Episode 170: How To Craft The Perfect Elevator Pitch To Level Up Your Networking
We live in a pretty unforgiving world: According to research, people will form a solid impression of who you are within the first seven seconds of meeting you, and in less than a second they can start to determine traits like trustworthiness. The best way to guarantee a good first impression? A tried-and-tested elevator pitch.
We live in a pretty unforgiving world: According to research, people will form a solid impression of who you are within the first seven seconds of meeting you, and in less than a second they can start to determine traits like trustworthiness. The best way to guarantee a good first impression? A tried-and-tested elevator pitch.
Whether you realize it or not, you’ve given someone an elevator pitch about yourself at some point in your career. Or maybe even on a date. But if you’re not intentional about it, you’re missing out on opportunities.
A solid elevator pitch is key for networking, pitching yourself or your business, and speaking confidently about yourself in social situations. So in today’s episode, we’re tackling the best practices you need to capture your best self, and pitch what you do with confidence in any networking situation.
Tune in as we chat about:
The purpose and use cases for a good elevator pitch
Gill’s elevator pitch crisis — and how everything changed when she nailed it
Using the four “C”s to frame what you do and who you are
The importance of focusing on what you’re building towards
Confident body language tips
How Cailyn is framing her industry pivot
How your mindset determines a successful pitch
PS: If you’ve been toying with the idea of launching a podcast but aren’t sure where to start or how to grow, check our consulting services at teachmehowtoadult.ca/howtopodcast!
If you have a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you want us to interview, comment or DM us on Instagram:
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Episode 157: Teach Me How To Pivot My Career and Reinvent Myself, with Keltie Knight
Life is a long zig-zagging road, and it’s okay to pivot and try new routes along the way. And no one has exemplified how to reinvent yourself and pivot your career again and again more than today’s guest, Keltie Knight.
Realtalk from Gill: I’ve been at a serious crossroads about which path to take next in my career. It can be easy to feel trapped in one lane, stuck where you are, or like you have to choose only one thing to focus on if you want to be successful. But choosing something now, doesn’t mean you’re resigned to that one thing forever. Everything you do is cumulative action towards where you want to end up.
Life is a long zig-zagging road, and it’s okay to pivot and try new routes along the way. And no one has exemplified how to reinvent yourself and pivot your career again and again more than today’s guest, Keltie Knight.
Keltie is a three-time Emmy Award winning television personality, podcaster, A New York Times bestselling author, and former professional dancer. She started her career as a dancer and danced in the Radio City Rockettes, in music videos for musicians like John Legend, and as a backup dancer for Beyonce and Taylor Swift, NBD. She pivoted into television as a host, working on Entertainment Tonight and E! News, and covering huge events like The Grammys Red Carpet. She’s the co-host and creator of one of the top 100 podcasts in the world, The LADYGANG podcast, which she transformed into a TV show and a bestselling book, Act Like A Lady. And now, she has just launched her new CBS primetime show, Superfan, for which she’s the creator, executive producer, and host.
Join us as we chat about:
The key to reinventing yourself and leaning into career pivots
Reverse engineering your dreams and goals VS staying flexible and open to opportunities
How to know when it’s time to move on to a new project or pivot into a new career era
How to handle rejection and bounce back from negative feedback
What to do when you’re categorized and expected to “stay in your lane”
The benefit of having multiple jobs or projects on the go
The power of staying unattached to outcomes and just making shit happen
How to stay focused with your pursuits when you’re a multi-hyphenate person with lots of interests and passions
We hope this episode inspires you to swing big and pursue all of your passions, because as per Ross Geller, you can always pivot along the way.
PS: If you’ve been toying with the idea of launching a podcast but aren’t sure where to start or how to grow, check our consulting services at teachmehowtoadult.ca/howtopodcast!
If you have a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you want us to interview, comment or DM us on Instagram:
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Episode 137: The Quickie: How to Get the Raise You Deserve
To quote our generation’s thought leader, Britney Spears: “You wanna live fancy? Party in France? You better work.” But also, you better ask for fair compensation. Just thinking about asking for a raise makes us cringe, but no one else is going to do it for us, so tits up: It’s time to start advocating for ourselves.
To quote our generation’s thought leader, Britney Spears: “You wanna live fancy? Party in France? You better work.” But also, you better ask for fair compensation. Just thinking about asking for a raise makes us cringe, but no one else is going to do it for us, so tits up: It’s time to start advocating for ourselves.
The good news is, most managers and companies want to keep their employees happy, so this week we’re spilling the tea on everything you need to set yourself up for success. From shifting our mindset, tracking performance, and the scripts to use for your conversation, this is the official guide to getting a raise!
Join us as we chat about:
Unlearning imposter syndrome
How to tell if you’re being compensated fairly
Tracking your wins and collecting your performance receipts
When to broach the conversation with your boss
Leveraging competitive opportunities
Perfecting your pitch
Making the most of development opportunities
What you can negotiate in addition to your salary
We hope this helps you find the courage to confidently ask for what you deserve!
