LeadUp May/June 19 by BOC design Inc

MAY-JUNE 2019

Amanda Hope Rainbow Angels Crusading the fight against childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases

Lorraine Tallman Founder & CEO

IN O GA E T S P NC TI FIDE N O C

CONNECT. INFLUENCE. LEAD. leadupforwomen.com

Contents May • June 2019

Owned & Operated by Women’s Association, LLC Mailing Address: PO 3908 Suwanee, GA 30024 Editorial Editor: Dalana Morse dalanam@leadupforwomen.com 817-405-4058

Amanda Hope Rainbow Angels

Contributing Writer: Kate Pittman K8pittman@gmail.com 214.558.0295 PR and Social Media: Ashlyn Biggs Leyba Digital Marketing social@leadupforwomen.com 480.848.0927

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LUFW Management: Colleen Biggs: Chief People Officer colleenb@leadupforwomen.com 480-241-3708 David Corson: Operations Manager davidc@leadupforwomen.com 404-931-6569 Lead Up for Women General Inquiry: 602.730.5121 membership@leadupforwomen.com

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Founder’s Corner You are STRONGER than you think, BRAVER than you believe and MORE than you ever imagined Advisory Board Editor’s Note Steps to building the right characteristics of a successful entrepreneur

LEADERSHIP

18 A farm-to-food solutions’ leader who dreams bigger and advocates healthier.

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Lead Up for Women travels to Arizona where the weather is hot and the women are on Fire!

16 26 30

Atlanta women brought the passion, courage and humor Beating the odds one day at a time 10 Tips to gain confidence

BUSINESS

LIFESTYLE

22 Putting the ‘human’ in human resources

28 Becoming more present in life

Lead Up for Women

Founders Corner

You are STRONGER than you think, BRAVER than you believe and MORE than you ever imagined We are traveling the nation educating women of all diversity, race, and culture about Lead Up for Women and how our community of strong survivors and powerhouse leaders are purposefully supporting each other for what you need and what you can offer. We are hard at work every day spreading the word about what Lead Up means with everyone we meet. Monthly luncheons have proven to be a success as we enter our fourth month of gatherings. We are humbled and grateful for so many women who have aligned themselves to be part of our panels and share their stories. Our radio show—Lead Up for Women: Speak Up to Lead Up—launched March 27th and is already VoiceAmerica’s fastest growing new radio show, leading the way for their Women Series on the Empowerment Channel. Each week we interview the bold survivors, influential women leaders and those who can teach us how to laugh and love ourselves for exactly who we are. We invite you to be inspired to lead without permission through the 4

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inspiration of our guests’ stories of survival, overcoming adversity and their celebrations in business, in their community and in their personal lives. If you missed a live show, no worries, we stream live on our Lead Up for Women Facebook page. Every show becomes “On Demand,” because as women, we are busy, so listening on our terms is a must. We are passionate and focused on what we can do to Connect, Influence, and Lead every woman, and know we all long to belong and to have a community that accepts and celebrates our identities. We have worked diligently to create an organization for you and all women looking to lead without permission, be the badass leader that you know you are, and gain the courage through the strong support of our group of women so you can live your best life. You just need to tap into your greatest power, YOU! You are 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. We align with this so much, but it means nothing if you don’t hold yourself accountable on a daily basis through concrete daily actions. Those choices make or break us. All of 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. What are you waiting for? Join us.

Colleen Biggs May-June 2019

Advisory Board

Marilyn Brennan

Sawrie Becker

Dr. Tammy Bialek

Associate Director of Business Development American/Interstate Signcrafters

Founder SBB Life Coaching

Isyol Cabrera

Aly Chally

Dee Daniels

Director of Design and Construction FOCUS BRANDS

Manager, Store Planning and Design Aaron’s, Inc.

Executive Vice President VoiceAmerica™

Rebecca Easton

Jennifer Grieser

Gina Noda

Founder Easton Law, PLLC

Consultant

Founder & Principal Consultant Connect Source Consulting Group, LLC

Founder Bialek Chiropractic

Shannon Polvino PR and Account Manager Insight International LLC

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Editor’s Letter

Steps to building the right characteristics of a successful entrepreneur

TThe cost of generating a start-up business varies, but cost isn’t all that matters. What really makes a difference is the range of entrepreneurial characteristics that a small business owner has. While successful entrepreneurs don’t belong to any other planet, they do have some unique qualities that set them apart from the rest of us. Do you know what those qualities are? Here are some important characteristics that are needed to become a successful entrepreneur.

1. Pursue Something You Enjoy When you want to launch your start-up or small business, you’ll need to invest plenty of time and energy. You may need to work for hours on end, so it’s extremely important to choose an area of business that you are truly passionate about. If you don’t enjoy what you do, chances are your entrepreneurial venture won’t meet with success.

2. Practice Self-Discipline

Dalana Morse is the editor of Lead Up For Women magazine. You can reach her at (817) 405-4058 or by email at dalanam@leadupforwomen.com. 6

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The best part about becoming an entrepreneur is that you work without a boss. The worst is that not having a boss can easily lead to procrastination, which you need to avoid at any cost. One of the most important characteristics of an entrepreneur is practicing self-discipline. You are your own boss, so be a good one.

3. Always Plan in Advance Successful entrepreneurs never forget to plan things. In fact, planning is like a habit to them. No matter what part of the business it is, they always abide by strategic planning. This quality is highly essential, as it provides you with an opportunity to study and analyze things before they are implemented. If you want to become successful as an entrepreneur, develop the trait of planning each and every area of your small business.

4. Know How to Self-Promote Self-promotion is one of the most needed characteristics for obtaining entrepreneurial success. Your success is in your own hands. As a budding entrepreneur, you need to work day in and day out to reach your audience. People are waiting to know May-June 2019

who you are, what business you are in, and what products or services you have to offer.

