Package Your Genius Personal Branding Podcast

PYG 138: Are you taking advantage of your current season?

During a series of enrollment calls with potential students for my most recent cohort of Package Your Genius Academy, I heard a refrain I hear so often when speaking with people who are considering making the investment of time and financial resources. 
"Maybe this can wait..."
For reasons that differ for everyone, putting ourselves first is often the last thing we think to do. Putting our own needs and pursuit of our own personal fulfillment comes in dead last after immediate work obligations, the needs of our family members, and for some, the demands of church and community. 
But time waits for no man.
And while I think most of us grasp the fact that no one has "all the time in the world..." we often forget that our prime won't last forever. We won't always have the energy, the network, the health, the free time, the money....the list goes on and on, to do what we want to do now.
So how are you taking advantage of your current season?
If there's something you've been meaning to do, and you have the time, money, health, and relative youth to do it, DO IT. You never know when your situation may change.
 
***
We're settling into the fall season here in the United States. Leaves are finally changing, and I'm personally preparing for winter which is typically a time for even deeper introspection, creative productivity and movement on long-standing projects.
It's also a great time for PLANNING.
I'm excited to host a brand planning event the weekend of December 14, to plan your personal brand activity for 2020 and beyond. If that sounds like something you'd like to join me for, mark your calendars and watch this space and for those details.

PYG 137: Becoming KNOWN - The 5 Essential Shifts to Unlock Your Personal Brand Authority

This is a replay of my personal branding MasterClass Becoming KNOWN - The 5 Essential Shifts to Unlock Your Personal Brand Authority.
When it comes to building your personal brand, at a certain point it becomes less about your skills and talents, and more about your comfort with putting them out there.
If you've worked in your industry for a decade or more, you're likely skilled beyond question. 
You need a new set of skills to shift how others perceive you. You need a new strategy to step into your worth, and communicate that confidently to others. 
You need to step into your BRAND AUTHORITY.
And this doesn't come naturally to everyone.
If you...
have been perpetually on the fence about starting a side hustle or otherwise earning extra income from your skills
know you aren't earning all you could at your current level of experience and expertise
have spent your career in the background and struggle stepping into the spotlight
have had several brilliant ideas for businesses, books, non-profits or creative projects in the past but haven't brought yourself to pull the trigger
would like to step into your power and to rise to the status your hard work and results have earned
It's time to hone in your brand authority. 
***
Submit your application for Package Your Genius Academy here >> Submit your application
Book a Call to discuss the academy here >> get on my schedule

PYG 136: How brand authority can unlock your potential

When it comes to building your personal brand, at a certain point it becomes less about your skills and talents, and more about your comfort with putting them out there.
If you've worked in your industry for a decade or more, you're likely skilled beyond question. 
You need a new set of skills to shift how others perceive you. You need a new strategy to step into your worth, and communicate that confidently to others. 
You need to step into your BRAND AUTHORITY.
And this doesn't come naturally to everyone.
If you...
have been perpetually on the fence about starting a side hustle or otherwise earning extra income from your skills
know you aren't earning all you could at your current level of experience and expertise
have spent your career in the background and struggle stepping into the spotlight
have had several brilliant ideas for businesses, books, non-profits or creative projects in the past but haven't brought yourself to pull the trigger
would like to step into your power and to rise to the status your hard work and results have earned
It's time to hone in your brand authority. 
If this resonates with you, join me on Sunday October 7, 2019 at 7pm EST for this FREE MASTER CLASS - The Five Shifts Required to Unleash Your Brand Authority. 
Register at https://www.crowdcast.io/e/PYGABrandAuthority/register
 

PYG 135: When failing to reach a big goal still gets you ahead

Today marks the official end of my September podcast every day during the month challenge. 
And can I tell you a secret?
I failed...spectacularly!
I missed six full days of the challenge, and since this is my second daily challenge for the year, I technically failed in comparison to the challenge I completed in June. 
But even though I missed six days of the challenge, I still came out ahead in terms of listener engagement, downloads and growth as a podcast host.
Score!
Which made me think about the way we sometimes label our efforts a failure if we aren't able to meet a very specific goal. But if we set a big goal that we plan to reach over time, if we move toward that goal but don't reach the goal we set, we still likely made significant process, and there's no reason to give up the goal all together.
Progress is winning.
If you have big goals for this year, the final quarter of the year is upon us! It's the final week to submit your application for the fall cohort of Package Your Genius Academy. Our sessions start October 8, and it's already shaping up to be a great group!
I would love to extend a huge thank you to our PYG Academy alum Rebecca Thompson, founder of the Live in Your Light Bootcamp and Live in Your Light Summit. Rebecca pivoted from politics and is now doing remarkable things just one year out of the academy, and I'm proud to feature her on this episode of the podcast. 
 

