Reinvention Road Trip

Amy Hilliard, author of "Pivot for Success," has been an entrepreneur since she was a young girl in Detroit selling handmade rose water and promoting her babysitting business. Amy carried that determination with her throughout her life making her an expert in reinvention. 
 
A proven thought-leader on entrepreneurship, empowerment and marketing, Amy has been profiled in Fortune, Success, Entrepreneur, CNN, Black Enterprise, Essence, Ebony and NPR.  An international speaker, she is also the author of “TAP INTO YOUR JUICE -- Find Your Gifts, Lose Your Fears and Build Your Dreams” – endorsed by First Lady Michelle Obama. 

What makes Amy even more special is her willingness to tell the story behind the story and that includes times she’s been laid off, foreclosed on, divorced and how she reinvented herself through those challenges. Amy’s story is one of true grit that I’m confident will inspire you to keep going and reinvent yourself too.

Learn more about Amy: https://amyshilliard.com/

Meet Katherine Williford, our friend and the founder of the sustainable fashion brand Pamut Apparel. From her childhood experiences to moving to Budapest for love, hear Kat's Reinvention story and how it led her to build her own ethical, profitable fashion brand here in Raleigh, NC. Spoiler alert, this girl is a cliff jumper and credits her growth to getting uncomfortable over and over again until she had completely reinvented herself. 

From fourth grade teacher to co-founder of one of the fastest growing furniture manufacturers in the nation!  Hannah Fussell is creative, complex and curious like most of us, and she’s turned each of those assets into business magic as co-founder and Chief Creative Officer at Nugget Comfort - home of the Nugget play couch. Hear Hannah Fussell reveal her challenges with self-doubt and offer us tips for a more integrated work/life routine.  Oh, and make sure you listen all the way to the end to hear Hannah reveal her “Two Truths and a Lie.”

Welcome back, friends! Today,  we’re going to dive a little deeper and explore some new territory on our Comfort Cliff.  If you’ve never reflected on your crucible moments…today is the day! 

We’ll spend time in our Empowerment Zone learning what Crucible Moments are and how they impact our growth and reinvention journey. 

Here’s how I define your Crucible moments.  It’s the heat, baby! The pressure that you feel during key moments of your life. It’s the dangerous fire and the gorgeous risk.  The conditions under which we are forced to withstand an extreme test. It’s in these moments that something new, precious and more valuable has the potential to be created.  

So if you’re ready…let’s jump right in.

"No.  This is not my husband's company...I built it from the ground up!"

In this episode of the Reinvention Road Trip podcast,  you'll meet my friend Shelley McPhatter,  founder and CEO of Bridgeport Construction a multimillion dollar construction firm in Durham, NC.   She's a mom of three with an ocean engineering degree and a new found love for investing.  On all accounts, she defied convention and waded through self-doubt to jump off her comfort cliff into a male dominated industry.   

Shelley successfully scaled her company to over 20 employees and 25 Million dollars in annual revenue in seven years, and earlier this month, she was inducted into the NC Women Business Owner's Hall of Fame.   Ya'll,  the kicker in all this...she's in her 40's! 

If you need a boost of "girl power" and a reminder of what we can do as women, you'll get it in this episode.  Shelley takes us behind the scenes and tells us how she navigated the messy middle - reinventing herself time and time again! 

Do you do what you say you're going to do? That's what we're going to talk about today, the power of follow through and accountability through your say:do ratio. This little idea has a huge impact on how others experience you in work and life. And until recently, like I said, it was kind of my Achilles heel. 

Are you ready to take the Leap?!  Yes!  No.  Not sure?  Luckily, there is no wrong answer.

Depending on where you are  on your Comfort Cliff is how you'll decide when to jump.  Discover the three zones that guide our journey and move us closer to the Growing Edge! 

"Life is often a battle between the person you are today and the person you’re meant to become." Deep down you know you are meant for more.  In this season, we'll explore the powerful stories of women who have moved through their Empowerment Zones.  They will share the messiness before they got to the Growing Edge and decided to leap!  

www.jesaverhart.com
@jesaverhart

Welcome to the Reinvention Road Trip with Jes Averhart!  Jes is obsessed with the Road to REINVENTION.  As a Mom, Storyteller, 4th Generation Entrepreneur and member of a Badass Girl Tribe – she uses her flaws and lessons to fuel each incredible life chapter!

Have you been Soul Searching these days?  Daydreaming about what your life could look like if only you could just (fill in the blank)?   Take comfort my friends, you're not alone. 

These days people are taking stock of who they are, how they are contributing to the world around them and wondering if...there's more.  So many of us are dusting off our dreams and wondering...is now the right time to pursue them? 

Before you dig in, you better know what's in front of you.  When you walk in to this new space there will be roadblocks.  The key is knowing 1.) that they exist 2.) how to navigate them with confidence. 

Step into the New You with your eyes wide open. You deserve to CRUSH your reinvention story!   In this first episode, we'll set the stage for the 6 most common roadblocks you'll encounter and tips to build the right foundation.

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Reinvention Roadblocks

0:06 - Podcast Introduction

0:49 - Episode Introduction

1:54 - Six Reinvention Roadblocks

2:28 - A Fixed Mindset

4:19 - Fear Factor

5:15 - Fear Exercise

6:56 - Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)

7:45 - Sacrifice

8:49 - Statistics

10:54 - Fraud-Zilla (Imposter Syndrome)

14:46 - Being Frozen

15:30 - Core Value Asset Mapping

17:09 - Being Flywheel-LESS

18:07 - Do the Next Right Thing

20:27 - Closing

21:46 Outro 

If you would like more information, you can find all things reinvention at JesAverhart.com where you can join the Reinvention Road Trip. You can also find a link to the Impostor Syndrome Podcast episode there for more information.