5. Have a Strong Belief in Whatever You Do No matter what entrepreneurs do in business, they do it with plenty of confidence. They have unstoppable faith in their ideas and are quite sure it will work. If you watch a successful entrepreneur, you’ll notice a good amount of confidence in whatever they do. People with entrepreneurial traits have a firm belief in their ability to achieve the desired goals.

6. Find Opportunities to Learn One of the key qualities that sets entrepreneurs apart is that they are always in the learning stage. They learn from other successful people and from their competition. In fact, they don’t miss an opportunity where they think they can learn something new that can be utilized to boost the growth of their small business. Don’t be unhappy or jealous of the success of your competitors. Instead, learn from their success and use them to grow.

7. Know Your Customers Really Well Successful entrepreneurs focus on their customers. They are eager to know what their customers like or dislike. They want to know what truly catches their customers’ interest. They try to find out the day-to-day issues that their customers are facing and work out ways to provide effective solutions. No wonder, they provide personal attention to their customers to keep them coming back for more.

Successful entrepreneurs focus on their customers. They are eager to know what their customers like or dislike. They want to know what truly catches their customers’ interest. They try to find out the day-to-day issues that their customers are facing and work out ways to provide effective solutions.

9. Negotiate Effectively Successful entrepreneurs are excellent negotiators. If you want to become an entrepreneur and obtain success with your start-up or small business, you must perfect the art of negotiation. You’ll need to negotiate a wide range of deals while establishing your business. By being an excellent negotiator, you’ll be able to create a win-win situation almost anywhere.

8. Sell an Experience

10. Continue to Expand Your Network

Entrepreneurs don’t become successful by selling a product or service, they sell an experience. By offering a product or a service to your customers, the main goal of a true entrepreneur is to provide an experience that can’t be easily forgotten.

One of the defining characteristics of entrepreneurs is that they are always trying to expand their business network. They use various ways to achieve this purpose. They regularly participate in community events. They attend industry-related exhibitions

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and conferences. They join professional associations and clubs.

11. Persist Until You Succeed The journey of an entrepreneur is full of adventures. While making an effort to establish their small business, they pass through ups and downs. They suffer from different types of setbacks. They fail and then start over. It’s qualities like these that make up an entrepreneur. No matter what happens, you should persist until success kisses your feet. Which of these qualities do you possess and which do you need to learn to achieve success as an entrepreneur? Don’t be worried if you lack some characteristics. All of these characteristics can be learned or developed with practice. Lead Up for Women

hits the radio waves every week Whoever makes the statement that endless opportunity doesn’t exist, needs to stop limiting themselves by the beliefs that exist between their ears. Our goal with Lead Up for Women is to empower as many women as we possibly can to be the best version of themselves. Having a radio station allows us to do just that. VoiceAmerica™ is the single largest producer of original internet talk radio Are you ready programming in the world, with unparalleled scope and reach, to lead without which is why we teamed up with them. On March 27, 2019, we launched “Speak Up to Lead Up” with permission and host Colleen Biggs and co-host Dee Daniels, executive producer of take the steps VoiceAmerica. Are you ready to lead without permission and take needed to live the steps needed to live your best life? Whether you want to start the business of your dreams, learn the steps you need to take so your best life? you can LOVE what you do, or celebrate your present and future accomplishments, our radio show will dive into deeper subjects as we interview weekly guests that have already walked in your shoes. Let the experts guide you for a clearer path to your most successful future. Our show will be the perfect platform for all of our members to advertise their businesses, network and hear about upcoming events, as well as a recap of live interviews that were recorded at all of our monthly luncheons around the nation. With millions of listeners, we have the opportunity to pioneer change for women today, as well as in the future.

We invite you to tune in to “Lead Up for Women: Speak Up to Lead Up,” as we celebrate the influence of women in business and beyond. Colleen and Dee speak with guests who have stories to share, have faced adversity and have become success stories in business, in their communities and in personal accomplishments. Join the strong and the brilliant ones and understand that the world is ready for you to be at your best. Listen to “Lead Up for Women” live every Wednesday at 1 p.m. (EST) or 10 a.m. (PST), on Voice America Empowerment.

Visit our website www.leadupforwomen.com/lead-up-for-women-speak-up-to-lead-up/ or visit www.voiceamerica.com/show/3872/lead-up-for-women-speak-up-to-lead-up to bookmark our show and listen in live each week.

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Do you have someone in mind you feel would be a great interview on the show? Do you have a mentor, coach, sponsor or have been inspired by an amazing leader, entrepreneur, employer or friend? If so, we want to hear from you. Please submit their name(s), contact information and why you feel they would be the perfect guest for the show to info@leadupforwomen.com.

» 13-week sponsorship of show series » 30-second spot (production included) played 6 times (3 during live broadcast and 3 during rebroadcast) » 30-60 second video spot (content must be provided) » Banner ad on weekly eCard » Opening & closing billboards on show » One live mention by host » Banner ad on host page » Banner ad on host personal/business website » Possible guest appearance by key person within company (subject to host approval)

Half » 13-week sponsorship of show series » 30-second spot (production not included) played 4 times (2 during live broadcast and 2 during rebroadcast) » One live mention by host » Banner ad on host page » Banner ad on host personal/business website » Possible guest appearance by key person within company (subject to host approval)

Quarter » 13-week sponsorship of show series » 30-second spot (production not included) played 2 times (1 during live broadcast and 1 during rebroadcast) » One live mention by host » Banner ad on host page » Banner ad on host personal/business website » Possible guest appearance by key person within company (subject to host approval) As the world’s largest producer of internet talk radio programming, VoiceAmerica™ can put your brand in front of millions of active listeners. If you are interested in getting our name out to millions of listeners, contact info@leadupforwomen.com for sponsorship package pricing.