PYG 134: Generating the surplus from which you can serve

If you ever find yourself feeling too busy, too overwhelmed, or too burdened with to dos and it's standing in the way of you packaging your genius and making the impact you're meant to make on this world, you need to generate a surplus.
And while it seems counterintuitive, much of that surplus can be connected to making more time (I know, I know -  you're already stretched thin) for yourself.
But this is a personal experiment I've been conducting in my life, and the results have been priceless.
Since implementing a more intentional and daily self balancing routine I have experienced:
more clarity on my business challenges
clarity on what is standing in my way personally
motivation to push through on hard things
patience and grace with myself
perspective - understanding when I'm assigning too much or too little significance to something
a higher tolerance for stress
resilience
If you're too busy to package your genius, putting yourself back on the calendar is a practice I encourage you to try.
Get yourself back on the agenda so you can generate the surplus from which you can serve.
Because you can only give from your overflow.
***
If you've been thinking about joining us for the fall cohort of Package Your Genius Academy, this is the last week to apply. Sessions start Tuesday, October 8.
While I'm clear on how I want to serve (as one who helps others find and get back on their true path) I thought about a few of the people who have benefited most from going through the program and my teachings.
Do any of these people sound like you?
Are you at a crossroads professionally and personally - perhaps you've hit a milestone birthday and you're pondering the bigger questions of your life like "Is this what I want to be doing with my gifts and talents? Is there another professional path for me? Am I showing up the way I truly want to, or am I showing up as others have always expected me to?"
Do you know in your gut that the current stage of your professional journey is over, but you haven't figured out how to activate your next chapter?
Do you feel like something is just...off? You're a success on paper, but you've yet to knock it out of the park doing what you really want to do? You feel like something is missing - the right message, the right market, the right formula to serve - but you're just too close to see the missing piece...
Did you recently leave your job or find yourself on leave wondering what's next? You're a little nervous about making a financial commitment because the future of money is uncertain, but there's something telling you it's time to take a leap?
Are you at a plateau having done all you know to do to make yourself stand out? You know you've got the goods but the world doesn't see you or your accomplishments clearly? (You know this because your compensation and industry acknowledgement don't match the time and work you've put in up to this point...)
Do you live with the daily regret of not betting on yourself sooner? Are you secretly worried that perhaps you missed your moment and it's too late for you to leap?
If any of those scenarios resonated with you, I'm here.
Here to help you cut through the overgrowth and get back on the path again.
And trust me, the path may look overgrown and indistinguishable right now, but I promise you, it's there.
And I can help you find it.
 
It's the LAST WEEK to apply for Package Your Genius Academy. We are enrolling students for the fall cohort that begins Tuesday, October 8. Doors won't open again until sometime in 2020. If you're interested in joining us, learn more and apply now.

PYG 133: Why high achievers need self care the most

We hear a lot about self care - how to get it, why we need more of it, and what does or doesn't constitute it. But lately I've been made aware of the residual effects and payoff of self care - how it benefits me long after I'm in the practice of doing or getting what I need. 
And it makes everything related to my ideas, my planning, my long-term thinking crystal clear.
If you struggle with overwhelm, anxiety, irritability and lack of focus, I highly recommend you thinking through the self care practice that makes the most sense for you.
And check out Dr. Thema Bryant- Davis's episode on the Homecoming Podcast about self care. Very powerful stuff.
 
***
As our enrollment season comes to a close, I welcome you to apply for the opportunity to work together in Package Your Genius Academy this fall!
 
Enrollment is closing soon for the personal brand visibility academy and our PR mastermind. Visit www.packageyourgeniusacademy.com to learn more and apply.

PYG 132: You Can Change Your Vehicle

I recently discovered a truth about myself I had been unable to see for years. I realized that I had been telling myself a story that simply wasn't true. While the story was rooted in my personal experience. I fail to take into account the fact that my situation has changed.I was holding on to a truth that matched a past version of me.
Can you say the same?
How many times have you decided who you are and what you can do based on who you've always been and what you've always done? 
You can change.
You can change your vehicle.
You can choose a new, true, story.

