Monica McKitterick: Remarkable Business Model Success
Discover how Monica McKitterick, Founder of Impact Family Wellness, went from 23 patients to over 1,000 and counting. Get ready to be inspired by this champion!
Welcome back to our Champion Series, where we continue to showcase inspiring stories of exceptional individuals who have made a significant impact in the world of business and entrepreneurship through their determination, creativity, and resilience. In this edition, we are thrilled to introduce you to Monica McKitterick, the Founder of Direct Primary Care (DPC), an innovative healthcare model that focuses on building personal relationships with patients and providing personalized care.
Monica started her journey with just 23 patients and has since grown her practice to over 1,000 patients and counting! After spending a decade in the insurance-based system, Monica decided to take matters into her own hands and establish a healthcare model that prioritizes quality care, transparent pricing, and exceptional service. In our exclusive interview, Monica shares her tips on growing her practice and the challenges she has overcome along the way.
Get ready to be inspired by Monica’s story, as she discusses her experiences as a healthcare leader, the benefits of the Direct Primary Care model, and her commitment to revolutionizing the healthcare system. Join us as we uncover the remarkable journey of Monica McKitterick, a true champion in the world of healthcare and patient-centered care. 😊 #champions
Monica McKitterick, Founder of Direct Primary Care
Can you tell us a little about your business and how you got started?
I was done with the cattle call of typical healthcare and knew there was a better way. Realized by cutting out the insurance company we can provide amazing care at affordable prices. Our members love our care.
What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a business owner and leader?
The lack of knowledge of our healthcare model is our biggest struggle.
How have you been able to overcome those challenges and continue to grow your business?
Networking, speaking to groups, getting involved in the community
What advice would you give to other business owners who are facing similar challenges?
Don’t expect everyone you meet to need your product or service. Be authentic and listen and they will share your product or service with someone who does need it.
Can you share a specific piece of data that you are proud of and why?
I started with 23 patients when I opened my doors 4 years ago and now have over 1150 patients and 4 full time employees
How have you leveraged the local community to support and grow your business?
Word of mouth and community support has been our best marketing plan. Without our amazing community we would not be where we are today.
In your opinion, how can businesses best combine online and offline strategies to reach and engage customers effectively?
It’s all about relationships and building them on and offline. Providing a solution to someone’s problem is the key to engagement.
Finally, what does being a community champion mean to you?
Being involved in the community means everything to me. I’ve never lived in such a supportive area and wouldn’t be where I am today without it. As I continue to grow my business into neighboring cities I look forward to growing the community and learning about the business owners around me.
🥳 Monica’s success story is just amazing! Congrats on your success!
About Impact Family Wellness:
After spending 10 years in the insurance based system, our founder, Monica McKitterick, had had enough of it. Seeing 30+ patients a day and spending 3-5 minutes with them was simply not why she went into health care. Direct Primary Care allows us to spend 30-60 minutes with patients to ensure we understand their health and wellness goals. Offering care via text/phone to make care convenient, efficient, and avoid lost time and money is one of the benefits we love best! Keeping care affordable and having transparent prices as well as offering exceptional care are just a few ways Impact Family Wellness is helping to revolutionize the healthcare system.
Sound too good to be true?
Schedule a free in office meet and we will show you how healthcare was meant to be!
MFG is a demand generation agency that specializes in identifying and creating growth opportunities for businesses. We understand that many companies engage in marketing efforts but often struggle to develop a solid marketing strategy and accurately measure the value of their campaigns. This can lead to disappointing ROI and dwindling motivation.
At MFG, we work closely with brands to generate leads and drive sales through targeted, data-driven marketing strategies. Our expertise in demand generation ensures that your marketing efforts yield tangible results, empowering your business to thrive in today’s competitive landscape. With MFG, you can be confident that your marketing investments are working effectively, fueling your business’s growth and long-term success.
The Trailblazing Journey of Julia McCoy, President of Content at Scale
Prepare to be inspired by Julia’s story, as she discusses her experience as a business leader, the powerful impact of AI on the content marketing landscape, and the ways in which she has harnessed innovation and technology to drive success. We invite you to join us in uncovering the remarkable journey of Julia McCoy, a true champion in the world of digital marketing and AI-driven solutions.
Welcome to this special edition of our Champion Series, where we celebrate inspiring stories of exceptional individuals who have navigated the world of business and entrepreneurship with determination, creativity, and resilience. In this feature, we’re excited to introduce you to Julia McCoy, the President of Content at Scale – an AI-driven content marketing platform that’s revolutionizing the industry.
As a successful entrepreneur, bestselling author, and former owner of a 100-person writing agency, Julia has had an incredible journey. She has now taken the reins at Content at Scale, playing a pivotal role in the company’s exponential growth and embracing the world of AI with open arms. In this exclusive interview, Julia shares her insights on overcoming challenges, building a high-traffic website, and leveraging AI to revolutionize content marketing.
Prepare to be inspired by Julia’s story, as she discusses her experience as a business leader, the powerful impact of AI on the content marketing landscape, and the ways in which she has harnessed innovation and technology to drive success. We invite you to join us in uncovering the remarkable journey of Julia McCoy, a true champion in the world of digital marketing and AI-driven solutions. 😊 #champions
Julia Mccoy, President of Content at Scale
Can you tell us a little about your business and how you got started?
I’m the President of Content at Scale, the leading AI writer in SEO content marketing. I come from ten years of entrepreneurship, as an author of 9 bestselling books and the former owner of a 100-person writing agency. In January 2023, I accepted a role as VP of Marketing at Content at Scale after finding it a perfect fit for my skills, and realizing I needed to learn AI content and join an active role so I could continue to stay active as a practitioner, not just a coach (I coach/teach at Content Hacker.) I moved into President of Content at Scale on April 1 of 2023. It’s been a wild and exhilarating ride in a company that is literally one of the fastest-growing ones in its space. AI is exploding, and I’m here to fully adopt and be a part of the ride!
What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a business owner and leader?
Coming into Content at Scale and immediately taking leadership and ownership of my job role, I realized how vital it was that we keep our innovative founder, Justin McGill, busy on the software side. For industry leaders especially, marketing must never come ahead of your products or services. You MUST stay in stride with developing a show-stopping product that truly solves customer needs. Our marketing goals are heavy on SEO and inbound, because we know the value this brings. Our big goal is to hit 100,000 unique visits a day with our website – we’re at 20,000/day, so we’re able to approach that number rapidly because of our accelerated content marketing and SEO campaign, fueled by our own AI writer. Typically, content creation is the biggest bottleneck to achieving high-traffic websites built through 100s of pieces of content. How do you hire the writer? Where do you find them? How do you train them? How do you keep them? …All of that is solved now, with AI.
How have you been able to overcome those challenges and continue to grow your business?
Since coming in, I’m delighted to say that Justin’s time is back to being 90% involved and focused on the product side – and we’re on track to launch new features and platform updates that will significantly increase the impact and results our AI writer has in terms of quality, research, and depth (which is the main reason I came onboard Content at Scale – the quality of the proprietary AI product that Justin built is truly incredible, it writes with better flow and intellect/research capabilities than I ever could!). And regarding our content and inbound marketing goals, we’re on track to publish 100 pieces/month, because we’re relying on our AI writer to produce the content. We’re able to reduce the cost and time that content marketing would normally take by about 10x, and publish 100 pieces/month with just two writers. It’s unbelievable to live in these times and have the opportunity to use AI to grow our marketing and traffic opportunities so rapidly.
