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I N - F O C US
Living Vehicle: Reinventing Living I N - F O C US
Gwendolyn L. Young
Joanna Shaw: Integrating Authenticity
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TRANSFORMATI ONAL LEADERS OF THE YEAR Edition III
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CONTENTS
12 GWENDOLYN L. YOUNG
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28 JEFF HEGGIE
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40 DEIDRE GASKIN
Founder & CEO Your Virtual Admin Expert, LLC
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F E AT U R E D S TO R Y
THE VIRTUAL ASSISTANT T
he global pandemic gave rise to unprecedented times causing businesses to shut shop while others had to learn and embrace the new normal. However, despite the challenging circumstances across other industries, the Virtual Assistant (VA) sector witnessed immense growth. This can be likely attributed to remote working and increasing online presence that took precedence for successful business operations.
to feel passionate about the work and impact they make in every step of the process. Gwendolyn further adds, “By involving them in the process and being a part of the process, they drive their behavior, as they realize that their work not only impacts the agency but every client we work with.” This also reinforces that she, as a leader, holds herself to those same standards and expectations. That is true transformation at its core.
One forward-thinking leader who found an opportunity in the virtual space several years ago was Gwendolyn L. Young. Gwendolyn is the Founder & CEO of Your Virtual Admin Expert, LLC — an online business management support agency for professional service providers. Her dynamic leadership style inspires strength and positive change in others. She says, “I intentionally ask my team for their ideas and thoughts and give them an opportunity to use their voice to play an active part in how they work with our clients.”
CHARGING AHEAD WITH FOCUS
She advocates having the right people in the right positions doing the right things. This holds importance for her as she wants her team
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Gwendolyn was born to a single mother who was then just 17 years old. Looking back at her growing up years, she recalls “I was what some would consider a latchkey kid as I was responsible for coming straight home from school, making sure the doors were locked, doing my homework, and reading my bible scriptures daily.”
She believes this was her irst stab at being a leader; learning to lead herself and doing what was expected of her without question. In fact, she spent a big part of her childhood being responsible for several people and 13
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Being a person who loves to serve and help others, putting me first was a foreign concept, but I had to learn as none of this works without me.
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activities like leading Sunday school lessons, babysitting younger cousins, or organizing church events with her mom.
Gwendolyn's teen years took an interesting turn when at the age of 19, she became a mother and by the age of 23, she was a mother of 3 and married. She shares, “There were some tough times, some great times, and sometimes that I didn't understand anything that was happening in my life.” But all these experiences shaped her as a woman leading her to be a self-assured and committed entrepreneur that she is today.
ESTABLISHING HER EMPATHETIC GOAL Standing strong in her vision, Gwendolyn has established her company as a highly sought-after administrative support services agency in the virtual space. Moreover, she is also recognized as a well-respected thought leader in the virtual assistant industry, the go-to-support pro for professional service providers, and the best place to work for virtual assistants. In fact, the seeds of inspiration to 14
launch Your Virtual Admin Expert, LLC came from a life-altering event in her life. She mentions, “In 2013, I was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus and had to go on long-term disability from my corporate job. A job that I absolutely loved.” After spending months barely able to function, she soon realized that she did not want to return to a working environment where she would have to choose between taking care of herself and doing work that she loves. Talking further about her decision, she adds, “I knew that it had to be possible to do both, so I set out to research opportunities working from home and realized that there was an entire industry doing what I was good at.” Later, she learned that people had been supporting others administratively and operationally online for years. After much prayer and consulting with some close con idants; Your Virtual Admin Expert, LLC was born.
Gwendolyn's role as the CEO and Founder of the company is to ensure that every effort should drive the vision and mission forward. “I focus on driving the growth of the organization, building long-term sustainable relationships
with our clients, and ensuring our team has the training and resources they need to do good work for our clients,” she asserts. A substantial amount of her time is spent talking with new potential clients, new potential partners, appearing for podcast guestspeaking to build visibility, releasing her new podcast episodes to keep authority front and center, meeting with clients to ensure they understand their goals and developing new programs and/or services. She is very involved in staying on top of her metrics and goals to ensure everything is on track and understanding the need to pivot when need be. STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE
One differentiating factor that makes Gwendoyn's company a success story is the exceptional client satisfaction. There is a roadmap that clients go through from the very beginning so that they are well-informed about the entire process.