Optional Advertising for Half and Quarter Sponsors » 13-week sponsorship of show series » Audio commercial production » 30-60 second video (content must be provided) » eCard banner ad

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Amanda Hope Rainbow Angels Crusading the fight against childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases

Amanda Hope Rainbow Angels is a nonprofit, support and educational organization designated by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) tax-deductible, tax-exempt organization, founded in 2012 in celebration of Amanda Hope’s life. During Amanda’s three-year fight with Leukemia and nine-month battle with a brain tumor, she dreamed she would one day design a fun clothing line for kids, just like her, that would provide comfort and dignity during chemo treatments. Amanda’s life ended far too soon, but her dream lives on through Comfycozy’s for Chemo apparel. Her legacy continues with the expansion of programs and services. The nonprofit brings Amanda’s sunshine to some of the most difficult days through a program called Major Distractions. They host spa days, craft days, sports camps, meals of hope, teen nights, and many other events. Their little warriors love knowing there is always something fun in store. Their in-house Comfort and Care team of licensed therapists provides free counseling, play therapy and supportive services to families who have a child battling cancer, a blood disorder, or any other life-threatening illness. Services are provided to pedileadupforwomen.com

atric patients, their siblings and their parents/caregivers. Individual, couples and family counseling appointments are available, as well as support communities and educational sessions. At this time Comfort and Care services are only offered to families in the Maricopa County area and/or for pediatric patients being treated at Banner Thunderbird, Cardon Children’s and Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Founder and CEO, Lorraine Tallman, and other members of the Amanda Hope team are focused on delivering compassionate and responsible advocacy, education and empowerment for families. Amanda Hope was a special little girl, the type of child who lit up the room with her smile. At the age of nine, she started experiencing severe headaches and flu-like symptoms. After several tests, it was confirmed that Amanda had Leukemia. The phone call confirming the diagnosis would forever change the lives of Amanda and her family. Lead Up for Women

It took three long years of chemotherapy to finally go into remission. Celebrations were had, a huge “No More Chemo Party” attended by family, friends, nurses and doctors. She went back to school and started to enjoy life again. Then one afternoon, three months later, Amanda mentioned she wasn’t feeling well. A battery of tests discovered she had a mass in her brain. Another painful journey of chemo and radiation began. Throughout her treatment, Amanda’s spirits never waned. She kept smiling and expressing her concern and caring for the other children in the hospital.

On March 30, 2012, at 11:29 a.m., Amanda lost her battle to Leukemia. In her honor, the nonprofit carries out her vision of giving dignity back to our children with something as simple as a shirt designed for them.

Comfycozy’s for Chemo with all children fighting life threatening diseases will continue to grow knowledge and correct data for children fighting cancer so we can get better research funded for our warriors.

What do you see as some of your biggest opportunities moving ahead?

What do you feel is the best way to connect with other women in business?

To bring Amanda’s mission world-wide and have dignity in healthcare. Parents deserve and need a voice for choice. This will be done by teaching doctors and families how to communicate with each other in a respectful caring manner. Sharing the Amanda Needle and

Networking with organizations that offer mentoring and educational opportunities, and growing from each other’s life experience has worked well for me.

Who are the most important areas of your business that inspire you to thrive? I have three: my life, my families I serve, my board and operations, non-profit and business development.

What is Amanda Hopes growth plan? To touch the lives of families suffering from a diagnosis they never thought they would hear. I continue to create relationships with hospitals to be the “go-to” person to help any family in need.

What is the most rewarding part of changing lives?

Amanda Hope and Lorraine Tallman.

Empowering families to have a voice for choice and dignity for their treatment plan. They learn the necessary coping skills to keep fighting the journey before them.

What is the biggest item currently on your to do list?

Amanda’s Needle

Educate all hospitals about the new incredible tool to access ports with one poke, the “Amanda Port Stabilizer.” Inspired by Amanda, a young, brave cancer warrior, the Port Stabilizer is designed to aid in access when inserting the infusion needle.

What is your secret to making a non-profit a success? Our success is based on follow through. Don’t make commitments you cannot keep. We always make sure we understand the needs of our families. 12

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One-on-One with... Lorraine Tallman Founder & CEO

Tell us about your family and how you manage priorities/balance? My family, husband, Marty, and three daughters, Leah, Rachael and Amanda, are gifts from Heaven. There wasn’t balance for a long time while Amanda fought cancer twice. Our whole world was centered around her chemo, radiation and hospital stays. Our date nights were late night picnics on the hospital floor and special getaways, one-on-one movies with our girls. Marty was the Rams coach, so he was at every game, school play and swim meet. He loved it all.

How are you mentoring/sponsoring others? I love to mentor young non-profits. It does take a village.

What are your strongest traits as a leader? What traits of other leaders inspire you? I never give up on what is right, and I’m mindful of my team and what they need to reach our goals. My favorite word is “Next.” Leaders who inspire me are women like Rosa Parks and Mother Teresa—women who are dedicated to standing up against all odds and doing whatever it takes to be the change.

How has fighting for the lives of your family What book are you reading now? members changed you for the better? First, “Sandra Day O’Connor” by Evan Thomas, and “An The life lessons I have learned is that every day is a gift. Love, forgive and laugh whenever possible. My career is about making a difference daily. You never know, the smile you create today could save a life in the future. My motivation every day is my daughters last words, “Not everyone has a mama like you, promise me you’ll help every child fighting cancer. Promise.”

Echo in the Darkness” by Francine Rivers

How do you tap into the power of YOU that makes you unique and how has that pushed you forward?

What does your typical day look like?

My faith keeps me going every day, knowing that even though they have passed on, Amanda and Marty are with me every day.

Who inspires you and why?

What are your favorite hobbies? Hiking and riding my bike in the neighborhood.

How do you like to spend your down time? Traveling Receiving notice from a hospital about a new patient diagnosed with cancer, then reaching out to let the families know we are here for them and sending them a Comfycozy’s or Chemo care pack, visiting a hospital for one of our Major Distraction events and providing free counseling or financial assistants. But mostly giving a lot of hugs.