What advice would you give to other business owners who are facing similar challenges?
Want to grow a high-traffic site? Your bottleneck WILL BE content creation… but you can remove that by switching to AI. I built a model I call AIO that shows how you can re-route your writers to be much more effective as content ‘optimizers’, using AI to save HOURS of time and write the baseline draft. Here’s a guide on the AIO model I built: https://contentatscale.ai/aio-model/.
Can you share a specific piece of data that you are proud of and why?
Our users produce 40 MILLION words per MONTH with our AI long-form writing software. They’re using our AI writer to build the crux of what their SEO campaigns need to succeed; to reach more visitors and leads and publish more value-based content, and grow their business revenue. I’m incredibly proud to lead marketing and innovative next steps for a company making this much of an imprint in content marketing.
How have you leveraged the local community to support and grow your business?
Jessica and Marketing for Greatness has been an incredible resource for me to continue to connect with local business owners, innovators, entrepreneurs, podcast hosts, you-name-it! Showing up to her events, attending her dinner parties, has been a big accelerator for not just my personal growth, but business contacts, too. I cannot recommend her networking events enough. Find yourself a networking queen and go attend all of the events!!!
In your opinion, how can businesses best combine online and offline strategies to reach and engage customers effectively?
Combine your brick-and-mortar presence with a powerful online brand. Make your website the vehicle for your online sales, traffic, and revenue by hiring the best of the best to turn it into a real engine (don’t settle for a quick Wix website – hire Alex and Jessica at Marketing for Greatness, and turn it into a conversion-optimized, real vehicle for success!). The difference in NOT combining the two (for example, not investing in a great website that’s built to earn SEO traffic and revenue) – is you’ll miss out on a TON of revenue. With over 7 billion Google searches happening per day, you owe it to your customers to be online.
Finally, what does being a community champion mean to you?
Showing up and serving with an open, vulnerable heart for the people you can help. When you don’t show up with a true sense of care and love, being a champion is name-only without deep and genuine meaning. But when you show up fully capable of and ready to care for the people you serve (and that can be anyone: your kids, your family, clients, audience, local community members) – you are a true community champion. For example – through conversations that led to questions about what I do, where I was open to giving away my knowledge, I’ve ended up sharing many of my books and even frameworks and pathways to income with local schoolteachers, PTA moms looking for income, churchgoers, and many other people that were looking for real solutions to problems I knew how to solve. I believe that skilled entrepreneurs and executives are an incredible asset to their local community, if they show up prepared to be vulnerable and share their heart and skills with the community they’re in. We need more of them.
🥳 Julia is truly an inspiration for many! Congrats on your success!
About Content at Scale:
We’re the first-ever content marketing AI automation platform built to scale content marketing without losing quality. Our system researches topics before it writes. With over 40 million research-backed words produced per month by our users, our platform is BETTER than human writers.
MFG is a demand generation agency that specializes in identifying and creating growth opportunities for businesses. We understand that many companies engage in marketing efforts but often struggle to develop a solid marketing strategy and accurately measure the value of their campaigns. This can lead to disappointing ROI and dwindling motivation.
At MFG, we work closely with brands to generate leads and drive sales through targeted, data-driven marketing strategies. Our expertise in demand generation ensures that your marketing efforts yield tangible results, empowering your business to thrive in today’s competitive landscape. With MFG, you can be confident that your marketing investments are working effectively, fueling your business’s growth and long-term success.
Access College America: Empowering STEM Scholars with Record-Breaking Results
In this inspiring Champions feature, we introduce Dale Price, the visionary CEO of Access College America, a college planning agency that is changing the game for STEM-focused students. With record-breaking results, Dale’s expertise and strategic niche marketing have empowered countless scholars to pursue their dreams in prestigious colleges and universities.
We’re excited to share the remarkable success story of Dale Price, CEO of Access College America, and his transformative approach to college planning in our latest Champions feature. Based in Austin, Access College America is a nationwide college planning agency that specializes in helping STEM-focused students and their families conquer the college admissions process.
Access College America’s seniors have received nearly 400 college acceptances and secured over $6 million in scholarships—and they’re not stopping there! Access College America’s curriculum is more competitive than ever before, equipping students with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in higher education.
Dale Price’s strategic niche marketing and dedication to STEM students have propelled Access College America to the forefront of the industry. Join us as we dive deeper into this inspiring Austin-based business leader’s journey, celebrate his achievements, and explore how his visionary approach has empowered countless students to pursue their dreams. #champions
Dale Price, MBA, Leading College Consultant
Can you tell us a little about your business and how you got started?
We’re celebrating six successful years of helping our scholars prepare, apply & achieve! We’re the highest-rated college admissions planning agency in the region with over 50 five-star reviews. We are coaches for STEM majors and now include test prep services in our packages.
Behind a successful company, is a successful leader.
Since 2006, Dale Price has established himself as a knowledgeable and reliable expert in the college preparation process. His background in admissions at a prestigious California-based institution has equipped him with unique insights into the world of higher education. Over the years, Dale has guided countless students and parents, helping them secure millions of dollars in scholarships and receive acceptances from top-tier colleges across the country.
Dale’s primary mission is to ensure that each scholar finds the perfect fit in a college, emphasizing the importance of showcasing their strengths and unique stories in the most competitive environments. While working with Access College America, parents can focus on parenting, trusting Dale and his team to act as the college knowledge experts.
With the ever-changing landscape of college preparation, Dale stays ahead of the curve, adapting to online and hybrid learning, test-optional policies, and the diverse needs of students. His personalized and empathetic approach caters to a wide range of students, including those with special needs, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, returning students, veterans, and traditional high school applicants.
Dale holds a Master in Business Administration degree from the University of Redlands and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a minor in government from the University of Texas, Austin. Among his various professional affiliations, he is the Former Scholarship Chair and Past President of Texas Exes, Los Angeles, a Professional Member of the Higher Education Consultants Association, an Associate Member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association, a Life Member of the Texas Exes, and an Ambassador for the Westlake Chamber of Commerce.
What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a business owner in the Austin area?
In general, college consulting is a fairly new profession, but Austin happens to be a hyper-competitive marketplace. There must be well over 50 consulting practices in Austin. We are all different.
How have you been able to overcome those challenges and continue to grow your business?
Many groups are generalists and assist with all majors and areas of interests. We have a STEM specialty, and we’re extremely well versed on applications to other big state flagships. And that’s how families hear about us. Also, we are constantly creating partnerships in the community too. Our focus has always been on community reach, providing pro-bono programming for schools, libraries and various civic organizations.
What advice would you give to other business owners who are facing similar challenges?
Make sure you have a business plan, follow it and adjust it when necessary. We made several pivots during the pandemic and our business grew nearly 50%, and it hasn’t stopped growing since then either. Stay hyper-focused on your brand, poll your customers often, really understand the community you serve, and lead with service to others. The more you take, the less you’ll get. So give a lot, all the time.
Can you share a specific piece of data that you are proud of and why?
