Gloss july 2013 by GLOSS MAGAZINE

JULY 2013 ISSUE

Founder Janine Garner | janine@littleblackdressgroup.com.au

EDITORIAL Managing Editor Kate Stone| kate@glossmagazine.com.au Contributing Editors Helen Treloar Nikki Fogden-Moore Sara Lucas Guest Writers Melissa Browne Renna Dannelutti Karen Gately Blythe Rowe Crol Yang

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Published By: LBDG littleblackdressgroup.com.au

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A Message From Me

Hi all, It’s been another huge month for LBDG in June, with the introduction of our Think Tanks for all of our members. A big thank you to Fiona Craig for the knowledge and insights she provided in Sydney and Brisbane. What a week it was last week with yet another leadership spill - and of course the ousting as a result of our first female Prime Minister. This has changed the goal posts yet again for election issues and policy. Some of these are the current state of maternity leave - I should correct that perhaps and say parental leave, and following on from that the continuing disparity in salaries between men and women, the ways in which small businesses need to be better supported in Australia, the spiralling cost of child care... the list goes on and on. Women in business are not being supported well enough in Australia - what is being done to fix this, by either side? These are topics I am passionate about and need addressing at many levels - especially in the corporate arena and yes, by government. I welcome your thoughts as GLOSS readers on what needs to change for women leaving the workforce temporarily and their options on returning to work. I am also very excited this month to be bringing the fabulous Catriona Pollard to LBD with her half day PR workshops (see opposite). Not only will you learn the tips of the trade, but leave with the know how of how to use PR and media to deliver the brand of your dreams. Don’t forget to Connect. Inspire. Succeed. After all, that’s what women do.

Janine

If you would like to write for GLOSS, or are interested in advertising with us, please contact us via editorial@glossmagazine.com.au

Contents THE LEADING EDGE

MONEY TALKS

BODY & SOUL

Our fearless leader gives her rundown on this month’s issue and what is happening in the world of LBDG

Find out more about our regular columnists and the expertise that they bring to GLOSS every month.

What’s on this month’s LBD schedule...

Blythe Rowe continues May’s discussion about getting rid of workplace bullies.

Melissa Browne gives us a crash course in achieving your goals this July.

Helen Treloar gets courageous about life and business

A Message From Me

4 Steps To Bullyproofing

Contributing Editors/Writers

New (Financial) Year...

Events Calendar

The Leading Edge

GUEST WRITERS

NEWS & REVIEWS

LOIS LANE LIVES

Carol Yang shares her vision of what success truly is - and it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessarily about climbing the corporate ladder.

Karen Gately talks about moderation and the best way forward in your business.

Meet Renna Danelutti - the inspirational founder of Mind To Body candles.

Sara Lucas continues last monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s discussion on starting over financially in midlife.

Nikki Fogden-Moore is on the move - and she is sharing travel exercise tips.

Managing Editor, Kate Stone, talks about her Little Black Dress(es) and what they represent.

Redefining Success

Money Talks

The Middle Way

Body & Soul

Women We Admire

Lois Lane Lives

Contributing Editors

Helen Treloar

Nikki Fogden-Moore

Sara Lucas

Helen is a small business owner, coach, trainer, mentor and keynote speaker who utilizes her proven experience in business and qualifications in Life/Business Advanced Coaching, Master Practitioner of NLP, Timeline Therapy, Matrix Therapy, Training and Public Speaking to enable others to live life on their own terms.

Nikki Fogden-Moore is all about practicing what she preaches – and what she preaches is balance. Balance between work, home and maintaining your personal best.

Sara is a licensed financial planner, writer and speaker.

Working with individuals, teams and organizations, Helen transforms mindset and results for those who are committed to change. With a successful history as a CEO of 3 companies and product innovation expertise in school backpacks, she left corporate to commit herself to fulfilling her own vision of success in 2010. Specializing in executive transitional coaching, small business development and leadership training, in addition to general life coaching, Helen’s passion is to enable others. Helen is also the Founder and MD of FMC Leadership Academy for kids. FMCLA bring kids from 7 to 15 and beyond together to learn how to develop their own self-esteem, confidence, compassion and courage. “By owning our own thoughts, emotions, choices and behaviour, we own our results and our non results. Our future is on our own hands.” forwardmomentum.com.au fmcleadershipacademy.com.au

She uses nature as her playground – and wants all LBDG members to do the same. “Ultimately health, vitality and getting the most out of life do not have to be last on the list. It’s about finding the best information, tools and support that suit your own goals and needs. We are here to inspire, educate and help people stay motivated, with practical tools and information enabling them to make the best decisions for long term health and wellness – My motto: CREATE THE LIFE YOU WANT” The owner of Life’s A Gym, Nikki is a motivational speaker, trainer and all round powerhouse who will help you to bring your body and soul together. Connect with her on twitter @nfogdenmoore or visit lifesagym.com.au

A wealth management industry veteran, she began working with clients in 1987 helping them optimise their finances. She has since continued to work in senior industry roles all over the world with wellknown names including Rothschild, Macquarie Bank, Lloyds of London and BT Financial Group. After a short break to found and lead a number of social enterprises in support of women’s and children’s interests, she founded Sara Lucas; a financial planning and advisory business, focused on meeting the unique needs of women and their families. To further develop the depth of offer to her clients she has partnered with the StrategyOne Advice Network.www.strategyone. com.au www.saralucas.com.au sara@saralucas.com.au Connect with her at LinkedIn au.linkedin.com/pub/saralucas/15/904/276/