My little warriors. They never give up, no matter how much pain they endure.

What was the best advice you ever received?

What’s a fond memory of a family sharing their gratitude?

What does “Lead up” mean to you?

They stated, “You changed my life forever. Thank you for being by my side and helping our family.”

Stay mission focused. Women empowering women. Sharing personal growth experiences because you never know who you could be encouraging.

To donate in any way, learn more information, or volunteer, contact them through email: hello@amandahope.org. or online through their website www.amandahope.org or on Facebook www.facebook.com/ahrangels. leadupforwomen.com

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LUNCHEON â&#x20AC;˘ AZ

Lead Up for Women travels to Arizona where the weather is hot and the women are on fire! We had a strong panelist of women at the Arizona Luncheon. Lead Up for Women welcomed Janice Jackson, President of Plexus; Vanessa Siren, Yogi and model for the Ford Company; Audrey Monell, President of Forrest Anderson Plumbing/HVAC Company; Deborah Bateman, Vice Chairman for First National Bank of Arizona; and Ashley Austin, Marketing Manager for the Phoenix Suns. Janice Jackson reminded us to expect the unexpected, as she did when she was offered a deal to come to Plexus as the president of sales and marketing, while on the verge of

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retiring. She is a true steward of Servant Leadership and leads the only way she knows how, to be her true self. Vanessa shared that finding her balance and â&#x20AC;&#x153;centerâ&#x20AC;? through Yoga and setting her priorities straight was how she found true happiness. From Brazil, she currently lives with her family of five children and devoted husband, Troy. She even took the attendees and panelists through breathing exercises that can be used in our everyday lives to relax and reset. Audrey shared that stepping into a position of power that is a predominantly male-driven industry was the

Deborah was a light of many colors as she shared her journey from a teller to her current role as vice chair, and how women are the greatest force if we just believe in ourselves and our abilities.

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hardest trial of her life. She enlightened us with the wisdom that if you truly stick to who you are and talk straight, challenging those to respect and stand steadfast through the trials, you can endure the hardships. Deborah was a light of many colors as she shared her journey from a teller to her current role as vice chair, and how women are the greatest force if we just believe in ourselves and our abilities. She also shared her wisdom with the group of making sure you are always the example for those that follow. The awesome panelists encouraged all of us by sharing experiences that compliment all of our current leadership styles to set our careers on the right path. Remember to always believe in yourself, lean into who you are, and STOP making yourself small. Stop apologizing, talk straight and be proud, proud to be YOU and start leading without permission. You can find the full video for the luncheons, including photos for all of our members at https:// leadupforwomen.com/gallery/ luncheon-scottsdale-az-april-25th-2019/ To become a Member of Lead UP for Women, visit our website www.leadupforwomen.com/ membership and start your journey to living your best life. Lead Up for Women

LUNCHEON • ATL

Atlanta women brought the passion, courage and humor Lead Up for women traveled to Atlanta in May where the attendees and panelists were mighty. We welcomed panelists Afsaneh Abree, Integral Coach, June Cline, best-selling author and humorist, and last minute special guest speaker Ambassador Dr. Chanita Foster, mother, best-selling author, TV personality, coach, entrepreneur, activist and philanthropist. He shared their experiences in business and showed how success is possible for all women, if you tap into your greatest power, YOU!! The panelists were awesome and encouraged everyone in the room, sharing experiences that reminded us how important it is to surround yourself with the right community of support, LIVE for your PURPOSE and remember humor as you enjoy the journey to be “Mo’ Better”! Afsaneh challenged attendees with the question, “Who is going to be there for you when you lean into your best self?” She said you need a strong community to support you through your journey. She also shared some personal secrets about her life growing up in a hut, and how her hardships as child living through the revolutionary war that was full of violence didn’t stop her from being “Afsaneh.” Even though she was practicing her Muslim faith, and was required to wear cloth to fully cover her head and body, she would sneak out and climb up a ladder to the roof of the hut and lay out under the hot sun in her bikini. She said she even had an amazing suntan that year. June humored us with her story on how she found her purpose through working for a gut wrenching job as the director of financial aid in a small college. Using the applications as humor, she would locate “bloopers” from the 16 Lead Up for Women

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“ We must find our purpose first, then we will have peace, and last the money will follow.” – Ambassador Dr. Chanita Foster

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applications and gather them up to use when she spoke, which led to her becoming a paid speaker. She finds the sun in every dark place, and it shows. Dr. Chanita Foster showed real grit and determination as she shared her personal struggles with depression and finding her purpose. She reminded us that depression is real and needs to be dealt with. She also uplifted the room when she preached on how we must find our purpose first, then we will have peace, and last money will follow. She said chasing money will only bring you discouragement and disappointment times 10. You can find the full video for the luncheons, including photos for all of our members at https://leadupforwomen. com/gallery/lufw-atlanta-ga-luncheonmay-22-2019 To become a Member of Lead UP for Women, visit our website www.leadupforwomen.com/ membership and start your journey to living your best life.

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A farm-to-food solutions’ leader who dreams bigger and advocates healthier. Lucinda Perry Jones, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Operation Food Search

By Rochelle Brandvein

Imagine growing up in northeast Missouri on a 900-acre farm—never ending chores to be completed, animals to be cared for and fed. This type of 24/7 working lifestyle was a family affair for Lucinda Perry’s household. From a very young age, she wholeheartedly embraced this world—one that would eventually meld effortlessly with her adult life.

In Her Shoes Lucinda’s parents taught her every aspect of farm and livestock management, so much so that she reveals “ensuring people have access to nutritious food is in my DNA.” Her family farm consisted of raising hogs and cattle, along with 18 Lead Up for Women

May-June 2019

has defined her work ethic and sharpened her leadership skills. This type of upbringing inspired her to strive for a standard of excellence that, for most, was out of reach but, for her, required stretching just a little bit further.

