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W O M E N
F O U N D E R S
SHEcorporated
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ME, MYSELF & EGO PG.7
CASH CRUNCH MASTER YOUR VIBRATION PG.13
YOUR NEURODIVERGANT SUPERPOWER PG.3
I S S U E
N O . 7
J U N E
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Editor's note This month we are celebrating PRIDE by featuring some incredible, diverse, female identifying founders from our community. Being a woman founder has its challenges, and those challenges are often compounded for women in the LBGTQ+ community, with even more barriers to overcome. This month at SHEcorporated we challenged ourselves to find opportunities to make meaningful contributions to LGBTQ+ women and their businesses. We were committed to something more substantial than just popping a rainbow on our website for a month. Our June PRIDE issue spotlights these incredible founders businesses and their expertise, to help you improve your life and business this month. I challenge you to find a way to support equality and change this month, and all year long. "No one of us can be free until everybody is free." - Maya Angelou "It takes no compromise to give people their rights." - Harvey Milk
Kristy Carruthers EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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ISSUE 07
What's Inside Thrive with ADHD Embracing your superpower and your brain
Me, Myself, & Ego Conquer your inner narcissist
Stress Less 6 ways to beat stress every day
Master Your Vibration Tuning in to your inner voice
Cash Crunch Fast fixes for your business cash shortage
Build Your Dream Life Vision boards and affirmations for the win
Contact/Submissions hello@SHEcorporated.com SHEcorporatedMagazine.com
THRIVE
AS A NEURODIVERGENT ENTREPRENEUR I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH ADHD TWO YEARS AGO, AT AGE 30. AFTER YEARS OF MENTAL DISARRAY AND (SECRETLY) KNOWING SOMETHING WAS OFF, THE PUZZLE PIECES FELL INTO PLACE. It wasn’t until I quit my (office) job, and started building my startup, that I truly learned to understand, accept & love the way I function. There is nothing wrong with me. I am not dumb. I am not lazy. My brain simply functions differently than what society considers normal. 3
When working at my office job, I was forced to work - and deliver - for 8 hours, somewhere between 8am and 6pm. I had to be present when meetings or calls were scheduled, and when they lasted for hours on end. Any form of creativity, or spontaneity, had to be contained. It cost me so much energy to survive in this neurotypical environment, that there wasn’t any energy or creativity left to thrive, to be me to the fullest extent, to live, to feel free, and to sometimes be really impulsive (which is something I actually quite like about myself).
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Photo credit and cover photo: Danique Regterschot
I eventually decided to leave, to live off of my savings, and to build my business, Nuditae. Be aware, that is the onesentence-summary of a very long and scary process, but I never looked back. I was free. I haven’t changed. My brain hasn’t changed. I still have a never-endingmillion-miles-an-hour-won’t-shut-upbrain. I still often don’t do what I planned to do the day before. With the help of specialists, I re-learned how to feel. To feel how I feel, what I need, and where my head’s at. I stopped forcing myself to do things at a certain moment, despite not being able to do so at that particular moment. I stopped calling myself lazy for it. And I’m giving myself time to think and dream (which I love to do). And what do you know? I am now more productive than ever. I don’t worry about the days that my brain says ‘nope, not today’, because I know I’ll be able to focus the day after, or the day after that (and sometimes for days on end in hyperfocus). My creativity, my smarts, my wit, it’s all there, but it doesn’t come out when it’s forced to. And sometimes it doesn’t come out at all, but I’ve learned that by grinding away at that laptop, beating myself up, it’ll take me longer to recover. SHEcorporatedMagazine.com
Do you have or think you might have ADHD? No one person develops or experiences ADHD the same way. In order to move forward, you need to find out what your ADHD looks like, which areas of your life it affects, and what triggers your symptoms. First things first: forget the stigmas and stereotypes. They’re bullshit, and you don’t need them. Work with a coach or a specialist (specifically one who works with women with ADHD). Read all that you can about ADHD (specifically about ADHD in women). There are also a few good podcasts that might help. Talk to other people with ADHD. It’s eye-opening. My favorite tip: learn what your superpowers are. When you think and function differently from everyone else, it also means that you have something to offer that others usually don’t.
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Think of the ability to find unique solutions to difficult problems, thinking outside the box, being able to see patterns where others don’t, being able to think 5 steps ahead, an endless desire to try new ideas, but also being empathetic and intuitive. And did you know that people with ADHD are often very good in crisis. Due to a high production of theta waves in an ADHD brain, people with the disorder remain calm and under control in emergencies. These are all super valuable skills.