If you have a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you want us to interview, comment or DM us on Instagram:
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Episode 131: Asking For A Friend: How Can I Be An Amazing Manager
Being a manager isn’t easy. (Seriously, just ask Mary Fitzgerald.) Leading a whole team of diverse humans with varying needs and goals can feel super overwhelming. So how do you confidently step into a management role and show others that you've got it figured out, even when you’re drowning in impostor syndrome? We got you.
Being a manager isn’t easy. (Seriously, just ask Mary Fitzgerald.) Leading a whole team of diverse humans with varying needs and goals can feel super overwhelming. So how do you confidently step into a management role and show others that you've got it figured out, even when you’re drowning in impostor syndrome? We got you.
This week, Cailyn’s jumping into the hot seat as TMHTA's resident people manager to spill the tea on how to be a killer boss, whether you're a first-timer or leading a brand-new team.
So if you’re looking to avoid an Oppenheim Group situation on your team (just steer clear of brokers opens!), tune in as we chat about:
Dealing with imposter syndrome as a first-time manager
Setting mutual expectations with your team
Why it’s essential to delegate as a manager
The key to helping your team thrive
How to give constructive feedback
Tips for dealing with conflict among employees
Finding a mentor or coach to guide you
If you have a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you want us to interview, comment or DM us on Instagram:
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Episode 92: How To Design A Life Of Purpose, Using Ikigai
So you survived the interview process and got the job, but what’s next? In this week’s Asking For a Friend, we’re tackling a question from one of our listeners that’s especially relevant now in the time of the Great Resignation: How do I crush it at a new job? With the added pressure of making a good impression and hitting the ground running, it can be hard to find your bearings and feel comfortable in a new environment. Luckily, Cailyn has been going through this exact experience after recently starting a new job, and she’s ready to spill the tea on how to start with a bang.
Hellooo, 2023! While every day is an opportunity to start fresh, January is the perfect time to set new goals and intentions for the year ahead. But if you’ve been feeling stuck or unsure about what your greater purpose is, this episode is for you!
Two of the concepts we’ve been thinking a lot about while setting our own goals for the year have been living more “purposefully” and “intentionally”. And the secret to doing that is designing your life using Ikigai.
ICYMI, Ikigai is a Japanese philosophy that translates to your “reason for being.” It's the thing that gets you out of bed in the morning. It’s your life's purpose.
Ikigai helps you design a life full of meaning and balance so that you’re not just aimlessly stumbling through each day. Your work life, home life, and hobbies are carefully chosen with intention to create fulfillment. That doesn’t mean you’ll always love every aspect of your job and obligations — it means that you’ll be able to accept the crappier parts because you’re living in alignment with the things you care about and that you’re good at.
So how do you find your ikigai? Tune in as we chat about:
The philosophy of Ikigai
The four pillars behind Ikigai
How living with purpose can change your life
The categories we’re working on this year
Questions to ask yourself to find your Ikigai
PLUS download our free Ikigai discovery sheet that outlines all of the questions to ask yourself to find your Ikigai!
We hope this episode helps you discover Ikigai and start living a life full of joy and meaning. We’re sending you all the good vibes in 2023!
If you have a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you want us to interview, comment or DM us on Instagram:
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Episode 89: How To Bounce Back From A Layoff with CEO and Career Coach, Latesha Byrd
This week, we’re throwing it back to an episode that feels as relevant today as it was when we released it in 2020: navigating a layoff. With a looming recession, the volatile stock market, and sky-high interest rates, it seems like companies everywhere are laying off employees each time we log into LinkedIn — especially in the tech industry.
This week, we’re throwing it back to an episode that feels as relevant today as it was when we released it in 2020: navigating a layoff. With a looming recession, the volatile stock market, and sky-high interest rates, it seems like companies everywhere are laying off employees each time we log into LinkedIn — especially in the tech industry.
Layoffs can happen for a million different reasons, and it’s important to know that company cuts and restructuring has nothing to do with you personally. Still, losing a job impacts your self-esteem, your bank account and your career goals, but our chat with Latesha Byrd is back to help you bounce forward if it happens to you. Latesha is a certified career coach and the CEO of Perfeqta, a talent development consulting agency that helps companies build high-performing teams and put equity back into talent.
Join us as we chat about:
Our personal experience with layoffs
Three things people should do immediately after they’ve been laid off
How to gain confidence again
The importance of a “Career Readiness Toolkit”
How to talk about your layoff in an interview
Key traits top talent have that sets them apart
Important questions to ask in an interview
How to use LinkedIn to build your own personal brand
We hope this episode helps you feel a little less alone and ready to jump into your next big opportunity!
