By Kim Wensel
The podcast currently has 119 episodes available.
After hitting record for over two years, I’ve decided to end this show. In this episode I’m joined live for a conversation on why I decided this, how I came to the decision, and what it’s taught me about how others react when hearing about big life and business decisions.
We talk about:
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Business growth can, at times, feel like you’re on a roller coaster — anticipating the unknown is scary and invigorating. Before you know it you’ve become addicted to the act of climbing and bottoming out — so addicted, in fact, that you feel you have to steer the cart at all times.
Aside from not being a very effective way to run a business, this makes stepping away and trusting a team quite difficult.
As my final interviewee, Karen Sergeant, helps us to understand how to prevent bottleneck behaviors and bridge the gap between good ideas and good execution. Working in the CIA, she cut her teeth in what she calls “the hardest parts of the world” and is using those skills to help small businesses. A pro at surfing ambiguity and uncertainty, Karen has great tips for delegation, creating systematic frameworks, and keeping business fun while also effective.
In this episode we talk about:
Earlecia Richelle never had a roadmap for her career. While fashion has always been her north star, it’s been integrated in her work in unexpected ways, taking her across the globe as a stylist, mixologist, and national brand ambassador.
On today’s episode Earlecia shares what top brands are doing well that corporate and personal brands skip over—connecting your brand to your consumer’s lifestyle, narrowing in, and creating an aspirational aesthetic.
With a personality as bold as her wardrobe (you must follow her on IG), Earlecia shares:
Be sure to sign up to attend the final podcast recording. Bring your questions and experiences moving through transitions and turning points.
All business owners reach a point where they want to pursue opportunities outside of their current focus. Sometimes that’s writing a book. For others it’s sharing their personal story.
So what happens when that desire looks different from the outside than what you’re doing right now? How do you convey all sides of who you are and what you do when these parts aren’t necessarily tied to your marketing goals?
My answer: personal branding.
In this episode I talk about,
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Those numbers on your balance sheet - they have no meaning. We’ve been conditioned to believe that growing our revenue is the goal. But what today’s guest, Josh Greenbaum, wants you to think about is why you’re growing in the first place.
Josh has been an Advisory CFO for over a decade and what he’ll willingly tell you is that his work isn’t always easy to grasp. Like many of us who use our training and experience in multi-dimensional roles, Josh has had to explain why his services are different from those you can get with a low monthly fee.
As we explore commoditization we talk about the human experience of what you sell. Once you can capture that in your messaging, it’s much easier to stand out.
In this episode we also cover,
Visit Pattern of Purpose for full show notes and links to resources mentioned on this episode.
I recently took a trip to Palm Springs for a photoshoot. This photoshoot was the big one—the one that would take down all photoshoots. So you can imagine my confusion, angst, and sadness when the results didn’t come back as imagined.
This episode is all about what it looks like to be in the middle of change. While everyone loves to say that change is messy, we rarely accept it as such. The desire to push through it and have it figured out is real. But what would happen if we can roll through these disappointments and setbacks rather than labeling them as a waste of time, money, and energy?
That’s the question I’m considering as I take the mic solo and unscripted in the midst of a season of great expectations.
We cheer for our healthcare heros. But do we actually understand what they’re going through?
Today’s guest, Dr. Hisla Bates, does. An Ivy-league trained, board certified psychiatrist, who also happened to have a career as a fashion designer, Dr. Bates coaches women physicians who are experiencing burnout.
Even if you’re not a healthcare professional, you probably understand the toll it can take when you wear busyness as a badge of honor. Dr. Bates brings a firsthand account of the fast-paced lifestyle we’re convinced we need and why normalizing stress is dangerous.
In this episode we cover:
This episode is dedicated to those of us who think we can (and should) do it all—as parents, partners, managers, and visionaries.
If you’re in business you’re in sales. And every salesperson has to expect negotiation.
When you’re in charge of making decisions you also have the freedom to name your price, availability, and timeline. This is great because as you evolve you can shift your prices, start a waiting list, and let a prospect know when you’re not a good fit.
And still there will always be someone who wants it all and wants it THEIR WAY.
Knowing what you can promise -- good, fast, or cheap -- (hint: it’s never all three) will help you navigate these conversations and uphold the boundaries you need to deliver your highest level of service.
Visit Pattern of Purpose for full show notes and links to resources mentioned on this episode.
We all know that social media isn’t everything—it’s a snapshot. Swap that out for newsletters, podcasts, or however you stay connected. We see flashes of success and think, “They’re killing it.”
Some of us are saddled with home responsibilities we’ve never had before — kids being at home 24/7, dishes and cleaning, schooling during the day and working until midnight. Others have had tremendous space to create as the world loosened up on its hurried expectations. But we’ve all experienced envy.
Despite what you’ve heard, envy isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In this episode I’m sharing:
How do you decide which pieces of your story to share and where to share them? How do you know when you’re even ready to do so?
Today’s guest, Shawnta Jackson, is a master at using storytelling to leave a lasting impression. No matter the arena, this successful leader, social entrepreneur, author, podcaster, and single mother commits to showing up as the highest expression of her authentic self. That kind of exposure isn’t easy; even a calculated risk comes with a high degree of anxiety. For Shawnta, however, the rewards of repeatedly stretching beyond her comfort zone - and modeling that lived experience for her audience - continues to inform her life choices.
Shawnta and I discuss leveraging our overlapping personal and professional identities, when appropriate, in the stories we share and journaling as a creative tool for self-assessment. We also talk about sorting through the shame that often keeps us from crafting more compelling narratives.
Please note: We discuss sensitive topics, including domestic abuse. Listen with caution and, if you need to step away, I’ll be back next week with a solo episode.
In this episode, we cover:
Visit Pattern of Purpose for full show notes and links to resources mentioned on this episode.
The podcast currently has 119 episodes available.