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH ME. I AM NOT DUMB. I AM NOT LAZY. MY BRAIN SIMPLY FUNCTIONS DIFFERENTLY THAN WHAT SOCIETY CONSIDERS NORMAL. - LOES JABER MEET LOES JABER: FOUNDER & CEO OF NUDITAE Loes is a Dutch-Palestinian woman with a passion for intersectional feminism, and breaking taboos and shame around sex & sexuality. You can find Loes on Twitter: https://twitter.com/sextechfounder writing about her journey as a sextech founder (though she often forgets she even has Twitter) and on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loesjaber/ Nuditae is an online content-sharing platform for sexual content. It is a safe space for sexual education, exploration & expression. Nuditae is going live in beta on June 22nd. The launch of Nuditae takes place at Collision conference in Toronto. You can find Loes there the whole week at the NL Lounge (booth E232). Stop by and say hello! Sign up via www.nuditae.com to be one of the first testers of the platform, and to help build the space that you want & need.
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ME, MYSELF & EGO
How to conquer the narcissist in your head. Have you ever been presented with an opportunity that was new, exciting, or beneficial to your dreams/desires, but when the time came to do it, you sabotaged yourself? Later on, you realized what you missed out on, and don’t understand why you didn’t take that leap when you knew you should have. Well, I can answer that for you: your Ego. Britannica defines Ego as “that portion of the human personality which is experienced as the “self” or “I”, and is in contact with the external world through perception.” While that is a great definition for psychology, it doesn’t really help one understand the nuances of Ego in the real world. So let me provide context for the Ego as it applies to life. To understand Ego we must go back. WAAAAYYY back to when our primate ancestors were taking their first steps in developing consciousness, that would result in the cute homo sapien species we are today. Back then the main objective was survival. This goal was achieved through instinctual responses to threats, that were developed by the brain, which we now call fight or flight. The fact that we know that phrase, should be your key indicator that this “critter brain” is still very much with us today, despite all the eons of evolution. What does this have to do with Ego? Everything. When we took our first steps into becoming aware so did our critter brain. In essence, the Ego is our critter brain with sentience. But its primary directive is still the same: survival.
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The Ego wants to be comfortable. Because in comfort lies stability, protection, and survivability. It sees every new situation you encounter as a threat, because it will have to be uncomfortable. In that feeling, it doesn’t know if it can survive or not.
Now, you may be asking yourself, well that’s great but HOW did you actually do it?
Even if you are stuck in chaos the Ego would rather keep you there, because from its perspective, it is at least known, and thus, survivable.
First, change your mindset so that when you experience negative self-talk, driven by Ego, you can flip the script by finding the positive in the situation.
How does one conquer their own Ego? By becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable. I will give you an example.
The next tactic is what I call the “What If...(it goes right)” strategy. Any time you go into a negative thought cycle on a particular situation, instead of thinking and spiraling around what could go wrong, start to list out every possibility of what could go right.
I recently left my salaried corporate management job after spending years in chaos. I was miserable. My Higher Self knew there were better things out there, but my Ego always talked me out of it. So I finally just did it. Against my screaming Ego’s wishes. And now I live in peace and happiness. Now when chaotic situations, riddled with anxiety and worry arise, my Ego chooses the place of peace because I showed it what was possible, by building that trust to let me be in the drivers’ seat.
Use these three tactics to not only combat, but also soothe, your Ego when it goes into survival mode.
Finally, find an accountability partner who will help catch you before you spiral down or away from your end goal. Your Ego, once tamed, can be an asset. Build the trust with it. Show it that being uncomfortable does not equal unsurvivable. And you will find yourself reaching your dreams in record time.
MEET ASHLEY ZAVODNY - FOUNDER OF ENLIGHTEN A recent graduate from the corporate world to solopreneurship, Ashley is the owner and operator at enLIGHTen where she is a Reiki energy healing goddess, transformational life and business coach, instigator of joy, and satisfaction enabler. When she is not doing her thing as a healer and guide, she can probably be found at home with her two fur children, Midnight and Athena, or out and about experiencing all that life has to offer. Connect with Ashley on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyzavodny-90247294/
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STRESS LESS 6 WAYS TO MANAGE AND REDUCE STRESS Women are facing increasing stress both inside, and outside, the workplace. For females who are also running, or helping run a company, this burden grows exponentially. Jenni Hackworth, with White Lotus Yoga in Monument, Colorado, has tips to manage the stress, and to incorporate it into your already busy schedule.