If you have a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you want us to interview, comment or DM us on Instagram:
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Episode 86: How To Be A Better Conversationalist And Work Any Room
Just in time for the holiday season, we’re here to help you get back to being the social butterfly, conversational queen that you are. Because between the endless Zoom calls and virtual happy hours, a lot of us have lost the art of real conversation. So as we return to the office and real holiday parties, it’s about time we all brushed up on our social skills and learned how to carry a convo IRL.
Just in time for the holiday season, we’re here to help you get back to being the social butterfly, conversational queen that you are. Because between the endless Zoom calls and virtual happy hours, a lot of us have lost the art of real conversation. So as we return to the office and real holiday parties, it’s about time we all brushed up on our social skills and learned how to carry a convo IRL.
Solid talking and listening skills are an essential piece of thriving in your love life and work life, so this week we’re saying BYEEE to social anxiety so we can work any room with confidence.
Join us as we chat about:
How a little pre-event prep can ease your nerves
Finding common ground with someone you don’t know
Brushing up on current events/pop culture
Avoiding small talk by staying curious and using open-ended questions
The power of being vulnerable and sharing 50/50 in a conversation
How to approach heavy topics in a respectful way
The power of a good compliment and positive vibes
Body language tips for being more approachable
The 50/70 rule of eye contact
We hope these tips will help you work any room you’re in and add a little charisma to your conversations.
If you have a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you want us to interview, comment or DM us on Instagram:
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Asking For A Friend: How Do I Pursue A Freelance Career?
Welcome to our first ever Asking For A Friend episode series, where we tackle your biggest questions and deep dive into our own personal experiences and expertise.
We’re kicking it off with a Q&A with Gill, all about how she pursued a career as a freelancer. With The Great Resignation and more demand for flexibility and remote work, working on contract has never been more popular (#youwontbreakmysoul).
Welcome to our first ever Asking For A Friend episode series, where we tackle your biggest questions and deep dive into our own personal experiences and expertise.
We’re kicking it off with a Q&A with Gill, all about how she pursued a career as a freelancer. With The Great Resignation and more demand for flexibility and remote work, working on contract has never been more popular (#youwontbreakmysoul).
A third of Americans are gig workers, and 13% of Canadians are freelancers, but it can be tough knowing how to start, how to pitch your services, and how to price your work.
Whether you want to quit corporate and be your own boss, or start a side hustle to earn some extra cash, this is your guide to networking, building a portfolio, and finding balance amidst the crazy workload.
Tune in as we chat about:
How Gill started her freelance career
The importance of building a strong network
How to price your services and set income goals
Figuring out what marketable skills you can offer
Balancing multiple clients, scarcity mindset and avoiding burnout
The pros and cons for going freelance
Why building routine and consistency are key
DM us if you have any burning questions that you’re Asking For A Friend, and we’ll dive into them in our next Q&A!
If you have a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you want us to interview, comment or DM us on Instagram:
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Episode 76: Teach Me How To Land My Next Job, Prep For Interviews and Crush Applications, with Emily The Recruiter
Welcome back to Season 2 of Teach Me How To Adult! It feels like *everyone* is low-key on the job hunt right now, and it can be hella overwhelming to navigate the application process, craft the perfect resume and LinkedIn, slay your interview and negotiate the salary you deserve.
But don’t worry, we got you. We called in Talent Attraction expert, career coach, and your recruitment big sister, Emily Durham, aka Emily The Recruiter. Job hunting shouldn’t be a full-time job, and Emily breaks down everything that actually matters in the application process, how to answer the tough questions, and how to make a winning impression.
Welcome back to Season 2 of Teach Me How To Adult! It feels like *everyone* is low-key on the job hunt right now, and it can be hella overwhelming to navigate the application process, craft the perfect resume and LinkedIn, slay your interview and negotiate the salary you deserve.
But don’t worry, we got you. We called in Talent Attraction expert, career coach, and your recruitment big sister, Emily Durham, aka Emily The Recruiter. Job hunting shouldn’t be a full-time job, and Emily breaks down everything that actually matters in the application process, how to answer the tough questions, and how to make a winning impression.
Emily is a senior recruiter at a major software company, but you may know her from her killer podcast, The Straight Shooter Recruiter, or from her TikTok and Instagram @emily.the.recuiter where she reaches over 2 million people with her helpful and relatable career advice.
Join us as we chat about:
Resume and cover letter best practices
Hacks for optimizing your LinkedIn
How to actually get your job application noticed
The right way to network within a company you’re interested in
Navigating salary expectations and negotiations
The key to standing out in a job interview
How to answer the toughest and most common interview Qs
We hope this episode empowers you to apply for that role you’ve had your eye on and crush the entire interview process with confidence. You’ve got this!
Follow Emily:
If you have a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you want us to interview, comment or DM us on Instagram:
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Episode 57: Our Top 8 Tips on Launching a Business
Take it from us: building a successful side hustle or business is time consuming, especially if you’re juggling it between your 9-5 and all of life’s other commitments. But being your own boss definitely has its perks and it seems the entrepreneurial feeling is catching on. Gig workers now represent more than one in 10 Canadian adults, and 20% of millennials – the next could be you!