Guest Writers

Carol Yang Location: Melbourne Business: Spring Forward carol@springforward.com. au

Karen Gately Location: Melbourne Business: Ryan Gately karengately@ryangately. com.au ryangately.com.au

Melissa Browne Location: Sydney Business: Byata melissa@byata.com.au byata.com.au

Renna Danelutti Location: Sydney Business: Mind To Body renna@mindtobody.com. au mindtobody.com.au

Blythe Rowe Location: Sydney Business: Blythe Rowe blythe@blytherowe.com.au blytherowe.com.au

Events THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

JULY

01 06

MELBOURNE FIRST SEEDS FUNDRAISER DINNER

Calendar SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

SYDNEY PR WORKSHOP WITH CATRIONA POLLARD

23 30 SYDNEY COCKTAIL CONVERSATIONS

MELBOURNE PR WORKSHOP & EXCLUSIVE DINNER SERIES

WEDNESDAY

“We must use time wisely and forever realise that the time is always ripe to do right.” - Nelson Mandela

Redefining Success Carol Yang

There is no shortage of dialogue and expert advice around what it takes to be successful at business. In fact, whenever the topic of “success” is discussed, it invariably centers around business and work. It’s almost as if work has becomes such a defining area in our life that there’s an unspoken assumption that if one is successful at work, by definition ...or it is assumed, that you are equally “successful” in life. Which frankly, is hogwash. In contrast, achieving personal fulfillment and success in our overall lives is rarely discussed. And I would argue that in some corporate circles, even raising the topic will be perceived as being too “soft” and not demonstrating the tireless dedication and commitment required to succeed in the upper echelons of the business world. This definitely applies to women and I believe, even more so for men. Redefining and broadening my personal

yardstick for success has been a quest of mine for a while now. So I was thrilled to read that the Huffington Post has just concluded its first ever women’s conference to come up with a new definition of what it means to be successful. In Ariana Huffington’s words: ”Right now, the two metrics of success that drive the American workplace are money and power, but by themselves, they make a two-legged stool -- fine for balancing on for a short time, but after a while, you’re headed for a fall”. I couldn’t agree more. How many of us have chased and successfully acquired the stereotypical badges of success - career title, status, money, power, all the fun stuff that money buys - and yet still feel as if something is missing. Anthony Robbins states that all humans have 6 universal needs - certainty, variety or uncertainty, significance, love & connection, growth and contribution - that

drive our behavior. How much we value each of these needs determine our actions and what goals we pursue; and to get fulfillment, we need to satisfy our need for growth and contribution. Perhaps I should pause here and challenge an assumption I am making. Does fulfillment in life equal success in life? Or can you have real success in life without feeling fulfilled? What is fulfillment anyway?! The Oxford Dictionary defines fulfillment as “satisfaction or happiness as a result of fully developing one’s potential”. I love this definition as it gets right down to the crux of it - fully developing one’s potential. Obviously everyone is entitled to their own opinion and we may agree to disagree. My belief is that personal fulfillment is a vital part of achieving real success in our lives. And I don’t mean deriving fulfillment only from our sense of pride and accomplishment at work. Those definitely put a spring in our step and are important but it is not enough. Morbidly put, our resume is not going on our epitaph. I’m talking about fulfillment that comes from taking a broader, more holistic view of life (beyond work) and asking yourself “Is my Life all that I want it to be?” A lot of the debate around the hot topic of worklife balance is centered around time. How we need to spend less time on work and more time on life. First of all, I have to say that I find the phrase work-life balance a tad odd. After all, isn’t work part of life? When did we elevate work to such significance that we have now marginalized and lumped all the other (equally important) components of our life into the ‘other’ category? And ‘balance’ always seems to connote that we have to take from one area to give to the other so we are constantly living in some sort of negative state in one way or another. Not a particularly inspiring way to live! But I digress… My point is - wouldn’t it be more productive to shift the discussion to focus more on how to make the time we spend at work more fulfilling and nourishing for our overall lives? For example, why aren’t all companies organizing opportunities for employees to volunteer and give back so that it can help satisfy their need to contribute to a greater good. And how about including courses on life skills that can help meet their employees need for growth and development. Companies

may be pleasantly surprised to find employee retention improving as a result. So coming back to the 6 universal needs. The key question is - do you know which of these needs motivates you and fulfills you the most? Which needs are not being met adequately enough? What’s missing? In short, how would you define real success in your own life? Glamour editor-in-chief, Cindi Leive, a participant at the Huffington Post conference, calls it “having what matters” instead of thinking about “having it all”. An important and significant shift in mindset to re-frame how we go about setting goals for ourselves. With the additional upside of being a little less exhausting. And bear in mind, I mean what motivates and fulfills YOU personally. As women, we tend to be givers and have a tendency to take care of everyone else’s needs first… often times at the expense of our own. If you imagine that all the time, energy and attention in your life is a pie (and who doesn’t love pie!) that gets divided up into slices everyday… you would probably give a fairly big slice to your work/career, an equally large (if not slightly smaller) slice to your family, another slice goes to your friends/community etc. At the end, I suspect the slice you give to yourself, to take care of your own personal physical and mental well being; is probably a small sliver whatever you can squeeze out at the end of your long day. Do yourself a favour. For the next week, reward yourself with some ‘me’ time. And during that time, spend some of it thinking about those 6 universal needs and which are most important to you right now. You might be surprised by what you find out!