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Plan ahead to eat healthier We all know we should eat healthy foods, but in our busy day-to-day lives, it can be extremely difficult. When you’re rushing from meeting to meeting, or from work to pick up the kids, it's easy to stop by and grab something from a drive through window. Meal prepping on the weekends can help. In addition, become friends with your slow cooker. You can put all of the ingredients in a resealable bag, freeze them, and then when you have a busy day you can pull one out, drop it in the slow cooker, and come home to a healthy homemade meal! SHEcorporatedMagazine.com
Practice breathing exercises One of my favorite breathing techniques is Sama Vritti Pranayama, more commonly known as box breathing. This is steady inhalation, and exhalation of equal duration. To do this, inhale through your nose for a four count, hold for a four count, exhale through your mouth for a four count, and hold for a four count. Repeat. I do this while driving, cleaning – anything, really. It helps calm you and alleviates stress. Another favorite for relaxing, especially before bed, is 47-8 breathing, or “relaxing breath.” This involves breathing in through your nose for four seconds, hold for seven seconds, exhale forcefully through your mouth for eight seconds. Repeat. These breathing techniques help reduce anxiety, reduce anger and frustration, and can help you fall asleep faster. Get enough sleep We all know that sleep is important, but just how important is getting enough sleep? Sleep lessens anxiety, decreases cortisol levels, improves concentration, sharpens judgement and decision-making abilities, and helps calm and restore the body. As a woman in business, the best thing you can do for yourself, and your company, is get a good night’s sleep! Try guided meditation Both Spotify and iTunes have guided meditations of all lengths that you can fit in to your busy schedule. There are also several apps that specialize in meditations. I highly recommend downloading a few that are short, and whenever you’re getting ready to leave work, or pick the kids up from daycare, sit in the parking lot, turn on a 10 minute meditation, and center yourself.
Exercise Regularly We all know that we need to exercise regularly, but there are going to be days that you just can’t fit it in. On days like that, I recommend taking the stairs whenever you can, regularly stand up and stretch throughout the day, and on your lunch break, walking around the block, or up and down the stairs. I may be a bit biased, given that I teach yoga, but I also suggest learning a couple of quick sequences that you can do like Shakira, whenever, wherever. I like tabletop -> cat/cow -> downward dog -> plank -> upward dog -> child’s pose -> repeat because its quick, easy, and I can do it no matter what I’m wearing! Limit Social Media, news sites/channels, etc I know its easier said than done, but limiting your time on social media, and news outlets, can help reduce stress and anxiety. Set aside 10-15 minutes each day for news and/or social media. And remember when you’re scrolling, that the majority of what is posted is the highlight reels of someone’s life, not something to compare yours to. If all else fails, take 10 minutes while standing in the shower, clear your mind, and just breathe. If thoughts of a meeting, or something, pop into your head, acknowledge the thought, then bring yourself back to your breathing.
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JENNI HACKWORTH, FOUNDER OF WHITE LOTUS YOGA STUDIO IN MONUMENT, CO.
Jenni Hackworth, CPT, 200hr Yoga Teacher certified, Nutritionist, Transformation Specialist, and owner of White Lotus Yoga Studio in Monument, CO. Jenni teaches yoga, leads guided meditations daily, and holds yoga retreats in the Rocky Mountains. These retreats are geared toward female business owners, and corporate executives. To contact Jenni, email jenni@white-lotus-yoga.com or visit WhiteLotus_Yoga.com Instagram: @white_lotus_yoga_studio_co
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EVERYONE WANTS TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND PROSPEROUS IN LIFE.
How do I connect to my inner voice?
Once connected what happens?
For 33 years, I have been following my inner voice through the power of chanting. I was blessed to discover the transformational effect of the Yoga of sound and mantra.
Once you develop a regular daily chanting practice, the important thing is to listen daily to your inner guidance.
Many of us are lured into pushing our product in the market place, and comparing our brand with other contenders in our field, which can lead to discouragement.
Since then I have chanted daily, and I owe everything I have achieved in my life to this practice.
Over the years I have done this, I have been intuitively inspired to uncover a career, that I could never have imagined in my wildest dreams!
In 1990 I was guided from within to start a voice circle. My inner critic or judge said ` who do you think you are to do that and what to you know?`
Through aligning to my highest vibration through chanting invitations and opportunities have effortlessly flowed in.
Thankfully I didn’t listen to the judge and I started my first voice circle, a space where people could began to express their real voice by experiencing the power for themselves of chanting mantras.