A Fearless Dreamer When 9/11 happened, everything changed. Lucinda was living in New York City at the time, and the devastating ordeal made her carefully examine her life. This introspection led to leaving her job for an eight-week immersion program in Mexico. The unusual hiatus gave her the courage to follow her heart and take a risk she never would have ordinarily. What ended up as a temporary pivot became a nearly two year journey of teaching in an environment where

they needed her—and she learned even more from them. Her career was subsequently filled with integral philanthropic positions in both private and public sectors. Ranging from the ACLU and academia, to public health and grocery retail, Lucinda gravitated more toward opportunities that embraced community transformation and strategic collaboration. Throughout her life, Lucinda has had an uncanny ability to foresee—and answer—the needs of those who cannot imagine a solution. She is, in fact, the catalyst in creating types of favorable consequences that enable others to live more independently. Lucinda is a flawless fit for her current position as Director of Strategic Initiatives at Operation Food Search (OFS), a non-profit hunger relief organization based in

producing corn and soybean crops, a very laborious, although enlightening existence, particularly for a youth whose curiosity about the world grew as she did. Lucinda’s time was spent caring for farm animals and tending the harvest at a level of responsibility fit for someone much older. Yet she says this path gave her a stronger base that leadupforwomen.com

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LEADERSHIP

St. Louis. Her decision-making abilities are apparent in each and every program she touches—and her input is both powerful and essential.

A Hunger-Free Missouri She aptly describes her present role as “chief architect for OFS’s compelling new vision which involves motivation to end the food pantry line, not merely feed the line.” Her agency is shifting the reliance on emergency food distribution to more “upstream, preventative measures that address root causes and call for innovative integrated program models.” In her quest to end hunger, Lucinda acknowledges what is necessary to succeed in the simplest terms: “intensive community partnership collaborations, a trained and knowledgeable staff and board, involved philanthropists and food donors, and an informed citizenry.”

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Lucinda spearheaded efforts to compile a coalition of Fresh Rx game-changers that included widespread financial support and a local partnership with a hospital’s fullservice prenatal care facility.

Bold change surrounds Lucinda both personally and professionally. She is currently pursuing her Doctor of Education at Brandman University in Organizational Leadership after earning a Master in Public Administration. The program, which is bolstering her ability to be a transformational leader, is enabling Lucinda to better guide her team in assembling an even more impressive strategic plan.

Just What The Doctor Ordered She recently helped launch OFS’s newest program called Fresh Rx: Nourishing Healthy Starts. This food-as-medicine initiative is the only fresh food prescription program in existence that addresses food insecurity during pregnancy. The need to provide low-income women the experience of healthier pregnancies

May-June 2019

and healthy babies was glaringly apparent. Lucinda and her team took the reins to create and activate this monumental plan. Fresh Rx has a variety of components—a weekly share of protein, fruits and vegetables from local farm partners; one-on-one nutrition consultations with OFS’s Fresh Rx registered dietitian; cooking classes delivered by OFS’s community chef; at home and online nutrition and cooking tutorials; and supportive services and links to community resources by OFS’s licensed clinical social worker. Lucinda spearheaded efforts to compile a coalition of Fresh Rx game-changers that included widespread financial support and a local partnership with a hospital’s full-service prenatal care facility. The initial impact is astounding and, as the program grows, so will its ripple effect upon the community.

Empowering Our Future While eliminating overall hunger is OFS’s goal, Lucinda states “it’s the kids who suffer the worst consequences in this equation.” How can 18.6 percent of children in Missouri—nearly one in five—live in households that struggle with hunger? And how can these children achieve academic success when their stomachs are empty from missing meals?

• L eading OFS’s “Sunny Day Endowment Campaign,” a $5 million dollar fundraising effort to ensure sustainability and innovation for years to come. •P roviding nutritious food to children 18 years of age and younger through a year-round approach. The services— including summer meals, afterschool meals, and a weekend meal program for elementary children—impact thousands of children throughout the St. Louis bi-state region. •O ffering on-site cooking demonstrations (to food pantry volunteers, staff and clients) in

addition to nutrition education services that reach kids and their families (shows how to plan, shop, and prepare healthy and affordable meals through Cooking Matters®.)

Reaching Her Summit Lucinda believes she still has many miles to go to achieve maximum impact in the hunger relief field. For inspiration, she remembers a favorite quote from Nelson Mandela who said, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” Lucinda is determined to make transformational change by leading from the heart, and inspiring others to dream and achieve the impossible.

The task to turn the curve toward food security is daunting, but Lucinda and her team have enacted new programs and enhanced existing services to include: • Establishing an advocacy program that engages elected officials and systems – such as hospitals and school districts—to assess and implement policies that will support nutrition-forward environments. • “Launching Healing Hunger,” a hunger-informed training program to aid frontline professionals in understanding how to screen and help clients obtain food and nutrition services. leadupforwomen.com

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BUSINESS

Putting the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;humanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in human resources

By Zoe Hawkins

How Sharon Lontoc brings humanity to corporate culture 22

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Like most people in the working world, Sharon Lontoc once had a job with an unpleasant work environment. Rather than complain or fear, it was a sign of an unfulfilling career ahead. She took on the challenge and became an expert on fixing the problems people face in the workplace. Working in leadership at a variety of top companies before landing her dream job at Title Alliance, Sharon has shown that innovative and creative Human Resources strategies can make even unexpected companies become inspiring places to work. May-June 2019

toward her bachelor’s degree while working full time. There were some underlying issues in her place of employment at the time, and when she discussed them with a favorite professor, he advised her to take a course on Human Resources the next semester. Not only did that course highlight exactly the issue that Sharon was experiencing at work, but it also sparked a passion for Human Resources, which became the focus of her bachelor’s degree. Following completion of that course, Sharon returned to the professor to discuss the situation again. Pivotally, he asked her, “Now that you know what’s going on, what are you going to do about it?” This is the question that has resonated throughout Sharon’s career. It has led her to make changes in each of the organizations she’s worked based on predictive analytics resulting

in improved personnel retention and cutting department overhead.

