And She Spoke: Women. Money. Power.

Who is a leader? What is leadership? Can you only lead if you’re an owner, founder or a C-suite executive? According to today’s guest, Claudia Chan, absolutely not.  And as a leadership and culture change expert, she’s made it her mission to provide the world with a more holistic, inclusive, and purpose-driven definition of leadership.  One that doesn’t discriminate against gender, race, economic background, or even your job title.  In the cut-throat world of business, entrepreneurs are taught to be ruthless, cold, and enigmatic to be successful. In the white male-dominated view of leadership, there’s no room for spirituality, empathy, or humility.  Clearly, in our present day, these definitions just don’t work. Businesses all over the world are learning the importance of inclusive workplaces and empathetic messaging.  And leaders simply cannot thrive by embracing outdated ideals and definitions of ‘effective’ leadership, taught by an overwhelmingly male and caucasian demographic through books, TV appearances, and conferences. In today’s episode, listen in as Claudia describes how opportunities to lead are all around us, why women need to embrace their intuition in business, and why it’s so important to change the definition of what makes a good leader in our society.  Claudia’s message is an important one right now. We NEED new forms of leadership in a world that’s going through metamorphosis.  And we hope this episode might steer our listeners to it.    Here’s a peek at what else you can expect: Why 2020 is the year of innovation How current definitions of leadership can be rectified Why analyzing your past is important to be a good leader How being aggressive in internal growth helps The people who are most affected by the pandemic Why intuition and ‘gut instincts’ aren’t poor business decisions How to relabel mistakes RESOURCES This is How We Rise - Claudia Chan She Globl - Website Wayne Dyer Audiobooks Claudia - Instagram She Summit - Website   This Week’s Joy: Like many during this time, Claudia has been finding joy in the small moments she spends with her husband and two kids, tickle monster and all! This Week’s Hustle: Claudia’s hustle comes from a Wayne Dyer audiobook - don’t sell a product, sell what you love.  The true hustle comes from doing what you love so it doesn’t feel like work at all!   This podcast is brought to you by Namastream This podcast is brought to you by the Namastream software platform. Namastream is an easy to use platform that helps you build and sell your own courses, memberships, and live-streamed programs. Go from idea to open for business in just minutes. Unlike other startups, Namastream was created by women for women. If you're looking for a simple, streamlined way to build and grow an online business. You can learn more at Namastream.com 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!

Lately, we’ve been paying a lot more attention to bias around us - gender bias, wealth bias, and of course, racial bias.  As white women, we’ve never really had to face the burden of racial bias. It’s on us to check our privilege, continue having these important conversations, and educate ourselves on how to dispel bias by being the best allies we can.  And do ALL of that in a way that goes beyond posting a black square on social media.  Today’s guest, Femily, has made it her mission to help businesses get allyship right.  A feminist thought leader, management consultant, and organizational change expert, Femily is familiar with teaching male-led and majority male organizations about gender equality, inclusiveness, and gender allyship.  And with her work studying whiteness and white privilege, it felt natural for her to also advise white-led businesses on how to do things right in the current racial climate.  In today’s episode, Femily talks about why silence is violence and the danger of thinking you’ve done your part by just posting a black square on social media.  She also breaks down how white businesses should make allyship a long-term process ingrained in the core fibre of their operations instead of simply trying to slap ‘anti-racist lipstick on a racist pig.’  The conversation we had with Femily, while empowering and inspiring, was not an easy one to have.  But these conversations rarely ever are.  While serious discourse around white allyship should’ve happened a long time ago, it’s better late than ever. The onus is on us to continue it.  And this episode is the perfect place to start.    Here’s a peek at what else you can expect: Femily’s education and how it’s helped her What changes she’s noticing in protests and activism now How female and male white-led companies greatly differ in their response to #blacklivesmatter The immediate business reaction female (especially WOC) entrepreneurs have to the pandemic How to balance social media and real world activism Femily’s anxieties despite all the positive changes in allyship right now RESOURCES Femily  - Website Femily - Instagram Future Thought Leaders - Webinar This Week’s Joy: Like many of us, Femily has been loving the new season of Queer Eye and the commitment of our Fab Five to helping people and making the world the best it can be.    This Week’s Hustle: Femily’s Hustle is a nugget of wisdom courtesy of her ‘Future Thought Leaders’ webinar: Get people clapping.  Oftentimes, the most nerve wracking part of public speaking is those first two minutes where it’s maddeningly silent and everyone in the audience is just staring at you. So if you can get them to clap and put a smile on their faces in any way, public speaking becomes a lot easier! This podcast is brought to you by Namastream This podcast is brought to you by the Namastream software platform. Namastream is an easy to use platform that helps you build and sell your own courses, memberships and live-streamed programs. Go from idea to open for business in just minutes. Unlike other startups, Namastream was created by women for women. If you're looking for a simple, streamlined way to build and grow an online business. You can learn more at Namastream.com 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

Who would’ve thought rose farms could teach you important lessons about money.  But our guest, Denise Duffield Thomas, has us converted.  A money mindset mentor and author, Denise is passionate about teaching women about money, helping them charge the right amount for their work, and getting them over that dreaded income plateau.  Oh, and she also purchased a rose farm 18 months ago.  As one does. And those money mindset and purchasing a rose farm have more to do with each other than you’d think. Denise first had an urge to purchase a country home in sunny Australia while she was pregnant with her second daughter.  She then decided to go to open houses for the fun of it with her husband.  And then promptly proceeded to fall in love with the first rose farm she saw.  It wasn’t easy making that property hers.  The biggest problem wasn’t a mysterious 3-year curse (true story!) or that her brokers and advisors discouraged her from the purchase. The biggest problem was herself.   She felt like she wasn’t allowed to have a home purely for rest and relaxation. She wasn’t allowed to buy a weekend getaway property when she already had her dream beach house. And she sure wasn’t allowed to have a space in the countryside as a female entrepreneur.  And it took a lot to get to a point where she was okay with taking the plunge.  This relates to the work Denise does with women where she gets them to stop thinking of money in strict boxes and start asking themselves questions like ‘how much joy am I allowed to have?’ and ‘how does the money I make fit into that.’ It also relates to Denise’s teachings about women charging what they’re worth and then getting to enjoy the benefits of having that money.   In today’s episode, Denise takes us through the lessons the farm taught her in setting goals, balancing them with excess desire, and how you ALWAYS need to jump before you’re ready.  Not bad for a simple rose farm!   Here’s a peek at what else you can expect: Why Denise operates as a mentor and not as a coach. How Oprah was her biggest inspiration in her mission for helping people Her early business experiments and what she learned from them Her goals for her Money Bootcamp course Her mother’s money mindset and how it still impacts her The importance of paying taxes  Her current business struggles and hardships  Her concept of the ‘chustle’ RESOURCES Denise’s Website Denise’s Instagram Her rose farm’s Instagram! Lucky Bitch - Denise Duffield Thomas  Get Rich, Lucky Bitch! - Denise Duffield Thomas Chillpreneur - Denise Dufflied Thomas Money Bootcamp   This Week’s Joy and Hustle: It comes as no surprise that this week’s joy and hustle are both about Denise’s rose farm!  She’s been finding joy, and hustling hard, partnering with people and creating micro-businesses in her farm. So far, she’s partnered with florists, beekeepers, cafe owners, and local wedding planners. And she doesn’t plan to stop! This podcast is brought to you by Namastream This podcast is brought to you by the Namastream software platform. Namastream is an easy to use platform that helps you build and sell your own courses, memberships and live-streamed programs. Go from idea to open for business in just minutes. Unlike other startups, Namastream was created by women for women. If you're looking for a simple, streamlined way to build and grow an online business. You can learn more at Namastream.com 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!

‘Who is she to tell me what to do?’ ‘Her tone is too abrasive’ ‘Is she even qualified to say this?’ Being a woman in corporate is tough.  Especially if you’re working to challenge ideas and beliefs as old as the company you’re working for.  Meet Joy Altimare, Chief Engagement and Brand Officer at EHE Health, an NYC based healthcare company specializing in preventative employee health.  EHE partners with other businesses to help them understand how best to provide their employees with a holistic healthcare experience and make sure they’re the healthiest they can be.  That includes helping ALL employees, regardless of gender, age, or color, and catering to their unique needs. In fact, inclusivity and a life-stage approach to health is one of the pillars of EHE’s philosophy.  But it wasn’t always that way.  When the company was founded by a white male in 1907, it was designed to keep other white males healthy.  Yep, you read that right.  Needless to say, the organization had to evolve.  The men in the company’s old executive team weren’t too keen on the way Joy spoke, or the way she acted, and regularly questioned her expertise in her field.  Even earning her title was a constant battle with her CEO.  In today’s episode, listen in as Joy breaks down her struggles as a WOC in corporate, the innate conditioning in women to be ‘well-liked’, and why that needs to change.  Here’s a peek at what else you can expect: Why working from home is hard for her The Life Stage Approach to health Her unconventional journey toward working in healthcare Why men and women need to come together to change the environment in corporates for women Why she chose not to start her own business The most important part of any negotiation Her female role models The importance of mentorship RESOURCES EHE Health - Website Tiffany DuFu (Drop The Ball) - Website Joy Altimare - Instagram Joy Altimare - Linkedin   This Week’s Joy: Spending time with her family has helped Joy realize that she’s raising a smart, intuitive, and funny 5-year old! Her greatest joy right now is knowing that her daughter’s generation are already vessels for immense positive change.  All gleaned from listening in on her daughter’s Zoom classes when she wasn’t supposed to!   This Week’s Hustle: Joy’s hustle is simple. 4 words only: get off your ass.  There’s a world of opportunity out there! And though things can seem bleak right now, there’s always something you can do to improve yourself. So get moving! This podcast is brought to you by Namastream This podcast is brought to you by the Namastream software platform. Namastream is an easy to use platform that helps you build and sell your own courses, memberships, and live-streamed programs. Go from idea to open for business in just minutes. Unlike other startups, Namastream was created by women for women. If you're looking for a simple, streamlined way to build and grow an online business. You can learn more at Namastream.com 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!  

As business owners, we’ve spent a lot of time with finance coaches, gurus, and budget advisors. And that’s why we can confidently say, we’ve never met someone quite like Allison Baggerly.  Allison is a blogger, influencer, and the founder of Inspired Budget where she combines her passion for teaching and finance to help other women learn about managing their money.  In our conversation with her, Allison was warm, funny, and seriously easy to talk to.  But what really stood out to us was her honesty and vulnerability.  Allison’s own struggle with debt as a young newlywed expecting her first child is front and centre on her website and it’s one of the first things she spoke about with us - no reservations and no holds barred.  She also got real about her tendency to overspend and how, like many women, she used to associate shopping and spending with happiness.  And how it’s a cycle she has yet to break out of completely.  This honesty means that whenever Allison does give you advice, it never feels patronizing, judgy, or holier than thou.  Allison’s financial advice comes from a place of ‘I’ve been there, I know what it feels like, and I got you.’ Which is exactly what people new to budgeting and financial planning need to hear, especially right now.  In our latest episode, Allison gets candid about her experiences with student loans, overspending, and how Inspired Budget came about. She also delves into her incredible (and beautiful!) ‘cash envelope system’, which trust us, will change the way your family thinks about money. Here’s a peek at what else you can expect: How Allison and her husband had the difficult conversation about debt Allison’s experiences with debt growing up The psychology behind overspending and retail therapy How the cash envelope system changed her family’s finances Why you shouldn’t be boxed in by the financial expectations of your industry How Inspired Fitness has helped women deal with the COVID-19 crisis How honoring your own budget rules makes you feel like a queen! RESOURCES Inspired Budget - Website Inspired Budget - Instagram Inspired Budget - Cash Envelope System Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine - Mike Michalowicz Full Focus Journals   This Week’s Joy: Like many of us, Allison is spending the quarantine at home. So, she’s finding joy in spending time with her family in their backyard! This Week’s Hustle: There’s nothing we love more than a good planner and Allison is no different. She recommends the quarterly Full Focus planners by Michael Hyatt to organize your life (and have something pretty to look at!). This podcast is brought to you by Namastream This podcast is brought to you by the Namastream software platform. Namastream is an easy to use platform that helps you build and sell your own courses, memberships, and live-streamed programs. Go from idea to open for business in just minutes. Unlike other startups, Namastream was created by women for women. If you're looking for a simple, streamlined way to build and grow an online business. You can learn more at Namastream.com 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!

All around us, businesses are changing due to COVID-19.  The pandemic is forcing us to pivot, to really take a look at ourselves, reflect, and ask what can be a pretty scary question: ‘Why am I doing what I’m doing?’ Jenny Gaither, our guest for today, is no different. Like so many women we know and admire, Jenny wears many hats — she’s a business and life coach, a SoulCycle instructor, and the founder of ‘The Movemeant Foundation’ - a non-profit organization that uses the power of movement to teach young girls to be more comfortable in their own bodies.  And like many business owners, Jenny has had to move her business entirely online (she now works out of her small apartment in NYC’s Upper East Side) and restructure all her carefully planned goals.  Most of The Movemeant Foundation’s work was based in schools, because Jenny wanted to reach girls early. After COVID-19, The Movemeant Foundation has had to pivot to really focus on the backbone of the organization, its instructors. Instructors have been struggling to pay rent and find the resources they need to fully digitize their offers. Sounds familiar?  We spoke about what these pivots mean for the industry and whether digital is going to become the new normal. While business owners (and some of the newer members of our audience) are struggling, this week, our goal is to remind you that this struggle is temporary.  If you’re ready to hear Jenny’s insight into where the industry is headed and what this means for business owners, as well her own journey with body positivity and perspectives on movement, grab those AirPods, this is a good one.  Here’s a peek at what else you can expect: How Jenny realized the power of movement at age 7 How she built her non-profit from the ground up The impact SoulCycle has had in her life Her relationship with dancing The incredible female team that helped her build her non-profit Her impulse lighting buys RESOURCES The Movemeant Foundation - Website Jenny Gaither - Website Jenny Gaither - Instagram   This Week’s Joy: Jenny’s history with dancing is complicated. She fell in love with it at age 7 and fell away from it when the visual aspect of dance took a toll on her mentally, leading to a bad eating disorder and a fractured relationship with her body.  Now that she has learnt to fully embrace her body, one of her greatest joys has been embracing dance again! This Week’s Hustle: Studios are being set up in people’s bedrooms with enough lighting equipment to rival an indie film set. Jenny recommends a 10-foot adjustable selfie ring light from Amazon for those at-home workout livestreams!   This podcast is brought to you by Namastream This podcast is brought to you by the Namastream software platform. Namastream is an easy to use platform that helps you build and sell your own courses, memberships and live-streamed programs. Go from idea to open for business in just minutes. Unlike other startups, Namastream was created by women for women. If you're looking for a simple, streamlined way to build and grow an online business. You can learn more at Namastream.com 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 we re-launched The Soulful MBA as And She Spoke, we wanted to really lean in and dig deeper into the different paths female entrepreneurs take, and that meant sharing stories other than our own. And that’s why we’re so excited to host Marlo Ellis, the founder and CEO of The Uncommon Woman with us this week.  After just having come out of an abusive relationship, Marlo decided to turn her passion for fitness into her very own brick-and-mortar gym. As she worked with her clients, she spotted a pattern: One thing so many of these women had in common was pain.  Not a physical pain, not something she could fix in her studio. But something that went deeper than that.  Marlo’s gym became their safe space.  Wanting to help more women, Marlo decided to open an online business. Thus, the Uncommon Woman was born.  Marlo’s is a story of perseverance, community, and confidence.  Tune in to learn more about her journey, the importance of community, and how Marlo tackles the underbelly of pain that often lies beneath shiny surfaces.  Here’s a peek at what else you can expect: Marlo’s journey with pain and fitness The two legs to The Uncommon Woman now How live events and conferences are massively different from online ones Setting boundaries on social media Training women to be leaders Why every woman’s story matters The future of Marlo’s business Her hunt for the Ideal Client RESOURCES Elizabeth Gilbert - Big Magic The Uncommon Woman - Website This Week’s Joy:  This week’s Joy and Hustle are both from Marlo herself! Her joy is simple (and many of you are gonna agree with her here) - dogs! On her many travels, she rescues dogs and finds them great homes when she gets back to Canada.  This Week’s Hustle:  A ‘Dump List’ was something nearly all of Marlo’s mentors and coaches recommended, so it has to work! Whenever inspiration strikes, Marlo reaches for the ‘Dump List’ (aka a notebook) and puts it down on paper.   This podcast is brought to you by Namastream This podcast is brought to you by the Namastream software platform. Namastream is an easy to use platform that helps you build and sell your own courses memberships and live-streamed programs. Go from idea to open for business in just minutes. Unlike other startups, Namastream was created by women for women. If you're looking for a simple, streamlined way to build and grow an online business. You can learn more at Namastream.com   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 you think of a leader, what voice immediately comes to mind? A cisgender, white, male news anchor? A politician? Or a popular old- Hollywood actor? Culturally, these male symbols have been associated with leadership and authority. And that extends to their voices too.  So what does this mean for those whose voice varies greatly from this definition of authority? In other words, what does it mean for women? Actress and singer Casey Erin Clark started Vital Voice Training to help change the conversation around what women are supposed to sound like to be taken seriously. In one of our most thought-provoking episodes yet, Casey takes us through voice types that women often get criticized for (like vocal fry or upspeak), how voice matters when telling your story, and makes a serious case for voice positivity! Here’s a peek at what else you can expect: Casey’s background as a theatre artist The importance of paying attention to your voice The concept of ‘superpowers and evil twins’ How definitions of authority need to expand What causes vocal fry and upspeak Speech and Maslow’s 4 stages of learning Where she sees her business in the next decade Her wonderful partnership with co-founder Julie Fogg RESOURCES The Food Psych Podcast - Christy Harrison Cringeworthy: A Theory of Awkwardness - Melissa Dahl In a World - Lake Bell Freedom Fries (The American Life podcast) - Ira Glass Some Days, It’s Harder (Vital Voice Training Blog) - Casey Erin Clarke  The Age of Instagram Face - Jia Tolentino  Understanding the 4 stages of learning (Maslow) The Night the Lights Went Out In Georgia - Julia Sugarbaker  The Broadway Inspirational Voices   This Week’s Joy:  Casey’s background is in musical theatre - she went on an 18-month tour for Les Miserables! So it makes complete sense that her joy is music and singing, be it belting in a Grammy-nominated and Tony-winning choir (the ‘Broadway Inspirational Voices’) or in a cabaret in her dad’s living room! This Week’s Hustle:  Casey’s hustle is a powerful one - our wonderful community of female entrepreneurs. Moving from theatre to business, Casey was in awe of how welcoming her fellow female entrepreneurs were and how open they still are to sharing their knowledge. This podcast is brought to you by Namastream This podcast is brought to you by the Namastream software platform. Namastream is an easy to use platform that helps you build and sell your own courses memberships and live-streamed programs. Go from idea to open for business in just minutes. Unlike other startups, Namastream was created by women for women. If you're looking for a simple, streamlined way to build and grow an online business. You can learn more at Namastream.com 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!

Picture an auctioneer. If you’re like most people, you just pictured an elderly, bespectacled British gentleman, with a gavel in one hand and a glass of scotch in the other. Not a 20-something woman in a brightly colored dress with heels et al. That’s where Lydia Fenet comes in. Lydia is the Global Managing Director of Strategic Partnerships at Christie’s in New York by day and auctioneer extraordinaire by night. Lydia’s incredibly inspiring story began when she interned at Christie’s as a 21-year old. She quickly rose through the ranks creating her own brand of auctioneering, one that didn’t make her feel like she needed to fit into an old British man-shaped mold. She embraced her natural sense of humor, her femininity and learned to walk up on stage and command millions of dollars. All by the time she was 24. Tune in to today’s episode to get a behind the scenes look at the glamorous life of an auctioneer, her book, and her recent TV and film deal, but more importantly, to learn from Lydia’s journey of learning to draw her confidence from within.Here’s a peek at what else you can expect:How Lydia was introduced Christie’s Auction HouseHow her tenacity finally got her a job there Lydia’s advice for young women at their first jobsThe series of events that led to her TV and book dealHer experiences being one of the few women in a male-dominated fieldHow humor and femininity became Lydia’s best friendsThe importance of being authentic RESOURCES  Princess Diana Auction - Christie’s Auction House The Most Powerful Woman in the Room is You - Lydia FenetStand Up For Heroes 2015 Auction - Bruce SpringsteenLydia Fenet - InstagramLydia Fenet - WebsiteThis Week’s Joy: Lydia has three kids and nothing brings her more joy than spending time with them. Even if that means just falling asleep with them after a long day at work. This Week’s Hustles: Lydia believes every day is a hustle and that you are your own biggest tool to get things done. 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! This podcast is brought to you by Namastream. This podcast is brought to you by the Namastream software platform. Namastream is an easy to use platform that helps you build and sell your own courses memberships and live-streamed programs. Go from idea to open for business in just minutes. Unlike other startups, Namastream was created by women for women. If you're looking for a simple, streamlined way to build and grow an online business. You can learn more at Namastream.com 

It’s been a long few weeks.  And full disclosure, they’ve been some of the worst for us and our business. We’ve had to process the fact that our partnership with our work, our business’s core values, and our day-to-day operations have been shaken up, maybe even permanently.  All in the span of a few days.  Our business has always stood for sustainability, digital artisanship, and slow growth. It’s what we’re passionate about and we’ve worked very hard for over the years.  But, a few weeks ago, we had to scale our business incredibly fast. And that meant having to make some very difficult decisions - ones that sometimes went against our core values and caused us to have mini breakdowns at our desks.  Of course, we understand that in many ways, we’re hugely lucky. At a time of immense turbulence for so many businesses, the mere fact that we’re growing is nothing short of incredible. We’ve also had to hire people to meet our demand, and we’re glad we can provide our new employees with job security and a sense of stability.  But, this kind of quick scaling has never been what we’ve envisioned for our business, which was built on the idea of humane growth.  Our business was this beautiful, living, breathing, evolving experiment that the two of us were sharing with the world.  And it feels a little bit like we lost control of that.  The past few days, we’ve just focused on showing up, powering forward, and holding each other up through this. Of course, we’re aware that we’re a couple of weeks behind on releasing new episodes, only because we felt that the episodes we had in queue were a bit insensitive for right now and because we’re still trying to process everything around us.  Moving forward, we’ll be talking about some actionable strategies, tips, and industry trends we’ve been noticing to help stabilize your business and pivot if you need to.  But today, we just felt like sharing a very real conversation between two business partners and friends.     Here’s a peek at what else you can expect: Our anxieties about the structure of our business moving forward How we had expected these circumstances, but never this soon The intensity and scarcity of these times The beautiful ways businesses are pivoting to help out How to start new conversations about the future of our planet RESOURCES Namastream - Instagram Namastream - Website   This podcast is brought to you by Namastream This podcast is brought to you by the Namastream software platform. Namastream is an easy to use platform that helps you build and sell your own courses, memberships and live-streamed programs. Go from idea to open for business in just minutes. Unlike other startups, Namastream was created by women for women. If you're looking for a simple, streamlined way to build and grow an online business. You can learn more at Namastream.com 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!