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. - Henry David Thoreau

The Middle Way Karen Gately

All too often I observe leaders operating at one end or the other of a spectrum of leadership approaches. At one end is the leader focused on driving results and at the other are those whose greatest concern is for the needs and wants of their team. The ‘results guy’ or intellectual leader as I often call her fails to effectively inspire and engage their team. Equally the ‘nice guy’ or empathetic leader fails to take action and deal with the tough stuff needed to optimize performance. Great leaders integrate these polar extremes and bring a balanced focus on both getting the job done and engaging the people who make it possible. In other words, the Integrated Leader places equal priority on the need to achieve outcomes and to engage people effectively in the process. Balanced in their thinking, they are typically commercially astute and understand the link between people performance and business results.

As I share in my second book The People Manager’s Toolkit, when we integrate the typical characteristics and approaches of the intellectual and empathetic leader, the ‘middle way’ becomes clear. The table included illustrates where the integrated approach to effective leadership lies. The approach adopted by leaders has the potential to profoundly impact not only the performance of their organisation but also the wellbeing of the people they work with. This includes people on their team, peers and even those working outside of the organisation. Contemplate for a moment when you have experienced the impacts of unreasonable demands or a lack of balance in the focus of customers and even suppliers or service providers. A lack of balance is clearly evident in the long hours many leaders work and in turn expect of their teams. It’s sadly common for people in

business to lament the lost opportunity to spend time with their families. Just as common are those who wish they had time to pursue interests outside of work. Those slogging away doing time also commonly struggle to maintain a healthy lifestyle often reflected in both their diet and frequency of exercise.

more ASX 200 companies had at least one female director than those who did not (62%). This is far from a uniquely Australian story. In 2012 only 16% of board directors in the United States were women, in South Africa 5.3% of board chairs were women, and in Canada only 6.1% of CEOs were women.

Just as reflective of the lack of balance in so many organisations around the world is the poor representation of women in leadership roles. While it is important to appoint people to positions based on merit lack of progress made in achieving greater gender balance in the leadership ranks is revealing of inequitable attitudes that prevail. There is no question that many women have a great deal of value to bring to any organisation if given the opportunity to fully contribute.

My challenge to you is to reflect on how you lead and question the extent to which you bring a balanced approach. How well do you balance your focus and the priority you place on results and people, work and rest, men and women, giving and taking, saving and investing, speaking and listening â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and so the list goes on. Balance in all aspects of our lives including at work is a powerful enabler of success and worthy of serious consideration and action.

While we have undeniably moved forward, progress has been slow. For ten years the Australian Government Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA) have conducted a census of the top 200 companies on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX 200). In that time little has changed; the number of women in executive management and board director positions remains disproportionately low.

Karen Gatelyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new book, The People Managerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Toolkit is out this July.

In 2012 only six boards (3.0%) had a woman as chair (one more than in 2010, and two more than in 2008); only seven companies had a female CEO (3.5%, up from 1.3% in 2002). At board director level we have seen an increase from 8.4% in 2010 to 12.3% in 2012. On a positive note, for the first time since the census began,

Women We Admire: Renna Danelutti Australia’s only lotion candle inventors Mind To Body, best known for their one-of-a-kind scented lotion candles have launched a new charity candle aimed at giving back to those in need. Renna Danelutti, CEO and “The Candle Chef” of Mind to Body has joined forces with Australia’s favourite celebrity dancer, Carmelo Pizzino to bring you the “Light for Hope’ campaign with proceeds of the candle going to women’s shelters at Carmelo’s nominated charity, Mission Australia. Renna says “I wanted to create something that would help others and change lives. I was once someone in need myself, that’s why giving back has always been important to me and why I created ‘Light for Hope’, it’s my way of saying thank you”. Speaking publicly for the first time at the very

first ‘Light For Hope’ launch about her past, Renna has bravely revealed that her first Husband was physically abusive leaving Renna with no choice but to flee to a women’s refuge with her 3 year old daughter, with only the clothes on their backs. It was during this time and through the help of others that Renna began to regain hope for the future, Renna vowed to follow her passion of making candles – something that she has been passionate about since she was 15 years old. After meeting and marrying the love of her life Paul 2 years later, Renna invested in creating the formula for Australia’s first and only lotion candle – it took 9 years to perfect the formula that is available today. Mind To Body was born! At only 5 years old, Mind To Body has already reached remarkable success, exporting to 7

countries around the world and winning both 2012 Female Entrepreneur of the Year and 2012 Excellence in Export of the year at the WSABE awards, a finalist in Finalist 2012 State Business Awards for Excellence in Export and 2012 winner of Western Sydney Awards in Business Excellence. It was with this amazing success under her belt that Renna Danelutti decided it was time to give back by creating the ‘Light For Hope’ charity candle range – with a portion of proceeds from the sale of each candle going to charity. The very first ‘Light For Hope’ candle was launched on May 1st with ambassador, Carmelo Pizzino with proceeds going to Mission Australia’s women’s housing scheme.