A Varied Path to the C-Suite Before becoming Chief Human Resources Officer at Title Alliance, Sharon held a range of Human Resources positions at a variety of organizations. Whether working at Lockheed Martin or Southwestern Bell, a law firm or a financial institution, Sharon has brought her uniquely strategic and innovative approach to each job. Sharon always strives to not just work hard, but truly make a difference. From job to job, she helped to save companies money, boost morale and drive HR strategies that align with business goals. This includes attracting top tier talent while building a culture of engagement, agility and innovation. She says this is an important factor in how she’s continually worked up through the ranks of various companies.

Deciding to go into Human Resources While Sharon has quite a proficient career in Human Resources, she didn’t know that was where her career would eventually take her. Early on, Sharon was studying leadupforwomen.com

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BUSINESS

“It’s all about how people remember you,” Sharon says. “I’ve earned amazing positions at top companies, all through networking and connections. It’s only when you forge truly meaningful relationships that people will remember you when they need leadership at their organizations.”

Leading the Company Forward While Title Alliance is a title and escrow company, it prides itself on being a relationship company first and foremost. Title agents might deal with hundreds or thousands of closings, but the people buying homes might only experience the process a couple of times in their lives. At Title Alliance, the goal is to make every interaction filled with superior customer service, bringing the spirit of celebration back to the closing table. Sharon refers to her role at Title Alliance as her “dream job.” This is largely due to the opportunity to play a more strategic role in the company, creating Human Resources strategies that exceed client expectations, engage people, enable exceptional performance and support an inclusive corporate culture. Not only is she a part of enhancing Title Alliance’s reputation in the title insurance industry, but also generally as an employer of choice. “It’s thrilling to be a part of such a collaborative company,” Sharon says. “I am trusted to fulfill my role as a leader in the organization and given the room to implement strategic initiatives that help us move forward. It’s particularly exciting to be a part of a company with a majority female C-Suite, highlighting the leadership opportunities here for women of all backgrounds.” As Title Alliance continues to grow into new regions, Sharon says her role keeps expanding. “There’s so much growth now, it feels like there’s something new and exciting every day. Of course, it means that 24 Lead Up for Women

Teaching the necessary skills to balance passions and projects, work and home is a key part of Sharon’s life. That’s why she has volunteered as a Girl Scout Troop leader for nine years. She’s particularly enthusiastic about breaking down walls and gender stereotypes.

May-June 2019

we need to think strategically to stay ahead of any growing pains and ensure a smooth process as we reach out to new regions and bring on more partners.”

Empowering Women and Girls Sharon is distinctly aware of the struggles that women face in the work world. The mom of three is married to a reservist who has been deployed, leaving her to feel like a single mom in some ways as she needs to balance work and childcare. With this experience, Sharon is able to relate to other women and give them advice on how they can achieve their professional goals. “I get asked all the time about how I’ve been able to achieve the success I’ve seen in my career,”

Sharon says. “If there’s one thing I want to share with women in the working world, it’s to focus on networking and build as many strong, positive relationships as possible, with men and women alike. You

never know what opportunities might be out there until you really connect with people and have them remember who you are and what you can bring to the table.” Teaching the necessary skills to balance passions and projects, work and home is a key part of Sharon’s life. That’s why she has volunteered as a Girl Scout Troop leader for nine years. She’s particularly enthusiastic about breaking down walls and gender stereotypes. “It’s amazing to see the growth in the girls who join Girl Scouts,” Sharon says. “The girls I lead are interested in robotics, take part in Girls Who Code, and defy all the gender norms you might imagine. I’m humbled at the chance to help them along, because they inspire me even more than I lead them.”

EXPLORE • DISCOVER • GROW

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LIFESTYLE

Beating the odds one day at a time By Jeanie R. Davis

My journey has been nothing like I imagined it would be. In college, I studied Public Relations, then later Interior Design. I even taught math, as I partnered with my husband in owning and running two Math tutoring centers. As it turned out, none of these would become my passion. Illness and disability made certain of that. After the last of my four daughters was born, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. It began more as an irritation, but before long what had started as a relapsing/remitting disease became progressive. In fact, in 2003, my neurologist, a leading MS specialist at Barrow Neurology at the time, held up my latest MRI and informed me that my brain was filling with fluid and I would soon become brain-dead. Nothing could stop the rapid downward spiral of my disease. There was only one thing for me to do—prove him wrong. My husband, Rick, is fond of traveling, and even though his job took him to many foreign and exotic countries around the globe, he wanted me to experience them as well. I will never forget my first trip 26 Lead Up for Women

to Europe. It was then my disease worsened, making it difficult for me to walk or even stay awake for long periods of time. Never having experienced the full impact of losing control of my faculties until this time, I was a mess. My young daughters were an ocean away and at the rate my health was declining, I wondered if I would see them again. Sickness can distort your thinking. I told Rick I could never travel again, at least without our girls. This began some of our family’s greatest adventures. Though my disability made it difficult for me to travel, we were able to take the necessary measures to see the world with our daughters. We visited Fiji, Costa Rica, Ireland, Europe (a couple of times), Mexico and Africa. And I managed to stay alive.