If you’ve been thinking about giving your own biz a go, this ones for you! We’re all about sharing the wisdom, so in this Quickie we’re passing along the most important lessons we’ve learned starting our own business and how to set yourself up for success.
Take it from us: Building a successful side hustle or business is time-consuming and scary, but being your own boss has some serious perks, and it seems the entrepreneurial feeling is catching on. Gig workers now represent more than 20% of millennials in Canada…you could be next! (And we love that journey for you.)
If you’ve been thinking about giving your own biz idea a go, this quickie is for you! We’re passing along the most important lessons we’ve learned starting our own business—the good, the bad, the hilarious—and how to set yourself up for success.
Tune in as we launch into:
Why you need to stop waiting for the perfect time to start
Defining your mission and value proposition
Understanding your consumer and audience
The importance of setting up your finances and legal structure
Creating killer branding
How to launch with a bang
The metrics that matter for your launch
How to avoid burnout and stay committed
We hope this episode inspires you to take the leap and launch your dream idea! And remember, the key is to just start and keep learning as you go.
If you have a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you want us to interview, comment or DM us on Instagram:
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Episode 50: How To Know When It’s Time To Quit
We’ve all heard the saying “quitters never win and winners never quit”…it’s a mindset instilled in us from an early age, but is it *really* true? Spoiler alert: no, it is not. Letting something go when it’s no longer right for you isn’t a weakness or a failure. Be it a job, a relationship or even a habit, making the difficult decision to quit something can be the ultimate act of self-preservation.
We’ve all heard the saying “quitters never win and winners never quit”…it’s a mindset instilled in us from an early age, but is it *really* true? Spoiler alert: no, it is not. Letting something go when it’s no longer right for you isn’t a weakness or a failure. Be it a job, a relationship or even a habit, making the difficult decision to quit something can be the ultimate act of self-preservation.
Seriously, we’re big fans of moving on from jobs or situations that don’t serve us, and quitting has led to some of our biggest successes!
We’re living through The Great Resignation right now with North Americans quitting their jobs at record high rates, and if we’ve collectively learned anything from the last two chaotic years, it’s that our BS tolerance is at an all-time low, and we deserve to start prioritizing the things that bring us joy, growth and fulfillment. #YOLO!
So, this week we’re flipping the script on quitting and redefining success for ourselves. There’s only 24-hours in a day, let’s make sure they’re filled with the stuff that matters.
Join us as we discuss:
Redefining the narrative around quitting
Why society is entering "The Great Resignation"
How to know when it's time to quit
Our biggest lessons for letting go
What quitting can mean for your career and for creating new opportunities
Choosing yourself over toxic situations
How to quit well and leave on a high note
We hope this episode helps guide your decisions, and empowers you to find success on your own terms. You got this!
If you have a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you want us to interview, comment or DM us on Instagram:
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Episode 44: How To Network Like A Pro
If you’re on the job hunt, looking to change industries, going freelance, or want to scale your side hustle this episode is for you. We’re diving into how to network effectively, which can be hella intimidating for a lot of people. But according to statistics in the US, 85% of jobs are filled by networking!
We called in the founders of Monday Girl, Rachel and Istiana, to give us the scoop on how we can all network like a pro, nail a cold LinkedIn outreach, how to maintain relationships after an initial networking call, and so much more.
If you’re on the job hunt, looking to change industries, going freelance, or want to scale your side hustle this episode is for you. We’re diving into how to network effectively, which can be hella intimidating for a lot of people. But according to statistics in the US, 85% of jobs are filled by networking!
We called in the founders of Monday Girl, Rachel and Istiana, to give us the scoop on how we can all network like a pro, nail a cold LinkedIn outreach, how to maintain relationships after an initial networking call, and so much more.
Monday Girl provides a safe space for women to explore empowering career opportunities, job resources, and more. Through their network, you’re set up to meet thousands of other like-minded and career-driven women and through their social club membership you can get access to exclusive events, career resources, mentorship opportunities, and curated job postings. They also share a ton of free resources and tips through their instagram account and weekly newsletter.
Tune in as we chat about:
Why you should network within your current company
Crafting an “elevator pitch” for yourself going into networking scenarios
How networking brought Gillian and Cailyn together
How to network effectively online right now (we’re looking at you LinkedIn and IG!)
How to navigate going back to in-person networking post-lockdowns
Networking do’s, don’ts and etiquette
Great questions to ask during a networking chat or informational interview
How to maintain your connection after the initial networking meeting?
What to look for in a good mentor, and how to find one
We hope this episode inspires you to get back out there and grow your network, and remember to pay it forward!
Follow Monday Girl:
If you have a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you want us to interview, comment or DM us on Instagram:
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Episode 26: How to Negotiate Like A boss
How different would your life be if you weren’t afraid to ask for what you deserve?
