CELEBRATING WOMEN IN BUSINESS
spot THE
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Spring Edition 2022 L AWREN CE L ADY BOS S WHI T NEY S C HN EID ER C AREER PL ANNIN G WI T H ERI N WOL F R AM K IRSTEN’S INSIGH T S C REATING A MOR E POWERFUL YOU
SPRING 2022
IN TH I S
Issue
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L ET TER F R OM T HE E DITOR
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C RYSTA L ’S R E AL E S TAT E TIPS
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E MOTI O NA L FOR E C AS T
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L AW R E N CE L A DY BOS S
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T H E B I G SHOW:FU NDR AISER
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C A R E ER P L ANNING
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K I R S TE N ’S INS IG HT
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SPRING 2022
Contributors
Crystal Swearingen
Adrianna Swearingen
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Tony Gonzalez
Angie Campbell
Amanda Gregory
Erin Wolfram
Kirsten Flory
Melissa Johnson
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Crystal Clear Spring has sprung and while these last few weeks have been a whirlwind it’s important to slow down and appreciate how far you have come and set your intentions on what’s next. This issue provides tips on preparing for your next job, growing your energy with “Creating a More Powerful You,” and learning what’s in store for your emotional forecast. We also celebrate Lawrence Lady Boss: Whitney Schneider owner and trainer at Kondition Haus this issue. I hope you enjoy and thank you for your continued support through the years! 4
Make sure to follow us on issuu.com, where you can find all of our past issues and check out some of our advertisers’ digital offers.
Crystal Swearingen, Co-Founder | Editorial Director
The Spot Mag
@the.spot.mag
crystalsavesthedeal@gmail.com
REAL ESTATE TIPS
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EMOTIONAL FORECAST
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Welcome to warmer weather and happier times ahead! May comes in with the most lovely welcome. We’ve got such beautiful opportunities and new beginnings. As I was connecting with this forecast, I kept seeing butterflies which are a perfect symbol for the energy around May. Lighten your load, spread your wings and fly is the butterfly’s message. We as a collective can work efficiently and have some playtime. Looking at our workload, it may not appear that way, but watch how surprise travels and unexpected invites can miraculously work their way into your schedule without skipping a beat. I pulled a tarot card for this month, and it’s the wheel of fortune. Good things and abundance are making their way to you. Be open to receiving. June possesses fiery energy. Progress and passion are the focus. Continue to do for yourself as much as you do for others and watch your energy get matched. People around you will notice your radiant joy and want to know your secret. The secret is you are doing what you want and need to do to support your happiness. June feels vibrant and alive so take some time to do something you’ve never done or visit somewhere you’ve never been. This universe has much to offer those that are in alignment. Stay focused, make space for unexpected experiences and trust the universe is showing up for you exactly when you need it the most. You’re always supported. Enjoy the next couple of months. There’s so much to come! Blessed Be Southern Psychic Angie Campbell
Crystal Swearingen 785-550-3424 Editor and Founder We celebrate women from all walks of life for their accomplishments in and out of the office. We highlight all the aspects that encompass a woman's experience with inspirational stories of strength, character, and overcoming obstacles along the way. Focusing on women from local communities to those making a social impact on our future leaders worldwide, The Spot Mag is all about Celebrating Women! READ ALL PAST ISSUES ONLINE ISSUU.COM/CRYSTALSAVESTHEDEAL
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LAWRENCE LADY BOSS
WHITNEY SCHNEIDER
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When you think of the word powerful you probably think of the first definition to come up when googled, “having great power or strength”. Simple and straightforward; powerful. For me, “having a strong effect on people’s feelings or thoughts” is the definition that usually comes to my mind when I think of the powerful people I have met throughout the years, whether it be through networking or in my personal life. Hands down one of the most powerful ladies I have met within the last three years of leading Lawrence Lady Boss Project is Whitney Schneider. She obviously has great strength, she owns a personal training business with her husband, but she also has a strong effect on how I, and I am sure many others, think about a wide range of things. Take for example this quote pulled from one of her Instagram posts, “the road to health, strength and fitness is not linear. There are bumps in the road. There are full on derailments at times. But just like life you gotta get back up.” Powerful, right? It is the different perspective on this topic and so many others that has placed Whitney in the powerful box. She is powerful. But you could also use the words passionate, kind, caring, and so many more to describe Whitney and all that she does. Whitney, along with her husband Zach, are the couple behind Kondition Haus, a garage gym and health collective located on the west side of Lawrence. “My husband and I used to imagine that our dream gym would be this big garage gym that sat on the outskirts of town where we could open the doors and have clients do workouts both inside and outside.” Today