The Robyn Graham Show a Podcast for Christian Women - Become Calm, Confident, and Consistent

At a Young Age, Derrick Kirk Learned Skills for Success. If He Hadn't, He Wouldn't Be Where He Is Today. About Derrick Growing up in the face of adversity, and experiencing true abandonment, Derrick Kirk used his inner wisdom to develop skills for success that enabled him to not only survive but thrive. Today Derrick is an entrepreneur and refers to himself as a hope dealer. He is a motivational speaker, podcast host, and investor. And through the Derrick Kirk Foundation, he helps and inspires underprivileged youth and gives them hope for a strong future. Derrick overcame obstacles he shouldn't have, now he teaches others how to do the same by sharing his unique skills for success. Orphaned At 8 years of age, Derrick and his three siblings, ages 10, 9, 8, and 6, were placed into foster care. Shortly thereafter, Derrick was removed from the foster home he and his two sisters were placed and taken to an orphanage. He spent the next ten years navigating life as an orphan. Because of fear of being judged and isolated, Derrick lived one life during the school day and another in the evenings and on weekends, to hide the fact that he lived in an orphanage. From the beginning, he asked teachers not to treat him differently. He wanted to be treated just like the other kids at school. At an early age, he discovered the power of relationships and standing up for himself. Derrick was released from the orphanage when he was 18 years old. He had aged out of the system and was given an apartment for one month, 30 days of shelter, and then he was homeless. Going to college is what solved his homeless problem. He was then adopted, as an adult in college. Using Skills for Success to Make Good Decisions Derrick attributes wisdom to his ability to make good decisions and stay out of trouble. It isn't easy for everyone to gain a level of success. Derrick always asked a lot of questions, listened, and observed others which led him to knowledge and wisdom that helped him make good decisions. Wisdom comes from being curious and listening. No Body Cares I've lost count of how many times I've failed, but you know who cares? Nobody! So pick yourself up! There is no reason to be embarrassed or ashamed, start over, start something new so keep pushing. Don't Let You Beat You You may think that there are things holding you back, but you are the only person that can hold yourself back. Make it a point to not let others beat you, but don't let you beat you! Take action and have accountability. Quiet the voices in your head and just take action and make mistakes. Make a lot of them, oh well. And then, at one turn or another, what you are trying will work out. The Derrick Kirk Foundation Derrick is helping underprivileged youth through his foundation. He helps elementary schools by providing school supplies they are short on, he gives to single mothers and help pay for utilities, helps support homeless teens, and provide transportation. Derrick's goal is to help the kids learn to help themselves. Derrick tried so hard and did so much to support himself, but he realized the little things that would have helped him so much. Something so small can make such a difference and he wants to help kids make a difference. Being Homeless When Derrick was homeless, he didn't know how long he was going to be homeless. His school was not near where he was homeless, and he had no resources. Using his skills for success, he adopted forward-thinking to navigate each day to get to another day and find resources. Derrick had a few dollars to use to make phone calls on a payphone. He used the money to arrange transportation to college. While he was homeless, Derrick's mind raced, and he had no time for reflection. There was a drive inside him, he feels like you either have it, or you don't. Unfortunately, a lot of kids do fall victim to homelessness. Derrick can't explain how he and others make it and others don't, but there is definitely something internal that drives them forward. The Top 5 Skills to Achieve Success Communication When you open your mouth, you tell people who you are. Be ready. Read, be well-rounded, and able to speak to others. If you have great communication skills, you are going to automatically get farther than someone else. Negotiation You must be able to negotiate. Whether you are negotiating a job, or anything, negotiate. Don't let it scare you, because negotiating will give you a tool for being well rounded and help you get ahead. Listening Listening is everything! When you listening you are able to build relationships and be a good co-worker, boss, mentor, or partner. When people know you are a good listener, they will come to you. Listening helps build relationships. Time Management Show up on time, show up early, show people you are dependable. Problem Solving Strive to be the person that solves problems. You want to be the go-to person. Even if the problem isn't your problem, be prepared to solve the problem. The King of Orphans Derrick's book, "The King of Orphans" provides a look inside his life as an orphan. The book will be available on Derrick's website in March. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest To Learn More About Derrick and Connect with Him: Website: http://derrickkirk.com The Derrick Kirk Foundation: http://derrickkirk.com/foundation/ The Podcast: http://derrickkirk.com/podcast/ The King of Orphans: http://derrickkirk.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dkirkforus/?hl=en

