Written by: Ágnes Vad , Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. When you ask me about my 'worst' memories from my multinational background, I will most likely tell you that I hated the periods when I was treated (along with others) as' numbers in an excel sheet.' This expression covers a full emotional context, I did not feel treated as a human being with thoughts and emotions but rather like an inorganic object to be moved at someone's will. I started to ask myself whether an organization can create and maintain an organizational culture that delivers results while holding human dignity at its core? Dignity is the right of a person to be valued and respected for their own sake and treated ethically. Why does Dignity fade away when an organization reaches a larger scale? Because in the beginning, most companies like to state that' human is our core pillar' that is, along with other well-sounding statements, often hanged on the office walls. However, when these organizations reach a particular size, this pillar will suddenly be de-prioritized or at least infrequently practiced. An employee, like me, might start to feel that her human values are not attractive anymore. In addition, the pressure might also come that you need to improve. And how does all this story connects to kindness in leadership? Kindness is a type of behavior marked by acts of generosity, consideration, or concern for others without expecting praise or reward. In short, kindness is a human quality that is favorable when a leader can use it. Practicing kindness will let others know they are loved and respected and has an internal motivation. However, kindness as quality is rarely short-listed among the top leadership qualities. In fact, it's often considered a weakness. This understanding may come from the common misbelief that kindness is equivalent to niceness or Kind means weak. Neither is correct. Kindness is different from empathy too. Empathy is our feeling of awareness toward other people's emotions and an attempt to understand how they feel, while kindness is rather an action toward the person in need. Note that as a leader, it is crucial to be empathic; however, in this article, we focus on kindness more. More and more studies prove that kind leadership also means good business. According to a study by Warwick University, kindness has been proven to impact people's happiness, and happier people are 12% more productive. Professor Oswald from Warwick University said: "Companies like Google have invested more in employee support, and employee satisfaction has risen as a result. For Google, it rose by 37%; they know what they are talking about. Under scientifically controlled conditions, making workers happier really pays off." It's becoming a well-known fact that happier employees will do a better job, so happiness means increased workplace productivity. Luckily, we do have living examples around us. Think of New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern, who has shown outstanding leadership not only in the recent pandemic period but during her entire career. So, what do kind leaders do that makes them exceptional? 1. Kind leaders are concise and direct about their strategy – they are transparent about their decisions. This approach allows them to act swiftly while they openly communicate the thinking behind the actions. 2. Kind leaders treat people like people. It sounds like a no-brainer. However, it is easy to mistreat people in a business environment that often is filled with stress. Kind leaders keep the human tone under pressure or in critical periods. In practice, they do pay attention to people, their most important resources, and their needs. They smile, say thank you, celebrate others' success, cultivate teamwork, and admit when they make mistakes. They have a strong belief that, together with the people, they do the right things . 3. Kind leaders cultivate growth. They create an environment where trust can be born. This environment will help to embrace new ideas, and new ideas will lead to new results. When employees know what they are doing well and what needs to be improved, then personal growth is encouraged, and as a result, employees will be more accountable for their actions. 4. Kind leaders practice humor often. Having the ability to practice humor, even in difficult times, creates hope. Hope is a positive environment where activities and next steps can already be born – humor is a way to find the path to the solution. 5. Kind leaders provide honest feedback. First of all, kind leaders know that to provide honest and immediate feedback, they need to create an environment where employees feel genuinely cared about and supported. In such an environment, feedback is viewed as a 'normal thing.' Kind leaders want to see all employees succeed, feel supported, and focus on their goals and they are aware that behaviors can change. Kind leaders are conscious about the words that they choose. They use a non-authoritative tone, treat the employee well and use compassion. They provide specific examples of behaviors that need to be addressed and give employees time to process and respond to the feedback. I always say that leading others is more than just a' technique' – leadership, especially Kind leadership, is a way of life. Be aware that Kindness shows you care, and you simply can't fake it. Yet, coaching can help you learn how to utilize your inner kindness – at work and in your life. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Ágnes Vad, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Ágnes Vad is a certified human potential and business coach with 18 years in marketing and 10+ years in cross-cultural leadership roles. Ágnes started her professional career in the multinational world in the marketing domain and built her thorough business acumen in parallel via the international leadership roles she was promoted to. She has been showing passion for working and leading people starting from the beginning of her career. She is a proud winner of the Leadership and Marketing Awards at her company. After 18 years, she decided to follow her passion and became a coach entrepreneur in 2019. In the last 2.5 years, she became an experienced and recognized professional in the coaching domain and has cc. 500 hours of coaching experience. She works with individuals and also with teams as a coach. She focuses on activating and maximizing human and leadership potential, emotional intelligence (EQ), mindfulness, and resilience. References: 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dignity 2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kindness 3. https://warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/new_study_shows/

Written by: Claire Elmes, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. With the summer holidays upon us, I thought it would be good to take a virtual holiday to reflect over the past 18 months and support anyone who has been struggling with stress (I assume most of us have had some stress, right!). It’s no secret that stress can have very real effects on our physical health. When we are under immense stress, we really feel it and embody it. Prolonged experiences of stress – the body’s reaction to feeling threatened or under pressure – can affect us physically and mentally in equal measure, even though we tend to conceptualize it more as a purely mental experience. But what if there were steps you could take to better understand, manage and heal the symptoms of stress holistically? Well, luckily, there is! Being aware of the relationship between your mind and body doesn’t mean you’ll never experience stress, but that you’ll be in a better position to implement strategies that help you to manage your feelings and take inspired action. Step One: Understanding the Science of the Mind-Body Connection Stress occurs when we are faced with a situation that demands more resources from us than we have available – physically, mentally, emotionally, or financially. This often results in us feeling ‘burned out’ or triggered in terms of our mental and emotional health, which both have physical manifestations. Emotional and psychological responses such as anxiety reflect physiological responses such as the production of stress hormones like cortisol. Feeling anxious, burned out, and depleted are mental and emotional states that often give rise to physical symptoms of ill health – gastrointestinal problems such as IBS, low energy, headaches, rapid heartbeat, aches, pains, and insomnia. Experiences of stress often highlight to us just how powerful the mind-body connection actually is. Our nervous system ‘fight or flight’ responses are called into action as we prepare to tackle the threat in front of us. In modern society, our fight or flight triggers often look very different from the way they used to as we are no longer faced with the issues that come with surviving in the wild, instead of being activated by uncomfortable or intense situations that highlight our low sense of self-worth, lack of faith in our abilities, lack of positive coping strategies, abusive or unequal relationships, and maladaptive thinking patterns. Step Two: Nurturing the Mind-Body Connection We often don’t stop to consider how physical symptoms are actually part of a holistic unit, including our minds, our thoughts, feelings, and emotions, and instead treat them as isolated events independent from the rest of our human experience. The mind-body connection posits the idea that instead, mind, body, and soul are all connected and work in sync with one another. Difficulty in one area – such as workplace anxiety or burnout – can signal difficulties in another – such as insomnia. Understanding the complex links between our bodies and minds is instrumental for healing the effects of long-term stress, managing stressful situations, and cultivating positive emotional well-being. It can help us to feel more aligned and in tune with our bodies, more empowered in our own recoveries and healing journeys, and better equipped to handle the challenges of life. Healthy lifestyle changes and efforts to nurture our bodies can be reflected in positive improvements in our mental health. Often, when we’re particularly stressed, depressed, anxious, or low, it can be frustrating to hear the words ‘you should try exercise!’ or ‘do yoga/meditate/eat healthily/go for a walk’ as those things feel trivial in comparison to our overwhelming, all-consuming feelings of fear or anxiety. However, taking action such as improving your diet to include more nutritious food, moving your body more and getting fresh air, relaxing your muscles by having a bath or shower, practicing deep breathing, meditating, and performing visualization exercises can all have potent positive effects on your mental health and improve your mind-body connection. In addition, talking about your problems with somebody, whether it’s a friend, family member, or a therapist, and working on the re-framing negative, debilitating thoughts to more empowering ones can translate to your body experiencing less tension and more equilibrium. Step Three: Identifying Mind-Body Synchronicities When you are aware of the mind-body connection and are actively taking steps to nurture it, it becomes easier to identify what physical symptoms are manifestations of emotional/psychological ones. When you feel your mental health improving and stress lessening its grip, you may notice that the physical sensations you experienced daily have also diminished. As some physical symptoms have their root in mind, this means that if we are able to alter our thoughts or way of relating to a particular situation, we impact our entire being in a more positive way. One of my favorite phrases is ‘where focus goes, energy flows’, which means that the more we focus on the negative elements, the more negative we feel and the more negative things become for us. The good news is if we reverse what we focus on and focus instead on the positive elements (I know this one is much harder right now!) - guess what happens! Positive shifts then start to occur in our behavior and our mindset. We are all immersed in a complicated cycle whereby our internal and external representations of the world are impacting us. This explains why everyone has different ‘realities.’ You know, when lots of people see the same thing, but all have a different opinion of it! When we experience a stressful event, our brain filters based on thoughts, beliefs, memories, decisions, and values (all personal to us) and deletes, distorts and generalizes the information into our internal representation. This, in turn, creates our feelings and behavior, such as anxiety, depression, and the many symptoms we experience, which impact our decisions and choices. Having the space to work through our negative or disempowering thoughts and internal representations can help us to feel better physically and mentally. When we spend so much of our lives at work, it’s crucial that we have systems in place there to help us manage and cultivate a more positive mindset. Follow Claire on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit her website for more info! Claire Elmes, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Claire Elmes is the founder of Inspire You and is passionate about work-life balance. Having experienced burnout, Claire is dedicated to empowering people to work through stress and anxiety, traumatic life events, shift mindset, regulate emotions, gain clarity, and develop a stable routine. Through coaching and therapeutic techniques, Claire helps people tap into their potential and transform their lives for the better. Since Covid 19, Claire has recognized many companies are changing how they work and is supporting them to develop innovative well-being strategies to prevent staff burnout and help teams thrive, not survive. Claire provides companies with regular well-being support on a wide variety of topics such as: "How to avoid burnout", "How to make time in your week for what matters", "How to stop overthinking", "How to improve sleep", " How to manage imposter syndrome," "How to be the best version of you", to name just a few. Claire's mission is to empower the emotional well-being of staff and bring the fun back into work life.

Written by: Nikki Langman, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Querencia is an abstract idea in the Spanish language that stems from the Spanish verb “querer,” meaning “to want or desire.” Modern translations explain querencia as the place where one’s strength of character is drawn, where one feels secure, the place where you are your most authentic self. Ascribed to bullfighting, querencia is the place in the ring the wounded bull will instinctively gravitate toward to renew his strength, where he feels most solid and powerful. Ernest Hemingway’s book, Death in the Afternoon, explains querencia like this: “A querencia is a place the bull naturally wants to go to in the ring, a preferred locality... It is a place which develops in the course of the fight where the bull makes his home. It does not usually show at once, but develops in his brain as the fight goes on. In this place he feels that he has his back against the wall and in his querencia he is inestimably more dangerous and almost impossible to kill.” — Ernest Hemingway, Death in the Afternoon The matador attunes himself to the bull’s movements and tries to keep him away from this place because it decreases the bull’s vulnerability. The matador retains the advantage as long as the bull is disoriented. It is thought that if the same bull were to fight more than once in the same ring, he would kill the matador every time; once the bull learns the game and stands in his power, he cannot be conquered. Humans have querencia, too. Our querencia can be a physical location, a ritual, a behavior, or something else that reconnects us with our center and helps us feel most secure and renewed. The answers are inside us, should we choose to listen. Some people can easily identify what helps them feel grounded: it might be a pull toward fresh mountain air or watching the ocean waves crash, or another connection with nature – walking in a park or breathing in the aroma of flowers. Some feel peaceful in a certain location inside their home, wearing clothes of a particular style, smelling freshly brewed coffee, listening to specific music, or engaging in a favorite activity or sport. Alone In a Crowd I feel in my querencia in bustling cities. I thrive on the commotion, the competing smells of fast food, the graffiti, and the drone of honking cars and sirens. The chaos of the city calms me, and I feel sharp, focused, and grounded. I run alone in busy public spaces, like city parks and heavily trafficked bicycle and pedestrian routes. “Alone in a crowd” is my happy place, and being in that space makes me feel strong and powerful, with a renewed spirit and positive emotional energy. An intense environment like that may not appeal to you at all. Good. Cross that off your list for now. Sometimes the most effective way to understand your querencia is to go through a process of elimination. Think about different activities and environments and ask yourself if they invite you or not. Develop Self-Awareness of Your Stressors There are times where I cannot be in my element, and I notice the difference. I can easily feel agitated, overwhelmed, and vulnerable to stressors. Like the matador, those irritants can push me around, affect my behavior, and hold me at a disadvantage. At these times, I have to recognize it and tap into one of my other substitute querencias that are more accessible at that moment. It’s important to have a few options of places you can go, rituals you can practice, or activities you can engage in that give you that sense of strength and safety. Humans tend to overthink and overcommit to external things and therefore ignore or minimize their instincts and needs. This is where we need to engage the skills of self-awareness to help us understand and manage the chatter around us and mindfully explore ourselves further. Search For Your Querencia You’ll identify it. It might take a bit of persistence for the answers to reveal themselves, but they are there, inside of you. Keep asking yourself and visualizing, "Where do you come from? Where do you feel most alive? What happens to you in that place? What feelings do you experience there? Are you alone or with someone else? What are you doing?" Once you have some clear ideas, surround yourself with those reminders. Find photographs or tangible objects of you in that location, or with those people, or doing that activity. Whatever it is, treat it like your charger. Keep it close, and when your batteries run low, plug into that source of strength to renew and refill your energy. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or visit my website for more info! Read more from Nikki! Nikki Langman, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Nikki Langman is an International Speaker, Author, Thought Leader on Emotional Intelligence and Self-Mastery, and Business Consultant and Facilitator. She is passionate about personal transformation and self-leadership. She believes that our potential for impact and influence with others is dependent on how effectively we understand and lead ourselves first. As a Business Consultant and Facilitator, Nikki is committed to guiding organizations to achieve higher, sustainable levels of business excellence. She has led successful emotional intelligence and leadership programs for many global organizations with exceptional executive and team leadership results, personal empowerment, culture enhancement, and significantly improved workplace safety. Nikki is often called on to speak at industry events, schools, sporting groups, and conferences globally on the topics of self-mastery, resilience and overcoming adversity, emotional intelligence, nonverbal communication, and leadership. Nikki empowers and inspires audiences with her engaging core message that no matter what your starting point is or what you believe your obstacles are, you can become your most powerful self and a highly influential and effective leader with the right amount of daily “badassery.” Nikki is the author of the recently released book, "How to be a BADASS: Navigating Your Road to Self-Mastery."

Written by: Kris de Jong, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. You’ve worked hard to get to where you are but now feel stuck in a rut. As a middle manager, you lead and support your team as best you can, but you’re also obliged to be in sync with upper management and their vision of the culture and strategy of the business. Sometimes there’s a conflict of ideas between the “workers” and the “board,” and it’s your job to try to narrow that gap and maintain a cohesive workplace. I know, I’ve been there. You feel like you’re on a hamster wheel, frustrated with the limitations of your role and inability to effect meaningful change. You want to have more autonomy and influence on important decisions. You want to reach the next level. Optimize your mindset. The first step to getting unstuck is to nurture a growth mindset. When you’ve been in the same job for a while, doing the same things, dealing with the same issues, and interacting with the same people day after day, it’s easy to get caught up in feelings of hopelessness and stagnation. You may have thoughts such as “Things won’t change” or “I can’t seem to get ahead.” This is a fixed mindset, where you think nothing will get better, and there’s not much you can do about it. A growth mindset is a belief that you’re capable of development and change. Consciously adjust your thinking to be more constructive and helpful to you. For example, “I know I can learn and grow if I make an effort” or “What can I do today that will move me forward?” Build awareness of your thinking habits, and ask yourself if they’re helping or hindering you. Maximize the helpful thoughts consistently. Take responsibility for your own career. Only you have the power to get what you want in your working life. Get clear on what you want. There’s no point in climbing the corporate ladder if it leads to something that doesn’t excite you, so it’s important to get clarity on your career vision first. Funnily enough, work satisfaction comes doing something you’re good at and that you enjoy. Who would have thought, right? Create two lists. In the first column, write down those work areas you know you’re very skilled at. Be objective. Have others praised you for your work in this space? Have you won awards for this type of activity? In the other column, write down the aspects of your current or past jobs that you actually enjoy doing. Let’s have a look at an example: Now try to find some commonalities from these lists. This is the space you want to be working in. In our example, intersectional points may be around relationship-building, project management, and business strategy. Play to your strengths. Think about the big picture first. It’s always a good idea to think about your longer-term ambitions before the shorter-term stuff, so your plans fit with your desired trajectory. Your sense of purpose comes from your core values, the things that are important to you and that you don’t compromise on, so make sure you know what they are and align your goals accordingly. Everyone has their own set of values, but some examples are integrity, ambition, kindness, wealth, love, family, justice, freedom. Take some time to think about what values are most important to you. A “big picture” career goal may look something like this: By 45: Feeling energized and engaged in my senior executive marketing role, making a real difference to the business, and earning at least $150K per annum. Make a plan. Once you have a big picture career goal, you can create a shorter-term goal & strategies plan that will move you towards that ideal job. Think about a challenging but achievable goal, and then write down the most impactful strategies that will help you get there. For example: Goal: By 20 December this year: To have secured a Project Manager role in strategic marketing, earning at least $85K per annum. Strategies: Read about strategic marketing for at least 3 hrs per week (scheduled) and keep a journal of ideas. Make at least 2 new relevant contacts per week through LinkedIn or networking events. Meet with my manager to discuss my career progression by 1 February. Complete at least one online strategic marketing course by 1 July. Initiate and complete at least 1 project at work before 1 August. Consistently learn beyond my role. Now that you have a great-looking plan in place, it’s vital that you identify potential obstacles and barriers (think mental, logistical, financial, health) and ways to overcome them. What has derailed your plans in the past? What if something unexpected happens? What if you start to lose motivation or confidence? Think about how you can deal with these hurdles before they happen, so you have contingencies and are able to adjust some of your strategies to get back on track. Your plan won’t go perfectly. Look for progress over perfection and learn from setbacks and mistakes. Be tenacious and keep going. Enjoy the journey. Remember that owning your goals and working towards them will always put you in a better position than if you didn’t have a plan at all. But there’s also no guarantee you’ll reach your goals. Sometimes we exceed our own expectations, but sometimes we fall short, for whatever reason. The important thing is the intention to get there. Along the way, you’ll have built up a whole lot of skills and experience that will help your career regardless. Nothing is set in stone. On your career journey, you may discover new and exciting opportunities that you hadn’t thought about before. Don’t ignore these potential new pathways. Keep an open mind, and don’t be afraid to travel a new road if it aligns with your values and purpose. Make the decision to move your career to the next level. Set your goals and plans. Be disciplined. Be curious. Enjoy the journey. Visit eclipselifecoaching.com to book a free consultation, and follow Kris on Kris de Jong | LinkedIn . Read more from Kris! Kris de Jong, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Kris de Jong is an experienced and certified Executive Life Coach living in Auckland, New Zealand. He studied at the University of Waikato, completing a BSc in Biology and Psychology, and was later certified in Cognitive Behavioural Coaching and Professional Life Coaching. He's also a Certified Practitioner of the Global Leadership Assessment 360 (GLA360). Recently he's become a co-founding ambassador for Prox.io, a global virtual knowledge exchange platform. Kris has managed large and diverse teams over the years while building his coaching and mentoring skills. His experience in HR, recruitment, performance, and people management allows him to optimize employee coaching for organizations looking to improve workplace wellbeing. He's written over 100 articles, published in national news outlets, and featured on national radio. After achieving financial freedom at 40, Kris started Eclipse Life Coaching and is passionate about coaching and helping people to get what they want in life.

Written by: Jacqui Senn, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. In my work as a group therapist with children, I see all variations of emotions and behaviors. When children join my groups, they come with some experience of being disciplined in one form or another. Through their participation in the discussions, a few things have become apparent. One of them is that the idea of discipline as we know it must somehow be deconstructed. I use the word deconstructed because discipline is too punitive, and most children and teens cannot tolerate the idea of being “ punished.” And through my experiences, I have learned the following from kids and teens: They understand when they are wrong (even if they do not show it). They realize there “have” to be consequences. Feel powerless about the majority of their lives and want to be “ included” in deciding the consequences. Want to be talked to instead of “at”. Some behaviors are a result of what they witness within the home. Isolation is often due to feelings of not being wanted or accepted. Not completing chores or tasks may indicate something else is going on and not just being obstinate. The situation that is discussed most often is the one that results in a child having their phone taken away. This is a tricky one because the phone is not only a way to communicate, it is also a way of connecting to friends and family. Most often, participants share that while they understand the purpose of phone restrictions, they feel as though taking it away completely is too much. In fact, they would prefer to have a conversation about the phone restrictions and be part of the decision-making process. Being a parent is hard work and maintaining a family is even more difficult because of the ever-changing needs of children as they grow. One thing is clear that continuous communication (even if they roll their eyes) is a must. And sometimes, they will follow through with what they ask for, and sometimes they will not. But, family relationships are the most precious of all and worth the effort! Want to learn more from Jacqui? Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin and visit her website. Read more from Jacqui! Jacqui Senn, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jacqui Senn is an experienced Coach in the areas of Life Events, Transitions, Relationships, and Business. After Breast Cancer, she faced a new reality of being a single mother and created strategies that provided a structure that she transitioned into success. It is this model that she shares with each of her clients for them to reach their fullest potential.