their dream garage gym sits on the edge of Lawrence (off of Wakarusa and Clinton Parkway behind the nursery) and houses 9 other trainers along with yoga and dance instructors. Their health collective is also made up of professionals including chiropractors, physical therapists, massage therapists and Reiki. Within their health collective, Whitney is also a personal trainer. For the last 13 years she has trained, with the last 11 being self employed. SchneiderFIT specializes in small group training, where their clients range from age 10-82! Whitney is literally living her dreams when it comes to her career. I asked Whitney a handful of questions, here is what she had to say. — What is your favorite thing about being a lady boss in 2022? “I love connecting with people and connecting people with people. We all need support and this community is full of women capable of providing it.” — Who or what inspires you? “My mother inspires me to be independent and hard working. My husband, Zach inspires me to be creative, to dream and to really work toward those dreams. My kids inspire the balance in my life. They remind me to slow down, be in the moment and celebrate life as often as possible.” — How do you see yourself making our community better? “I’m in the business of making people stronger. When people feel strong they are more confident and more capable and ultimately more productive. Lastly, our business provides a space for other private businesses to feel supported and thrive.” — Where do you see your business 5 years from now? “I see us having multiple locations and reaching even more members of the community.” — What piece of advice would you encourage others with? “Don’t be afraid to fail. I’ve failed countless times. Exams, relationships, friendships, businesses…what matters is that you keep moving forward. Success is built over time and in that time we learn valuable lessons and it’s usually through the challenges we’ve had to overcome. “ Lawrence Lady Boss Project was built to connect and network lady bosses in both Lawrence and the surrounding communities. Once a quarter we bring you Networking Night Out events featuring local businesses both big and small. Find us on Facebook at Lawrence Lady Boss Project for more information.
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THE BIG SHOW Local models previewed spring fashions from the top retailers in Lawrence as the community partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters to host a charity fashion show in March 2022 called “the big show.” This fun-filled night almost doubled revenue expectations raising over $30,000 in net profits to benefit this amazing cause. All proceeds supported Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters in Douglas County, serving youth facing adversity in Douglas County with one-to-one mentoring to help them reach their full potential if you are interested in helping in the future in any capacity, contact jjack@kansasbigs.org for more information.
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CAREER PLANNING
Erin Wolfram and Melissa Johnson It’s time for spring cleaning! As you organize
various aspects of your life this year, why not prepare for your next job search? The job search process can be very daunting and time-consuming. To help you feel more confident as you seek new opportunities, below are 10 tangible tips to help decrease stress and increase efficiency throughout your job search. 1. Identify your job target(s) and where to find opportunities: Defining your current job target will help you focus your job search and make it easier to identify positions in which you are most interested. Rather than applying for everything you find, it is better to take a focused approach and only apply to the positions you are genuinely interested in and those for which you are, at least minimally, qualified. Brainstorm where you can find job openings that may be of interest to you. Consider professional organization and industry websites, specific company or organization websites, job boards that have opportunities in your field and within your location of interest, social media job announcements, and people in your network who might know of open positions. Never undervalue your network! 2. Prepare your documents: Prepare drafts of your resume, cover letter, and reference page after you have an idea of the type of opportunities you want to pursue. Have a friend, family member, or professional career consultant look over your documents to ensure they represent your strengths, skills, and accomplishments well and are error-free. Once you have a solid foundation, you will be able to easily tailor your resume and cover letter to the specific positions for which you want to apply,
and you will not be starting from scratch with each application. 3. Alert your network: Reach out to friends, family members, mentors, and colleagues. Let them know the types of opportunities you are considering and discuss your qualifications. Talk to people even if they don’t work in your industry. When you tap into your network, your contacts can access their network, and suddenly you have a broader reach. You never know who might have a helpful recommendation. As you reach out to your contacts to seek assistance, don’t forget to offer how you can assist them. Remember, networking should be mutually beneficial. 4. Create an email account: Yes, you have probably had an email account for 20+ years, but unless you have an email address solely for job search purposes already, you may want to consider creating one. Generate an address that is simple, professional, and clearly represents your name. This will help you funnel all job correspondence to one email inbox and keep you organized. You won’t have to worry about filtering through potentially hundreds of other emails to find those that include job prospects or communication from human resources managers. The last thing you want to do is miss an email with an offer for an interview. To keep your job search-focused email account even more organized, set up email rules to differentiate between emails alerting you of potential jobs and other correspondence such as invitations for interviews. Through email rules, you can automatically send job notification emails to a specific folder so you can peruse new opportunities at your convenience,