In this week’s episode, we’re talking all things negotiation and how to confidently go after the things you want with negotiation expert Fotini Iconomopolous.
How different would your life be if you weren’t afraid to ask for what you deserve?
In this week’s episode, we’re talking all things negotiation and how to confidently go after the things you want in life, with negotiation expert Fotini Iconomopoulos!
A lot of us don’t even realize that anytime you want someone to say "yes” to something, you're actually entering a negotiation. So whether it’s saying yes to a raise, to buying your product, to buying a house, or to ordering in from YOUR favourite restaurant...you, friends, are already negotiating!
And here’s the thing: Negotiations are not about bulldozing others so you can get your way...it’s about creating a collaboration that helps both parties get what they want. It’s about confidence, clear communication, listening and empathy, and when you break it down like that, a lot of us already have these skills—we just need to apply them!
Fotini dives into all of this and more. She’s been helping people get what they want for decades through her new book, keynotes, workshops and virtual courses, which teach the negotiation and communication skills required to navigate any scenario. She teaches MBA Negotiations at the Schulich School of Business at York University, and in April 2021, Fotini is releasing her first book “Say Less, Get More: Unconventional Negotiation Techniques to Get What You Want”, so stay tuned for that!
Listen to our chat to learn more about:
3️⃣ 3 ways to practise negotiating on a daily basis: 6:29
🤝All the ways you don’t realize you’re negotiating: 12:47
🙅♀️What’s holding most women back from asking for what they want: 15:10
🗣The most effective language to use and phrases to avoid: 19:07
🤫 Why pauses are okay and key to any negotiation: 24:26
🔑Key body language cues to look out for: 29:35
🧠 How emotional intelligence is crucial in a negotiation: 37:03
😠 The difference between being assertive and aggressive: 41:16
🙋🏾♀️How to ask for a raise in 2021: 43:13
👍 Easy ways to brush up on your negotiation skills: 49:38
We hope this episode inspires you to go after what you want and ask for what you deserve!
Connect with Fotini:
linkedin.com/in/fotiniiconomopoulos/
Courses, books and resources mentioned:
Chris Voss Masterclass
Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It - by Chris Voss
If you have a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you want us to interview, comment or DM us on Instagram:
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Episode 19: How To Bounce Back From A Layoff
Businesses of all sizes have taken a ROUGH hit in 2020, and unstable employment is a stressor for everyone right now. So today we’re talking about how to bounce back from a layoff and what to do if it happens to you, with the help of Latesha Byrd, a certified career coach, talent development consultant, Google Digital Coach, and CEO of Byrd Career Consulting.
Businesses of all sizes have taken a ROUGH hit in 2020, and unstable employment is a stressor for everyone right now. So today we’re talking about how to bounce back from a layoff and what to do if it happens to you, with the help of Latesha Byrd, a certified career coach, talent development consultant, Google Digital Coach, and CEO of Byrd Career Consulting.
Whether you’ve been laid off due to COVID, industry shifts, or company restructuring, remember that you are not to blame, and you’re so much more than what you do from 9-5. The best way to bounce back is with a solid strategy: You can start by identifying your purpose, getting intentional about job applications, and as Latesha says, “staying ready so you don’t have to get ready.”
Listen to our chat with Latesha to learn more about:
👯♀️ Our experience with how to handle a layoff: 2:40
👩🏾💻 Latesha’s journey to Byrd Career Consulting: 17:27
🔑 3 key things to do after you’ve been laid off: 19:00
🙌 How to mentally bounce back from job loss: 21:59
💃🏽 How to gain your confidence back: 24:18
💼 Why you need a “Career Readiness Toolkit”: 26:36
💻 How to grow your network: 28:44
😬 How to address your layoff in an interview: 32:01
✅ 3 important traits that all top talent have: 34:37
🤔 Important questions to ask in an interview: 37:18
🤝 How to ask companies about their diversity & inclusivity policies: 40:14
🗣 Using LinkedIn to build your personal brand: 41:11
We hope that this episode motivates you to bounce back and find your next dream career!
If you have a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you want us to interview, comment or DM us on Instagram:
Follow Latesha:
Latesha’s Career Chasers Membership Club
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Episode 17: How To Pursue A Career You Love
This week we’re mixing things up with a solo deep dive into some career #RealTalk! Some of you have asked us how we got our start in the Media and Entertainment industry, so we’re bringing you the good, the bad and the ugly of how we got to where we are today, and our biggest tactical career takeaways.
This week we’re diving into some serious career #RealTalk! Some of you have asked us how we got our start in the Media and Entertainment industry, so we’re bringing you the good, the bad and the ugly of how we got to where we are today, and our biggest career takeaways.
We know it’s a really tough time in the job market right now, and these days, just having a secure job is a blessing. But we hope this happy hour chat helps inspire you to always keep working towards what you’re passionate about, even if that just means networking more, listening to career advice podcasts, or starting to build up your side hustle.