She shares, “We kick-off every account with a client call to discuss the client's vision, goals, and what success looks like within 90 days. Exeleon Magazine
F E AT U R E D S TO R Y
After 90 days, we come together for a check-in call to talk through what worked well, what didn't work well, how we can support them even more, and what they need for us to improve upon.”
During such meetings, clients are introduced to the wins and valueaddition that the team brings in with their expertise and experience. Gwendolyn's goal is to never let issues get so far ahead that it's too late to pivot and improve. Invariably, her team also sends appreciation gifts throughout the year and after the completion of www.exeleonmagazine.com
major milestones. She asserts, “We are clear that the reality of business is relationships and that clients can choose any administrative agency to support them in their work, but they chose us, and we don't take that lightly.”
From the team's side, weekly project meetings are held where each member is personally responsible to share their progress. The project manager also has monthly 1:1 meetings with every member on the team so that there is a strong hold on the pulse of everyone working with the team.
This helps to address any behavioral or performance issues before they jeopardize the client relationship or the internal relationship. Every step leads to a client-focused experience.
A BITTER-SWEET COURAGEOUS JOURNEY
In Gwendolyn's own words, “the journey has been nothing short of amazing.” It has been a blend of overwhelming emotions —challenging, rewarding, heartbreaking, and joyful. However, looking back over the years there
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Gwendolyn's humility is inspiring. She points out that “growth doesn't happen in a silo and building something of great value requires you to continually evolve as an individual; the learning and growing never stops; even after you reach your goals.”
Challenges are disguised opportunities that pave the path towards long-term success. Similarly in Gwendolyn's career, the biggest roadblocks lead her to learn to love and care for herself, especially physically. She believes her vulnerability helped her to form a strong connection with her clients on a whole different level. Even though she faced tough days due to her autoimmune disease, she learned that she didn't have to hide that from the world or her clients.
Her humble advice to all the emerging and aspiring women leaders is to believe in themselves and their dreams. She emphasizes on the motto “You matter. Your voice matters. Your gift matters.”
Along her journey, she also learned to take care of herself mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. She says, “Being a person who loves to serve and help others, putting myself first was a foreign concept, but I had to learn none of this would work without me.”
Moreover, she encourages everyone to embrace the fear and chase your dreams in every way possible. She also inspires them to stay connected with other women, sit, and learn with them and use that wisdom to grow themselves and others.
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Gwendolyn L. Young
F E AT U R E D S TO R Y
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F E AT U R E D S TO R Y
Firstly, she would have hired a business coach sooner rather than later. Additionally, she would have also joined a community of like-minded people and invested in her development as a person, a leader, a business partner, and a support professional.
Secondly, she would have learned the importance of selling and marketing early on. “I'm so glad that I built this agency organically with minimal marketing efforts, but I know that if I had learned to market and sell earlier, I would have reached my goals even faster,” she shares.
And inally, she says she would have hired people sooner to help her provide services. Gwendolyn adds, “For years, I did it all solo, but I saw the true power of scaling when I started to trust other people to help me.” ENABLING FEMALES FOR TOMORROW
Empowering young girls as well as women leaders to start their 18
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Growing up, there were some tough times, some great times, and some times that I didn’t understand anything that was happening in my life. Today, I am 1000% sure it was all part of God’s plan for my life.
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are a few things she shares she would have done differently.
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F E AT U R E D S TO R Y behaviors and mindsets that steer them towards their goals.
Besides this, she's also helped girls reconnect with their mothers and create solid relationships, while helping other girls to come out of abusive homes and relationships. She has constantly encouraged women to realize how powerful their voices are and how amazing their gifts are. This con idence gave them the wings to rebuild their own life, build businesses, start nonpro its in their communities, buy property, and so much more. “I share my heart, my experiences, my knowledge and my resources; I give them hope by being an example of what's possible,” she concludes. OPTIMISTIC FORESIGHT FOR FUTURE
Gwendolyn is beyond thrilled about the future of Your Virtual Admin Expert, LLC. She and her team are working on releasing a new podcast, a new course, and helping even more women become frontrunners on this entrepreneurial journey.
