And She Spoke

Joy is not always found in big, milestone events. Sometimes, especially during times of chaos, the greatest joys are found in small, everyday moments.  Today’s episode is a lighthearted take on some of the joys and hustles of this wild and crazy year, but predominantly the joys – things that we would like to celebrate, despite the fact that we’ve spent most of 2020 within the confines of our own homes!  As we enter fall, we’d like to share with you some recommendations for the things we have been grateful for during lockdown, things that have brought us peace, a sense of freedom, pause to reflect, or simple, unadulterated pleasure. Tune in to find out more!   Key Points From This Episode: How the Aarke Sparkling Water Maker has helped Sandy drink more water each day. Why Jeni bought herself a pickup truck that, to her, is the definition of freedom. How Sandy discovered Planterina on YouTube and the value of Facebook Marketplace. Why we all need to understand the impact of social media on our lives and the manipulation. Our ability to create new technologies is surpassing our ability to solve ethical problems. Sandy talks about her new favorite app, iNaturalist, which helps you identify flora and fauna. Jeni’s new favorite app is one that is quite similar, and it’s a plant-identifier called PictureThis. Sandy highly recommends Big Friendship and the Call Your Girlfriend Podcast by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman. Jeni is reading Deep Creek by Pam Houston, that she relates to because she lives on a farm. Resources (this week’s multiple Joy’s!) Aarke Planterina on YouTube WallyGro WallyGro on Instagram The Social Dilemma on Netflix iNautralist App PictureThis App Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close Call Your Girlfriend Podcast Deep Creek: Finding Hope in the High Country   This week’s Hustle: While most of the joy’s mentioned in this week’s episode could be a hustle, this week’s hustle is Jeni’s Uplift Desk.   Know Your Numbers In our business, we're big fans of financial literacy and accountability. Knowing your numbers is an essential aspect of building a successful business and inherent responsibility for any entrepreneur.  What you focus on grows, so pay attention to your money. We use Bench for our bookkeeping. It's simple, elegant, and saves us so many hours that would otherwise be spent neck-deep in receipts on the other side of a spreadsheet. Each month our transactions are automatically imported into Bench and we get on-demand financial reports. We even enjoy opening up our profit and loss statement to review each month. When tax time comes around, we are up to date and ready to go. And this is what Financial Empowerment feels like. Use this link to save 20% off your Bench Accounting plan for the first six months!

When it comes to negotiation, many of us feel we don’t measure up. Maybe our fears of rejection or conflict get us to clam up and go with the flow… or we just feel inadequate in our knowledge and choose other – harder – approaches in life.  But what if simply asking for what we NEED could benefit… everyone? On today’s episode of “And She Spoke” we have a lively and informative discussion with Alexandra Carter, a Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Mediation Clinic at Columbia Law School. She is also the author of Ask for More, a book that posits a relatable and innovative approach to negotiation bound to help anyone out who struggles with asking for what they truly need – professionally or personally. Whether you are struggling in your career or with family or friends, it is possible to overcome fears and create a place where you can IMPROVE your negotiation and listening skills! Don’t miss this vital conversation! Here’s a peek at what else we discuss: Unpacking the embarrassment around negotiation How to get paid a fair price for your services The basics – and complexity – of good listening How a kayak taught Alexandra a foundational part of negotiation Using curiosity to continually expand horizons and problem solve Creating a path that others can follow in the future Resources: Alexandra Carter Ask for More by Alexandra Carter United Nations The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table by Minda Harts   This week’s Joy:  Checking in with her daughter every day using the Personal Weather Report she created at school. This week’s Hustle:  Minda Harts’ book The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table.   Know Your Numbers In our business, we're big fans of financial literacy and accountability. Knowing your numbers is an essential aspect of building a successful business and inherent responsibility for any entrepreneur.  What you focus on grows, so pay attention to your money. We use Bench for our bookkeeping. It's simple, elegant, and saves us so many hours that would otherwise be spent neck-deep in receipts on the other side of a spreadsheet. Each month our transactions are automatically imported into Bench and we get on-demand financial reports. We even enjoy opening up our profit and loss statement to review each month. When tax time comes around, we are up to date and ready to go. And this is what Financial Empowerment feels like. Use this link to save 20% off your Bench Accounting plan for the first six months!

For thousands of years, women have been taught to be good above all else.  You know... follow the rules, trust our logic over intuition, keep the peace, make everyone else happy, and sacrifice ourselves to achieve our goals. Whew... glad those days are over... oh wait...they’re not. Being the ‘good girl’ holds us back from our true potential. It keeps us from being POWERFUL.  On today’s episode of “And She Spoke” we get to the root of what’s really holding us back with the 5 good girl myths women believe and live by every day from Majo Molfino.    You have to follow the Rules  Strive for Perfection  Trust Logic over intuition  Maintain the Harmony Sacrifice yourself for others   By examining the ways in which your beliefs and behaviors drive your life and cause you to self-sabotage, you open up space to create better habits.   Whether it’s fear of taking time and energy away from our spouse or kids, concern over everyone else’s contentment, or any other conditioned belief -- it takes a concerted effort to break free from those thought patterns. And every time you choose yourself first, you reinforce your worth.  Let’s ditch ‘good’ and embrace ‘powerful’ because the world needs our voices now more than ever!  Here’s a peek at what else we discuss: Why you’re still trying to prove yourself and fit in  Deconditioning prototypical good girl behaviors How girlhood affects us as leaders, contributors and entrepreneurs  Learning to redefine our understanding about patriarchy Making conscious sacrifices for our goals Designing the life you want  Resources: Majo Molfino - Good Girl Myth Majo Molfino - Heroine Podcast This week’s Joy:  Riding and sweating it out on the Peloton Bike with big guttural releases. This week’s Hustle:  Majo Molfino’s book titled ‘Break the Good Girl Myth’ which reveals five self-sabotaging tendencies women must overcome in order to unleash their potential and power.  Know Your Numbers! In our business, we're big fans of financial literacy and accountability. Knowing your numbers is an essential aspect of building a successful business and inherent responsibility for any entrepreneur.  What you focus on grows, so pay attention to your money. We use Bench for our bookkeeping. It's simple, elegant, and saves us so many hours that would otherwise be spent neck-deep in receipts on the other side of a spreadsheet. Each month our transactions are automatically imported into Bench and we get on-demand financial reports. We even enjoy opening up our profit and loss statement to review each month. When tax time comes around, we are up to date and ready to go. And this is what Financial Empowerment feels like. Use this link to save 20% off your Bench Accounting plan for the first six months

Apply to work with us in the Inner Circle: https://theinnercircle.works/   What if you decided, “No matter what, I’m going to be fine”?   Wouldn’t that be liberating?   For many of us (if not all of us), it feels like it’s just one thing after another this year. Crisis after crisis piling up and chipping away at our ability to be resilient.   We’ve heard from many of you who––after spending years on building your in-person following or your brick and mortar studios, clinics or gyms–– have had to stop teaching or close down due to COVID and are wondering “What next?”.   And that thought can be overwhelming ESPECIALLY when all your plans for 2020 are well and truly out the window.   But it doesn’t need to be this way.    In today’s episode of And She Spoke, we have an open and honest conversation about how to reframe 2020.   Reframing is a bit like an inversion pose, it helps you to see the situation from another point of view. Often, a refreshing one.   In this episode, we discuss: The importance of focussing on the facts. How to avoid creating stories that simply aren’t true. The difference between goals and visions, and expectations. How to take action to overcome fear.   Apply to work with us in the Inner Circle: https://theinnercircle.works/

Often, the only thing standing between us and where we want to be, is a crippling lack of confidence.  Now that might sound like a serious problem. But here’s the good news - in situations like these, only one thing needs fixing.  Our mindset.   In business and in life, the fear of failure and the comfort of familiarity can lock us in, prevent us from facing new challenges and experiencing growth.  This creates a cycle where we never end up trying new things because we don’t have reason to believe that we’d be good at them.  And a mindset like that can quickly lead to stagnation.  On today’s episode, we try to turn this mindset problem around by using the 4 C’s of Dan Sullivan’s Multiplier Mindset framework:    Commitment to do whatever it takes Courage to do it even when it feels awful and uncomfortable Capability that comes from acquiring new skills  Confidence that’s the result of having succeeded at what you set out to do.   By changing your mindset, by embracing the discomfort, and by increasing your capability, you can get the job done.  And every time you win, your success automatically gives you the confidence to leap higher next time.  And before you know it, entrepreneurship might become your path to self-actualization.  If we’ve already got you thinking about how 4 steps could possibly turn someone into a different person (it sounds crazy!), tune into today’s podcast on how the Multiplier Mindset made us realise that discomfort is the price of growth.  Here’s a peek at what else you can expect: How courage works in real life and how it’s different from grit  How confidence always stems from a past history of success The difference between confidence and self-confidence The importance of being kind and loving to yourself  Tools to unpack the tendency to view ourselves negatively The need for friends who will call you out when you’re too harsh on yourself How women use self-deprecation as a safety net in society  RESOURCES Dan Sullivan - the 4 C's Formula Cal Newport - Digital Minimalism Cal Newport - Deep Work How to do a thought download   This week’s Joy:  Our joy is a mask from Rais Case that is shaped like a bandana, and has leather ties that take away the hassle of fussy elastic bands! This week’s Hustle:  Our hustle is Cal Newport’s book titled ‘Digital Minimalism’ that examines how people spend time online and how online tech tools work to hijack people’s attention.   Know Your Numbers In our business, we're big fans of financial literacy and accountability. Knowing your numbers is an essential aspect of building a successful business and inherent responsibility for any entrepreneur.  What you focus on grows, so pay attention to your money. We use Bench for our bookkeeping. It's simple, elegant and saves us so many hours that would otherwise be spent neck-deep in receipts on the other side of a spreadsheet. Each month our transactions are automatically imported into Bench and we get on-demand financial reports. We even enjoy opening up our profit and loss statement to review each month. When tax time comes around, we are up to date and ready to go. And this is what Financial Empowerment feels like. Use this link to save 20% off your Bench Accounting plan for the first six months

What do you do when life hits a wall?As the world is trying to pick itself back up, female entrepreneurs and business owners are trying hard to stabilize their businesses, remain optimistic, and move forward. But, it’s not easy. Which is why we need incredible role models to lift us up and give us the strength to keep on going. And today’s guest, Dr. Natalia Wiechowski, is the role model we all need right now. As the founder of Think Natalia, she helps other entrepreneurs perfect their personal branding to carve out a niche in competitive markets.She knows that helping other people shine brings her joy and was able to mold her career out of doing something she loved. But, 29-year old Natalia was very different. With a PhD in Philosophy, Natalia was confused about what direction she wanted to take her career in, which led her to working many different jobs in her 20s.After living her life in reactionary mode, she had a spiritual awakening (or an ‘early life crisis’ as she puts it) which prompted her to quit her corporate job, take a sabbatical, and really figure out what she wanted to do with her life and career. While challenging and scary, that chapter in her life ended beautifully with the founding of Think Natalia. But she, like many of us, had to face an entirely different set of challenges with the advent of COVID-19. Apart from her business, Natalia is also a keynote speaker who travels the globe and had some gigs lined up in different parts of the world that she was very excited about. Of course, those couldn’t go forward. And Natalia found herself having to pivot to cover those costs. However, her mindset towards challenges is simple (something she credits to six years of constant meditation) - when life throws obstacles at you, give yourself some time to feel upset and overwhelmed.And then get back up and take action. In today’s episode, Natalia takes us through how she pivoted in COVID (and experienced one of her biggest sales months yet), her simple mindset to life’s challenges, and all her exciting future plans. Natalia’s views on life and motivation are exactly what you might need to dust yourself off and find courage to keep going in these trying times!Here’s a peek at what else you can expect:Why Natalia moved to DubaiThe growth of LinkedIn as a personal branding platformNatalia’s view on the pressures of having to be present in every social media platformHow she’s pivoted during COVID-19How she helps clients build their personal brandHow her ‘early life crisis’ at 29 pushed her to her true callingRESOURCES Think NataliaThink Natalia InstagramNatalia Wiechowski LinkedIn Personal Branding with LinkedIn: The Think Natalia Method This Week’s Joy:Natalia’s joy right now is sitting in her balcony, cup of tea in hand, and listening to a podcast or reading a book. This Week’s Hustle:As someone who’s team members are scattered across the globe, Natalia relies on Calendly to keep track of her team’s schedules without having to send a million emails back and forth! Know Your Numbers In our business, we're big fans of financial literacy and accountability. Knowing your numbers is an essential aspect of building a successful business and inherent responsibility for any entrepreneur. What you focus on grows, so pay attention to your money.We use Bench for our bookkeeping. It's simple, elegant and saves us so many hours that would otherwise be spent neck-deep in receipts on the other side of a spreadsheet.Each month our transactions are automatically imported into Bench and we get on-demand financial reports. We even enjoy opening up our profit and loss statement to review each month. When tax time comes around, we are up to date and ready to go. And this is what Financial Empowerment feels like.Use this link to save 20% off your Bench Accounting plan for the first six months

Our past traps us.  It traps us into thinking that we’re inadequate, and can never become our fully actualized selves.  The worst part is, we listen. And we never grow.  According to today’s guest Tracy Litt, the past has no business affecting our future.  And that it should only ever exist between our two ears.  Tracy is a spiritual advisor and mindset teacher to female leaders and entrepreneurs.  And her teachings stem from one crucial statement:  We are the root cause of everything we experience So, all of us are only one choice away from changing our lives, altering it for the better, and feeling freer and happier.  Just like the choice Tracy made four years ago to walk away from a successful career in Human Resources to start her own coaching business.  Despite voices from her past telling her not to.  In today’s episode, Tracy takes us through how to dispel those discouraging voices from the past, how to become closer to your most actualized self, and unlock your true potential.  If you’re stuck in life - in a job you hate, running a business that’s on a standstill, or thinking about shifting careers, Tracy’s voice might just be the magic spell to get you out of your fix and achieve greatness! Here’s a peek at what else you can expect: Why Tracy’s corporate career was so life-sucking The concept of listening to you ‘actualized self’ above all else When and why Tracy faltered in her business and how she came out the other side The concept of the ‘fear talk track’ The importance of treating your business as unique to you What the statement ‘the how is none of my business’ means Why you should always take a step back and calm down   RESOURCES The Litt Factor The Litt Factor - Facebook The Litt Factor - Instagram The Litt Factor - Twitter This Week’s Joy and Hustle: Tracy’s Joy and Hustle is dancing! According to her, there’s no problem ‘a good shimmy can’t solve.’ On the work side, dancing and moving your body can refresh your mind and get you to that space where you’re actually excited to work rather than go about your day from a place of stress or pressure.  Know Your Numbers In our business, we're big fans of financial literacy and accountability. Knowing your numbers is an essential aspect of building a successful business and inherent responsibility for any entrepreneur.  What you focus on grows, so pay attention to your money. We use Bench for our bookkeeping. It's simple, elegant and saves us so many hours that would otherwise be spent neck-deep in receipts on the other side of a spreadsheet. Each month our transactions are automatically imported into Bench and we get on-demand financial reports. We even enjoy opening up our profit and loss statement to review each month. When tax time comes around, we are up to date and ready to go. And this is what Financial Empowerment feels like. Use this link to save 20% off your Bench Accounting plan for the first six months

Today’s guest was love at first listen for us.  Some people are so warm, friendly, and inspiring, that it’s impossible not to light up in their presence too.  And Tiffany Aliche is all of that and more.  America’s favorite Financial Educator, Tiffany has built a career off of educating women on understanding their finances and nurturing a positive relationship with money.  The Tiffany we spoke to today was confident and self-assured.  But she wasn’t always that way.  In fact, back in 2009, Tiffany found herself in a downward spiral  - she’d just lost her job as a preschool teacher amidst the recession, was cheated out of money by someone she considered a friend, needed to move back to her middle-school bedroom, and was elbows deep in debt.  However, Tiffany’s story of how she bounced back from those experiences and created a financial movement that’s helped over 1 million women around the world, isn’t just incredible, it’s also awe-inspiring.  And one all women need to hear.  Tune into today’s episode to hear an inspiring woman talk about how she learnt to forgive her mistakes, move forward, and monetize what she excelled at to create something wonderful.  Here’s a peek at what else you can expect: What prompted Tiffany to become a preschool teacher How her parents instilled financial accountability in her from a young age Her experiences with a friend who betrayed her trust (and stole her money) The period in her life where she was extremely depressed (and who finally helped break her out of it) The incredible story of her business and how she got on Queer Eye! Tiffany’s tips for getting magazines and publications to notice you The value of hard work and dedication   RESOURCES The Budgetnista The Live Richer Challenge The Budgetnista - Instagram The Budgetnista - Facebook The Budgetnista - Twitter ‘Happy Birthday Mali Moore’ - Tiffany Aliche   This Week’s Joy: Tiffany’s niece and nephew, who live just down the street from her, have been her happy place recently (even if they do tend to leave crumbs everywhere!). This Week’s Hustle: Tiffany considers her business coach one of the best investments in her life, even if she initially didn’t think about hiring one at all! What she loves about her coach is that on top of coaching her personally, their team also closely coaches Tiffany’s team, helping to create a much more efficient workspace! Know Your Numbers In our business, we're big fans of financial literacy and accountability. Knowing your numbers is an essential aspect of building a successful business and inherent responsibility for any entrepreneur.  What you focus on grows, so pay attention to your money. We use Bench for our bookkeeping. It's simple, elegant and saves us so many hours that would otherwise be spent neck-deep in receipts on the other side of a spreadsheet. Each month our transactions are automatically imported into Bench and we get on-demand financial reports. We even enjoy opening up our profit and loss statement to review each month. When tax time comes around, we are up to date and ready to go. And this is what Financial Empowerment feels like. Use this link to save 20% off your Bench Accounting plan for the first six months

Every entrepreneur has that ‘aha’ moment.  And for Brett Larkin, one of YouTube’s finest yoga teachers, it came on the drive back home from a YouTube creator conference in San Bruno, California.  Working in the video game and tech industry for years, Brett had always been a staunch believer in the power of the online space.  In fact, one of the most impactful yoga classes she’d ever taken was a virtual  one she streamed from a tiny hotel room in India in 2012.  And though her first YouTube upload might’ve been an accident, her channel grew through other viewers who were already realizing the power and benefits of working out virtually in 2015.  Soon enough, YouTube took notice and invited her over for a Creator Conference in their HQ in San Bruno.  That’s when Brett’s eyes were opened to just how profitable YouTube could be.  She met people with millions of subscribers, who were doing YouTube full time, and were earning six-figures working out of their garages.  And most importantly, she met Jared Polin.  Jared is a popular YouTuber who makes videos on cameras and DSLRs. On hearing that Brett was looking to improve her channel’s video and photo quality, he offered her his DVD DSLR masterclass box set. He then shared that he didn’t want to look at YouTube as his only source of income.  In fact, he made it a point to view YouTube as a lead generation tool for other endeavours.  Endeavours like the DVD box set that was making him thousands of dollars away from the platform.  That changed Brett’s world, and on her drive home from the conference, an entire business model formed in her head with her YouTube channel in the lead-generating centre.  Today, along with her channel, Brett runs some of the best online teacher training programs in the world. She also heads a 12-person business and is gearing up for the launch of a brand new 200-hour training program.  Brett is the perfect role model for today - a world in which the fitness industry is going digital and virtual classes are most definitely here to stay.  Tune in to hear Brett discuss everything you need to know on growing your digital studio, including how to get started, dealing with trolls, consistency in uploading and much more! Here’s a peek at what else you can expect: WHY Brett believes in the power of digital Brett’s educational background and how that ties into YouTube How to face your fears and take that step forward How to deal with the unique fears that come with going digital How to handle haters and trolls The importance of consistency in YouTube Setting boundaries in your work-life balance   RESOURCES Brett Larkin - Website BrettLarkinYoga - YouTube Jared Polin - YouTube Elena Brower - Website   This Week’s Joy: Brett’s joy right now is something that may seem trivial, but that goes a long way to bring her comfort and happiness on the daily - a towel warmer!  Brett highly recommends it if you want that spa experience at home.    This Week’s Hustle: Brett’s hustle is simple and terrifying at the same time - she challenges us to reach out to that one person who can exponentially help your business.  Contacting people you admire, or those with a lot of influence, can be extremely difficult, but as Brett says, it can only help your business in the long run!   Know Your Numbers In our business, we're big fans of financial literacy and accountability. Knowing your numbers is an essential aspect of building a successful business and inherent responsibility for any entrepreneur.  What you focus on grows, so pay attention to your money. We use Bench for our bookkeeping. It's simple, elegant, and saves us so many hours that would otherwise be spent neck-deep in receipts on the other side of a spreadsheet. Each month our transactions are automatically imported into Bench and we get on-demand financial reports. We even enjoy opening up our profit and loss statement to review each month. When tax time comes around, we are up to date and ready to go. And this is what Financial Empowerment feels like. Use this link to save 20% off your Bench Accounting plan for the first six months!

In our society, women are treated like they have shelf lives. Once we reach a certain age, we’re told that it’s time to wrap up, settle down, and start looking for more appropriate passions → like knitting and gardening. All that’s really left for us to do is reflect on our lives, and quietly make our way to the end of our lives.  Nothing new, exciting, or groundbreaking can be expected of a woman past a certain age.  Not according to today’s guest, Juju Hook.  According to Juju, middle-aged women are in the absolute PRIME of their lives.  The most happening 8 - 11 AM news slot, if you will.  And that pressure to stay still and dream of youth? That just doesn't hold any weight anymore.  Juju owned a corporate branding firm for nearly two decades. Her business was doing well - she had a great team, great clients, and was able to achieve every career goal she’d ever set.  And she was bored stiff. Turns out, while everyone talks about what a woman should be doing in her teens, 20s, and 30s (‘grow your career’, ‘get married’, and ‘start a family’), no one talks about what we’re supposed to do after we’ve achieved all those things. Society just doesn’t account for women in their middle (or ‘primetime’) age. So Juju decided to take things into her own hands. She made the tough decision to walk away from corporate branding and dip her toes into motivational speaking - a field that excited and challenged her.  And boy is she glad she did! Juju now helps women in their primetime age with business, branding, and strategy decisions. She helps them figure out the essence of who they are without all the bells and whistles of career or family attached.  The world loves to invalidate older women so they can prey on (and profit off of) their insecurities, and Juju is leading the fight against it. Here’s a peek at what else you can expect: How Juju grew disillusioned with her job How her boredom was impacting other parts of her life Exactly why society likes to impose an age limit on women The similarities between us and Juju Why discovering your essence is so important RESOURCES Juju Hook - Website Juju Hook - Essence of Influence Strategic Juju - Blog   This Week’s Joy: Juju believes that people can be two things - a flame, or the mirror that reflects it.  Juju’s joy right now is being that mirror for other women and helping them grow.    This Week’s Hustle: It’s hard for women in business to show up on social media and play a role.  With Juju’s ‘Essence of Influence’ assessment, she aims to teach women about what kind of influence they really are (reporter, scientist, activist and so on) so it becomes easier for them to play that role.    Know Your Numbers In our business, we're big fans of financial literacy and accountability. Knowing your numbers is an essential aspect of building a successful business and inherent responsibility for any entrepreneur.  What you focus on grows, so pay attention to your money. We use Bench for our bookkeeping. It's simple, elegant, and saves us so many hours that would otherwise be spent neck-deep in receipts on the other side of a spreadsheet. Each month our transactions are automatically imported into Bench and we get on-demand financial reports. We even enjoy opening up our profit and loss statement to review each month. When tax time comes around, we are up to date and ready to go. And this is what Financial Empowerment feels like. Use this link to save 20% off your Bench Accounting plan for the first six months!