The Coaches Forum

Balancing our actions between seeming performative and not doing anything can be a hard line to walk.  Who do we look to for guidance in these instances, and how do we separate ourselves from the judgment of strangers?  Dallas Travers is the creator of The Hive - a business mentoring program that helps values-driven coaches build businesses they can be proud of.  Today we sit down and talk about these challenges and others like them, and being intentional in what we are creating.

Listen now to hear more about:

• The Slow burn vs Quick fix - Dallas’s ripple effect approach
• Normalizing the “roller-coaster”
• How George Floyd’s death changed her understanding of her role in DEI
• Importance of community and how social media has changed how we relate to each other
• Making the deepest impact with the skills and resources that you have
• How Dallas’s exchange program for coaches who serve a marginalized community works
• The thing that Dallas is most excited about going forward

And so much more!

Learn more about Dallas - https://dallastravers.com/ or on instagram https://www.instagram.com/DallasTraversBizMentor/

Check out my book -  The Antiracist Business Book: An Equity Centered Approach to Work, Wealth, and Leadership

Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trudilebron/

Do you have strong emotions about email marketing?  Most of us do, whether positive or negative. Do you sometimes wonder if email is still a fundamental part of the conversation (IT IS)?  There has been a strong cultural shift recently in where marketing and ethics intersect. Today I chat about this intersection with Tarzan Kay, a former copywriter-for-hire who specializes in emails that are fun to read, and more addictive than Netflix.  Join us as we dig in deep on persuasion as a social justice issue and the ins and outs of fitting marketing into your anti-racist business.  

Listen now to hear more about:

• The moment that led Tarzan to look closely at her own business practices
• How marketing can fall into an abuse of power narrative and what that looks like
• Where cults and online business can be similar, why they are not the same, and how to determine the difference 
• How cultural appropriation in marketing desensitizes us and creates dangerous patterns
• The importance of acknowledging unique challenges and differences in business instead of making presumptions
• Three things to look at for the future of equitable and effective marketing
• Trudi and Tarzan’s take on how often you should email your marketing list per week

And so much more!

For more information on subjects mentioned in this episode you can check out Janja Lalich’s work at https://janjalalich.com

Check out Tarzan at  https://www.instagram.com/tarzan_kay or on instagram @tarzan_kay

Check out my book -  The Antiracist Business Book: An Equity Centered Approach to Work, Wealth, and Leadership

Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trudilebron/

Y’ALL it’s been a while, but WE’RE BACK! We’ve been busy and I’m so jazzed to share what we’ve been up to! But sometimes finishing a big project or event can leave you feeling empty and drained. That’s where I found myself last year. So today I’m chatting about how to combat that burnout and how selfcare can look different for everyone, but is still critical for all. Let’s get into it!

Listen now to hear more about:

The time and energy that really goes into writing a book

Details from my wedding: fun facts, what traditions we kept and didn’t, and where I said YES to the dress! 

The thing that got me out of the post-book slump and inspired me to dig back in

How our personal values can help us stay grounded and connected but may differ from our business values

My new values list, the changes I made and why

A quick exercise you can do to check in with your values

And so much more!

Check out my book -  The Antiracist Business Book: An Equity Centered Approach to Work, Wealth, and Leadership

Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trudilebron/

Have you heard the news? We’ve launched The Institute for Equity-Centered Coaching® with a selection of equity certification programs to prepare leaders, entrepreneurs, and coaches to serve their clients no matter their identity. This work has been in progress for a long time, and we are excited to finally share it with y’all! 

Tune in to this special episode from one of our open house events to hear more about what The Institute for Equity-Centered Coaching is all about. We’re diving into why DEI and anti-racism work is the foundation for the institute, the core competencies you can expect to master in the programs, and how YOU can help transform the coaching industry by becoming a certified equitable coach or leader.