entrepreneurial journey is very dear to her heart. 11 years ago, she created Seed of Hope Foundation — a non-pro it dedicated to building leaders of integrity for the next generation. This has also helped her empower both teen girls and women through her mentorship programs. In fact, her mother has also helped her to provide thousands of hours www.exeleonmagazine.com
of mentorship for teen girls in life skill development, social skill development, identity, and entrepreneurship. Moreover, Gwendolyn also created platforms and spaces for girls and women to be authentically themselves without judgment. That space has helped them to shed old behaviors and mindsets that have not served them well. This has further encouraged them to learn new
Personally, she sees herself in the coming years still leading this organization to seven igures, speaking across the country, and inspiring women to know that they don't have to choose between what's important to them and what's important for them.
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IN- FOCUS
Joanna Shaw -Integrating Authenticity “We are often taught to dream big dreams,” mentions Joanna.
Her willingness to dream big led her to meet a collective of big dreamers. Together, they formed Unicorns & Unicorns, a one of a kind Creative Production Studio that uses magic to ensure best results for its clients.
Moreover, they back their unique market positioning with a diverse hiring practice, sustainable action, and a desire to integrate authenticity into their leadership.
In an Exclusive Interview, Joanna Shaw, one of the Co-Founders of Unicorns & Unicorns, talks through her journey and beliefs.
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What according to you makes one a transformational leader? How do you integrate the same thought into your leadership? What makes one a transformation leader is being your authentic self. You have to wake up every day being okay with all the strengths, quirks and nuances that make you, you. Be willing to wake up and be okay with who you are.
Integrating authenticity at my Production Studio Unicorns & Unicorns leaves room for elevation and growth in leadership. I recently promoted my assistant because she was ef icient, thorough, and ready to solve problems. I was able to witness her grow/transform into a leader by being unapologetically herself.
Talk to us about your growing up years. What is your earliest memory as a leader that you can remember? Growing up I got to witness the prototype of leadership through my mother, who is a Pediatrician. She was one of those people who always got it done! Work was always a part of living for her. She took care of kids, and she is a mother. It's what she does. She was educated and worked in a hospital in the Bronx in the 70's. A time when women really weren't doctors. It was always her passion to work hard. So, I had a great leader at home. I remember a time I spent 3 months hiking in Kenya, Africa as a part of The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). NOLS was a school that taught you all sorts of cool outdoor skills like kayaking, irst aid and hiking of all sorts.
Before we went out in the jungle the group leaders said “Okay, we're going to split you guys up in three groups, you all must vote on the leader of your group”
The role of the leader was to get the team safely
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to the top of the mountain. I'm proud to say I, as the voted leader in my group, successfully led my team to the top of the mountain. What prompted your interest and subsequently your foray into the media and production space?
At an early age, I discovered the art of storytelling. I knew I wanted to tell stories, but I didn't know how. I had a very strong theater background, so I grew up wanting to be an actress. Later on, through my early thespian career was when I learned this wasn't quite the life I wanted, at least not as bad as others.
Something that always stuck with me was, and still is, my mission to save the world. I'm extremely passionate about serving whether I'm spreading awareness of human traf icking, poverty or cleaning up this world through recycling.
Throughout the years, that shifted as I began working with my Producer friends. That particular relationship lent me the opportunity to produce music videos for Hip-Hop Artists like Jay-Z and Christina Aguilera. It was during this time while in New York, I stepped full- ledged in the media and production space.
I left New York to work on a creative project in Los Angeles. Once the project was complete, I ended up spending a little more time in Los Angeles than I anticipated. I was able to ind a job at an agency where I met the other Founders of Unicorns & Unicorns, Sun Komen, and Adrianne McCurrach.
It was behind those four walls we began discussing the idea of creating our own production company. We put a plan in place and here we are! Talk to us about Unicorns & Unicorns and what led to its inception.
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We're often taught to dream big dreams. You dream and you also want to get out in this world and execute them.
Often times we go out into the world and get opportunities to meet other people who've executed their big dreams. When you do, it gives you a moment to evaluate your dreams and seamlessly connect with others and dream together. That's ultimately how Unicorns & Unicorns was birthed.