Mind to Body candles are a unique twist on conventional candles. The candles have been designed and formulated by Renna to encompass the mind and body as one. Simply light the beautifully scented candles and use the warm wax as a moisturising and nourishing body lotion, ideal for massages. The wax only heats to 2 degrees above body temperature, no need to cool or worry about burning– truly an innovative product! The ‘Light For Hope’ candle will use this same candle technology and will retail for $10 less than the original Mind To Body range, encouraging more people to get on-board and purchase a candle for this important cause. Mind to Body candles can be used to brighten up all occasions, they are of high quality using only the finest, organic ingredients. With a wonderful scent and desirable body lotion, they truly are an all-in-one solution to a drawer full of products. These beautiful lotion candles, now a symbol of hope, are available for purchase online at www.mindtobody.com.au

For further information or to interview Renna Danelutti please contact Sarah Wagner on 0412 438 930/sarah@lipcircusmedia.com

4 Steps To Bullyproofing Blythe Rowe

In the May edition of GLOSS, we discussed how workplace bullying is alive and thriving in modern workplaces. Whilst the federal government is working on passing their “Fair Work Amendment Bill” to give new anti-bullying powers to Fair Work Australia, we all need to take responsibility for our role in this workplace issue. Let’s start by looking at ways in which we can BullyProof ourselves from these toxic behaviours and regain our personal power in four simple steps. According to Pricewaterhousecoopers, workplace

bullying is estimated to cost the Australian economy anywhere between $6-36 Billion annually. In 2012, NSW alone received over 5200 inquiries in relation to workplace bullying (up 10% from the previous year). Furthermore, according to the KnowBull Survey 2010, active bullies exist in 66% of workplaces and although bullies come in all shapes and sizes, 72% are the stereotypical “bully boss”. So here we are desperately trying to rid bullies from our schoolyards yet they are growing up, getting fancy titles and hanging out in our organisations! Go figure…

Given the prevalence of bullying, at some stage you may find yourself at the mercy of a bully. It might be a colleague, your boss, a supplier or even a client. Following are four steps for you to take in order to Bully-Proof yourself if and when a bully attacks.

power. Use the 4 E’s approach to ‘facing up” to a bully assertively: i. Eye contact: Maintain eye contact (don’t stare) and ask them what the problem seems to be?

Step 1: Expect it. Anticipate poor behaviour, don’t be surprised. You must understand that the bully is coming from a place of resistance, insecurity and power. When you understand this, you are in a stronger position if they attack you personally. Don’t accept rationalization for the bullying behaviour, get emotional or even argue, as then they have won. Instead, move to step 2. Step 2: Diffuse it. Train yourself to listen critically to the Bully. What are they attacking you for? When you hear the works of attack, usually couched as criticism, don’t react, not initially. Diffuse the situation and excuse yourself with one of the following ready-made response and walk away.

ii. Example: Explain from your perspective a specific example of the inappropriate behaviour and your thoughts on it. iii. Effect: Explain how the behaviour/situation made you feel using “I” language (eg. “I feel threatened when I am sworn at”) iv. Expectation: Tell them exactly what you do expect from them in the future and what you will do if it continues to happen. BONUS E – ESCALATE: If they continue to be a Bully, do what you said you would do and escalate the problem – the Bully will soon realise you are not the person to be messing with!

Finally, remember, as a business owner, as a leader, you have the responsibility to face up to any bullying behaviours you may witness of others around you - Excuse me, I have something I have to attend – ignoring it, hoping it will go away, is simply not an to. I will get back to you later. option! - Sorry, I was just heading out. Can we talk tomorrow? Blythe Rowe is the author or “Bullies, Blamers, - That’s interesting, do you think so? Perhaps Bludgers” and has recently launched a new program you are right (non defensively). for organisations called “Combat Bullying – Call it like it is”. Step 3: Practice it. This is far from the typical compliance-based bullying Gain some confidence first. program. It is a six-month development journey that has been specifically designed to challenge Left up to chance you are likely to fall into the Bully’s individuals to explore their own behaviours and trap and take them on before you are ready (it’s attitudes to regain their personal power. Importantly natural to respond to an attack with an answer) the program will empower individuals at all levels to act if and when they see or experience bullying. The key to being ready is to practice. Here’s how: It also assists individuals to display the confidence, a. Decide on the easiest responses to say. courage and resilience to contribute to the creation of b. Imagine a situation where you get attacked or an empowered and performance-based workplace. criticized, say your response out loud. The program is comprised of a one day workshop c. Repeat with another situation. and an exciting six month post implementation d. Write out the responses to imbed and to make process. them sound automatic. The post implementation process includes snippet Step 4: Confront it. videos of the key learning’s from the workshop, and a suite of simple tools and templates for individuals to Meet the Bully Head on. apply back in the workplace. After you have cooled off, you can now approach the Bully. You are calm and will have the upper hand. Don’t show weakness, don’t apologise or lose your temper. By demonstrating certainty you are every Bully’s worst enemy. The moment a target faces up to the bullying behaviour, you regain your personal

For more information on this program contact Blythe directly on: blythe@blytherowe.com 0415 9471 171

New (Financial) Year’s Resolutions Melissa Browne

Those people that know me well can attest to the fact that I love planning. Whether it’s for my business or my personal life, getting organised just floats my boat. It’s probably no surprise that I ended up as an accountant as I love things like structure, forecasting and goal-setting. Just writing about it makes me want to start a new list of things to do, plan and achieve. With the new financial year around the corner, a lot of people are talking about goal-setting, planning or New Year resolutions for your business. I don’t know about you, but I don’t do New Year’s resolutions. It’s probably because I manage my planning throughout the year that I find them to be a bit of a time-waster. It’s also because traditional New Year’s resolutions are usually made while under the influence of many champagne cocktails or in the grip of a raging hangover the next day. Either way, I don’t believe they’re a real recipe for success.