The proof is in the pudding! Our current seniors have received nearly 400 college acceptances and already have $6 million in scholarships pledged! We’re beating last year’s totals in both of these categories and the year isn’t over yet either. This is validation that in the most competitive application year, our scholars are beating the odds. And our curriculum is more competitive than it’s ever been before!
How have you leveraged the local community to support and grow your business?
We give back to our community through pro-bono programming, workshops, and talks. We are very active in local chambers, and sponsor sporting events and education foundations. Most recently we were the ‘Educator of the Year’ sponsor for the Westies, an annual event recognizing business leaders in the Westlake community.
In your opinion, how can businesses best combine online and offline strategies to reach and engage customers effectively?
In my experience, it’s crucial to engage the expertise of professionals in marketing to ensure that your business remains competitive and relevant. By hiring talent, like MFG Agency, you can focus on your core strengths and thought leadership while they work on complex online marketing strategies tailored to your business’s needs. I hired MFG Agency, and they have been instrumental in taking my business to the next level, allowing me to concentrate on providing the best possible service to my clients.
Finally, what does being a community champion mean to you?
A community champion makes an impact and leaves the people it serves better than when they found them.
🥳 Dale is truly an inspiration for many! Congrats on your success!
About Access College America
Our mission is to help our scholars prepare, apply & achieve!
Access College America is a comprehensive college planning service dedicated to providing personalized support and guidance for students and their families. Our expert college consultants work one-on-one with each scholar to ensure they receive the individual attention they need to thrive in the college admissions process. We understand that every student has unique needs and aspirations, which is why we create a cohesive, targeted package tailored to meet each scholar’s specific requirements.
From SAT/ACT preparation to college list building and essay guidance, Access College America is committed to equipping students with the tools and resources they need to succeed. Our goal is to help scholars navigate the often complex and overwhelming process of college admissions with confidence, empowering them to pursue their dreams and achieve their full potential. Head over to our website and check out our Free Downloadable Guides.
MFG is a demand generation agency that specializes in identifying and creating growth opportunities for businesses. We understand that many companies engage in marketing efforts but often struggle to develop a solid marketing strategy and accurately measure the value of their campaigns. This can lead to disappointing ROI and dwindling motivation.
At MFG, we work closely with brands to generate leads and drive sales through targeted, data-driven marketing strategies. Our expertise in demand generation ensures that your marketing efforts yield tangible results, empowering your business to thrive in today’s competitive landscape. With MFG, you can be confident that your marketing investments are working effectively, fueling your business’s growth and long-term success.
Redefining Success: From Dentistry to Happy and Human
Too many of us grew up only seeing one kind of pathway to succeed. But what happens when that pathway doesn’t feel right?
We have the honor of connecting with many brilliant leaders in our Austin community and we’ve highlighted some amazing stories in this new series- Champions!
We asked them our question of the month: In your opinion, how can businesses best combine online and offline strategies to reach and engage customers effectively?
We encourage you to check out the business leaders we’ve highlighted below, follow them on social media if you find their work or story interesting and celebrate their greatness #champions.
Dr. Seema Desai, Transformational Success Coach
Can you tell us a little about your business and how you got started?
I’m a recovering perfectionist and life coach, and my mission is to help outwardly-successful, overachieving women feel successful from the inside out. I was raised by hard-working, well-intentioned Indian immigrant parents to think that “success” meant being a doctor, making good money, and being married with kids. So I checked off all those boxes. I was “successful.” On the inside, I felt unfulfilled and stuck.
While my life looked Instagram perfect to the rest of the world, I felt like it belonged on the Pinterest fails website instead. I had sold myself a version of success that wasn’t mine. I found a life coach to help me with my parenting and my whole life changed. I saw first hand how powerful shifting perspectives can be, and my relationship with my kids improved dramatically. But what I didn’t expect was experiencing life-changing successes in every area of life, not just in motherhood–all because I was no longer seeing life in ways that didn’t serve me.
Coaching was so powerful for me that I decided to get certified myself, and was able to retire from dentistry because it no longer brought me purpose and joy. In the process, I wrote a book called, “Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides.” Helping women just like me is a passion. It’s my purpose in life. And being able to help them learn how to stop allowing themselves to be overwhelmed by their to-do lists, be a deeply connected parent, draw healthy boundaries, and have compassion for themselves so they can be their best at work and at home is an absolute gift.
I am soon to launch a podcast with my colleague and friend, Dinesh Melwani, called “Happy and Human” on March 28th. Its purpose is to help overeducated, high-achieving professionals create the simple mindset shifts they need to think, do, and be better and create success, happiness, and ease sustainably in every area of life.
What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a business owner in the Austin area?
As a solopreneur, it can feel siloed and lonely, so it’s helpful to meet other women in the area who can serve as a network and support system.
How have you been able to overcome those challenges and continue to grow your business?
In addition to my answer above, lots of self care and self compassion, and the knowledge that there is a gift or opportunity in every situation helps immensely. Having the right mindset to see when my thoughts are not serving me allows me to avoid roads I don’t want to go down, and it also helps me to see where and how my energy is better-spent.
What advice would you give to other business owners who are facing similar challenges?
Recognize when your brain is running on its “default setting,” which means you are more likely making decisions based on sub-optimal choices that you see in the moment, rather than more optimal choices that are actually present. Work on building your mindset that will serve you by serving others first.
Can you share a specific piece of data that you are proud of and why?
In 2022, I published my first book, “Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides” as a means to help kids (ages 8-80) and their families build meaningful, healthy relationships so that they can create ease in life, even in challenging situations. The tools and tips in the book are ones that help build healthy communication skills as well as self-awareness, so that we as parents can lead in a way that will teach our children to be empathetic, solution-seeking leaders themselves.
In your opinion, how can businesses best combine online and offline strategies to reach and engage customers effectively?
Speaking engagements and online trainings or experiences, networking, and being authentic across the board.
Finally, what does being a community champion mean to you?
Living life with an abundance mindset as you support others as and when you can.
🥳 Dr. Seema is truly an inspiration for many! Congrats on your success!
Want more inspiration from Dr. Seema?
What if your life could be filled with more success, ease, happiness–and you could have the time to enjoy it all with the people you care about? What if you could meet that version of you NOW? Head over to Seema’s website and grab your FREE centering session and bonus worksheet designed to help you do just that: www.drseemadesai.com.
We help find & create growth opportunities. Most businesses are doing some form of marketing but, they lack a true marketing strategy and aren’t able to attribute value to their marketing efforts leading to failed ROI which quickly becomes demoralizing. Sounds familiar? Browse our marketing services.
Have you been wondering what’s the secret to find ultimate satisfaction and fulfillment at work? What if there was a secret to happiness and it’s not what you think? In this article, Janifer Wheeler, Founder of Wheelhouse Lifestyle Solutions – Home of the JOYFull BadAss Whisperer will decode her secret formula to help individuals achieve the ultimate job satisfaction.
A Day In The Life Of Someone Seeking For A Better Career Path
The turning point for me was in 2012. I had been teaching elementary school for nearly 10 years and I was beginning to recognize the signs of burnout. I was not only living for 3:30, but also for the weekends, school holidays and summer break.
I was emotionally, physically and mentally exhausted every minute of every day. Add home responsibilities and my own family to that mix and ….. I bet you know what THAT looked like… one hot mess.
