Welcome Welcome Welcome to Season 2 of “Elevate Your 8!”

Wow, Season 1 was long, wasn’t it?  LOL.  Not really sure how I decided I wanted to have a Season 2, but now we have it, and there you go.

OH MY GOSH, it’s been a summer and a half, hasn’t it?  COVID this and COVID that.  BLAH.  While I recognize that this is the most significant global event of my life and I completely understand the severity and impact, I don’t have to like it; and, thus, I don’t.  But I’m hanging in there like many of you and I’m making the best of it.  I have about a dozen face coverings at this stage of all sizes, shapes, and colors!  

But, Season 2...I have a new intro and I’m super pumped about it!  The musician and narrator’s name is Chris Corral and he’s open to doing more freelance work, so I hope you’ll check out his YouTube Channel and email me him HERE if you’d like to get some music composed and performed for your podcast or whatever you need.  

I hope that all of you had a chance to pick up my new book, “The 9-to-5 Side Hustler:  A Guide to Balancing Your Day Job With Your Small Business,” yesterday on Amazon.  It hit #1 Best Seller in 7 categories and was a #1 New Release in 4 Categories.  You can still get the book today for 99 cents because I am just that cool.  

Today’s Guest is Nick Loper, from Side Hustle Nation.  In his own words, Nick is….

“Chief Side Hustler at Side Hustle Nation.

I’m an entrepreneur involved in a variety of projects. Like any business, it has its ups and downs, which can be stressful, but I learn something new every day.  

I started this site because I believe in the hustle. After all, what’s riskier: starting a business, or relying on your job as your only source of income?

I used to work full-time for a giant corporation, but I built my biz nights and weekends. You can do it too.

Everyone has their reasons to side hustle:

• Earn more money
• Pay off debt
• Learn new skills
• Use free time more productively
• Escape the rat race

You can find Nick at sidehustlenation.com or check out his awesome podcast HERE.

This is the final episode of “Season 1,” which began in October of 2018.  I’m excited to take the show to a new level with the publication of my third book and a relaunch of Elevate Your 8!  So for the next couple weeks there will be some bonus interviews and compilations to get you through!  

Season 2 will kick off the day AFTER my book launch!  That's right, my third book, "The 9-to-5 Side Hustler:  A Guide to Balancing Your Day Job with Your Small Business" will be on sale on Amazon for 99 cents.  And that is August 4th, my sister Jennifer's birthday.  You can join the launch team by clicking HERE - and you'll get all sort of early access to chapters, giveaways on launch day, and other fun swag!  

But now let’s talk about Lilli - I first met her when she was invited to be the keynote speaker for our Lancers for Life Leadership Academy that I launched at PCC in the fall of…. 2016, if memory serves.  Dang, that was a while ago!  Lilli’s message really stuck with me so as I was visiting my LinkedIn page one day I found her profile and invited her to join me.  In this episode we talk about how people can bounce back from furloughs and layoffs, reinvent their careers, and exactly why Strengths Finder is THE penultimate personality assessment tool!  We share the talents of Maximizer, Relator, and Connectedness, so it was a great conversation all around.  

Links to some of the things in our conversation are here:

My Chaos-to-Catalyst 7-Day Challenge

The blog about meditation vs mindfulness

My Facebook page, where in February 2019 I did several days of discussion and some videos on the benefits of various personality assessments.

The Personality Brokers: The Strange History of Myers-Briggs and The Birth of Personality Testing, which is very critical of the science behind the MBTI.

Lilli Cloud is a natural-born marketer, skilled executive-level professional communicator and pioneer in executive branding. She founded bluefeet to help people achieve their potential by capturing and communicating what makes them and their work extraordinary.

Her bluefeet method of executive branding helps people uncover, discover and sometimes recover what makes them unique, and gives them the tools and training to communicate that.

A writer, strong visual thinker and natural ideator, she and her team – writers, designers, photographers, videographers – create strategic, branded content for companies in need of break-through communication.

Lilli is a passionate professional who loves what she does. She combines a focus on ROI and gifted problem-solving with great enthusiasm, deep curiosity and a creative hunger to connect, change lives and increase fulfillment.

Formerly a VP at both Fleishman Hillard and Citizen Relations, Lilli has a degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.

HOLY SHIT has it been a few tumultuous weeks!!!!!  I really did fall down a big old rabbit hole of reflection, exhaustion, and busyness with a side of shame/guilt and some other “stuff.”  During all this time, I also helped my swim team get back in the water, I decided to write a third book, and I am doubling down on weight loss and going dairy free.  FUCK YEAH.