Gillian’s biggest lessons:
Never play small and always be yourself. Being unapologetically yourself in a role will allow you to grow and make a huge impact at a company.
Always leave a company with grace and on a good note. You never know where you’ll end up or who you might need to call up for a job. The best thing you can do is leave with dignity, hard work, and solid relationships, because it will open up networking opportunities for the rest of your career.
Pursue your hobbies even if they aren’t directly related to your career. Passions create balance and help to make you a happier, more fulfilled person. Plus, all of those skills and qualities you learn from your hobbies will end up helping you in ways you never expected in your day job!
Learn when to say yes and when to say no. It’s okay to say yes to opportunities that aren’t your dream job if they will align you with the future that you want (Think: networking opportunities & new skills!). And on the flipside, saying no to the wrong opportunities (especially any soul-sucking bad fit offers) frees up space to say yes to the right ones when they come along.
Don’t take advice from people who haven’t been there. Everybody and their Aunt Sue will have opinions on your career, but if they’re not aligned with where you’re heading and what you’re trying to do, then they are in *no* position to weigh in. If you’re going to seek advice, pick credible, supportive sources who are in your industry and can help you along your path.
Work towards finding your purpose. The world and workforce is changing at an unprecedented rate, and that “dream job” you’re chasing may not exist by the time you get to it. Pursuing a purpose or a vocation instead of a “dream job” allows you to find the WHY that’s behind that “dream job”. Ask yourself what it is that you truly value about the position you are striving for. For example, if you want to be the Editor-in-Chief of a magazine, is it telling incredible stories that fuels you the most? If so, find ways to pursue storytelling opportunities in any industry you enter. This small yet impactful mindset shift will keep you resilient, nimble, adaptable, and always working towards your underlying WHY.
Cailyn’s biggest lessons:
You’ll never feel qualified for your next role or promotion but trust us, you are. It is totally normal to feel uncertain when starting a new role or taking on a new project, but remember that you were hired for a reason! So kiss that Impostor Syndrome goodbye and step into your new position with confidence!
Don’t let work become your life. No matter how much you think that promotion, title, or company will give you the validation you are looking for, it is likely going to be short lived and never worth your whole life. We’re both guilty of putting way too much importance on our career as the main source of our happiness and identity. But we now realize that true validation and happiness comes from yourself and all the stuff that happens outside of your job. Besides, what’s the point of working 24/7 when you can’t enjoy the life you’re working for?
People are everything. People are crucial to an organization and the more you empower your peers and team to thrive both at work and in their personal lives, the better results you are going to see for your business. It is also VERY important to treat everyone with respect, no matter what title they have, because you never know where people will end up and who you might need a favour one day.
Negotiate! Negotiate! Negotiate! You have to negotiate your salary and prove your worth when you are first coming into an organization, because it is so much harder to ask for more money once you’re in. We’ll be releasing an episode on negotiation in the future, but in the meantime, DO NOT LEAVE MONEY ON THE TABLE! And remember that you can negotiate more than just your salary: If they won’t budge on your pay, negotiate more vacation, additional benefits, or a signing bonus. Fight for what you deserve.
The best career advice Gillian ever received:
Therapy helped Gillian learn to prioritize herself and never allow her identity and worth to be completely tied to a job. She was so passionate about previous jobs, that she put them before her own life and health and had no balance. So when she was laid off, her identity crumbled because she hadn’t focused on who she was without her career. Finally putting herself first allowed her to find her purpose and have the conviction to leave positions when she was in an environment that wasn’t a good fit for her.
The best career advice Cailyn ever received:
Cailyn’s career coach, Trevor Timbeck, gave her this advice when she was hesitant to go from being a people manager to an individual contributor in a new role: You don’t have to be a VP or manage a team to be a leader. Every day is an opportunity for you to show up as a leader whether you are managing a project, a campaign, an area of the business, or just a task for your boss. Take it as your opportunity to show what you can bring to the table. It’s like that Rachel Hollis quote, “Don’t compare your beginning to someone else's middle”. Shine in your own lane.
We hope you liked this solo episode and that it inspires you to keep pushing yourself to find the purpose behind your career journey!
If you have a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you want us to interview, comment or DM us on Instagram:
Related Episodes:
Episode 07: How To Pivot Your Small Business and Thrive Online During Coronavirus
With the hard-hitting effects of coronavirus, it’s a tough time for entrepreneurs and small businesses right now, so we’re diving into all the ways you can pivot your business to digital, because your business deserves to make it.
Today, we’re tapping into our favourite moment from Friends so we can all learn to PIVOTTTT! PIVOTTTT.
With the hard-hitting effects of coronavirus, it’s a tough time for entrepreneurs and small businesses right now, so we’re diving into all the ways you can pivot your business to digital, because your business deserves to make it.