Can you relate?
The Hours You Put In At Work Contribute To Burnout
Did you know that research shows that we spend over 90,000 hours of our lives at work? Broken down, this equals to: 2,250 WEEKS, 562 MONTHS or 11,250 DAYS.
No matter how you do the math, that’s way too long to be miserable at work!
I’d be surprised if anyone could say that they’ve never worked in a toxic work environment completely devoid of joy. This is not to disparage any particular industry, but as someone who’s worked in fast food, retail, higher ed, commercial property management/leasing, childcare, public education, finance/accounting, administration and HR, some organizations really do suck the life right out of you.
There is no surprise that almost 25,000 per day Google the word “work life balance”.
When Entrepreneurship Calls You
I knew I had lost my passion. I felt a strong desire to start my own business. But what could I do? Sell a product or a service? All of those were options I had, but the idea of not having stability paralyzed me!
One thing I was sure. I was ready to quit my job. I developed personal goals and quickly realized that I needed to switch careers to keep my mental health in check.
Inspired by the amount of flexibility, freedom, and seeking for clarity around what’s my why, I had decided to step out into the entrepreneurial world.
It was nearly as hard as being a teacher, but with a lot more flexibility … both in time and income!
I struggled for years to find that secret sauce, that magic elixir that would elevate my business and thrust me into the spotlight as an influencer, change maker and thought leader.
I THOUGHT it was hustle, grit, grinding or faking it until I could make it.
I was wrong.
The SECRET SAUCE for SUCCESS IS …. (drumroll) …. JOY!
Yep. Joy.
That just seems too easy, right?
It is but it isn’t. You see, we are socialized to pursue happiness, but happiness and joy are not the same.
Happiness is temporary and comes from outside forces while joy is long-lasting and comes from within.
Simon Sinek, motivational speaker and writer whose focus is on leadership and management, says: “many of us confuse excitement with joy; happiness with fulfilment. Our jobs can be exciting – every day something new. But that doesn’t mean we are fulfilled or feel joy from it. If we don’t feel safe in our jobs, the simple fact is that we won’t feel joy either.”
I cannot agree more!
I never knew that finding my JOY would bring me such success. Not having it was the very reason I could no longer stay in the classroom.
In the last year, I have redesigned my brand, business model and lifestyle so that each aspect is founded on and driven by JOY.
My new vision is to disrupt our current model by creating a society of workplace culture based on joy, empowerment and balance. I am so committed to this dream that I became a licensed facilitator of the Joy|Money Matrix™ in July and combined it with my existing programs to create The JOYFull BadAss at Work Experience™.
5 Tips To Find More Joy & Success
Although my process is more detailed, you can implement these 5 tips right now for more joy and success and your own SECRET SAUCE!
Step 1: Connect with your intuition. This often untapped 6th sense will never steer you wrong. Listen to your gut!
Step 2: Align your core values, visions and dreams. What’s your WHY? Why does this even matter?
Step 3: Reveal energy investments. Think about each area of your personal and professional life. WHAT are you DOING?
Step 4: Take Empowered Action. Analyze each task from each area for JOY and the potential for income generation. Where do JOY and MONEY meet for you?
Step 5: Develop a System. How will you use this knowledge to drive decisions, break bad habits, add new strategies, create goals, etc.?
Since July 1, 2019, the day that I fully embraced my JOYFull BadAss by completing the Joy|Money Matrix™, I have accomplished the following:
Business and lifestyle model based on core values: joy, freedom, knowledge and relationships
Eliminated time consuming, non-income generating tasks
Redesigned non-joyfull but necessary tasks so that I stop procrastinating
Reduced work week from 40 hours to 24
Increased sales convos and conversions by 20%
Increased revenue by 65%
Award Winning, International Speaker
Joined the Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce (my first one!
)#IamRemarkable by Google Certified Facilitator
Joy|Money Matrix™ Facilitator
Certified Diversity Professional
Presented workshops to over 500 people
If you are a business owner, professional development or HR leader, who wants a workplace that is balanced, equitable, and inclusive of all, The JOYFull BadAss at Work Experience™ is for you.
When leaders embrace JOY as the common workplace language, employees will be more engaged, productive, empowered and PROFITABLE.
After 25 years in both the public and corporate classroom, Janifer fully embraced her own badassery and became a training consultant focused on helping organizations amplify their DEI initiatives by adding more JOY.
As a fierce advocate and ally for diversity, equity and inclusion in the school system, it made sense that she would take this mission into the global workforce.
Combining many years of experience in business growth & development, along with a deep knowledge of teaching, learning and curriculum design, she’s created a business model that integrates with her highest values…freedom, personal development, and empowering others.
Janifer is an Award Winning, International Speaker and member of SpeakerHub, the Public Speakers Association, All Ladies League/Women’s Economic Forum, National Society for Leadership and Success, e-Women Network, Amazing Women Alliance Leadership Circle, Texas Business Women and Polka Dot Powerhouse. She is a licensed facilitator for The Joy|Money Matrix and Google’s #IamRemarkable initiative. She is pursuing a certification in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion through The Gatson Group, expected completion in February 2020. She is a member of the Austin LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce and serves on the ERG Committee
When she’s not trying to change the world with JOYFull BadAssery, she enjoys reading, traveling, camping and journaling. She lives in Austin, TX, where she and her husband hang with friends while listening to live music.
Ladies, it’s time to have a real talk and touch on a very sensitive topic: how to get rid of anxiety. As a mentor, I get to work with many entrepreneurs who constantly tell me “I’m overwhelmed,” “I’m anxious about my cash flow”, “I can’t focus on my business with so many things going on”. Very often, their levels of anxiety and depression blur their vision, and that’s when a marketing and sales strategist comes in handy!
The struggle to keep yourself motivated, focused, and happy is real–especially when you’re a new entrepreneur.
I’m glad you’re reading this article today because it’s filled with resources for people just like you. Keeping things real is one of my biggest goals with you.
I’m sure you have read the book Girl, Wash Your Face, by Rachel Hollis. So I wanted to add my own secret sauce to get rid of anxiety by “washing your dirty laundry” (negative thoughts).
Disclaimer —- I’m not a therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist. If you are experiencing sudden changes in your mood, please consult a doctor.
Have You Ever Felt Like Your Passion And Hustle Are In Jeopardy Because Of Your Own Thoughts?
I get it. This thing called entrepreneurship is like riding a rollercoaster, each and every day.
Sometimes, you’re up and sometimes you’re down. And when you’re feeling down, anxious, or unhappy, it’s as if nothing can bring you back up again.
I don’t want you to think that I’m a woman full of positive thoughts because my life is so simple.
Girl, I’ve been through a lot. Raised in poverty, surrounded by alcoholism, suicide, family members in jail, and drug abuse. I went to an accelerated high school program so I could start college at age 15. You might say, “Wow!”
I say, “Why not?!”
I became an accountant (100% free because I received a scholarship from being Magna Cum Laude). Then I went to law school (not free, but graduated Magna Cum Laude). I thought that being a good person and having good grades was all you needed to make it in life. And just when I thought I was done with my struggle, my next season of struggles started. Divorce, major financial losses, car repo, house foreclosure, business losses … more than I can even write in this short article.
Therapy and coaching weren’t as accessible as they are today. As a young girl dealing with adult problems, I had to endure and mature pretty quickly in life. And because of everything I have experienced and overcome, I’m writing a book about my systems to punch adversity in the face!
So trust me here, when I tell you I know how it feels when life doesn’t give you too many breaks, I mean it. The Jessica you see today is a product of many hours of healing sessions and a lot of inner work. I’m happily married for 12 years now and have 4 children — ages 19, 10, 8, and 5.
When You’re Living An Unhappy Life
According to MindBodyGreen, here are a few symptoms of unhappiness:
Feeling like a victim of your circumstances
Feeling helpless, hopeless, or pessimistic
Comparing yourself to other people and never feeling good enough
Feeling depressed, anxious, or chronically worried
If you can relate to any of this, then it’s time to be honest with yourself and how you’re really feeling. According to American psychologist Albert Ellis, it’s never about the actual thing or event that makes us upset, it’s how we interpret and perceive it.
As entrepreneurs, our business empowers our lives. I’m sure you have big dreams for your business, so you can have a better life as well.
It’s very important to keep our mental health in check. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 1 in 5 US adults–43.8 million, or 18.5 percent–experience mental illness in a given year. Entrepreneurs are at an ever higher risk than the average American to experience depression, anxiety and ADHD–only the top three of an extensive list.
If all of this is a bit heavy to digest, here’s another way of looking at it. I invite you to think of your anxiety or depression as negative thoughts. Your negative thoughts are just like your dirty laundry.
When you have dirty laundry, what do you do with them? Do you wear them or do you throw it in the wash so you have a fresh set of clothes? I’m going to assume that you picked the latter option. Your negative thoughts are the dirty laundry that needs to go through the wash cycle.
Change your thoughts and watch yourself shift from unhappy to happy. If you find yourself going down the rabbit hole of negative thoughts, you have to stop yourself immediately. The sooner you stop your pattern of negative thinking, the quicker you can begin to work towards a positive state of mind.
Sounds easy, right? It’s not. And you will agree with me on this. Sometimes you can’t help it.
It’s very hard to break the habit of listening to our negative inner dialogue. We are conditioned to do the same thing over and over again. But why would we allow ourselves to continue to feel unhappy? Because we never truly attack the negative thoughts from another level of consciousness.
Here’s my recipe to get rid of those negative thoughts in six simple steps.
These days, people do juice cleanses, and liquid detoxes to cleanse the body. Why don’t we do the same thing for our minds and our emotional baggage?
The first step is to release and cleanse your mind of resentment, anger, and clutter that is keeping you from your happiness. Holding on to grudges and events from your past, make it that much harder to live in the moment.
So how does mental cleansing work? First, take stock of all the things that are cluttering your mind. Ask yourself, “What is bothering me right now?” Identifying your “what” is crucial in changing the story that you’re telling yourself.
When you know what’s upsetting you, or making you frustrated or sad, you can then bring it out from the darkness into the light. Awareness is key here.
This is your opportunity to let it all out. Don’t hold your emotions back. Don’t filter yourself. In order to move forward from whatever baggage you’re holding on to, you have to get clear on what you haven’t let go of. You can practice this by writing it out in your journal, by yourself, or with a trusted friend.
Some key thoughts to ponder:
✔️Be sincere with what happened
✔️Write down “the what”
✔️Read and reflect
✔️Has this happened before? Is there a pattern?
✔️Are you reacting by default?
Second Step: Name That Emotion
Putting a name to your emotions bridges the gap between your thoughts and feelings. Being honest with yourself about how you feel, rather than saying, “I’m fine, no big deal,” will allow you to gain self-awareness and a better understanding of the root cause.
While naming your emotions isn’t the end goal, it does open up the door to calm your emotions down. If you want to reduce anxiety, for example, instead of saying I’m anxious, I’m afraid, you can say I’m concerned about ___.
Another word that is overused is overwhelmed. It means defeat completely. Do you really feel like that? Let’s find another word to describe that emotion. Be specific. You can say I’m overbooked or overworked and need a break. Or as simple as I’m feeling tired. Notice how just by renaming the emotions you feel different?
Giving a name to your emotion also allows you to identify your triggers. According to Psychology Today, when you can identify what is triggering your emotional reactions, you give yourself the chance to feel differently (if you choose to do so).
We are washing our dirty laundry. We better be transparent here or else we won’t get what we want. It’s like washing your laundry with softener instead with detergent. You will think your clothes are ok but they are never fully washed and clean.
Some key thoughts to ponder:
✔️Am I offended? If yes, why?
✔️What were my expectations?
✔️Is my ego in the middle of my emotions?
✔️Is there a way I can take a look at this situation by putting myself in the other’s shoes?
Third Step: Environment
Take a look around you. Is your environment clean, or filled with clutter? Do you have people in your life that uplift you, or bring you down with their drama and toxicity? Are you getting enough sleep for you to wake up energized? Do you feel like you’re being productive, or dragging throughout the day? We spend most of our day working so it would make sense that we enjoy and find meaning in what we do.
The state of our mental and physical state has a direct effect on our emotional state.
There are many things we can’t control. When it comes to a few things in our mental and physical state, we 100% have control over it.
Consider these small subtle shifts:
✔️Finding a new group of friends or connecting with good old ones
✔️Joining a gym
✔️Decluttering your drawers
✔️Cleaning your car out
✔️Getting to bed early
✔️Staying hydrated throughout the day
✔️Trying something new and fun
I’ve been told that the 4th step is where the real transformation happens! So get ready!
Fourth Step: Focus On The Solution, Not In The Problem
It can feel difficult to move forward and focus on a viable solution when you’re feeling unhappy. In particular, when you are going through the pain.
Think about the results that you want. Anxiety means a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. You want to create the outcome you want with your thoughts. Yes, you have the power to do so!
In my opinion, many people confuse the Law of Attraction and start writing affirmations, while missing a very important element: The Law of Vibration. When I understood this Universal Law, everything made total sense!
Bob Proctor states that attraction is a law, but it is a secondary law. The primary law is the Law of Vibration. It is the basic law which states that everything in the Universe is moving. In Bob’s own words, “The law of vibration is one of the basic laws of the universe. It decrees that everything moves, nothing rests, and we literally live in an ocean of motion.” This is because everything is made of energy. Your body is made of cells, and cells are composed of molecules and atoms. What created atoms and molecules are the energies vibrating at different frequencies.
You activate your brain cells, and you set up a vibration in your body. When you move your eyes to read this sentence, you activate your brain cells to do it. This also means to say that the vibration you are in, will dictate what you attract into your life.
If you are constantly worried and troubled, you will attract a lot of negative energy. And what you fear will come to you. This is why people often say, “You will become what you think about most of the time.”
If we apply this concept to our dirty laundry, taking the time to think about the results you want is like using your favorite laundry detergent. You want a certain fragrance, don’t you? You can take your mind to think about that outcome. The same thing happens in real life!
Some key thoughts to ponder:
✔️What do I really want to happen?
✔️How will my life change once this problem is solved?
✔️If it’s about cash, how much exactly do you need?
✔️Is there a conversation you need to have?
✔️What are the resources that you need to get what you want?
Fifth Step: Your Best State of Vibration
Ultimately, you want to make sure that after the mental cleansing, naming your emotions (which can feel draining), and focusing on solutions, you replenish yourself with plenty of self-care. Your goal is to get rid of that brain fog by self-inducing joy!
Maybe for you, joy means to take a warm bath. For someone else, it could be to go on a long walk. For me, it’s about playing a song I love and singing and dancing! Self-care allows you to fill up your cup before you can pour into others. Do what sparks your joy! Your happiness starts today by smiling and visualizing you rising all the way to the top.
Once you find yourself in a better vibration, you might want to check in with your vision board! Don’t have one? Make one! Here’s a video when I’m explaining vision boards:
Some key thoughts to ponder:
✔️Is there a way you can do a rehearsal of you- being that NEW person?
✔️Do you need to remove yourself from places or people?
✔️Givers gain! How can you put yourself in a position to give so you shift some of the energy that is keeping you from joy?
Sixth Step: Write A New Life Contract Where You Accept 100% Responsibility
At this point in the cycle, you have identified your emotions, identified what is the solution you want, and have a vision of the life you want to live. The last step is as important as the very first one. It’s about your life contract.
You can’t change what happened to you, but you can change how you respond to it.
If you haven’t, I recommend you reading Don Miguel Ruiz’s The 4 Agreements.
The 4 Agreements is a great formula to live by. Honestly, every time I feel offended, betrayed, or let down in any way, I review these agreements and always find one where I could have practiced a bit more. This helps me to take 100% responsibility for the situation and move forward with a new life lesson.
My Puppy Summer Died From A Heat Stroke
In case you missed this update, my puppy Summer died a few months ago. I was devastated. The process, from the time we took her to the ER to her very last breath, felt like a knife was inserted in my chest, and the doctors kept stabbing me deeper and deeper.
I needed to put my pain through this cycle that I’m sharing with you. I was feeling guilty, depressed, and thinking about what I could have or should have done. I needed to call her doctor and requested a scientific explanation of a heat stroke. This helped me to accept the facts and getting conscious about our loss. I needed to take some time to internalize it, forgive myself, and make an agreement of what happened.
My version of the story before this cycle: My puppy died apparently of a heat stroke, but everything was so fast that I’m not even sure what happened. I think I should have told the vets to go all in and treat her and maybe she would be alive today.
My version of the story today: My puppy Summer died from a heat stroke. I wasn’t aware of how dangerous the heat was until this happened. Sometimes you get to learn lessons in a painful way, but at least I have Leo (our other dog) and for sure this won’t ever happen again! I am enjoying Leo, playing with him out of Texas’ heat!
Picture of Summer (and I’m full of tears writing this)
If you notice in this example above, I needed to come into a new agreement with myself and rewrite my story. Notice how the new version of my story has eliminates the references to resentment. That was the emotion I needed to clear. By switching from a resentment state of mind to a forgiveness and acceptance state of mind, I am able to heal faster.
I did the same exercise with my feelings towards my failed marriage. It helped me rewrite my story in a way that I don’t feel like a failure or a victim of infidelity. I invite you to use this process with every situation that is hurting you so you can experience some healing.
Some key thoughts to ponder:
✔️Can you say what lesson you learned from your situation?
✔️Can you identify where you may have breached any of the 4 agreements?
✔️Moving forward, how will you interpret and share this story?
Closing Thoughts
Our mind is a magnet and attracts more of what we’re thinking about. We all have those days when we wake up and don’t feel our best.
Try to go through these steps as soon as possible. Your business needs YOU! Your calling and life purpose NEED you. Not being present, happy, uplifted, and full of joy is a disservice to your gifts!
I’m not a life coach, but I am a heck of an activator. If you ever need to speak with someone who is in a happy mode, I’m here my friend! My promise: serve you as an inspiration while being real and raw!
The steps above will help shift your mindset and mood. The next time you feel unhappy, remember that when you consciously aim to change your perspective, you will be happier.
Recently, a prestigious magazine interviewed me. One question made me realize I should explain the name of my marketing firm, Marketing for Greatness:
“Jessica, you co-founded Marketing for Greatness in 2012. It is a bold name for a company to say the least. Can you tell us about starting the company and its early years?”
It IS a bold name for a company, but I think it matches up with the bold moves I had to make to start my social media training in Austin.
Here’s the story.
How My Company, Marketing for Greatness, Got Its Bold Name
As I look back at my journey, I’m reminded of when I was interviewed for Smart Hustle Magazine. They used the phrase “When life gives you lemons, you go and make lemonade.” That’s a good way to describe how I was able to start Marketing for Greatness.
Back in 2008, I was working as a real estate attorney for a high-profile bank in Puerto Rico. The deepening recession caused a full-blown crash at the company, one we didn’t plan for.
As everything crumbled around me, I was left with over $100,000 in debt from school loans. Of course, I knew crying or waiting for a miracle weren’t options.
I ended up moving out of Puerto Rico – one of the scariest things ever! Leaving my friends and family is something that still hurts to this day, but I needed to do it to start a new life.
Moving on to Greatness in Marketing
Luckily, moving forward, my B.B.A. gave me a background in business, accounting, and marketing. My law degree and almost a decade of experience gave me both content and context to succeed in life.
I named my company Marketing for Greatness because when you succeed under circumstances when anyone would fail, to me, that’s greatness. It’s easy to start a company with funds, with backup from your parents, or with investors. I had NONE of that.
I’m the first generation from my entire family to break the poverty barrier. I’m an exception, though. Nationally, 89 percent of low-income first-generation students leave college with no degree within six years, according to the First Generation Foundation.
Things that have helped me to reinvent my life:
Personal growth. Whatever path you choose, make a goal to be a better person every day.
Dig deep to find your core competency and learn how to be great at what you’re good at.
Mentorship – It helps tremendously to keep yourself focused and your vision alive.
Fast-forward 11 years, and I now have a consulting firm with amazing employees. I have a tribe of relentless individuals with a huge desire to change the world.
I attract entrepreneurs and organizations that want to make a difference in people’s lives. That’s what I get to do with Marketing for Greatness!
Looking to the Future: Social Media Training in Austin
If there is something I’m very passionate about this year, it’s teaching entrepreneurs practical tools that help you reach that amazing 6-7-digit revenue we all aspire to.
Want to find your own road to marketing greatness? Check out our courses for social media training in Austin, or set up a coffee connect session with me!
The Science of Getting Rich is a masterpiece for every entrepreneur.
Too many people out there are offering ridiculous ideas on how you can become rich. Many of those ideas are about cutting back.
I can promise you that will not get rich by skipping your self-care perks or your Starbucks coffee.
Look, if you don’t have income, then there is no money to save. Don’t let anyone give you the idea that you need to skip your Starbucks coffee and save $5 a day and that will somehow turn into a fortune.
Maybe you can skip spending $5 at Starbucks every day and save $10,000 over the next five years, but if you think $10,000 is going to change your life, you’re cheating yourself. Of course you should spend less than you earn, but if you make $50,000 a year with a couple of kids, what money is there left over to save?
How can you become rich?
The Science of Getting Rich discusses the high-level psychological foundation of getting rich. At the very least, it gives you peace and hope.
You don’t need money to make money.
You need to implement some fundamental habits that will allow you attracting money by turning yourself into the correct vibration and frequency. Today I want to share 4 important lessons that will remove all kinds of fear and anxiety around your financial goals.
Lesson 1: Directing Your Thoughts
“Thought is the only power, which can produce tangible riches from the Formless Substance. The stuff from which all things are made is a substance, which thinks, and a thought of form in this substance produces the form.”
The science of getting rich starts with our thoughts.
Thoughts lead to feelings. Feelings lead to actions. Actions lead to results.
Many people admit to know of this principle but they don’t realize the power of their thoughts.
What thoughts are holding in your mind right now? When someone gives you a compliment, do you accept it? Do you see yourself as a successful person?
Start by choosing the thought or intention you want to hold in mind. Again, do you see yourself as a successful person? How does your dream life look like? What do you do on a daily basis in that version of your life?
Lesson 2: Avoiding Competition
“You are to become a creator, not a competitor; you are going to get what you want, but in such a way that when you get it every other man will have more than he has now.”
“Remember, if you are to become rich in a scientific and certain way, you must rise entirely out of the competitive thought. You must never think for a moment that the supply is limited.”
I had always considered myself an over-achiever and highly competitive until I realized this principle of co-creation and collaboration. When you focus on creation, not on beating people, you are doing things in a certain way that will lead you to a high level of success. Be your best self, and in doing so, help others be better.
What project are you currently handling? Are you competing or collaborating?
Lesson 3: Desire and Belief
“The more clear and definite you make your picture then, and the more you dwell upon it, bringing out all its delightful details, the stronger your desire will be; and the stronger your desire, the easier it will be to hold your mind fixed upon the picture of what you want.”
This is where some of the ideas around “vision boards” come from. People get too wrapped up in the idea of visualizing their goals, instead of acting on them and create these elaborate pillars to devote themselves to.
Intention has three factors influencing it which are the will, desire and belief. A Being could not act unless it Willed to Act; and it would not Will to Act, unless it Desired to Act; and it would not Desire to Act unless it obtained some Satisfaction thereby. What it is satisfied by will depend on its own nature. It’s own nature is determined by its consciousness.
Therefore the order of causation in mental creation is Consciousness >> Beingness >> Desire >> Will >> Action. The action is firstly mental action that leads to physical action secondly. I think therefore I am, therefore I desire, therefore I will conceive and carry out my plan with action to get what I desire and find satisfaction doing so.
Are your fears bigger than your faith? If you notice that you live mostly in fear, use the science of getting rich as a system to hold space for those successful moments that you are about to live.
Lesson 4: Attitude of Gratitude
Gratitude helps you feel better and see the good things in life. When combined with a gratitude practice, you will also be able to anchor that positive feeling into your brain and body, thus being able to call on that positive emotional reserve whenever you need to. The combination of leadership and gratitude is extremely powerful.
The science of getting rich has to do, not with doing certain things or following certain tactics but doing things in a certain way.
Gratitude Practice
Close your eyes. Focus on a blessing in your life… something you are thankful for. See an image of this blessing in your mind’s eye. Offer a silent “thank you” to the person or object of your blessing.
Relax into the feeling of gratitude. Take a deep breath. Feel more gratitude.
The latest brain research shows that six doses of feeling 30 seconds of gratitude daily (a whopping three minutes!) will enable your neurons to fire together and wire together around gratitude within a mere two weeks.
This means you’ll more easily and frequently access the feeling of gratitude.
Heck, we’re grateful for that!
In Closing
You have the ability to get rich. Start today by taking a simple step of holding that thought. Hold a thought of you… living the life of your dreams with ease and grace. Yes you can! Start with that thought. I’m gonna leave you with this powerful quote.
“You can never become a great man or woman until you have overcome anxiety, worry, and fear. It is impossible for an anxious person, a worried one, or a fearful one to perceive truth; all things are distorted and thrown out of their proper relations by such mental states.” Wallace D. Wattles
If you’re unmotivated and can’t get yourself to do what it takes to grow your business, you are at the perfect place right now!
We are sharing our interview with Rebecca Remus with you, founder of Grand Mesa Crossfit, one of the fastest growing Crossfit communities in Leander Texas.
Whenever I meet a business owner who is successful and passionate, I see Greatness, especially when entrepreneurship is pursued in order to be able to embrace motherhood. That’s the story of Rebecca, a fitness coach, Crossfit trainer, mentor, Naval Officer, wife, mother, and friend to many.
Entrepreneurship isn’t easy. Do you know what percentage of business owners fail?
20% of small businesses fail in their first year, 30% of small business fail in their second year, and 50% of small businesses fail after five years in business. Finally, 30% of small business owners fail in their 10th year in business.
Rebecca has passed the 5th year test with honors! She just opened her new facilities, after outgrowing her space. With more space, expanding her business is in her top priorities.
Grand Mesa Crossfit is doing something great for sure. Behind a successful business is a great leader. Let’s dig deeper with Rebecca to learn from her recipe for success.
Q: If you look back on your life, can you tell which traits you had that helped you become a successful entrepreneur?
Rebecca: I was lucky I had very involved parents growing up. It wasn’t a perfect marriage but they put us first. I saw how hard they worked. We were never hungry and parents made it to all our games. I always felt indebted to them to try to excel because I represented them. My family is incredibly Patriotic. My father served and retired in the Army. My brother was in the Marines, and my older sister was in the Navy.
I never felt pressured to join the military. However, when we discussed me applying for an Officer Program in the Navy, my family, especially my father, was with me every step of the way. I will always be grateful for my time in Service because it has definitely shaped the kind of business owner and leader I am today.
Without a doubt, being a Naval Officer contributes to Rebecca’s leadership.
Q: The definition of Greatness is related to winning during circumstances where 99% of people would fail. Can you share some of the obstacles you had to battle to be who you are today?
Rebecca: I think my mettle was tested in various ways while at Texas A&M. Sure academically, I could have been better prepared prior to attending but I figured it out and was successful. More so were the 4 years in an organization that was struggling to stay relevant and was struggling because there was resistance to evolve. I am encouraged when I see posts NOW of the Corps of Cadets. It truly looks more like a leadership laboratory.
In life, things won’t happen in the exact way you want them 100% of the times. Being eager, even ready, to dive into the problem quickly is one of the best qualities of an active leader in the change process.
Grand Mesa CrossFit definitely had a shaky start. I opened with 2 business partners but they both relocated within the first year for career choices. I was working full time as a US Navy Officer Recruiter and our “home office” was in San Antonio. I was lucky my husband, my now head coach, and his sister helped me keep the classes going when I was on the road. Along with all the growing pains of the first couple years of a small business, I was juggling a full time traveling job and in year 3 my husband and I decided to have a 2nd child. It was certainly a stressful time and to this day, I’m amazed we made it through. I had a supportive team.
More recently us moving to our new location was a stressful situation because we outgrew our current space and it took months to find a perfect solution. We entertained and did research on building our own building in Leander but our patience worked out for us. We got to stay with a very compassionate and accommodating landlord and we more than doubled our available space with some pretty great perks. This was an ordeal that I lost sleep over because our members deserved a much better and safer location to train.
Last group picture at GMCF’s old location! Certainly, the family grew fast!
Q: What you do is something that other people do; we know that. However, you do it in such a way that has brought you success! Can you point 5 tips for success?
Rebecca: I’m still learning every day… Here are 5 things I believe have helped me grow my business.
Know that I am a Good Person and let my moral compass guide me.
My family should never suffer or take a back seat to my business or passion.
Know who my core group is and make sure they are taken care of.
Invest in my Coaches/employees because their success is my success.
Try never to “react” impulsively.
Some of the inspirational notes I got from this interview:
Leadership is essential to achieve any goal: in life and in business.
Very often people think about leadership training and they believe it’s only for those who want to assume a management role. The truth is, we must become leaders to be able to influence ourselves.
Having a clear understanding of your values and habits helps you win any obstacle.
Notice how Rebecca pointed out as success factor number 1: “Know that I am a Good Person and let my moral compass guide me”. That’s not just power talk or mindset. In order to be able to work on your business and step in as the CEO, you must have a clear understanding of your values, on top of a solid foundation that helps you to take action. That’s what separates those who are big dreamers from those who are movers and shakers.
The importance of soft skills for leaders.
Whenever I see a struggling business, 99% of the times I see a CEO who struggles with their soft skills. This means communication skills and people skills. There is no coincidence that Rebecca is building her Crossfit gym with a culture where people feel that they are becoming better individuals because of their involvement in GMCF community. That’s the ultimate recipe for growth and retention.
If you’re in Leander, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Liberty Hills, Rebecca is giving away 1 free week at Grand Mesa Crossfit so you can experience their community. Their itinerary of classes is a fit for anyone who would like motivation to reach their fitness and wellness goals. Anyone! Their coaches are trained to provide scaled workouts adapted to your fitness level; including kids and teens. Click here for more details.
If there’s something I’m passionate about is the topic of poverty. Growing up poor gives me a particular perspective; in particular in the USA. I’m a first-generation professional. First-generation professionals are the first in their family to attend college and secure a white-collar job.
I know for a fact that there was a special level of ambition and drive for success, ever since I turned 13 years old. I knew that I wanted to accelerate. I applied to a special high school program where students take college classes and for that reason, I started college at the of 15.
This month, in particular, I have done a lot of internal work, trying to refine my goals and making sure that I am driven and motivated for the right reasons. It’s one of my favorite things to do around my birthday.
One thing about me: I wake up excited every day.
I love my business, my people, and everything that I do to make it work.
Where does that unlimited motivation come from? How can I be so excited? What exactly is my recipe to be a high-performer?
I am convinced that growing up poor is related to the way I do things.
I believe that successful people don’t do different things. They do things differently.
Lesson 1: You Must Shift Your Paradigms
Maybe you don’t realize it, but you have paradigms that are holding you back. Those ideas about a new business that you can’t ever execute. Those conversations that you mean to have and, when the time comes, you can’t get it done. Those conversations with yourself when you say “I’m not good enough” or “I’m not like that.” All of those are paradigms.
When I go back to my childhood memories, I see money as an issue most of the times. I am forever grateful that my family did the impossible to give me a good education. However, we lived very limitedly. My grandfather would pick me up at school, walking. We took a bus every single day and some other days we walked. If I wanted new clothes, we needed to do a law-away plan where my grandma would add $5 every other week. The list can go on and on. But there’s something I learned that helped me shift my paradigms about the way I grew up.
You can’t control where you were born and the circumstances. Your parents did the best they could with the resources they had, PERIOD. Instead of resenting them, you shift your paradigm by accepting that you have options. It’s up to you to break the patterns that hold you back.
Lesson 2: You Must Be An Independent Thinker
Imagine that you have 20 friends and you’re the only one who wants to dream big, move out of your country, form an independent life, and soar. Your friends don’t know any better. They will try to convince you that you’re crazy and it’s your duty to arrive at conclusions following your intuition. That’s the only way you can break the patterns.
Lesson 3: You Are An Overachiever By Default And That’s A Problem
Everyone’s baseline is different and this is why success isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” philosophy. The lower the baseline, the harder you need to push to get out. A potential issue for someone with a lower baseline is to suffer from burnout. They only know that they have to move from point A to point B, so they work and work and work.
I had to refine the way I see myself. I’m not an overachiever. Instead, I’m a high-performer. I learned how to draw boundaries to reach my goals while having a life. It didn’t happen overnight (I wish!).
Lesson 4: Your Life Is Multicolor, Not Black & White
When you grow up in a poor environment, as a child, you are exposed to things that make you behave like an adult at a much younger age. I can’t be shocked at anything. I believe I have seen plenty in life; either from personal experiences or from my clients and I love it.
Your experiences give you contrast! You see the world with thicker lenses and that enables you to make decisions under the most difficult situations. You have thick skin.
Lesson 5: Avoid A Poverty Mindset
I put a lot of intentionality to avoid getting my mind to poverty thinking…
I learned that ascarcity mind can’t attract an abundant lifestyle. I avoid saying things like “I can’t buy that is too expensive.” “I can’t afford it.”
Do you want something? Make it a goal and get it. Never shrink your goals to the size of your banking account. Instead, keep them big and make a bigger list of brave movements! You will be surprised!
Lesson 6: Indulgence Is Necessary; Especially Education
I give myself permission to get indulged, in my way. Everyone has a different taste on that. Some go shopping for $1,000 shoes. Some get fancy cars. Others love living in a fancy mansion. That’s a personal decision. All I know is that you can’t be cheap with yourself; ESPECIALLY with personal growth and education. I’m not cheap in anything related to education, mentors, coaches. I’ve invested to work with the best and I’m not ashamed of that. (Keep that in mind if you and I work at some point, my brain is quite expensive !!!).
Education is the only thing that will give you 100% ROU. Education has been my obsession ever since I was a teenager. It paid off. It opened plenty of doors. Don’t go cheap here!
Lesson 7: Never Forget Where You Come From
When people go through hardships in life, they often become resentful and frustrated for having struggled more than others. Even when they make it big, they are selfish, arrogant, boastful, disrespectful, and so on. It seems that on the way to pursuing a better future, their hearts were hardened by the circumstances they had to endure.
Don’t be ashamed of your family background and cultural roots: Our world is so diverse, and no nationality is better than another. Not having had the best parents, the ideal childhood and the most prestigious academic education are not reasons to feel embarrassed about your life. You are at a better place now than you were yesterday, this is what counts. Do not let other people define who you are because of where you come from. No one has had a perfect family nor has had the perfect cultural and educational experiences.
Embrace your roots and your hardships by staying humble.
Lesson 8: Your Reputation Is Your Currency
Your actions plus what others say about you equals your reputation. This small formula is the most powerful leverage you have in business — and in life. I learned this lesson at a very young age. When you’re not the daughter of ____ or the niece of ____, you better build your reputation!
Do what you say you’ll do.
Go out of your way to help others reach their goals.
Make other people look good.
Go a step beyond what is expected.
Act with integrity.
Get engaged with your community.
Be likeable.
I have so many lessons that the list can be longer. For now, in closing, let me say that “poor” is such a subjective term. You can have all the money and still be poor. You can have little money and be rich. It’s the small things that really matter.
In fact, the most fulfilling things in life ARE FREE! Think about it!