Written by: Lynn MacDonald, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. I’ve come to see there are 2 ways to steer your business: Stressed out Slowing down When I first began my entrepreneurial journey, I pushed, worked long hours being busy, and I felt like I had to get somewhere. I would feel frustrated because I felt like I wasn’t productive even though I was "busy." I see I was speeding up to thought instead of slowing down to the peace of life. Speeding up to thought creates stress. Stress is produced from obeying thoughts from repetitive learned and conditioned thinking. I remember every morning for the longest time, I would write blogs that had great content. Often, I would get more than halfway done then stop. Feeling like I had a writer’s blog. But what was really happening behind the scenes of that feeling: Who is going to read this blog anyway? Will it make a difference? I’m not good enough. I don’t have a degree to back up my points, especially when I write about how everyone has innate mental health. I’m not really a great writer. Interesting, when I began to write , I felt like I was in the flow, then suddenly I was seduced by the content of my personal thinking where I felt totally insecure. Did you experience a similar situation? It’s normal . It’s called being human. I’ve come to see it’s perfectly okay to be unashamedly human. The best part is that once I see what is happening, my mind settles down thanks to self-awareness. I come out of the snow globe through a storm, and I am back in the moment of well-being, leading me to slow down. Slowing down to the speed of peace, slowing down to the speed of life instead of speeding up to thought. It’s from this place I am connected to my innate well-being at the moment. The only place well-being is found. It’s from there I have confidence, resilience, wisdom, and trust. You know when you are in your innate well-being because you’ve slowed down to the moment: You are more productive Life feels easier You feel happy or peaceful for no reason Tasks you dreaded doing seem to get done effortlessly Your curiosity is at an all-time high during conversations You listen from that quiet space within building connection, rapport, and trust with others Creativity flows You are more understanding with others Key points I want to share with you. Our experience of life changes moment-to-moment because thought is always moving through. We live in a thought-created reality, not circumstance. We come in and out of innate mental health all day long. Self-awareness is a gift that lets you know when you are speeding up to thought and guides you back to well-being. Well-being is a place that is only available at the moment. Remember the last time you had a glimpse of feeling good for no reason at all? Yes, that’s the well-being feeling. Follow me on Facebook for more information! Read more from Lynn ! Lynn MacDonald, Executive Contributor, Brainz Magazine I’ve been a corporate trainer for a Fortune 500 company. I’ve been a yoga teacher with consistently sold-out classes and a professional hypnotherapist, successfully curing some of the biggest fears and phobias people have. All of this, plus studying with some of the highest level teachers on the planet, has led me to understand human nature to help strengthen professional women, shed their old beliefs, and become the potent, prosperous leaders they’re here to be.

Sheral DeVaughn is a word assassin in the Copywriting and Content Creation industry. She spent 15 years as a top-rated on-air radio personality, converting listeners to sales for the broadcasting company as well as advertisers and sponsors. She took those same verbal and writing skills into the Wine & Spirits industry, where she spent another 10+ years writing product descriptions, brand histories, sales sheets, and marketing/educational materials. She is the Owner/Founder of C3 Specialties, a Creative Copy Content service. She helped launch Ava Dean Beauty, the beauty brand co-owned by AJ McLean of the Backstreet Boys, providing website content and strategic email marketing content. She collaborates on projects with and for SB PACE, a high-energy boutique Business Coaching and Consulting firm producing online coaching academies and seminars, business podcasts, and Amazon best-selling books designed to empower small businesses. Her motto is, "Every brand has a story to tell. It's my job to write it, so their voice is heard." Founder Sheral DeVaughn What is C3 Specialties, and why did you start it? C3 Specialties is a Custom Copywriting and Creative Content Service. We specialize in writing copy for small businesses. We focus on website copy and email campaigns for new businesses, social media content, and blogs. I have a background in on-air radio and commercial production. I also have a wine and spirit sales/education background. Having a business that blended the things I loved most from those two worlds was a huge motivator. When the pandemic hit, I seized the opportunity to work from home. I wanted to help out a few friends who were struggling with connecting to customers online. It didn't take long to see there was a need for copywriting that could tell a brand story and connect with customers in a personal way. The biggest motivation for launching the business came from people who told me I "couldn't." Dreams were silly. Girls weren't supposed to be business owners...find a nice man and have some kids. I channeled that frustration and drove harder. It drove me here. If I can help a client get heard, appreciated, and succeed, it validates everything I ever fought for too. I don't want anyone to feel the way I did. Their business dreams and aspirations are valid. Their voices are important. I want to be a megaphone for small businesses owners. What do you do when you aren't writing? I'm currently living in the Kansas City area but grew up in Minnesota. My family lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota. I was born with a natural love of the outdoors: water, wooded areas, and mountains are a must. The Ozarks are as close to mountains as I get here in Missouri, but we have plenty of the rest. I spend all my free time on the water. I am an endurance kayak racer, training to do the MR 340... 340 miles in 85 hours or less on the Missouri River. When I'm not on the water, I'm spending time with my husband, two daughters, and son-in-law. I love to cook and bbq for them. We are big animal lovers, so we spend a lot of time at zoos and dog parks. I'm a Certified Specialist of Wine and working on my Certified Bourbon Professional designation. I find the whole winemaking and distillation process fascinating. The agriculture, chemistry, flavor profiles, history, regional cultures, and pairings..all of it! It's science, history, magic, and artistry all wrapped into a single glass. I love to learn, and it provides endless discovery opportunities. What do you do for your clients? C3 Specialties is all about customized and creative copy content. We tell brand stories in the voice of the client. Stories sell. We take your voice and deliver it in a conversational style that connects and converts. Websites, blogs, emails, even online profiles. It needs to be seamless, consistent and designed to attract your ideal customers. We spend hours getting to know our clients and their brand inside and out so we can deliver their messages accurately and consistently. We don't put our voice or "spin" on the copy we create. That's important if you want to connect with your customers. They need to get to know YOU and your brand. They can't do that if we add our voice. Who should hire/work with you? Small business owners who don't have the time or don't feel comfortable writing copy consistently. When they hire us, they get that time back to focus on other important parts of their business. Businesses that are well established but need to freshen up their image or messaging. We can provide a fresh perspective designed to attract more customer traffic. We love collaborating with marketing agencies and SEO writers! We take keywords, phrases, and marketing strategies and integrate them into conversational and creative content. We work as a silent partner for each company. We also love working with new and aspiring entrepreneurs. We research the industry and the specific clients they are looking to attract. Then we design a website language that connects. We create value and sales emails that drive traffic and create interest. We start a "conversation" with your customers that makes them want to get to know your business better. What makes you different from others in your industry? I'm not a niche writer . A lot of times, businesses think they need to have a copywriter who focuses on their industry alone. That means you're getting the same "McCopy" messaging that everyone else in your industry has. You aren't the same as everyone else. You shouldn't get the same copy. Your content should be as unique as your brand. I come with an outsider's approach and perspective. When I did morning show radio, you had to talk to a variety of people and connect if you wanted top ratings. I did that consistently by telling great stories. I knew how to relate to people with different backgrounds and created brand loyalty. I did the same thing when I wrote commercials. That theme carried over into wine and spirits education and sales. People that knew nothing of certain brands or varietals became avid fans. They were drawn in by the story. Every brand has that great story to tell. What makes us different is we find that story thread and write it so that your customers feel loyalty. It becomes an intimate friendship. They FEEL who you are. They FEEL what your brand core values are. People buy based on feelings. We write to tap into those feelings. What is important to keep in mind when looking for a copywriter? When hiring a copywriter, you need to find someone who takes the time to listen and asks a lot of questions. Copywriting isn't something you can knock out after a 10-minute call with a client. Quality copywriters take time... a lot of time... getting to know you, your brand, your industry, and your target customers. They make sure they know what your exact end goal is before they write a single word. You want a copywriter who is available and reliable. While you can't expect them to be there for you 24/7 for reviews and changes, you need one who is flexible. Your hours and deadlines aren't always within a 9 to 5 workday. Will they accommodate your time zone? How about weekends? Can they deliver a quick turnaround? Do they lay out what the process and schedule look like when you work with them? Finally, are they passionate and capable of writing in your voice instead of their own? After all, it's your story. A good copywriter leaves their ego at the door and adapts to your language and style. They don't need to put their own personal "spin" on your copy. Who is your dream client? Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I would love to write for a winery or a bourbon distillery. Elijah Craig and Rabbit Hole would be my picks for bourbon. Elijah Craig has such a rich history. There are so many facets to explore with the storytelling. Rabbit Hole is so much fun because they don't follow the pack of other distillers. They dare to be different. That appeals to me on so many levels. It would be a treat for me to write their story on a daily basis and make customers more aware of them. The winery I would love to represent is Elena Walch. Three generations of women at the helm of an Italian winery, modernizing and changing the landscape of winemaking in Alto Adige. Plus, the wines are stunning. It would make my heart sing to be able to share their passionate tale. Strong and fearless. That's a story people can get behind. In 10 years? I'd like to be able to look at the long list of clients I've helped on their way to creating success. The copy written for them would read like a book of entrepreneurs and small businesses that dared to make a difference. Connect with Sheral DeVaughn on her LinkedIn , Instagram , or Facebook sites, or visit her website .

Written by: Linda Ford, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Do you know what breaks my heart? Smart women who keep sitting on their ideas instead of sharing them, who keep second-guessing themselves and worrying about what others are thinking about them. Smart women who lack confidence and who continue to hide out. This is what breaks my heart. Big confession: I used to be one of these women. I used to think my lack of confidence was a competency issue, that I didn’t know enough, wasn’t skilled enough, trained enough, or professional enough. And so, I ended up spending thousands of dollars on courses, workshops, and training, not to mention my serious addiction to buying and reading self-help books. And then there was all the inner work and the excruciating work of over-analyzing myself – my obsession of wanting to get to the bottom of what I thought was wrong with me, why I always felt overly self-conscious, and why I insisted that I needed cleaning out. I had a fixation with fixing myself. Ironically, I became aware of this problem when I became a coach realizing that I had also to wear an entrepreneurial hat. That’s when all of my stuff came up because I was being called to share what I knew with a larger audience – I had to put myself out there – if I were going to get serious about my business, then I’d have to do blogging, interviews, and go live on Facebook and that brought up some of my worst fears: that people would find me boring, unprofessional, and not good enough. And so once again , I retreated into my learning cave, believing that when I learn how to market properly, then I’ll be ready. Then I’ll feel confident. Gaining skills and competencies have great value. I’m not knocking them. I wouldn’t want a dentist performing a root canal on me if she hadn’t been professionally trained. And getting coached, doing the deep inner work on myself, and learning how the equipment of the mind works has saved my life. Heck, I even became a coach! For sure, there is a need and place for all of this. It’s just that it can all get a bit obsessive. It can also give us a sneaky false sense that we’re actually getting stuff done and we’re on course when we’re not! What is really going on for a lot of women is not a competency problem. It’s a hiding problem. What I discovered was that I was putting business strategies ahead of doing the deep inner work of connecting with the truth of who I was and what value I had to offer others. I wasn’t connected to myself, my voice, my work, my soul, but instead innocently distracted trying to copy and imitate other coaches believing that if a business strategy worked for them, it would automatically work for me. It was as if I’d built a house and had decorated it before laying down the essential foundation. It was bound to sink. What I realized is that I had to come home to myself first and remember why I wanted to do this important work of coaching in the first place. And is it any wonder we end up collapsing our power and feel like an imposter? Is it any wonder why we spend years second-guessing our next move? When we don’t feel deeply connected to our true selves – when we don’t know our own value but prefer to imitate someone else’s value - we are, for sure, imposters. It makes logical sense, doesn’t it? Gaining confidence is not about adding or proving we are confident through competencies. Academia is full of people with Ph.D.’s with imposter syndrome. The confidence you long for is already there within you. It is built into you. It is part of your brilliant design. Feeling your confidence and power is about taking away, stripping back the layers of thoughts that cover it - the patterns of thinking that you have accumulated and that tell you you’re not good enough or original enough - that some people have it and you don’t have it. You’ve made it all up. So, what are you waiting for ? You already know so much. You’ve been on this spiritual journey a long time. I know you. You don’t need any more training. You don’t need another business strategy. What you have is a deep desire to help others, to make a difference in the world. Isn’t it about time you turned up your own dimmer switch and had a glimpse of your own brilliance? You’ve got this! Follow Linda on Facebook , Youtube and visit her website for more info! Linda Ford, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Linda Ford is a master coach and author who specializes in helping introverted coaches and solopreneurs who want to have more impact and clients – who want to be seen and heard - but who struggle with imposter syndrome, hiding out fear of criticism, and the uncomfortableness of having to put themselves 'out there'. At the heart of Linda’s work is the belief that we have to develop a deep connection with our unique gifts, message and to know our true value. This is the rocket fuel that allows us to be seen and heard and feel the ease of putting ourselves 'out there'. When we do this essential inner work, we awaken our natural confidence, charisma, and power to connect and resonate with others. It surpasses and precedes any marketing strategy. Linda Ford is the co-creator of the online programs, The Confidence Coach – how to have more impact and change the world, and Confidence in a Box: If I’m so smart, then why don’t I feel more confident? Ford is also the co-author of the Kindle best-selling book, Women and Confidence: The truth about the lies we tell ourselves.

Written by: Mariette, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Are you struggling to make decisions? Always doubting if you got it right? Changing your mind each day? Lucy hates herself for her indecisiveness. She blames it on being a Libra, the star sign known for their struggle with making decisions. But she also knows there is more to it. However, she doesn’t know what. I talked Lucy through a range of options. I can’t make a decision because: “I am worried what other people will say about it.” This is a sign of low confidence. “I always want to have the best. There might be something better out there.” The perfectionist is speaking. "If I get it wrong, I am a failure.” This indicates a lack of self-love. “If I get it wrong, it will be the end of the world.” A sign of a catastrophic thinker. “This might impact me forever.” Representing a rigid attitude. “I don’t know what’s best for me.” That is about not really knowing yourself. “I don’t want to have the responsibility.” Fear for stepping into her own power. With each decision, Lucy took herself through the 7 options. Once she knew what got in the way, she could make changes to her thoughts and started tackling the confusion. Clearing the confusion made her see what was going on and helped her decide. Of course, there are occasions where you can make rash decisions or make decisions for the wrong reasons. I can easily make a decision because: I am impatient, and any movement is better than no movement. I want my mind to stop racing around in circles. I want to impress others. I want to annoy others. I don’t have to face the consequences, so I don’t care. I know what is right in this situation. I know what is right for me. Decision-making is easy when you are self-aware, know what you want, and have an internal frame of reference. If decision-making is a challenge for you, there are ways to change that. Working with a coach can help you to do this. What else is behind decision-making ? I was asked to say something about decision-making for a press release about a recent poll commissioned by Gala Spins . This poll showed that decision-making is leaving people stuck, wishing that someone else could choose for them even if it comes to holidays, which film to watch or what to eat for dinner. My comments: “Making a decision is a lways a big thing for some people. It doesn’t matter what the decision is about; it is about what the decision represents. A decision is a powerful act of confidence, speaking up and speaking out, excluding options, having an opinion, and taking a stance, which might evoke a reaction or a confrontation. Fear is the emotion that is behind indecisiveness. People pleasers are always worried about what other people will say. Perfectionists will always worry that they might miss out on something better. An insecure person will always fear they got it wrong and will be confronted. To become a better decision-maker and improve your decision-making process, you need to discover the underlying fear that makes it hard to make a decision and challenge that fear to improve your decision-making ability.” When exposed to narcissistic or other emotional abuse, fear is a big factor. The fear to displease the abuser is paralyzing and will prevent the victim from making unbiased decisions. Usually, choices and decisions are informed by the thought patterns of the abuser in the hope that the victim is doing the right thing and can avoid a hurtful reaction. For more info, follow me on F acebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and visit my website! Read more from Mariette! Mariette Jansen, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Dr. Mariette Jansen is a successful coach, therapist, and blogger for over 20 years. Also, author of best-selling self-help book 'From Victim to Victor' for victims of narcissistic abuse. She grew up with a narcissistic mother and had several romantic relationships with narcissists. Her mission is to empower and educate on life skills, narcissistic abuse, and thinking patterns. She offers a free coaching session via her website. Originally from the Netherlands, she now lives in the UK.

Written by: Karen Gibson, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Every student, no matter how old, will succeed if they learn how to organize, how to manage their time, and how to handle procrastination. Lack of any of these skills will lead to frustration, lack of motivation, and possible failure. The earlier kids learn these skills, the easier it will be to implement successful study habits. Organization skills teach students how to plan and do what it takes to complete assignments. Using checklists and planners help kids stay organized, avoid the stress of missing due dates or forgetting to prepare for exams. Weak organization skills make the learning process more challenging. Simple tips include writing deadlines prior to the real deadline. Decluttering weekly so old papers don’t get mixed up with current papers. Eliminate clutter in one’s personal space. Keep a neat work area with supplies nearby. (pencils, calculator, laptop, paper, textbooks, etc.) Organize materials for each subject in a binder with dividers. (pockets preferable since loose papers can be stored here) Students who color-code each subject find it easier to locate materials and assignments quickly. Working on one task at a time and avoiding multi-tasking will help with focusing. Multitasking reduces efficiency and performance since their brain can only focus on one thing at a time. When students try to do two things at once, their brain lacks the capacity to perform both tasks successfully. Research also shows that, in addition to slowing you down, multitasking lowers your IQ. Children who use planners consider their time valuable and that completion of tasks is worth celebrating. Give them fun stickers to decorate and colored pens to mark off completed tasks. Older students can celebrate after each task is completed. Enjoy a favorite snack, take a 30-minute break to watch YouTube, or watch their favorite show. Teaching kids how to manage their time will help them from engaging in time-wasting activities and prevent procrastination. Many students struggle with procrastination and wait until the last minute before meeting a deadline. Breaking an assignment into manageable tasks can lessen the overwhelm that may cause a student to stall from starting an assignment. Staying away from distractions can make a big difference from giving into delaying the inevitable. Creating time blocks where a student makes a commitment to complete a task before engaging in any fun is a tactic that can increase the chances of remaining productive. Many adults struggle with distractions, losing motivation, or waiting for the right time to start. Whenever a student feels tempted to procrastinate, the best solution is to start right away and commit to working at least 30 minutes before taking a brief break. Often after 30 minutes, a student gets into the study zone. Flow happens at the moment when a student feels like time vanishes and they basically forget about time. Increased productivity is the result of being in the flow. Many students don’t learn how to study. If parents took the time to teach kids how to organize their materials/study area, properly manage their time, and overcome procrastination, academic stress would be reduced. Studying would no longer be dreaded, and students might actually learn to enjoy their academic journey. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for more info! Read more from Karen! Karen Gibson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Karen is the founder of "Letting Go with Aloha," offering coaching for overwhelmed parents and those in parenting roles who want to parent with peace instead of pain. As a former special education teacher, she also founded Brain Builders, a private tutoring business whose mission is to enhance students' mental and emotional potential. She is the author of "Mama's Gotta Let Go: How to Let Go Without Losing Your Sanity,” available on Amazon, as well as “100 Parenting Tips Inspired by the Pandemic,” published in March 2021 by Balboa Press.

Biz Coach Steve Feld is a Certified Business Coach, Author, Professional Speaker, and award-winning Business Management Executive. His business is Biz Coach Steve out of Phoenix, Arizona. Over 300 businesses have sought out his services to work with them on gaining much-needed clarity, implementing solid strategic plans, and achieving positive growth results. He has clients worldwide. Steve is passionate about business growth, efficient operations, and long-term success. He has built, owned, and operated 7 lucrative businesses. He has consulted with other businesses providing change management and process improvement. He operated within 3 Fortune 500 companies, manning and boosting an entire division for them. Tell us how you got started working with small business owners growing their business for long-term success. In my first business, I was writing business plans for start-up tech companies. Then it morphed into writing their marketing and operating plans. Many of my clients were seeking venture capital funding. They needed help speaking business and improve their presentation skills to get the funding. At that time, all the venture capitalist panels were only businesspeople, and having someone talk tech to them didn’t work out too well. The business was fantastic, writing their business plans and coaching them to speak business and get that venture capital money. It was tough keeping up with the amount of business I had. Then one day, the tech bubble burst, and so did my business. All my clients were gone. No more leads or prospects, and all the venture capital money went away fast. That taught me a valuable lesson about business, but clearly, I didn’t learn enough. I opened my next business a week later, going into businesses and turning them around. I started getting known as a business interior designer. No, I didn’t design their office. I redesigned their business from the inside out. Since then, I have owned 7 businesses, ran 3 others, and have worked with 100’s of small business owners. Speaking of small business owners. What is the best thing you like about working with business owners? I have been very passionate about small businesses. I patronize mom and pop establishments over chains. Now don’t get me wrong. I still will visit a chain restaurant or something, but I would rather support a local family business owner over an unknown corporate CEO looking to buy their 5th vacation house. Small business owners are the backbone of the world’s economy. Without them, big business would be in trouble, as well as every economy. Small business owners hire locally, which helps the community, they are part of the community, and when someone supports a small business owner, they are in turn supporting their community. Another reason is that the failure rate for small business owners is very high. They need help understanding how to grow a business and succeed in long-term success. The way I look at it, I not only help the business, but I am also helping the family and the community at the same time. We see you have written 5 books. One of them is “45-Minute Breakthrough,” can you share some of those breakthroughs with our audience? This book focuses on 8 simple strategies any business, no matter what industry they are in or what size they are, could implement within their business to grow the revenue by over $100,000 without having to spend an extra penny on marketing or advertising. The one strategy that most business owners like is joint ventures. Seeking out businesses that have the same target market as you and promoting each other while driving business to each other and possibly getting a referral fee as well. It’s a great strategy, and once it is set up, you just have to nurture the relationship. This is one of my favorite strategies if you are looking to get exponential growth in your business. I am more than happy to give any of the readers a complimentary copy. Just visit. www.bizcoachsteve.com/100k and download it now. Can you share a little bit about your other books? All the books I have written were derived from conversations with small business owners. Realizing they only know what they know, and they need help knowing what they don’t know, drove me to write a book about the “10 Secrets every business owner should know.” That led me to write a book about “why you need a business coach.” That was driven by all the questions I received from small business owners. So why not put their questions and answers in a book and provided them some questions to use when they are looking for a business coach. Then came “10 digital marketing secrets” after realizing that most small business owners do not know how to leverage digital marketing to grow their business. That led to “Financial Formula Breakthroughs.” That book covers how to read a profit and loss statement and how to focus on just 6 numbers to make a strategic decision within their business. Most small business owners do not know their numbers, and that is hurting them and their business. After writing my first book, I also started to see that many “experts” could use a book to promote themselves and set themselves apart from their competition. These experts could be salespeople that have to get their sales to get paid (insurance agents, financial planners, realtors, etc.) Having a 50–70-page book that highlights how they work with their clients, provides the reader some great insights about them, and showcases them as the expert, will put them way above their competition. Our package includes 100 hard copies, all the layout and design, a revision, and an e-book copy, which is all completed within 30-days. The book becomes their calling card and elevates their expertise as the authority in their field because they are a published author. www.bizcoachsteve.com/spotlight On your website, you mention some proprietary software you use to find a business owner $100,000 or more. Can you tell us about it? Our proprietary software keeps getting better and better. We can look at 12 areas in a business or have a deep dive and look at 40 different areas of a business to find a business owner, usually over $100,000 in hidden annualized revenue. Not only that, but we also have a digital marketing piece that has been unbelievable in finding that hidden revenue for those business owners that believe they are firing on all cylinders. We share our screen with the business owner, ask lots of questions, enter in their answers, and then let the 497 million algorithms do their work. It can summarize all our findings, put them in a report that we provide to the business owner. Not only that, but it also allows us to build an implementation schedule to work on areas of their business to get that revenue. We can show the business owner an ROI on their investment into coaching as well as provide a generalized valuation of their business. I like the tracking feature in the software that helps the business owner and myself track our results to make sure we can get them that hidden revenue. The next feature being added will be for group coaching. We will have short videos provided to educate the group members on specific areas of business that they can implement, followed up with weekly virtual group coaching calls for accountability. Check out the short video we made about the software. We have opened up time for any business that wishes to have their business ran through the software. Just contact us to set that up. What do you see as one of the top struggles for small business owners? Small business owners only know what they know, and that sometimes can make business very difficult for them. They may have left a corporate job to start their business and may know how to make a better widget, but they do not know about marketing, advertising, accounting, finance, production, distribution, logistics, shipping, digital media, and so much more that goes into business. They probably never had to go out on their own to market or sell a product or service. So, they work on building that widget instead of lining up sales to bring revenue in. The top struggle I see time and time again with small business owners is they believe they HAVE to do everything themselves, which is far from the truth. They do not have to do everything themselves, and they need to ask for help. I owned one of those businesses where I believe I had to do everything myself, and my business was failing. I brought on a business coach, and within 60 days, my business took off like a rocket ship. I realized that I did not have all the answers and know everything I needed to know about my business. Once any business owner realizes this and brings in that support (a business coach), watch how much better their business will be. They will be less stressed. Stop making business so hard and get help. I have had a few business coaches over the years and realized that if Michael Jordan can have multiple business coaches, then I could have one. He knew he wanted to be the best and could only see what he sees. Michael knew that the coach could see things in him that he cannot see. Provided him the feedback and resources to be better. Business owners just need to ask for help. Find the right business coach that can work with them to get them the results they want in the business. Having a coach by your side will not only get you to your goals faster, but they are also your cheerleader along the way, celebrating your success. They are also there to provide you with that much-needed feedback and guidance to keep you on your path. They will provide you with many other resources to give you the tools to be phenomenally successful. Can you share with us a case study or a business that you worked with, and what kind of results did you get them? I had a client in the retail industry. They had a brick-and-mortar business doing $250,000 a year, barely breaking even. The owner has not taken a penny out of the business for herself since the day they opened. No funds in reserves. Paid all bills 90 out-suppliers were always calling her. Many months behind on her lease. More people were shopping online and not coming into her store. Her marriage was in trouble. She followed some simple strategies we worked with her on and transformed her business in 6 months. We defined her customer and target market, so she had clarity, then reached out to potential joint venture partners. The JV partners increased her revenue by $40,000. Installed an e-commerce element and a solid social media marketing plan, which lead to an increase of $70,000. Brought in new staff, trained them how to upsell and cross-sell, which led to an additional $55,000. She started a monthly newsletter in the 2nd month, created landing pages for online offers, which lead to another $40,000. Her business almost doubled in by the end of 6 months working with us. She was very dedicated and worked hard to get these results. She was open to learning new strategies and then committed to making implement those strategies. All her vendors were happy because they were all paid, and they renegotiated many of her deals which lowered her costs of goods sold. The landlord provided her incentives for marketing since she was paid up. She started taking a salary, which also helped save her marriage. Having the retail location and the online presence provided her store more credibility and sales. We have many other case studies on our website. It is always amazing to see the results our clients get from working with us. We want them to be successful and achieve their personal and business goals. You also have been bringing on coaches and speakers, training them as well. How does that work? I was speaking at an event. After I got off stage, I had 31 people approach me to coach them. At that time, I was not doing any group coaching and knew I had a problem. So, I started bringing on coaches and speakers. We train the coaches on the exact systems that I use, provide them with all the same resources I have so they can get fantastic results for their clients. Teach them lead-generating strategies so they can bring on the clients they want to work with. It is a great business for someone that wants to be their boss, control their destiny, help their clients get great results, and make money. All the coaches have their own branded E-Learning academy, and I provide them with other coaches to support them in many areas as well as myself. Once I started bringing on coaches, I went back to in-person workshops filled with business owners who became clients. Then I passed those clients to the coaches. I knew I had to get some help on this as well, so I brought on speakers who can close from the stage. They are comfortable filling the room with business owners, presenting for 2 hours, and closing. Covid did hinder our live workshops, but those are coming back, and I am now bringing on speakers once again. Training them to fill the room and deliver the content-filled presentation. I am looking for more coaches and speakers to bring on. Do you offer any other resources for business owners to help them grow? We are passionate about seeing business owners survive and thrive and build an asset that they could sell one day and retire comfortably. Many of our clients like to work 1-on-1, while others like to work in a group coaching setting. We do have an elite mastermind for dedicated servant business owners that want extraordinary results within their business. Our E-Learning Academy is extremely popular with solopreneurs and those that want to follow a program to build their business at their pace. The E-Learning Academy includes a $2 million ad library and lots of tools and resources the business owners need in their business that will save them lots of time and money and the proprietary software that we have already discussed. Our goal is to increase the success rate for dedicated small business owners, and we have many proven tools and resources all small businesses need to expand. Where can people find you online? The best place to catch me is via email, steve@bizcoachsteve.com, or directly through my website. I am always looking to meet growth-minded business owners that want to build the business of their dreams and enjoy the fruits of their labor. You can also connect with me on LinkedIn. For more info, follow Steve on Facebook, Twitter, or visit his website. Read more from Steve!

Written by: Marisa Guthrie, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Have you ever asked yourself why you do what you do? I don’t mean to earn money — that’s an outcome. You could have chosen any number of ways to make money. But why you have chosen to set up this business? Why now? And what is it here to do? This is a question I always ask my clients, whether they have been in business for years or are just at the start-up stage. The most common response I hear is, “I just kind of fell into it” or “I never set out to do this. It just sorts of happened.” But I have news for you, none of this is an accident, you quite deliberately chose this, and you chose it for a reason. Many years ago, when I was teaching a workshop about branding, I asked this same question to a therapist who taught Alexander Technique. He gave me the stock answer of, “It just kind of happened,” but when we took time to delve a little deeper, he told me a beautiful story about his journey as a therapist and what had brought him to this place. He had experienced severe burnout early on in his career and had found his way out through Alexander Technique, so he was on a mission to get people to use their bodies in a more relaxing way. His story was completely unique and was something I had never associated with that therapy before, even though I had worked in that industry for years. In one fell swoop, through telling one story, he had explained and understood his why. But when it came to his website and social media, he said something quite different. Up to that point, he had not connected his own unique story to his marketing, so he was missing a vital opportunity to create a connection with his audience. Like that therapist, for years, I thought about what I offered rather than why I do what I do. So that was what I talked about - the ‘what.’ I put my energy into focusing on what services I offer as a business coach, so I ended up sounding like everybody else. I focused on the features and attributes but never thought to explain what got me here, what motivates me. Like everyone else in business coaching, I said, I was ‘passionate’ about helping business owners, that what I offered was ‘transformation,’ ‘taking things to the next level,’ ‘growth,’ ‘development,’ in fact, all the things that everyone says in this industry! But what your customers really want to know is why you do what you do. Your ‘why’ is about: What your values are What you stand for and what you are committed to What your story is and how that connects to the story of your audience After watching the famous TED Talk by Simon Sinek ‘How great leaders inspire action,’ the light bulb moment came for me because it demonstrated the importance of storytelling in business. It showed that to create a real connection. You have to talk about the ‘why,’ not the ‘what’ and ‘how,’ something I had been doing for years. So let’s look at how telling your story will help you and your customers connect with your ‘why’ and how that will impact your business. Telling your brand story Most of us are operating in pretty busy marketplaces. I know that in my industry there are a LOT of people doing what I do. So how do I talk about my work, and more importantly, how do my clients and prospects differentiate me from my competitors? Before I connected with my ‘why,’ I used the same kind of language as everyone else in coaching. Not only did this not feel very congruent for me, but ultimately, it didn’t really tell anyone else anything about me. I wasn’t saying anything new or different, so I found it hard to talk about what I did, and this is a really common problem for business owners. Once I connected my story or why I really do what I do, it opened the door to a whole new way to communicate, and I have never looked back since. My ‘why’ all comes down to social justice and wanting to create a better society through how we do business. On my ‘about’ page, I say: “When I was younger, I felt ambivalent about the business world. It didn’t fit with my identity or my perception of what was important in life. Early on in my career, however, I saw first-hand how certain products and services could improve people’s lives.” Now, this is probably not what you are expecting a business coach to say, and I am extremely confident that no one else is saying that about themselves. So in reading this, you are quickly going to decide whether this is something you resonate with or not, whether it is something that speaks to you and your experience or not. And that’s great for both you and me because it means we are going to get a good idea as to whether we are a good fit or not. It will also give you so much clarity about all the other aspects of your business, such as strategy, your business model, and your marketing. The benefits of finding your ‘Why’ and telling your story They say that a business should be “an inch wide and mile deep”. Understanding and communicating your why takes you deep into the story of your business. The story is the best way to convey feeling and emotion and information and ideas. It also: Focuses the attention on your audience/client customer as you clearly identify who you are helping and why. Demonstrates what your values are and creates that all-important emotional connection. Means you always have something original to say, so you never have to worry about the competition and what they are saying about their work. Gives your brand that deeper meaning so people understand very quickly what you stand for. Keeps you motivated to make your business a success on your terms because you understand why you get up every day and what you are here to do. As Simon says, “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” Fully understanding why you do what you do and telling your story from that place isn’t necessarily going to come overnight (but if it does, great!), but once you figure it out, it is going to give you so much clarity about all the other aspects of your business which will enable you to grow and takes things to the next level. Marisa Guthrie, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Before setting up her coaching and mentoring business in 2008, Marisa was involved in running businesses for nearly 20 years. A serial entrepreneur, Marisa has set up several businesses and social enterprises, including a cross-party think tank and a business networking organization for women. She was also CEO for a health charity and a business policy advisor for the local and national government. Marisa's work closely supports entrepreneurs in bringing their authentic selves to their work and helps them feel comfortable in their professional identity and business brand. Her mission is for small business owners to do business differently.