Small Stage, Big Impact

Does writing thank-you notes seem like a waste of time in today's rapidly changing world?

What if doing so could help you become more resilient and successful?

In today's episode, we'll hear from author and speaker, Elena Anguita, about her movement, Spread Thanks. This simple practice encourages people to spread gratitude by writing and sending daily thank-you notes. With just 10 minutes a day, you can transform your life.

Elena has personally sent a thank-you note every day for the past five years. It has taken some creativity, but Elena found that:

"Being in a state of gratitude then attracted a reason to be grateful."

It's a self-perpetuating cycle.

Elena always struggled with practicing mindfulness despite knowing how beneficial it could be. By writing a thank-you note a day, she accidentally started using it! She also experiences benefits and "daily miracles" she never anticipated.

It's no secret that we are all trying to maintain balance in unprecedented times. Often, we're trying to care for ourselves and others while having to be physically distant from our support network.

The Spread Thanks movement provides a surprising solution.

We may have to be socially distant, but we can still focus on building connections.

We do that by intentionally changing our perspectives.

In Episode 25, Elena states, "People are there to make your life easier." What a life-altering perspective! Now more than ever, we should focus on what and who we have to be grateful for.

Learn how to transform your life by spreading thanks in today's episode.

• [3:47] What the Spread Thanks movement is all about
• [5:39] How this practice impacts your life in unexpected ways
• [9:10] How intentional gratitude changes your perspective about life and other people
• [16:17] How this gratitude practice is different than others and makes a bigger impact
• [21:38] How to "inoculate" yourself against the hard things in life
• [23:34] How to implement this practice in your daily life in just 10 minutes a day
• [26:13] Tips on coming up with thank you note recipients and why it's important to get creative
• [29:26] How journaling helps you maximize the benefits of spreading thanks
• [31:13] How intentional gratitude can help anyone practice mindfulness even when they've struggled to before

• Learn more about the Spread Thanks movement.
• Look for Elena's book, Spread Thanks: Create Miracles Through the Power of Ink.
• Follow Elena on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Prioritizing employee emotional safety should be at the forefront for all business leaders. Employees need to feel cared for and safe.

In this episode, I spoke with Lorraine Lane. Lorraine is the founder of Lane Business Consulting. She discussed how leaders can care for employees during "the new normal" that we're facing.

She explores how she became an expert in teaching others to lead. Lorraine goes over how remote working changes the way you lead and teach others to lead.

In most lines of work, everything isn't an emergency. Employees must be fully aware of that.

We talk about paying close attention to the words you use when communicating. She gives insight into leading remotely when employees still have to go into work.

Lorraine divulges so much wisdom from her career as a business consultant. If you've been struggling to lead your team during this time, this is the episode for you.

• [4:13] How Lorraine became an expert in teaching people how to lead
• [8:32] How she and her team fixed the career trajectory options for individuals at her organization (and the retention rate)
• [10:22] Why moving technical employees into management isn't always the right decision
• [12:57] Why backing off of leadership training and mentorship during the pandemic is a bad idea
• [14:31] How working remotely changes the way you have to teach people to lead
• [17:34] Red flags to be on the lookout for as a leader to safeguard your employees
• [21:21] How we're behind the curve in asking employees what they need to be productive
• [23:19] Why you need to pay attention to the words you use in your communication
• [26:47] Ground rules to have in place and the importance of giving people space to respond
• [30:04] Why you have to identify what's critical and what can wait
• [32:46] How you lead differently while employees aren't able to work remotely and face a certain level of hazard
• [35:04] Her thoughts on how companies can preserve company culture while working from home
• [36:48] What leaders can do if they're struggling under the current circumstances
• [39:56] How you should take the time to enjoy the benefits of working from home

• Business-Building Referrals: Play Your A-Game and Become a Networking SSuper Staruper Star
• Join us for our live Q & A call on July 2
• Connect with Lorraine:
• • Learn more about her company Lane Business Consulting: https://lanebc.com/
  • Email Lorraine: [email protected]

What is "the new normal" when it comes to your business strategy? As millions of people are heading back to work every day, keeping them safe is an essential consideration.

Now more than ever, you need to consider how you're protecting employees. What are you doing to cultivate a culture of safety in the workplace? If you haven't thought about it yet, now is the time.

To help you better understand workplace safety, I brought on Dave White. Dave is the co-owner and CFO of Quad City Safety, a midwestern based distributor of PPE and other safety equipment.

Dave speaks candidly on empowering employees to be safe.

He talks about why your people and their safety should be a top priority.

He shares how you can hone in on being a thought leader for your customers. A big way to do this is by giving them direction. You want to offer them clear safety guidelines as they begin to re-enter retail spaces.