But I’ve also been back to work for about 5 weeks now and I’m learning a great deal about coming to terms with what is, what was, and what could be.  And that’s what I’m talking about today.

Meanwhile, you’ll be seeing some changes on the show during the month of July as I take a short hiatus to focus on the book and do a little bit of rebranding.  

NEW MUSIC

NEW INTRO

NEW OFFERINGS

OLDIES BUT GOODIES

The book will launch on August 4th and the podcast will relaunch on August 5th.  I am really looking forward to seeing you all there!  Join the book launch team HERE and get all sorts of free goodies!!

#blacklivesmatter

Hey!  Here's the second repeat guest in the history of my show - not counting like panels and stuff.  And I'm glad it's Jeff because he's just one of my favorite people in the world.

Remember, I'm a "Recovering Campus Housing Professional," and spent about 20 years living in and managing college residence halls.  Jeff was one of my staff members at my very last housing job and was part of what I consider to be my BEST, STRONGEST, and MOST FUN professional staff EVER.  I loved each and every one of these amazing people.  

Fast Forward 7 years later, I'm still working at my post-housing gig which is a HUGE deal for me, and Jeff is a Career Advisor at Chico State University.  That's right, I'm still on this Careers-During-Covid-19 thing, but hey - it's absolutely just messing up people's careers right now and I feel the need to talk about it.  I think there are definitely things we could all be doing to help people get back to work, and I'm so grateful that Jeff is out there spreading the word.

In this episode we talk about the positive soft skills that students (well, anyone for that matter) need to get into the workforce.  Jeff shares his theory about how students can get connected into a job right out of college.  And he offers three suggestions on how people can keep their heads up high during this time of uncertainty.  

Now we just need to get Mark Brice and Shawn Brackett on this show, too!

While some of the US is reopening and people are going back to work, many of you are still unemployed.  If this is you, I have a solution!  The Leverage Your Layoff Mastermind Group is a six week program where we discuss career change, pivoting, and figuring how to get back to work ASAP.  True to the mastermind format, first you create a goal, then design a plan to achieve it. The group helps you with creative ideas and wise decisions-making. And your first two weeks of the group are FREE - then you can pay what you can for the rest of the program.  Go to https://www.krismcpeak.com/layoff to register!

This was an incredibly delightful experience and talk about a generous, witty, and compassionate woman.  Dr. Lois Frankel, President of Corporate Coaching International, is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, executive coach, and an internationally sought after keynote speaker in the fields of career and leadership development.

Dr. Lois and I continue the conversation I started with Tiffany Taylor in our previous episode:  what’s unique about the current career environment due to Covid-19.  She provides outstanding advice and tips on networking, adding value, and being heard.  Dr. Lois is a true champion for strong women in the workplace.

Although she is proud of her many accomplishments, Lois is most proud of having founded two nonprofit organizations in Los Angeles: Motivating Our Students through Experience (MOSTE) and Bloom Again Foundation. She has been recognized for her work with women and girls with the Los Angeles County Commission on Women’s Woman of the Year Award, Maybelline New York’s Women Who Empower through Education Award, a Doctorate in Humane Letters from Phillips Graduate Institute, and a Presidential Medal and Distinguished Alumna Award from the State University of New York at Oswego. Her earned doctorate in Counseling Psychology is from the University of Southern California. Originally from New York, Lois loves living in California where she enjoys gardening, bicycling, and photography year-round. 

While some of the US is reopening and people are going back to work, many of you are still unemployed.  If this is you, I have a solution!  The Leverage Your Layoff Mastermind Group is a six week program where we discuss career change, pivoting, and figuring how to get back to work ASAP.  True to the mastermind format, first you create a goal, then design a plan to achieve it. The group helps you with creative ideas and wise decisions-making. And your first two weeks of the group are FREE - then you can pay what you can for the rest of the program.  Go to https://www.krismcpeak.com/layoff to register!

I DO like to go back in time a little and connect with my Residence Life colleagues, because I worked with some pretty amazing people.  Today’s guest is one of those!  Tiffany Taylor and I met when she was working at Stanford University and we connected over running.  And if you can keep a secret, I’ve had this crazy girl crush on her ever since we met!  

Tiffany and I talk about how she successfully transitioned from Student Affairs to EdTech and essentially developed her current position at HandShake.  There are SO many valuable tidbits in this interview and I had so much fun visiting with my running buddy again. 

Tiffany spent 12 years in Higher Education working in Student Affairs and now serves as the Training & Education Lead at Handshake. She has worked intimately with student development and retention and is always seeking new avenues of learning. 

