Wonder Podcast: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs to Change the World

This is a trying time for everyone. For many people, working from home and social distancing is a new experience. Bridget Sampson is a renowned consultant and master coach. Having held workshops for Google and Mattel, Bridget understands what it takes to better oneself. Listen in as she shares the five steps to self-coaching and how to turn this trying time into a moment of opportunity.

Timestamped show notes 02:29 - Bridget begins to explain the self-coaching model 04:00 - “Thoughts create our feelings, which generate our actions” 05:54 - What is our action going to be? 08:40 - What’s the difference between a thought and a feeling? 10:39 - Bridget shares how to tell the difference between a thought and a feeling 12:02 - Taking action 15:30 - Actions can lead to empowerment, excitement, and understanding 16:37 - Bridget shares her experiences when she started the Life Coach certification program 18:43 - Empathy and compassion go a long way 20:35 - Understanding the brain is the key to understanding your thoughts and feelings 24:24 - Bridget goes more in-depth on using the self-coaching model to better ourselves 28:59 - Bridget also shares advice on how to come across better in virtual meetings 38:09 - Sharing information is beneficial to everyone 40:39 - Bridget talks about how she’s been handling the current situation 45:32 - We all have a choice 49:19 - Bridget shares some of her coaching workshops and resources

Links Sampson Coaching and Consulting: https://sampsoncoachingandconsulting.com/

Having a dream is one thing, but making that dream come true is another. From an early age, Felicia Alexander has had an eye for fitness. Listen in as she shares the story of how she started her company, Box Union, a contemporary boxing studio designed to build a fit body and strong mind. From working in corporate to leaping into entrepreneurship, Felicia knows what it takes to execute your dream. Tune in!

Timestamped show notes 03:39 - Felicia talks about how she started Box Union and the story behind it 06:48 - She breaks down how her and her business partner handle different aspects of the business 07:41 - Taking an idea to execution 10:56 - Coming up with Box Union 12:57 - A “beautiful cornucopia of people” 15:18 - Building a fit body and a fit mind 18:49 - A terrifying start 23:04 - Transitioning from corporate to entrepreneur 25:01 - Taking the leap 26:31 - Listening to your gut 29:01 - Felicia shares the story of how she got started in fitness 32:30 - Facing challenges 36:44 - Felicia shares some tips for business owners during the pandemic 41:12 - Habits and self-care 43:50 - Staying connected

Links Box Union: https://www.boxunion.com/

Meet author, entrepreneur, and CEO Verne Harnish, the founder of the Entrepreneur’s Organization. Known as the “Growth Guy,” Verne has also published multiple books, including Scaling Up and Mastering Rockefeller Habits. Listen in as Verne shares the 5 C’s of leading during a crisis, knowing your top 25 relationships, and how “people aren’t logical, they’re psychological.” Tune in!

Timestamped show notes: 03:21 - The 5 C’s of leading within a crisis or downturn 05:07 - One word: triage 11:33 - Getting punched in the face every single day 15:14 - Discipline and focus are critical 18:02 - Scaling up people and the importance of relationships 20:01 - Find out your top 25 relationships 33:07 - A simple strategy 36:09 - “Keeping the main thing” 44:30 - The first law of entrepreneur gravity growth 53:01 - Verne shares some stories about entrepreneurs stepping up and helping out 55:13 - Verne shares his daily habits 56:34 - Are leaders born or made? 57:21 - “People are not logical, they’re psychological.”

Links: Gazelles Website: https://gazelles.com/

The key to a successful business is finding a need and filling that need. That’s exactly what Maggie Drake did. As CEO of Bandolier, a luxury crossbody iPhone case and accessory brand, Maggie is full of creativity and innovation. Endorsed by numerous celebrities, Bandolier has truly set itself apart as a brand. Listen as Maggie shares her beginnings and gives some advice to aspiring female founders. Tune in!