This episode has a wealth of impactful tips so be sure to take notes!

• [4:47] What it's been like to figure out how to manage safety during the Covid pandemic
• [8:43] The things you need to be aware of when providing protection for your employees
• [13:47] Why it's crucial to be a thought leader for your customers and give them direction for safety guidelines
• [15:14] What it means to create a culture of safety and how to start the process of creating it
• [22:20] How focusing on people and profit can have the same end goal
• [24:27] The tension between existential and long-term protection strategies
• [28:25] How to empower your employees to be safe
• [34:01] The argument that people have for investing in safety and the ROI of protecting your employees
• [38:27] Where to get help if you're unsure of what the right protection is for your employees
• [41:26] How your employees really want to know someone is looking out for their best interest
• [43:29] What Dave hopes you'll take away from his advice
• [47:12] How to know if a supplier you're looking at is apart of a safety network

• Safety Network
• Connect with Dave:
• • Learn more about Dave's company Quad City Safety: https://www.quadcitysafety.com/
  • Get pandemic safety solutions for your workplace: https://www.quadcitysafety.com/pandemic-solutions

It's not a reaction to Covid, but instead a time to reflect on how you can get realigned with your goals.

In this episode, we're kicking off our discussion of Care, the first of the 3 C's for realigning your business strategy.

We're going to chat about the 3 types of caring to consider when rearranging the rest of 2020:

• Self-care
• Employee care
• Customer care.

Why does caring come first? I'll uncover that on this episode along with how it will help you to be fluid and move quickly in this different landscape. You'll see how caring will guide you to the place that you want to be and down the path you want to go.

Take notes and stick around to the end to hear a special bonus about community care!

• [4:11] The 3 types of fo care to consider for rearranging the rest of 2020
• [4:38] Why you need to put self-care first, especially at this moment
• [5:52] What self-care means to me
• [6:36] The big 5 parts of self-care you can use to reset yourself
• [12:46] Sharing what you're doing to take care of yourself
• [13:20] What you can do to cultivate employee care
• [15:36] Two upcoming guests who are going to get real about physical and emotionally safe
• [17:57] Why you want to over-communicate and demonstrate empathy with your customers
• [19:25] Using these 3 areas to think about what you're doing, what you should be doing differently and what you want to do for the rest of 2020 to get where you want
• [22:56] The bonus care area that you can think about if you have the first three implemented

• E6: Managing Your Energy & Mojo with Lori Bainum - Part 1
• E7: Managing Your Energy & Mojo with Lori Bainum - Part 2

For our fifth year of summer strategy sessions, we've made the choice to bring them online. They will be on the podcast and free to our entire community.

The world that we're living in is unlike anything we've dealt with before. That's why I chose to do this. I want to help you navigate the waters of doing business during and after this new sort of normal we're living through.

Inside this episode, you'll learn my 3 C's of doing business right now.

You could call this the summer of Covid, but I feel like it's so much more than that. It's an opportunity for us to reimagine how our businesses operate, communicate, lead, and thrive.

In this episode, I chat about how you can structure your focus in three key areas: Care, courage and creativity. This framework is helping me (and my clients) right now to make the best of 2020 and create the year you need.

• [3:06] How we're doing summer strategy sessions differently this year
• [6:03] Why the halfway point of the year is a time to reflect and get real
• [9:13] How my 2020 has been up to this point
• [11:27] The biggest changes this year for a lot of businesses
• [13:47] Giving yourself time and space to grieve for the things you've lost this year
• [14:33] What things have remained the same for businesses over the course of the year
• [17:35] The beauty, generosity and values I've seen businesses uphold during this time
• [19:46] The 3 C's of the summer of COVID and what they mean to me
• [19:54] What care means to me and what it looks like for your business
• [21:33] Why now is the time that we're being called to courage
• [23:55] The magic that can be produced from creativity

• Strategic Sessions
• Rachel Cargle
• Trudi Lebron
• E19: Business Remixed with Trudi Lebron
• That's Not How That Works Podcast
• Business Remixed w/ Trudi Lebron

Even if you have a business that, like mine, that is 100% virtual. You can make an impact by rooting your business in a specific place. This gives your business the energy to thrive and make a lasting impression. In this episode, I am discussing why I hold this belief and how it holds true even in times of crisis.

I explore some of the messages from this season that left a lasting impression on my life.

You'll hear my moments of reflection on how proud I am of this season of the podcast. I express my gratitude for you and give you a sneak peek at what's to come in season 3 which will be airing June 4, 2020.

