Women In The Business Arena

“You've got to start to look at what it is that will make this holiday season feel really good for your business, and for yourself, and for your family.” This week on Women in the Business Arena, we’re discussing how to successfully navigate the holidays in our business. The holidays are known for times of rest, and relaxation, time with family, and preparation for the new year. How do we enjoy the rest that comes along with the holiday season, without losing the momentum we’ve worked so hard to establish? “It's about getting creative and it's about determining what you really want. I think the most important thing is that you keep your momentum up. Because what I see happening around this time period is people start really losing momentum...By the time you get your momentum back up, it's March… that's three months of not enough income, not enough sales.” Many people limit the success of their business during this season with self-limiting beliefs including the misnomers that everyone checks out for the hol

“The people who are truly authentic, the ones who've really done the work, they've worked on the congruence of themselves. They've done the internal work out of the limelight. You cannot do the work in the limelight. Period” This week on Women in the Business Arena, we are reclaiming the word “authenticity!” There are so many of us that are craving authenticity in our business and life. It seems the word authenticity has been commandeered by society and used for shows of excessive vulnerability, marketing ploys, or as a facade to cover over insecurities.  It is possible to be genuinely authentic in our lives and our businesses. “The people that I find who are sharing their integration as it's happening, they're actually stopping themselves from having the full integration...the second that you put a selfie on it, the second that you turn it around and do it for someone else, you're stopping the process of your own integration.” In order to have the freedom to be authentic with others, we are responsibl

“You cannot operate a successful sustainable business if you don't know how to manage your energy. It is inevitable that you will burn out, that you will die of exhaustion, that your business will fail because of it.” This week on the Women in the Business Arena podcast, we’re talking about our energy flow. In our modern culture, “busy” and “exhausted” are the norm for entrepreneurs. Is it necessary, though? Do we have to be running ourselves into the ground to have a successful business and life? We don’t believe it has the be this way. That is why it is so important to learn how to properly manage our energy.    “What happens, in general, is that we push ourselves in those low energy times, and then we crash. Then it's days or weeks before we're up again. People don't realize in a business that the momentum you lose by exhausting yourself is not worth it.” Your level of energy is unique to you. Which means, being successful is not about finding more energy, or pushing through exhaustion, but abo

“It's so much better to fail fast than it is to perpetuate a bad business model for years and years. If you fail fast, then you can move on. You can try the next thing, you can try the next business and then you can get profitable more quickly.” This week on the Women in the Business Arena Podcast we are discussing the viability of a business. Is your business viable? This may be a question that has been a persistent nagging feeling in the back of your mind for a while. So often we realise too late that our business model was never viable or if we had just made a few tweaks, we could have been successful. What if you could look at your business right now, and perhaps keep it from completely falling apart? Sometimes just a few adjustments to a business can get it back on track, and bring it into alignment with a viable, successful business model. “Sometimes, when a business model doesn't work, it doesn't mean that your idea wasn't great, but it still depends on whether the market out there is ready. Are people

“I think there is conscious consumerism. I think that you, as an individual, can be more aware of what your choices are. As business owners, I think what we also have to look at how we contribute to conscious consumerism?” This week on the Women in the Business Arena Podcast, we tackle a controversial topic. Our discussion is centred around the quote “Consumerism depends on your unhappiness. If you were happy with all you had, why would you want more? Your self-worth is dangerous.” Is your self-work dangerous? Is consumerism dangerous? Or is it the marketing? We dive into all sides of this topic. We discuss how there are components of this quote that ring true, and others that may promote an unhealthy perspective. We live in a society that is constantly pushing for more, often encouraging consumers to overindulge, and utilizing scarcity tactics to push people into unnecessary services. As business owners and consumers we need to know where we stand on this topic. Sometimes the effects of consumerism and marke

“One of the first stages in growth is to have a really stable business foundation… When we have a really rocky foundation, we’re not able to grow effectively and eventually, we’re going to get exhausted and fail because we have exerted all of our money and effort.” This week on the Women in the Business Arena Podcast we discuss creating sustainable long-term growth in our businesses. There is a right way to grow your business and a wrong way. So often, women can get distracted by the ways others are growing or scaling their businesses. When you try to mimic the next steps of others, rather than following the right path for you, you can topple your business over like a house of cards. When you get out of sequence, it leads to overwhelm and exhaustion. In order to create sustainable growth, we have to follow the proper order, beginning first with a solid foundation. “So many people are doing what I call' hope marketing' or they're out there in the world throwing seeds out, hoping that some of those seeds might

“It's not a matter of trying to get it all done. It's actually a matter of streamlining and looking at the most important things to get done, and then being willing to let everything else go.” This week on the Women in the Business Arena Podcast, Sonya and Laura discuss the topic of navigating the ebb and flow of productivity in our business and the best way to roll with it. Energy and productivity tend to follow a natural up and down pattern. However, there are things that affect our ability to sustain our energy and productivity and things that make the ebb and flow more intense or unmanageable. One of the things that makes this ebb and flow more extreme than it has to be, is the discouragement, disappointment, and negative self-talk that happens when we hit a natural ebb in our business. When we beat ourselves up for being less productive, it makes it even harder to become productive again.  These feelings carry over in the following weeks, and become self-sabotaging. Finding success in the ebb and fl

