse purchases right now.
[10:33] - How do you maximize what you’re doing right now and maximize the knowledge you have around money to be able to do more with what you have? Asking herself these questions pushed Fatimah to start investing in an IRA and secure disability insurance.
[12:08] - Also during the pandemic, Fatimah took the time to look at insurances. Because she is an entrepreneur, Fatimah’s ability to earn directly impacts her livelihood and that impacts a lot of financial decisions, including insurance.
[14:22] - Earlier this year, Fatimah experienced a fall and a concussion. Thankfully, she had enough money saved and had some client work that she was able to fulfill. But this experience was eye opener for her.
[16:40] - After her injury, she reached out to financial advisors to help her with figuring out the best plan for her and her specific circumstances and income.
[17:28] - When Fatimah was working for an employer, these types of concerns were not on her mind because of consistent paychecks, money set aside on her behalf, and her marriage providing a second income. Becoming an entrepreneur and divorcee has given her a different relationship with money.
[19:13] - Fatimah shares her first experiences as an entrepreneur and her realization that she has the ability to create wealth.
[21:20] - 39 year-old Fatimah wants to make sure that 75 and 85 year-old Fatimah is taken care of. That starts now.
[23:20] - The first recommendation Fatimah has for you on your journey to financial literacy is to listen to financial podcasts. Fatimah started by listening to a financial podcast weekly and scheduled the time for it into her week.
[24:41] - Fatimah shares several financial podcasts that really impacted her. You can find these in the Links and Resources below.
[27:39] - Fatimah also shares a book she enjoyed called Real Money Answers for Every Woman by Patrice Washington.
[28:40] - Even though Fatimah is very intentional with her spending, she still knows how to enjoy herself and do things that she loves.
[29:05] - Whether you are working for an employer or for yourself, make sure you are not caught off guard and that your 75 year-old self can enjoy the things he or she loves, too.
[30:02] - Fatimah is enjoying things so much more because she is so intentional with her spending. She is spending the money on things that are truly important and that gives her the extra finances available for the real things she enjoys.
[31:50] - Financial freedom is the goal and Fatimah wants this for you, too. What are some of the things that you have done to enjoy yourself now and tomorrow?
Hang out with Dr. Fatimah Williams
Financial Resources:
Real Money Answers for Every Woman by Patrice C. Washington
If you are thinking of rebranding yourself during this time of reinvention, listen as Dr. Fatimah shares what happened when she was unprepared for a question about her branding for her side business that was the catalyst for this episode. She shares three things that she hopes will help you with your rebranding journey.
When you are in the middle of a change or managing multiple roles, lean into these three things for your personal branding. The first thing is to zoom out to the big picture of who you are and what you bring. Second, look forward and ask yourself, where am I going? And the third thing is to be present to the moment at hand and tap into your passion for the work.
A final tip from Dr. Fatimah: when updating your profile, look at profiles of professionals at the level of work you desire or want to do, and see how they describe themselves. You might get some ideas on how to describe the new you.
In This Episode
[01:05] Welcome back, everyone!
[01:54] Listen, as Dr. Fatimah talks about what personal branding looks like when you are reinventing.
[03:11] Dr. Fatimah shares a time that she was uncomfortable answering a question about how she got into facilitation.
[06:35] She has no branding on the work she does with schools and PHDs, separate from her work with Beyond The Tenure Track.
[09:12] Dr. Fatimah shares some things she thinks might help you as you are looking at your branding.
[09:35] The first thing would be to zoom out to the big picture of who you are and what you bring.
[15:36] Look forward, where am I going? It is the second thing you need to do when you are thinking about rebranding.
[18:12] The third thing is to be present to the moment.
[21:23] Dr. Fatimah would like to hear from you on Instagram or Facebook and hear some personal brand challenges you have had.
[22:00] How to look at profiles of professionals at the level of work you desire and see yourself doing to learn how to describe yourself.
[26:16] Thank you for listening!
Hang out with Dr. Fatimah Williams
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Beyond the Tenure Track
The Professional Pathways Planner
Free Planning Tool Kit
“You can do all the management of time that you want, but if you are not managing the right things, it is a waste.”
Organizing your genius will be the theme of season two, and Dr. Fatimah shares four steps that she believes will help you get it done. She goes into detail and describes each step, gain clarity, make a plan, activate your courage, and secure accountability and support. “If you don’t know how to pull these productivity tools together, you will not get the success you desire in your projects.”
“Despite living and working in extraordinary times, your genius is flowing.” Dr. Fatimah discusses the Professional Pathways Planner and the Free Planning Tool Kit. Your feedback is important so don’t hold back, share how these tools are working for you.
Listen, as Dr. Fatimah shares how Organize Your Genius has helped her make exciting changes in her business and how it can do the same for your career, business or academic success. Are you excited about season 2? Listen in for a sneak peek of the topics and guests that will make this the best season yet.
In This Episode
[01:08] Welcome back, everyone!
[02:47] Dr. Fatimah speaks about the amazing group of people from around the country and internationally that met for a weekly challenge she held called Organize Your Genius.
[05:01] She shares some things she has heard from high achievers like you over the last few months.
[06:05] The theme for this season is helping you organize your genius.
[07:18] Dr. Fatimah talks about how to organize your genius in four steps.
[07:20] Listen, as Dr. Fatimah discusses step one, gaining clarity.
[08:15] She explains step two, which is making a plan.
[10:15] When planning tasks, make sure you have an obvious start and finish date.
[10:47] Last, you need to inventory the resources and people you need to complete this task.
[15:13] Step three, activate your courage. Once you have a plan, you need the courage to execute.
[16:30] Step four, secure accountability and support.
[19:00] “If you don’t know how to pull these productivity tools together, you will not get success in your projects.”
[21:36] Dr. Fatimah speaks about the Professional Pathways Planner that they launched last year.
[24:23] Dr. Fatimah shares the many guests and topics she has planned for season two.
[28:37] Dr. Fatimah speaks about how Organize Your Genius has helped her make exciting changes in her business.
[30:21] Thank you for listening!
Hang out with Dr. Fatimah Williams
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Beyond the Tenure Track
The Professional Pathways Planner
Free Planning Tool Kit
I was all set for this season finale episode to answer two recent, most recurring listener questions: 1) Should I get a PhD, given the current climate in higher education? 2) How do graduating PhDs look for work in a WFH environment and compressed job market?
I get to those questions toward the end of the episode. But first, I address the #1 question that’s been in my inbox and DMs: What has been your experience of racism, and how are you doing these days? I share from my perspective as a cultural anthropologist, a Black woman living in America, and a black business owner -- yes, sometimes ya’ll forget that I run a company, manage a team, and offer services.
The podcast currently has 27 episodes available.