Listen now to hear more about:

• Why we created The Institute for Equity-Centered Coaching
• What it REALLY means to be a coach
• The selection of certifications being offered (depending on the needs of you & your biz)
• How to navigate between the roles & techniques of leadership and coaching
• The core competencies you can expect to master
• Why we wait to adopt new language related to DEI and anti-racism work
• How the certifications are responsive to ALL of the ways people are marginalized
• What to do if you want to know whether your business needs to step up it’s DEI and anti-racism practices
• The TOP BENEFITS of being a certified equitable leader or coach
• And so much more!

Short on time? Check out the show highlights:

[2:30] The context & foundation for the The Institute for Equity-Centered Coaching 

[6:00] What it REALLY means to be a coach

[10:40] Diving into the certification options

[18:40] Core competencies you can expect to master

[20:50] Q & A session with attendees

[36:40] The TOP BENEFITS of being certified by The Institute for Equity-Centered Coaching

Fill out an interest survey for the Institute for Equity-Centered Coaching® and Leadership here: www.trudilebron.com/application

Become a certified equitable coach or leader: https://www.trudilebron.com/institute

Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trudilebron/

Y’all, when I came across the Fuerte and Fearless clothing line, I fell in love with the brand, the message, AND the shirts! I HAD to know more about who was behind it all—and with a little investigating I connected with Fuerte and Fearless founder Jeanette Guardiola-Woods. She’s joining me this week to share about her passion—empowering people of color through fashion. Jeanette’s created a values-driven biz with a message that speaks for itself, embodying the authenticity of Latinx culture with shirt designs that transcend the expected. 

In this episode, Jeanette shares why she started Fuerte and Fearless, the importance of building her brand (and not just a t-shirt company), and her choice to let the brand speak for itself as she finds a balance between behind-the-scenes and front-and-center entrepreneurship. 

Listen now to hear more about:

• What Fuerte and Fearless REALLY means to Jeanette
• Capturing the aesthetic of her Puerto Rican/Cuban heritage to reach a larger Latinx audience
• Why she’s not worried about people using-and-abusing the brand’s social statements
• How to be an ally and interact with Fuerte and Fearless
• Practicing explicit inclusion to be clear & focused on your target customers
• The DISH on what’s next for the brand—plus, the #1 thing Jeanette’s looking forward to!
• Taking on the challenges (and finding balance) as Latinx entrepreneurs
• And so much more!

Short on time? Check out the show highlights:

[5:40] The inspiration behind the brand Fuerte and Fearless

[9:20] What Fuerte and Fearless REALLY means to Jeanette

[13:10] Tapping into her Puerto Rican/Cuban heritage for her designs

[20:45] Being an ally & interacting with the brand

[27:00] Focusing on your target audience through explicit inclusivity

[33:00] What’s next for Fuerte and Fearless

[35:50] Finding balance as Latinx entrepreneurs

Connect (and shop!) with Fuerte and Fearless:

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

Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/FuerteandFearless

Shop the website: www.fuerteandfearless.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/fuertefearless?lang=en

Become a certified equitable coach or leader: www.trudilebron.com/institute

Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trudilebron/

Do you know the difference between honoring a culture and appropriating it? Why is appropriation such a big deal? I’m diving into these questions with my friend, author and yoga unity activist Susanna Barkataki, whose work focuses on using spiritual & DEI tools to uplift the underrepresented. 

Susanna is shining a light on how the Western world is marginalizing yoga (because “Namastay in bed” is NOT okay!), and she's on a mission to bring yoga back to its roots by confronting the appropriation of its sacred culture. Her book “Embrace Yoga’s Roots: Courageous Ways to Deepen Your Yoga Practice” is just one way she’s taking on toxic yoga culture through education.

In this episode, Susanna is joining me to share the stories & context for why she is passionate about teaching yoga’s origins, how to be creative with your OWN culture for your biz brand, and what y'all can do to STOP appropriating and START appreciating other folks' traditions & cultures.