allowing more space in your inbox for direct correspondence and a quicker response time. 5. Set up email alerts: Once you have a focused email account and have identified places to search for opportunities, set up job alerts within any search sites that have that capability. Set your search parameters to identify jobs that best suit your interests and qualifications, and adjust your settings to receive daily or weekly notifications regarding new opportunities that meet your criteria. As you find jobs that interest you, talk to people in your network and utilize your connections on LinkedIn to see if anyone has any contacts within the organization. If they do, see if they will make an introduction. 6. Update your social media platforms: It is always good to review your online presence before beginning a job search. Many employers will conduct an online search of your name before inviting you for an interview. Therefore, it is essential to maintain a professional online presence. You can start by checking the privacy settings of your more personal social media accounts to ensure they are set to “private” so the information you share with your friends and family is not visible to a prospective employer. Then, make sure your LinkedIn profile and other professional accounts are up to date. More and more employers are utilizing LinkedIn; it is a great tool to showcase your skills and experience and your commitment to your industry. It is also a fantastic job search and networking resource. 7. Contact references: Reach out to people who know you well and can speak highly of you as a professional to ask if they will serve as a reference for you. Typically, job applications require at least 3 to 5 professional contacts. Current or past supervisors, colleagues, or direct reports make the strongest references and avoid listing personal friends and family members. Provide them with information on the type of opportunities you are seeking. It is also helpful to give them a current resume. If you have individuals who have previously agreed to serve as a reference for you, let them know you are actively looking, so they
are prepared if they are called for a reference check. Keep your references informed of the applications you have submitted, and once your job search has ended, don’t forget to thank them for their time! 8. Create a spreadsheet: Next, create a spreadsheet to help you record necessary information and meet deadlines. Include information such as: position name / organization/company / application deadline / contact person’s name / contact information / link to the job posting / required application materials / how to apply / date you submitted your application / date you followed up to confirm receipt / date you heard back from the organization / interview date As you identify positions for which to submit applications, enter all of the information for each position into the spreadsheet to help you prepare and accurately apply by the necessary dates. Keep the spreadsheet updated as you continue through the process. 9. Schedule time: Once you have systems to help you strategically execute your job search, you are now ready to start applying. Once you have added a position to your spreadsheet, look at the deadline. Schedule a time to prepare, finalize, and submit your application. Applications often take longer than you expect, so set aside at least an hour for each application—maybe longer, depending on the application requirements. 10. Prepare to interview: Once you start applying for positions, it is time to start preparing to interview. Once you have an interview scheduled, it is important to research the organization you are interviewing with and the individuals who will be interviewing you. In addition, practice responses to typical interview questions and prepare questions to ask your interviewers. Remember, interviews are a two-way process. After implementing these ten tips, you will have a streamlined system to help you stay organized and prepared throughout your job search. This should help alleviate some stress and put you on a strategic path to securing a new position. Now start preparing and applying! Good luck!
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KIRSTEN’S INSIGHT
Creating a More Powerful You
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Photo by Priscilla Du Preez
Have you ever had one of those days where
you had no energy? No motivation to get up and face the day, no energy to focus on what matters? Or maybe you’ve been in a place where you had way too much energy, but focused on the wrong things: anxiety, stress, sleepless nights, and fear. I’ve been there, and bet you have, too. Being in a low energy place keeps us from being our best selves. How do we channel and grow our energy in a way that serves us and others? I always know when I am ready for an energy shift when certain things start happening in my life: I toss and turn at night, I can’t focus, it takes me longer to complete tasks, and my eating habits and cravings change. I turn to wine and carbs and binge watching streaming shows. I feel unsettled like a ship without a harbor. What can you do to get your power back, and more importantly, keep your energy from waning in the first place?