Even Successful Actors Experience Fear, Self-Doubt, and Overwhelm When It comes to Creating a Personal Brand About Katie Chonacas Katie Chonacas is a model, actor, voice-over talent, creative, and poet. She is multi-talented and multi-passionate. Despite her success at a young age, Katie struggled with creating a personal brand and putting herself out into the world as her own brand. The fear of judgment held her back at times. Katie has other factors that compound this challenge because she is in the actor's union and there are rules and restrictions. Katie has since built her brand on the foundation of her values, ethics, and morals. This is similar to what I recommend as a brand marketing strategist, to start creating a personal brand by mapping out your values, visions, and passions because where they align, is where you should focus your energy for creating a brand. The Sophisticated Psychos To create additional projects, Katie created The Sophisticated Psychos with Nicky Scorpio. The two have created the online series, "Couples Therapy", produce music and other projects, and both are podcast hosts. Katie is involved with a number of successful creative initiatives. Katie shares how she's had to learn the value of vulnerability and how she brings people along with her. It's boring doing life alone and if we can help others along the way, it's a win-win. Certainly, trying to go it alone is isolating and keeps one from being vulnerable. Overcoming Fear and Vulnerability The power of vulnerability and being courageous is one of our greatest strengths. To learn more about vulnerability, listen to episode 4 of The Second Phase Podcast. Brene Brown has published invaluable content on vulnerability. She has a Ted Talk and a Netflix show as well as her book, The Gifts of Imperfection, which are incredible resources. Likewise, Katie recommended Roaming Free Inside the Cage by William M. Shafer, PhD. Invest in Yourself If you aren't willing to invest in yourself, why should anyone invest in you and your services? Similarly, don't do the things you aren't good at. Delegate and hire others to assist you. A Lover's Fairytale by Katie Chonacas Katie's poetry book will publish in March of 2021. Learn more and subscribe to her email list, click here. What Works for One Doesn't Mean It Works for All It's OK to take advice from others, but you have to discern whether the advice is applicable to you and your brand. Behind the Scenes Katie shared that Morgan Freeman is amazing, a super sweet and kind man. She has worked with some really big names, Jennifer Aniston, Nicholas Cage, Jennifer Lopez, and others. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Article on Katherine Heigl that Katie referenced. Learn More About and Connect with Katie Chonacas Website: www.chonacas.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/chonacas The Sophisticated Phychos Website: https://www.chonacas.com/music/ She's All Over The Place Podcast

Building a Sustainable Brand and Community to Promote Sustainability in Fashion and Life-style industries for a Healthy Environment and Better Future Introduction of Fox-Holt - Sustainable Brand and Community Dale and Katy met when they were thrown into Texas at the same time in the same building. Their kids connected and while their kids played together, Dale and Katy bonded over money spend over the holidays and their passion for sustainability in fashion, the longevity of products, and the desire to purchase ethical products. Fashion is a slow movement and so Dale and Katy adopted that flow as they dove into a meeting and processing their designers and artisans and ethical trade. Katy and Dale realized quickly how much they needed to learn. Sustainability covers such a huge range, and different levels mean different things to different people and how it affects an overall community. As the two realized this, it changed their trajectory as they wanted to build a community, not just a store. Building the Foundation of Fox-Holt Dale and Katy took the time to build a strong foundation. They didn't rush into the business they build a foundation first for long-term success. The foundation of the Fox-Holt brand is built on what it means to be sustainable. From there they built relationships with vendors and customers. Sustainability In the fashion industry, there are several types of sustainability. Recycling, upcycling, and so on. Dale and Katy knew they wanted to have a vintage section. Dale knew James Veloria so they partnered with him right away. Recycled products using recycled materials. They have 9 stamps of sustainability that determined how they selected products. Every product must fall under at least two sustainability stamps. Sustainability is doing the best you can to make as little footprint on the world as possible. To make the best difference possible. The small things that you can do to make a big impact on the world. Upcycling Taking something and creating something new from it. The Nine Stamps of Sustainability The sustainability stamps of Fox-Holt include being organic, eco-friendly, vegan, made in the USA, Fairtrade, hand-made/artisan, recycled, and/or giving back. Naming the Business Volpe means fox and Dale has always had an affinity to foxes because of the meaning