Listen now to hear more about:

• How Susanna is taking on the sea of whiteness in the yoga world
• Cultural appropriation as a door to systemic inequities
• The problems with glamorizing yoga
• How puns can escalate into exploitation of BIPOC
• What cultural appreciation ACTUALLY looks like (and what tools you need to be empowered to make the RIGHT choices)
• Why she’s bringing social justice & DEI into her yoga work
• Unpacking decolonization (and why it's NOT a metaphor)
• How words of social justice are co-opted and misused
• Susanna’s advice for being authentic, avoiding performative action, and aligning your values
• Why it’s EVERYBODY’S responsibility to live the practices of anti-racism and DEI 
• And so much more!

Short on time? Check out the show highlights:

[3:40] White supremacy in Western yoga spaces

[10:00] How words or jokes exploit cultures

[12:20] The glamorization of yoga

[18:10] Building a better business with your OWN culture

[20:30] What you can do to STOP appropriating and START appreciating cultures

[28:20] Unpacking decolonization

[35:00] Susanna’s advice for being authentic & real

[40:00] The collective responsibility to practice DEI & anti-racism

Connect with Susanna Barkataki!

Get her book or a FREE chapter of “Embrace Yoga’s Roots: Courageous Ways to Deepen Your Yoga Practice” here: http://embraceyogasrootsbook.com

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

India Aid Organizations: https://linktr.ee/susannabarkataki/

Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trudilebron/

There are many ways to create and run online businesses, but on today’s show I’m super excited to bring you a guest who has built his extremely successful business online in a unique way (and whose business helped me grow my own business from starting out as a struggling non-profit to now a 7-figure business with multiple team members!) Corbett Barr shares with us why you should focus on community and your audience first — before you focus on creating your product or offer — and how beneficial it can be for your business.

Corbett is the founder/CEO of Fizzle, which offers video training and community for digital creators and entrepreneurs. He has been self employed on the Internet since 2005, earning a living from blogging, podcasting, online courses, memberships, SaaS and more. Corbett recently completed a full digital reboot, deleting countless blog posts, social media posts and accounts, in order to refocus and reevaluate his digital self.

Listen now to hear more about:

• Why focusing on solving a problem for someone is KEY
• What it REALLY means to start a business
• The ONLY constant on the internet
• How to adapt to changes on the internet as you run your business
• Why Corbett closed almost all of his social media accounts (and still runs an extremely successful business without them!)
• His favorite alternatives for analytics to avoid feeding the Google Ads machine and support other small businesses
• The thing we need to get MOST comfortable with as entrepreneurs

Short on time? Check out the show highlights:

• [5:26] What inspired Corbett to create his business with such a unique model and use his “audience first” method
• [6:43] What “audience first” means and why it’s so beneficial for your business
• [12:30] The big shifts Corbett has seen in online business over the years
• [21:25] His thoughts on things like Google Analytics and the different choices he’s made for analytics and collecting data
• [27:35] How Fizzle evolved and how it helped me create and grow my business

Register for your spot in Show Up & Serve 2021: https://trudilebron.com/showup 

Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trudilebron/

Learn more about Corbett and Fizzle at: https://fizzle.co 

Leading through the lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion should be a top priority for every business owner. When your business practices are aligned with your values of DEI, you are letting your customers know that they are important and your business is accessible to all. I’m talking more about these ideas this week with beauty entrepreneur, podcaster, and DEI coach & consultant Erica Courdae. She is passionate about creating open spaces where leaders can learn to be true to who they are, own the changes they want to make, and pivot their mindset to create an inclusive, supportive, and value-aligned business culture that honors their clients. 

In this episode, Erica is diving deeper into what it means to ALWAYS do business through the lens of DEI. She’s sharing what she’s learned on her journey in multiple roles in the beauty industry, how it’s impacted her as a business owner, and what you can do to shift to a message of inclusivity in YOUR business practices.

Listen now to hear more about:

• Erica reflects on the culture of exclusion in business and teaching practices in the beauty industry—and why she was ready to make a change
• Being efficient, defying stereotypes, and creating an inclusive space as a stylist & business owner
• The importance of feeling CONFIDENT in your hair—especially for folks with textured hair
• Erica shares her TOP TIPS to create an inclusive & accessible business (and reach your TARGET market!)
• Why you can make money AND make an impact with a client-centered biz
• And so much more!