er, to a doubtful spouse, these people can suck your energy. Look for people to incorporate into your daily life that bring positive energy, andbe prepared to bring the positivity, too. You may not always be able to remove those negative influences in your life, but you can build up the positive ones. 4. Give up gossip and negativity - do you know how much you gossip? To give you a refresh on what gossip is: casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true (from: Oxford Languages). It is easy to get drawn into gossip, and removing yourself from conversations that contain gossip will create more positivity in your life. Why focus on the negativity of others, when you can focus on the positivity of you? 5. Meditation - having quiet moments to reflect, be centered and create your inner calm can have astounding effects to your energy. The more you are able to build your power shield around the person you want to be, the better you will be able to move past those negative distractions when they appear in your life.
Growing your Energy
1. Show gratitude - I know this might be the last thing you think about when you are in a low energy place. Noticing the smallest things like: a good cup of coffee out of your favorite mug, a smile from a stranger, a roof over your head, can start the ball forward for the bigger things. It’s about the practice of being thankful.
Think about your typical day. What time do you wake up? Are you an early riser, or someone who likes to hit the snooze button a few times? I want to challenge you to create daily habits, starting with your morning routine.
2. Write it down - this can come in the form of a journal, a list, or a brain dump on paper or electronically. Reading back your thoughts can have a powerful shift of your perspective. Getting those thoughts out of your head and into a two dimensional space can clarify your outlook.
The morning creates a new opportunity for us each and every day. It is a chance to start a new page in our lives, and reset from the day before. I want you to get to a place where you can’t wait to wake up and take on the world! To be in a place where you are the master of your power and energy.
3. Build your community - are you spending time with the right people? The external influences in our lives can have a large impact on our energy. From a pessimistic co-work-
I tend to be an early riser. With my husband up and out the door around 6am, I am out of bed soon after him. With a dog to get outside and fed, he creates some instant
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motivation for not sleeping in. I have found that getting up around a consistent time every day (even on weekends) has forced my body into a regular sleep routine. Everyone needs a different amount of sleep, and I know that I function best on a good 7-8 hours. I can function on less sleep, but not for a long period of time. I don’t sleep with my phone in my bed-
room. It is in the next room plugged into the charger. For me, there is something about the ability to constantly have access to that device and communication creates anxiety for me. I also put my phone on “do not disturb” mode from 10pm to 6am (and have certain people flagged as “favorites” who could break through the do not disturb mode if needed during those hours like my kids and my parents). Having good interrupted sleep is very important to me. When I first wake up, I don’t grab my phone. I wait until I’ve had a chance to greet the day, say a few words of gratitude and start the coffee pot brewing. I have about an hour of alone time before my son wakes up for school, and I use this time to do several things: Exercise and stretch. My routine isn’t that intense: it involves walking on a treadmill for about 20 minutes and stretching, or doing strength and core exercises. I don’t always put on workout clothes, and sometimes just slip on a pair of tennis shoes with my pajamas (no one is looking!). The focus here is to get my heart rate up. I also listen to podcasts while exercising. Meditate. For ten minutes I listen to a guided meditation. There are great apps, or even music that you can download to assist you with this. Shower and get dressed. Being a woman with longer hair, washing, drying and styling my hair takes the longest amount of time. I can get away with not washing my hair for several days, which
saves a lot of time in the mornings. I can usually shower, apply make up, fix my hair and get dressed in about 20 minutes if I don’t have to wash my hair first. If it is a hair washing day, I try to plan for extra time for it. Breakfast. I eat breakfast every day. I started seeing a wellness doctor about six months ago, who advised me to eat 100 grams of protein each day. As we age, our muscle mass decreases, and having enough protein helps to build muscle. I didn’t realize how hard it would be for me to get that much protein! It has forced me to pay much closer attention to what I’m putting in my body. Even for a food like yogurt, there are higher protein choices that keep you fuller throughout the day. Make the bed. This activity should take you no more than 60 seconds. By making your bed, it creates a distinction between sleep and relaxation and go time. Having a morning routine has put me into a place of high energy power. I have complete control over my attitude and how I want the day to go. It is a routine that feels amazing and grows my energy from the very start. Creating positive energy in your life takes practice. It is like a muscle that needs training. You can use the ideas in this article to start your practice of developing a more powerful you, and over time, it will come more naturally. High energy people are like magnets - they attract more high energy people.
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