Episode 57: Minding Your Mindfulness in Business Guest Co-Host: Erin Sonn of Eat Yoga Drink
What do having to go to the bathroom and flaming bags of dog waste have to do with mindfulness?
Today Erin Sonn of Eat Yoga Drink returns to give us an update on what she's been up to since Episode 4. We're talking about the benefits and misconceptions of a mindful practice.
More About Eat Yoga Drink
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EatYogaDrink/
More About The SpitFire Podcast
Subscribe: Apple Podcast | Spotify
Website: www.spitfirepodcast.com
Instagram: @thespitfirecoach
Sponsor: http://spitfirecoach.com/sponsor/
Episode 56: Sparking and Maintaining Your Creativity with Guest Host: KiKi L'Italien
Guest Co-Host, KiKi L'Italien of Association Chat and Amplified Growth, has her debut on The SpitFire Podcast as we discuss where creativity, productivity and motivation come from and how we can better sustain it in the most stressful times.
Find out Lauren and KiKi's tips of inspiration and maintaining that energy.
More About KiKi L'Italien
Instagram: @assnchat @kikilitalien
More About The SpitFire Podcast
Website: www.spitfirepodcast.com
Instagram: @thespitfirecoach
Sponsor: http://spitfirecoach.com/sponsor/
Episode 55: DIYitis with Guest Host: Chelsea Cole of A Duck's Oven
Chelsea Cole of A Duck's Oven is back to guest co-host the inaugural episode of 2019. We're talking about her new cookbook and AirBnB and how she learned to manage her DIYitis in the process. Learn what you can do about your own issues with Doing It Yourself.
What's DIYitis?
DIYitis is the obsession and compulsion to constantly do things yourself. Most commonly afflicting entrepreneurs and caretakers, this mental ailment can lead to exhaustion, overwhelm, snippy moods and burnout.
More About Chelsea Cole
Instagram: @aducksoven
Website: www.aducksoven.com
Every Day Sous Vide: It's All French to Me
AirBnB Instagram: @citystayvacations
More About The SpitFire Podcast
Website: www.spitfirepodcast.com
Instagram: @thespitfirecoach
Sponsor: http://spitfirecoach.com/sponsor/
Episode 54: Rewriting Your SpitFire Story
How many labels, expectations and beliefs are you carrying from your childhood that don't work for you?
For me, I was the "little girl" who made everything cute and easy even when I was boiling inside. This may have worked as a precocious 6-year-old, but didn't translate so well in the Board Room.
Download the complimentary SpitFire Story worksheet here and rewrite the past stories and assumptions that may still be holding you back: http://spitfirecoach.com/s/Book-Study-SpitFire-Story.docx
You can also watch the video version of this episode here: https://youtu.be/PZcZVB-XqVQ
Get yourself a copy of Spitting Fire here: www.spitfirecoach.com/book
Episode 53: The Mad Optimist: They Give a Sh*t!
Mohammed, Anthony and Mohammed (Co-Founders of The Mad Optimist)
Last month Lauren met the co-founders of The Mad Optimist and had to sit down to talk about their optimistic and disruptive ways!
"It all began with three guys in Bloomington, Indiana. We lived together. Hung out together. Went to school together. And one day decided to change the world together—starting in our own kitchen.
It was here that we began hashing out our master plan for a radical new movement centered around community, kindness, transparency and equality. We also got to talking about building a business—one that puts people and the planet first, instead of profits. Sounds crazy, right?
Well, we’re doing it—and all-natural bodycare is the backbone of it all.
From soaps to soaks, we’re making products that are meant to love. And we’re having a hell of a good time doing it.
Call us crazy, but doing things a better way just isn’t that hard. We want others to do the same. And we’re eternally optimistic that our good vibes will rub off on everyone."
Episode 52: What a Difference a Year Makes!
Holy Crap! We made it through our first year and gotta celebrate! We're celebrating the updates of our past guests from leaving unfulfilling careers to writing a cookbook, our SpitFire guests are doing it all!