WELCOME TO REINVENTION ROAD TRIP

Let’s get a little crazy shall we… LET’S STOP TALKING ABOUT THE NEW NORMAL FOR A SECOND….!

I have a proposal…is it possible that this disruptive time we’re all going through in our world is screaming out for a reinvention!!!  I say yes and am here for it….I vote for a reinvention – we need a reinvention in our communities, our leadership, work environments and especially for our selves!  Why not use this moment in time as a reason to evaluate, audit and self-reflect.  I mean, it’s not every day that the world tilts  on it’s axis and says, “hey! there really are no boundaries on how you design your life.” And its not everyday that the world changes so drastically that a reinvention might not be a luxury but a necessity!   So, instead of a new normal…how about a New YOU!  

So…who am I?  Well, you probably heard in the intro that I'm a Midwestern girl!  I'm also a CEO, fourth generation entrepreneur, podcaster (thank you for listening), storyteller and mom of a 6’ 5” teenage boy and 1’ 11’ bulldog named Roscoe and over the last 20 plus years, I've worked with a portfolio of Fortune 500 companies like Google, GE, Pepsi Co North America, Procter and Gamble, The Bengals, Browns and Cavaliers… as well as high-impact public sector organizations.  Each step along the way, I’ve learned, practiced and taught the art of Transformational Leadership, Self-Discovery and now Reinvention.  My hope is that this podcast will inspire and drive you into action to take the journey!  I want you to set out and discover the BEST Version of you.   

First Things First…#1 Do you know what your superpowers are?   
These are your Core competencies – YOUR Secret Sauce… 

#2 Know your Superstars.  Everybody’s got their superstars or Reinvention Crew – the ones that cheer you on, offer you sound advice and believe in YOU…better yet, they SEE YOU…they know your superpowers and see them as a force for good!  

Now, it’s not just about knowing them…it’s about engaging these incredible humans. 

#3 Know what’s Supernatural. 

So…This is your third exercise. 

Take out a piece of paper get ready to access your supernatural.  Your core values!  On my website at www.jesaverhart.com I have a FREE Download and video that helps you categorize your values and bring them into focus. 

Welcome to Reinvention

0:02 - Introduction Quotation

0:18 - Podcast Introduction

1:04 - Episode Introduction

2:27 - Reinvention Definition

4:15 - Jes Introduces Herself

5:00 - Hopes & Expectations for the Podcast

6:39 - Disclaimer/Clarification on Experiences Shared

8:32 - Step 1 of Reinvention: Identifying what your superpowers are

9:40 - When you are at your best, what do people see?

10:31 - Perspective Exercise

11:02 - When all else fails, ask others.

11:37 - Step 2 of Reinvention - Know Your Superstars

12:46 - How Superstars Act

13:23 - Jes’ Superstar Encounter

15:00 - Who are NOT Superstars

16:04 - Step 3 of Reinvention - Know What’s Supernatural (Core Values)

16:32 - Jes’ First Job

19:30 - Value Sort

20:39 - Closing

21:25 Outro 

You can find the core values worksheet and video, along with all things reinvention at JesAverhart.com where you can join the Reinvention Road Trip.

Mentioned in this episode: 

Retired Colonel Joseph N. LeBoeuf at Duke FuQua School of Business

"The people who are closest to you are often incredibly uncomfortable with your reinvention."

Whew....isn't that the truth.  Melissa Sheets, Photographer & Creative Specialist at Kidbox.com shares how she made tough but thoughtful decisions leading to a life she could only imagine.  After returning from Haiti, she found seclusion on a local farm that provided her time to reflect on her marriage and career.  The clarity that she gained, gave her the confidence to explore the next best version of herself as a mom, partner, entrepreneur and world citizen.

It can be hard for the people around you to accept the idea that you are in a season of growth and change.  The challenge is to take care of yourself and love people along the way without taking your eye off your destination.

Reinvention Road Trip Newsletter at: https://www.jesaverhart.com

Interview with Melissa Sheets

0:00 - Intro Quote

0:39 - Podcast Introduction

1:12 - Episode Introduction

2:30 - Guest Introduction

3:30 - Guest Bio

5:21 - Melissa’s Crumbling Moment

8:33 - The Seeking of More

11:21 - The Awakening

13:29 - Divorce & Reinvention

15:39 - “You’ll never make it on your own”

16:36 - The Void of Divorce

19:37 - Two Truths and a Lie

20:21 - Truth - Don’t Like to Be Alone, But Needed to Be Alone

22:24 - Truth - The People Closest to You May Not Support Your Reinvention.

24:12 - Being Still in the Midst of Chaos

25:35 - Lie - “I need to have perfection to be worthy”

27:06 - Updates & Takeaways

27:35 - Personal Update “Five Years Later…”

30:11 - Takeaway - “We are only stuck because we allow ourselves to be stuck…” 

32:10 Outro 

We would like to give our thanks to Melissa Sheets for participating in Today’s Episode.

Melissa Sheets is Creative Director at Kidbox

If you would like more information, you can find all things reinvention at JesAverhart.com where you can join the Reinvention Road Trip.