Naomi Vladeck is a certified life coach devoted to advancing the work of independent artists and creatives through her company, Creativity Matters Coaching. Naomi  is skilled at cultivating authentic connections, championing individual creativity, and navigating life's changes and transitions to help her clients make choices that empower them to live a fully expressed creative life.

Born into a family where her father was a physician and her mother and siblings were artists, Naomi unveils how this blend guided her career trajectory and influenced her understanding of money. She shares how fear can be a roadblock to embracing change, and takes us through her courageous financial decisions during the pandemic that taught her the true definition of success. 

Naomi talks about the importance of community, wrestling with imposter syndrome, and continuing on the path of self-discovery.

"When we face the blankness ahead of us, we have an opportunity because we enter into a transitional period where our creativity is available to us in a different way because nothing is known. Nothing is for sure. Nothing is certain.  So it's not that you have to be an artist to be creative during change and transition. It's that the inherent space that opens up has a function and that function is creative." - Naomi Vladek

Key takeaways: 

- You can rewrite your story. Naomi grew up accepting the narrative that, from among her siblings, she was NOT the risk taker, and that she was anxious around money and numbers. She questioned that story and recognized that she has made unconventional choices in her life, including studying Japanese theater, and that she has gone on to become a fundraiser for a career and managed many budgets and spreadsheets over her lifetime.

- Recognize that change is inherently creative. Naomi didn’t intentionally seek out change in her life. She did not think of herself as someone who could tolerate confusion and uncertainty. And yet, as she reflects on her life’s journey, she recognizes that she absolutely values the meandering or zigzagging path of creative living, and that she has been braver than she would have anticipated. The zigzagging path, as she puts it, is where we can choose to become the agents in our own life. We. It's not just that things happen to us. It's not just that change happens from the outside, but that we have the power to be the creators of our own life.

- Find your community. Naomi shared her experience of attending a performing arts camp when she was 16 years old and finding her people, where the sorts of people who didn’t fit in elsewhere fit in. Finding a community is important to help us find a safe space, to test old assumptions and beliefs we have that may make us feel vulnerable. 

- Know that the creative process relies on failure. Culturally, we are taught to abhor failure. We think that failure is a dead end or bankruptcy, and can make us feel worthless. But the truth is just the opposite: the creative process relies on failure; innovation relies on failure. 

About the guest: 

Naomi Vladeck is a certified life coach devoted to advancing the work of independent artists and creatives through her company Creativity Matters Coaching. Naomi has been working with and around independent artists for thirty years as a performer, planner, as a non-profit founder and coach. 

The experience of her husband’s alcoholism and death led to her writing debut: Braving Creativity, Artists Who Turn the Scary, Messy, Thrilling Path of Change into Courageous Transformation. 

Naomi is available for workshops, podcasts, speaking events.

Website: www.creativitymatterscoaching.com

Email address: [email protected]

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/naomi.vladeck

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-vladeck/

Resources: Braving Creativity: Artists Who Turn the Scary, Thrilling, Messy Path of Change into Courageous Transformation

5 Ways to Crush Resistance and Create Your Art with Confidence and Courage

Creative Mornings

Creator Institute

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Disclaimer: Please remember that the information shared on this podcast does not constitute accounting, legal, tax, investment or financial advice. It’s for informational purposes only. You should seek appropriate professional advice for your specific information.

Monique de la Cour has been a personal trainer and health coach for the past 19+ years. Monique helps improve the balance, strength and health of women over 50 who worry about osteoporosis and are afraid of falling. She helps her clients regain confidence and energy in a safe manner so that they may continue their active lifestyle.

In our discussion, Monique breaks down her process when working with clients for an assessment, particularly focusing on balance and strength. We learn about the importance to Monique of setting sub-goals and creating a program unique to each individual client that evolves as the client evolves. 

Monique trained with the CHEK Institute as a Certified Holistic Exercise Specialist, giving her the tools to integrate modalities into her work that highlight the crucial role of core muscles in preventing injuries along the spine. She notes how balance is related to factors like menopause, chronic diseases, medication use, and vision changes. 

