Woman Owned: The Growth Podcast for Women Entrepreneurs

How do you get from where you are in business to where you want to be? What are the keys to leveling up in your business and creating the path that leads to the success you envisioned for yourself, your business, and your career? Keep Reading >> Today, I’m talking with Joy Chudacoff. Joy is a highly-acclaimed, sought-after business strategist for female entrepreneurs. She primarily works with already established and successful female business owners that are looking for ways to reach their next level of success, but aren’t quite sure what their next steps should be to get them there. She is the leader for Business Lifestyle Design for Women and has been an entrepreneur for over 20 years. Joy is the founder of a business consultant company called Smart Women, Smart Solutions, and for the last 12 years, she has been serving women as a professional, certified coach and consultant. On today’s episode, she shares with us what it is that keeps women from achieving their million-dollar goals and the different strategies they need to help push them to achieve that goal. She explains that the strategies you used to get you to where you are today may not help you reach your next level of success – and the key areas you need to focus on to help you reach your success goals.   “What got you here won’t take you there.” Joy Chudacoff   Today on the Fierce Feminine Leadership Podcast: The process and mindset of taking the leap from the entrepreneur maverick role into the CEO role as a woman Joy’s entrepreneurial journey The most significant turning point in Joy’s coaching business Examples of how keeping your message and what you offer consistent and how it can help lead you to success Strategy vs intuition Being able to delegate – not micromanage Falling in love with your numbers Being decisive and overcoming perfectionism and analysis paralysis to help you reach your goals   Key Numbers Women Entrepreneurs Should Monitor Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Your sales numbers Your cost per sale Your expenses   Joy’s Strategy for Creating Success: Ask yourself: What am I pretending not to know? Stay clear on what is absolutely necessary and essential for you to do every day.   Connect with Joy Chudacoff: Smart Women Solutions Joy Chudacoff on Facebook   Download your FREE Strategic Planning Guide to level up your business.   Love the show? Let us know!                                        Are you a fan of the Fierce Feminine Leadership Podcast? If the tips and interviews we share in each episode have helped you gain the confidence and inspiration to become a better, more powerful leader, head on over to iTunes, subscribe to the show and leave your honest review to let us know! Each month, one lucky podcast reviewer will be selected to receive a free coaching session with me – Eleanor Beaton!                                         What are you waiting for? Head on over to iTunes, subscribe and leave a review to enter your name into this month’s drawing!                                                              And, if you really want to ramp up your fierceness…                                         Reach out to us for a free 30-minute Bold Women in Business Makeover Session with me or one of the fabulous coaches on my team!                                         Explore your path and discover how you can be the fiercest lady-boss possible. Visit EleanorBeaton.com/Discover.                                                      A Special Thank You to Our Sponsors                                       This episode was made possible by our wonderful sponsors, BMO – Bank of Montreal – The Bank for Women.                                 Join the conversation at BMO for Women to gain the insight, knowledge, and support you need to succeed and to truly understand how to manage your money!      

When you look at how you structure your days, are you setting yourself up for balance and rejuvenation from the moment you wake up until the time you go to bed? Are you really creating a system or schedule that allows you to achieve a peaceful, tranquil, beautiful life – or are you structuring your day for chaos, stress, anxiety – or worse – burnout? Keep Reading >> My guest today is Tara Marino. Tara is the creator of the Femme Types, an internal technology helping women realize their full potential while receiving their beautiful life. She is the owner of Elegant Femme, a company dedicated to helping women around the world live a life of beauty, travel, and soul. She joins me today to share why she believes it’s so important for women to structure their day around the three core traits that ever woman possesses. She explains what those traits are – which she calls the Femme Types – and how identifying and honoring each of them every day have helped her move out of depression and into a beautiful life she enjoys living.   "If we are not honoring who we really are, that affects us.” – Tara Marino   Today on the Fierce Feminine Leadership Podcast: Integrating your human experiences, aligning it with your soul’s calling, and how it can help you overcome obstacles and adversity How journaling has helped Tara through the depression of losing her first child The Femme Types – what they are and why you should honor them every day The “Fo-Types” – what they are and how they counteract the balance of the Femme Types – if you let them What is Femme Flow and what it looks like for Tara Staying disciplined and structuring your day around your Femme Flow Why Tara decided to move to Paris – and how she made her dream a reality The power of saying “little yeses” in the direction of your desires   Tara’s Words of Wisdom: Slow down and think about the circumstances in your life and how it might assist you in recognizing who you really are. Ask yourself: What if this was to serve me in some way? How would I choose to have it serve me? Really go into that space inside and feel the possibility of expansion. Ask yourself: What is that dream inside me? You’re here for your unique expression of who you are in the world. Go all the way! Be truly present and aware of how far you have come. Look around your life and really let it soak in. Celebrate what you have accomplished so far. Download My Beautiful Life Journal Questions HERE.   Connect with Tara Marino: Elegant Femme Femme Type Assessment Quiz Live You Fully 9-Day Challenge   Love the show? Let us know!                                      Are you a fan of the Fierce Feminine Leadership Podcast? If the tips and interviews we share in each episode have helped you gain the confidence and inspiration to become a better, more powerful leader, head on over to iTunes, subscribe to the show and leave your honest review to let us know! Each month, one lucky podcast reviewer will be selected to receive a free coaching session with me – Eleanor Beaton!                      What are you waiting for? Head on over to iTunes, subscribe and leave a review to enter your name into this month’s drawing!                                                           And, if you really want to ramp up your fierceness…                                       Reach out to us for a free 30-minute Bold Women in Business Makeover Session with me or one of the fabulous coaches on my team!                            Explore your path and discover how you can be the fiercest lady-boss possible. Visit EleanorBeaton.com/Discover.                                         A Special Thank You to Our Sponsors                                     This episode was made possible by our wonderful sponsors, BMO – Bank of Montreal – The Bank for Women.                          Join the conversation at BMO for Women to gain the insight, knowledge, and support you need to succeed and to truly understand how to manage your money!     

For many entrepreneurs and business owners, building your personal brand requires a lot of hard work – and a lot of time. On the outside, you may appear to people as a “one-woman-operation,” but what many people don’t realize is that to achieve a high level of success – you can’t do it alone. You need a strong team behind you to get all your tasks done and accomplish your goals. Keep Reading >> I recently received an email from a dear friend and fierce follower asking about my team – and if I really had one. So, today, I want to share a “behind the scenes” glimpse to introduce you to my team, the amazing work they do, and provide tips and advice on hiring your own amazing team to take your business to the next level.   “Solo-entrepreneurship is a great way to get started, but if you really want stability, if you really want to grow, you need a team to help you do that.”   Today on the Fierce Feminine Leadership Podcast: Why building a team is critical to growing a sustainable business Who is on my team and the tasks and roles they perform – personally and professionally My journey to building this team The exact job ad I used to secure my Operations Manager and the exact process I used to hire her The positions I’m looking to fill next to help me reach my goals   My Personal Team: Shauna Forsyth of Maritime Strength & Conditioning My amazing housekeeper   My Professional Team: Adrianne Alexander – My Podcast Content Producer Kate Astrakhan of Audio Adrenaline Studio – Full Service Audio/Video Post-Production Company Operations Manager Online Business Manager Head Enrollment Coach Website Design Graphic Designers/Art Directors   My Challenge to You: Take a look at your life and career right now. Think about where you need to bring in the help and support you need. CLICK HERE to download the EXACT script from my Operations Assistant Job Ad AND my Step-by-Step Hiring Process.   Love the show? Let us know!                          Are you a fan of the Fierce Feminine Leadership Podcast? If the tips and interviews we share in each episode have helped you gain the confidence and inspiration to become a better, more powerful leader, head on over to iTunes, subscribe to the show and leave your honest review to let us know! Each month, one lucky podcast reviewer will be selected to receive a free coaching session with me – Eleanor Beaton!                                  What are you waiting for? Head on over to iTunes, subscribe and leave a review to enter your name into this month’s drawing!                                                        And, if you really want to ramp up your fierceness…                     Reach out to us for a free 30-minute Bold Women in Business Makeover Session with me or one of the fabulous coaches on my team!                                     Explore your path and discover how you can be the fiercest lady-boss possible. Visit EleanorBeaton.com/Discover.                                           A Special Thank You to Our Sponsors                                   This episode was made possible by our wonderful sponsors, BMO – Bank of Montreal – The Bank for Women.                     Join the conversation at BMO for Women to gain the insight, knowledge, and support you need to succeed and to truly understand how to manage your money!    

The working world has changed drastically over the last 50+ years. In the world that our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents lived and worked, it was common to step out into the work force and maintain the same job and responsibilities until they retired. Today, though, it is much more common for people in the work force to pivot their careers – and even switch the industries in which they work. Keep Reading >> My guest today is author, public speaker, and career and business strategist, Jenny Blake. Jenny helps people move past the “burnout” phase and into careers they love. Today, we discuss how to seamlessly and continually double-down on your strengths, interests, and experience to approach career changes from a powerful place. We also discuss how to identify new opportunities that will help you develop new skills and how to run “pilot” experiments to help you figure out what to do next.   “Not all pivots have to be big and dramatic. Sometimes, it’s just about mapping your next move within whatever you’re currently doing.” – Jenny Blake   Today on the Fierce Feminine Leadership Podcast: How company pivots have impacted individual and millennial pivots Individual ideas of “what is working” and how it evolved over generations The basis of Jenny’s 4-step framework process Getting traction within your organization for your pilot projects Pilot examples for small business owners and entrepreneurs Dealing with anxiety and a lack of clarity Transitioning from intrapreneur to entrepreneur Recharging habits and routines   Jenny’s 4-Step Pivot Framework: Step 1 – The Plant Phase – Setting the foundation Step 2 – Scanning – Looking at what’s out there related to your strengths and one-year vision Step 3 – Pilot – Small experiments to help you assess the 3 E’s: Enjoyment, Expertise, and Expansion Step 4 – Launch – The “all-in” moment   Pivoting Questions to Ask Yourself: What’s already working for me? What are my strengths? What are people asking my advice on the most? What do I enjoy the most? When do I feel the most “in the zone?” How am I already earning an income? Who do I already know?   CLICK HERE to download the freebie worksheet "Pivoting Questions to Ask Yourself"     Additional Resources:   Stand Out: How to Find Your Breakthrough Idea and Build a Following Around It book by Dorie Clark   Connect with Jenny Blake: Pivot Method Toolkit Pivot Method Coaching Pivot Method Momentum Pivot: The Only Move That Matters is Your Next One book Life After College: The Complete Guide to Getting What You Want book   Love the show? Let us know!                Are you a fan of the Fierce Feminine Leadership Podcast? If the tips and interviews we share in each episode have helped you gain the confidence and inspiration to become a better, more powerful leader, head on over to iTunes, subscribe to the show and leave your honest review to let us know! Each month, one lucky podcast reviewer will be selected to receive a free coaching session with me – Eleanor Beaton!                          What are you waiting for? Head on over to iTunes, subscribe and leave a review to enter your name into this month’s drawing!                                     And, if you really want to ramp up your fierceness…            Reach out to us for a free 30-minute Bold Women in Business Makeover Session with me or one of the fabulous coaches on my team!                  Explore your path and discover how you can be the fiercest lady-boss possible. Visit EleanorBeaton.com/Discover.                                     A Special Thank You to Our Sponsors                This episode was made possible by our wonderful sponsors, BMO – Bank of Montreal – The Bank for Women.               Join the conversation at BMO for Women to gain the insight, knowledge, and support you need to succeed and to truly understand how to manage your money!                 

J.J. DiGeronimo is the president of Tech Savvy Women, an international organization of experienced women in tech careers and organizations. Shortly after graduating college with a degree in computer information systems, she began her career designing data center infrastructures for Fortune 500 companies before deciding to quit her lucrative job and follow her passion. J.J. is the author of two books, including the newly released Accelerate Your Impact: Action Based Strategies to Pave Your Professional Path. Keep Reading >> Today, J.J. joins me on the show to share her thoughts on self-efficacy and the challenges women in the tech industry often face today. We also discuss what women can do to advance their careers while following their passion within their organization, or how to start your entrepreneurial journey the smart way.   “If you’re not really clear on where you are and where you want to go, it’s very difficult for other people to help you.” – J.J. DiGeronimo   Today on the Fierce Feminine Leadership Podcast: Why you need to assess your professional network – and how. The difference between how men and women network with others. What is self-efficacy and how can you learn it. How learning self-efficacy can help you discover new opportunities. How to get the most out of organized networking events. How career coaching is different from mentorships and sponsorships.   J.J.’s Top 3 Success Tips for Women Making the Entrepreneurial Leap: Get the right people around you. Make sure you know who your customer is and what problem you are solving. Make sure you are marketing yourself and pricing yourself appropriately.   Connect with J.J. DiGeronimo: jjdigeronimo.com LinkedIn Twitter YouTube Google+    Download the Tip sheets with JJ's Insight's here.   Love the show? Let us know!               Are you a fan of the Fierce Feminine Leadership Podcast? If the tips and interviews we share in each episode have helped you gain the confidence and inspiration to become a better, more powerful leader, head on over to iTunes, subscribe to the show and leave your honest review to let us know! Each month, one lucky podcast reviewer will be selected to receive a free coaching session with me – Eleanor Beaton!                       What are you waiting for? Head on over to iTunes, subscribe and leave a review to enter your name into this month’s drawing!                       And, if you really want to ramp up your fierceness…                      Reach out to us for a free 30-minute Bold Women in Business Makeover Session with me or one of the fabulous coaches on my team!            Explore your path and discover how you can be the fiercest lady-boss possible. Visit EleanorBeaton.com/Discover.                       Register for Your Million Dollar Message Women’s Leadership Retreat  Are you interested in creating a powerful signature speech, owning your leadership presence, and leveraging it to receive breakout business results in 2017? Register for Eleanor’s Million Dollar Message Women’s Leadership Retreat – an exquisite, 3-day face-to-face retreat with powerhouse women leaders in Toronto, Canada.     If you’d like to explore how you can deliver your message to the world and use it to take your business to the next level, join our group of powerhouse female leaders on May 26-28 in Toronto. For more details and register for this amazing, powerful event, visit YourMillionDollarMessageRetreat.com    A Special Thank You to Our Sponsors                     This episode was made possible by our wonderful sponsors, BMO – Bank of Montreal – The Bank for Women.               Join the conversation at BMO for Women to gain the insight, knowledge, and support you need to succeed and to truly understand how to manage your money!     

What are the three most powerful skills a female leader in business needs to succeed in a highly competitive, male-dominant industry? Ulrike Bahr-Gedalia is a powerhouse female STEM leader and the President and CEO of the organization, Digital Nova Scotia – a nonprofit organization that helps develop digital technology throughout the Canadian region. Her organization is making some serious waves in their growth and impact on the digital economy as well as profiling and supporting women in the digital sector. Keep Reading >> Ulrike’s career spans 5 geographic regions and she’s a multi-lingual, award-winning entrepreneur who has been named one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women for two consecutive years, a WCT Wave Maker, a Top 50 CEO by the Atlantic Business Magazine, as well as one of the 40 Top Change Makers in Canada by Canadian Living. She has also received the esteemed Progress Women’s Excellent Award. Ulrike has over 20 years of global experience in the information and communications technology industry and on today’s episode, she shares her story of how she went from a background in artistry to one of the most successful female leaders in the digital technology industries. She also shares the top three most powerful skills she believes every female leader needs to truly succeed in business, in life, in order to shatter the glass ceiling, overcome gender bias, and pave the way for true gender equality and diversity.   “Entrepreneurship is an attitude and a mindset.” – Ulrike Bahr-Gedalia     Today on the Fierce Feminine Leadership Podcast: The three key elements of successful female leaders Having a natural tendency to confront and conquer challenges Assessing yourself – honestly and frequently – and the impact it can have on you as a leader Handling feedback Reframing big challenges as opportunities Overcoming gender bias   Ulrike’s Advice to Fierce Feminine Leaders: If you see something that you feel is too big for you – it might not be too big. Just go for it. Find your way. Always learn and interact with people to understand and ask questions. Don’t take things personally.   Ulrike’s Top 3 Success Tips to Emerging Feminine Leaders: Have a positive attitude. Be authentic. Be yourself. Be adaptable. Those that are most adaptable survive – not those that are most intelligent.   Connect with Ulrike Bahr-Gedalia: Digital Nova Scotia Digital Nova Scotia Events Digital Nova Scotia on Twitter Digital Nova Scotia on Facebook Digital Nova Scotia on LinkedIn    Download the Tip Sheet with Ulrike's Insight's here.   Love the show? Let us know!          Are you a fan of the Fierce Feminine Leadership Podcast? If the tips and interviews we share in each episode have helped you gain the confidence and inspiration to become a better, more powerful leader, head on over to iTunes, subscribe to the show and leave your honest review to let us know! Each month, one lucky podcast reviewer will be selected to receive a free coaching session with me – Eleanor Beaton!                   What are you waiting for? Head on over to iTunes, subscribe and leave a review to enter your name into this month’s drawing!                      And, if you really want to ramp up your fierceness…                   Reach out to us for a free 30-minute Bold Women in Business Makeover Session with me or one of the fabulous coaches on my team!                   Explore your path and discover how you can be the fiercest lady-boss possible. Visit EleanorBeaton.com/Discover.                        A Special Thank You to Our Sponsors                 This episode was made possible by our wonderful sponsors, BMO – Bank of Montreal – The Bank for Women.         Join the conversation at BMO for Women to gain the insight, knowledge, and support you need to succeed and to truly understand how to manage your money!     