How your business responds to this crisis will play a huge part in its future, and we want to help, so we talked to digital guru, business consultant and productivity strategist, Alyssa Coleman. She’s the founder of The Productive Entrepreneur, a strategic coaching program, she hosts events for companies like Lululemon, and she runs epic career-coaching retreats around the world. Listen to the episode or scroll down to see all of the tips, tricks and strategies that Alyssa shared with us to help keep your small business going.
We were SO inspired by our chat with Alyssa and have already started seeing results from her advice. She has tons more strategies that helped us, and you can access all those processes, templates, workbooks, video training and tools in
her signature program Your Most Profitable Quarter Yet.
BONUS: She’s giving Teach Me How To Adult listeners a special discount of $250.00 off the program when you sign up with THIS LINK and use the code “FRIENDPRICE”!
Things may look a lot different for you for the next while, but that doesn’t mean you need to give up on our business altogether. Whether you’re a big company like Dyson, which is producing ventilators to help fight Covid-19, or a local distillery that’s now exclusively making hand sanitizer (shoutout to Mill St. Brewery), there are lots of ways to pivot and make an impact.
And if you’re just trying to stay afloat and make ends meet right now, the best place to start is online. Spend this time rethinking your products or services to meet current demands, and consider how you can help out and get active in your online community:
Offer encouragement and support to your audience
Give them a behind the scenes look at your brand on social
Remind them that you’re still in business and that you still have services, products or content to offer
Experiment! Get super active on social media and forge new connections. Find your people and let them know how they can help you
Figure out what your customers need right now, and help solve their current problems
Lots of gyms and fitness studios are offering free classes Live on social now. In Toronto, Tribe Fitness is running some of their most popular classes on Instagram Live and offering their full class schedule at a discounted rate via Zoom. All Day Fit launched an online hub with daily workouts that focus on body weight and minimal equipment...just in case we decide to move from the couch. Here’s our favourite gear to use for at home workouts.
Nail salons like Naked Beauty Bar, Olive & June, and Her Majesty’s Pleasure are offering new retail products like at-home nail kits to ensure their customers are still taken care of. (The nail situation is getting dire, people!)
Local restaurants are donating food to the front lines and moving to delivery options at lightning speed. In Toronto, Miss Thing’s developed an online delivery strategy so they could cut out the middleman and keep 100% of their sales revenue, and they’re helping other restaurants develop sites that allow contactless delivery.
Just remember that incredible innovation has still happened during global crises. Uber and AirBnB were invented in the 2008 recession. Shakespeare wrote some of his most famous plays during a plague, Newton discovered gravity and invented calculus while quarantined… although we could’ve lived without calculus.
So, don’t give up! Here’s Alyssa’s advice on pivoting to digital:
Is now a good time to get planning and innovating in your small business?
According to Alyssa, now is the best time to ramp up and rethink your digital strategy. “People are being forced to get creative and become really resourceful with their businesses. They’re using this time as a magnifying glass to say: ‘Hey, I really rely on one specific income stream, and I'm going to use this time to diversify’.”
This quarantine is also a call-to-action of sorts for people who have side hustles or who have been putting their dreams on the back burner. “A lot of us are using this time to really focus on our businesses, on the things that we can control as a way to get through this. Sometimes you need to put your head down and focus on the things that you can control and be optimistic about in order to move forward,” says Alyssa.
Four non-negotiables entrepreneurs should be doing daily
To succeed as a small business in the digital world right now, Alyssa recommends following her “Big Four”—four non-negotiable steps that brands should focus on every single day to increase their sales and customers:
Business mindset: Now more than ever, it's super important to invest in your business mindset. “Entrepreneurship is a mental game,” Alyssa says, “and you need to make sure that you are not becoming the thing that's holding your business back.”
Growth: Look at your audience, and potential audience, and figure out how you can grow by at least one person on your email list or social channels everyday.
Nourish: How can I help people? Every single day, you need to show up and provide value to your audience, regardless of whether or not they’re going to buy something from you.
Make an offer: If you number three really well, then this should never come off as a hard sell. “I love that a lot of businesses are really showing up and offering things for free right now,” says Alyssa, “But we should all be putting out free value everyday, whether you’re showing up on social and answering questions or providing free training videos or podcasts.” Then, you never need to feel uncomfortable for promoting your product or service.
How to make the pivot to digital as a brick-and-mortar business
It’s a really overwhelming time for brick-and-mortar businesses, but it’s also an opportunity, says Alyssa. “You’re going to need to get creative, and most entrepreneurs are very creative and resourceful, so you already have those tools in your tool belt. You need to look strategically at what [you] can provide to [your] current audience, rather than trying to start from scratch and grow a whole new audience. Most of these people already do have potential customers, past customers, online followers.
I think it's really important to ask yourself: ‘How can I show up for them right now in a way that's going to provide value, and then how can I offer something more that's going to make their life easier or better that I can charge for?”
Take a hair salon, for example. Owners could start by putting out some free, value-added content like videos or articles on how to treat, cut or style your hair at home while keeping it healthy. Then, they could buy in bulk and start delivering at-home hair masks, colour correctors and dry shampoo (so we can all look fresh on our Zoom meetings!).