“I think money objections, probably 80% of the time, are really about not recognizing the value of what you're offering. You haven't tied your offer into what they want or need.” This week on the Women in the Business Arena Podcast, we continue our conversation around money. When navigating the sales of our service or product, it is inevitable that we will come up against money objections. There are times when individuals genuinely can’t afford our services, and they aren’t a good fit. However, if we are seeking out the ideal client, money probably isn’t the real issue. Money objections are the easiest objection, because we, as the individual offering the service or product, are so quick to legitimize it. We quickly accept this “no,” instead of asking more questions to determine if money is the real issue. “As a consumer, when I feel that someone is really confident in what they're doing, I don't mind when they press a little bit past that money objection. Because it doesn't feel salesy, it feels passionate -

“There's this illusion or this idea that one day we won’t be juggling anymore, and I think that actually can self-sabotage us because we doubt where we are. We beat ourselves up for where we are, when really it is about learning to navigate the juggle more effectively, not to eliminate the juggle.” This week on the Women in the Business Arena podcast, Sonya and Laura discuss staying sane, amidst the constant juggle of business, family, and life. If you’ve ever entertained the thought that someday, things will get “easier” and there will be less to juggle, you are not alone. The truth is, life will always be full of different components to balance. However, we can juggle them effectively, stay sane, and even find success in the midst of the juggle. “Everything is really an ebb and a flow. So there are going to be times when we're navigating the juggle really well and there are going to be times where we have a lot more to juggle and it becomes the acceptance of where things are and some ability to step back fo

“If you are uncomfortable with money, this relationship with money is going to affect your business.” This week in Part Two of Money, Women, and Business, Sonya and Laura discuss some more practical aspects on the topic of money and business. Many women shy away from the numbers and metrics in their business. However, success in our business is dependent on our ability to see and understand our numbers as a roadmap. We can use money and numbers to give us a picture of where we are, our potential and the capacity we have to create impact and freedom. A lot of women don’t like to have much attention on money because of negative associations with greed. They are in business to help others, not “make money”, but this attitude hurts their business. What we put attention on matters in our business. “When I have no attention on my metrics and numbers my business slumps. When I place attention on my metrics and numbers my business grows. Our attention sustains reality.” An important aspect of money in business is a

“Money is neutral, but how we view it determines its power.” This week on Women in the Business Arena, Sonya and Laura discuss the topic of money, women and business. They had so much to talk about, this is part one of a two-part series. As women, we often struggle to talk about money. Too many women avoid looking at, working with it and getting intimate with their money matters. This really affects our ability to have a thriving business. Too many times, money holds an inordinate amount of power over us. This is because of how we view it. When we look at money neutrally, as a source of energy and a means of exchange, we can begin to relate to it in a more empowered manner. “As women, we have been conditioned to provide so much free labor, both emotionally and physically. We have been conditioned to give it with no expectation to receive it equally or even more abundantly.” Our perception of money often begins at a very young age. We model the money mindsets of parents and other influential individuals from

“Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.” In this episode of Women in the Business Arena, Sonya and Laura discuss some strategies and perspectives on how to operate your business day-to-day. Many people see running a business as a “sexy” alternative to working in a 9 to 5. There is excitement about the freedom and a focus on the more glamorous side of running a business, but they fail to realise the reality around running a business. The operational side of running your business is the most important part. Many business owners have an illusion that one day they can make passive income or delegate the operations of their business to someone else, but this rarely happens. Operations is a part of your life as an entrepreneur, and instead of trying to pass it off, Sonya explains why it is important to learn to love it. She uses the Zen metaphor of “chopping wood and carrying water” to illustrate a more effective way to operate your business.  Whether y

“We can’t dissect our home life from our work life. They need to flow together. We need to look at the whole framework of our lives before we design our goals.” In this episode of Women in the Business Arena, Sonya and Laura discuss how to have a more wholistic mindset in business. So often, we place an expectation on ourselves to compartmentalize our work life from our home life. Then, we become frustrated when our obligations overlap, and we feel we fall short of business goals. The truth is, that it is not sustainable to streamline one aspect of our lives, at the cost of all others. This frame of mind will eventually lead to exhaustion, burnout, and all areas of our lives will be affected. “Sometimes putting family first IS the next step to your business goal… By taking care of what you need to take care of in self or family...you’re going to have so much more free attention, effort and impact in creating your business goals.” The truth is, shifting into a more wholistic way of thinking about business

“Sometimes we take the professional label and try to be perfect. We try to hide our emotions, feelings, imperfections… where we’re struggling… This is a misunderstanding of what professionalism is.” In this episode of Women in the Business Arena, Sonya and Laura explore the balance of professionalism and authenticity. So often, we let fear of losing credibility, oversharing, or the pressure of perfectionism determine how authentic we are with clients and coworkers. This is one side of the coin. On the other, while it is valuable to be authentic with who we are regardless of the situation, it is still crucial to recognize the responsibility we have to discern how much is appropriate to share in each context. We can be authentic, without burdening those around us.   “If you have a ‘good fit’ target market, they’re going to resonate with who you are. As long as you are responsible with yourself, being transparent about your lifestyle and your balance will resonate with your market.” A good rule to fol

“Any time we are standing in our truth, it is inevitable that we are going to make someone unhappy. It’s imperative, but it is hard.” In this week’s episode of Women in the Business Arena, we are discussing the ins and outs of people-pleasing, and how it affects women in business. Many times we confuse etiquette or kindness for people-pleasing. Because politeness is often rewarded, we can forget how to adequately express ourselves without feeling apologetic for expressing and owning our own needs. The difference between kindness and people-pleasing can be found in the motivation behind the action. Most often, people-pleasing is done to avoid conflict, rejection, or guilt. “There’s not a way to truly avoid negative response or rejection. The cost of not being in alignment with yourself is so much greater... Rejecting yourself has such a high cost.” It can be uncomfortable to be polarizing in your language, and clearly stand for your opinions and passions. However, when we put people-pleasing as the priorit

“The more integrated we are as a being, the more effective we will be and the more power we bring to our business.” In this week’s episode, Sonya and Laura discuss the importance of self-integration and how it relates to our success in business. It is in the integration of the whole self that we can be empowered, find happiness and freedom. If you have been in self-development circles, you probably have encountered the concept of integration, but it is rarely talked about in the business arena. “An unintegrated block or wound can be the key to why a business is not succeeding.” Sonya and Laura break down what integration means so that it is less abstract and more practical. Integration is really about healing old wounds and living in more of our authentic self. It is the process we are working towards in self-development or any of our spiritual practices. It is the only path to empowerment. “Business, parenthood, and relationships are the primary arenas for self-development. They bring up and trigger wo

“How do we talk about ourselves in business without giving up our power, or asserting too much power?” In this week’s episode, Sonya and Laura discuss the importance of building confidence in speaking about self within the context of business. Too often, women struggle to speak about themselves, without feeling that they are being arrogant or cocky. This becomes a huge issue in the way of success. If you can’t clearly articulate your value, it is hard to create financial success in your business. Some of the struggle has been built into our culture through years of suppression. We were conditioned to “sit quietly and look pretty”. Business has always been a masculine dominated field and women still struggle to have a voice in it. Sonya and Laura talk about how important it is for women to speak up and learn to talk about themselves with confidence. Business is one of the greatest paths to finding our voice and owning our authority. “When we own our experience without making anyone ‘wrong,’ that is authority

“If we’re only as successful and sustainable as our health and well-being, why is our mental health so hard to talk about?” In episode 67, Sonya and Laura have an in-depth conversation centred around the mental health of entrepreneurs and business owners. They talk about how being an entrepreneur can affect your mental health and vice versa. Everyone is willing to talk about the glory in being a business owner, but way too few are willing to talk about the challenges that can push us past a point of good mental health. “We are often more isolated than we realize” After some recent high profile suicides involving Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain, the conversation around mental health has come to the attention of the masses. If we don’t talk about our own personal struggles and journeys, we are in danger of compromising our own state of mental health and isolating ourselves from the things that can help us. This is true both in our personal lives and our businesses. “It’s normal to go through change, and w

“A lot of women label themselves as procrastinators, but is it really procrastination?” In this week’s episode, Sonya and Laura chat about what procrastination really is and why many women perceive themselves as procrastinators when really there is something else going on that they need to pay attention to. Sonya discusses how the term “procrastination” is a blanket label that we can tend to give when we don’t accomplish what we think we “should”. “Sometimes, our intuition is telling us to postpone something because it’s not quite right yet. Sometimes, we’re in a cyclical stage where we need to slow down, stop, rethink things, and pivot, or we just need self-care. All of those things can be lumped in with procrastination.” Whether you struggle with perfectionism or just the cyclical nature of life and business, you’ve probably labelled your stand still as procrastination instead of looking deeper to see what it is telling you. We’re so used to hearing it thrown about in the business world as something tha

“We need to become more aware of where we’re operating from.” In this week’s episode, Sonya and Laura discuss the importance of having clarity around what is really important in our business, not just what we need to “do”, but also what to put our attention on for the most results. A lot of business owners struggle with prioritizing in their business. It is easy to lose money, time and energy focused on things that don’t add to our income or impact. Knowing what is really important creates the space we need to succeed in our business, and our life. “When we give ourselves space… and have an idea of what we want to create.. the tasks become more effortless” Sonya and Laura discuss both internal and external factors that can distract us from our goals. It can be easy to find ourselves swept up in external distractions that can pull our focus from the heart of our business. It is crucial to recognize how social media, and a myriad of business tactics can leave us feeling unbalanced, and unfocused.  Star