Monique offers insight into the importance of prioritizing health and well-being as we age, and touches on the topic of body image and how it can shift with age, emphasizing the importance of being happy and healthy in one's own skin.

"That was really the place where I learned to take a holistic point of view of how people move and live, so you take into account not only the physicality, but also the emotions, the hormones, maybe even the spiritual side. All these processes have an effect on how you move through life." - Monique de la Cour

Key takeaways: 

- Always be learning. Since graduating from school, Monique worked in disparate roles in various countries, from au pair and tour guide in Paris, to assistant manager for Heineken in the Netherlands, to working for Ernst and Young and Lalique in New York, and then a small private bank in New Jersey, before becoming a certified health and wellness coach and moving to New Orleans! The through line in all these roles is her love of learning - about new people, new products and new situations. 

- If you’re experiencing pain in your body, recognize that the cause may not only be physical. When Monique works with a client, she always starts by doing an assessment. She of course takes into account what is taking place physically, in terms of pain or balance issues. Just as importantly, she explores what may be going on emotionally, what is going on hormonally, and what is taking place spiritually. As she points out, all these processes affect how we move through life.

- When helping others, listen for the need that lies beneath what they think they need! Monique noted that often people come to her because they would like to lose weight. However, looks are not what is going to extend their health span. The ability to have balance, to stand upright, is what is going to make a huge difference in their quality of life and their ability to remain free of injury and pain. 

About the guest: 

Growing up in the Netherlands, Monique de la Cour was an active child with endless energy.  In fact, she loved physical fitness so much that she became a personal trainer and health coach.

For the past 19 years Monique has helped improve the balance, strength and health of women over 50, who worry about osteoporosis and are afraid of falling.

With patience and empathy, Monique helps clients regain confidence and energy in a safe manner so that they may continue their active lifestyles.

After overcoming her own health issues, Monique recently moved to New Orleans, where she indulges her love of live music and is searching for the best-tasting gumbo. 

Website: moniquedelacourhealthandfitness.com

Email address: [email protected]

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

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

Free resource: Balance Assessment

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Disclaimer: Please remember that the information shared on this podcast does not constitute accounting, legal, tax, investment or financial advice. It’s for informational purposes only. You should seek appropriate professional advice for your specific information.

Dr. Rasheda Weaver is the founder of Weaver's Social Enterprise Directory and a leading expert on social entrepreneurship. She was the first Assistant Professor for the Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Iona University in 2017. Dr. Weaver's book, "Social Entrepreneurship: a Practical Introduction," is a seminal work in the field of social entrepreneurship.

Dr. Weaver's shared her story of growing up as a first generation American, a daughter of Jamaican parents who are each half Cuban and half Jamaican. Rasheda's family had limited financial means but a limitless belief in opportunity. 

In our conversation, Rasheda walked us through her journey from attending a business high school in Manhattan, to participating in a summer program, Youth About Business, at Columbia University, to studying psychology in college, to writing her PhD thesis on social entrepreneurship, to helping Iona University launch a $15 million Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

"Accomplishments aren't everything. Awards aren't everything. Degrees aren't everything. Even marriage (isn't everything). I think more than anything, you have to be happy and be able to sleep at night with your decisions and have a fulfilled life. And so you could look like you have it all to everyone else. But if you are not happy with it inside your heart, it doesn't really matter; it's not good for you. And you have to listen to what's happening in your soul and your spirit." Dr. Rasheda Weaver

Key takeaways:

- You might have crazy ideas, but maybe they can come true. Rasheda remembers being 6 years old, and sitting on her stoop in the Bronx, and having what felt like an epiphany that she and her family did not have to live the way they were living, that it was actually a choice to accept the status quo.

When she was 14, she made a conscious decision NOT to attend high school locally. Instead, she enrolled in a business high school, located in the Murray Hill section of Manhattan, so that she could learn to be an entrepreneur and how to earn money.

It was on her walk to school along Park Avenue, which she refers to as her “happy place”, that she would look up at all the skyscrapers and think that it must have seemed insane to build a skyscraper when someone first thought of it. What a crazy idea!! Yet crazy ideas can come true!