Founders Sun, Adrianne and I actually met at our former job, a creative studio. The three of us were often on the same page when it came to expanding our creativity. Through our collaboration we knew we didn't want to be invited to the dinner table, we wanted to build the table, make the dinner, and invite others by giving them the opportunity to join us during our feast.
Being the Executive Producer, what role do you play in the day-to-day proceedings of the company? As an Executive Producer it is my job to incorporate resources, in all aspects of advertising, digital content, editing and such to elevate our inal project.
For example, Adrianne handles branded content and Sun manages our digital components from populating website content to ful illment of our creative products. If we take on a project, it is my job as an Executive Producer to manage our resources by incorporating each other in each other's worlds as often as we can.
What is the approach followed by the platform when it comes to providing optimal client satisfaction? By allowing the Unicorns & Unicorns team to be our best creative selves. We take pride in
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Joanna Shaw
understanding the vision and making it come to life.
Looking back at your journey, what would you have done differently if you were to start out again? I'm never not working, but I also absolutely love what I do! Looking back at what often seems surreal sometimes, I would be more present. I lived from producing videos with Hype Williams, Nintendo, Ford and an iconic Superbowl Ad for Wix, which I am absolutely
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Adrianne McCurrach
Sun Komen
grateful for and remember them all. However, I would take a little more time to soak everything in. What would be your advice for aspiring and emerging women leaders or entrepreneurs? Remain true to yourself. If you're true to yourself and you want to lead, you must af irm that.
What has been the biggest roadblock during your journey? What has been your biggest learning?
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Co-Founders, Unicorns & Unicorns Being lazy has been the biggest roadblock to my journey. Most people may not want to admit that's the reality, but if you're tenacious - the reality is, you're going to get there. We have to be honest and proactive with ourselves when recognizing that.
Finally, what does the future look like for you, both personally and professionally? Continue doing great work and have a blast doing it. Both personally and professionally.
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THE GROWTH MINDSET JEFF HEGGIE
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What according to you makes one a transformational leader? How do you integrate the same thought into your leadership? We live in a fast-paced world where things are changing rapidly. In the past, many businesses developed a culture where employees resisted change. Change was uncomfortable, and they didn't want it. I believe over the years we have seen more and more transformational leaders rise to the top of organizations as they have to be willing to change and adapt with the world around them.
A transformational leader helps to guide a team and organization forward with growth and advancement. It's a leader that isn't afraid of change and stepping out of their comfort zone. This means that they are willing to accept the possibility of failure to achieve their bigger vision.
Implementing this type of leadership requires great communication within the entire organization. The team has to understand the direction they are going, what the plan looks like, and why they are doing it.
Talk to us about your growing up years. What is your earliest memory as a leader that you can remember?
I grew up in Southern Alberta and had the opportunity to be involved in many different www.exeleonmagazine.com
sports. Sports were a great place for me to experience leadership at a young age and learn a lot from my coaches. There are many things I learned as a young athlete that are a part of my life today.
What prompted your interest and subsequently your foray into the business coaching space?
I've always loved business and entrepreneurship. As a bank manager I had a lot of opportunity to spend time with entrepreneurs. I learned a lot from them and a lot about their businesses. Throughout the years I had many opportunities to mentor and coach entrepreneurs. As I was running my business, I had many conversations with one of my business partners, Dave, about the lessons we were learning from our successes and failures and how I wanted to use that to help other entrepreneurs. After many years of this, in addition to some coaching certi ications, I decided to become more serious about the coaching.
What is the process followed by you to take entrepreneurs to the next level with your coaching?
I don't have a speci ic set process that I use with every client because every client is unique and so are their businesses. But one thing that I do put a lot of effort and focus into is helping them to understand their own mindsets and 29
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how to improve them.
A lot of the work I do with my clients focuses a lot on the individual to help them become more successful in all they are doing, which, in turn, directly impacts their leadership and decisions in their business.
By helping them improve their mindsets, they in turn have more powerful thinking, learning and behaviors which makes them more successful in their work, life, and leadership.
Being an entrepreneur, industry leader, success coach, father, and a husband, how do you ensure work-life balance?
I believe it's important to understand that a work-life balance is a myth. At different times, some things are going to carry more weight, priority, and time than others. It's not a balancing act. To me it's important to have a clear understanding of your goals and priorities in all areas of your life so you can allocate the appropriate time and energy.