Her pivot into EdTech was a way to expand her reach in working toward access for ALL students by connecting with students beyond a singular institution. At Handshake, she is able to continue her "student first" approach with a direct mission-alignment in providing access for all. 

Find her on LinkedIn here where she shares weekly #tayloredtips

and for tasty treats you can follow her on instagram #tayloredtonics

NOW:  I sure did get on my high horse last week about layoffs and furloughs.  And I have something to offer those of you who find yourself wondering, “What now??”  The Leverage Your Layoff Mastermind Group is a six week program where we discuss career change, pivoting, and figuring how to get back to work ASAP.  True to the mastermind format, first you create a goal, then design a plan to achieve it. The group helps you with creative ideas and wise decisions-making. And your first two weeks of the group are FREE - then you can pay what you can for the rest of the program.  Go to https://www.krismcpeak.com/layoff to register!

FREE ONLINE VIRTUAL SUMMIT:  Coping with Covid!  12 wellness entrepreneurs provide sessions, online courses, and ebooks on information to help you navigate the tricky times we are living in.  Go to www.copingwithcovidsummit.com.

Okay, I got a little crazed this week thinking about all the people who are out of work and struggling.  And I wanted to talk about that.

You guys - getting laid off totally sucks.  Getting furloughed is horrible.  But it’s NOT THE END OF THE WORLD.

In fact - it might be a blessing!  

And I’m not kidding.  This Gallup Poll suggests that 85 percent of Americans are unengaged at their job.  EIGHTY FIVE PERCENT.  That means only 15% of you are loving what you do.  And that pisses me off.  We spend way too much time at work to hate what we do.  

In this episode I got into strategies for changing your situation, and I am very intentionally trying to set a fire under your butt.  SOME OF YOU NEED IT.  So listen up and get motivated.  And let me help!  FOR FREE.  CLICK HERE to sign up for a free discovery call and let’s talk about your scenario.  

Wanna reboot your resume during this tricky time?  CLICK HERE to listen to my FREE podcast mini-course, Resume Boot Camp. 

I hope everyone is doing okay, staying healthy, and taking care of yourself.  Right now, more than anything, we need serious coping mechanisms and a way to keep our minds, bodies, and spirits healthy and vivacious.  Today’s episode is meant to do that…

BUT:  so is this amazing FREE online summit that I’ve produced with the help of my buddies at Rise and Bloom.  It’s called “Coping with Covid.”  With more than 12 health and wellness entrepreneurs participating with free offers, interviews, online courses and ebooks. this Virtual Online Summit was designed to specifically with YOU in mind so you can find comfort in this time of uncertainty.  And it’s absolutely, positively FREE.

I’ve been really enjoying all the interviews I’ve been having with amazing people who have amazing stories to tell.  But it was nice to just hang out with myself this week and talk about the stuff that is bringing me hope and joy.  While listening to the news (the reputable news, anyway) and staying abreast of what’s happening with the virus in our world right now, I still think it’s incredibly important to keep our spirits up and our vibration HIGH.  So that’s what today’s episode is all about!

that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in Apple Podcasts!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over there, too!  Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

SO much is going on with technology right now; and I know many faculty members and teachers are struggling to make it all work out.  It can be tricky, but thankfully we have people like Erika Romero to help us through it all!

And Erika helped me figure out exactly how I can use my Trello board for both bullet journaling AND vision boards!  Check out her awesome example here:

Erika Romero is an English Studies PhD candidate with a blog and YouTube channel all about teaching tips, tools, ideas, and resources for new college instructors. Through Ever Educating, she shares tips for teaching and academic life, along with tools like digital bullet journals to stay organized while achieving your dreams. Find her on social media at @EverEducating. 

Relevant Links:

• Blog: www.evereducating.com/blog 
• YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/evereducating
• Online Teaching Resources: www.evereducating.com/online-teaching-tools
• Teachable School: https://ever-educating.teachable.com

NOW:  are you catching a theme to these episodes thus far?  I hope so, because I AM trying to make a point.

Working from home is HARD and it can be a lonely situation.  Right now, more than ever, we need to feel the community around us and we need to feel as though our work matters.  Working from home is kind of like figuring out college after four years in high school - no one is going to tell you to go to class, wake up on time, or brush your teeth before bed.  You gots to figure that out all by yourself.

Until now.  CLICK HERE to grab my new FREE resource, “Five Secrets For Working From Home.”  

And then - go to krismcpeak.com/coping to get your paws on even MORE resources to help you cope during this tricky time!!