- If you can’t find what you’re looking for, create it yourself. Rasheda grew up in the Bronx, surrounded by immigrants who were struggling to make ends meet. She became interested in creating a business that had a social impact, where she could hire immigrants and provide a sustainable wage for people and to help them gain the skills that they needed.

She discovered that there was a field called social entrepreneurship but when she went to learn more about it she discovered that there was very little information available. Rasheda decided, during her PhD program, to do a large scale case study of social enterprises throughout the United States. 

She created a database of over 1,000 entities, answering questions like: How do they make money? Where do they get their money from? Where do they get their startup financing from? How are they doing good? These answers and others she published in her book, Social Entrepreneurship, A Practical Introduction.

- Ask for what you need. Rasheda was accepted into her PhD program but the acceptance did NOT include funding. Her mother had taught her that this is the land of opportunity, so she reached out to her department chair and, after advocating for herself, the university found the money for her to be able to attend. Rasheda had a belief in herself, and that she was worth investing in. 

About the guest: 

Dr. Rasheda L. Weaver is a global expert on social entrepreneurship. In 2023, she joined the Global African Descent Social Entrepreneurship Network sponsored by the Biden-Harris Administration. She conducted the first large-scale empirical study on the social, economic, and legal activities of social enterprises in the U.S. and is the Founder of Weaver's Social Enterprise Directory. She was the first Assistant Professor for the Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Iona University in 2017. Dr. Weaver’s book “Social Entrepreneurship: A Practical Introduction” is a seminal work in the field of social entrepreneurship. 

Website: http://www.socialenterprisedirectory.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rasheda-weaver-phd-1a842b1a4/

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

Resources: Social Enterprise Bootcamp

Email address: [email protected]

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Disclaimer: Please remember that the information shared on this podcast does not constitute accounting, legal, tax, investment or financial advice. It’s for informational purposes only. You should seek appropriate professional advice for your specific information.

Charissa Yong, founder of Charissa H. Yong Photography, LLC,  understands the importance of building a personal brand that tells your story as a professional that people want to do business with. She loves to help service-based entrepreneurs who are ready to stand out in the crowded online world.

Charissa was raised by her grandparents in Malaysia, and moved to the United States after her grandparents passed away, to New Jersey, when she was sixteen years old. Though she was a creative person, Charissa chose to get a degree in computer science as a path to financial stability. 

After working 11 years in the corporate world as a software test engineer and the 3-hour daily commute, she was burned out. She knew she had to leave the job to find something that was more creative and meaningful.  In 2018, she left corporate America and decided to start her photography business.

"So I've been changing myself, trying to fit in from 6th grade all the way to college and even a little bit during the time when I was in corporate. And it's exhausting, it's just exhausting. And I'm so glad I got the opportunity to do this business because this business not only teaches me about being authentic, just showing up as yourself, stop being a people pleaser, stop saying yes to everything, learning about burnout. All of these opportunities, I don't think they would come up if I stayed at a corporate job." -  Charissa Yong

Key takeaways: 

- Get comfortable asking for help. Towards the end of her corporate job, Charissa was grumpy, tired and stressed, and probably fighting some kind of post-partum blues. She remembers her gynecologist telling her that she was not a supermom; that she needed help, and needed to ask for it. She reached out to her mom, who was able to help Charissa out for a couple of hours each week.

Charissa was also lucky in that a friend of a colleague of hers introduced her to a  wedding photographer, who became an important mentor to her. She taught her how to use flash, how to shoot a different way, about the business, and about editing. 

- Be sure to create a realistic runway, if you’re contemplating starting a business. Charissa had heard that most businesses fail within the first two years. Charissa expected to earn no, or very little money in the first year of her photography business. She gave herself that first year to learn, and to do a lot of free shoots to build her portfolio. 

- Let go of perfectionism. When Charissa first started her business, she realized that, if she allowed herself, she could spend hours and hours editing and tweaking her photos. It was her mentor who gave her an important message: “when you’re done editing - you’re done.” Otherwise, you can find yourself spending weeks editing your photos.