For myself, I do put a lot of time and effort into my coaching. But my family is my number one priority overall. That doesn't mean that I spend more of my time with my family than my work necessarily. But it does mean that when it comes to things that are important with my family, they take priority, and I am there.
Nine years ago, when we adopted my son from the DR Congo, I moved my of ice to our home and have worked from home since then. Even if I'm working longer hours, I can still be close to my family.
I have been a basketball coach for 20+ years and many of those years were coaching my daughter. Recently I actually coached with her as her assistant coach. What has the journey been like for Jeff Heggie over the years?
As with any entrepreneur, the journey is a roller coaster. There have been the highest of 30
highs and the lowest of lows.
But the experiences have been invaluable. There have been many lessons from all of my businesses, both good and bad. Some of the failures have been extremely hard. They've caused incredible anxiety and stress. But even with the incredible lessons learned, that didn't make it any easier. Those were some tough lessons to go through.
It has been all about the people. Everything you do as an entrepreneur involves people. Customers, suppliers, partners, investors, staff, and on and on. Just like some of my failures, I've had failed relationships. But overall, I look back and the relationships I built were incredible. Everyone from employees, to customers, to investors were unique and great relationships. I had people I worked with on our team who I have such a deep respect for because of the people they were. My mentors and business partners have been amazing and are still people I look up to today.
Looking back, what would you have done differently if you were to start again?
That is such a tough question because some of the hardest failures were my biggest lessons. But if there is something I could change it would be to accept sooner that failure is an option. In the end I made some decisions in my manufacturing company that were based on emotions too much. I took a “failure isn't an option” attitude because one of my number one concerns was protecting our investors. But the reality is, we had already past the point of recovery and failure was going to happen. The only thing that dragging it out longer did was created a bigger hole and bigger losses.
What has been the biggest roadblock during your journey? What has been your biggest learning? Starting such a capital-intensive company was dif icult. It was such an expensive operation to set up and run that cash low was often a Exeleon Magazine
problem. This put us in a position to base decision on cash low, even if it wasn't the best option for the business. In hindsight, I wouldn't have started a business that was so capital intensive.
Then going back to what I said earlier about acknowledging that failure is an option would have made a big difference for me personally. At the point I should have accepted failure, I continued to try to save things with my own funds, some of which were leveraged. This obviously caused more pain when things didn't work out.
What would be your advice for aspiring and emerging business leaders in this current changing work environment?
Regardless of your background and experience,
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get a coach or a mentor. Someone who is not close to you and will hold you accountable for your success.
Finally, what does the future look like for you, professionally and personally?
I will continue to grow both my mortgage business and my coaching business. I will continue to coach clients one-on-one but will expand my reach with more of my group coaching programs and courses. My podcasts will grow and be a positive in luence on many. I'll continue to work with elite athletes in The Con ident Athlete Program. I will always keep my family Number One!
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LIVING VEHICLE REINVENTING LIVING
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While the pandemic impacted travel in adverse ways, particularly with respect to lying, it also empowered people to rede ine the concept of road trips and nomadic living. With more employers adopting working remotely policies, many took to the road – some even permanently.
Perched on the life mantra “experience is the best teacher,” Matthew and Joanna Hofmann founded Living Vehicle (LV) in 2017. They married their mutual passion for freedom with good living and turned it into a reality, and not just a hope for the future.
Today, with Living Vehicle, their mission is to increase sustained off grid capability for all life's needs, including water recycling, waste management, and water generation, which enables endless travel on the road. With the advent of electric tow vehicles, the short-term vision is to store solar energy and then charge the same truck that pulls the trailer, bringing the concept of a fuel-free world one step closer. In an Exclusive Interview, Joanna and Matthew share their journey of living on the go!
What according to you makes one a transformational leader? How do you integrate the same thought into your leadership? Joanna: When I think about the concept of transformational leadership, my mind goes to how true a leader is to the path and the dedication to the focus required to execute. Transformation is explicitly grounded in execution – the actions that elicit change are the drivers that bring progress towards that goal. Great businesses are surrounded with countless opportunities. I remember a quote by Steve Jobs that describes innovation as “not about saying yes to everything. It's about saying NO to all but the most crucial features.” Being true to yourself and having the fortitude to pursue that goal with tremendous focus is what I consider transformational. It is the translation of that focus into the execution of a team. That is what I consider transformational leadership. How did this idea come about of forming Living Vehicle? What were the pain points that you both wanted to address in the market? Joanna: Prior to founding Living
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Vehicle in 2017, we lived and traveled full time in a travel trailer while traveling across the country. During this time, we learned what worked and didn't work for full time mobile living. After designing models for ourselves, we started to provide design services for clients and renovate more than 400 custom mobile projects together. Living Vehicle was created to solve the problems that we faced daily, like compromising life's luxuries to it into a mobile space, as conventional trailer design is fundamentally a short-term product, which in the end, is why they are called recreational vehicles. We architecturally designed Living Vehicle to suit the needs of everyday living such as a kitchen with ample pantry space, extra storage for hobbies and exercise gear, a functional closet with room for hanging clothes, and a spa-like bathroom.
Matthew: I am a tall guy, over 6 feet, so one of the key design factors that I look for in an RV is a bathroom that doesn't feel small, a classic problem to have when considering mobile home options. Living Vehicle's spa-style bathroom was designed with inspiration from real life with features including a spacious 32” x 36” shower with
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rainfall showerhead, walnut inishes, and natural, exceptionally durable materials for touches of luxury. While I tend to look at the world from an architectural lens, Joanna brings a practical perspective to the aesthetics of Living Vehicle trailers to make each vehicle special, functional, and comfortable for every day.
Give us some background to mobile living lifestyle. Why are more and more people inclining towards this form of living?
Matthew & Joanna Hofmann, Co-Founders
Joanna: While the pandemic impacted travel in many negative ways, particularly with respect to lying, it empowered people to reinvent the concept of road trips and nomadic living. With more employers adopting working remotely policies, many took to the road – sometimes permanently. Living Vehicle, paired with the Bureau of Land Management's free camping resources, makes this lifestyle a reality of now, not just a hope for the future. With more solar power than most homes, the allaluminum trailer is designed to traverse all terrains year-round, regardless of weather. So, whether travelers are working from snow-covered hilltops in Colorado, exploring the depths of the Sequoias, or the backyard of an urban dwelling, the vehicle enables owners to call all places home.
Matthew: The advent of technology and innovations found in the 2022 Living Vehicle allows owners to truly work from anywhere. As a result of the 36
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pandemic, Living Vehicle experienced an increased demand for its trailers as many people adopted a “work from anywhere” mentality. Armed with this feedback, Living Vehicle added a mobile desk package to its design with a large walnut desk that can be lowered without disturbing the workspace to reveal a queen-sized bed. What were the factors that were kept in mind when designing the models, in order to ensure utmost functionality and comfort? Joanna: The design of the 2022
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Living Vehicle is as eye-catching as it is functional, with marine-grade materials capable of withstanding the elements of all four seasons and more energy storage than any other previous Living Vehicle model. The 2022 Living Vehicle is also designed to blur the boundary between the indoors and nature outside, with oversized windows, skylights, and an 8' sliding glass door, as well as a fully integrated, self-supporting deck measuring. The 2022 Living Vehicle is out itted with a full gourmet kitchen with a removable cooking island for more space, a 13-cu. ft. all-electric solar refrigerator, and a European-style
marine three-burner oven. The kitchen is the perfect example of function and comfort. One of the most frustrating parts about living remotely are the small refrigerators in mobile kitchens and not enough counter space to cook. We solved both of these problems when building the kitchen in Living Vehicle. The master bedroom is designed to star gaze from bed and can transform into a media room with optional 70” 4K HD “Private Home Theatre” and SONOS surround sound – this also its the bill of being both functional and comfortable.
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What has the journey been like for both of you over the years in building this company? Matthew: The journey to Living Vehicle has been a natural evolution. Living Vehicle emerged out of a need where nothing before existed. Joanna and I were simply fed up with poorly built mobile spaces that did not function well for full time living. It was this need that drove us to create something different – something better. A mentor once told me at the onset of this journey, “business is the ultimate intellectual sport,” and I couldn't agree more. The journey to Living Vehicle has been extremely rewarding, ultimately challenging, and the lives we have inspired are a 38
testament that we are on the right path. Living Vehicle has only just begun.
Looking back at this journey, what would you have done differently if you were to start again?
Matthew: Nothing. I am proud to see our business form just prior to the pandemic and overcome the challenges we have overcome are tremendous. All these challenges have made our company more resilient, countless lessons learned are priceless. Changing one thing that was a challenge would only result in a different outcome. That may or may not be successful. Our most valuable resource is time and
too valuable to spend what I could have done differently. To look where we are today, all things considered, I wouldn't have it any other way. I use the lessons learned to act in the present and make the best of what we have today.
Do you see Work From Anywhere (WFA) culture to be the new future for business leaders? Matthew: Yes and no. I am interested to see what the future holds for business leaders who use a WFA approach. Technology is enabling the WFA culture and is being accelerated due to the pandemic. I am highly concerned about business culture and company focus in a WFA business Exeleon Magazine
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structure. The impacts of not having a team are yet to be seen. This is one giant experiment and will bring transformative lessons in the very near future.
What have been the challenges and learnings that you have faced in your off-grid living experience? Joanna: Living Vehicle is designed to exist off-grid. Our focus has and always will be to create the most off-grid capable vehicle for life ever seen. Complete self-reliance is what will de ine our success. The path to this goal is no simple feat. What does the future look like for Living Vehicle? What are the upcoming new developments for the brand?
Matthew: The mission of Living Vehicle is to increase sustained off grid capability for all life's needs, including water recycling, waste management, and water generation, which enables endless travel on the road. The launch of its 2022 model put us closer to its company goal of becoming “NetZero” than any previous launch. Each year, we build on the success of the latest sustainable model, bringing us closer to our goal of a Net Zero vehicle – no waste out and no energy in. With the advent of electric tow vehicles, the nearterm vision is to store solar energy and then charge the same truck that pulls the trailer, bringing the concept of a fuel-free world one step closer!
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Q & A
Deidre Gaskin 40
What according to you makes one an in luential leader? How do you integrate the same thought into your leadership? What makes a leader is someone who doesn't mind seeing their peers shine even if their light is brighter than theirs. An excellent leader believes in teamwork and not delegation alone. To me, a leader builds others up and not break them down. They take accountability and right their wrongs. Talk to us about your growing up years. What is your earliest memory as a leader that you can remember?
Being an athlete. As a basketball player and track athlete I always did my best to lead by example in not just what I say but all in my actions. Running a team of 20+ different personalities can be a challenge, but once you can relate to your team and build trust, the unity is there. Being a leader on the court or on the track comes with responsibility, loyalty and most importantly discipline, values I still use today. What was the thought that led to the formation of Maylee Media? What was the idea behind the name Maylee?
My late grandmother Mary Lee Wells, “May Lee”. Growing up I witnessed my grandmother be a caregiver to so many people even stray dogs. Haha. Her nickname was “Mother” because she never met a stranger, and she was truly a mother igure to anyone who she crossed paths with.
Relationships are everything as a publicist and just as my grandmother who never met a stranger, neither do we! I took after her in the serving department in wanting to help people. As a publicist, I am here to serve and push purpose through people one client at a time.
Being the Founder and Senior Publicist, what role do you play in the day-to-day proceedings of the company? All roles, haha! I'm the inancial advisor, Human Resources manager, the social media coordinator, I do it all. But my main job is to generate buzz and publicity for my awesome clients. From checking emails, pitching journalists, curating events, and locking in interviews left and right, I'm hitting the ground running to seek out the best opportunities for my clients (on and of line).
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What is the approach taken by the company in order to ensure optimal client experience and satisfaction? I pride myself in honesty. I make it very clear what I can and cannot do. In that which I cannot do, I ind someone that can. I'm very big on under promising and over delivering, not the other way around. Real professionals appreciate this.
What has the journey been like for Deidre Gaskin over the years? Looking back, what would you have done differently? It's been a roller coaster. One minute I feel like I'm on top of the world, the next minute the world is on top of me. No days are the same and the industry can be very distasteful. However, I wish I could have gotten worthy mentors early on, before being a mentor was a “thing” and before everyone became this “coach”. Investing in a business mentor and PR mentor from the start would have prepared me better for a lot of things. What has been the biggest roadblock during your journey? What has been your biggest learning?
I think my biggest roadblock has been me at times. I can be so hard on myself, and I tend to think I'm not progressing. But I'm learning about timing, seasons, and having purpose in longevity. It's a lot out there, between the in luencers, the scammers, the unrighteousness of it all but as believer in Jesus Christ I am really learning to trust Him and in that means being okay with what HE has for me because what I think doesn't matter if it doesn't glorify Him.
What would be your advice for aspiring and emerging business leaders in the PR and Media space?
Learn to be okay with being a student before you become the teacher. I see it all too often people coming out of thin air to become a publicist or a journalist just because you have a few followers or someone you're 42
close to is already famous. It's unfair to the ones who have put their blood, sweat and tears into this. Take the time to learn the craft, appreciate the ones before you and BE HUMBLE. Finally, what does the future look like for you and Maylee Media? For me it's a lot more to come. I'm walking into new opportunities, new relationships, and a new perspective and that can always be rewarding. For MayLee Media, only time will tell, and I can't wait to reveal it all! But in the meantime, you can check out my new website here.
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EXPERT OPINION
HOW TO GET OUT THE MICROSCOPE AND EXAMINE YOUR BEHAVIORS, LANGUAGE AND POWER – W R I T T E N BY R AY A R ATA
B
eing a male leader, manager, or individual contributor in today's current social and political narrative means having the spotlight on what you say and do. But this attention from others on your behavior is rarely a motivator to change or adjust one's behavior. I don't know about you, but this type of attention puts me on the defensive — and I'm less apt to change. Maybe you feel powerless to change; maybe it seems easier to look the other way or blame someone else. One thing is for sure: If you take this approach, you are inviting a personal wake-up call. There is another option. It requires a leap of faith 46
and a commitment to do the work, and I can share that it's well worth it. Consider this a growth opportunity. The more intention you put toward areas that need your attention, the more power you have to change them.
A big part of being an ally and inclusionary leader is about proactively shining light on your behavior, language, and power. How do they impact others? This isn't something you can do alone. Everyone has gaps in their ability to see themselves. Enlisting the help of others to “help you see” what you can't is both invaluable and necessary.
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Start by doing the following:
Declare for yourself an intention to learn more about what drives your language and behavior — without self-judgment. This is all about mindset and it will serve you throughout your journey. The positive effect of this intention is that you begin to understand why you do what you do, as well as what is holding you back. When you get curious about what drives your behavior and language, especially when they produce less than desirable results, you can rewrite your own narrative —and act and speak as an ally and inclusionary leader.
Seek a female mentor/partner and get curious about her experiences and how she is impacted by men's behaviors. There are numerous positive effects to doing this. Inviting a woman colleague or partner (or both) to give you feedback demonstrates a willingness to learn, to be better, and to be an ally — in her eyes. Second, your intention to be curious about her experiences as a woman will help you develop your empathy muscles. This is not about putting the burden of your learning on women mentors. Rather, it's about developing both personal and professional trust that contributes to a bene icial relationship with them.
Seek and secure a male support accountability partner. Leadership positions are predominantly illed by men, and there are numerous times when women are not present. Yet behaviors that are unbecoming of an ally and inclusive leader can still happen. By partnering with a man as a support accountability partner, you can develop your ability to give and receive feedback in support of your growth as well as his. Having an accountability buddy ensures your continued growth. Your organization bene its as more men become woke.
Learn about and understand the concept of power differentials and how others may experience your power and position.
Your leadership position at your company yields power over others, even when it's not your intention. It's important that you understand how this power can in luence others, despite good intentions.
Stepping onto the path requires a commitment to learn — about yourself, your language, your behaviors, and how others experience you. When and if you choose to put yourself “under the microscope,” you will actually gain control of the narrative you want to live into, one that supports and lifts up others. This is what being an ally and inclusionary leader is all about!
A B O U T T H E AU T H O R : Ray Arata is an award-winning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) leader and speaker, consultant, and trainer, with global clients from PwC to Verizon to Toyota to Bloomberg. He founded the Better Man Conference for the development of healthy masculinity and men as allies and partners. He was recognized by UN Women in 2016 as a HeForShe Champion for Change and received the Ron Herring 2020 award. His new book is Showing Up: How Men Can Become Effective Allies in the Workplace. Learn more at rayarata.com and bettermanconference.com.
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