PYG 131: It's worth your dream to try again

Even when we fail the first time, our dreams are worth fighting for.
Package Your Genius Academy was a dream of mine that almost didn't happen. I failed launching the program the first time, but have since gone on to work with 7 cohorts - now enrolling my eighth.
One of the things I often reflect on is what might have been lost if I hadn't gotten back up and tried again. When I think of the lives that have been impacted directly by the academy, and even more importantly, the people I'll never know but who have been impacted by the students who've gone to the academy. It's a humbling thing to see the ripple effect your work can start!
LaShonda Walker is one of our PYGA ripples. She joined in May of 2019 on a quest to find deeper meaning for her work. She used her time in the academy to gain clarity on her purpose, and essentially remember who she'd always been and what she's always loved. It's an honor to see LaShonda ignited and on a new path all her own.
 
***
I welcome you to apply for the opportunity to work together in Package Your Genius Academy this fall as our enrollment season comes to a close.
 
 
Enrollment is open now for the visibility academy and our PR mastermind. Visit www.packageyourgeniusacademy.com to learn more and apply.

PYG 130: How I handle exposure as an INTROVERT

Believe it or not, I'm a hardcore introvert. 
Networking events are my least favorite thing right after small talk. But I realized at some point that if I wanted my business to grow, I'd have to get in front of new people.  I needed a way to show strangers what I knew and what problems I solve if I ever wanted new clients to hire me.
Enter the media.
What other way can you get in front of thousands while only interacting with a handful of people to make the interview happen?
But most introverts see media as a big overwhelming proposition when in reality, there are a number of ways you can approach it.
I came up with a few media exposure personality types. Which one are you?
The Thinker - The thinker has ideas to share and recommendations to make. They would rather share those ideas in a long form way by writing. Their dream media placement would be a New York Times op ed or an essay in the Atlantic
The Talker - The talker loves to engage. And short snippets just won't do, they prefer to get into it and go deep which is perfect for radio or podcasts. A dream media placement would be Fresh Air with Terry Gross on NPR or a Top 10 podcast.
The Talking Head - Unlike the talker, the talker head has her sights set on television and loves the idea of being seen. Dream media placement? A spot on a CNN panel or segment on the TODAY show.
The Hybrid - The hybrid isn't concerned with the type of media so much as what the media will allow him/her to do. So they're fine with radio or tv so long as it allows them to reach more people and make a bigger impact. A mix of all media types will do. 
Which one are you?
And better yet, do you see how different personality types may deal with media exposure differently? There is no one size fits all when it comes to it.
 
If you know you need exposure to get in front of new faces, it doesn't have to be overwhelming. You can tailor your approach to fit your business and your personal style, which we can help you uncover in our program - learn more.

PYG 129: Scarification and Stratification

From The Spruce.com:
Not all plant seeds are ready to sprout as soon as you put them in the soil. Some hard-shelled seeds need a bit more coaxing and some need a temperature change to trigger the end of dormancy. Scarification (cracking the hard outer shell) and stratification (fooling seeds into thinking they've been through winter) are two simple techniques that will save you a lot of frustration when starting seeds.
Stratification and scarification occur naturally when seeds stay outdoors through the cold winter.
Some seeds have outer shells that are extremely hard and don’t allow water through. This is one way a seed stays dormant in the fall and winter until growing conditions improve.
 
You may be upset when you look for your efforts to bear fruit and you can't see the evidence above ground. Sometimes the action is not visible, you may be in a dormant phase in preparation for your growing season.
Not all seeds are ready to sprout as soon as you put them into the soil. You may look at what other people are doing and try to mimic their path not knowing that you're a different kind of plant that requires a different set of conditions and will develop on a different timeline.
Don't judge the progress of the apple tree with the same criteria you use to measure an oak tree.
All seeds are not the same.
You're maturing and preparing to sprout, blossom and bear fruit in your own time.
 
***
I welcome you to apply for the opportunity to work together in Package Your Genius Academy this fall as our enrollment season comes to a close.
 
If you've been doing great work and getting results in your industry, but you want to expand your exposure, learn more about our PR mastermind and apply.
 
Enrollment is open now for the visibility academy and our PR mastermind. Visit www.packageyourgeniusacademy.com to learn more and apply.