Hear updates from:
Episode 5: Eli Lev, Folk Rock n Roller
Episode 9: From Karaoke Queen to Perfectionist Front Woman, Ginny Hill
Episode 11: Rethinking The Way We Meet and Interact with Arianna Rehak
Episode 15: The Watercolor Wonder Woman, Cassie Carpenito
Episode 16: Tapping Into Your Full Potential with Belinda Brown
Episode 20: Growing Bold with Patricia Brooks
Episode 21: Harnessing District Pride with JC Smith of Bailiwick Clothing
Episode 22: The Power of Words On and Off Camerawith Debra Alfarone
Episode 24: F*CK IT! Let's Do It! with the Founders of Sip City
Episode 32: Andromeda Peters, Miss Virginia - Passion Through Pageantry
Episode 34: Behind the Lens with Cerissa Photography
Episode 35: What's Your Spirit Animal? Emma Sage Fine Art
Episode 38: Off a Duck's Back with Chelsea Cole, A Duck's Oven
Episode 51: Navigating Negative News
I don't know about you, but this has been a rough month. From terrorist attacks to hate speech, it can feel like this is never going to get better. We get angry, sad, withdrawn and can feel helpless.
I wanted to record this week's show to give you a tools to deal with the negativity that's spewing about. This show is all about you putting the focus back on you - it's time to take super good care of you.
We're talking about emotional range and why some people feel things more intensely than others and what you can do to cope and recover from those emotional shifts.
Episode 50: Do You Talk About What You Make?
Justin Trawick takes the role of guest host as he and Lauren discuss what's fair in equal pay, what they're watching on Netflix and how to deal with difficult people.
Episode 49: What's Your Power SpitFire Role?
After speaking at The Day of Innovation in Indianapolis, Lauren reflects on her session on the 55/5 Rule and the limiting impact of playing in someone else's expectations and limitations and the need to identify your SpitFire power role.
If a room full of innovation professionals could identify nine different roles that they play in the creative process, how many roles are there in your company or business and what role are you most powerful in?
Episode 48: The Learning Lab with Chris Lewis, Founder and CEO of LEWIS PR
Change is a-coming and leadership is not exempt! Lauren sits down with bestselling author, Founder and CEO of LEWIS PR, Chris Lewis to talk about his latest book, "The Leadership Lab: Understanding Leadership in the 21st Century."
“Leadership is an attitude and it can be displayed at any level of a company” but the old guard is still holding tight and resisting diversity in their leadership.
Hear about how FUN is at the epicenter of successful organizations and what Chris sees as the ideal qualities every leader needs to possess.
The Leadership Lab includes exclusive interviews with top executives grappling with the new world order and discusses what key global trends keep them awake at night and how they respond to them. It is a must-read for aspiring leaders and C-level executives seeking to develop a real intuition when it comes to dealing with the global currents disrupting business and how to build an empathetic, credible, stable and strong leadership path.
Chris Lewis is the founder and CEO of LEWIS, one of the largest independent marketing and communications agencies in the world. He is a media trainer who has coached senior politicians, business people and celebrities. He is a published author and journalist featured in The Financial Times, Daily Telegraph and The Guardian.
Episode 47: Guest Co-Host Justin Trawick
It's October 1st and the start of the fourth quarter of the year. DC-based musician, Justin Trawick, joins Lauren for a discussion on goal-setting, obsessions with details, and personality preferences around deadlines.
Also featured on the show: "This is Love" by Justin Trawick and the Common Good
If you like this show and want to support it, share your love at www.patreon.com/thespitfirepodcast
Learn more about Justin Trawick at www.justintrawick.com
Episode 46: Safe Goals and True Intentions (The Birthday Episode)
Today is Lauren’s birthday and every year for the last three years she has written a letter to herself. On this week’s show Lauren reflects on her hits and misses from last year’s letter and sets the stage for a sold 35th year.
Check out her last intention letter here: http://spitfirecoach.com/blog/=/take-2-my-birthday-letter-of-intention
This Episode is sponsored by Acuity Scheduling www.acuityscheduling.com
Episode 45: To Discount or Not to Discount, That is the Question with Friends and Family
Let’s talk about pricing.
Specifically how you price your goods and services.
Today’s episode is not about formulas, margins or return on investment, but it is about how you’re valuing yourself in your pricing model.
A couple of weeks ago, I was chatting with a friend who is a photographer. She asked my opinion on giving friends and family discounts. Of course I was intrigued why she wanted my opinion, so I asked her what was going on in her world.
Basically a couple who is mainly friends with her husband recently had a baby and as the queen of newborn photos, they asked her to do it. She agreed and gave them the friends and family rate and took more photos than her normal clients. Upon sharing the proofs the couple inquired if there were more photos to look at and she explained that this was already above and beyond her normal package. Clearly this experience left a bad taste in her mouth.
So let’s explore what really happened.
1) This was not her primary relationship. As a secondary friendship, she didn’t have the level of trust or connection to know how easy or challenging it was to work with them.
