In this episode, Kathryn Sandford, Co-owner and Director of M2M Coaching, shares her expertise on helping professional women over 40 navigate crossroads in their careers. Kathryn and host Paige Rene dive into self-promotion myths, personal branding, overcoming limiting beliefs, and crafting strategies for impactful leadership. Kathryn also reveals her transformative coaching programs and how women can position themselves for long-term success.

Takeaways:

1. Embrace self-promotion as a strength, not a myth.
2. Explore personal values to create clarity in your career goals.
3. Tailor your LinkedIn profile and career strategy to stand out.
4. Future-proof your career by staying aligned with your unique talents and purpose.

In this episode:

[00:00:00] Introduction to Kathryn Sandford and M2M Coaching.
[00:01:00] Kathryn's work with women at career crossroads.
[00:04:00] The "self-promotion myth" and its impact on women.
[00:07:00] Understanding and managing limiting beliefs.
[00:10:00] The power of unlearning societal rules.
[00:15:00] Identifying personal values and their role in leadership.
[00:20:00] Future-proofing careers through personal branding.
[00:28:00] Narrowing down transferable skills for career shifts.
[00:34:00] Kathryn’s programs: Personal Brand Cohort Group and Elevate.
[00:35:00] What it means to be a woman in the arena.

Resources

1. Connect with Kathryn Sandford on LinkedIn
2. M2M Recruitment
3. The Women In The Arena
4. Listen on Apple
5. Listen on Spotify
6. Watch on YouTube

Quotes

1. "Your CV gets you to the door, but your personal brand opens it and takes you into the future." - Kathryn Sandford
2. "Life comes first, and work follows. This is how we truly align ourselves." - Kathryn Sandford
3. "If you don’t ask, the answer is always no." - Paige Rene

Episode 35 | In this episode, Paige Rene unpacks her seven career pivots, sharing lessons on evaluating energy, refining vision, and taking action.

From athletics to executive coaching, Paige’s journey reveals how reinvention builds on past experiences to inspire growth and confidence.

Takeaways:

1. Evaluate your energy by identifying projects that excite or drain you while listening to feedback about your strengths.

2. Refine your vision by revisiting and adjusting goals regularly to align with your evolving aspirations.

3. Take action by experimenting and moving forward, even when uncertain, to create clarity and progress.

In this episode:

[00:00:00] Introduction: Paige introduces the episode and her journey through seven career pivots.

[00:01:14] Pivot #1: From selling apartments to joining college athletics.

[00:03:15] Pivot #2: Discovering her calling in coaching through cognitive behavioral therapy and personal life coaching.

[00:05:15] Pivot #3: Niching down to elite mental training for athletes.

[00:06:28] Pivot #4: Embracing brand coaching during the COVID-19 pandemic.

[00:09:15] Pivot #5: Navigating the “flailing era” while refining her Elevate Framework.

[00:13:52] Pivot #6: Business coaching—identifying gaps in the online coaching space.

[00:20:07] Pivot #7: Focusing on executive performance and branding coaching for women in corporate spaces.

[00:23:00] Final Advice: Paige shares three key takeaways for pivoting with confidence.

Resources

1. The Women In The Arena

2. Listen on Apple Podcasts

3. Listen on Spotify

4. Watch on YouTube

5. Insights Coaching Program

6. Elevate Framework

Quotes

1. “You’re not stuck. These three takeaways are going to help you pivot in the direction that you're meant to go in.” – Paige on overcoming stagnation

2. “Your magic is all about you, what you do, what you bring to the table, and your gifts and strengths.” – Paige on understanding personal value

3. “Take action. Do something, for God’s sake. This is the mechanics. I’m telling you, you’ve got to move.” – Paige on the importance of taking bold steps

Episode 34 | In this episode of The Women in the Arena, host Paige Rene chats with Rachel Burr, executive coach and founder of Catamentum Leadership Coaching. Rachel, a people expert with over 20 years of experience, dives into the intricacies of authentic leadership, the importance of building trust, and the challenges leaders face in managing people effectively.

Takeaways:

1. Building authentic leadership means understanding yourself as a leader and aligning actions with your core values. Authenticity helps leaders influence and inspire teams more effectively.
2. Creating trust in new roles starts with listening. Leaders joining new teams can establish trust by truly understanding team members and their needs.
3. Using effective communication involves asking open-ended questions like “Help me understand.” This approach prevents defensiveness and promotes open, constructive dialogue.
4. Approaching leadership as experimentation allows growth as a journey, giving leaders the freedom to try new approaches and learn from each experience.

In this episode:

[00:01:00] Rachel outlines three challenges leaders commonly face: transitioning into strategy, needing an external thought partner, and developing people skills.

[00:05:59] Paige asks about building trust as a new leader, prompting Rachel’s insights on listening, understanding team culture, and respecting established workflows.

[00:08:10] Rachel recounts a story of coaching a high-performing leader who struggled with people management, demonstrating the importance of self-awareness.

[00:11:24] Rachel discusses the gap between leadership intent and team perception, encouraging leaders to bridge this by understanding how their actions impact others.

[00:21:00] Rachel provides actionable advice on active listening and emotional regulation in challenging conversations.

[00:28:33] Paige and Rachel reflect on curiosity, highlighting the value of admitting “I don’t know” to encourage openness and mutual learning.

[00:38:00] Rachel shares two key leadership lessons: the value of hiring people who challenge you and embracing constant learning.

Resources

1. The Women In The Arena

2. Rise Facebook Community

3. Listen on Apple Podcasts

4. Listen on Spotify

5. Watch on YouTube

6. Catamentum Leadership Coaching: Visit Rachel's website

7. Rachel’s upcoming book, Butterfly Goo: The Down and Dirty Truth of Transformation

8. Follow Paige on Instagram: @paige_rene15

9. Leadership is Language Book

10. Leadership Circle 360

11. Follow Rachel Burr on LinkedIn

Quotes

1. “As a leader, you may have something you need to work through. It’s not ready to talk through to maybe your leader or definitely not the board, if you’re the CEO. It’s not something you want to talk with your team about, it’s just not appropriate.” – Rachel on the importance of having a confidential thought partner

2. “Own the ‘I don’t know’…if you’re outside your comfort zone and you’re stepping out there, taking risks, doing new things, if you already know everything, you’re not outside your comfort zone.” – Rachel on embracing growth

In this inspiring episode of "The Women in the Arena," host Paige Rene sits down with tech strategist Blessing Richardson to discuss her journey from self-taught coder to successful entrepreneur.

Blessing shares her experiences in corporate tech and startups, emphasizing the importance of understanding technology's role in business operations. They explore how Blessing integrates AI and automation into business processes, providing valuable insights for women entrepreneurs.

The conversation covers practical tips on using tools like ChatGPT to streamline tasks and the importance of building efficient sales hubs. Blessing's story is a testament to the power of perseverance and the pursuit of passion.

Takeaways:

1. The importance of working in medium to large companies for exposure to scale and innovative solutions.

2. The potential of AI tools like ChatGPT in automating and streamlining business processes.

3. The value of integrating technology into business operations to improve efficiency and profitability.

In this episode:

[00:02:00] Blessing shares her journey into tech and becoming a tech strategist.

[00:04:00] Discussion on the benefits of working in medium to large companies.

[00:13:00] Insights on using ChatGPT and its applications in business.

[00:24:00] The concept of sales hubs and their importance for small businesses.

[00:42:00] The significance of having a unified system for managing different revenue streams.

[00:09:00] Blessing's experiences in different tech environments, from startups to Fortune 500 companies.

[00:18:00] How Blessing uses AI to simplify business operations.

[00:29:00] The challenges and advantages of integrating various business tools.

[00:33:00] Practical examples of automating client interactions and contract management.

[00:50:00] Blessing's personal story of overcoming obstacles and pursuing her passion.

Resources

1. The Women In The Arena

2. Listen on Apple

3. Listen on Spotify

4. Connect with Blessing on Threads

5. Read about Blessing on her website

6. ChatGPT: OpenAI

7. Other Tools mentioned: Airtable, Notion, Coda, SmartSuite

Quotes

1. "Keep saying yes and keep moving forward." - Blessing Richardson

Come along with Paige Rene in this delightful episode of "The Women in the Arena," where she chats about the little slip-ups that even the brightest entrepreneurs can make while selling their products or services.

With six years of business and coaching under her belt, Paige is ready to spill some practical tips to help you polish up your selling strategies. This way, you can connect more deeply and effectively with your clients.

Whether you’re into sales, marketing, or any part of the entrepreneurial world, this episode is brimming with useful guidance to help you dodge common mishaps and improve your business approach.

Takeaways:

1. When explaining your expertise, tailor your communication to the comprehension level of your audience, ensuring they understand and connect with what you're saying.

2. It's crucial to align your selling points with what your customers genuinely want, rather than merely presenting what excites you about your product or service.

3. Your passion for what you're selling significantly impacts your success. Be clear and enthusiastic about your offers to resonate more deeply with potential clients.

In this episode:

[00:27] Paige introduces the theme of the episode and the relevance to various professional fields.

[01:20] Detailed breakdown of the first selling mistake: Over-complicating your message.

[03:12] Discussion on the second mistake: Focusing too much on your passion instead of customer needs.

[11:31] Exploration of the third mistake: Lack of genuine enthusiasm and clarity in what you're offering.

[16:53] Closing thoughts and a reminder of how these insights can benefit your selling strategies.

Resources

1. The Women In The Arena

2. Rise Facebook Community

3. Listen on Apple Podcasts

4. Listen on Google Podcasts

5. Listen on Spotify

6. Watch on YouTube

7. Paige Rene’s Instagram

Quotes

1. “Confused buyers don't buy, confused people don't understand what you're trying to sell them.” - Paige Rene, Host

2. "You have to practice being able to translate all the knowledge you know, through the filter of being able to teach it to a fifth grader.” - Paige Rene, Host

3. “You have to sell the result to somebody. You can't sell the process. They're not excited about the process." - Paige Rene, Host