Women Worldwide with Deirdre Breakenridge

Dede Watson is a social media consultant and strategist who owns and operates Turn It Social a social media marketing company. She is a top social media influencer and a Forbes Top 50 Social Media Power Influencer. In this episode, I chat with Dede and learn how she went from selling furniture to social media consultant, strategist, and Forbes power influencer.

We talk about how filling a need and getting asked for help is one of the best ways to build and grow a business. We talk about the importance of stepping outside of your comfort zone, what makes a successful entrepreneur, and how to get started promoting a business with social media. Dede shares tips, tricks, and some of her favorite tools and apps for video. We talk about Facebook advertising, how social media is evolving, and more.

Show Notes

  • [03:20] Dede started selling furniture in Daytona Beach. After about 10 years, she was burned out. She started looking online for different opportunities.
  • [03:48] It took her about five years to actually develop her own business. She started building websites and realized she needed to understand how to promote them.
  • [04:14] At the time, social media was new and she wanted to do some creative advertising.
  • [04:27] She began promoting herself on MySpace and then moved to Twitter. People started asking her about her social media services around the same time that she realized she enjoyed social media.
  • [05:08] She began her social media career on Twitter.
  • [05:36] People coming to you and asking for help is one of the best ways to grow and build a business. Her business didn't happen overnight, it took about three years.
  • [07:02] You need to have a plan and money saved when venturing out into entrepreneurship.
  • [08:29] Normally Dede prefers to be behind the computer. She is stepping out of her comfort zone by promoting her own brand.
  • [10:08] Being hypercritical can hold you back and make you miss your window of opportunity.
  • [12:34] Entrepreneurs need structure and discipline.
  • [15:00] In the past, Dede never thought she could accomplish what she has. She learned that she can be a successful business woman.
  • [16:40] Dede is also enjoying consulting and mentoring people. She gets satisfaction from seeing the results of helping people.
  • [18:32] As she changes her business model to consulting, scaling is her biggest challenge. Facebook is making it challenging for small and midsize businesses to market with advertising.
  • [20:15] Making connections through Twitter is still a tried-and-true method. Instagram also has a large reach. You can do free advertising just by building communities.
  • [23:14] Dede was intimidated by using computers. She still isn't extremely tech savvy. She delegates what she can't do.
  • [25:47] Dede is a hands on learner who has to see and hear it.
  • [27:17] She wakes up and starts posting from her phone.
  • [27:47] She is trying to change course and not make her phone the first thing she does in the morning and the last thing she does in the evening.
  • [29:52] Deirdre carves out time to be on social media, so she's not doing it all the time.
  • [30:42] Every platform is different and automatic posting doesn't look natural.
  • [31:43] You have to be strategic in your posting and micro-target on your business page or account. On Instagram, you can post up to 30 hashtags.
  • [33:12] If you type in your tag on the explore page, you will see related tags. Curate your tags with ones that have been used between 5000 and 500,000 times.
  • [35:13] Don't reuse all of the same hashtags, or you will be shadowbanned. Dede goes back later and edits her hashtags.
  • [37:03] IGTV is a way to find new viewers. Exercise and motivational videos do well. Create a nice story behind your video.
  • [40:07] It's all about building an engaged community on social media. Spend some time, be authentic, and show that you care.

Links and Resources:

Direct download: WW208.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

Fran Hauser the author of The Myth of the Nice Girl is here today to talk about how being nice can be your superpower. Today's episode is about speaking up and being assertive and finding your voice while still being kind. Fran is an author, speaker, and a media executive. She is an entrepreneur investor and the founder of Hauser Ventures.  

She has held many senior positions at some of the world's largest digital media businesses including People, In Style, Entertainment Weekly, and AOL. She is now a startup investor who largely invests in female entrepreneurs. She was named one of Business Insiders 30 Women in Venture Capital to Watch.