of her name. Katy's surname is Rowley and means, wooded in or fox's den. Another word for that is Holt. They are working to protect their planet as a fox defends his den, so it blends beautifully. Selecting Vendors The key is to build sustainable relationships. As they researched vendors from around the world, they selected vendors who believed in their mission, were like-minded, and were willing to partner with them. Fox-Holt is a marketplace. They don't hold inventory. This method cuts out the middleman and shipping and prevents waste from items that aren't sold. They are female founder collective members. Brands now contact Fox-Holt instead of Dale and Katy having to research them. They are always moving in a direction that is ethically sound and that they love. One of their first vendors and a favorite, is St. Roche, out of LA. And a second favorite is Bastet Noir, from Macedonia. How Can You Be More Mindful and Practice Sustainability? Think about who made the product. Why is it so cheap, did a child make it, or someone who is only making $0.50 a day? When you spend more money on a purchase, it changes your perspective. It becomes something you'll still have in ten years. Reuse what you have in your closet and add to it instead of throwing away the old stuff. Add creative fun to your existing wardrobe. It comes down to educating yourself. Declutter, have less stuff, and lean towards simplifying. Buy things that will last and can be passed down to future generations. Make small changes and don't worry about being perfect. Remember every little bit helps. Spend time learning what you are buying and who you are buying it from. It's an awakening and changes the way you shop altogether. About Dale and Kat Dale Volpe As a vegan and a motivated, artistic force, Dale Volpe aims to represent and serve the sustainably-minded shopper; those who seek quality pieces but also seek to nurture the planet. She believes strongly in educating consumers specifically about how "fashion" choices affect the environment and the future of our children. Volpe worked for Calvin Klein post-college (approximately 100 years ago), before becoming the National Merchandise Manager for a licensee of Ralph Lauren. She went on to Moschino as a Showroom Account Executive and found her first real calling when she began styling private clients for years following that. After moving to Texas and starting a family, Volpe found a space lacking in the mindful market: a need for well-crafted products founded on the principles of living beautifully, while properly caring for the planet and its inhabitants. This is where she joined forces with co-founder and fellow new Texan, Katy Rowley, a consumer and fashion expert who loves spreadsheets and has an unmatched eye for detail. She co-founded FOX HOLT in 2019 with Rowley, and began to foster a community of like-minded, creative designers and artists who are passionate about change and lasting impact. Katy Rowley Katy Rowley wanted to create a place to make shopping mindfully easy and simple; to develop a space where a sustainable consumer, or an accidental one, could buy pieces that help create change, while still living beautifully. A London native, Rowley worked as a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) executive, before landing her dream job at Matchesfashion.com, where she was the Head of CRM. This is where she honed her love of fashion, e-commerce, and developed an in-depth understanding of the luxury customer experience. Like Volpe, a move and motherhood brought her to be more thoughtful about the brands she supported. The fashion and lifestyle professionals responded to the demand for well-crafted, luxurious products, made ethically and sustainably, and launched a successful marketplace to house different designers, specialists, and artists, who adhere to their principles. Mothers first, she and Volpe wanted to help educate about the benefits of sustainable fashion, to inspire ethical purchasing, and leave a better world for their children. The fashion industry mavens share a deeply-rooted belief that purchases directly impact the future, the future of their loved ones, and beyond. FOX HOLT supports the people who are creating with the future in mind. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn More About Fox-Holt Website: https://fox-holt.com Coupon Code = Robyn15 (expires February 28, 2021) Instagram: www.instagram.com/fox_holt Email: [email protected]

Have You Been Contemplating Using a Facebook Group to Grow Your Business? Here Are All the Details You Need to Know to Start a Facebook Group and Monetize It! About Brooke Brook Jefferson is a lifestyle and family photographer and organic growth strategist. She is also a mom and wife, who has built a successful photography business and is an expert on how to start a Facebook Group and monetize it. Why Should We Start a Facebook Group Build a community Be seen as an expert and authority in your niche Create revenue-generating programs – trainings or challenges Facebook rewards you for having a Facebook Group How to Start and Grow a Facebook Group Run a virtual event 5-Day challenge Offer workshop Have a paid offer at the end of any workshop or challenge. Quick growth opportunity when you offer free training. Once you put out great content, people will share your group and tell others they should be part of it. Name your group so that when people are searching, the keywords they are searching will be found in your title. Once your engagement increases, Facebook will start pushing out your group to other similar groups. Have a great photo on your group to attract people. Provide a detailed description so that people become intrigued about the group and content. Questions to Ask When Setting Up a Facebook Group When you set up a group, you have the option to set up three questions. Use the questions to get to know your audience, monetize your email list, and for getting content ideas. Suggested questions include: How did you find my group? What challenges do you have in your business? Number one struggle you have in your business? Email address to add to your email newsletter. How to Monetize a Facebook Group People are more likely to buy from you within the first 5 minutes that they get to know you. Through virtual events, you can find your super fans and they'll buy from you. Build the know love and trust factor and then offer a paid-for program after a workshop. Be Intentional About What You Want Your Group to Be When creating a Facebook group, you must be intentional about it. Why are you creating a group? What value will you provide? How will you monetize the group? As you start building the group, be strategic with your content and try to monetize it early. Prepare your audience that you will be offering both paid for and free content. The more intentional you can be about the purpose of the group, the more success you are going to have. Pop-Up Facebook Group You can create a group for challenges or short-term projects. The nice thing is to help others grow, share knowledge and get to know your audience while monetizing it. Once you've created the group and offered value, people will want the group to stay around as a place for others to learn. Keys to Success for a Facebook Group Building community Getting your audience to trust you Being seen as an expert while building relationships Live video training Set it up to run by itself but your audience knows that you are still in charge Content Creation Rinse and Repeat. What worked, and what didn't work. Ask yourself what your audience really seemed to like. Do surveys and ask your group what it is they want to learn and what they feel will be valuable. Listen more and find what your group really wants. Ask engagement questions that people will definitely respond to. Then create more content around the answers and additional problems that arise from the responses. Engagement is how a group grows so it's important to ask engagement questions. Keep the engagement questions about the topics your group focus is. Educational content. Educate but don't give everything away, use the educational content for your paid offers. Inspirational content. KITA posts that shake up the emotion and get more engagement and conversation flowing within the group. Download Brooke's Free Facebook Group Content Tips Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Connect with and learn more about Brooke: Website: www.brookejanaephotography.com Facebook Group: Social Selling for Photographers Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brookejanaephotography/ The Book More Clients Photography Podcast

It's the 100th Episode of The Second Phase Podcast and You're Going to Get the Inside Scoop! Special Episode to Celebrate To celebrate I wanted to do something special so I decided to give you, the listeners, the inside scoop of my life behind the scene. I know I've said it in previous episodes but my kids are my life! It was such an honor to showcase their personalities and have them by my side to celebrate this major milestone. The Inside Scoop Josh - Question 1 If I could personal brand Josh in 20 seconds. A: "I'm Joshua Graham. Your go-to for everything health, wellness, and fitness." Gracie - Question 1 What is your favorite vacation? A: I don't really have favorites. But, if I had to choose, Italy, Hawaii, and Costa Rico are probably my top three. Most important for me is spending time with just the five of us having fun and being relaxed. Sam - Question 1 What is your favorite memory carrying out my life's dream? A: I've had so many incredible clients and wonderful experiences. So many amazing conversations and inspiring people that I've gotten to work with. Josh - Question 2 Have you set any goals for 2021? A: I just launched my 1:1 6-month coaching program. My passion is to help entrepreneurs build a strong foundation for long-term success. I want to reach 50K downloads for the podcast. There are financial goals that I've set and I want to help at least three women brand themselves and their businesses every month. Sam - Question 2 What drives me in my business and work so hard after being in the business for so long. A: I am rewarded every single day when I help people build their brands. Seeing them light up when they realize something and to be able to capture their true essence and feel confident and beautiful. I also love to help others succeed and see my goals come to fruition. But, an important note, is that when you are passionate about something, it isn't like work. Josh - Question 3 After a long day of work, what is the first thing you do to relax? A: Just being together to talk or play games. I love a good book, a cup of tea, or a glass of wine, or maybe a good TV show. Gracie - Question 2 Do you ever miss when you used to just take pictures and put them in galleries? A: Yes, I do. But, because I'm so busy I don't get the opportunity to just create still lifes like I used to. But in 2021, I do hope to get back into it. Photography actually is one way I relax, the creativity takes me away. Sam - Question 3 What is the biggest driving factor for my business? A: When I first began, it was practicing. I loved to photograph and create and learned as much as I could. But, I love to work with people and love human connection. That is what drove me to do portrait photography. There was a fear component to jumping straight into portrait photography. But once I had my first shoot, I fell in love with working with branding clients. Then, over the years, I realized how much I could help people and teach them from a branding perspective and that is what set me on the trajectory of coaching and working with clients the way I do today. Josh - Question 4 Do you see yourself staying in this phase, or do you see yourself moving onto something else? My next goal is to publish a book and become an author. Turning the Tables on The Inside Scoop What has inspired you to get the degrees you are on the course to get and who were the big influencers in your life. Josh - Answer I have a passion for learning chemical and biological processes in the body and how food affects the body. Growing up you always taught me not to accept everything but challenge it. You showed me all of your work ethic. You've always been an inspiration and taught me how to find out and promote who I am and who I want to be. Sam - Answer I just always knew I was going to go to college. Everything about sports is what led me to Syracuse to study sports management so that I can be an agent. The biggest inspiration for going to school and wanting a good life is seeing how hard mom and dad worked. We come from a long line of people who work hard and I want to carry on that tradition. Gracie - Answer I'm not exactly sure what I want to be yet. (Gracie was being shy.) To Get More Inside Scoop on Your Host, Robyn Graham, Click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest

Have you been feeling stuck? Are you overwhelmed with starting a business, building a brand, and getting clients? You don't have to feel that way anymore. During this workshop session, we tackle the things that are holding you back, fear, self-doubt, procrastination. Mindset is key, but you must take action to achieve your goals. Confused about email marketing? We talk about how to use lead magnets to build your list, and so much more! Where are your ideal clients? Which platform should you spend your time on to connect and engage with them? Blogging. I also teach how to create blog posts that have SEO for driving traffic to your website. If you are wanting to start a business but are feeling overwhelmed and frustrated, it's time to take action to learn the tips, tricks, and tools that will help you build a strong foundation for brand and business success. Learn More About My 1:1 6 Month Coaching Program Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group Connect with me on Clubhouse: @therobyngraham

Has your business been quiet? Not hearing from your ideal audience the way you'd like to? Tune in as I walk you through ways to connect with your ideal audience and increase engagement. Are you using hashtags strategically? How are your calls to action? We dive into both and so much more during this workshop session. Learn More About The 1:1 6 Month Coaching Program Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Connect with me on Clubhouse: @therobyngraham

Is your brand messaging reaching your ideal audience and converting them to clients? If not, it's time to inventory! Discover how to find your niche and ideal audience, clarity, and confidence around your brand messaging. Without clarity, you are talking to everyone and when you talk to everyone, you are talking to no one. Clarity leads to confidence and confidence leads to trust. If you want to connect with your ideal audience, it's time to find clarity! Join The Female Entrepreneur Insider Learn More About the 1:1 6 Month Coaching Program Connect with me on Clubhouse: @therobyngraham

I'm not weird, I'm an intuitive personality type. What Does That Mean? What Does it Mean to be intuitive in Life, Business, and Relationships? Jessica Butts is a therapist, speaker, coach, and author. She helps female entrepreneurs with an intuitive personality type to find their strengths. Her most recent book is "Don't Do Stuff You Suck At". Using the Myers-Briggs personality assessment and her own Front Seat Method, Jessica dives into personality strengths and weaknesses so that her clients can be unapologetically themselves and only do the tasks that produce effective results for their time. Jessica is also the author of "Be Unapologetically Who You Are: A Journal From Jessica Butts". The Power of Personalities Myers Briggs and the Front Seat Life Method I am an INTJ personality on the Myers-Briggs personality scale. Read more to learn what that means! An INTJ Intuitive Personality means: I for Introverted. That means I get energy from being alone, with only one or two people, and having quiet time compared to extroverts who find energy from being with other people. Jessica's Front Seat Method goes into more detail explaining that introverts can also find energy from being with other people, and extroverts do sometimes like to be alone or have quiet time. N for Intuitive. Only 25% of the population are intuitives. Intuitives think outside the box, feel like weirdos, and are unorthodox in their thinking. People with intuitive personalities are very into self-development, think a lot about the future, do not like the status quo and typically don't function well in a 9 to 5 job, don't like routine, and always need something to look forward to. T for Thinking. A thinker makes decisions from the head and is very logical, which is excellent in business. Only 25% of the female population are thinkers. Very few people. In life, and business a more logical decision-maker. J for Judging. Organized, decisive decision-makers, typically on time, have a plan for their future and can get very headstrong with their plans. Jessica's goal is to get everyone back to who they innately are. Environmental factors, the way we were parented, and experiences cause us to change over time. The more people show up as the personality type, they were born with the happy they will be, the more successful they will be, the more money they will make, and the more things will flow. The more unapologetically we are who are, the better life is. But it does take courage. As an INTJ I am kind of a nutty professor. I like projects and researching. As an intuitive, I am more interested in things and concepts where an INFJ is more like a therapist. The Intuitive Personality Type Intuitives are weird. We are outside the box. How can someone with an intuitive personality type fit in and feel better about themselves? Seventy-five percent of the world are S's. When learning this fact, it's mind-boggling as an intuitive personality type to realize that you aren't weird and there is nothing wrong with you. Intuitives are experiential learners. They are often not very scholastic, who are often labeled as learning challenged because we learn differently. Everything in school is set up for S's, and N's don't learn the same. Intuitives learn by doing. They want to engage with things and touch things. They are very hands-on. Humans are very egocentric. We need to learn about how God designed us, how we were born, and start our businesses and relationships based on how we learn, and who we are. Don't Stuff You Suck At Being well-rounded is not practical. Certain cultures believe that is how we are supposed to be, but it isn't possible to achieve. Not everyone can do everything and do everything perfectly. So why do we try to do things we suck at. We need to start accepting ourselves as who we are and not try to be everything. People are designed to be good at two specific things. Good at details and data or creative, outside the box, futuristic, personal development type of things. Think of the front seat and back seat analogy. When we are doing things that we aren't good at because we weren't meant to be doing them, it's like we are in the back seat drunk. It isn't bragging. It's about doing the things you are good at and not wasting your time, money, or energy to do those things. When people try to do things that they aren't good at, it's like everyone in the car falls asleep and the baby in the back seat wakes up. The baby is equal to a reptilian brain. The reptilian brain in times of stress either flights or flees. As an introvert, the baby gets loud and bossy, and angry. In this situation, an extrovert will flee. They will want to be in bed and hiding and not able to show up. When we try to do things that we aren't good with, we lose energy, we aren't in flow, and it feels like walking through mud or pushing a boulder up a hill. The result is depression and not want to get out of bed. Our front seats are where we were born and what we are meant to be. The First Step is Awareness We don't need to try to change ourselves, just recognize what we are good at and what we are not good at. Hire out the rest and contribute to the economy. It is destructive to try to be well rounded. Mindset Work is Great But we Need Action The 3 S's of Taking Action Systems Structure Singular Focus When we try to do everything, it doesn't work. And when you sit around thinking positive thoughts, but don't put action into play, you aren't going to accomplish anything. Action is necessary! Being an entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart. Everyone gets to be who they are, they just have to understand who they are. Don't let your life dictate, determine who you are, and take action. Necessary Action to Let Go of Control Man's Search for Meaning by Victor Frankel is an incredible resource for this topic. Victor writes that there is always a stimulus. Our personal freedom comes between that stimulus and our response. We have to realize what we don't have control over. There is no control over other people, but we can control our reaction to them. "Codependent No More, How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself" by Melodie Beattieis another book that can change one's life by helping them realize what they have control over and have no control over. When people's lives feel out of control, they try to control other things and problems can arise in life and relationships. Learning your own personality type, learning how to self-soothe and take care of yourself, then be in healthy relationships, results in true freedom. Recognize your strengths and weaknesses, then take control to take action to do the work needed to discover your personality to adjust your life accordingly to make an impact on the rest of the world. Self-learning is very powerful and is a lifelong journey of self-exploration. Jessica's methodology always starts with who are you, where are you going, how are you going to get there? You have to have the foundation before you can move forward or everything will crumble. Don't jump ahead before you build the foundation. Don't try to get everyone to like you. Your brand is who you are and how you differentiate yourself. You aren't meant to work with everyone and if people don't like you, it's OK as long as you are being true to yourself. If people don't like you, they aren't a good fit and they'll save you so much time and frustration because they aren't your ideal audience and who you're meant to work with! The more authentic you are, the more you will attract your ideal audience and repel those you aren't meant to work with. Learn more about your host, Robyn Graham, click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Learn more about and connect with Jessica: Website: www.jessicabutts.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/frontseatlife Personality quiz: https://jessicabutts.com/front-seat-life-personality-assessment/

The 10 Life Lessons I Learned In 2020 That I Want to Share So that We Can All Learn and Grow Together For all of us, 2020 was a year of trials, challenges, loss, chaos, and overwhelm, but there were so many opportunities to embrace life lessons. As I look back and recap what I learned as I moved through one of the hardest years of my life, I want to share everything with you. Maybe you learned the same things, or maybe you are still trying to make sense of 2020 and what's to come from it. Either way, I hope my experience and evaluation will help you. Life Lessons #1 A Choice The result of any experience is what we make of it. We can choose to be sad, angry, overwhelmed, and frustrated or we can choose to be grateful and look forward to brighter days. I have probably told you that in a six-week time frame we lost my grandmother who I was very close to, Daisy, our 11-year-old Goldendoodle, and my mother-in-law, whom I adored. Loss is never easy, but not being able to attend funerals or have hugs and share memories with family made it a thousand times worse. I still don't feel I have closure. But there was beauty and peace in the fact that both grandma and my mother-in-law had faith and weren't afraid of death. Neither one suffered for a long period of time. Both were strong, independent, inspiring women who had dementia but were surrounded by people who loved them and left legacies for future generations. Hidden Lessons and Blessings Not everyone gets to experience having a wonderful grandmother in their life. I was blessed to have had her, her love, and her inspiration for so many years and I am grateful for the memories and everything she taught me. Likewise, not everyone gets a mother-in-law that they love and appreciate. I've heard some real horror stories about mothers-in-law, and I feel truly blessed to have had a great relationship with mine. Another thing I am grateful for. Before our sweet Daisy passed away, we ordered a puppy. The same breed (because we all have allergies) and we were excited to have Daisy help raise the puppy. She passed away, unexpectantly, 10 days before the puppy was to come home with us. Had we not ordered the puppy thinking Daisy was going to be here, we never would have ordered the puppy. Nor would we have ordered the puppy if it hadn't been for COVID and the fact we were all five home all of the time. Stella, the puppy, has been a source of joy for all of us, especially me. She hasn't replaced the humans we loved and lost, nor has she replaced Daisy, but she's provided so much laughter and given us so much love that we've had a sense of comfort since the day she arrived. God's timing is always impeccable. Life Lessons #2 I have never been a patient person. Never! Twenty-twenty changed that. I've learned to live in the moment and not rush. Taking things one day at a time and sitting with decisions and experiences instead of rushing through to the next thing. With patience has come the acceptance that things aren't always on my time, but God's time. I am more willing to let things come to me and not forcing things to happen. Having more patience also means giving myself the grace to learn and do more peacefully instead of rushed and hurried and anxious about the outcomes. Life Lessons #3 I'm never too old to transform. For years I've lived in a state of anxiety, fear, doubt, and insecurity, my entire life, really. As I started to become more grateful and more patient, I became more aware of my emotions and less anxious. I dove into mindset work that I would never have done had 2020 not provided on-line networking and growth opportunities. Transformation is not easy, it takes dedication and hard work, but it is possible and it's beautiful when it happens. It's like looking at myself from above and watching me grow into who I always knew I could be. Life Lessons #4 After faith, the family is everything. Don't get me wrong, I adore my friends, but my family, and my best friends who I consider family, are all I need to survive. I have cherished every extra moment with them. It's amazing how people come into your life for a purpose. With all of the chaos and political unrest, we experienced in 2020 I also learned that a lot of people aren't who I thought they were. I was shocked at a lot of the content I saw on social media and it really made me reconsider how I adhere to my values and integrity and who I will let into my life. I was at times heartbroken by the statements and actions of others, other times just disappointed. Yet other times, shockingly proud depending on who it was and the circumstance. Moving forward, I will continue to welcome people into my life because I believe God puts people in our lives at the right time for the right reasons. But, when it comes to day to day relationship building and maintenance, it will be with those dearest to me. Those whom in 2020 were my go-to humans and I was theirs. People whose values align with my values and whom I know I can trust and be my authentic self without fear of judgment or berating. Life Lessons #5 Faith gives hope. Without hope, there is no joy or courage. There were moments in 2020 that fear overcame me. I didn't want to leave my house, every sniffle, cough, or sneeze made me nervous one of us had contracted COVID. But the more I put my trust in God for protection and for His will to be done, I became more at peace, less afraid, more hopeful and courageous. Likewise, as I became more courageous, I was able to live in the moment and experience joy instead of living in fear. Even when we lost our loved ones, faith gave me hope that I'll see them again someday in heaven. Oh, what I wouldn't give to hug them one more time, but I am grateful they are in heaven, watching over us. Life Lessons #6 Self-discipline and daily habits are empowering. There were so many days I felt like doing nothing. Everyone was home so it felt like a holiday. I didn't want to work, I didn't want to exercise, I didn't want to journal. I wanted to eat chips and cookies all day. However, what I found is that staying consistent and being disciplined rooted me in the daily practices I need to stay healthy physically and mentally. I maintained my healthy eating habits, daily exercise, and doing daily devotions and journaling, and to my surprise. It became easier to do all of these things every day because I needed them to give me a sense of security. The more I stuck to my routine and took care of myself, the better I felt. I could focus better and the more hope I had for staying healthy, keeping my family healthy, and keeping my business afloat. Life Lessons #7 I learned to get more curious outside of my box. Curiosity has enlightened me and enabled me to build new relationships and take both my business and personal life to new levels. Life Lessons #8 I learned to dance through the storms of life. To keep the positive energy flowing. Life Lessons #9 Grace Along with patience and gratitude, I learned to give myself grace. As I dove into mindset work, I realized that I need to be gentle with myself. I can easily become consumed with to-do lists, what everyone else is doing, trying to keep up, and racing through life to do all the things and be all the places. Through grace, I am allowing myself to take it all in and then choose which direction I want to go, which thing I want to do, etc. It's self-care at it's finest. Life Lessons #10 When it's time to pivot, pivot. For the first few months of the pandemic, I wasn't able to do any photography. I missed it and I missed working with people face to face. But what I realized is that what I really loved was coaching women and building brands that stand out and make an impact. I don't ever want to give up photography. However, as I learned in 2020, there may be times when because of environmental factors that I can't control, or my physical health that I won't be able to work as a photographer. Having the time to focus on building my coaching business to help women find their second phase and build a solid foundation for success has been the most incredible experience. If I hadn't experienced the mindset transformation of 2020 and been forced to look to the future to create other streams of income, I might not have built the coaching business to what it is today. Everything happens for a reason and God always has a greater plan for me than what I could ever imagine. Full Circle This brings me full circle to gratitude. If it weren't for technology, many of us would have been lost and not able to work in 2020. So alas, even though I may have Zoom fatigue some days, I am grateful for the gifts of technology and the ability to continue to grow my business, educate and inspire others and help women grow their brands and businesses. And not only has technology been great for business, but it's also been great for keeping up with family. There will never be an excuse for not seeing someone again. We have Zoom, Skype, Facetime, and others to keep us visually connected. Technology will never replace the hugs I am so desperate for, but at least it gives me a touchpoint. I would love to hear from you about what you learned in 2020. I'm guessing you probably learned the same things I learned but which one resonated with you the most? If you know anyone who could use some advice for looking at 2020 in a positive light, please share this episode with them. The more positive vibes we put out into the world, the better place it will be. Learn More About Your Host, Robyn Graham, Click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest