HAYVN Hubcast

In this episode of HAYVN Hubcast, we delve into the dynamic world of virtual assistance with Gina Havraneck. Gina brings her expertise in providing administrative support to solo professionals, enabling them to focus on their core competencies. With 20 years of experience in events, public relations, and finance, Gina has honed her skills to excel as a virtual assistant.  Virtual assistants offer a diverse range of tasks and expertise, including business management, client support, marketing, accounting, and more.   However, many business owners, particularly solopreneurs are often hesitant to delegate these tasks.   If there are business tasks that are repetitive and don't require personal attention, or if there are  tasks that involve a project outside your area of expertise, then it’s definitely time to consider a virtual assistant.   Virtual assistants are your best help in situations like these since they have the background and the expertise to help entrepreneurs. They possess the unique ability to see the big picture while attending to the finer details, helping businesses achieve their goals. They can collaborate with different clients, leveraging their expertise to drive business growth.  “Different people work differently, and I meet my clients where they are.” - Gina Havraneck  Whether you aspire to work as a virtual assistant or are considering incorporating virtual assistant support into your team, tune in to this enlightening episode to gain valuable insights and guidance.  Connect with Gina Havraneck:  Website  Facebook  Instagram  LinkedIn  Connect with Nancy:  Website  Facebook  Instagram  LinkedIn  Twitter 

Join us in this episode of the HAYVN Hubcast as we dive into the challenging world of entrepreneurship and the process of growing a consumer food business. Lisa Hurd shares her inspiring journey of navigating the food and beverage industry to build her successful venture, Lisa's 1973 - a food company that believes delicious food can also be good for you and good for the world.  Lisa's path was driven by her and her partner Kristin’s personal medical experiences of untreated auto-immune conditions and heart complications, respectively. She used her background as a Culinary Archeologist to harness the power of food as medicine to transform their health and bring the vision of this new business to life. “You can have food that is as close to nature as possible, and it can be amazing.” -Lisa Hurd Throughout the episode, we explore key takeaways from Lisa's journey, including: Uncovering the common threads that connect your passion, purpose, and mission. The significant impact that nurturing relationships can have on your business's growth and success. Navigating the challenges of launching a CPG (consumer products goods) company which requires significant amounts of capital investment. The importance of industry knowledge and finding mentors who can guide you through the intricacies of your specific industry. Listen in as Lisa shares her highs, lows, and unexpected turns in her entrepreneurial journey. You’ll gain valuable insights on making the most of any situation and turning your life lessons into opportunities. Connect with Lisa Hurd: Website Instagram LinkedIn Connect with Nancy: Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Twitter

Angel investing is an empowering way for women to shape their financial futures as well as the futures of new startups and budding enterprises. They get to choose and be selective in the companies they will invest in, and they can choose which companies best reflect their own values.   While there is a fairly low barrier of entry to be an accredited investor for angel investing, it’s still a  high-risk endeavor, which is why groups like Tidal River are extremely helpful. Tidal River is a Connecticut based angel investor network for women, and in this episode we’ll hear from the managing partners of the Tidal River Funds, a member-driven fund for accredited investors focused on early stage companies that champion diversity and equity.  Chris Gelnaw, an angel investor and independent consulting professional, brings a wealth of experience in growing early-stage and mid-market companies. With her expertise in product/market fit, market sizing, and product launches, she provides valuable insights and actionable strategies to companies across various sectors.  Galia Gichon, an independent personal financial expert, has a diverse background spanning corporate bond research, personal finance, angel investing, and entrepreneurship. As an angel investor, Galia actively supports women-led and impact startups, while also providing independent personal finance education through her company, Down to Earth Finance.  Key Points in this episode:  Angel investing has become a more accessible financial endeavor.  The importance of being educated about what angel investing is.  How to manage and mitigate risks when angel investing.  “We want to empower women to make their own financial investment decisions.” - Chris Gelnaw  Join us as Chris and Galia share their insights and experiences, empowering women to make informed financial investment choices.  Connect with Tidal River:  Website  LinkedIn  Connect with Chris Gelnaw:  LinkedIn  Connect with Galia Gichon:  Website  Instagram  LinkedIn  Connect with Nancy:  Website  Facebook  Instagram  LinkedIn  Twitter 

Writing and publishing a book is a time-consuming, laborious and courageous process. It involves much more than writing, editing, proofreading, and uploading a manuscript. First-time authors quickly realize that there is much to learn and navigate within the publishing industry. To teach us more about just what it takes to publish a book, we’re joined by book publisher, Jenn T. Grace of Publish Your Purpose.  Jenn is an award-winning author, nationally recognized speaker, and savvy publishing strategist. She founded Publish Your Purpose, an acclaimed hybrid publishing company that gives first-time authors the secrets to getting their books written, finding an eager audience, and marking their place in the publishing world.  “Make sure that your purpose is what everything is centered around because there are so many points in the process where it’s very easy to give up.” -Jenn T. Grace  Key points in Jenn’s story that are highlighted in this episode:  How having an “I can figure this out” attitude and taking advantage of strategic opportunities led her from corporate work to book publishing  How to bring the most value to the world by having a clear why and a clear purpose in your work  Understanding key questions and goals for authors when deciding how to publish their work and what publishing direction they should take  Like a lot of us, Jenn started in the corporate world right out of college, working for an insurance company. But within a month of working there, she experienced homophobia in the workplace, and that led her to start a consulting company to help other companies market to the LGBTQ community in a sincere and authentic way and ultimately writing four books on LGBTQ marketing and communication.   From her experience in publishing her own books, a series of events and a bombardment of “How did you do this?” led her to create a course to teach authors how to get their books published, and eventually to start her own publishing company.  Jenn is currently actively involved with the HAYVN community and as a fan of the programming around sustainability, she admires the measures HAYVN has taken to achieve its level of sustainability and receive certified B Corp status (just as she has)! .  Connect with Jenn T. Grace:  Website  Facebook  LinkedIn  Twitter  Publish Your Purpose  Connect with Nancy:  Website  Facebook  Instagram  LinkedIn  Twitter 

Over the past few years, with movements such as the great resignation and quiet quitting, we’ve seen a dramatic shift in work culture and corporate America. The norms we had accepted are now unacceptable, and the call for work-life balance is even louder. While this change is welcome, the shift in the landscape can be tricky to navigate. More conversations around professional life need to happen, and that’s exactly what we’re doing in this episode.  Listen in to Simone Morris who talks about choosing the direction of your career and inclusivity in the workplace. She started Simone Morris Enterprises, a certified minority, and women-owned business that provides transformative leadership solutions through coaching, consulting, and training services, and is the author of 52 Tips for Owning Your Career.   “Sometimes we can be so busy with work and other people’s priorities that we fall to the bottom of our list.” -Simone Morris  What needs happen for us to have the career we want, and as a result, bring a shift in the work culture? Here are three changes Simone says must happen:  Know what you want out of your career and define your mission and values.  Take ownership of your career; no one else is responsible for it but you.  Change has to also come from the management and leaders of organizations.  “It’s a journey, and we’ll forgive those who are taking longer to get it. But know that not everybody is at the same place on the journey.” -Simone Morris  While there is still a long way to go to change the professional landscape, Simone shares that the journey is different for each individual and organization. We’re all at different points in our journey, so stay on your path and keep on making those significant next steps.  Connect with Simone Morris:  Website  Facebook  Instagram  LinkedIn  YouTube  Connect with Nancy:  Website  Facebook  Instagram  LinkedIn  Twitter 

The Founder of Soul Camp Creative, Michelle Garside is on the podcast today! Michelle is also the founder of the Connecticut Women’s Club as well and when you hear her story, you’re going to want to connect with her.  Michelle worked for some of the biggest brands helping them create effective branding and messaging. She was at the top of her career when a big change in her life led her to quit her job. She took some time to figure out what she really wanted and began to create that for herself.  Back to her branding roots, she realized she could help soul-purpose entrepreneurs who were doing transformational work in the world.  As she explains, branding is about what you stand for, who you want to serve and how you want to implement what you do. She now helps mission-focused entrepreneurs create brands that speak to the heart of their work.  “We believe in branding from the inside out.” “We are for big ideas that change the world,” she explains.  Hear how her team is in service of this concept for their clients. The first step is starting with a brand break-through, a process that she says must start “from a place of nothing.” Letting go of what you think you know to become who you want to be.  Who can get the most out of this type of opportunity? Michelle explains that when you know it’s time to grow. That might mean going from one-to-one work to serving many, or it could be when you’re ready to publish your book or get a new program out to the world.  “Magic happens in a group.” Also, Michelle’s well known Soul Camp is coming back September 7-10 to be held in the Poconos. This is going to be a small group of people who are ready for 4 days of diving into their true authentic selves.    Connect with Michelle:  Soul Camp Creative  Enchantment Experience Connecticut Women’s Club    Connect with Nancy:  Nancy Sheed - Website  LinkedIn  Instagram

If you pay attention to any of the financial or economic news today, you’ll hear about recessions, instability of the economy, and how there’s no money to spend or to invest. But our guest in this episode challenges many mainstream ideas.  Joining us again is Heather K. Terry, the CEO and Co-Founder of GoodSam Foods, a sugar-free and equitable food company doing work directly with farmers all over the world, with the goal of making access to delicious, healthy, regenerative food products easier for everyone, and doing good along the way.  Having had to raise capital back in 2008 and 2009, and again in the middle of the pandemic for GoodSam, Heather knows that it’s possible to raise funds and find investors no matter what the state of the economy may be.  “I would argue that anything in symbiosis with nature is going to have a more positive outcome.” - Heather K. Terry  Along the way, Heather has learned a thing or two about the world of founders, investors, and starting businesses. Here are three topics she talks more about in this episode:  The regenerative way of conducting your business  What the world of sustainable investing looks like today  How new investors can get started  “Don’t be worried that you don’t know what you don’t know. Don’t be scared because otherwise, you might miss some really great opportunities.” - Heather K. Terry  You’ll also hear Heather challenge the idea of sustainability leading to lesser profit, and she encourages new investors to still invest despite the state of politics or economy, to go talk to people, and learn what you need to know.  Connect with Heather K. Terry:  Website  Instagram  LinkedIn  Twitter  Connect with Nancy:  Website  Facebook  Instagram  LinkedIn  Twitter 

Today, we’re having a holistic career conversation with Phyllis Weihs-Yavner. We’re talking about our mental health, diverting and improving our professional careers, and how these are interconnected.   Phyllis is a licensed psychotherapist (MS, LPC), certified career counselor, speaker, and fierce believer in what’s possible. She helps her clients with different areas, and identifies where their issues overlap, and creates strategies based on what her clients want and need.   Here are some life experiences Phyllis shared today:  Her journey to becoming a counselor  The importance of counseling and guidance in today’s culture  How HAYVN has impacted and improved her career  “My approach is to look at what can be changed and what can’t be changed, and to work with that.” - Phyllis Weihs-Yavner  As an active member of the HAYVN community, she is also a part of the wellness mastermind and a regular expert and speaker. To hear more about her work, listen to the full episode.  Connect with Phyllis Weihs-Yavner:  Website  Instagram  LinkedIn  Connect with Nancy:  Website  LinkedIn  Instagram  Twitter 

As women in powerful leadership positions, we need to find a leadership style that is true to us but is still effective and brings people together. This can be a tricky balance, figuring out how to be kind and empathetic without being a push-over, and exuding strength and authority without being domineering. So how do we find that balance? Answering this question and sharing her story is our guest, Fran Hauser.  Fran is passionate about leveling the playing field for women. With more than 20 years in the corporate media world, Fran now does her mission driven work through investing, writing, and speaking. As an investor, Fran has invested in over 30 female-founded companies across different industries. She is also the best-selling author of The Myth of the Nice Girl and Embrace the Work, Love Your Career.  “I love the multi-hyphenate part of how I would describe myself because I am in all these different things, but at the end of the day I just feel like I’m helping people.” -Fran Hauser  With a career that started in public accounting for The Big Five, becoming an all-star media executive, and then an author and investor, Fran changed industries and pivoted her trajectory multiple times, but here are the common threads she kept on seeing throughout her experience:  Amazing things happen when women come together and help each other.  There is nothing that could replace in-person interactions and real-life communities.  It’s possible for women to lead with strength, but still come from a place of kindness.  “You don’t have to choose between a quality like strength and a quality like kindness. You can be both kind and strong.” -Fran Hauser  While in her corporate leadership positions, Fran has learned how to balance leading with strength and kindness. She first shared this in her blog article Nice Girls Finish First which instantly went viral, and the outpouring of responses convinced her to write her first book.  To hear the full story of Fran’s journey, listen to this episode. You can also check out her recently launched Book Bound Co., which she created to help aspiring authors transform their ideas into books.  Connect with Fran Hauser:  Website  Facebook  Instagram  LinkedIn  Twitter  Connect with Nancy:  Website  Facebook  Instagram  LinkedIn  Twitter 

Women make up half of the population and the workforce yet not all girls and young women have equal access to education, training and opportunities. They need help getting the right tools, support and skill sets for them to create the most impact in the world.  Sheri West has made it her mission to address this inequality and shares in this episode what we can do to help. Sheri is the Founder, CEO, and Chairwoman of LiveGirl, a nonprofit organization that builds confident, inclusive leaders. LiveGirl works to prepare the next generation of diverse, brave female leaders with the skills, community, and connections so that all girls may thrive and make a positive impact on the world.  “Talent is equally had, but the opportunity is not equally distributed.” - Sheri West  All of the programs and projects of LiveGirl are designed in response to existing societal needs and problems of girls. Here are some of their impactful programs:  She Cares, which provides free mental wellness mentoring for girls in grades 5-12  Live Girl Lead, where they provide coaching for girls in high school to launch a community impact project  She Works, a program catered towards college girls, it provides career readiness trainings, equipping them with the skills they need, and matches them with paid internships  “If we truly want to build an equal, inclusive workforce, it starts with giving these college students who have been historically underrepresented access to internships.” - Sheri West  Sheri’s enthusiasm and passion is infectious, and HAYVN is glad to be able to help LiveGirl fulfill its mission. In honor of Women’s History Month, Sheri and LiveGirl are hosting the Embrace Equity Fireside Chat in early March.  And if you want to support LiveGirl, you can become a mentor for the She Cares program, or become a partner.  Connect with LiveGirl:  Website  Instagram  LinkedIn  YouTube  Twitter  Connect with Nancy:  Website  Facebook  Instagram  LinkedIn  Twitter