Short on time? Check out the show highlights:

[6:00] Inefficient and noninclusive practices in the beauty industry

[23:30] Shifting to a message of inclusion

[29:40] The connection between hair and confidence

[35:30] Practices to implement for an accessible and inclusive biz

[42:00] Support yourself AND honor your clients

Connect with Erica Courdae!

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

Website: https://www.ericacourdae.com

Listen to her podcast Pause on the Play: https://www.pauseontheplay.com

Pause on the Play Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pauseontheplay/

Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trudilebron/

Building your brand is just as important as scaling your business. That’s why my guest this week, CEO of the Master Brand Institute Jennifer “Jen” Kem, is so passionate about helping industry experts and entrepreneurs get seen, heard, and paid MORE online and offline by developing their brand. With extensive corporate and entrepreneurial experiences, she knows first-hand the power of intentionally building an engaging brand that attracts customers who want to be a part of your big impact — and she wants to help YOU achieve it! In this episode, Jen’s diving into the difference between a business and a brand, what it means to be values-driven, as well as her TOP TIPS to create a desirable brand and confidently grow your business.

Listen now to hear more about:

• Jen shares why you should be creating and building your BRAND (versus only scaling your business)
• Strategies and structures to create a WHOLE customer experience that will get you PAID!
• We dig deeper into the importance of building relationships, aligning your values, and the consistency of trust
• The culture of Bro-marketing (and why you should AVOID it!)
• Why the self-centered nature of online marketing and business is unsustainable
• Creating a legacy plan for your company — plus, how YOU can tap into your values to retain the integrity and spirit of your biz
• The 3 CORE COMPONENTS of Jen’s method for building (and retaining) your values
• Jen’s BEST advice for solving the personal triggers tied to biz problems
• And so much more!

Short on time? Check out the show highlights:

[7:40] Why you need to build your brand (over just growing your business)

[14:00] Attracting customers with a desirable brand

[20:00] The problem with Bro-marketing

[30:00] The importance of biz transparency and legacy

[39:00] Jen’s method for tapping into your values

[46:20] Solving personal triggers tied to business problems

Connect with Jennifer Kem!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer.kem/

Take the Brand Archetype Quiz: https://www.brandarchetypequiz.com

Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trudilebron/

You can (and should!) stand up for your beliefs and values without apologies. My guest this week, Rachel Luna, is diving into this idea and giving YOU permission to offend when you speak your truths. Rachel is a Certified Master Coach, speaker, and host of the podcast “Permission To Offend” who helps people gain the clarity and confidence they need to achieve their personal & business goals. She’s joining me to have an open conversation about what it means to stand up for what you believe is right and true, so you can step into your identity and make a REAL difference in the world. On this episode, Rachel shares her journey to discovering her identity, what it means to hold separate truths, and why you NEED to stop worrying about offending folks when you stand up for your beliefs.

Listen now to hear more about:

• How journaling will give you the confidence to activate your life and business
• Rachel gets real about the life-changing experiences that have shaped her identity
• What it means to give yourself permission to offend (and align with your values!)
• Why Rachel holds true to her Christian faith in her work 
• Being an empathetic offender to build better personal and business relationships
• What you can do to hold YOUR boundaries and communicate them mindfully
• Why you need to unpack your biases (no matter your identity)
• How Rachel is creating a safe space for women of color through her writing
• And so much more!

Short on time? Check out the show highlights:

[6:10] Rachel gets personal about the journey to discovering her identity

[19:40] What it means to have “permission to offend”

[29:40] Christianity as a core value of her life and work

[34:00] Why you should be an empathetic offender

[44:50] Unpacking your biases 

[49:40] Why Rachel is writing a book to create a safe space

Connect with Rachel Luna!

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

Website: https://www.rachelluna.biz

Listen to her podcast “Permission to Offend”: https://www.rachelluna.biz/podcast-1

Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trudilebron/