2) She got into their story. By assuming that she should give them a discount because they were a friend of her husband, she gave away her power as a business owner. The shoulds were alive and well dictating what proper protocol was.
3) Assumptions blurred the boundaries. Why did she take more shots with this client than any other? It seems like it already felt like a forced activity, so why not pile on some more work. She also assumed that more pictures would result in happier clients. But then point 4 happened.
4) She felt taken advantage of. After overserving and overextending herself the couple seemed unsatisfied with her product and she didn’t feel appreciated.
So what can we learn from this situation, so you can create healthy parameters and boundaries around your pricing with friends and family or anyone you would consider giving a discount to?
1) Your Business Intention – what is your business about for you? How do you want to be feeling as a business owner and as your interact with your clients?
2) Your Business Goals – where do you want to be each quarter? Set targets for yourself and if you want to give discounts plan for a certain amount per quarter.
3) Know your bottom line – what are your expenses all in with your product and service? Keep in mind your taxes, overhead and additional staffing and resources. This will help you determine your profit line.
4) Know your comfort zone of profit – for each service, what percentage do you want to be netting for each transaction? You want to get paid right?! Make sure you take care of yourself and your team before you start slashing prices.
5) Stay in your lane – if you feel yourself getting into people’s story about what they can afford and are willing to pay, you’ve lost all of your power as a business owner. Confidently state our price and service offering and let it go. As a business owner, you don’t need to convince people of your worth. If they try to negotiate make sure it’s what you want and not what you “should do”. We train people how to treat us and people will push where they see weakness and wiggle room.
6) Be okay saying no. If you don’t want to work with someone or if you don’t think they’d be a good fit, recommend them to someone else. Chances are when you say yes to something your gut says is a bad fit, you’ll spend more time and energy and will get paid way less. In my experience it is never worth it to work with someone who feels like work.
7) Offer your discount at the end of the transaction. If you had an awesome time working with the client and want to treat them, that’s an awesome way to create a loyal following. They’ll be super pumped to get a gift and will see it as a reward rather than an entitlement. If it’s at the front of the transaction, it may be cheapening your value and perceived worth. What would be different for you if you were paying 800 v 400?
Episode 44: Lessons Learned from a Trip to the ER Vet on Labor Day Weekend
Last Friday night, my dog, Rico Suave, needed to be rushed to the 24-hour vet clinic. It was 10pm and the start of Labor Day Weekend. I won’t give you the details, but it wasn’t pretty getting him there.
Now I could go on a rant about how awful my experience was, but instead I wanted to provide lessons learned and tools for other businesses and professionals to use:
1) Communicate among your team – I brought in a sample and handed it along with my dog to a nurse, who I never saw again. One mention from this person would have saved us 2+ hours of wait time.
2) Communicate the process to the customer – I was told to fill paperwork and then we waited and waited and waited until we were taken to a back room with a doctor. This is a great opportunity for the front-line of your business to set the tone and expectation of their experience at your establishment.
3) Be confident – The doctor we met with had slumped shoulders, rocked back and forth in his chair, and used “maybe” at the start of every statement. Perception is everything and if you look and sound unsure, it’s next to impossible to get people to respect and trust what you’re saying.
4) Come with a proposed plan – If you’re in a service industry, people don’t want guess work, they want options. Give your best opinion and explain why and then leave it to the customer to make the decision. (no one wants a passive OR pushy interaction)
5) Be proactive – If you notice someone is waiting for a long time, check in with them and let them know what is going on so they can shift their plans as needed. Don’t wait for them to come to you, it usually means they’re annoyed.
6) Be professional – This is super important for front-facing team members. Customers don’t want to hear about your weekend or the office drama. They want to feel taken care of and in good hands. The casual conversation can make the office feel like amateur hour. If you’re feeling bored at the front desk, check in with the people waiting and see if they need anything or want to engage in conversation.
7) Provide an explanation – When we were given our prescription, it was left to the front desk person to give us instructions. No one let us know about potential side effects or what to expect. I had to Google it when I got home.
Ultimately as a business owner or team member you want to be seen as the expert and authority and all of these items will help you to be seen as such. It’s up to you to be the positive example and set the tone for positive experiences for future customers.
This episode is sponsored by Acuity Scheduling.
Episode 43: How's Time Working or Not Working for You?
This episode is brought to you by Acuity Scheduling www.acuityscheduling.com
Acuity Scheduling: Take no sh*t from your schedule.
In honor of the The SpitFire Podcast's inaugural sponsor, we are dedicating this show to time and specifically your relationship with it.