Timestamped show notes 02:57 - Maggie tells us how she started! 06:32 - Filling a need that hasn’t been met yet 08:24 - Positive responses! 09:51 - It’s all up from here—magazines, newspapers, celebrities start noticing Bandolier 12:53 - Snagging Nordstrom 14:56 - How Maggie and her team come up with the styles 18:35 - Focusing on marketing and knowing your customers 21:52 - Maggie shares how her team keeps up with marketing trends 22:56 - Maggie wasn’t always planning to be an entrepreneur 24:07 - Entrepreneurial habits 29:42 - Important characteristics to have as an entrepreneur 31:39 - Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs

Links: Bandolier: https://www.bandolierstyle.com/

Meet Ashley Merrill, founder, and CEO of Lunya, a line of modern luxury sleepwear for women. Starting a business is hard enough, but Ashley managed to do it as a new mom! Listen in as she shares her core values, how she overcame her struggles, what it’s like to be married to and live with another entrepreneur. She also shares how brand marketing is important and how to maximize its impact. Tune in now!

Timestamped show notes​ 02:28 - Starting Lunya 03:06 - Are you born an entrepreneur? 04:00 - Finding a gap in the market 05:45 - The first steps in starting Lunya 07:05 - Ashley’s background in business 07:58 - Ashley talks about the questions she had at the beginning of her journey 09:22 - Lunya’s first collection 12:30 - What does the name Lunya mean? 13:48 - What is Lunya? 15:22 - Ashley talks about how Lunya’s fabrics collections address different problems 18:33 - How do you listen to the customer? 20:48 - Lunya’s brand marketing and how to maximize its impact 24:48 - Ashley talks about how her team of creatives helps set the tone for their brand 24:56 - Ashley’s entrepreneurial lineage 25:58 - What’s it like living with another entrepreneur? 28:10 - The difficulty of juggling being a parent and an entrepreneur 29:10 - Ashley talks about her habits and being organized 34:02 - Fitting in fitness 34:55 - What it’s like having an almost all-female staff 36:52 - Systems and processes 37:43 - Lunya’s Core Values 42:05 - Lunya looking forward 44:41 - Ashley shares her sources of inspiration 46:17 - “My inbox is my to-do box” 47:49 - Ashley’s advice for aspiring female founders 50:15 - Ashley shares how she has learned from struggles 55:58 - Swallowing feedback 57:58 - Ashley shares how she and Marc met

Link Lunya’s Website: ​https://www.lunya.co/

From politics to reporter to career coach, Elizabeth Koraca is well-versed in what it takes to be a good public speaker. She helps business executives, entrepreneurs, and other professionals with their presentation, communication, and speaking skills. Her work has allowed her to travel the globe helping people become better public speakers. Tune in as Elizabeth shares the importance of practice, building confidence, knowing your audience, and keeping things simple. Listen in!

Timestamped show notes

03:00 – Elizabeth’s beginning 03:20 - Ask yourself “what is your biggest fear?” 04:00 - “Nothing is perfect” 04:30 - Practice! Think about where you can be in front of people 05:56 - Record yourself speaking and see what mistakes you make 05:24 - Elizabeth talks about the beginning of her journey 05:44 - “Just keep going.” 06:20 - When you feel good about something, you feel good about yourself 06:36 - Most people think they’re worse than they actually are 07:08 - Hone in on your audience 07:27 - Keep it simple and digestible 07:39 - “Don’t make your audience feel dumb.” 07:56 - Thinking about your intention 08:30 - “The more connected we are...the more likely they are to give us what we want.” 08:37 - “People remember how we make them feel, not necessarily what we are saying” 09:17 - The importance of non-verbal communication 09:50 - Show passion! 10:30 - People want to buy certainty 10:45 - Overcoming self-doubt 12:40 - Dealing with “impostor syndrome” 13:20 - Check in on your goals regularly 13:42 - Overcoming perfectionism 14:23 - Get a good “operating system” for yourself 14:42 - Give yourself breaks! 15:11 - Tornado brain 16:20 - Importance of self-care to avoid feeling overwhelmed

Links Elizabeth’s Website: https://www.elizabethkoraca.com/

Meet John Ruhlin. A farm boy-turned-salesman, John Ruhlin is renowned for his radical generosity and gifting. With a diverse portfolio of top-notch clients such as Chevron, Caesar’s Palace, the Miami Dolphins, the Chicago Cubs, and much more, John Ruhlin knows a thing or two about the importance of developing business relationships. Listen in as John shares his methodology behind gifting and how it can help you grow your business.

Timestamped show notes 03:01 - What is Giftology? 03:49 - “A gift is a symbol of your relationship” 05:06 - Reinvesting 5% back into the business relationship 07:26 - Delivering “Ritz-Carlton Service” 09:45 - “Surprise and delight people” 11:28 - People don’t buy from companies, they buy from people 13:40 - The thoughtful thought counts 15:08 - Gifts must align with your values 16:38 - John explains how he’s “a minnow that gets to swim with whales” 18:23 - “What is the ​most​ you can do?” 19:45 - John talks about his Brooks Brothers experiment 23:18 - The importance of a “generosity journal” 26:23 - John reminisces on how he met his wife 27:49 - Make the gift about the recipient, not yourself! 32:19 - Follow John’s newsletter! 35:25 - “Attitude for gratitude” 36:30 - “No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.”

Links John Ruhlin’s Website: ​https://johnruhlin.com/ Giftology: ​https://giftologygroup.com/giftologybook/

From studying law and dance to successful entrepreneur, Debbie Goodman-Bhyat shows us why it's important to take risks. As CEO of Jack Hammer, Virtual Coaching Partners, and hiresmith, she understands how to be a successful entrepreneur. As a mother, entrepreneur, and CEO of a company halfway across the world, Debbie shows us how she manages it all. Listen in as she shows us the importance of saying yes, the importance of her joint study with Harvard, and also how to make the most out of the opportunities around you.

Timestamped show notes

02:58 - Dancer to entrepreneur 03:47 - Women in leadership 04:29 - Debbie talks about her collaboration study with Harvard 05:10 - Debbie on what holds women back in business 06:35 - She talks about what it's like having another entrepreneur as a significant other 08:05 - Debbie’s daily routine 08:29 - Why is it important to take risks? 08:53 - Sometimes, it’s good to just say “yes” to things 10:44 - You’ll figure it out, so just say yes! 11:52 - Taking the opportunities that are there

Links

https://debbiegoodmanbhyat.com/

In this week’s episode, motivational keynote speaker and bestselling author Erik Qualman gives insight on how to navigate the digital world as an entrepreneur. Erik shares some statistics about how we interact in the digital era and how it applies to building a successful business. Listen in on and learn how to digitally transform your business, step into discomfort, and creating superfans by being “flawsome.”

Timestamped show notes

02:40 - Jock or nerd? 03:29 - Stats for the future 04:00 - The Un-Selfie Mentality 05:06 - Scaling the unscalable 05:35 - Stats for today 06:06 - More conversations with AI than your spouse? 06:25 - The change in our attention spans and how it affects business 07:32 - How to digitally transform your business 08:17 - Being “flawsome” 09:15 - Pioneers always get pushback, be a pioneer! 09:32 - How does one become a futurist? 11:18 - What do you need to do to get it right in 2019? 11:47 - Step into discomfort each and every day 12:04 - Erik shares how he walks into discomfort 12:20 - Be on the edge 12:40 - The story behind Erik’s trademark glasses 14:17 - Erik shares how the glasses help him reach others 15:25 - Stepping into your story 15:37 - Erik’s story and goal 16:49 - Conversations are the new currency 17:10 - Simple does not mean easy 18:21 - Erik’s shares his favorite apps! 18:44 - Utilizing gamification in the digital world 19:03 - Getting better from evaluated failure 20:32 - Creating a superfan by being “flawsome”

From receptionist to award-winning entrepreneur, ​Ruby Receptionists​ founder Jill Nelson shares her amazing origin story. Jill explains how her time as a receptionist taught her the value of making connections and building trust with customers. Listen in as she shares how her focus on building a value and culture-focused company helped her grow exponentially. Tune in now!

Timestamped show notes 04:00 - Starting as a receptionist 05:10 - Landing on executive suites 06:13 - Where the name “Ruby Receptionists” came from 06:45 - “We weren’t making a task, we were making a connection.” 08:00 - Coming up with core values 08:45 - “If we’re going down, we’re going down swinging.” 09:33 - The importance of being there for customers 11:11 - Wow-worthy experiences 13:00 - Making a connection with the customer 14:20 - Starting from 2 people 14:51 - Feels like a different job every year 15:16 - Using technology not as a tool, but as an equal part of growth 16:25 - What is the Ruby Ripple Effect? 18:58 - Jill explains the value they provide to their customers 19:28 - Jill names some of her favorite awards she and her company has won 20:15 - What’s next for Jill?

Links: Ruby Receptionists