Women Thriving in Business

You shouldn't have to choose between career, happiness, and good health  - all three should go hand-in-hand. It takes a lot of courage to pull yourself out of a situation that isn't serving you, but the moment you prioritize your well-being above all else, you will achieve true success. 

In this episode, I am joined by Becca Powers, a motivational speaker, executive life coach, and author of the best-selling book Harness Your Inner CEO. Listen to our conversation, where she discusses her journey of valuing her self-worth and well-being while pursuing her passions. She shares her inspiring story of when she realized she was her own EO, as well as what motivated her to pursue entrepreneurship while balancing corporate life.

We also touch on the following: 

• Taking a step back and reconsidering your career path and your passions
• Asking “what if” questions that support your well-being and decision-making
• Evolving while celebrating the achievements of the person you used to be
• Kundalini yoga - the yoga of self-awareness
• The inspiration behind the book Harness Your Inner CEO
• Tips on how you can harness your inner CEO 

Other Resources Mentioned:

• Harness Your Inner CEO: Rise Into Passion, Prosperity, and Empowerment By Becca Powers  
• The War of Art By Steven Pressfield
• beccapowers.com

Thriving Points:

• What was most important to me was giving space to let this part of me express itself without sacrificing myself in the process. - Becca Powers
• Many times in life, we are faced with a decision and we can choose either option, but the main question is “Which one serves me the most?” - Becca Powers
• When you let things go, you actually recognize that you have power. - Nikki Rogers
• Nothing requires self-sacrifice, and that would be the rising into your power pieces -  to be willing to consider yourself at least as much as you consider others. - Becca Powers

Get to Know the Guest:

Becca Powers is an award-winning hi-tech sales executive, motivational speaker, best-selling author, life|career transformation coach, and a kundalini yoga teacher - not to mention a mom and a wife! With a huge, vivacious energy, a strong yet warm confidence, Becca embraces that she is highly dynamic and encourages others to do the same. With over 20 years of corporate experience, her career boasts Fortune 500 giants such as Cisco, Dell, and Office Depot. Her career is filled with trials and triumphs which she boldly shares to inspire employers and employees to create environments where the individual can thrive both personally and professionally. Her philosophy of "People Before Profits" is part of her core beliefs which she integrates into her work. Becca Powers is an advocate for women in the workplace, stating that there is still a lot of work to be down for women to own their worth at work.

Connect with Becca:

• Website
• Linkedin
• Instagram
• Facebook
• TikTok

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Most often in a business setting, the relationships we have with our partner, children, family, or even with ourselves impact the way we work. Good communication is a key aspect of all relationships and is a necessary part to achieve business success.

This week, we’ve invited Michelle Thomas,  Your Relationship Surgeon, author, and founder of The Exceptional Black Woman Network, to talk about why communication is a vital part of any relationship, the importance of a quarterly S.W.O.T. Analysis, and how you can precisely pinpoint what is keeping you from you and your business from achieving the success that you know you deserve.

Michelle shares a family tragedy that changed the way she viewed her business, the story behind her book, “The Eight Qualities of the Exceptional Black Woman in Business and Entrepreneurship”, and the lessons she has learned in her business journey.

Join us and don’t miss out on the valuable tips she shares that are applicable whether starting a  business, or trying to manage professional or personal conflicts. . You can build an empire of your own by shifting your mindset, aligning your strengths to your industry, and acting with confidence to create your own version of success!

Other Resources Mentioned:

• The Eight Qualities of the Exceptional Black Woman in Business and Entrepreneurship
• Exceptional Black Woman Website

Thriving Points:

• Sometimes people tend to relate the word relationship only with personal,  but you have a relationship in all aspects of your personal life and your professional life. - Michelle Thomas
• We try to make sure that all of our strengths, our assets, and each member of the company find industries that maximize that strength. - Michelle Thomas
• My success may not come from following a template of someone else, but I had to find a piece of myself and input it in there to find newfound success.  - Michelle Thomas
• There are times that couples in the business allow that insecurity that's happening within their relationships to affect the profitability. - Michelle Thomas
• If you want to make a change in how that platform operates, you can't go in and kick the door down. You have to go in and have an impact and then begin to show people. how it can operate differently. - Michelle Thomas

Get to Know the Guest:

Michelle S. Thomas, Your Relationship Surgeon is a 4X Internationally Best-Selling Author, Certified Life/ Relationship/Business Coach, Motivational speaker, and Multiple business owner. She believes that everyone has the power to “touch” their dreams. Even before she turned her purpose into her profession, she always recognized that real people needed to hear real stories to conquer what really mattered to them.

Connect with Michelle:

• Website
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Exceptional Woman Website

A Team Dklutr Production

In any business agreement, it is vital that you have a legal document that states the system of rules or procedures that will happen within a deal. But many entrepreneurs, companies, or businesses don’t really understand their contracts, and because of this, they are taken advantage of what they pay vs what services they receive.

A strong contract can provide you and your business the security that you need to reduce risks and understand your rights within the agreement. By recognizing these small details you’ll be able to avoid misunderstandings with your supplier or contractors and of course, save some cash!

The Thriver joining us in this week’s episode is Ashleigh Wilson, founder of AuditMate, the first-ever elevator and escalator auditing and managing firm. She shares with us what AuditMate is all about, its goals, mission, and purpose. Ashleigh brings us along her journey of how she started this business, some of the steps she took to reclaim herself and trust her inner voice, and the challenges she faced in building a company with empathy, and the heart to serve people.

AuditMate empowers building owners and managers to better understand and get the most out of their contracts and get everything that they paid for when it comes to elevator maintenance and compliance. From safety testing, certifications, to inspections, AuditMate ensures your safety both financially and physically. Learn more by visiting www.auditmate.com.