- Network, network, network. At the end of her first year in business, Charissa began to do a lot more networking. That is how she began to learn about personal branding as a niche, which helped her to build confidence and to show up in a more authentic way .

About the guest: 

Charissa H. Yong is a New Jersey based photographer who creates eye-catching brand photos for service-based business owners to help them tell their stories confidently and authentically so they can attract their ideal clients and grow their businesses.

Email address: [email protected]

Website: https://charissahyongphotography.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/charissahyongphotography

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charissahyong

Instagram:  http://www.instagram.com/charissahyongphotography

Free resources: https://charissahyongphotography.com/links

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Disclaimer: Please remember that the information shared on this podcast does not constitute accounting, legal, tax, investment or financial advice. It’s for informational purposes only. You should seek appropriate professional advice for your specific information.

Samantha Santaniello is a CPA and partner at RSK Tax and Consulting, bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise in accounting and financial reporting to her work with clients. She serves as a financial coach for female entrepreneurs and professionals, helping them to build wealth on their own terms.

Samantha shared that she grew up in a second generation immigrant family that distrusted banks and stashed money under the mattress! She and her sister were determined not to repeat the mistakes that their parents made, and instead to build wealth by growing their financial knowledge.

Samantha's mom encouraged her and her sister, both CPAs, to start a business together. When her mom passed seven years ago, Samantha decided to follow her advice and to start her own firm, with her sister contributing on a part time basis. Samantha acknowledges that being an entrepreneur is the hardest thing she's ever done, but also the most rewarding. She loves the flexibility in addition to doing what she loves, helping others achieve financial freedom. 

"I'm a person that I'd rather make a decision, and if I make a wrong decision, I learn from it rather than not make a decision at all. I don't hesitate. I just go with it."  - Samantha Santaniello

Key Takeaways: 

- When going out on your own, start small and keep your full time job, if you can. Samantha and her sister were both CPAs, and their mom encouraged them to consider starting their own firm. When they decided to take her advice, Samantha kept her full time job with Montefiore Medical Center and worked nights on her own clients. She is now full time with RSK Tax and Consulting; her sister still retains a position with an outside employer.

- Work with clients where you can truly add value, and who support you and your mission. Samantha’s niche is real estate investors, small business owners. Samantha is a real estate investor herself, so is able to bring both her expertise and experience from a tax perspective, as well as knowing what to focus on from the beginning to the end of transactions for her clients.

- Know where your money stands. So many women delegate responsibility for their money to their spouses or partners, and then when something happens, they have no idea where they stand financially. Samantha recognized how important it was for her to take charge, understand where her money was going, and to become financially savvy, and advocates the same for other women. 

About the Guest: 

Samantha Santaniello is a CPA and partner at RSK Tax and Consulting LLC, a women-owned tax and consulting business dedicated to helping business owners and real estate investors optimize their tax savings. Their mission is to empower our clients to reinvest in the future of their businesses and families. They understand that starting a business requires significant sacrifices, and believe that proper financial management is key to scaling, growing, and living out your dreams.

At RSK, they recognize that your finances are the brain of your business - without effective management, it cannot sustain itself. That's why they offer comprehensive support, addressing all aspects of finances and tax. By relieving their clients of the stress associated with financial matters, they enable their clients to focus on their passions and core business operations.

They firmly believe that success is not solely measured by how much you make, but by how much you keep. With their expertise in tax optimization, they help their clients maximize savings and retain more of their hard-earned money. By having a solid financial foundation in place, businesses can continue to thrive and achieve long-term success.

Visit them at: www.rsktax.com

Email address: [email protected]

Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/RSK_tax

Resource mentioned: The Entrepreneurs Guide to Business and Personal Finance

Bigger Pockets

Tiller

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Disclaimer: Please remember that the information shared on this podcast does not constitute accounting, legal, tax, investment or financial advice. It’s for informational purposes only. You should seek appropriate professional advice for your specific information.

Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinberg served as a congregational rabbi for seventeen years and is well known as a teacher of mindfulness meditation to rabbis, Jewish professionals and lay people as a co-founder of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality. She's the author of several books , including Surprisingly Happy, God loves the Stranger and Let Us All Breathe Together, and has published widely on such topics as feminism, spiritual direction, parenting, social justice and mindfulness from a Jewish perspective.

Raised in New York by storekeeper parents, Sheila's story is that of a spiritual seeker growing up in the '50s and '60s. Sheila shares how her journey took her from the Peace Corps, to living in Israel, to attending rabbinical school, to serving as a pulpit rabbi and ultimately to co-founding the Institute of Jewish Spirituality. Not one to shy away from the rawness of life, Sheila opens up about her battle with addiction, her path to sobriety, and the priceless joy of finding her spiritual home. 

"I really didn't have an external idea of success. I wasn't like an ambitious child or I don't think I've ever been ambitious or that I've even longed for (something). To me, success is only about values. It's only about holding up what is wholesome, what is loving, what is just, and healing the places of brokenness. That's the only thing I can think of as any success that I would want to participate in."- Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinberg

Key takeaways: 

- Hold onto your dreams, even when they are delayed. Sheila described a deep knowing that she was meant to become a rabbi. However, as a single mom, she needed to work and took a job working for Hillel on a college campus instead. Though it took six years from the time she decided to become a rabbi until she actually enrolled in rabbinical school, she eventually did it while continuing her work with Hillel part-time. 

- When you need help, reach out and seek the help. Sheila had begun drinking to cope with the stress in her life. She recognized that her relationship with alcohol had gotten out of control. It had kept her together for a while until it stopped working. She started to go to AA meetings and found that an unexpected benefit was a completely renewed sense of spiritual life on a profound level. 

- Be open to guidance from the universe. Sheila's friends from her women's circle told her about an opening for a rabbi in Amherst, Massachusetts. The head of the search committee of that synagogue pointed out to her that the Jewish community of Amherst is midway between two of the premier spiritual centers, Kripalu and Insight Meditation. To any other candidate, this information would have meant nothing. To Sheila, this information was fantastic and was the beginning of her journey to the next stage of her life, integrating Buddhist philosophy with Jewish practice.

About the guest: 

Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinberg served as a congregational rabbi for seventeen years.  She has worked in the fields of Jewish community relations, Jewish education and Hillel. She has published widely on such topics as feminism, spiritual direction, parenting, social justice and mindfulness from a Jewish perspective and has contributed commentaries to Kol HaNeshama, the Reconstructionist prayer book. 

Rabbi Weinberg has taught mindfulness meditation and yoga to rabbis, Jewish professionals and lay people in the context of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality. She serves as a spiritual director to a variety of Jewish clergy including students and faculty at HUC-JIR in New York.  She is creator and co-leader of the Jewish Mindfulness Teacher Training Program. She is married to Maynard Seider and they have three married children and six grandchildren.

Know her more at: https://www.sheilapeltzweinberg.com/

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Disclaimer: Please remember that the information shared on this podcast does not constitute accounting, legal, tax, investment or financial advice. It’s for informational purposes only. You should seek appropriate professional advice for your specific information.

Michele Lamoureux, distinguished author, certified empowerment and holistic health coach, and host of the acclaimed podcast "The Good Life with Michele Lamoureux," is a leading figure in the field of personal development. Michele has over fifteen years of experience in international marketing and branding campaigns for professional service firms, after which she founded Lamoureux Media. Her firm offers coaching programs and curated content for women who want to up-level their lives.

Michele believes that understanding the value of self-worth and self-care holds the key to a fulfilling life. Her definition of success is finding contentment within the small, everyday moments and having trust in oneself to navigate life’s challenges. 

Michele is passionately committed to motivating women in midlife, helping them live joyous, healthier, and more meaningful lives. As the author of "Design a Life You Love," Michele promotes practicing positive inner dialogue, self-care routines and infusing life with joy. 

Her top-ranked podcast features conversations with notable authors, experts, and exceptional entrepreneurs, aiming to empower women to connect with their inner voice and live a life they truly love.

