On Purpose with Isha Cogborn

Episode 011 – Joy Bretz of nJoyBnFIT & Leave with Ease

Do you feel like you're chained to your desk watching life pass you by? Trying to figure out how you can manage financially if you do what you love? Are you suffering the health, mental and emotional effects of work-related stress and burnout? In this episode, Joy Bretz tells us about Leave with Ease - a program she created to help you develop your exit strategy to pursue a career and life that brings greater health and happiness. You can connect with Joy at https://www.njoymindbodyandsoul.com

Our Guest

Joy Bretz is passionate about helping stressed-out professionals. She spent 20+ years in a high stress corporate financial management career, paying a heavy toll physically, mentally and emotionally. She understands all too well the desire of many to leave that lifestyle behind and live life on their own terms. Joy realized she had a choice, leaving her corporate career behind in 2016 to reclaim her purpose and her life. Now, she wants to help others do the same.

Leave with Ease is a blueprint to help stressed-out professionals set themselves up to leave their day job without jeopardizing their standard of living while reclaiming their time, well-being, finances and peace of mind.

In this episode, I talk to Joy about:

• How a #metoo experience pushed her over the edge and on the path to a more purposeful life.
• Ways stress manifests itself in your body and what to do about it.
• Techniques to maintain your physical, mental and emotional health.
• Why money may not be the only thing standing between you and your ideal life.
• What to do RIGHT NOW if your job is stressing you out.

Connect with Joy Bretz:

• Website: https://www.njoymindbodyandsoul.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/njoymindbodyandsoul/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/njoybnfit/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-bretz

Show Description:

Do you feel handcuffed to a career or business that won't let you enjoy life the way you really want to? In this episode, Latiesha Johnson tells us how she turned the traditional model of life as a corporate accountant on its ear spend half of the year traveling the world and offers practical strategies to bring more freedom into your life. You can connect with Latiesha at LivingDreamsJoyfully.com

Our Guest

Latiesha Johnson lives life on her own terms. She created a non-traditional career path choosing to work mostly as a contractor instead of an employee so she could honor her life goal of being FREE. This flexibility has allowed her to explore her love for travel, visiting 22 countries on six continents.

With so many people asking how she does it, Latiesha now puts her experience to work for others, recently launching her independent travel agency, Living Dreams Joyfully. Latiesha can help you create the perfect plan for your vacations, destination weddings, solo travel, cultural excursions, girls' and boys' trips and more. She also hosts a blog by the same name, where she offers tips on travel, financial freedom and getting to the core of what you really want in life.

The seed of entrepreneurship was first planted when she was introduced to Mary Kay cosmetics as a college sophomore. After earning a degree in accounting from Prairie View A&M University, Latiesha added licensed Texas mortgage broker and real estate salesperson to her list of income streams.

In this episode, I talk to Latiesha about:

• How a failed long-distance romance lead to her solo travel adventures
• The freedom mindset that guides her professional and personal decisions
• Managing your career as a free agent
• Building your "I can quit fund" and dealing with unpredictable income
• Practical tips for safe and flexible international travel

Connect with Latiesha Johnson:

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter: @dreamsjoyfully
• LinkedIn

Our Guest

How do you want people to remember you when you're gone? Will they remember the wonderful memories you shared, or the chaos left behind?

Author and Legacy Consultant Elaine Cauley finds purpose in grief. She's spent 30 years helping people work through the pain of losing a loved one. Now, she's helping them think ahead and equipping them with the tools to create a legacy plan.

Elaine is the author of My Will Be Done – Preserving Your Legacy and the companion workbook. She hosts hands-on workshops (join us in Phoenix March 23) and just announced the launch of coaching/consulting to take the overwhelm and procrastination out of creating your legacy plan.

If you don't want your family running GoFundMe campaigns and car washes to bury you or fighting over your stuff when you're gone, listen to this episode.

Topics Discussed

• Why legacy plans aren't just for wealthy people
• How the fear of death keeps people from making plans
• Discovering her purpose and the evolution of her business

Things Mentioned During the Show

Register for Phoenix Legacy Workshop 2019

• Legacy Consulting – Launches March 23
• Elaine's Book - My Will Be Done: Preserving Your Legacy
• Legacy Planning Workbook
• Bring Elaine to speak to your group

Our Guest

Jane Spicer, CEO of Daphne's Headcovers started her journey into entrepreneurship at the tender age of 10 by making puppets to save up for a sailboat. Today, she's at the helm of a multimillion-dollar global manufacturing corporation with customers at top resorts and golf shops in more than 75 countries.

Follow Daphne's Headcovers on Instagram

Follow Daphne's Headcovers on Facebook

Follow Daphne's Headcovers on Twitter

Jane is the recipient of a multitude of awards for her entrepreneurial accomplishments, including Forbes Top Golf Companies, Top Female Exporter of Arizona, Top Women in Business, Arizona State University's Spirit of Enterprise Award, Positively Powerful Women and Gabriel's Angels Precious Paw award for her philanthropic service. Jane is an active philanthropist, supporting charities that speak to her heart, like Gabriel's Angels, ASPCA and the Ernie Els Fancourt Foundation.

She has two amazing children and four naughty cats. When she isn't working, she can be found hiking, skiing, doing yoga or sailing. One of her many passions is working with young entrepreneurs to help them see their dreams come to fruition.

Although she's a Phoenix native, Jane has roots in England, where she lived for a period before returning to the sunshine of Arizona.

Topics Discussed

In this episode, Jane shares the triumphs and challenges of entrepreneurship, along with lessons she's learned about herself as she grew one of the country's most successful female-owned manufacturing companies. Our conversation included:

• Growing her business from a personal fundraiser to a multimillion-dollar corporation
• Parent guilt and work/life balance
• Being business partners with her mother
• How implementing systems allowed her to build a sustainable company
• Overcoming shyness
• Building customer loyalty

Things Mentioned During the Show

5 Rules to Win Being You by Isha Cogborn

On Purpose Weekly Resource Guide

Even if you don't follow entertainment news, chances are you've heard about comedian Katt Williams' tirade against fellow comedian Tiffany Haddish, questioning the meteoric rise of the Girls Trip star over more tenured black women comedians. He's not the first to be critical of the recent Emmy Award-winning Haddish. Others have argued that she reinforces negative stereotypes or that she simply isn't funny.

What is it about Tiffany Haddish, Kevin Hart and Lil Rel Howery – all dissed by Katt Williams – that allows them to tap into levels of success alluding their arguably funnier predecessors? All three are high rolling in the currency of likability.

What is likability?

For starters, it's not about intentionally competing in a popularity contest. It's about genuinely being the type of

person that others want to be around. Even if you consider yourself an introvert, humans are hard-wired to be relational. People who rank high in likability often possess the ability to break down barriers and authentically connect. We want them on our teams. We preferentially patronize their businesses. They're top of mind when it comes to new opportunities or referrals - even over people who may be more qualified.

If you read other articles on improving your likability, you'll often see a focus on tactics like remembering names and smiling, but likability runs deeper than this. It gets to the root of your character and the way you express it in the company of others.

In my experience teaching workshops on personal branding for corporations and professional organizations for more than a decade, here's a common attitude I see among people low in likability: "I don't go to work to make friends."

That may be true, but the wall you've constructed between you and your colleagues may also be the barrier between you and the opportunities you've been after. Does that mean you have to go to Happy Hour with your co-workers? No, but it does mean being willing to demonstrate and embrace the characteristics that make us human – not just worker bots. Because likability is currency, the more you have, the more doors you'll find opening for you.

Mentioned in the show: Platform for Purpose Incubator

How to be more likable

Here are five practical principles that can help you to build more likability currency, even if you don't consider yourself outgoing or charismatic:

1. Be OpenMany of us feel connected to Tiffany Haddish because there's something in her story that we relate to. I get that you don't want your co-workers "in your business" but sharing something fun that happened over the weekend or talking about last night's game is a far cry from sharing intimate details of your marriage. Make an effort to find common interests with colleagues that you interact with on a regular basis.

1. Be InterestedWhen engaged in conversation, are you listening to what others are saying or simply waiting for your turn to speak? Practicing active listening and asking questions helps people to feel heard, which fosters respect.

1. Be ExcitedThis is where Katt Williams gets a big, fat "F". Do you have the capacity to celebrate others when they're winning, or are you critical and envious? The success of others doesn't mean that future opportunities aren't available to you. Instead of fighting over the same piece of pie, what if we work to make the pie bigger? Operate from a mindset of abundance, not scarcity.

1. Be HelpfulWe live is a self-centered society where the value of relationships is too often measured by what you stand to gain. Instead, look for opportunities to bring value to others, even if you perceive yourself as the small fish in the interaction.

1. Be ConsistentAlthough Katt Williams is a successful comedian, his challenges with substance abuse and run-ins with the law may have cost him and those in his camp opportunities granted to peers who could be considered less talented. Even if you're well-liked, being perceived as flaky or unreliable is a significant liability. If you're a people pleaser, saying no may be difficult, but it's more beneficial to your relationship in the long run. It's better to say no than to say yes and fail to deliver.

Likability isn't about being the funniest or most intriguing person in the room. It's about genuinely caring about people – and acting in a way that demonstrates it at every opportunity.

What tips would you add to the list? Leave a comment below.

Tired of being the underdog?Get off the ropes and win being you!

In this motivational personal strategy guide, Life and Business Coach Isha Cogborn will show you how to:

• Create an aggressive, yet realistic plan to fulfill your purpose and leave your mark on the world.
• Use your talents, abilities, passions and experiences to have more fun and make a bigger impact in your career, business and even volunteer efforts.
• Defeat a lack of confidence, fear and bad habits standing between you and your success.

About the Show

After making beaded bracelets as an Autism Walk fundraiser for her niece, SaRatta Reeves Murphy stumbled upon an idea that would grow into a lucrative jewelry business with worldwide sales.

But it wasn't as easy as making pretty products. In this conversation, SaRatta talks about how she learned everything she could about the industry and how to run a business.

I've been coaching early-stage entrepreneurs for nearly a decade, and one thing I've found is that people tend to rest on one extreme or the other – you're either a meticulous planner who needs a 20-page strategy, 5 checklists, timelines and a Six Sigma project before you make a decision, or you get an idea tonight and you've invested your life savings into launching it tomorrow.

Okay, everybody is not THAT extreme, but you get my point. In this episode, SaRatta talks about how she didn't start with a 20-page business plan, but spent time learning about her industry, how to market, coming trends, and built and continues to evolve accordingly.

This is especially critical for people who are starting a business based on something you love to do, like cooking or speaking. It is absolutely CRITICAL that you don't coast on passion alone. If you're going to get out of hustle mode and build a viable business, you have to learn about business. Period.

SaRatta also talks about learning to hire and outsource early. You may think you can't afford to get help, but at some point, you can't afford not to.

Our Guest

Reeves Murphy is a wife, dog mom, and CEO of expressions bracelets, an online hand-crafted jewelry company with products in 30+ stores worldwide and available on three different websites. SaRatta donates a portion of each sale to creating bracelets to raise Autism Awareness.

SaRatta began her career as a national spokesmodel for various corporate clients to include Toyota where she was a part of the The Live Your Life Tour with Oprah Winfrey. She quickly realized her passion for entertaining audiences and became a corporate trainer for Verizon Wireless and MillerCoors. This soon led to her traveling the country as a speaker and trainer for Monster.com'sMaking It Count Programs.

SaRatta has traveled to over 41 states presenting programs to individuals from high school students to career professionals on a variety of subjects including, career development, branding, entrepreneurship, financial literacy and personal development.

Topics Discussed

• Moving beyond the startup hustle to a sustainable work schedule.
• Research, trendspotting and knowing how to position yourself within your industry.
• Outsourcing, hiring good employees and building a structure so your business can run without you.
• Why your family and friends aren't your customers.
• Managing multiple brands.
• The costly lesson she learned in business.
• The two important relationships you need to succeed.

People & Things Mentioned During the Show

• expressions bracelets
• SaRatta Speaks on Facebook
• The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss
• 5 Rules to Win Being You by Isha Cogborn

Watch SaRatta and her niece, Storm on Good Morning Texas

Our Guest Kenji Jasper is an author, dramatic writer, consultant, and producer with more than 20 years of experience in communications. A veteran entertainment journalist, he published his first novel, Dark at 25 – a Washington Post and Los Angeles Times best seller. Kenji's fifth novel, Nostrand Avenue, an Afrofuturistic sci-fi crime story, was just released. Kenji has written for Essence, VIBE, Ozy.com and National Public Radio and was a 2018 nominee for "Best Short Story" by the Mystery Writers of America. About Nostrand Avenue Kango Watts is the man with the plan. If you know how to find him in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, then you know how to execute the perfect crime. He doesn't make mistakes. But he does make enemies. When the plan to intimidate a local crime lord goes wrong, Kango finds himself on the run from faceless men and on a 15-year journey that takes him from the streets of Brooklyn, to Washington, DC to London and beyond. Nostrand Avenue is a tale of self-discovery that takes a single man through the worlds of yoga, nightlife, African mysticism and erotic interludes accented by bullets, explosions and mind over matter on the streets of Black America. Our listeners can get an autographed copy of Nostrand Avenue here. Topics Discussed

• African American representation in entertainment
• The Black Nerd movement
• Writing a best-selling novel
• The importance of maintaining your network
• Personal branding
• Making life decisions in alignment with your dreams

Books by Kenji Jasper

• New release: Nostrand Avenue
• Washington Post & Los Angeles Times best-seller:Dark

Follow Kenji Jasper on Twitter People & Things Mentioned During the Show Filmmakers, writers and producers blazing new trails in black representation on the big screen:

• Ava DuVernay
• Mara Brock Akil & Salim Akil
• Issa Rae
• Numa Perrier
• Dennis Dortch

African-American Authors Mentioned:

• Terry MacMillan
• Connie Briscoe
• Terrie M. Williams

Read full show transcript

About the Show

Why do so many business owners have hang-ups when it comes to money? From anxiety about asking for the sale to not charging what we're worth, overcoming this hurdle can make all the difference when it comes to the stability, growth and success of your business.

Our Guest

Dr. Nadia Brown is an authentic, bold champion for women business leaders. She is the founder of Doyenne Leadership Institute, LLC. Through her workshops, intensives, and retreats, she helps women break through the glass ceilings they encounter in business by helping them build profitable and sustainable businesses. When it comes to sales, women come to her timid and shaky about going after the money – they leave her strategic, strong, emboldened and most importantly, paid. Dr. Nadia has helped her clients generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales and has been featured in publications such as Black Enterprise Magazine and The Huffington Post. She is the author of Leading Like a Lady: How to Shatter Your Inner Glass Ceiling and lives with her husband Toby in Phoenix, AZ. To learn more, visit www.doyenneleadership.com.

Topics Discussed

• How running from a bad situation can be motivation to find your purpose
• Venturing into the unknown and building something from nothing
• Overcoming sales anxiety and charging what you're worth
• Finding your lane and avoiding the temptation to try to "do it all"

Read Episode Transcript Connect with Dr. Nadia Brown

Visit Doyenne Online Connect with Dr. Nadia on Facebook Watch Dr. Nadia on YouTube Follow Dr. Nadia on Instagram

Books by Dr. Nadia Brown Leading Like a Lady: How to Shatter Your Inner Glass Ceiling Selling Like a Lady: Courage Diary

About the Show

Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart, but the right mindset can make the difference between succeeding and quitting in business. Mark "The Speaker Man" Wiggins talks about his success and failure in franchising, his unrelenting ability to not quit and how to avoid envying other's success. Connect with Mark on Twitter at @speakerman87.

Listener Bonus! To get a free audio version of his book Permission to Succeed, text the word "Speakerman" to 90210. Our Guest

Coined by clients as an outstanding entrepreneur with the uncanny ability to ignite passion and to motivate others, Mark "The Speaker Man" Wiggins is an accomplished, author of several books, including Permission to Succeed: The Only Person Who Can Give it is You, and Success Does Not Need a Co-signer. He is an international motivational speaker, trainer, facilitator and coach. With more than 25 years of experience in the corporate and communications industries, Mark is a driving force in helping youth, athletes, corporate organizations, and individuals, move from the bench to the starting line up in life.

Topics Discussed

• How he wasn't the best or most qualified, but carved out a successful career as an entrepreneur
• How to stay motivated (not the answer you'd expect)
• Why franchising can be a great way to start your business
• Why entrepreneurship IS NOT for everyone

People & Things Mentioned During the Show

• Student Success Expert Arel Moodie
• Saratta Reeves, owner of Saratta Speaks and Expressions Bracelets

Connect with Mark Wiggins

Listen to Mark's podcast: Off the Bench with Mark Wiggins Follow Mark on Twitter Connect with Mark on Facebook Watch Mark on YouTube Connect with Mark on Instagram Check out Books by Mark Wiggins

READ EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

Show Description:

20+ year PR Veteran Pam Perry talks about how to change the way you do business as the world around you changes, shortening your learning curve and aligning your work to what you love.

Our Guest

Pam Perry is a social media strategist and PR coach that has been in the public relations game for more than 20 years as the founder of Pam Perry PR and her former company, Ministry Marketing Solutions. Pam helps authors, speakers, thought leaders, nonprofits and brands use the latest social media and PR strategies to reach their goals and shine like a superstar online. Pam's resume includes producing for Christian Television Network and promoting books for globally-recognized spiritual leaders like Bishop T. D. Jakes and Dr. Cindy Trimm. In this episode, Pam talks about:

• How she unknowingly became a pioneer in the work from home movement
• Changing the way you do business as the world around you changes
• Why working harder isn't always the answer
• Encore careers and overcoming fear of technology
• How to keep your weaknesses from slowing you down

Plus, she'll share the biggest mistake she made in business and how you can avoid it.

Mentioned During the Show

• Resources
  • Meetup: A platform to find or create face-to-face gatherings of people based on similar interests. Meetup.com
  • Fiverr– Get graphic design, photo editing, animation, audio file cleanup and editing, voiceovers and just about any service you can think of from freelancers starting at $5.
  • Anchor– Podcast directly from an app on your phone.
  • Evernote – Organize personal and professional projects online. Upload and organize articles, photos, files, voice memos, etc.
  • Dropbox– Secure online file sharing and storage.
• Three Books on Launching:
  • Launch: An Internet Millionaire's Secret Formula To Sell Almost Anything Online, Build A Business You Love, And Live The Life Of Your Dreams by Jeff Walker Get it on Amazon
  • Launch!: The Critical 90 Days from Idea to Market by Scott Duffy – Get it on Amazon
  • Launch: How to Quickly Propel Your Business Beyond the Competition by Michael Stelzner – Get it on Amazon
• Isha's Book
  • Five Rules to Win Being You by Isha Cogborn – Get it on Amazon

Connect with Pam:

• PamPerryPR.com
• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn

Read Show Episode Transcript