Show Notes

  • [03:14] About five years ago friend was working at Time Inc as an executive running digital for women's brands at the company.
  • [03:41] She realized the part of her job that she liked the most was meeting with technology-based startups.
  • [04:16] She realized that even if they didn't partner, she spent a lot of time advising the founders on their business models. She started advising them for equity.
  • [04:53] Doing this full-time would give her flexibility to be with her family.
  • [05:26] This is why she made the shift from media executive to investor/advisor.
  • [06:19] It took her about a year to make the transition.
  • [08:48] Fran mentor's a lot of women, and they kept asking how can you be nice and still get ahead. Fran decided to write her book on that topic.
  • [10:28] You don't have to choose between being nice and being strong.
  • [11:32] Bringing her niceness to work has enabled Fran to build relationships and teams.
  • [12:54] Fran prepared to speak up at a meeting and it allowed her to become more comfortable.
  • [15:30] Women aren't raising hands at open Q & A, but are coming up after the lecture. It's more important that your voice is heard.
  • [16:43] If someone isn't speaking up find a way to draw them out.
  • [17:36] Fran shares a story where she went over the head of one of her coworkers and felt terrible about it. She realized that this was an example of doing something that didn't sit right with her.
  • [19:26] It's exhausting being someone who you aren't.
  • [19:54] Be yourself and have your actions align with your values.
  • [23:40] A section that resonated with readers was where she talks about how women apologize too much.
  • [26:24] You can always ask someone to be your accountability buddy. Being vulnerable and asking for help goes a long way.
  • [30:27] Fran had to share stories to be vulnerable and relatable.
  • [31:29] Fran was inspired by Ann Moore and Paul Caine from Time Inc. They are perfect examples of people who lead with kindness and strength.
  • [31:58] Ann would bring people to breakfast and have them share something that they were grateful for. Paul had meetings and told stories.
  • [35:22] Fran loves owning her own business. She gets to choose the people and the projects that she works with. It also gives her flexibility.
  • [36:57] She loves how a thought leadership platform is emerging from her book. Fran is also doing more speaking.
  • [37:37] People who come to her are women looking for career advice, founders looking for business and fundraising advice, and people who want to write a book.
  • [39:17] Fran keeps up-to-date by reading and meeting with people and being curious.
  • [40:35] Bring your whole self to work. Don't feel like you have to check kindness and compassion at the door.

Links and Resources:

Direct download: WW207.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

How do you build successful teams and positively impact the people around you? My guest today has a proven track record of team-building. Paige Goss is the CEO and founder of Point Solutions Group. Paige is an experienced industry executive with a proven track record in operational execution, large enterprise partnerships, and organizational development.

Throughout her 10+ year career in IT Services, she has been responsible for starting and building teams from scratch in multiple disciplines. Paige’s goal is to positively impact the lives of those around her every day and you can see this in every aspect of her work. Paige’s innovation, efficiency, and diligence recently earned her a spot on the Staffing Industry Analysts’ (SIA) 2018 40 Under 40 list.

Show Notes

  • [03:11] Paige grew up in an entrepreneurial family, and she always wanted to be an entrepreneur.
  • [03:58] She had a background in athletics and working with teams, so she knew that she would be able to create an impact working with teams.
  • [04:28] Paige got into technology sales right after college. She joined a boutique firm and helped it grow from 8 people to 2500 consultants across the country.
  • [05:17] In April of 2017, she launched Point Solutions Group.
  • [05:55] It takes guts to be an entrepreneur. There's also the daily grind. You also have to set goals.
  • [07:55] The sales aspect of your role is the grind everyday. Your best customer is the one that you are yet to meet. This constantly puts you in the mindset of building your business.
  • [09:10] Paige is an optimistic realist. She sets aggressive goals and gives herself a plan of action to get there realistically.
  • [09:51] She's a little more realistic with the finance side and tries to manage expectations.
  • [11:10] If you're not growing, learning, and challenging yourself as an entrepreneur than your team isn't doing it either. Her biggest challenge is getting out of her own way.
  • [12:59] Stepping out of your own way is also stepping out of your comfort zone so you can grow.
  • [15:08] To build a successful team, you need to look for the gaps and then build from there. Paige also tries to focus on diversity.
  • [15:35] We can teach skills, but a lot of times it's difficult to teach behaviors and mentalities..
  • [17:23] The more women see other women lift each other up the better we will all be.
  • [18:03] Culture is everything and people create culture.
  • [22:30] Leaders set the vision of the organization. The vision can shift and change as the company grows. Paige's strengths are morphing the organization into what it is meant to be and helping customers with their challenges.
  • [23:59] She has the gift of helping other people see what's possible. She's also a competitor and wants to win.
  • [25:45] She challenges herself everyday. One of her weaknesses is thinking she has limitations when she doesn't or having unnecessary fears.
  • [27:20] Communication is critical for a leader.
  • [30:51] Paige exercises, writes, looks at what she is trying to accomplish, and sometimes drinks wine to combat stress.
  • [32:53] Be present or take a step back and see where you are.
  • [34:29] Let your team know what you are working on and focus on the human aspect. Don't be afraid to ask for help when needed.
  • [36:04] Networking and building a personal brand is paramount for the new company to succeed. It's important to constantly be out there.
  • [37:37] Paige does a ton of work on LinkedIn.
  • [38:05] She loves to meet people face-to-face and in-person.
  • [39:17] Learning for Paige is fine-tuning what she is good at.
  • [40:13] Go for it and pursue your dreams. You never know what you are capable of until you put yourself in that situation.

Links and Resources:

Direct download: WW206.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

How do you go from lawyer to actor to entrepreneur and podcaster? Find out with my next guest who is an expert in wanderlust. John Lim is an entrepreneur, TEDx speaker, author, and podcaster who I had the pleasure of connecting with on Twitter. John is a lifelong learner, and began his first career as an attorney at the age of 25.

While developing his presentation skills, he stumbled upon his interest in acting. Through a series of events he ended up being on National Geographic, the History Channel, and commercials. He also played Sulu on Star Trek the Next Voyage across from George Takei. John shares his journey and explains how he ended up becoming an entrepreneur and podcaster.

Show Notes

  • [04:30] John's career wanderlust has been more of a reflection of his own journey.
  • [06:05] When John was in law school, he took an acting class because he thought it would help his career.
  • [06:51] He fell in love with acting.
  • [07:27] He was an attorney at 25 years old. He chose the wrong firm, and he was unhappy.
  • [08:58] Sometimes young attorneys go to law school for the wrong reasons.
  • [09:20] John left his practice and shifted into educational consulting.
  • [09:55] He developed his presentation skills and was advised by an acting coach that maybe he should try getting back into acting.
  • [10:17] He took more acting classes.
  • [11:08] Being on camera really stretched John past his comfort zone. His acting teacher also encouraged him to take up acting.
  • [11:21] He started auditioning and actually got some rolls. He acted for National Geographic, the History Channel, and did some commercials.
  • [12:12] He discovered independent films called fan films.
  • [12:54] He was blown away by Star Trek New Voyage.
  • [13:44] John auditioned for the role of Sulu and even played across from George Takei.
  • [15:24] While still trying to act he had a life-changing event. His mother had a heart attack. He was crushed when he lost his mother in 2008.
  • [17:03] He started consulting again.
  • [17:58] He decided to go back to school and get his MBA.
  • [18:24] He met some great professors who were entrepreneurs.
  • [18:52] John decided to take the leap and become an entrepreneur. Launching his podcast has been part of the journey.
  • [20:24] John is a lifelong learner and being an entrepreneur fits perfectly with that lifestyle.
  • [21:14] John and Deirdre connected on Twitter.
  • [24:47] John stumbled upon podcasts accidentally and started listening to Robert Kiyosaki's radio show.
  • [25:14] He became immersed in podcasts and realized that he might want to try it.
  • [27:09] The podcast helped him develop relationships and find connections on social media.
  • [29:14] John has been working on a project helping his dad take his business online.
  • [30:38] Because of his podcast, John was invited to give his first TEDx Talk.
  • [31:28] He is working on his first book and starting a second podcast.
  • [32:34] John has been able to grow and try new things because of failures and setbacks.
  • [32:53] For John, success is about family and health.
  • [34:20] He considers business success being on your own and being able to pay the bills.
  • [35:20] When you become an entrepreneur sometimes your outlook changes. Even relationships sometimes require an audit.
  • [36:38] Trying something different can be a lens to see who in your life really support you.
  • [37:47] As an entrepreneur, John has failures every week.
  • [39:28] Making your own decisions can be stressful. You need a tolerance for ambiguity and a tolerance to know that everything you try may not work out.
  • [40:17] John's biggest failure last year was probably saying yes to too many things which detracted from his real priorities.
  • [41:32] It's also important to know your worth and guard your time when necessary.
  • [43:07] Consume as much content as you can. Start creating content. Put yourself out there, because the content you create will become part of your branding.

Links and Resources:

Direct download: WW205.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

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