“So I believe that we all have these inner knowings, these inner whispers, and they're talking to us all the time and some of them, you know, get loud and some of them we really need to pay attention to because we don't want them to just go away, that flame to just poof. And so I could just hear it. It was like Michelle, you need to prioritize yourself again.” - Michele Lamoureux

Key takeaways:

- Be willing to bet on yourself: Michele left the dream job she had for many years as Director of Marketing for a law firm. It didn’t feel like a risk to her when her heart began to be called to coaching because she knew was responsible, she was a hard worker, and that if she failed she could always get another job. And just as importantly, Michele knew that she had a big financial cushion, that she had money in the bank that could tide her over if things didn’t work out.

- Remember what makes you uniquely you, what your gifts and talents are: Often we take our unique talents for granted because they come so easily to us. Look back at your life for the through line, the situations, the experiences and memories that maybe didn’t seem connected at the time but brought you to where you are today. 

Michele was in a program to be certified as a Holistic Health Coach, which offered a class on how to self-publish a book. The experience reminded her of how she had loved to write when she was younger. She wrote a book about self-love and received an award from the class.

- Pay attention to your inner-chatter: We may not notice until we start paying attention just how mean our inner talk is and so habitual. If we talk to our friends the way we talk to ourselves, we’d have no friends. We need to befriend ourselves and to be kind to ourselves.

- Spend some time listening to what your heart is whispering to you: Make a habit of journaling five-ten minutes a day to connect and get clear about what you truly want. We’re so clear about what everyone else in our life needs and we’re focused on that but what do you want? Get connected to your truth and give a little bit to yourself, figure out ways to add yourself back into your life.

About the guest:

Michele Lamoureux is an author, speaker and the host of the top-ranked podcast, "The Good Life with Michele Lamoureux." In her book “Design a Life you Love,” she advocates for adopting self-love as a catalyst for a wholesome life. With an illustrious career in corporate America, spearheading marketing and branding campaigns for professional service firms, she founded Lamoureux Media, helping women better their lives. As a certified empowerment and holistic health coach, Michele works to guide women through self-discovery and empowerment. 

Website: https://thegoodlifecoach.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/goodlifecoachpodcast/

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

Email: [email protected]

Free Resource: 52 Selfcare Tips

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Disclaimer: Please remember that the information shared on this podcast does not constitute accounting, legal, tax, investment or financial advice. It’s for informational purposes only. You should seek appropriate professional advice for your specific information.

Ellen (Connelly) Taaffe is a Clinical Associate Professor at the Kellogg School of Management, where she teaches Personal Leadership Insights and is the Director of Women's Leadership Programming. Previously, she was a senior executive at PepsiCo, Royal Caribbean, and the Whirlpool Corporation and is now a board director for three companies. She shares her insights in media like Harvard Business Review, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post, and TEDx. Her new book, The Mirrored Door: Break Through the Hidden Barrier that Locks Successful Women in Place was named an Editor’s Pick by Publishers Weekly BookLife.

Ellen's newly published book, 'The Mirrored Door: Breaking Through the Hidden Barriers Holding Successful Women in Place,' combines research findings and her own career experiences. It identifies five common hurdles women often encounter in the workplace and provides perspectives and solutions for overcoming these roadblocks, helping to conquer career obstacles.

"This is not a quick fix book, but it's a bit of the realities of what's at stake if we stay in these habits, these patterns that I think are a lot about ingrained expectations as kids, that can stay with us in the workplace and can hold us back. They contribute to us staying at the mirror door and thinking I'm not worthy or ready when, in fact, we are so much more ready than we realize. "- Ellen Taaffe

Key takeaways:

- Listen to yourself through your body. In one of her last roles in her tenure with PepsiCo, Ellen found that she was really burning herself out. Specifically, she was grinding her teeth, and asked her doctor what she could do about this. After asking her some questions, he recommended that she get a new boss!

She switched roles and was approved to work reduced hours. For the first time in her 20 year career with the Company, Ellen admitted to herself that she can’t do it all. 

- Make room for serendipity and remain open and curious, especially when you’re figuring out what is next. Ellen was speaking with her alma mater, Kellogg School of Mangement of Northwestern University, about the Chief Marketing Officer role when she learned at a lunch that they were starting a Women’s Leadership initiative. Although that job was a more junior role than that of CMO, she was drawn to doing something where she could have a broader impact versus something that sort of felt like she’d “been there done that” before.

- Learn how to delegate, and to make decisions with less information. From her role as Director of Women’s Leadership Programming, Ellen can see first hand how women hold themselves back. She has identified 5 strategies that work for us but can also work against us, which she details in her book: The Mirrored Door: Break Through the Hidden Barrier that Locks Successful Women In Place" 

One strategy she calls Preparing for Perfection, where women in general want to get it all done perfectly. The problem is, as we rise in responsibility, we have to learn to make decisions without perfect information, to take risks, and to ask for help. She acknowledges that this is a change that we can do in small steps, like building muscle. 

About the guest:

Ellen (Connelly) Taaffee helps leaders create the futures they desire. She is an author, a Board Director, MBA Professor, an Executive Leadership Coach/Advisor, and Speaker. She is passionate about helping businesses and people ascend to higher performance levels, possibility, and purpose, and is on a mission to advance women, inclusion, and walk-the-talk leadership in the workplace. 

Ellen works to help women recognize and understand what holds them back and through her book, "The Mirrored Door: Unlocking the Secrets that Hold Successful Women in Place," shares with them powerful strategies to push forward and make their mark. 

Purchase The Mirrored Door: Unlocking the Secrets that Hold Successful Women in Place

Free resource: Ten Tips I Wish I Knew Earlier

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://ellentaaffe.com/

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

Instagram: @ellentaaffe

X: @EllenCTaaffe

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Disclaimer: Please remember that the information shared on this podcast does not constitute accounting, legal, tax, investment or financial advice. It’s for informational purposes only. You should seek appropriate professional advice for your specific information.

Jessica Harrington, MPH is a public health educator and the founder of “Journey to Yourself.”Jessica is a speaker and a leader, aiding people to tackle stress, form self-care habits, and develop effective communication.

From running a small community business to juggling jobs to earn a Master’s in Public Health, Jessica’s passionate journey started with a demanding career in the social work sector, specializing in drug and alcohol counseling, honing her capabilities in stress management and personal development. 

However, her path to becoming the person she is and an entrepreneur she’s become was shaped by moments of realization. In particular, Jessica had a car accident after falling asleep at the wheel. The incident was a wake-up call for her to reassess her life and to realize the importance of self-care and well being. 

Today, Jessica is respected for her expertise in building healthier relationships and communities, positive communication, self-awareness, and creating a happier and more balanced life. Her story offers a poignant reminder to appreciate the small moments that life presents, rather than constantly chasing the next big achievement.

"It's all about the small steps. A lot of times we try to make these big strides in our life, and that's where we get a lot of stress. My job and what I do now, what I preach on and educate on is very much taking the little thing, a little thing every single day and more focused on consistency in your life than trying to reach that big milestone." - Jessica Harrington

Key takeaways:

- Make time for yourself. After Jessica experienced burnout, she learned about making time for herself. Over time, she built the habit of sitting outside in the morning with a cup of coffee. She started small, building consistency, and it has become her foundation habit, that she can always fall back upon. 

- Take things out of your life that aren’t important. Once Jessica started making time for herself, she came to understand what she needed and wanted, and was able to see things differently. As a result, she took things out of her life that weren’t important. 

- Drink the coffee while it’s hot. If you’ve committed to making time for yourself by having a cup of coffee outside, then commit to drinking the coffee while it’s hot, even if that means standing over the sink. Do not check your email, or doom scroll first. 

- Think about the words you're using in conversation with others, as well as words you’re using with yourself. Find that one story you’ve been telling yourself on a daily basis and change the narrative. 

About the guest:

Jessica Harrington, MPH  is an in demand speaker on the topics of stress management and burnout for customer services based and blue collar companies. She offers workshops for employers as well as 1:1 coaching to assist individuals and corporations in their personal growth and self-discovery journey.