It was on one of these adventures that I learned a valuable lesson; I can do ANYTHING if I take it one step at a time. While were visiting the Alps in Switzerland, one of the activities was to climb 900 steps on a steep mountainside up to a glacier. This activity is not very conducive to people with physical disabilities. I assured my family that I would be up to the task. They were skeptical. But they’d sacrificed so many activities on my behalf, I didn’t want this to be another, so I convinced them that I really did want to climb those steps, and that with their help, I could do it. I didn’t know how wrong I was. To get to the base of the mountain, a hike in and of itself, exhausted me before I had even taken one step of the 900, but I was determined. (Determination can be good, but sometimes, as in my case, misguided). So up we went. The stairs were constructed of narrow, wooden slats and the mountain was steep—900 steps up, 900 steps down— suddenly that was a lot of steps. May-June 2019

I made it up the first 200 before my legs buckled and I knew I absolutely couldn’t go any further. My husband and youngest daughter wanted to stay with me and help me down, but I insisted I would be fine on my own. After many assurances and a lot of convincing on my part, Rick and my daughters reluctantly went up the stairs while I went down. It had been cold and drizzly all morning, but shortly after parting ways with my family, it began to pour in earnest, making the steps slippery. Some of the symptoms of MS are dizziness, imbalance, numb limbs, weakness and visual impairment, just to name a few. I was experiencing most of these. The stairs had a railing, which I clung to for dear life, but every time someone would come up the steps, I’d have to let go of one side to let them pass, causing me to lose my balance. Looking down from where I stood overwhelmed me. The stairs went on and on. My legs were so tired that each step I took down became a major accomplishment. I finally reached the point where I felt completely exhausted, hopeless and utterly alone. I had gone as far as I could possibly go on my own. When I looked down and saw how far I still had left to reach the bottom, I was sure I couldn’t make it. My options were limited. I could sit down, cling to the railing and wait for my family to return (and probably freeze to death in the pouring rain), or I could pray and ask God to get me off that mountain. I chose the latter. As I was pleading with God for help, there was a distinct voice in my head telling me to quit looking down to the bottom of the mountain as that perspective gave me no hope. Instead, I should just take one more step. Well, I could do that. Just one more step wouldn’t kill me, but the whole staircase would. I was sure of that. So I took one step. When I did, I heard the voice again asking, “Can you take one more step?” The pattern continued. If I ever took my eyes off the steps and looked down to the bottom, I’d get discouraged and lose hope all over again, so I quickly leadupforwomen.com

learned not to do that. Instead, I just took one shaky step at a time until I miraculously found myself at the bottom of the mountain, completely drenched from the pouring rain, but alive. I learned two valuable lessons from this: With God, all things are possible, and never give up or give in to that voice of failure. Instead, focus on taking it one step at a time, or one day at a time.

at how many readers enjoyed it who weren’t related to me. This spurred me to write more. In the meantime, I had tapped into a world I hadn’t known existed, the wonderful writing community of which I am now a part. As I learned, I wrote, edited, revised and rewrote my next novel, “Time Twist,” a romantic suspense story with some time travel. This book was picked up by a New York

Through the years of rearing my daughters, when my illness had disabled me, I turned to writing poetry. Gradually, I took to the piano and began writing music. I found great comfort in composing songs and was rewarded when I was asked to write music for conferences, weddings and other events. Music gave me purpose. I felt blessed and fortunate to have developed this gift. But how long until I lost it? Even worse, how long until I didn’t recognize my husband and daughters—my truest passion? One of my daughters suggested that I write a book. I laughed, but the idea worked in me until I decided to try it. I began writing and found it so fulfilling, I didn’t stop at one book, but kept going. The first book I published, “As Ever Yours,” is a historical fiction based on the true story of my grandparents’ amazing lives. I wasn’t too worried about my lack of training in the writing field, as this book would be read by mostly family. However, I was astonished

publishing house. Since then, I have written a sequel, “Time Trap,” which will be released later this year, along with a Christmas novella, “Chrissy’s Catch,” part four of the Christmas Frost series, written with my critique partners. Writing has been a godsend for me; it has given me purpose. But it isn’t always easy or fun. Ask me how I felt about it when the first few rejection letters rolled in. Plus, though I’m gratefully not brain-dead, focus, muscle cramps and spasms, along with many other MS related symptoms make it a challenge. I work through those one day at a time. Perseverance and commitment are essential to success, but writing books doesn’t make my story one of success. There are thousands of successful authors in the world. Beating the odds and proving my doctor wrong has made this a success story. As I learned long ago when I was stranded on the side of the steep Swiss Alps, I can do anything when I turn to God for help. Lead Up for Women

LIFESTYLE

Photography by Lauren Hensgens at www.saltphotography.co

Becoming more present in life By Kate Pittman

Is anyone else out there (I know who you are) running on fumes because you are pushing full steam ahead with a “no-rest-for-the-weary” mindset to provide a great life for yourself and your family while also striving for that day you will hit the pinnacle of a successful career and arrive at a life abundantly filled with joy? Hand raised—yep, that was me. Everyone on this planet is on a journey to find fulfillment, joy, love and connect with the greater being that surrounds us—the one who embodies all of these gifts and more. This task is probably the most elusive and greatest sought-after treasure that our life’s journey holds. I recognize that there are plenty of working and stay-at-home parents or individuals (including my past self) who play out their lives either too busy or too focused on other things to give the pursuit of joy a chance. A year ago, I was at the height of chaos and felt as though I was far from experiencing joy. I was extremely blessed with a great job, beautiful family and financial security, but something seemed off. I loved my life, but something was missing. After everything that I had accomplished, I was still wondering if I was fulfilled and I was constantly asking myself, “Am I content?” If not, what exactly does contentment look like? 28

Lead Up for Women

I was a Business Development Director for a great architecture, engineering and general construction company and our team was making big progress by bringing in exciting accounts that would provide great work for the 350-plus employees who worked there, hopefully years to come. I was a jet-setter, but I was constantly mitigating the travel that was probably necessary to do my job to the maximum level. I was shaving here and there on travel, doing what I believed necessary for my professional job, to still enable me to do my even more important job of being a mother to my two small children and a supportive wife to my loving husband, who had an equally taxing stressful full-time job. I had just flown home from yet another conference, I do not even recall which, but it didn’t really matter. At this point, they all seemed to run together.