Thriving Points:

• Elevator companies didn't have to be transparent in how much maintenance they were doing because nobody ever knew to ask. - Ashleigh Wilson
• We don't use empathy because we can profit off of it. Empathy is there because it is the right thing to do, it is our core, and it is our values. It is something that is embedded in our life and a part of who we are. - Ashleigh Wilson
• The sooner we recognize that about ourselves and recognize that uniqueness is what makes us great. - Nikki Rogers
• My vision is you don't have to be an elevator expert.  We can connect the right people and build software around it and put the best minds together in the room. - Ashleigh Wilson

Other Resources Mentioned:

• Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. By Brené Brown

Get to Know the Guest:

Ashleigh Wilson is the founder of Audit Mate, the first-ever elevator and escalator auditing and managing firm. She was raised in a family of elevator mechanics, inspectors, and business managers and entered the industry in her early 20’s. Ashleigh was passionate about leading global change in an industry rich with history and innovation but didn’t just see herself as a business manager, but rather, as an advocate for customers. She became part of the Executive Development Program being mentored by the CEO of the 2nd largest global elevator company and made it her mission to put people first then the profits would follow. Ashleigh is a CEO who gets results without sacrificing human dignity.

Connect with Ashleigh:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Email

A Team Dklutr Production

What happens when you pursue your dreams?  What if we all embraced an intentional approach to life and went after our goals?  Well, you may end up living around the world, working within different cultures, and impacting hundreds, maybe thousands of people across the globe!  My guest this week dreamed of being a diplomat at age 15 and she has worked to make that dream a reality, as a career foreign commercial service officer. Camille Richardson is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Middle East and Africa for the International Trade Administration. 

Camille describes her job and the role she plays in helping U.S. businesses explore international opportunities and create export strategies. She shares her 30-year career journey from serving as a Presidential Management Fellow to her current role, how she found her purpose, and the personal and professional challenges she faced along the way.

We also touch on the following: 

• Intentional mindset and overcoming self-sabotage 
• Embracing change and connecting people
• Mentoring and coaching
• Diversity in the workplace 
• The WELLTI Initiative (Women Empowered Lead Legacies Through Trade and Investment)
•  Opportunities for small and medium businesses relative to international trade
•  Resources available to help entrepreneurs engage in international trade

Listen to Episode 503 to learn more!

Other Resources Mentioned:

• WELLTI Initiative
• https://www.trade.gov/contact-us 
• Trade Winds
• Contact us
• Take Control of Your Life: How to Silence Fear and Win the Mental Game by Mel Robbins

Thriving Points:

• You're not going to be everybody's cup of tea and that's okay. As long as you treat people with respect,  and command the same respect for yourself - you give it, you get it. - Camille Richardson
• It's a good idea just to not just have a mentor, but even a circle of advisors, and trusted people that you can turn to for different perspectives. - Camille Richardson
• Your dreams are out there and sometimes you have to defy gravity, the weight of other people's expectations, or even your own fears to reach them. - Camille Richardson
• A lot of people talk about fear of failure,  but a lot of us have a fear of success because to succeed, then you have to be different. - Nikki Rogers

Get to Know the Guest:

Camille Richardson is a tenured Senior Foreign Service officer with the U.S. Commercial Service. She began her career in government with the International Trade Administration (ITA) at the U.S. Department of Commerce in 1993 and became an accredited diplomat with the U.S. Commercial Service in 1998.  Camille has served in Miami, FL; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Nairobi, Kenya; Mumbai, India, and Sao Paulo, Brazil facilitating commercial partnerships between U.S. and local companies. In 2021, she was appointed as Commerce ITA’s new Deputy Assistant Secretary for the MEA region.

A native of Washington, D.C., Camille earned a B.A. in International Relations from Brown University and an M.A. in International Relations from Johns Hopkins/SAIS. She speaks Portuguese and Portunhol along with a bit of Hindi, Swahili, and French.

Connect with Camille:

• LinkedIn

A company's success is often in the hands of its leader. And to be a successful and effective one, you must first learn to value your team, their skills, and opinions.

There are different types of leaders and employees but for sure, each one of them has the same goal: To succeed. Despite the fact that leaders must learn how to lead, leading from behind can also be a great strategy to gain the trust of your employees and allow them to bloom on their own as individuals. By learning to embrace change, you can welcome growth.

Having teamwork allows the company to build trust, enhance relationships, improve morale, foster creativity in the workplace - yes even virtually!

In this episode, we are joined by Malika Jacobs, founder, and CEO of Kingmakers, a company that offers virtual, board game-centered experiences through their Team and Enterprise Solutions. Malika shares with us the story of how Kingmakers started, the vision of the company, the challenges they faced, and how they were able to adapt and evolve during the pandemic.

Malika discusses the importance of building a team that supports a vibrant and supportive company culture, her W.A.T.E.R. framework for employee engagement, and so much more. 

Other Resources Mentioned:

• Raising the Bar: Integrity and Passion in Life and Business: The Story of Clif Bar Inc.

Thriving Points:

• Your people are your biggest cost but they’re also your biggest investment. - Malika Jacobs
• You can't build that company culture overnight. Like that's not going to be there when the whole world shifts and you have to figure it out. - Malika Jacobs
• Different companies have different cultures and that is fine. And hopefully, you attract the people that best resonate with your company culture. - Malika Jacobs
• As leaders, every moment counts, and it's not the big grand gestures, it’s really how do you act day by day, moment by moment and that builds trust. - Nikki Rogers
• You might not have a megaphone, but you do have a platform. - Nikki Rogers
• Often businesses don't give themselves the advantage of hiring the best. - Nikki Rogers

Get to Know the Guest:

Malika Jacobs is the founder and CEO of Kingmakers which offers transformative team bonding experiences for business leaders who understand the value of investing in radical employee care.

Connect with Malika:

• LinkedIn
• Kingmakers Instagram
• Kingmakers LinkedIn

About the Show:

     Women Thriving in Business features candid unscripted conversations with entrepreneurs, business experts, authors, and academics aimed at contributing to business success. This weekly show provides interviews with business leaders who have built, grown, and are thriving in business. Nikki A. Rogers, host of the show, also discusses achievements, lessons learned, and advice for aspiring business owners to develop the mindset, strategies, and connections necessary to thrive in business. Whether you are just starting or you have been in business for decades, WTiB offers inspiration, strategies, and resources to help you THRIVE in business.

Connect with Nikki:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram

A Team Dklutr Production

Welcome back Thrivers to Season Five of The Women Thriving in Business Podcast!

The past year was educational, enlightening, and has led to some key insights about how I plan to move forward.  All of my 2021 experiences taught lessons that have made me stronger, braver, and bolder for 2022. 

As entrepreneurs, it can sometimes feel like we are running a race around a track. We keep starting and stopping, running into hurdles, trying to figure out which of our ideas or initiatives is going to make it to the finish line first.  What if we took the time to align our goals?  What if each individual activity or project actually propelled us toward our ultimate goal? When you think about your business and each of its components as more of a relay effort vs a sprint, you can indeed start to recognize and capitalize on inherent synergies that will help you build a stronger, more resilient business. 

I kicked off 2022 by creating strategies to focus on the future of my business and how I can best achieve this year’s growth goals. In this season’s first episode, I’m sharing with you some of the lessons that I've learned over the last few months and some quick updates on what I have planned for the year.

Don’t miss out on this episode as I share a preview of Season 5 guests, some tips on the four areas that are key to creating a sustainable business that supports a thriving life, and some of the systems that have helped my business to grow and evolve.

Thriving Points:

• I had all these runners (initiatives) in different lanes and they're all running toward the finish line but they're all running at their own pace.
• A milestone leads to the next achievement.
• Connections not only help you get stronger within your business but those are also connections that you can leverage to do business together and work together. 

About the Show:

     Women Thriving in Business features candid unscripted conversations with entrepreneurs, business experts, authors, and academics aimed at contributing to business success. This weekly show provides interviews with business leaders who have built, grown, and are thriving in business. Nikki A. Rogers, host of the show, also discusses achievements, lessons learned, and advice for aspiring business owners to develop the mindset, strategies, and connections necessary to thrive in business. Whether you are just starting or you have been in business for decades, WTiB offers inspiration, strategies, and resources to help you THRIVE in business.

Connect with Nikki:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram

A Team Dklutr Production

"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate."  — Oprah Winfrey

Growth is an essential part of any success story. It is the realization of how far you’ve come and the evidence of hard work. Anniversaries are a great way to come together and reflect on this long yet fruitful journey - a chance to celebrate growth and happiness by remembering our humble beginnings. This podcast has been a labor of love over the past year and has allowed me to meet fabulous people, create new relationships, and learn new skills. I wear alot of hats - as the producer, content creator, managing editor, and host, and I love it all!  I look forward to what the next year brings as Women Thriving in Business continues to evolve and grow.

As we celebrate one year in this week’s special episode, I am joined by my beloved son, Dillon, as he asks me a series of questions that point to the purpose of my podcast (Women Thriving in Business), the Bladen Group, and my goals for the future.

What’s one memorable moment from this season that you want to share? Feel free to send me a private message on any of my socials, or email me at thrivinginbusiness@gmail.com. I’d love to hear from you!

Thriving Points:

• Being an entrepreneur allowed me to have control over my time, to be able to spend time with family and friends as well as to travel. — Nikki Rogers
• You can only make so much money as an employee. Being a business owner or an entrepreneur allows you to determine how much money you’re making. — Nikki Rogers
• I created my business to one day leave a legacy for my son, Dillon. — Nikki Rogers

About the Show:

     Women Thriving in Business features candid unscripted conversations with entrepreneurs, business experts, authors, and academics aimed at contributing to business success. This weekly show provides interviews with business leaders who have built, grown, and are thriving in business. Nikki A. Rogers, host of the show, also discusses achievements, lessons learned, and advice for aspiring business owners to develop the mindset, strategies, and connections necessary to thrive in business. Whether you are just starting or you have been in business for decades, WTiB offers inspiration, strategies, and resources to help you THRIVE in business.

Connect with Nikki:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram

A Team Dklutr Production

"Networking is an investment in your business. It takes time and when done correctly can yield great results for years to come." - Diane Helbig

There’s a misconception that the people who stand as our leaders aren’t considerate and supportive of the entrepreneurial community. Yet in reality, local governments understand that it’s essential for small businesses and government agencies to work together since businesses are the backbone of a community. They provide what the people need, whether in a form of service or a tangible product.

Networking and building key relationships with the elected officials of your community are important to business success. . Yes, meeting new people may be scary, and it may be twice as intimidating if they’re in elected office. Or maybe it’s the perception of a bureaucratic system and having to jump over so many hoops that are keeping you from inquiring and reaching out. Remember - life is all about building relationships and connections that can benefit not only your business but your community as well.

In this week’s episode, I am joined by Cori Henderson, a government relations expert and the host of the Policy Influencer Playbook Podcast. She talks about the essence of networking with your local government leaders as an entrepreneur and the common misconceptions people may have about working with or reaching out to government agencies. 

She discusses her A.C.T. framework as an easy-to-implement guide to engaging with government officials that serve your community. Listen in to learn more!

Other resources mentioned:

• 12 Week Year by Brian P. Moran
• Atomic Habits by James Clear

Thriving Points:

• Start by having a goal, know what your goal is and be knowledgeable about it. — Cori Henderson
• As a business owner, the conversations you have are the same conversations you have in government affairs. It’s just a different topic and a different audience, but the skills are the same. — Cori Henderson
• The advantage goes to the person who’s willing to pick up the phone, make the call, and make an introduction. — Cori Henderson
• Do the application and make the request. The worst they can say is a ‘no’ but oftentimes they say ‘yes.’ — Nikki Rogers
• While you’re doing all that relationship building, you have to take the initiative. Otherwise, you’re not going to be in the running. — Nikki Rogers

Get to Know the Guest:

Cori Henderson is a government relations expert and the host of Policy Influencer Playbook Podcast. She and her guests talk about the best practices in telling your story, how to cultivate key relationships, and form government relationships that propel your agenda forward. 

Connect with Cori:

• LinkedIn

A Team Dklutr Production

“Freedom lies in being bold." – Robert Frost

My guest this week has mastered the art of leveraging entrepreneurship as a path to freedom. From growing up in an entrepreneurial family to leveraging corporate experiences to prepare for business ownership, Dr. Kimberly West has taken every opportunity to build the life of her dreams.

The gears of an entrepreneurial mind should always be turning, ticking, and constantly on the lookout for new business perspectives and opportunities.  As entrepreneurs, we should make the most of our time by shaping the future of our businesses, based on our experiences as employees and business owners.

Each day brings a new lesson to learn, so what better way to reap the return on investment than by applying it to your own company?

Dr. Kimberly West is a serial entrepreneur who owns not one but three businesses: Magnum Opus Consulting, Global Gastronome, and Ms. Kim's World. She talks about her entrepreneurial journey and the challenges she faced as a woman of color. 

Dr. Kimberly also shares with us some of the most beautiful countries she's been to, the art of keeping an open mind when traveling, and 'practicing' as a means of rising above your circumstances, embracing who you are regardless of your gender, status, and color, and becoming the best at what you do. Listen to learn more!

Other resources mentioned:

• Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun by Reginald Lewis
• God in Me by Mary Mary ft. Kierra Sheard
• Happy by Pharell Williams
• Fighter by Kristina Aguilera
• As by Stevie Wonder

Thriving Points:

• Entrepreneurship represents freedom: to do what you want, call your shots, and the ability to control your life and not be beholden to someone else’s nine to five. — Dr. Kimberly West
• Think of it as Game of Thrones, an acquisition of some kind of conquest. You are there to take that back and to make yourself and your business greater. — Dr. Kimberly West
• Once you learn something, teach it to someone else. Pass it on, so the knowledge doesn’t die with you. — Nikki Rogers

Get to Know the Guest:

Dr. Kimberly West is a former technology evangelist for Microsoft, a certified foodie, a person who loves to travel, and the owner of several businesses namely: Global Gastronome a company that provides a hands-on culinary experience, the consulting firm Magnum Opus Consulting, and Ms. Kim’s World where she coaches CEOs, entrepreneurs, and small businesses about the latest technology, streamline, and how to grow their business.

Connect with Dr. Kimberly:

• Website
• Instagram

"Life is just too long to do something that you hate and too short not to do what you love." - Nikki Rogers

This week's episode hits really close to home - so close that at one point I didn’t think I could get through it. Some memories are bittersweet, both loving and painful, especially when it’s about the most important woman in your life.

In this episode, I commemorate my mom's birthday, and it has given me the opportunity to reflect on the lessons and inspiration that she shared with me. Though she's no longer with me in person, she continues to be a part of my journey and will always be in my heart.

I was fortunate enough to have a mother who inspired me to excel. Her memory lives on - in me and in the legacy she's left behind, which I summarized into these three crucial points:

• Dreams. My mother had a dream that she had held onto for years, and she never let it go. This provided an example and gave me permission to explore the possibilities and define my own dream.
• Beliefs.  My mother taught me to operate in excellence and always expect to win. I apply that philosophy in my business, by establishing a foundation for success that supports implementation. 
• Action. From my mother’s example, I learned that in order to achieve my goals, I have to be willing to take the next best step towards my dream.  It’s never too late to take that first step, or in my case, the leap, that will put you on the path to greatness.

One more thing - remember to appreciate those that you have in your life right now and those who are no longer with us but are motivators and silent mentors that remind you the world is full of possibilities.

Thriving Points:

• Life is just too long to do something that you hate and too short not to do what you love.
• Out of that challenging time after my mother’s passing, I began to recognize that what I was doing for a career was no longer a fit for the life that I wanted to have.
• My mother passed away very suddenly without warning, and it just made me realize and recognize that no day is promised to you. You can wake up one morning and have all these plans in place and not make it to the next day.
• I really wanted to start living my life in a way that supported my spirit, that supported myself.
• The thought of my mother's still striving in her later years just really compelled me to take the risk, take the leap and get started in my business.
• What is your dream for who you want to be in life? Write that down. Think about it, meditate on it. Don't worry about the how of that right now, because that will come later. But really figure out what is your dream.
• Why was I surprised about having a good outcome? I expect excellence. I expect greatness. I expect to win. And if I don't win, I still learn.
• Action is about taking one step towards your dream.

About the Show:

     Women Thriving in Business features candid unscripted conversations with entrepreneurs, business experts, authors, and academics aimed at contributing to business success. This weekly show provides interviews with business leaders who have built, grown, and are thriving in business. Nikki A. Rogers, host of the show, also discusses achievements, lessons learned, and advice for aspiring business owners to develop the mindset, strategies, and connections necessary to thrive in business. Whether you are just starting or you have been in business for decades, WTiB offers inspiration, strategies, and resources to help you THRIVE in business.

Connect with Nikki:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram

A Team Dklutr Production

"Financial independence is paramount. My mom always says that when a woman is financially independent, she can live life on her terms." — Priyanka Chopra

Being a woman in a male-dominated field, like finance, is a challenge like no other. It requires courage, passion, and mental toughness to overcome stereotypes and challenge the status quo.  At some point, you may realize that entrepreneurship provides the best opportunity for true industry transformation. My guest, Kaitlyn Carlson, recognized the inequity of working with over 300 wealth management clients, and none being women or people of color. That realization sparked a mission and identified an opportunity to revolutionize who benefits from financial advisory services.  

For many entrepreneurs, true financial independence may seem like a long-term goal, a dream, achieved only in retirement after selling a business. But Kaitlyn believes that with the right mindset, self-awareness, and strategy, you can build the foundations for financial independence as you build your business.

In this episode, Kaitlyn shares her success story from being a private wealth management advisor at a large financial institution to founding Theory Planning Partners. She highlights her experiences as a woman in a male-dominated field, how she spoke up to ensure she and other women were treated fairly and why every entrepreneur needs a financial advisor to help build wealth now.

Thriving Points:

• It takes a great amount of self-awareness and an understanding of your environment that if you don’t make it change, it’s not going to change. — Nikki Rogers
• The biggest challenge is mindset. And for an entrepreneur, I think it’s almost 90% of your success. — Kaitlyn Carlson
• Entrepreneurship is really about managing yourself and managing your time, and that goes back to mindset. — Nikki Rogers
• It’s brave to ask for help. — Kaitlyn Carlson
• Building wealth is about the process. It won’t be solved overnight. — Kaitlyn Carlson
• If your business is not helping you achieve financial freedom, it's a hobby. It's a really expensive hobby. — Kaitlyn Carlson

Other resources mentioned:

• The Four Agreements by Don Miguel-Ruiz
• Super Bass by Niki Minaj
• We Found Love by Rihanna

Get to Know the Guest:

             Kaitlyn Carlson is the founder and CEO of Theory Planning Partners. She is a Certified Financial Planner™️ (CFP®), a Certified Exit Planning Advisor™️ (CEPA™️), and an Accredited Wealth Management Advisor (AWMA®). As a female entrepreneur, her objective is to assist other female entrepreneurs in accumulating personal wealth while helping their businesses thrive.

Connect with Kaitlyn:

• Website
• Instagram

A Team Dklutr Production

“The path to our destination is not always a straight one. We go down the wrong road, we get lost, we turn back. Maybe it doesn’t matter which road we embark on. Maybe what matters is that we embark.” — Barbara Hall

Beginnings are never easy. The idea of taking that first step is daunting, and the same can be said when one breaks away from other people's expectations and opts to forge their own path. In business, there will always be unknowns and dilemmas that can potentially slow you down, but what matters most is being able to rebuild, pivot, and incorporate new things.

A business owner is always willing to learn and is open to mentoring, collaboration, and starting over when necessary. These factors are parts of a process that allows you to build strong relationships, sharpen your business acumen, and embody your core values to realize your dreams.

In this episode, I am joined by Gilza Fort-Martinez, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and the founder of Resolution Counseling Center in Miami, Florida. Listen to our conversation where she highlights her experience of learning when to break free and start "doing your own thing." She shares inspiring stories of her entrepreneurial journey and the importance of sharing her knowledge as a mentor who has helped many aspiring women clinicians start their own therapy practices.

We also discussed the importance of having a clear business vision, resting as a means of restoring creativity and improving sleeping habits, and why trusting uncertainty is a practice we should all embrace.

Thriving Points:

• Bring people in that are a little bit different from you. Diversity is a really good thing. Ask for information, and then be willing to share information. — Gilza Fort Martinez
• There are going to be days when you ask: why am I doing this? You have to remember your tangible reasons that will push you forward and make you get out of bed every day because every day is not going to be easy. — Nikki Rogers
• You’re not supposed to have all the answers. What you have to know how to do is to know where to get the information, where to get the answers, and who to go get answers from. — Gilza Fort Martinez
• Rest is a piece of the process of being able to recharge which allows us to reset. In that resetting process, creativity can bloom again. — Gilza Fort Martinez
• The more that you’re clear on who you are, the clearer you can create your business. — Gilza Fort-Martinez
• Things are going to change. The one thing you can be certain about is that there’s going to be ‘change.’ — Gilza Fort-Martinez

Get to Know the Guest:

         Gilza Fort-Martinez is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist — or LMFT — and founder of Resolution Counseling Center, her private practice in Miami, Florida. With over 25 years of practice, Gilza’s specialty areas include women’s transitions, conflict resolution, life transitions, dating and relationships, infidelity, and coping skills.  She gives talks on various mental health subjects, such as stress management, leadership and team building, and goal setting.

Connect with Gilza:

• Instagram
• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn

A Team Dklutr Production

"Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women." — Maya Angelou

Businesses play a major role in our society and most entrepreneurs aspire to make a positive social impact in the world through the products or services they offer. Your business can create opportunities and provide benefits to your clients that help unlock their potential and turn their dreams into reality. 

Whether the focus is on empowering your clients to take on physical challenges or challenging the social status quo, there is power in your story and in the products and services you provide. 

In this episode, Lynn Le and I had a great time talking about everything from building a business and raising capital to pushing against societal expectations of women, people of color, and first-generation Americans.  At the time of our interview, Afghanistan and increasing violence against the Asian American community were hot topics, and Lynn shared how those two issues impacted her as a woman of Vietnamese heritage. It was amazing to learn even more about how identity shapes experiences in sport and in business and how those worlds intersect via Society Nine. Lynn talked about throwing her first punch in Krav Maga being a “spiritual awakening” that eventually led to the creation of Society Nine so that women did not have to compromise when practicing martial arts.

Learn how you can create a positive social impact as an entrepreneur in this episode with Lynn Le, a kickboxing instructor and the founder of Society Nine. Having made Forbes’ list of 30 Under 30 - Retail & E-commerce in 2018, Lynn started her business at a young age and still maintains the passion for social change and drive to succeed to this day.   She shares valuable advice to entrepreneurs on how to practice empathy and manage the mental load of entrepreneurship while problem-solving the everyday challenges that come your way.

Be inspired as she shares her journey from martial arts instructor to CEO in a male-dominated industry, where she focuses on empathy and gratitude to lead Society Nine in “celebrating the fight in every woman.”

Thriving Points: 

• It's important to really think about the societal influence and implications of the work that we do. - Nikki Rogers
• I knew how important it was to have the tools and what it could do to unlock an individual's potential -especially women in this context. - Lynn Le 
• Your job as the business owner is to extract that vision or that point of view of how this can keep going on and permeate that through the DNA of your customer. - Lynn Le
• If you want to fundraise as an entrepreneur, you have to ask yourself, “What am I willing to trade for that money?". - Lynn Le

Other resources mentioned:

• Start with Why by Simon Sinek

Get to Know the Guest:

          Lynn Le is a Kickboxing Instructor and the founder and CEO of Society Nine. She empowers women and their fight through her business of providing a modern female sports brand that produces high-quality boxing gear and sportswear. Lynn has been featured in Forbes’ list of 30 Under 30 - Retail & Ecommerce for 2018 and  Glamour Magazine.

Connect with Lynn:

• Website
• Instagram

Changing strategies midway is not uncommon for entrepreneurs. In fact, it can be a way to further explore the industry and understand the strengths and weaknesses of your brand or product.

Most entrepreneurs start to pivot when they begin to lose that original spark in their business’s identity or their brand is not aligned anymore with their current goals. Improve your business’ revenue and pursue a new target market by aligning your business with a new strategy. Immediately after pivoting, you’ll soon recognize the importance of rebranding your business. 

Rebranding your business will set you apart from your competitors and this will allow you to set new expectations and values that will leave a remarkable impression on your new target audiences. This involves an all-encompassing transformation of your business that will realign to your new vision and goals for the business which is essential for entrepreneurs who continue to cultivate growth and increase their bottom line. 

If you’re someone who’s been seeking inspiration to have the courage to try something new for you and your business, this episode might just be for you. I am joined by Teaira Abston, owner of the Dreamcatcher Creative Studio, as we discuss the importance of rebranding after a pivot. She shares the life moments that lead to a successful pivot from working incorporate with a side hustle to becoming a successful full-time entrepreneur. 

Thriving Points: 

• Setting the bar to where I know I can stay consistent and not compare myself to someone else's bar is the mindset that helped me overcome the idea of failure. - Teaira  Abston
• What works in my life may be different than what works for someone else's life. - Teaira Abston
• A rebrand is more all-encompassing and it's focused more on the messaging, visuals, and emotions of your overall brand. - Teaira Abston 
• A refresh may be something that's changing up your physical appearance to look a little new but it's not really taking a full look at your business and how you're showing up. - Teaira Abston

Other resources mentioned:

• The Power of Broke by Daymond John
• Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
• A Well-Rounded Life Podcast by Geomyra Pollard
• Therapy For Black Girls Podcast by Dr. Joy Harden Bradford

Get to Know the Guest:

     Teaira Abston is the owner of the Dreamcatcher Creative Studio that focuses on branding, web design, and brand identity. She specializes in helping women-led service based entrepreneurs who want to create a cohesive brand online and offline of the entrepreneurial world. 

Connect with Teaira:

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• LinkedIn

About the Show:

     Women Thriving in Business features candid unscripted conversations with entrepreneurs, business experts, authors, and academics aimed at contributing to business success.

Connect with Nikki:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram

The journey of being an entrepreneur is multifaceted, prompting you with many hats to wear and roles to fulfill. A key task for successful business owners is effectively communicating your expertise and impact to stakeholders. Entrepreneurs can add value to their businesses by developing their writing skills, which will allow for improved communication of thoughts and ideas. From award nominations to grant applications to business proposals, strong writing skills are the competitive advantage that everyone can leverage with the proper training.

That’s where powerful writing comes in! 

My conversation with retired USAF Colonel Carla Bass was insightful and inspiring as she illuminated the importance of great writing and the possibilities that it provides.  In her quest to “banish bureaucratic blather,” Carla provides strategies that can help you take your writing from mediocre to life-changing.  If you ever questioned the importance of writing as a business owner, this episode is for you! 

Join us in Episode 402, with Carla Bass, founder of Write To Influence!, as she shares why she started the business and some of her greatest accomplishments. We dive deep into why it’s important for entrepreneurs to have effective writing skills, and how this skill is empowering and considered the “lifeblood” of organizations. Our discussion is filled with tips and word sculpting tools to help make writing your entrepreneurial superpower.

Thriving Points:

• Powerful writing changes lives. - Carla Bass
• It's so gratifying to be able to empower people and improve their own lives by teaching them how to write. - Carla Bass
• In terms of writing as painting, the more detail you add, the more it comes into focus.  - Carla Bass
• There's often a space constraint and you think there should be less words and it's often about cutting out a number of words versus the sculpting aspect which is actually allowing your message to come through within the space that you have. - Nikki Rogers

Other resources mentioned:

• Write to Influence!: Personnel Appraisals, Resumes, Awards, Grants, Scholarships, Internships, Reports, Bid Proposals, Web Pages, Marketing, and More by Carla Bass
• The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon
• The Heist by Daniel Silva 

Get to Know the Guest:

Colonel Carla Bass, USAF (Ret.) is the founder of Write to Influence!, a coaching and consulting firm focused on unlocking and nurturing the writing skills of organizations and individuals to craft compelling messages.  Writing powerfully was central to her success in the Air Force and continues to propel her work in the federal government.  Carla is the award-winning author of Write to Influence!, the creator of the virtual course, “Catapult Your Career -- Write to Influence!'', and a sought-after public speaker and workshop facilitator. She teaches individuals how to leverage powerful writing to open the doors to opportunity. 

Connect with Carla:

• Website

About the Show:

     Women Thriving in Business features candid unscripted conversations with entrepreneurs, business experts, authors, and academics aimed at contributing to business success. 

Connect with Nikki:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram

“My vision for season 4 is to bring you great guests who will inspire and motivate you to thrive in business.“ - Nikki Rogers

Welcome to season 4 of the Women Thriving in Business podcast! I appreciate all of you for rocking with me over the last 3 seasons. And if you are a new listener - thanks for joining the WTiB family.

The Bladen Group is leveling up! I’ve learned so much from my clients, business partners, and coaches over the past 3 years that have helped the business mature and me grow into my role as a business owner. And there’s still a lifetime of lessons left to learn! That’s why I’m excited to be a part of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses (GS10KSB) program. GS10KSB is focused on business growth and as a result, I have spent the last few weeks working ON my business vs IN my business. I started with setting personal and professional goals, identifying a growth opportunity, and digging deep into financial analysis. Spending time focused on financial statements and key metrics has been a game-changer in determining the health of my business. The most difficult challenge has been forecasting future revenue. First of all, I have some ambitious goals, and when I started mapping out my 5-year plan, I felt like I was trying to climb Mt Everest! As I refined the projections and began developing a strategic approach, the goals started to seem more feasible. It’s going to take a lot of hard work to get to where I want to go and this is why a positive and abundance mindset is critical for success. I have to believe success is possible, envision and plan for success, and then execute every day. Even when it’s hard and I don’t feel like it! 

In all seriousness, I am more energized than ever to grow the Bladen Group, work with great clients and impact the world of business, one organization, one entrepreneur at a time. 

One way to do that is to bring you great content and guests on this podcast, so I’m excited to kick off season 4 - I’m bringing you some fabulous guests that will help you “thrive in business”. Check out episode 401 to learn more about my insights from the last few weeks and to get a sneak peek of future guests.

Thriving Points:

• A key piece of this was not only thinking about these folks as competitors but also as potential partners or collaborators.
• I had to become intimately familiar with my current balance sheet, my income statement, and my statement of cash flows to better understand the current state of my business and compare that to where I want to be.

Other resources mentioned:

• Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Accelerator Program.

About the Show:

     Women Thriving in Business features candid unscripted conversations with entrepreneurs, business experts, authors, and academics aimed at contributing to business success. This weekly show provides interviews with business leaders who have built, grown, and are thriving in business. Nikki A. Rogers, host of the show, also discusses achievements, lessons learned, and advice for aspiring business owners to develop the mindset, strategies, and connections necessary to thrive in business. Whether you are just starting or you have been in business for decades, WTiB offers inspiration, strategies, and resources to help you THRIVE in business.

Connect with Nikki:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram

A Team Dklutr Production

A podcast gives you the freedom to voice out your expertise and experiences as well as to have open conversations with your guests and listeners in your own media platform. 

Podcasting involves more than just simply talking into a microphone and recording an episode. It takes a lot of hard work, dedication, production, and marketing to reach your audience and to give them high quality and helpful information.

In this episode, I am joined by my fellow podcaster, accountability partner, and friend, Eleshia Harris. Eleshia is a holistic business growth strategist, wellness coach, founder of Eleshia Lifestyle, and host of The Eleshia Show. We talk about how we got into podcasting and the lessons learned that have led us to success. 

Listen on the go and be inspired by the different challenges and wins we have experienced in podcasting. We’ll also be sharing tips and advice about the first steps that you should take in starting your own podcast.

Thriving Points:

• The best podcasts and the ones that I listened to are the ones that are very thoughtful. They're taking you on their journey and showing you the way.
• It's very helpful to have someone push you along and get you out of your comfort zone, and say, “Why shouldn't you do it?”
• You don't have to do everything yourself and once you get some great help and people who really want to see you win, then it makes it a lot easier. 
• Systems and processes make it a lot easier and you just follow the process.
• The win is that people are asking to be on the podcast. It's an acknowledgment to create some good in the world and people see the value in it. 

Get to Know the Guest:

Eleshia Harris is a Holistic Business Growth Strategist and Wellness Coach who helps Female Business Owners get clear on their goals and desires and implement them without overwhelm and procrastination. She is also the founder of Eleshia Lifestyle and the podcast The Eleshia Show.

Connect with Eleshia:

• Podcast
• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook

A Team Dklutr Production

When is the right time for harvesting?

There’s a cycle that’s as true for business as it is for agriculture. In order to enjoy the fruits of your labor, you must focus first on sowing the seeds that will provide you with success. Do the planning, lay the groundwork, cultivate the soil, plant the seeds, and then patiently wait for it… 

In reaping the rewards of your labor and effort, you will have to harvest on time. Harvesting at the right time optimizes the opportunity to be successful and have consistent outcomes. 

This is also much the same in running a business. We entrepreneurs must go through the process of planting the ideas and actions, and then wait patiently to actually get to the late harvest which is the actual growth of your business. 

Do you want your business to grow as fruitful as it can be? 

Get ready for this season’s finale as I introduce and share the concept of early harvests and late harvests within your business. Thrive with me as I talk about the three distinct roles that business owners need to play and the four elements that can help you move your business forward. 

A happy season-ending to all of you thrivers! This season has been full of lessons and phenomenal guests that are listening to as you work to move forward with your business. Pick your favorite episode and if you missed one, be sure to catch up during the break!

If you'd like to set your business in motion and gear up for 2022, sign up for my four-week program, Move YOUR Business Forward. Click here to learn more!

The best is yet to come, take care thrivers!

Thriving Points:

• Don't spend a lot of time focused on trying to get that early harvest out. Go through it. Go through the process. 
• The impact that you want your business to have out in the world is going to help inform how you operate the business. 
• There are always large businesses that are looking to partner with small businesses.

Other resources mentioned: 

• The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber: www.amazon.com/Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-About/dp/0887307280

About the Show:

     Women Thriving in Business features candid unscripted conversations with entrepreneurs, business experts, authors, and academics aimed at contributing to business success. This weekly show provides interviews with business leaders who have built, grown, and are thriving in business. Nikki A. Rogers, host of the show, also discusses achievements, lessons learned, and advice for aspiring business owners to develop the mindset, strategies, and connections necessary to thrive in business. Whether you are just starting or you have been in business for decades, WTiB offers inspiration, strategies, and resources to help you THRIVE in business. 

About the Host:

     Nikki is a strategist and transformation coach who believes life is too short not to do what you love. She is passionate about helping entrepreneurs build sustainable companies and supports business leaders in developing the mindset, strategy, and connections to create thriving businesses and build legacy wealth.

    Nikki is the CEO of The Bladen Group and an alumna of North Carolina A&T State University and UNC-Chapel Hill.

Connect with Nikki:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-rogers/
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/nikkirogersofficial/

“If your mind isn’t in the right place, you’re not going to get the results” - Ryan Henry

The right entrepreneurial mindset definitely shapes business success. Mindset can be shaped through various methods, but it often starts with your approach to wellness, whether it be physical, emotional, or financial.

A success-focused and intentional mindset will help you identify obstacles and perceive them as growth opportunities or as pathways to new possibilities. It affects your view of mistakes, and your view influences the actions you take. The way you think has a lasting effect on your business. 

Join us in Episode 309, with Ryan Henry, my fitness trainer, who is the CEO of Ryfitness. Ryan brings us along his journey from being an aspiring basketball player to the owner of a wellness business. We talk about different components of the Wellness Wheel that he focuses on for each of his clients.

An entrepreneurial mindset sees the potential in every moment. Listen in as Ryan shares the different aspects of wellness that are important to be better entrepreneurs, as well as his five daily habits that you can add to your routine to start your day on a progressive path.

Other resources mentioned:

• Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter by Curtis “50 cent” Jackson: www.amazon.com/Hustle-Harder-Smarter-Curtis-Jackson/dp/006295380X

Thriving Points:

• You can work out every day. You can try different fads, but if your mind isn't in the right place, you're not going to get the results. You're not going to see the improvement.
• You may have bad days, bad weeks, but you just gotta get up and keep doing it. And when you love what you're doing, it's easier to get up and strive.
• As far as your fitness journey, your wellness journey, you gotta know that your goal can happen and it can get better.
• You gotta be emotionally balanced. You gotta know that things were okay, are okay and will always be okay.
• You can make more money if you invest in your health.
• The way you look shows how you feel and builds your confidence. 

Get to Know the Guest:

          Ryan Henry is an Occupational Therapist, a Fitness and Wellness trainer, and the CEO of Ryfitness. He is a former collegiate basketball player which he leverages to develop championship strength and conditioning programs and to motivate his fitness clients. s. His dream is to see others become excited about embracing fitness, which will lead to a healthy lifestyle and community.

Connect with Ryan:

• Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/RyfitnessShow
• Website: www.ryfitness.com/
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/ryfitness/?hl=en
• Facebook: web.facebook.com/ryfitness/
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-henry-35148644

A Team Dklutr Production

“Invest in yourself and that will invest in your business.” - Eleshia Harris

Being an entrepreneur is a full-time commitment. As an entrepreneur, you can't expect everything to go smoothly all the time. In fact, there will be numerous challenges along the way. 

Learning how to take care of your well-being, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and being able to balance work and life can be your formula for success. Entrepreneurship is not for everyone because it takes vision, commitment, and strategy to differentiate yourself from the rest of the pack without alienating your authentic self.

In Episode 308, I am joined by my friend, coach, and project manager, Eleshia Harris. She is a holistic business growth strategist, wellness coach, and the founder of Eleshia Lifestyle. We talk about her journey as a contract employee, how a health crisis made her step out of her comfort zone, and how she combined her passion and her skills to create a successful business.

Entrepreneurial growth requires a dose of courage, sustained effort, and some friendly encouragement and support. Listen to this episode and be inspired by Eleshia’s story of leaving her job to focus on the important things in life and learn why wellness is the first step toward thriving in business.

Thriving Points:

• When you give a company your all and they take you for granted, it's time to either find a new job or actually, look at your own passions. 
• My miscarriage was my calling to stop me from taking that permanent role, look after myself,  have my baby girl, and build my own brand.
• Start saving at least 5% or 10%,  and work upwards so you’ll have some kind of safety net and then also change your mindset about the job that you're doing.
• Plan out so you’ll have a strategy for your exit strategy.
• There's no point in trying to build your business and your brand if you don't have the time to do it.
• My mission is to make sure that I can help as many female business owners to recognize their potential, but also do it in a way that they look after their wellbeing.

Resources Mentioned:

• The Secret by Rhonda Byrne: https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Rhonda-Byrne/dp/1582701709

Get to Know the Guest:

           Eleshia Harris is a Holistic Business Growth Strategist and Wellness Coach who helps Female Business Owners get clear on their goals and desires and implement them without overwhelm and procrastination. She is also the founder of Eleshia Lifestyle and the podcast The Eleshia Show.

Connect with Eleshia:

• Podcast: https://www.eleshialifestyle.com/The-Eleshia-Show
• Website: https://www.eleshialifestyle.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eleshia_lifestyle/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eleshialifestyle

A Team Dklutr Production