Website: https://www.journeytoyourself.net/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-harrington-journeytoyourself/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/journeytoyourself101/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JourneyToYourself101

Email: [email protected]

Free resource: Time Management Guide

Interested in booking a free consultation? Schedule a call.

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Get your free copy of Unlock Your Money Blocks Workbook : Your step-by-step guide to unlocking your blocks to financial freedom.

Disclaimer: Please remember that the information shared on this podcast does not constitute accounting, legal, tax, investment or financial advice. It’s for informational purposes only. You should seek appropriate professional advice for your specific information.

Andrea Lee Austin is the co-founder of my Conscious Wellness, pioneers in the Canadian consciousness and alternative wellness space. Andrea is a former CPA with KPMG. She specialized in corporate and personal taxation and she's currently completing her degree in metaphysics, including a PhD in conscious business ethics, as she explores the world of sacred finance and bringing love back into business, money and exchange. 

From her early experiences growing up in a single-parent household to her successful career in corporate taxation, Andrea's career path was influenced by her love for education and math. However, a year-long sabbatical led her to a chance encounter at a Yoga conference, resulting in a pivotal life change; a transformation driven by the concept of surrendering, allowing life to take its course, and making decisions that align with her true self.

With her co-founder, Will, Andrea uses sound, biofeedback, and group intention to help individuals break free from limiting patterns. Together, they're building a community of individuals who embody a conscious and holistic way of being, redefining what success means in both life and finance.

Financial success, Andrea suggests, is about “controlling one's time and energy.” Her story offers a fresh perspective on how to enjoy life and embrace change.

 "So I'd created a box, the house, the dog, the cottage, the six digit salary, the perfect man, you know, the white picket fence and the children. And so the first thing I would say is giving myself permission to let all of that go. To allow my life to be orchestrated rather than trying to control what I thought it should be." - Andrea Lee Austin.

Key takeaways:

— Find something you love and then express that love to others. Andrea found that she loved to take things that people are afraid of or that they’re in fear of and show them and teach them the joy. As she reflects back, Andrea believes this is why she enjoyed teaching people to swim, and why she enjoyed teaching tax more than practicing as an accountant.

— Learn to listen and follow the voice inside you. Andrea chose not to follow the traditional CPA path of partnership or CEO or CFO position. Something inside her knew it wasn’t the right path for her. Instead, after having her first child, she started overseeing administration and operations for KPMG, which is how she spent the last 7 years of her 22 year career with that firm.

— Take time to explore new possibilities. Andrea hit a point in her career when she knew something had to shift. After working out the financial implications with her husband, she arranged a year sabbatical from her job and started experimenting with different roles and different ideas. In her words, “She gave herself permission to start looking at the world differently.” Instead of returning to KPMG, Andrea has been on a path of helping herself and others create a life from love rather than from the typical fear and scarcity consciousness that runs so deeply in our society.

About the guest:

Andrea Lee Austin is a co-founder of my Conscious Wellness, a pioneering entity within the Canadian consciousness and alternative wellness landscape. With a former career as a CPA at KPMG, her professional expertise revolved around corporate and personal taxation. 

Andrea's views on success have undergone a significant change. She now perceives success as the act of living life rather than only chasing external accomplishments. Andrea advocates granting oneself the freedom to experience life. She sees the importance of relinquishing control to create an environment where life can flow freely.

Website: https://www.mycw.ca/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrealeighaustin/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrea.ann.austin

Resources: http://www.mycw.ca/our-challenges/

Email: [email protected]

Interested in booking a free consultation? Schedule a call.

Stay connected:

Connect with Laura on LinkedIn

@Rotters5 on Twitter

Connect with Laura on Facebook

Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Subscribe to my newsletter

Get your free copy of Unlock Your Money Blocks Workbook : Your step-by-step guide to unlocking your blocks to financial freedom.

Disclaimer: Please remember that the information shared on this podcast does not constitute accounting, legal, tax, investment or financial advice. It’s for informational purposes only. You should seek appropriate professional advice for your specific information.