How to make digital sales if you’re a service-based business
Alyssa says that the biggest shift to digital happens when you start selling digital products and resources. Let's say you're a hair colourist, you can start selling digital products and in-depth courses for other hair colourists to master their pro techniques while they’re stuck at home. That’s where the big money happens.
“Create a course and sell that to other people who follow you. Ask yourself, ‘Where are my skills?’ and then find the middle of the Venn Diagram between [your] skills and [the] problems you can solve,” says Alyssa.
If you don’t already, start offering and promoting gift cards for your services that devoted customers can buy for future use. “You could offer a discount where, if you book now or purchase a gift card now, you get a free treatment or an offer that’s fairly low cost to you, but is a value-add to people who might not want to invest in something they’re [maybe not even going to get] in the next six months,” Alyssa suggests.
How can companies shift their messaging to sell in a sensitive, appropriate way?
“The best part about being a business owner in the digital age is that you don't have to force anyone to buy anything that they're not financially able to buy”, says Alyssa. As long as you aren’t trying to scam your customers, and you’re being ethical, there’s nothing wrong with continuing to sell your products and services. Not to mention, the Canadian economy is relying on digital businesses right now to keep commerce going while we all social distance! (No pressure.)
“I really want to encourage, women specifically, to not put their businesses on the back burner because they're worried it's going to offend someone,” says Alyssa. “As long as you're using your common sense, your intuition and you’re being sensitive, then I think absolutely you should continue making offers to people. Because if you can solve someone's problem then it's almost a disservice to them for you to not show up right now.”
How to capitalize on that captive audience and engage your online community
Now is the time to build brand awareness and invest in online advertising. “Ad costs are quite low right now because of the current supply and demand since more people are online and they're really engaged, so ad costs are going down,” Alyssa explains.
Whether you’re starting a social media challenge, hosting a panel or webinar, or going live on Instagram and Facebook, “those things are really designed to create a trusting relationship between you and your ideal client and for them to understand your philosophy on their problems,” says Alyssa. “The whole purpose of selling a digital course is to solve a problem, so your dream client needs to understand what your philosophy is. If they don't understand that, they’re so much less likely to buy, so this gives you a great opportunity to make it super clear.”
Part of forming that trust is giving your audience a behind the scenes look at you and your company. Going live on social platforms allows you to share more personally, and to tell your audience what your products and services are all about. “It's such an incredible way for people to feel like they're hanging out with you right there in your house”, says Alyssa.
Alyssa says going live allows you to “nourish” your audience with free content before you “Create an offer” (two of those four steps in her “Big Four”). Alyssa recommends doing this towards the end of your video so that you start off with the value-add content before getting to your main offer...which you should never feel any shame for promoting!
Is now a good time to start an email list?
Yes! Email marketing lets you show up in people’s inboxes in a consistent way that you just can’t guarantee on social media, with the ever-changing algorithms.
“With email marketing, you have a lot more control. People are—don't quote me on this—70 percent more likely to make purchases from their inbox than they are from social. Literally some of the smartest people in Silicon Valley are being paid a lot of money to keep you scrolling (or tapping to the next story) and they have put a lot of money into you not leaving their app. So a lot of people aren't leaving their app to make purchases. It's great to be able to get into someone's Inbox and have a relationship with them when you send something valuable to their [email].”
Create something super simple, like a checklist, a video, or just offer a coupon or discount for a future appointment. Then, offer it to people in exchange for their email so you can grow your e-newsletter audience. There are lots of simple tools you can use to start: MailChimp is a go-to free service for beginners, and Alyssa’s favourite tool is Convertkit, which is specifically built for businesses and content creators that want to email out regular content.
Don’t know what content or services to put out there? Ask!
“A great way to find out what people need right now, is to just ask them! Especially on social. I always recommend putting up polls [asking]: would you rather learn more about this, or this? Are you more interested in getting it through social or stories or through emails? You'll be surprised at how many people are willing to answer and how valuable that information is for you,” says Alyssa.
“But will online audiences even make me money?” Here’s why increasing your brand awareness online is key
“People need to hear about you many, many times [before making a sale]. Some people say 7 to 14 times, I’ve now heard that it's more like 14 to 21 times [before they consider buying anything],” Alyssa explains. “Sometimes you have to be following someone for years and years before you're ready to take the plunge, so the more you can create that relationship with someone, the easier your sale will be later on.”
Ultimately, you should always be investing into your community, regardless of whether or not they're going to buy right now, so you can add value, create long-term loyalty and reap the benefits down the road.
We hope that this episode inspires you to make some moves with your business! If you liked this episode it would mean the world to us if you would rate the podcast and share it with your friends!
If you have a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you want us to interview, comment or DM us on Instagram:
See you next week! xo
Connect with Alyssa Coleman here: