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

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Click HERE for the SHOW TRANSCRIPT.

“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

Click HERE for the SHOW TRANSCRIPT.

“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

Other resources mentioned:

• 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
• Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson
• Ain’t No Mountain High Enough by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
• Don’t Stop Believing by Journey
• Imagine by John Lennon

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

Click HERE for the SHOW TRANSCRIPT.

“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

A Team Dklutr Production

 

 

Click HERE for the SHOW TRANSCRIPT.

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. 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
• Instagram

A Team Dklutr Production

 

Click HERE for the SHOW TRANSCRIPT.

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. 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
• Instagram

A Team Dklutr Production

Click HERE for the SHOW TRANSCRIPT.

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:

• It took a lot of confidence and a bit of prayer to start mapping out what each year needs to look like. In order for me to hit my five-year goals, I had to craft assumptions, about the economic and political environment that I thought would actually support me being able to hit those goals.
• 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.
• When we understand our leadership style and understand the leadership style of others,  we can adjust. And not necessarily change who we are, but it’s about understanding where someone else is coming from and they understand where you’re coming from
• It’s a best practice to periodically review your mission and vision.

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.

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
• Instagram

A Team Dklutr Production

 

Click HERE for the SHOW TRANSCRIPT.

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

Click HERE for the SHOW TRANSCRIPT.

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.
• Use that early harvest in order to actually get to the late harvest, which is where you want to be generating consistent revenue, predictable revenue so that your business actually continues to grow.
• 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

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
• Instagram

A Team Dklutr Production

Click HERE for the SHOW TRANSCRIPT.