Of course, just because I’m a New Year’s resolution knocker doesn’t mean I don’t applaud goal setting. Some goals, like committing to wear more heels, discarding tracksuits, being able to pay yourself a regular wage in your business or beginning your first investment are worthy goals and should be taken seriously. What I do know is that it’s what you do once you have that notion of a goal or a resolution that’s important. I call this the difference between a wish and a plan. One is a vague notion of an idea and the other involves steps and actions that can turn that Resolution into reality. It’s the difference between wishing upon a star and sitting down and mapping out how you are going to make it happen. Sure one sounds much more intriguing, less work and a whole lot easier but if you’re serious about achieving your goals, resolutions and plans this year then unfortunately it means getting better at the latter.

So if you want to create a difference in your business in the 2014 financial year, you’ve figured out this might involve some planning but you don’t know where to start or how to see it through, then here are seven steps to help you on your way:

of a really great pair of heels). Similarly, if your goal is to make sales of $1 million in six months and your last year’s sales were $5,000 then you may need to sit down and do the maths to see if it is really achievable. Of course, a stretch target is great – just make sure it’s within the realm of probability.

1. Is your goal specific and measurable? 5. When is your deadline? Wearing heels more often or making more money in your business is too wishy washy. Wearing heels Monday to Friday and paying yourself a weekly wage of $1,000 is specific and can be tracked. 2. Does your goal get your juices going? If you aren’t inspired to achieve your goal then you probably won’t bother so make sure you’re excited by it. If you’re not excited but you know you need to do it, then find a way to make it exciting. How? Well, if your goal is to take a regular wage of $1,000 then plan what you’re going to do with that income. Or take some time and think about how having that certainty of income will make you feel, or how it will reduce your credit card debt. 3. What steps do you need to take to achieve your goal? Hope is not a strategy so sort out the steps you need to take to make it happen and commit it to paper (or computer). Maybe you need to buy an extra pair of shoes (or some band-aids), maybe you need to set up a budget that starts from the 1st July and input it into your accounting program, buy a how-to book, enrol in a course or hire an expert. Write down those steps you need to take, the date that you need to do them by and get started.

4. Is your goal realistic? I’m 5”10 and if my goal is to be 6”2 then it’s probably not going to happen (without the help

Are you going to achieve success within a month, a quarter, six months, a year? Set a date and mark it in your calendar. I believe that a date as a deadline, such as 31st December 2013, is much better than ‘within six months’. It’s tangible and it’s not a moving target that you can keep restarting the clock with. 6. Tell people. Nothing makes you stick to a plan like having to front up to people and tell them you’ve quit. Tell your partner, your family, your friends, your colleagues, social media or blog about it. Then keep these people updated with how you’re going. 7. Celebrate. Setting the goal is the easy part but seeing it through can be tough so when you do achieve that milestone make sure you take a moment and celebrate! For me, unsurprisingly, the reward is usually shoes. You might be different. Whether you purchase something, go somewhere, treat yourself, go out for drinks or dinner or simply take half an hour and boogie around your lounge room, make sure you celebrate making it. That’s it. The only thing left to do is start. So give your business and yourself the gift of time this month and decide to do something different for 2014. Put aside a few hours (or an entire day), grab your tablet, notebook, computer or notebook and simply get started. The only thing standing in your way is you.

The Leading Edge: COURAGE Helen Treloar

What a month it has been! I was privileged to MC the two LBDG Seminars â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Courageous Business - Courageous Leadership - Courageous Mindsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in Sydney and Melbourne during this time. Over these two fabulous days we were enlightened, entertained and connected to 7 amazingly talented and successful speakers; all who gave their time, expertise and experiences with generosity and sincerity.

The focus of the seminars was clear, the expression of the focus was so uniquely individual that it gave permission for anyone in either of the rooms to find their own version of Courage in each speaker’s message and connect to it in a personal way. (This, by the way, is why I am a raving fan of Janine Garner and LBDG. Freedom to express and BE you in a way that adds significant value to self and others, is the rule rather than the exception.) There were many key learning’s from the speaker’s stories and key notes and my distinctions and WOW page notes were comprehensive. Above all of the quality take outs, for me, a single line stood out and resonated deeply and specifically. Rachael Robertson, a woman who lead a team of people in Antarctica for 12 months, said “I made a decision. I would rather regret the things I did do than regret the things I didn’t do.” It was as if Rachael was in my head talking exclusively to me. Make mistakes, make bold choices, be present and care. Since that Melbourne LBDG event I have remained consciously open to learn whatever it is I need to learn, that will enable me to transition my business and life to the next level. I have been looking for the gifts in every challenge, the honesty behind the noise and the purpose beyond the action. My question was, living in a constant state of learning and with so much to learn, where do I focus? How do I know what it is that I am missing right now? How do I refine my learning strategy to take me closer to the specific outcome I am seeking, when what I am seeking is not necessarily a specific goal! The days ticked by, I was busy ‘doing the do’ with an acute awareness of the questions I was asking myself. I sat in the space and allowed the learning to come. I was ready. Yesterday it came. All of my enquiry, curiosity, self talk and fear was realized in a chain of events linked to a single point of contact. At the end of the day I was deflated, worn down, emotional and sad; an experience that I haven’t had for some time. Again, I sat in the space. I looked for the gifts and learning, and so they came, thick and fast. Everything started to connect, as if the pennies were dropping into boxes one after the other, fast and furious. COURAGE I have had a story my whole life about courage. Maybe more on this one in another article. The truth is that my courage for my adult years has largely been variety chasing. When people have told me that they see my choices and actions as ‘courageous’ I knew that I was actually jumping around looking for variety. A no brainer for me is to start anew, throw out all that exists, create the solution and challenge the status quo. None of this has to be courageous, just change making. My courage is something that was tested that day. Courage not to defend, not to attack, not to judge but instead accept, trust and let go. All of my ‘go to’ phrases quotes and proverbs were spiraling around my head that night. ‘We can’t explore new lands whilst holding onto the shore’; ‘we will experience more of the same if we keep doing the same’; ‘the sum of the values of those we hang out with become our standard’ and ‘we are constantly teaching people how to treat us’... and so they continued. My mini-me conversation became crystal clear. STOP! If you truly owned this, I mean really

owned this situation as your own doing, something you have created, and the outcome has served a positive purpose, what is that purpose? What were you waiting for? What is it that you have enabled and created? What is the learning? The answer came - the gift, you have CHOICE. The pond you are in is small. Your ego is safe. It’s now or never, get in or get out, climb down off the fence, invest all of you that is the best of you and commit, let go of that which is safe and setting a mediocre standard and allows you to be a big fish in a small pond and swim with a higher standard that has you positioned as the smallest fish in the largest pond. The test - COURAGE. Courage is now required in a way I have never accessed it before, if I am to fulfill my legacy. The events of that day I have referred to were a gift. My mini-me was now screaming at me. STOP IT! Stop playing safe! Stop doing what you do because you can and instead do what you do because you need to in order to move forward on the road that you are more than ready for. Create urgency and challenge and implement all of your vast knowledge and experience and expertise in a space where many will benefit. Reconnect with your own compelling why, a why the also benefits your family and loved ones. Courage can be any size, shape or colour; it can be a decision, a thought or an action; it can be quiet or loud. For me, courage is facing your fears and choosing to move towards and through them. Feel the fear and do it anyway. Or as Damian King, 4 times World Champion Body Boarder and one of the Sydney LBDG speakers says “turn the fear of the unknown into the excitement of the potential.” Thank you Damian. Thank you members and supporters of LBDG; I got the memo. More than that, I have made key decisions and started the implementation process of the memo. I have contacted and met with people who are in the bigger pond, and have been inspired and delighted by their wisdom and generosity. I have closed down the arm of my business that brought in a steady cash flow and I’m replacing this time for money with time for development of the business that is my legacy. I am focused on those ahead of me rather than those behind me. I am moving towards a vision and legacy that is stimulating, challenging and rewarding. Whatever it is that you are ready to learn will come to you when you open yourself up to receive. It may not come in a beautifully packaged box, it may come disguised as something quite ugly. The test will be in your ability to see through the packaging to the gift. I guarantee you, it will be there. Whatever courage you require to open your gifts boxes, is already within you. “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear not absence of fear.” Mark Twain Life is not a dress rehearsal; make it count. Warmest regards Helen

Money Talks: The Renovation Sara Lucas

Last month I shed light on the ugly, and often unspoken, reality of rebuilding financial security after losing it all. Today I share the stories of two women who have been forced to start over, in the hope that educating and sharing will help other women avoid the pitfalls of financial strife.

Following on from last month’s ‘Just Like Starting Over’ - I talk about women forced to rebuild from absolutely nothing - and share two experiences: of Melissa and Lisa.* Here are their stories of rebuilding, un-engineered and verbatim. You draw your own conclusions, my reader. I firmly believe that we women know the answers ourselves, if we’d only talk more openly and listen. I ask you though, please do not judge these women, we cannot know what is real for them until we have walked in their shoes. Melissa: For a start, I’d advocate no joint accounts. Or at least, I would have kept one for myself. He cleared ‘our’ (my) business account out not once, but twice before I could get a lawyer to stop that. For A$1,000 an hour thank you, Mr Lawyer. Lisa: Equally, no joint credit cards... Melissa: I had no idea how much money we actually had, he had all the documents when he left the marriage and he left the country. I had no idea about our insurances or investments as I had left that up to him. I walked away with a suitcase and a tonne of guilt. He constantly cried poor and I believed him; as he went on holiday after holiday and retreat after retreat to ‘find himself’, so I paid for everything our three children needed - that guilt being so very useful- until I slowly worked out that I was STILL being manipulated and controlled by him emotionally, and more significantly in the end, financially. I will NEVER make the mistake of handing over financial control again. He is older than me so convinced myself that he knew more. Now five years later I see that I am in fact better with money than he is, and that if I had have been pro-active and less stupid from the start, I would have saved myself a HUGE amount of stress and heart ache and that I would have not had to start again now at the age of 39. Lisa: Before we married, I lived well within my means; had savings, property, superannuation, knew the status of everything and had “play” money. On marrying, I abdicated so much of the responsibility, so I could focus on earning the money while husband went to play at his latest sliced-bread idea. His “eyes were bigger than his stomach” when it came to lifestyle and “joint” decisions were made without me taking the time to educating myself on the implications. To another woman I’d say, 1.

Don’t take any large financial decisions

unless you are really clear of the short and longterm benefits and pitfalls. They are very easy to shortcut when life gets in the way, but so worth the time. 2. Marriage is a contract, a financial contract as much as anything else. Don’t let being blinded by love come in the way of getting the practical contract, rules and agreement nutted out from the start. 3. If you can help it, never be part of a couple where both are start-up entrepreneurs at the same time, one of you needs to have a stable income and cashflow. 4. Clearly understand the implications and rules relating to your Superannuation – what it allows and what it doesn’t allow. I had no idea that I would be so severely penalised for taking funds out early. 5. Take active steps to take control and get yourself interested in your personal finance. It needs to be presented in a much sexier, more compelling way than it currently is, if it had been so, I might have paid more attention. 6. Starting from scratch, mid-life with nothing but your smarts and two young children – is a hell of a way for the kids to learn a life lesson about finances. I have an inheritance coming, which will just about meet my liabilities. How bittersweet. Most other women in my situation would not be so fortunate and I couldn’t even imagine how difficult it must be for them. I can barely get my head around my own situation. Sara: where to from here for you? Lisa: I worry that I will get into the trap of spending so much time focused on making the money back through working, that I won’t pay enough attention to making smart big decisions and the overall planning when it comes to creating and managing assets. Should I, could I buy a property again? (which I’d love to do); should I set up a Trust for the boys?; How do I make sure there’s enough put aside for the boys’ education? What happens to them if something happens to me?? Whilst I like nice things like dinners, wine and travel, I really live a pretty frugal life; I don’t enjoy shopping; rarely wear jewellery, and for someone with some background in the fashion industry I am a remarkably low-maintenance female.

Any money I have will typically go towards the boys or to something very practical. So while I’m waiting to pay the remainder of Jack’s term of piano, and hoping like hell the next tranche of freelance work comes through so I can pay the rent, my ex continues to not pay a bean towards our new existence, and is off at computer stores buying crap and going out and getting physio and massages on a daily basis. Sara: You’re afraid to rock the boat for fear of penalising your boys and dragging them into a conflict. Lisa: yes that’s exactly it. . I hope you have drawn some wisdom from these stories and those in the brutally raw comments below, thank you so much for sharing your stories, they break my heart, each one. It’s no easy journey but can we at least start the generational shift by educating ourselves? It’s the next most important education piece after health. Truly. *names and a few identifying details have been changed This article first appeared in Women’s Agenda This information is of general nature only and is not intended as a personal advice. It does not take into account your particular investment objectives, financial situation and needs. Before making a financial decision you should assess whether the advice is appropriate to your individual investment objectives, financial situation and particular needs. We recommend you consult a professional financial adviser who will assist you. Sara Lucas is an authorised representative of Lonsdale Financial Group AFSL 246934

Body & Soul: Take-Away Fitness Nikki Fogden-Moore

Travelling constantly? Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no reason to be unfit - stay on top of your health even if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re constantly on the move - like me!

Keeping fit and looking fantastic from a weekend away to a long vacation – Here’s how to take your GYM with you. Heading off for a weekend or a week away to escape the winter blues and don’t want to loose your fitness and the results from your hard work training lately? Fear not – I’ve put together my top 10 tips for takeaway fitness. Whether you are heading to Byron and Wategoes Beach, a shopping trip in NYC or an escape to the country, there are always ways to integrate fitness into your schedule. Most importantly as long as you are on the road you can take your ‘gym’ with you by using body weight exercises, some basic lightweight items to pack and a pair of running shoes to have you out hitting the streets, renting a bike or the hills for some fresh air and discovery of the area you’re in. Not all locations have a stunning gym and incredible ocean activities like this slice of paradise – but traveling for work or for pleasure and keeping fit is all part of living a healthy life. You need to plan, let go of any preconceived exercise rules and have some packing tricks up your sleeve. Here are my top 10 tips for keeping Travel Fit. 1. Be creative - think outside the box of your normal exercise routine. Try to remember exercises, stretches and routines that you do each week in a class or with your trainer and do these on your own. Learn from your current routine at home so you can take it away and mix and match while you are traveling. Try new things! 2. Pack light – for a weekend away for me it’s my running shoes and an outfit or two pending the location. If I am going for longer I pack CrankIT straps and a skipping rope. Ask to borrow a yoga mat if you are at a big resort or just put on your shoes and head out the door if you’re in a city or the countryside to explore. Hire equipment when you are there for example; learn to surf, rent a bike or stand up paddle boards. You’ll be working out without knowing it and can do these activities with your family too. 3. Explore where you are on foot or by bike - Swap heels for trainers and see the sites on foot as exercise. Even if you’re on a shopping weekend you can get up a bit earlier or take time during the afternoon to walk the city as your exercise. Explore the shops before they open to know your way around. The best way to get a feel for the place you are staying is to discover it on foot or rent a bike. 02.

4. Use core workouts or express sessions if you have limited time. 90% of my yearly travel is for work and I am on the road every week with early starts and late finishes. This means very limited time to train or do longer more regular exercise sessions. I counterbalance this with daily express sessions for example: • 15minutes Express Session: Quick walk or jog followed by a super set of 25 push ups, 25 crunches, 25 tricep dips and 25 prisoner squats. Finish with 3 yoga poses to stretch – for example downward dog, triangle pose and a classic forward bend. • Skiing this season? Then add some core work and stretching to get an integrated workout, prevent injury and get the most out of your time away. 5. For longer trips pack some suspension straps: Take your gym with you with some suspension straps – I always take these on trips of 4 days or more and it ensures I can train on the spot for just 15minutes a day or longer combined with cardio. 6. Skip your way fit: Light weight and super easy to pack a skipping rope will roll up and fit in your shoe. I pack one with me on weekends and longer trips. Skip as a warm up and cool down at different tempo’s then add your core work and body weight exercises in between. You’ll be surprised how effective skipping is for agility and cardio condition. 7. Use Nature as your Gym: Embrace the surroundings. If you are on an island paradise or beach holiday, then head to the water for your workouts. In the country side or even in a city that has amazing parks then head out to explore by hiking, running, walking, biking or even look at horse riding for a more adventurous twist. 8. Use the gym or pool if there is one – research where you are staying and what facilities they have onsite. Pack your swim goggles and squeeze in a few laps between dinners and other activities. 9. If you are a gym bunny then look at doing a 10 pass session for a local gym, spin or Pilates class – it’s an amazing way to meet new people and be inspired by different instructors and places to workout. 10. Save articles and workouts: Load up your ipad with the exercise videos, download the mag for ipad or take a snapshot of the exercises on your phone if you can’t take the magazine with you. There is so much information available, get back to

basics and go for some functional fitness while you are away. Download yoga videos, Pilates or apps that have a variety of exercises you can choose from. Check out www.vimeo.com/lifesagym for some of my workouts you can load to your ipad. Finally: Listen to your body. If you are tired, rest, relax and eat healthy to recharge and rejuvenate. Find exercise while you are away that seamlessly fits into your day, creates a nice moment to switch off and a different way to see the environment you are in. Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cityscapes, skyscrapers or stunning landscapes in the outdoors be inspired to explore the area you are in! Health and Happiness Nikki x

News & Reviews

Featured This Month BOOK: The Great Degeneration by Niall Ferguson - not an easy or a light read, but well and truly worth the time and energy. An in-depth look at how economies can and do fail. Make the effort - you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t regret it. http://www.amazon.com/The-Great-DegenerationInstitutions-Economies/dp/1594205450/ref=zg_ bsnr_3_4

BLOG: Christina Guidotti is an authentic, energetic and entertaining speaker, author, mentor and trainer known for her expertise in Personal Effectiveness and her passion for sharing her powerful messages. Her blog is entertaining, challenging and worthwhile. http:// http://christinaguidotti.com.au/blog/

WEBSITE: Womensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Agenda is a fantastic resource for news, views and great advice for professional Australian women. Subscribe now for updates and to keep your finger on the pulse of success. http://womensagenda.com.au

Mark Webber

Lois Lane Lives: Black Is The New Black. Kate Stone

“The little black dress is a uniform for all women of taste. For any girl, any woman with little money, it’s marvellous to have the possibility of having one dress for the whole season, for the whole year, and be well dressed”. - Vogue November 1926 “Really, they are so badly dressed, I will put them all in black to teach them good taste.” - Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel

I realise it isn’t strictly speaking even a colour, but boy, do I love black. I have been going back to black in terms of my wardrobe for over twenty years now (I was a precocious dresser - non-Goth black at 17) and I can’t see things changing anytime soon. Black is just too fab, too chic - too cool for school - not to make it the basis of my material measure. If you were to see me on a dark night - well, for a start you wouldn’t see me because I take on panther like qualities (I wish) - I would look like a slim inky stormcloud.

It is protection, and a way to feel comfortable about oneself when inside one’s head it is all ‘Oh my GOD I am so nervous, just breathe, breathe, breathe!’ For me, when all other options have me thinkg ‘too short, too tight, too LOUD’ - it is a place to find relief in knowing that I am going to kick style butt. All of these things don’t just sum up a dress. They sum up the spirit of what LBDG is about. The women within LBDG are all the equivalent of the most chic Little Black Dress you could possibly imagine.

That’s my take on it anyway. Coco Chanel can without doubt be credited as the ‘inventor’ of the Little Black Dress. She made black marvellous, instead of the colour of mourning. She made women see what men already knew - that black lent one gravitas, and determination, and could even make one look more intelligent, if worn correctly. But what is it about the LBD that makes it just so - well, so timeless? How is it that putting on an LBD instantly makes you feel like a VIP? When I was helping Janine toast the second birthday of LBDG in June, I started to think about what my (wardrobe full of) little black dresses meant to me. And they are more than pieces of fabric which just happen to look incredible, day or night.

They provide unseen support. They have substance. They have style. They make me feel wittier and better about myself every time I see them. I know that when things are grim, I can reach out a hand and I will receive the equivalent of this wardrobe wonder garment - a way to feel better about myself. LBDG is all about what matters most to women - being able to stand tall and enjoy success on equal terms with men in business and in life. And if I can do that with style and panache, then I am going to enjoy the ride all the more. So a Little Black Dress it is. Watch out world - I have the tools to make it - a dress, a dream... And some amazing friends.

A little black dress is a sign of confidence. It is a sign of a woman who knows her own mind, and knows what she wants. It is a sign of style, and strength, and dignity.

Every LBD member out there is just as fortunate. And of course, impeccably dressed.

It is sometimes a way to shield oneself against awkward social occasions - better to be dressed up in a LBD than dressed down (or over the top) in something we feel less sure of. It could be said that a little black dress is a coat of armour when we are feeling less than fabulous and as though the dragons are out to get us. It is more than a dress. It is a mindset.

Love your work, Ms Garner. You are the LBD of LBDs. Happy Birthday LBDG. Now frock it!

Kate x

It’s our Marketing issue everything you wanted to know to make your business a marketing success The new LBDG website - it’s on its way New Q&A All About Warwick Farm A First Seeds Update from Janine

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