Does the ticking of the clock motivate, stress or paralyze you?
We're taking a look at three profiles and how they might be adding unnecessary angst into your life and what you can do about it.
Episode 42: Want to Know the Secret to Success?
Want to Know the Secret to Success? I’ll Tell You.
Stop looking for other people to tell you how to be successful. Stop listening to podcasts from influencers tell you to be just like them. Stop comparing yourself to glossy accounts and personas. Stop everything you are doing right now and listen.
Listen to yourself.
Listen to your inner voice.
What does it say?
What does it want?
What does it need?
Today we are starting at the beginning – at your core.
How do you define success?
For me success is about living in my passion and working with amazing clients, having financial freedom, feeling flexibility in my schedule that allows me to rest when needed and having the space to play while inspiring others.
Before you rapid-fire an answer, let’s do a visualization exercise.
Imagine you’re 5-10 years down the line and everything that you dreamed would happen has shown up in your life. Take a deep breath and take it all in. Scan around the space you are in and observe what’s around you.
What do you see?
What do you smell?
What do you feel?
Who is around you?
Where are you?
Now I want you to fill in the following statement.
I know I am successful because ______________________.
Write down the first thing that comes into your head. Don’t question it. Don’t second-guess it. Don’t qualify it. Own your first reaction.
Typically our first instinct is our truest heart-felt response.
Once you are aware of what your success target is, you can set your intention. Your intention, by definition, is your aim or plan.
Notice how I didn’t mention anything about goals. Why? Because goals are either met or missed, achieved or failed. There’s nothing in between. What happens if I achieve 99% of a goal, well if it’s not 100% the goals I not met and I’m a big stinky loser.
Intentions on the other hand act as a target and dictate our direction.
Let’s say my goal is to make a million dollars. My intention is to feel financially abundant and secure. The intention focuses on the why behind your goal. Want another fun tidbit?
Guess which option you have more control over in the goal v. intention battle?
If you said intention, you’re flipping brilliant!
You see how we’re building on concepts here. Once we know what success is to us, we can then identify the intention aka the why behind it and we can start right now in adjusting our thoughts, beliefs and actions to get on board with it.
I like to start with a daily intention or sankalpa (an intention formed by the heart and mind) in my daily Yoga Nidra practice. Some of my clients have monthly intentions that they remind themselves of on a daily basis. It can be as simple as a calendar reminder, 5-minute meditation or a Post-It note. Do what works for you!
Episode 41: The Power of Letting Go of Expectations and Outcomes
After an amazing book launch event for "Spitting Fire: Your Guide to Reignite and Maintain Your Passion at Home, Work and Beyond", Lauren reflects on the power of letting go of outcomes and expectations to truly be present in the moment.
What a difference a year makes! From a panic attack loaded by perceived judgments to a completely free and fun experience, Lauren shares her lessons learned.
You can now get your hands on a copy of "Spitting Fire" on Amazon. Just click on the link and it's yours: https://amzn.to/2O9kRyp
Episode 40: Why You Should Always Talk to Strangers with Katie McKenzie of Mindspace
Little did Katie and Lauren know that a chance encounter with two cool chicks holding two awesome business cards at a less than stellar event a few months back would lead to so much amazingness!
Lauren visits the brand new Mindspace co-working space in DC and sits down with Community Manager and fellow SpitFire, Katie McKenzie to talk about how they met, how to network and when it's appropriate to give and receive a hug.
Mindspace is the home of the "Spitting Fire" book launch of Friday, August 17th. Seats are going fast. RSVP here: www.spitfirecoach.com/book
Episode 39: Pint-Sized Daily Dose of Danielle Watson
Host of the newly revamped show, The Danielle Daily, and author of "Dear Self, I Love You, Keep Going" Danielle Watson joins me for a deep discussion on expectations, courage, making friends as an adult, and strategies for introverts to network.
Check out her daily show on Instagram and Facebook: @the_danielledaily
Episode 38: Off a Duck's Back with Chelsea Cole, A Duck's Oven
Find out how the stress-relieving tactic of cooking led to a successful blog and an even more lucrative career in digital marketing from the founder of A Duck's Oven, Chelsea Cole.
I first heard Chelsea's story on The Side Hustle School, but wanted to dig deeper to find out how she dealt and continues to deal with expectations, overwhelm and disappointment.
If you love The SpitFire Podcast and want to support it, please check out our Patreon page: www.spitfirepodcast.com/thespitfirepodcast