12 minute read
Founder’s Corner
We are what we choose to become
We’ve all heard that old saying, “What you focus on is where you drive your energy.” But do you really take that to heart? Think about all the “things” you drive your energy toward during a typical workday. Are you wasting your time focusing on the unnecessary?
I call these moments “time suckers.”
When was the last time you took inventory and focused on your passion, your driving energy, the “why” of what you have created and what it is you do? If you can’t remember, I’m challenging you to take inventory of where you’re spending your time and if any results are coming from these time suckers. If you suddenly realize the daily actions you’ve put into place are yielding the same results—and not the ones you’re looking for—YOU must redirect your energy and do things differently.
We choose who we become. We choose to be purposefully driven, protect our time with boundaries, schedule our days to work on the things in our business that are the most important. We do this by focusing on the “one” thing that fuels our business. In Lead Up for Women that one thing is “exposure.” The more you step into the spotlight, the more you’re seen and not overlooked. Your influence expands and you attract more clients.
Attracting clients is the one thing most of us need to run our business. Wouldn’t you agree?
Remember, your existence is not by accident. Your existence has so much meaning. Are you ready to be extraordinary? Take on the unknown and leap into your Zone of Excellence? Bask in your Zone of Genius? Are you prepared for it? If you’re waiting— waiting for all of the situations to come together perfectly—I’m here to tell you no one is coming? No one is aligning your present or your future to be perfect for you. YOU must create your reality, seize opportunities and leap into your genius.
You’re the only you that has ever been and the only you that will ever be. Be you and be strong, because you are brilliant and the world needs you. All the members of Lead Up for Women are here to offer you support and sisterhood to leading your best life and the journey starts today.
I’d like to thank each and every one of you who believes in our mission, who believes in the vision that women can lift each other without competition or judgment and will expand in abundance, success and love, then, in turn, inspire others to do the same. We are all sisters in this world, and in order to create more jobs and clear more pathways for women to shine in leadership, we must band together and blaze the trails. Who’s with me?
I have faith in each of you that we can begin to build the blueprint necessary to create lasting change for women.
Join us.
With Gratitude,
THIS IS NOT YOUR ORDINARY GET-AWAY!
This is a one-of-a-kind, I’m serious about being seen in this world and it starts NOW kind of get-away! Because you are WORTH IT!
Be You Be Strong is an Elite Sanctuary for Women that have a burning desire to lead their lives without asking permission of others. This Powerful supported gathering is designed to foster your unique personal story, and individual clarity and growth; all while nurturing the discovery of YOU and your personal brand.
Perks of this Sanctuary
• 5-star accommodations in a luxury mansion • Learn new Skills & Form New Habits • Healthy food prepared by our personal Chef • Daily yoga, meditation, & journaling • Mindset shifting for business growth & goal-setting • Engage with a tribe that will be devoted to you far and deep • Live for 4 days under one roof while being pampered with great food, self- care, massages, and much much more. • 4-week Accountability Coaching w/ Colleen & all attendees following the event • But, you have to Show Up to live the life you desire
ONLY ONE SANCTUARY SCHEDULED FOR 2021, SO DON’T MISS OUT!
NOVEMBER 4TH - 7TH
Apply today, only 12 women will be chosen for each Sanctuary Your application will be used for the sanctuary you note on the application.
Ignore the Stats and Find Your Match
Promoting equity, disrupting industries and driving business growth despite a pandemic
By Michelle Tinsley
Michelle Tinsley and Michael Zalle
The stats can be daunting. Research shows that 21.5% of startups fail in the first year, and 30% fail in the second year. Those numbers came before the challenges many businesses had adjusting to the pandemic, and before increased attention to diversity and inclusion. Rather than viewing these numbers as a stop sign, I’d encourage business leaders to view them as an opportunity.
Throughout my career, I’ve been the one at the table nobody was expecting. As a female who has held various leadership positions in male-dominated organizations, I was used to some coworkers being surprised that I was often in the center of the conversation, failing to stay on the sidelines or be introverted, ready to jump in with ideas and put them into action.
I love getting my hands dirty in the details, working to build something from the ground up. It’s why I left a successful career in the corporate world to serve as a business consultant and mentor to startups and small business leaders— men and women—to help them grow and achieve success.
Meet your Matchmaker
Through this consulting role, I’ve come to believe that business failure is rooted in the fact that some founders are so focused on the product they overlook what their clients want. Now more than ever, customers want products and services that match a true need in their life—items that offer an understandable, convenient solution. When you identify a product or solution that matches a customer’s need, it’s hard to not want to see it through.
That’s what happened to me not long before the pandemic. In 2019, along with my co-founder, Michael Zalle, we built YellowBird—an innovative, on-demand solution that provides access and assurance for contract workers in the environmental, health and safety (EHS) field.
If you can find your next soulmate on an online dating platform, we believe you should be able to find your next client or dream job through an online professional matchmaking platform. YellowBird uses advanced technology to connect certified EHS professionals with companies in construction, manufacturing and other industries so the talent perfectly matches the goals and needs of the project.
The idea stemmed from a trip in a ridesharing service where the driver was a highly qualified, certified safety professional, but was having trouble finding full-time employment. A lot of companies just wanted someone with the required certification for a specific project, rather than year-round. We saw an opportunity to connect highly specialized professionals to a gig job, solving a real problem for employers and freelancers.
While we started strong in the early days of the pandemic, the lockdown hurt many businesses, including ours. As a startup, we couldn’t wait for the pandemic to end; we had to adjust and adapt. This prompted us to add a range of consultation and training services for small businesses, churches and schools onto the platform. We also added a “COVID Return-to-Work Program,” which is designed to help company leaders welcome back employees and customers safely. Our ability to seek out solutions and quickly pivot helped YellowBird survive when many other startups failed.
By prioritizing and strengthening relationships with our team members, we addressed a true need in the industry. We became involved in finding solutions for businesses during the pandemic— an effort that incited significant results long-term, as we have gained the trust of employers and consultants. Your business can do the same.
Survival Tips
When COVID-19 hit the US, businesses had to scramble for strategies to stay open. Restaurants used carry-out and delivery services to maintain connections with regular customers. Movie theaters sold popcorn to go. Gyms rented equipment and offered online exercise classes. But for many small businesses, like ours, the solutions were less obvious.
Even though we were less than a year old, we were forced to take a fresh look at what we were doing and how we were being received. These strategies worked for us. In fact, they can not only help any business survive, but also thrive during the pandemic. Be flexible — As breaking news and studies revealed more information about the pandemic, being flexible helped us change direction by re-matching the professionals on the YellowBird platform. Other businesses may need to reschedule events or reprioritize projects to adapt to the constantly changing situation, but staying flexible helps you stay in control and open up new opportunities.
Pivot fast — Pivoting your attention to turn a negative situation into a positive one can help you create unexpected and successful solutions. Consider focusing on what employees and customers
Every Tuesday, a Lead Up for Women Member will host a Webinar that supports our mission to Unite women of all cultures, race, and diversity in realizing their greatest potential by inspiring each other to lean into their best self and lead up from everywhere, then, in turn, inspire others to do the same. We call it #Teaching Tuesday! Have you stepped into the spotlight to teach your own workshop and host a #Teaching Tuesday? If not, we welcome you to do so to expand your influence and attract more clients.
Click here to become a member and schedule your workshop today!
need, or how to utilize their amazing skills and experience to be a part of the solution. For example, our company’s “COVID Return-to-Work” protocol expanded our services to industries we had never considered. And by the end of 2020, 22% of our revenue was a direct result of these changes.
Be creative with new employees —
Many businesses cannot do an in-person orientation, but it’s still important to make new employees feel welcome and get excited about their job. Try making a virtual orientation feel more friendly by delivering lunch and taking a socially distant team photo. Not only will business leaders successfully introduce the new member to their team, but they bring happiness to the new employee’s first day.
Cash is king — There is a great pool of financial resources that exist for businesses from the governments, associations and lending institutions. We recommend all businesses take time to research what aid they qualify for and dedicate time to getting it done.
Have some fun — During this stressful time, let employees have some fun. At YellowBird, we started a new tradition of #SpicyMondays, where we dress up to themes such as Sesame Street or Western wear. Business leaders in any industry can do something similar or schedule a virtual happy hour to let their employees relax. This encourages everyone to have fun logging into work and express themselves.
Seek additional ways to communi-
cate — Businesses need strong communication to stay focused on shared goals. Consider expanding your team’s communication outside of text or email by turning to Zoom for virtual meetings or Slack for easy direct messaging throughout the day.
While the pandemic disrupted our daily routines and processes, businesses had to continue. The pandemic revealed how important creativity, adoption and innovation were for leaders to find solutions to the problems that arose.
Shattering Glass Ceilings
Where do you get creative, adaptive and innovative solutions? The answer is in your team and their experiences. If you build relationships with your team members and customers, listen to what they need and reflect on how to get better, you gain a deeper understanding and strengthen the business.
Diversity and inclusion within a team can help promote ideas that become the solutions needed to increase business and move toward a brighter future. A team with diverse backgrounds can offer new perspectives and ideas to stay ahead of any problems they may be face.
Business leaders must make active and conscious decisions to involve their teams and make them feel like they belong. My experience as a woman in corporate finance and startup industries, as well as Michael’s unique perspective, influenced our mission to make YellowBird a welcoming network that promotes equity and opportunity through action.
For example, we offer free personal and general liability insurance to prevent experienced, skilled professionals from being excluded from great working opportunities. We also work hard to make sure everyone is paid fairly by setting a flat fee for a job, regardless of who gets it. This ensures someone is not paid more or less due to their gender, race or ethnicity.
There are limitless possibilities for what business leaders can do. Consider ideas to offer special benefits to team members, host workshops and training that promote a positive work culture, or launch new features that are creative and efficient.
I believe any business can be successful—even in a difficult period—if it focuses on the right goals. Take the time to build meaningful relationships, reflect on what your team and customers need instead of solely focusing on the product or service, and get involved to make effective solutions.
MICHELLE TINSLEY: Has always been a natural leader who never backs down from a challenge. A successful professional, Angel Investor and active community member, Michelle has been a strong advocate for equality throughout her extensive career. As YellowBird’s co-founder and COO, she strives to create opportunities for anyone wanting to start an exciting career in safety and bring safety throughout a variety of industries. If you’re interested in exploring her company, visit GoYellowBird.com. Readers can learn more at www.GoYellowBird.com and visit Facebook www.facebook.com/goyellowbird and LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/goyellowbird.