I was always careful to arrange my travel to bring me home—if the stars aligned and there were no delays, around 3:45 p.m., to have time to pick up my loves as their day ended a little early at 4:30 p.m., or so. There was something about those smiling faces that lit up the moment you opened the door to their daycare that suddenly made it all seem worth it. After two years of being on the road, managing relationships—both in and out of the office—with my clients, an explosion of stress was mounting that I could not control anymore. The dam had sprung a leak—additional pressure built as work was booming, behavior problems arose with my oldest in school (minor things, but major to a parent in the moment) and I was feeling more distant from my husband because we were only passing in the wind and shouting instructions at each other to keep the machine oiled and running. Although I was good at connecting with people for my job, I was doing worse than subpar with the one who mattered most as my partner in this life—my husband. I was exhausted, WE were exhausted. May-June 2019

I had been gone for three days and two nights, but I knew my travel was beginning to have an effect on the kids, especially my son. I had received calls two of the three days from separate teachers from his school informing me of issues that had arisen during the time I was away. Unfortunately, this had become a repeat ploy he had enacted on multiple occasions before. Each time, he was put on the phone and I was able to speak with him. His voice was somber, ashamed and I could hear the depression echo the same feeling that plagued my heart. Talking him off the ledge (and myself at that point), I did as best I could to give a pep talk to our wilting five-yearold. I informed him I would pick him up and that we would do something special. I gave him the task of picking what that something may entail and he was on his way with a glee that had been missing a few moments beforehand. There I was, fatigued from entertaining potential clients the night before and the night previous. I had been on the phone since landing and walking to my car, loading my luggage and driving to the daycare with another director at the company—relaying messages about what needed to be done, for who and when. I hung up as I rolled into the parking lot and I turned up the radio as soon as I heard the song that I knew by heart play. In this moment, the song, Breathe, by Jonny Diaz (see song on his 2015 Everything is Changing Album on his website https://jonnydiaz.com/ music/) spoke so clearly about what I was going through. I felt in that moment that the Universe understood and was sympathizing with me. I love a good song, and if you pass me driving on the street, most likely, you will see me singing wildly out loud to myself (or my kids) in my car. So there I was, sitting in the parking lot for the entire song as it played its course, singing out loud and praying. My eyes filled with tears, and I sang the lyrics and rested in the chorus. As the music peaked and began to trail off, I wiped my tears, leadupforwomen.com

took a deep breath and cleared my head. Somehow, everything felt better after that. My emotional outburst had taken place so quietly that the rest of the world did not even notice, but that time of recognition from the Universe (that is God to me) gave me just what I needed to clear my head, re-adjust and even give me a spark of an idea about where I may be headed. God was, in that moment, answering my prayers. What I had realized was that my life had become

they are well-trained (I hoped that would be soon). And how my husband and others would view me as superwoman if I could make his and everyone else’s lives easier (although I was constantly needing accolades this for momentum). I realized that all of those things I was focusing all of my energy on were items that my exterior self, this persona that I had created for myself, about myself—my ego—needed to keep form. In the end, none of these things were providing me with joy or happiness because it was not what my spirit, or my internal self-needed or wanted to reach its fullest potential. All of these desires were completely centered selfishly around how I wanted to be and to be perceived by others, and how I would be affected—not how I could affect others in a positive way. At this point, I was not even sure WHAT my spirit cried out to do. But, I took the hint from what was being sent my way through God, through the Universe and from that moment on, I vowed to myself that I would make the first step: to focus my energy much more

on being present in order to take full advantage of seeing the beauty that this world provides us in every second, which we are most of the time too busy to even recognize. My hope is to be able to recognize translate the many interactions with others, beautiful occurrences and pleasant happenstances (that to me are all part of God’s plan) that are ever-presently playing out in the world surrounding me daily so that my purpose will unfold. Amen Sista! Lead Up for Women 29

Lead Up Tips

IN A G TO TIPS IDENCE F CO N

Link up with other women: Take a look around your industry’s community, your personal community and social channels. Join a community group that keeps you connected and provides ongoing support, understanding and opportunities. You’ll make new friends, too.

Support and share with other women:

Make your voice heard:

By supporting and empowering each other, we’re all building personal success stories in our industries. Share your stories with others to inspire them.

Don’t assume your boss will notice what a great job you do and make that next important project a part of your road to success. You must speak up if you want to be heard.

Meet challenges with solid support:

Take the leap:

Toot your own horn:

Speak your mind:

8. 9. 10.

When you connect with individuals who serve as inspiration, they help you develop the confidence it takes to push you to the next level.

Look at all the women today with important roles in high finance, politics, entrepreneurship and manufacturing. We often hear we are too emotional for the BIG jobs, but it is our ability to empathize that makes us effective leaders. We get the big picture and understand the details. Believe in yourself and get your ideas out there. Don’t be afraid to do things your way.

It’s okay to let people know when you get a win, at least in small doses. You can build your own confidence by pointing out that you were the one who accomplished something for the company or organized a social gathering that serves the community.

A lack of confidence is often a bottleneck that keeps you from saying what you really think. Uncork that confidence blocker. By stating your view in a meeting, you are building confidence because you can see the reactions to your viewpoint and adjust as needed. Speak up to lead up.

Increase your knowledge:

Training helps build confidence because it goes right to the source of the problem. Read more books, attend more seminars and watch online talks. Confidence grows when you act on what you know.

Smile:

People with confidence tend to smile more, but it’s a learned skill. If you walk around the office and greet others, smile first and ask about their day. The change in attitude about what is going on around the office builds your own confidence because you realize you need to have a better outlook—and that’s highly contagious.

Feel your best being YOU:

Nothing feels better to a woman than looking and feeling your best. Spend time to get your nails done, style your hair, get a spray tan or spend work out several days a week. Find what makes you feel just as beautiful on the outside as you are on the inside and OWN it!

We suggest joining Lead Up for Women as your confidence building resource.

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May-June 2019

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