Today’s guest builds the leadership capacity of small business owners.

She started her career working as a consultant with large corporations such as Hewlett-Packard, Charles Schwab, and Cisco Systems. In 2009, she published “Escape from Cubicle Nation,” which spearheaded the movement of people leaving corporate jobs to start their own business.

Building on that book’s award-winning success, she published her second book “Body of Work” and founded Main Street Learning Lab, a community-based leadership development lab that supports and strengthens the work of diverse entrepreneurs – especially entrepreneurs of color and their allies.

She has been a business coach for over 20 years, helping entrepreneurs solve core business challenges and generate stories, research, and insight.

Please join me in welcoming Pamela Slim.  

In this episode we discuss:

• her thoughts on leadership: “It has always resonated with me to be the type of leader who is really recognizing the leadership capabilities in community and doing what I can to support that.”
• the leadership lessons she learned while training capoeira for 11 years.
• how she and her husband landed in Mesa, Arizona, and how the foundation of their business was grown by listening first before deciding what to offer their community.
• her experience being the only extrovert in a family of supportive introverts, and what she learned while working with Susan Cain.
• her thoughts on planning events to accommodate both extroverts and introverts.
• the importance of diversity and inclusion and what that looks like in her life, and how she views networking through the lens of ecosystems.

Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 151

Today’s guest understands you can’t do it all yourself. Her clients are at a tipping point, launching the next phase of their life and business while creating multiple business income streams - which is why she’s their expert resource for finding the best virtual assistant for their needs.

Based on the positive response to her two books “Become a Successful Virtual Assistant” and “Hire the Right Virtual Assistant” she decided there was a need for an association to promote a high standard of excellence among VAs. Thus, she founded the Association of Virtual Assistants.

In 2017, she became location independent and traveled to 16 countries in 12 months while growing her business at a rapid rate. Since then, she has become a sought after Remote Work Consultant, helping individuals looking for remote work, as well as those in need of better hiring and managing their remote teams.

Please join me in welcoming Melissa Smith.

In this episode we discuss:

• her thoughts on leadership: “Leadership is knowing your strengths and weaknesses and making sure you have the ability to have people pull them out of you while you also do that for them.”
• how anonymous, random of acts of kindness with her dad and watching her mom as a soft-spoken but powerful “quiet” leader influenced who she is and how she operates today.
• how she finds joy in seeing others get over the humps in their lives to achieve the greatness they are capable of.
• the Association of Virtual Assistants she recently launched and what she loves about it.
• how she knows when she needs to hire another Virtual Assistant.
• her methods for networking and investing in relationships over the long haul.

Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 150

Today’s guest helps people get back to the basics of relationships that lead to better opportunities and sales.

Having worked as a keynote speaker and professional master of ceremonies for the last ten years, he is an advocate for creating strong experiences for conference attendees. He has authored twelve books on the power of business relationships, sales, networking, presentation skills, and entrepreneurship and has earned the prestigious Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation conferred by the National Speakers Association.

He has interviewed over 400 CEOs, entrepreneurs, and business leaders as host of the Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do podcast, which Inc.com named one of eight business podcasts to listen to in 2018.

Please join me in welcoming Thom Singer, CSP.

In this episode we discuss:

• his thoughts on leadership: “Leadership really means being present, having a vision, and helping the team get across whatever the gap is.”
• how he didn’t necessarily feel like he had the confidence to be a leader as a kid but still found himself stepping up when it was needed.
• his experience with game shows, starting in second grade.
• how he has placed himself in the path of luck and been on many adventures because of it.
• his hobby of speaking at open mic night at comedy clubs and how that has helped him in his professional speaking career.
• his proactive method for connecting with people.

Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 149

Today’s guest believes everyone has the seeds of a great network within reach and that to establish genuine relationships we must proactively meet people in person.

She is an investor, advisor, speaker, author, and the founder of an advisory firm working with growth companies. She has invested in several innovative private companies which solve old problems in new ways.

Inspired by the experiences of thousands of people she has interacted with over her thirty-year career, she wrote “Meet 100 People: A How-to Guide to the Career and Life Edge Everyone's Missing.” I know you’re going to appreciate how she reframes networking to make it accessible, joyful, and life-affirming. Her work is especially relevant for young professionals looking to build valuable life-long relationships.

Please join me in welcoming Pat Hedley.

In this episode we discuss:

• her thoughts on leadership: “Leadership means inspiring others to pursue a common and worthy objective.”
• how she was shy growing up but learned to push herself through helping her entrepreneur mom.
• how she joined speech club in high school and how it was her first glimpse of her leadership potential.
• her “meet 100 people” campaign, the impact it has had, and the opportunities it has presented.
• the professor analogy.
• how she networks by sending information to people when it reminds her of them, and by scheduling get-togethers with people.

Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com - episode 148