• [2:19] How I'm holding up at this point in the pandemic
• [4:32] Why I'm ending the podcast earlier than intended this season for myself and my team
• [5:43] Expressing gratitude to listeners for being around
• [6:57] The importance of Elizabeth's message this season about living embodied
• [7:51] How Christina is always there for Renia to help her with movement
• [8:41] Acknowledging that my guests and I are incredibly privileged especially during this time
• [11:20] Feeling proud about what I've put together this season with amazing guests
• [12:34] How important the deep roots within community is
• [12:49] What is coming in Season 3 of the podcast

• E14: Embodiment in Difficult Times with Elizabeth DiAlto
• E18: Running A Yoga Studio Business During Social Distancing with Christina Muro (Community Business Spotlight)
• Truth Telling with Elizabeth DiAlto

If you haven't asked yourself these questions, today's episode is for you. We will be diving into how you can get your values to align with your business and most importantly, how you show up. We will explore how you can create more diversity and inclusion for people of all races, sexual orientations, and genders.

I wanted to have someone on that is helping lead the way in this line of work. That's why I had this conversation with Trudi Lebron. Trudi is helping companies through coaching and consulting to create social impact initiatives.

She shares her own lived experiences in this episode. We dive deep into using your values as driving forces to guide you in business. Trudi and I talk about the power that comes from working with diverse teams.

We talk about how her temperament led her to this business venture. She explains how business is a vehicle that can change people's lives.

This episode could be a catalyst for impactful change within your business. Make sure to pay close attention to all the wisdom shared by Trudi.

• [3:23] Trudi's backstory of how she got into this line of work
• [6:43] Why she decided to major in theatre in college
• [9:47] What made Trudi decide to start a business
• [12:32] Her experience of working in a non-profit and noticing all of the inefficient systems
• [15:54] Why you need to tell people the unglamorous side of the story
• [18:27] Getting rid of the mentality that everything has to be perfect
• [22:18] Why Trudi felt compelled to work within equity, inclusion, diversity through coaching and consulting
• [25:02] Her memory of seeing how people were treated based on how they looked
• [25:41] Her experience of being stereotyped by a social worker
• [27:54] How her temperament played a role in her choosing her career path
• [30:45] Trudi's goal for her work and the impact it will have on people
• [31:55] How business is a vehicle to help change people's life and work as an extension of your values
• [34:13] Taking the things that you believe in and linking them to behaviors, practices and policies in your business
• [39:22] Trudi's thoughts on how diversity in communities has changed since the 80s and 90s
• [40:48] The benefits that come from diversity within communities
• [45:43] Trudi's advice for someone who is ready to do this work
• [48:32] Where you can start to learn more about diversity, inclusion, and equity
• [52:12] How your intentions and your impact might not align cohesively

• White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism
• How to Be an Antiracist
• Values-Driven Leadership w/ ConvertKit's COO Barrett Brooks
• Connect with Trudi:
• • Listen to her podcast, That's Not How That Works
  • Listen to her podcast, Business Remixed
  • Follow Trudi on Instagram
  • Learn more about Trudi on her website

Running a business during these unprecedented times can be hard. You might even have to make decisions and pivot faster than you otherwise would.

Christina Muro has discovered that sometimes it takes adversity to push you. She realized that now was the time to finally offer online classes.

This was a plan of hers that she had thought of for further along in her business. Until it was recently brought to the surface with the current circumstances of our world. In this episode, I had on Christina to talk about this process.

She had to adapt abruptly. Christina needed to learn how to use new software. She even enlisted the help of her daughter to bring her classes online.

Christina gives us the details on what brought her to start a yoga studio. She discusses the mindset shifts she had to overcome when transitioning classes online.

We talk about getting into entrepreneurship while still working in a corporate job. You'll find her advice about this to be very refreshing. Make sure to pay close attention to her advice about diversifying your revenue. You'll enjoy the takeaways from this episode about looking at this time at home as an opportunity.

• [4:11] How Christina transitioned from sales into running a yoga studio
• [8:32] Learning to shut off her mind and enjoy the restorative practice of yoga
• [9:44] Her experience of closing her shop due to the pandemic
• [11:30] What it was like moving her yoga practice online and what mindset shifts she overcame
• [13:58] How she's developing a sense of community for her online yoga classes
• [19:15] What she's discovered after bringing her yoga classes online
• [19:47] What she used to start creating videos for her online yoga classes
• [25:11] How the current times pushed her to launch in a quick, timely manner to connect with her people
• [27:23] Why you shouldn't launch online if that's not apart of your long-term business plan
• [31:45] Remembering that you're human and you can take breaks when needed
• [35:34] The mishaps that come with teaching yoga classes online
• [39:30] How Christina got into sales after working in finance
• [42:03] What this situation has taught Christina about diversifying her revenue sources
• [43:50] Why Christina is thankful to still be at her corporate job while running her yoga studio
• [47:01] The sacrifices Christina made to be able to open her yoga studio
• [50:17] Creative ways to weather the storm and using this time as an opportunity to focus on what else you can do for your business

• The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It
• Connect with Christina:
• • Follow Yoga 4 Fitness on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yoga4fitnessstudio/
  • Learn more about Christina and Yoga 4 Fitness: https://www.yoga4fitness.com/

Something that I've learned is the power of hiring an online business manager. Someone who can examine your business and be a second set of eyes on your projects. That's why I brought on Stephanie Veraghen.

In this episode, you'll hear why a project manager could be exactly what you need to solve your frustrations. Overwhelmed with systems, production or even how team members interact with one another? She shares her advice for it all.

Stephanie brings knowledge from years of working with all types of businesses. She dives into what a standard operating procedure (SOP) is and why you need them!

We also talk about communication in remote teams. Stephanie shares a few of her favorite project management tools. Plus she explains why project management is an essential first step to take!

As we had this conversation, it sparked new ideas of things I can work on in my own business. Listen closely because Stephanie shares plenty of valuable tips for you.

• [4:34] How Stephanie became an expert in remote work
• [5:56] Her experience of creating structures and processes to help restaurants scale their businesses and how this shifted into digital projects
• [7:33] Systems you should have in place to ensure things run smoothly within your business
• [9:32] What project management is and why it's an important first step
• [10:30] How Stephanie helps client's figure out which project management tool to use
• [13:46] How Stephanie uses weekly calls to help clients rework their game plan and adjust their business
• [16:29] Why communication is critical for remote teams
• [19:08] What a SOP is and how to use them in your business to make things run more effectively
• [22:36] How she helps them implement SOPs after they've been created
• [23:41] What she's seen different businesses struggle with within their project management
• [26:38] Why a second set of eyes on you business can be helpful
• [28:13] Stephanie's process for working with new clients in their business
• [30:08] What a virtual assistant is and how they differ from what Stephanie does for her clients
• [34:40] Why you might want to consider hiring a contractor versus an employee
• [38:32] Small things that can become a big problem if employees leave and you don't have SOPs in place
• [40:48] Thinking about the things in your business that can be made into templates as issues come up
• [42:41] What Stephanie does as a business coach to help clients beyond project management

• Teamwork
• Asana
• Basecamp
• Trello
• Connect with Stephanie:
• • Follow Stephanie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanieveraghen
  • Learn more about Stephanie Veraghen: www.stephanieveraghen.com

What I've discovered, as I deal with this moment, is that micro-business still matters. Even, and maybe especially, in a global emergency.

With everything going on in our world, there's so much noise. Honestly, many previously trusted sources are not doing a great job providing us with usable information. Mainstream media tends to be more for entertainment and profit rather than help. That's why in this episode, I am sharing a few of the podcasters and experts I've been turning to during this time for a more thoughtful, measured level of care.

In this episode, I touched on a lot of different topics. The most important is this:

I talk about the problem with the payroll loan programs and how they do little to nothing to help micro-business owners, high-risk businesses like restaurants, and gig workers.

This week, we explore coping with stress and how we all need a little breathing space in the midst of chaos and how we can take the time to pattern correct ourselves to make decisions from a calm, grounded place.

• [3:03] The paradigm shift in how we think about the world and how many of us do business
• [4:20] Her first experiences with social distancing and seeing that play out amongst others
• [5:37] The strategies that Lourenia's family and business are using to cope with COVID-19
• [7:41] The podcasts that Renia's been relying on for accurate information
• [11:28] Who needs the most support right now (and is lacking the support that they need)
• [12:20] The problem with the payroll loans for micro-businesses
• [18:01] What you can do to help micro-businesses during this time
• [21:35] Why we should be demanding grant funding for micro-businesses and gig workers
• [22:07] Essential workers in trade industries that are still out working
• [24:32] How moms need help right now while trying to do all of the things
• [28:41] Renia's experience with over and under-functioning during this stressful time and how to know if you're doing it
• [34:02] How the death of an idea can bring on renewal and new life
• [35:37] How Renia's had to eat her words and amend the idea that there are no emergencies in marketing
• [39:00] Why now is probably not the moment to start a new business
• [43:10] Stopping long enough to take a deep breath

• • The Peter Attia Drive Podcast
  • Making Sense Podcast
  • Unlocking Us with Brené Brown
  • Last week's episode with Asia
  • Brené on Anxiety, Calm + Over/Under-Functioning
  • E14: Embodiment in Difficult Times with Elizabeth DiAlto