Ep 22: Core Values, Ohana and Keystone Habits With Kalika Yap

I’m excited to share this episode #22 with Kalika Yap, a serial entrepreneur, inventor, intentional mother, and business leader. She’s received tremendous recognition for her accomplishments, including being honored by the Anti-Defamation League, serving as a panelist with Magic Johnson on an Urban Economic Forum hosted by the Obama White House, and currently leading as the President of Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) Los Angeles Chapter.

Kalika is from more humble beginnings. She came from a big family born in the Philippines in the time of Martial Law that then moved to a low income community in Hawaii. Growing up, she had strong influences from her mother who is a teacher and her father who is an entrepreneur. Along with her husband, she now imparts these family influences or “Ohana” and a focus on “Core Values”  to her two daughters, 10 and 8 years old.

She's currently starting a company with her daughters, prompted by a school project, called Conscious Kids, a mindfulness resource for children. Believing that children have eyes all around and a unique perspective, she engages her daughters in defining the core values of their business and encourages them to explore their creativity.

Her current mission, through her branded commerce start-up, Orange and Bergamot, is to help 1 million businesses succeed and in turn create 1 million jobs by developing amazing brands. She shares about what helps her achieve ambitious goals like these while being present for her family: reaching out to others, being part of a tribe, being willing to ask for help, and developing “Keystone Habits,” like meditation.

Ultimately, she believes that the destination is the journey, and that the purpose of her life is to find joy and happiness while serving others.

We covered a lot of ground in this interview and I felt like I filled my E.P.I.C. Life Toolkit with powerful strategies: to focus on values, develop keystone habits, and consciously choose a life of service. I left the conversation inspired by Kalika to pursue our entrepreneurial dreams and empower other women to do the same, all while being a present and intentional parent.

This Week’s "Opportunity for Growth": Embrace meditation as a “Keystone Habit” and see how it can change your life

Topics discussed in this episode:

• How Kalika's Relationship with her Mom grew stronger as she had kids of her own
• The Core Values in Kalika’s home and her businesses
• Conscious Kids, a company she is starting with her children, that gives them an opportunity to explore their core values and creativity
• Her bold mission to help 1 million businesses succeed
• The problem of women feeling guilty for wanting to positively make an impact and not being willing to promote themselves
• “Keystone Habits” that lead to other essential habits
• Kalika’s love of reading and learning and the books she thinks will most help us live our E.P.I.C. lives
• Look at life as a whole map or journey, and don’t judge it by days

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Consciouskidsco.com
• Entrepreneurs' Organization
• Citrus Studios
• Dr. Marshall Goldsmith
• Simon Sinek TED Talk on the Golden Circle
• Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It by Christopher Voss and Tahl Raz
• Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People by Vanessa Van Edwards
• Mavens Media Group
• Podcast Movement 
• She Podcasts Facebook Group
• Transcendental Meditation
• Oprah & Deepak’s Meditation Series
• Calm: Meditation App
• Vedic Meditation
• Unplug Meditation
• Meditation Short Courses at UCLA

Announcements

If you haven’t yet visited the website, head over to www.mothersquest.com to explore some of the ways you can get more connected. At the site, you can sign up for our email list (to get show notes delivered to your inbox and our new “Mothers on a Quest” features), click the link to join the Facebook group and press record to leave a voice message for me.

You can also explore the new coaching offerings, sign up for a complimentary discovery session, and download the FREE Live Your E.P.I.C. Life Planning and Reflection Sheets.

Guided Meditation and Q & A in the Mother's Quest Facebook Group Look out for our upcoming Facebook Live guest, Kari Azuma of the Conscious Mother's Coalition, who will lead a Guided Meditation and Q & A in the Mother's Quest Facebook Group on the evening of Thursday, July 6th. This would be a great opportunity for practicing meditation as a keystone habit. Make sure to sign up to join the Facebook Group, if you're not yet a member, to get reminders and access.

Clarity Coaching (1.5 hr): E.P.I.C. Life Reflection and Strategy Session 

I’m particularly excited to invite you to participate in a signature clarity coaching offering called an E.P.I.C. Life Reflection and Strategy Session. If you’ve loved the interviews on the podcast and imagined what your own responses might be to my questions, this offering will give you that opportunity to go deep about the way in which the E.P.I.C. guideposts are showing up in your life, explore what you want more or less of in your life, and commit to key action steps.

We’ll record our conversation for you to listen to again and I’ll follow up by email to provide some accountability so you know you have a coach in your corner paying attention and cheering you on. Visit the work with me page at mothersquest.com to learn more and sign up.

Acknowledgements

A big THANK YOU to our “patrons” for helping to bring these conversations to myself and other mothers through financial and/or in-kind support:

• Liane Louie-Badua, who provided this week’s dedication
• Cristin Downs
• Erin Kendall
• Niko Osoteo
• Erik Newton
• Claire Fry
• Divya Silbermann
• Rachel Winter
• Caren and Debbie Lieberman
• Cameron Miranda
• Fran and David Lieberman
• Debbie and Alan Goore
• Sustainable Living Podcast

If you'd like to make a contribution to Mother's Quest to support Season Two of the Podcast and/or help provide coaching scholarships for mothers, follow this link to make a contribution http://mothersquest.com/be-a-supporter/

If you would like to "dedicate" an upcoming episode to a special mother in your life, email me at julie@mothersquest.com

Mother's Quest is a podcast for moms who are ready to live a truly E.P.I.C. life.

Join in for intimate conversations with a diverse group of inspiring mothers as they share how they are living an E.P.I.C. life, Engaging mindfully with their children (E), Passionately and Purposefully making a difference beyond their family (P), Investing in themselves (I), and Connecting to a strong support network (C).

Join our community of mothers to light the way and sustain you on your quest at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mothersquest/