Anyoneelse’shousefullydecoratedfortheholidays? Iamthatpersonwhobringsouttheholidaydecor November1st?Thereisamagic,awarmthanda cozinessaboutthistimeofyearthatIlongto experience Myfavoritepracticeistogetupearly, turnonthetwinklylights,lightthefireandsitwitha coffeesavouringthequietbeforeeveryoneawakens
Iamgratefultobesittingwithyouthisseason.Oneof thevisionsIhadforthismagazinewastovisitand supportyouduringthesemomentsyoucreatefor yourself Ienvisionyouflippingthroughthese gorgeousandintentionalpageswhileyouenjoysome welldeservedquiettime Iamsogratefultobewith youtodayandeachmonthahead.
"PAUSE TO REMEMBER THAT THE WAY YOU CARE FOR LOVED ONES EVERYDAY IS WHAT MATTERS MOST "
A random act of kindness This changed her life and she swore that she would pay it forward in her own life and she did
Home edition with the details on Jen's bathroom renovation from not so fab to elevated and elegant Complete with links for you to purchase
Jen's take on fall and winter transitional trends including how to stay looking put together when we layer up and slip on our shoes in the cold.
ONly available in the printed version, Jen shares her take on connection for November
Our guest for November is Jen's mentor for the last three years the one and only Allyson ByRd
During a season where the stress of getting the “perfect gift” that is somehow supposed to translate into the value of my feelings for someone, please let me pause to remember that the way I care for them everyday is what matters most. I desire to be a person who generously provides time and space for those around me. Help me to notice the person who would benefit from something I can easily and freely provide. Support me to also do uncomfortable acts of generosity so that I remain grounded in my gratitudefortheprivilegethatIhave.
Remind me to pick up the phone to connect with the people I love and to never let a moment pass whereItakeanyofthegiftsofmylifeforgranted
This is a time of year where we can quickly be swoonedintothepressureofbuyingandwrapping asmanygiftsaspossible,withfinancialstrainand resentment I choose differently Guide me to knock on the neighbour's door with cookies I baked, to give to the people who are hungry, to giveabigsmileatthestressedoutpersonpassing by, to thank the employee who is feeling edgy from the crowds and to stay present in the magic ofloveandtimethatthisseasonoffers.Iwilldoall of these things without an expectation of anyone else. Only the expectation of myself to be a living exampleofgenerosityandlovetoothersthewayI amdesignedtothroughyourexample Amen
Generosity is a gift that keeps giving. There are few things in life as fulfilling as noticing someone who would benefit from an act of kindness and pausing to realize it forthem Thepracticeoflookingup fromourowntodoliststorecognize othersisoneofthegreatestwaysto deepen our life experience We are all so connected and when we walk through our days with a heart available to serve, we set an exampleandmakeanimpact.
Most of us say we want to make an impact. We equivocate this to a level of success in our own life and business. An impact we must remember is something we do that affects someone else It is not always a goal to be acquired but simply a smile to a stranger, a twenty dollar bill to the person asking,volunteeringforanonprofit organization and going out of your way to make someone else feel seenandcaredfor.
Generosity isn’t always
there isn’t
way to do it It’s an intention
and do what you can to make them feel loved and celebrated.
others
Jenisachampionofthemidlifewomanand acheerleaderforALLwomen.She’san entrepreneur,motivationalspeaker, podcaster,andcoach.Sheputsmidlife womenfirstandpreaches:You’reNotToo F***ingOldtodowhatevertheFyouwant! JenhostsTheJenMarplesShowpodcast, whichwasrecentlyfeaturedinMarin MagazineandTiburonBelvedereMagazine. Theshowisdedicatedtohelpingand inspiringmidlifefemaleentrepreneursto achievethebusinessandlifetheydesire Withover80episodespublishedtodate, Jenhasinterviewedbusinessleaders, celebrities,authors,aswellasshared valuablebusinessandlifeadvice.Jenisan accomplished25+yearsmarketing executivewhoranhersuccessful,SF basedfirm,KoaCommunications,for12 years.
She’sbeenhelpingwomenfordecades achievelifeandcareersuccessand currentlyoffers1x1privatecoaching, workshops,andeventsandisafrequent speakeraroundthecountry Shealsosits ontheboardoftheSparkleFoundation,a non profitdedicatedtoservingstruggling, singleworkingmoms.ShelivesinMarin Countywithherhusbandandthreeteens andcanbefoundchillingoutmostdaysina hotyogaclass.
THE JEN MARPLES SHOW HAS AN AVID LISTENERSHIP AND SHE IS GRACING THE STAGES OF MANY LARGE EVENTS ACROSS THE US. THE MOTTO OF “YOU ARE NOT TOO F’ING OLD” IS BEING USED BY HER CLIENTS, HER GUESTS AND IS TURNING INTO A WORLD WIDE MOVEMENT.
alsoadevotedmentortothosesheworkswith giftingthemwithhervastbusinessandlife
"Working with Jen Szpigiel has been instrumental in my courage and conviction to step into my true power and pivot into a new career built upon my soul’s calling. The day I partnered with Jen was the same day I committed one hundred percent to myself, my growth, my impact on the world, and making significant, audacious changes I’ve been working with Jen for almost two years In that time, I’ve launched a podcast that now has over 80 episodes, coined and trademarked the phrase “You’re Not Too F***ing Old!,” spoken on stages and to many groups, coached and led women into their transformations, been featured in magazines, and really and truly stepped into who I’ve been all along.
Only this time with conviction, power, and with an unshakeable belief that I will change the lives of over one million midlife women. Jen’s energy and talents complement and expand upon mine, and she has been my unrelenting advocate and cheerleader. As someone who is a giver and cares a lot about people, I needed someone like Jen to care about me and my growth Jen is brilliant and is a light in this world I could not have done what I’ve done alone, and I consider Jen not only to be my fabulous mentor and coach but a dear friend"
Fromthereitledtosendinggascardswith aloveletterandnosignatureinthemailto peoplewhoIknewwerehavingadifficult season.Ialsoremembervacationingatan all inclusiveresortandleaving$200under myplateforthegentlemanwhohadgone outofhiswaytomakeourdinneran exceptionalexperience.Weweretoldlater thatthishadneverhappenedforhimbefore andhowlifechangingitwasforhim. Hereisthepartthatneedstogoalongwith alloftheseamazingstories.Irememberfor thelongesttimefeelinglikeIneededtobe inamoreabundantplacebeforeIcould reallyhelpothers.Ibelievedittooka substantialamountofmoneyinorderto makeadifference.Thislimitingbeliefheld mebackfromnoticingandactingwith generosity Iwas“waiting”
Generosityneednotcostyouanythingbut intention IfindnowIcan’thavesomeone enteranelevatorwithmewithoutsayinga genuinehelloandpotentially,iftheyare opentoit,havingashortbutmeaningful conversation.SmilingateachpersonIpass inthestoreisapracticeevenwhenIgeta weirdlookinreturn Volunteeringmytime tosomeoneortoacharitycostsmenothing butsomehoursthatendupbeingrichin memoriesand”feelgood”feelings
Iseesomanyserviceproviderstalking aboutmaintainingboundarieswithout talkingaboutexceedingexpectations.Iam witnessingatrendwhereentrepreneurs playwith“howlittlecanIgivewhileasking formore?”.Therearefartoomanyclients andcustomersfeelingliketheyarea numberandapartofarevenuegoal.They don’tfeelliketheyhaveaccesstothevery presenceofthepersontheysignedupto learnfromandthisissomethingweneedto discuss.Thisiswhereweallgettoraiseour standardsandbebetter.
DoIbelievemanypeopleblame theirmentorsbecausethat’s aneasyjustificationandthen mindlesslyoverstep boundaries? Absolutely! However,wecannotbypassthatthereare alsomanytimeswheretheserviceprovider isinfactcreatinganexperienceoflinesin thesandandnotopeningthemselvesupto
H leaveoutourbusinessesasanopportunity toserve Werunourbusinesseswithour mindsoverourheartsfartoooften.We makeeverythingaboutatransactionversus atransformation
owcanweallimproveour generosity?Inourliveswe tendtofeelmoreavailableto wayswecanimplement gesturesofgenerositybutwe
Ifeltlikethisarticlewouldbeagreatplace togiveyousomeexamplesandwaysthat youcaninvitemoregenerosityintoyour businesswithoutcompromisingyourenergy orvalues.Theobviousopportunitiesareto giveyourfullpresencetoeveryclient.Give eachofthemtimeandspacesotheyfeel seen,listenedtoandcelebrated Itisalso importanttocreateofferingsthatareclear, conciseandscaleable.
03. Includescholarships.Becoming Iconichasascholarshipfor
BIPOCcommunity.Thisisaway ofservingwithoutgainingany
yourtimetomakeadifference.
04. Provideprogramswitha purpose.EveryyearIdoa programwhereapartofthe proceedsgotowardsacharity orcause.Everyonewantstobe apartofsomethingbigger thanthemselves.
05. Demonstrateconsistencyonline.Thevalueandincredibleexpertiseyougiveon
Pouryourselfintoyourbranding, marketingandserviceonline.ItrytogiveasmuchasIcanonmysocialmedia anddon’tfearthatnoonewillbuyifIgivetoomuchinformationforfree.
Yourreputationwillrippleoutintothe
Ialwayslovehearinghowtheseideasmay impactyouandyourbusiness.Feelfreeto dropintomyDMstoshareyourtakeaways. Ilovechattingwithyou!
Writtenby JEn SZpigiel
I have learned so much through this renovation. We were offered great pieces of advice that made a big difference. However, there are other nstances where we learned lessons and wishedwehadknownmoreandperhaps would have made different decisions. I amexcitedtosharesomeofthisjourney with you through the example of our guest/kids’bathroom.
This room has gone from being my least favorite room in the house to the most loved and celebrated. Funny how that worksisn’tit?
I went through a long period of time whereIdidn’thavepeopleoverforavisit because I found the bathroom so embarrassing. The toilet didn’t flush properly. The shower head was broken and the entire bathroom looked old and worn out. It had become that way because we have four children growing up in our home. It was well used and lovedbythem.
Links Hardware
Thishasbecomeoneofthebiggesttake awaysIhavefromdoingtherenovation.I would hear advice about postponing the renovation and I would also say to myself, “Once the kids get older, then I will…”.Itwasasthoughwewerewaiting forthemtobeoftheagewherewegotto do the things we wanted to do in our home. But, afamily home isjust that. It is supposed to be a beautiful place for thefamilywecherish.NowIrealizethat letting things go while waiting for your kidstogetolderisn’tsomethingIwould recommend.Doitnowandallowthemto enjoyittoo.
Thefirstdecisionthatwasafullbodyyes for our house was the basket weave tile thatIsawonPinterest.Ifellinlovewith it and wanted to recreate that in our guest/kids’bathroom.
ItwasthefirstdecisionmyhusbandandI madetogetherwhileatthetilestoreand the fact that both of us loved the same one felt like a relief. The hardest part was standing in our choice. It is marble and others were quick to tell us to get porcelainbecauseofthekids.Iwavered at times but I remembered that we started this project with a clear intention. That intention was to say yes to all the things we really loved and to notcompromise.Welovedthemarble.It shines and is so elevated. It makes a statementandhasbecometheartpiece fortheentirebathroom.
Thenextbigdecisionwasfortheshower tiles.Iwantedaslittlegroutaspossible and I also love using black as much as possible. White tiles felt too basic and predictableforthemarblefloors.
Yes it the black shiny tiles show every drop of water and yes it is like a mirror when you are in the shower but I love it completely. Because it is the guest bathroom as well, I am happy that it is dark and doesn’t demand all the attention when walking in. A shower feels private to me and I didn’t want peopleusingthebathroomandlookingin it. The black tiles, shower niche and black bottles created that privacy even withaglassdoor.
Truthfully, I feel elevated even using the bathroom now and this may sound insignificant but paying attention to my sense of self matters to me all the time Why can’t we feel special and cared for even when using the toilet?
Wehadonesinkinthebathroompriorto the renovation and you can imagine the constant arguing about who gets to brush their teeth first that it created.
Two sinks were a must and I wanted a floatingvanitytogivetheillusionofmore spaceandtoshowoffmoreofthemarble floor. I chose a company that I would highly recommend named The Vanity Store. Their products are beautifully crafted and the quality is incredible. I tossed around the idea of a black countertopwithablackbasebutended up going with a white quartz counter becauseitisclassicandlookssoclean. Thatwasagooddecision.
Many would have done black hardware andtaps,butIknewasplashofgoldwas important and needed to make its way into the space. The taps are sleek and wellmadeandthehardwareissolidand tiesitalltogether.
I carried the gold to the toilet paper hanger as well and found this gem that holdsyourphoneonEtsy.
Lastly, there is the throne for the kings andqueenswhoareinmyhomeandwill also visit. Last year I stayed at The Ritz in Toronto and had my first throne experience.Atoiletthatopensandshuts automatically,hasaheatedseat,heated waterbidetandevenflushesitself.Yes,I am THAT person. Remember that God createdwomentositwhentheyusethe bathroombecauseitistheonlytimewe sitduringourdays!Ilovethatjoke.
Truthfully,Ifeelelevatedevenusingthe bathroom now and this may sound insignificant but paying attention to my senseofselfmatterstomeallthetime. Why can’t we feel special and cared for evenwhenusingthetoilet?
I am so glad we didn’t wait and have now gifted this to them too
ThechandeliersIboughtoverfouryearsagowithavisionto one day use them. The mirrors were a must to create the illusionofahigherceilingandshowcasethechandeliers.My contractorshadtoremovetherecentlyinstalledbacksplash forthemirrorstofitbutitwassoworthit.
ItreallyisagorgeousspaceandIamproudofwhatIcreated. Everything was chosen from my heart and my kids are celebrating it too. They are thrilled and I am so grateful to provide this for them. They are taking pride in keeping it clean and organized. I am so glad we didn’t wait and have nowgiftedthistothemtoo.
Irememberearlyoninmyentrepreneurial days,Iwassittingwithaclientandshe lookeddownatmyshortandraggedfinger nails Yes,Iamanailbiterandhavebeen sinceIwasachild.Shekindlylookedupat meandsaid“Jen,ifyouaregoingtobe seeingpeopletobuildyourbusiness,I reallythinkyoushouldlookafteryour nails”.Iimmediatelyfeltembarrassed aboutthehabitandalsohowIwas representingmyself. Thatembarrassmentthenturnedintoa decisiontobettercareformyselfandanow commitmenttogettingmynailsdone.
Aredmattefinish Ilovehavingamatte finishonmyfavoritecolorFerrariRedto makeitmoreclassicandhavedepth
Awarmneutral-Aneutralisalwaysagreat choiceforanyseason Ileantowardsthese colorsmostoftheyearbecauseofhow versatiletheyare.Idon’tgetboredofit either
ClassicFrench Isn’tthislookjusttimeless andelegant?!Itwillnevergooutofstyle
Iremembernotwantingtowearwinterbootsbecausetheywereso basicandwouldruintheentirelookofanoutfit.Thankfully,wenow havesomanychoices,abootcanaddtoyouroutfitandstyle.
Combatbootsarechunky andlookamazingwith jeansandanoversized sweater.Ilovethatyoucan alsopairthemwithadress forsomecontradiction.
Uggsreallyareaconvenientboottowearwithleggingstogotothe yogastudioorforaquicktriptothestore.Ilovetheshinyleatherones. Theyjustlookbetter.
Sorelsareblowingmymindthisseason.Talkabouta widevarietyofstylesandlooks!Yourtoeswillstay socozyinsideofthisbrand.
Overthekneebootsaresexyandyouwillfeel differentlywiththemon.Theycomewithaflat heelorahighheel.Youdoyoubutplaywiththese andwearthemwithanything.
Patternsaddsomeexcitementandfuninto yourwardrobe.Iloveaclassicherringbone oraplaid.
Brightsareinevitablerightnow.Playwith colorwithinyourclosetbyaddinginajacket thatyoucanpairwithallblackorwithjeans.
Tailoredandrefinedisthatclassicand elevatedlookthatcantakeyoufromdayto night.Isuggestaddinginthematchingpant orskirtsoyouhaveasuityoulove.
Oversizedblazerisanincrediblelayering piecethatcanbewornoverabasictee,a sweaterorasajacket.
J e n ' s P e r s o n a l j o u r n a l e n t r i e s
"Ihadadayrecentlywheremywholenervous systemwasoutofalignment Ifeltanxious,dizzy andflustered.Iwokeupwiththethoughtof“whatif itallfallsapart?” Itsentmeintoaspiraloffeeling overwhelmed,fearfulandexperiencingscarcity."
Inthisjournalentry,Jenspeaksabouthowshewas abletoregulatehernervoussystemduringan anxietyriddledday.
Allysonhasbeenpivotalinteachingmehowtostepoutofaperformativepersona Thisfeaturewillgiveyou thewisdomtomoveawayfrombeingwhoyouthinkyoushouldbe,intosomeonewhoiscompletelyliberated.
AllysonByrdisknownasthe“ProfitAccelerator™coach andiscelebratedasoneoftheworld'smosttrusted leadershipadvisorsandsalesexpertsforentrepreneursand smallbusinessowners.
Apowerhousespeakerwhosesignaturemethodologies(and bold,unapologeticvoice)havemotivatedaudiencesaround theworld,assheinspiresentrepreneurstowakeup, embracetheirpowerandliveasthehighestauthorityfor theirownlife.
Hersoul strategieshavehelped10,000+studentsfrom47+ countriescollectivelygenerateover$330millioninsales, manifesttrueloveandtakemassivestridesinthedirection oftheirdreams.
Allyson’sremarkablejourneytosuccess froman underprivilegedlifeonfoodstamps,adadinprisonand singlemomraisingtwokidstotheultra-passionate successfulleadersheistoday hasinspiredherradical messageoflivinginselfintegritywhilerisinginto greatness.
Allyson’spressfeaturesincludeCNN,USAToday,NPR, TimeMoney,Forbes,YahooFinance,BusinessInsider, CNBC,MSN,BlackEnterprise,Essence,AmazonPrimeTV andEntrepreneur.com.
I am renowned for the opportunities I create that hold a sacred sisterhood amongst leaders.
A Mastermind is an essential component to growth, collaboration and networking. Sharing ideas, various experiences and wisdom with like minded women is soul food for your life and business
In person events to be in full presence with one another is a special offering I gift through Icons that leaves a lasting memory. For this next round of Icons, I have decided to host you in Bali, Indonesia You will experience barefoot luxury with palms, organic food, wellness practices and the magic of this paradise.
Enjoy a 7 day all inclusive wellness retreat where we create intentions to support our priorities of health, spirituality, relationships, wealth and business leadership that will accelerate your life and business.
Icons is a high level Mastermind that will undeniably guide you into expansion and growth within your life and business. To celebrate the successes throughout the six months, we will be toasting each other during a 7 day retreat in BALI.
Win a call with Jen to have her eyes, mind and heart on your business to close 2022 and open up 2023.
This is an experience that has not been offered since 2019 by Jen Because of her sincere gratitude for your support in sharing the magazine with your communities, she wanted to give back generously.
Share your favorite page or pages from the magazine on your platform and tag @becomingiconic to go into a draw to win this precious time with a sought after business mogul, Jen Szpigiel
The more you share, the more ballots you receive. Good luck and thank you for supporting this incredible resource to find more heart beats
WelcometoBecomingIconic,ledbythe incredibleJenSzpigiel Thisisaspacefor womencreatinglegacyoutofintegrity.This isforthevisionaries,theelevatedleaders, thewomenwhowanttobreakthemoldand shiftthenarrativeintheirbusinesses, relationshipsandhomes
Nowadays,serviceprovidersoffering paymentplanshasbecomethenorm, almostanexpectation,buttheyarenot requiredtodoso.Intoday’ssoloepisode, Jentalksinlengthaboutpaymentplans fromtheperspectiveofboththeclientand provider.Whenpaymentplansareinplace, itisuptobothpartiestocommunicate clearly,andwithintegrity,exactlywhatis beingagreedupon.
MichelleFisheringisapublisher,book strategist,andstewardofprofound conversation.Throughhercompany, ChambreBleuePress,Michelletransforms businessleadersintothoughtleaderswhile shiftingparadigmsinthepublishing industry.
Nothingboostsconfidencemorethan someonebelievingandinvestingin themselves.Whenselling,youaregiving othersthisopportunity thisiswhat makessellingbeautiful.
Thisplaylistwascreatedthroughoutmyfavorite vacationIhaveevertakenin2021atAtlantisBahamas.
Ihadtheintuitiononthebeachonemorningtobring backwomenwithmetoBahamastoexperienceits peacefulness,beautyandluxury.
ThishasbeenourgotoplaylistforIconsMastermind asweprepareourheartsforDecember. Iconsisopenagain. MaybethiswillsparkyouryestojoinusinBaliin2023
