Support is Sexy

Latest Episodes:

136: How to Get Your Momentum Going and Keep It Going Jan 09, 2017

Show notes

On this episode I share what I'm calling the 4 c's of Momentum. What I've learned about momentum, what it means, how we get there and what to do when we get there.

The 4 c's are:

Commitment

Consistency

Courage

Continue.

Have a listen and let me know what you think about momentum, how it's working for you, how you plan to get it going and what you're doing to keep it going!

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Show notes, links, contacts and resources for this episode may be found at supportissexypodcast.com.

[Music: "Easy" by SPCZ]

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135: Count It All Joy! Jan 06, 2017

Show notes

"Count it all joy, my [sisters], when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." -- James 1:1-4

Whether Christian or not, religious or not, you can likely find inspiration in this scripture from the English Standard version of the Bible -- especially if you're an entrepreneur.

You have undoubtedly faced many trials along the way to creating the business of your dreams. (And if you haven't yet, I would argue that you're not playing big enough -- but that's a whole other episode.) And even with those trails, whether it's because you're crazy or you have crazy faith (or a little bit of both!), you keep going, and you somehow find the joy in it.

This week, I was reminded by the inspiring, fascinating women entrepreneurs that I had the pleasure of interviewing to remember to count it all joy -- no matter the circumstance, challenge, upset or disappointment. It will pass, and it will only make you stronger, a better woman and a better entrepreneur. I didn't realize how much I needed to hear that message until it came to me throughout this week's string of interviews. (Thank you, Universe.)

And thank you to Carrie Sheffield, Carmen Daniels Jones, Shantrelle P. Lewis and Wendy Wollner (who actually said "Add laughter to your to-do list") for those beautiful reminders.

And for you, no matter what you're going through, whatever the challenge, no matter how fast and sometimes furious they seem to come, remember: Count it all joy. This is only PART of your journey. Your job? Keep going.

With joy,

Elayne

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Show notes, links, contacts and resources for this episode may be found at supportissexypodcast.com

[Music: "Easy" by SPCZ]

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134: Wendy Wollner, CEO of Balancing Life's Issues, on Work-Life Balance, Learning to Laugh and Living Out Loud Jan 05, 2017

Show notes

Wendy Wollner has always been loud and loving. Yes, it's possible to be both. As one of few women CEOs whenever she's in the room negotiating with Fortune 500 companies on behalf of her corporate training business, Balancing Life's Issues, Wendy has learned over the past three decades of being an entrepreneur that "For me to be taken seriously, I learned I had to be a little loud."

Another thing that the Westchester, New York, native says is possible: Work-life balance. In fact, it was her pursuit of work-life balance as a divorced mom of three 30 years ago that led her down the path of discovering this possibility and creating a company that teaches these skills and many more to corporations around the globe -- covering 300 topics and conducting more than 15,000 sessions per year.

On this episode of the Support is Sexy podcast, Wendy offers plenty of tips for how women entrepreneurs can achieve balance in their own lives, what it means to develop your emotional IQ (especially when it comes to understanding your own emotions), how to embrace healthy conflicts and how to live out loud even when others are telling you to be quiet.

On this episode you'll learn:

What it's like to the only woman CEO in the room.Wendy's personal definition of mindfulness.How to find balance between drive and ambition and being compassionate.How to handle it when people tell you to "tone it down."How to process feedback.How to fight fairly and have healthy conflict.Is work-life balance truly attainable?5 buckets of contentment.How to come to terms with the poor decisions and mistakes we've made.Tips to pitch your company for corporate training.The importance of laughter.Why emotional intelligence is important and helps your find balance.Why sucking it up sucks.Knowing the differences between the emotions your feeling: sad, despondent, fear, anxiety, overwhelm...The trouble with multitasking.How to do resolutions right, and know that it's not always about focusing on what's "wrong."How to positively leverage your emotions.Top 3 tips for finding balance and managing stress.Why rest is a gamechanger and "crushing it" is a think of the past..Why the idea that you don't have enough time is a convenient excuse.

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Show notes, links, contacts and resources for this episode may be found at supportissexypodcast.com.

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133: Shantrelle P. Lewis on Having Vision, Manifesting Love and Creating Businesses That Count It All Joy Jan 04, 2017

Show notes

Shantrelle P. Lewis has always been a woman of vision. From the time she was a little girl growing up in her beloved New Orleans -- assertive, ambitious, clear that she could do anything -- Shantrelle was calling in the law of attraction, placing posters of the college she wanted to go to on her wall (she went), later, the kind of man she wanted to meet (she married him last November) and the bestselling book she wanted to write (it's scheduled for release this April).

But what Shantrelle has also been about, always, is loving Black people, Black history and Black culture, and the expression of that culture through art, style, writing, and most recently, business. As a curator, she has traveled the world with her Dandy Lion Project exhibit and anthropological studies, and as an entrepreneur she seamlessly intertwines her culture into the fabric of each venture, including Shoppe Black -- her partnership venture with her husband, Tony, which supports and highlights Black businesses, and William + James, her bow-tie line inspired by the great Black intellectuals W.E.B. DuBous and James Baldwin. On this episode of the Support is Sexy podcast, Shantrelle riffs on a long list of books, scholars and resources that you'll definitely want to dive into (see RESOURCES below) and talks about the importance of vision, of doing the work and of making joy a practice.

On this episode you'll learn:

How to be a woman of vision.The importance of vision boards and getting clear on how -- and why -- they workHow to incorporate your passion into your business.What it takes to be an entrepreneur.Why spirituality, love and joy take practice.How to break down your goals and tackle them.The importance of knowing what works for you and establishing best practices around that.The value of having an accountability partner.You're the average of the five people you spend the most time with, so you must get rid of people who don't believe in the possibilities.Why you have to "do you" and be authentic to your own vision and dreams.Subscribe to Support is Sexy podcast on iTunes or on Stitcher Radio!

Thank you for listening! And hey, if you love it, please click here to leave us a Rating & Review on iTunes!

Show notes, links, contacts and resources for this episode may be found at supportissexypodcast.com.

[Music: "Easy" by SPCZ]

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132: How Entrepreneur Carmen Jones is Normalizing Disability, Focusing on Her Niche and Busting Down Stereotypes Jan 03, 2017

Show notes

Carmen Jones learned very early about how painful stereotypes are. She and her family experienced racism as they moved into certain neighborhoods thanks to her father's corporate job with IBM, with children willing to play with her at school; but unwilling to have her visit their home. Her mom always encouraged she and her siblings to take the high road. When, at age 20, a terrible car accident caused Carmen to become a paraplegic, she went from a 5'10" student walking around the campus of Hampton University to being in a wheelchair and dependent on friends to, at times, carry her -- literally. This experience exposed Carmen to a whole new set of stereotypes to overcome: Disability. This time, she doesn't just take the high road, she has made it her business to educate others about people with disabilities, and to educate companies about the importance of marketing to and hiring individuals within the disability market.

As CEO of Solutions Marketing Group, Carmen's agency works to "position her clients to understand, penetrate and retain the disability market." On this episode of the Support is Sexy podcast, Carmen shares why she sees it as her personal mission to normalize disability, to bust down stereotypes and to educate companies so they know that when they hire someone with a disability, they could completely change the trajectory of that person't life in the best way. She also shares how the accident that caused her disability ended up being one of her most transformational moments.

On this episode you'll learn:

Importance of market research.How to utilize speaking engagements to your advantage.Why building relationships is the fuel of your business.The power of the disability market.The difference between accessibility and accommodations.Lessons she learned from her chair.Top three misconceptions about people with disability.How companies should consider the disability market -- it's bigger than you thinkSubscribe to Support is Sexy podcast on iTunes or on Stitcher Radio!

Thank you for listening! And hey, if you love it, please click here to leave us a Rating & Review on iTunes!

Show notes, links, contacts and resources for this episode may be found at supportissexypodcast.com.

[Music: "Easy" by SPCZ]

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131: Carrie Sheffield: On Building a Bold Media Business and Standing By Your Convictions Jan 02, 2017

Show notes

Carrie Sheffield is a "musician brat" who grew up between here and there and went to 17 different public schools while traveling with her family, who were all musicians. So she knows how to adapt in ever-changing environments -- including changes that she initiated herself contrary to popular opinion, such as leaving the Mormon church after attending a Mormon college, deciding to become a political journalist rather than a stay-at-home mom, choosing not to support the president-elect during the campaign season, and launching her own media company bold.global, which has a mission of shifting the conversation around politics to one that is bi-partisan although Carrie is a strict conservative.

But one thing Carrie had to learn within the past year is that standing by your convictions isn't always convenient, especially for business. On this episode of the Support is Sexy podcast, Carrie speaks openly how she has evolved as the leader of her one-year-old startup, how she's shifting the vision for her business, how she is remaining committed to her principles and how self care and stoicism have changed her life.

On this episode you'll learn:

Why it's important to find your own voice.You have to know your audience.Your brand will evolve beyond your vision.The power of working with partners.How to approach potential partners.3 things she wishes she knew about startups.Don't be afraid to stand by your principles even when it's inconvenient.Don't sacrifice self-care.Be more adaptable, don't be attached to any particular partner or vision.What she learned about simplicity, patience and compassion.Why you have to be your number one supporter.

Subscribe to Support is Sexy podcast on iTunes or on Stitcher Radio!

Thank you for listening! And hey, if you love it, please click here to leave us a Rating & Review on iTunes!

Show notes, links, contacts and resources for this episode may be found at supportissexypodcast.com

[Music: "Time Flux" by Revolution Void]

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130: Happy New Year! And Thank You! Dec 30, 2016

Show notes

As we prepare to say good-bye to 2016 and head into the new year, I have two words for you: THANK YOU!

You are the epitome of sexy support, and I so appreciate you! In this episode I take a moment to share my gratitude with you, and to encourage you to create something sexy in 2017!

Again, thank you.

Happy New Year!

For more episodes of Support is Sexy, visit supportissexypodcast.com.

[Music: "Birds" by Tyler Twombly]

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129: Gimme a Beat! Help Me Choose Our New Support is Sexy Podcast Theme Music for 2017! Dec 29, 2016

Show notes

While most people are focused on resolutions, we're going to do our own bit of reinvention over here for 2017. And I want YOU to be a part of it. Let's have some fun -- help me choose between two options for a new theme song for the Support is Sexy podcast, which we'll debut with our first episode in January. Listen to snippets of both songs on this episode, then head over to Twitter at @supportissexy and VOTE on the poll. (I just discovered the polls on Twitter and think they're adorable so, yeah, we're using that.)

As I mention in this episode, a lot going on in the news these last few days of 2016, some of it overwhelming -- violence, nonstop political bickering, transitions of well-known and not-so-well-known folks before their time... I wanted to do an episode that was light, fun, and in some ways interactive. Sometimes a smile is just the support we all need during times like these. So thank you for listening and for smiling with me.

Now, head over to @supportissexy on Twitter and pick your favorite theme song! :)

Thanks for listening!

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Thank you for listening! And hey, if you love it, please click here to leave us a Rating & Review on iTunes!

[Music: "Someone Else's Memories" by Revolution Void; "Time Flux" by Revolution Void, and "Easy" by SPCZ.]

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128: Back to Basics Founder Beverly Stewart: How to Build a Multimillion Dollar Business and Become an Open-Hearted Leader Dec 28, 2016

Show notes

Beverly Stewart has wanted to be a teacher since she was five years old, and she thought she'd be one forever once she started her career in education. But after six years in the classroom, she knew she needed a change -- she wanted a way to impact each student individually. So Beverly made the brave decision to leave her full-time teaching career in 1985, and started tutoring children one-on-one. With that, her business Back to Basics Learning Dynamics was born, providing a variety of one-on-one educational services to students of all ages. Since then, the company -- and Beverly -- have won a long list of awards and recognitions in the Philadelphia area and continue to expand; but for Beverly, her personal growth during this journey has been the greatest expansion in her life.

On this episode of the Support is Sexy podcast, Beverly talks about how she bootstrapped to build and grow her business from her one-bedroom apartment to a multimillion dollar company, the power of being vulnerable and comfortable with uncertainty, and how learning to be less rigid has changed her life and her business.

On this episode you'll learn:

How to teach yourself to be uncomfortable and uncertain in order to grow.Be bold enough to ask people for advice.The value of pounding the pavement when you first launch your business.How having a coach can completely change your business and your life.How to be an open-hearted leader.The power of delegating.Her top 3 tips for turning your passion into profit.Strategies to grow your business.The importance of feedback from your customers.How to move beyond the personal blocks in your life that also affect your business.How to learn to delegate and let go.Why she can't stand the word "luck."How she created her fairytale life.

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Thank you for listening! And hey, if you love it, please click here to leave us a Rating & Review on iTunes!

Show notes, links, contacts and resources for this episode may be found at supportissexypodcast.com.

[Music: "Someone Else's Memories" by Revolution Void]

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127: What You Need to Know (and Why You Need to Know) About Supplier Diversity with Diversity Expert Dr. Karmetria Burton Dec 27, 2016

Show notes

Dr. Karmetria Burton has always been gregarious and loquacious, so much so that her family would offer to pay her to be quiet for five minutes. That didn't work -- because Karmetria loves to connect, and she always had plenty of questions.

Karmetria grew up around a family of entrepreneurs and worked in her dad's business for about two years right after college (for room and board of course). After wowing a client on a sales call, she was recruited to work with their company -- and her professional career began with a move from Houston to Omaha Nebraska. After a layoff years later at another company, Karmetria moved into the supplier diversity field, and has since won several awards and recognition for her leadership and expertise in the space.

Today she is Director of Supplier Diversity at Delta Airlines, and shares with us her top tips for what we need to know about supplier diversity as women entrepreneurs, why it's important to register your business a woman-owned business, how she plans to spend one billion dollars with women and minority's owned businesses, and how she's empowering women to paint their lips red!

On this episode you'll learn:

What is supplier diversity?How does supplier diversity work.How to get certified and what that means.The benefits of registering your business.How to think outside of the box when considering what your business may be able to offer.Why it's smart for women-owned businesses and solopreneurs to be aware of supplier diversity programs (and some important numbers you need to know).The importance of being a scalable business.How to know when your company is corporate-ready.3 top tips for companies interested in being part of a supplier diversity program.How to get over the low points in your career.How to rebrand yourself after a setback.Why you should never let your title define you.How Karmetria is empowering women with a great red lip.And how she learned how to give up "I got it!"

Subscribe to Support is Sexy podcast on iTunes or on Stitcher Radio!

Thank you for listening! And hey, if you love it, please click here to leave us a Rating & Review on iTunes!

Show notes, links, contacts and resources for this episode may be found at supportissexypodcast.com.

[Music: "Someone Else's Memories" by Revolution Void]

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