In episode 151 of the Fierce Feminine Leadership podcast, Amy Jo Kim provided powerful insight from the game design industry on ways you can create innovative ideas and turn them into highly successful products and services. During the conversation, the idea of “killing your darlings” came up numerous times as well as why it’s important to evaluate, assess, and let go of the things that are not working for your project, business, or organization. Keep Reading >> Today, I want to discuss what it means to “kill your darlings” and why taking this step is often one of the hardest for many entrepreneurs and female leaders. I also want to share the positive impact that letting go of what’s not working can have on your business or organization once you get past the emotional aspect of “killing your baby” and begin pruning it to perfection as well as share some key questions you should ask to help identify what is working, what’s not working, and what your next steps should be. When you’re willing to kill off the darlings to preserve the body of strength of your work, you will find that not only do you develop a deeper sense of confidence, but your relationship with your tribe and overall effectiveness is greatly enhanced.   Today on the Fierce Feminine Leadership Podcast: The emotional aspect of killing your darlings Why it’s important to prune what’s not working to make room for things that work Utilizing feedback from “fussy” clients and customers   3 “Darling Killing” Questions You Should Be Asking: What should you keep doing because it’s working? What should you stop doing because it is not working? What should you start doing because it would be even more helpful? Click here for the free How to Kill Your Darlings worksheet   Love the show? Let us know!        Are you a fan of the Fierce Feminine Leadership Podcast? If the tips and interviews we share in each episode have helped you gain the confidence and inspiration to become a better, more powerful leader, head on over to iTunes, subscribe to the show and leave your honest review to let us know! Each month, one lucky podcast reviewer will be selected to receive a free coaching session with me – Eleanor Beaton!                 What are you waiting for? Head on over to iTunes, subscribe and leave a review to enter your name into this month’s drawing!                 And, if you really want to ramp up your fierceness…         Reach out to us for a free 30-minute Bold Women in Business Makeover Session with me or one of the fabulous coaches on my team!                 Explore your path and discover how you can be the fiercest lady-boss possible. Visit EleanorBeaton.com/Discover.                    A Special Thank You to Our Sponsors               This episode was made possible by our wonderful sponsors, BMO – Bank of Montreal – The Bank for Women.         Join the conversation at BMO for Women to gain the insight, knowledge, and support you need to succeed and to truly understand how to manage your money!    

As entrepreneurs, we hear all the time that we need to build our audiences and grow our businesses through authenticity and authority. But what does that actually mean? How do you build your authority in a highly competitive marketplace with a low barrier to entry – such as coaching or consulting? How do you distinguish yourself from the rest in your industry, and position yourself as the expert in your field?

Have you ever thought about how your clothes impact your self-esteem and the way you feel? Whether you are stepping out on a stage to give a presentation to a massive audience, dressing for success for a day at the office, or you’re wearing your “comfy clothes” while running the kids to soccer practice, your style and the clothes you wear have an impact on the way you feel about yourself, your success, and how you present yourself to the world. Keep Reading >> On today’s episode, my guest is personal stylist Maegan Watson. Maegan is a dear friend and colleague of mine and the founder of Watson Style Group – a group dedicated to creating wardrobes that help people feel the way they want and love the way they look. She has over 10 years of experience helping women transform their wardrobes and put an end to the seemingly unending question: “What should I wear today?” Maegan shares her thoughts on how style is different from fashion and the insights she has learned from conducting hundreds of in-depth conversations and interviews with women about their style and how it affects their overall view of themselves and how they feel.                                                                                                 “When we have a wardrobe or an outfit that reminds us of what we want, they become an anchor.” – Maegan Watson   Today on the Fierce Feminine Leadership Podcast: Style is creating the image that is going to make you know yourself on a deeper level. All women want the same things when it comes to style – they all want to be able to reflect something about themselves. Reflecting your personal and professional mission through your style and wardrobe. Addressing the idea that style is frivolous or meaningless and why it’s important. The process Maegan uses to personalize wardrobes for her clients. The dynamic approach her team uses to support her clients wardrobe transformations.   Maegan’s Tips for Enhancing Your Style: Stop focusing on how you look. Focus on how you feel in outfits.   Connect with Maegan Watson: Watson Style Group     Love the show? Let us know!          Are you a fan of the Fierce Feminine Leadership Podcast? If the tips and interviews we share in each episode have helped you gain the confidence and inspiration to become a better, more powerful leader, head on over to iTunes, subscribe to the show and leave your honest review to let us know! Each month, one lucky podcast reviewer will be selected to receive a free coaching session with me – Eleanor Beaton!           What are you waiting for? Head on over to iTunes, subscribe and leave a review to enter your name into this month’s drawing!                 And, if you really want to ramp up your fierceness…           Reach out to us for a free 30-minute Bold Women in Business Makeover Session with me or one of the fabulous coaches on my team!           Explore your path and discover how you can be the fiercest lady-boss possible. Visit EleanorBeaton.com/Discover.                     A Special Thank You to Our Sponsors         This episode was made possible by our wonderful sponsors, BMO – Bank of Montreal – The Bank for Women.      

Whether you’ve been in business for several years or are just getting started, scaling your business can be scary and complicated – but also incredibly rewarding. My guest today, Sue Bennett, is the Principle and CEO of Bennett Design Associates, Inc. – a company she founded 20 years ago, and has grown from the ground up. She is also the owner of the Air Force Mavericks All-Star Cheerleading Club, a company she founded from her passion and love for gymnastics and cheer. Keep Reading >> Sue’s company, Bennett Design, started with a vision to build a better design firm; one that focused on delivering “detail-driven design.” Today, it is one of the largest interior design firms in Toronto with over 40 people on staff. Her company has developed proprietary software for workplace strategy and project management to provide her clients with the absolute best service available. On today’s episode, she shares her story of how she got started in business and her journey to success, her secrets of scaling – not one, but two – highly successful businesses, and what she identified as the turning point in her career that helped her on her journey to success.   “Every time you grow, you need to make sure you are considering the people working, what’s working for them, and what’s not.” – Sue Bennett   Today on the Fierce Feminine Leadership Podcast: Being curious and how following your curiosity can be a huge success factor for your business. The critical nature of having self-belief an its role in achieving success. Evolving your business to keep pace with the modern workforce. Strategies to improve your workplace and work environment.   How to Scale Successfully & Thoughtfully: Create a business plan and write it down. Don’t scale just for the sake of scaling. Have intentional growth. Hire slow, fire fast.   Connect with Sue Bennett: bennettdesign.ca   Click here to receive the free Establishing a Clear Set of Ideals worksheet   Love the show? Let us know!  Are you a fan of the Fierce Feminine Leadership Podcast? If the tips and interviews we share in each episode have helped you gain the confidence and inspiration to become a better, more powerful leader, head on over to iTunes, subscribe to the show and leave your honest review to let us know! Each month, one lucky podcast reviewer will be selected to receive a free coaching session with me – Eleanor Beaton!       What are you waiting for? Head on over to iTunes, subscribe and leave a review to enter your name into this month’s drawing!          And, if you really want to ramp up your fierceness…       Reach out to us for a free 30-minute Bold Women in Business Makeover Session with me or one of the fabulous coaches on my team!    Explore your path and discover how you can be the fiercest lady-boss possible. Visit EleanorBeaton.com/Discover.         A Special Thank You to Our Sponsors   This episode was made possible by our wonderful sponsors, BMO – Bank of Montreal.