Who would have thought that chanting and voice work with corporate clients was a part of my destiny? I could never have come up with the brand on my own. Nor could I have imagined that my voice and mantra work would have the empowering impact that it has in the field of addiction recovery, which is a cause close to my heart.
The biggest mistake we can make is 'comparing and despairing', where we either hold back on pursuing our vision, or we try and imitate others and try to be something that we are not. Our true brand can never be compared, because it is unique and can never be replicated. The secret to accessing this truth is by connection to our core vibration. This is the space that Shakespeare wrote from, Mozart composed from, and Joan of Arc spoke from. Deep within us is an essence vibration, that when we tune into it, we can clearly hear the still inner voice, and it's unimpeded flow of intuition, revealing to us our highest vision.
This group began to expand in numbers, as word spread that it was the place to be on a Wednesday evening. People reported how alive and connected they felt, and the zest and enthusiasm they experienced, as they bathed in the sweet vibrations of the chants.
Tuning in to yourself is the key to success in your life and your business.
There was a tremendous sense of unity that followed, where members reported that, in that state 'anything was possible' for their lives.
We are then shown the precise steps to follow to bring this vision to fruition.
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"You might think chanting sounds a little strange, and a bit woo-woo, and yes, it totally is, the same way mindfulness might sound a little strange, if you’ve never heard of the concept before. Like meditation, chanting is a profound practice that helps you quieten our mind, relax the body, and shift your awareness and vibration." - Nikki Slade
MEET NIKKI SLADE - VOICE AND SOUND FACILITATOR & AUTHOR Nikki Slade is a leading pioneer in the field of chanting, core voice and sound work in the UK. Nikki has released four successful mantra and chanting recordings including: Nectarine, Monsoon, Soundscape, and her latest double album, Epiphany. Nikki has inspired thousands of individuals to chant and has led chanting workshops in a wide variety of settings including corporations such as M&C Saatchi, Deutcshe Bank, and Cisco. She is also author of the popular book ‘The Healing Power of Chanting’. Connect with Nikki at www.NikkiSlade.com
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CASH CRUNCH? QUICK WAYS TO FIX A CASH SHORTAGE IN YOUR BUSINESS - PART ONE Part One - Clients and Expenses
A couple of things before you get started on this, though:
Whether you run a startup, with absolutely no revenue at all, or a $300 million company, you will most likely face an imminent “cash-zero” crisis at some point. What are your options when this happens?
a) Be VERY sure of exactly how much money you need, and just as critically, for how long you need it. The truth is that you are incredibly unprepared to borrow if you don’t know (at least) both of these things, and don’t have a business forecast/plan that highlights them.
I’ve worked with businesses of all sizes in this very situation, and this two part series covers just some of the tactics we have used. There’s no shame in facing a cash shortage, but it’s important to face it head-on. You have options!
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b) You NEVER want to pick these options if you don’t believe in your ability to execute your business plan, to pay it back, and to thrive. c) Execute on any of these tactics as part of an overall, coordinated debt management plan. Don’t just throw mud at the wall with a single tactic in isolation. 16
Talk to Your Existing Clients If you have clients who owe you money – offer them a deal to pay you early. If you sell a membership, for example, and people normally pay you $250 a month, try this: “I am currently investing heavily in exciting improvements to our program, to make it even more valuable. So, I’m making a one-time offer to my premier members. In place of paying $3,000 over the next 12 months, for the next 30 days, I will accept a single payment of $2,250 to cover a full year of your membership!” Your numbers and time frame will vary, but accelerating a payment arrangement generates much-needed cash in a crisis. Make sure to set a near-term deadline for them to accept the savings and pay immediately. Cut Expenses: Find the quick cuts We don't often review expenses in extreme detail, but now is the time to do it! Start with the ones that you can stop paying immediately without harming your revenue stream. I know it feels like you have to spend every single dollar that you're spending, but all of us - when we take a hard look - know there are a few extras flying below the radar that can be handled, or canceled altogether. A couple of areas I suggest you review are people and software/subscriptions; however, be careful here! If you are in growth mode, you want to cut costs, but you don’t want to stop the flow of cash into your business. I’m fond of saying in these reviews that “You want to trim the fat, but you don’t want to nick an artery.”
The place to start is often with you. In your work, you are trading time for money, so you want to identify the places in your business where you're willing to trade your time for more immediate (even though it might be less than usual) cash. And remember, what you need most is revenue, so if you are going to cut costs, you don’t want to cut that exceptional salesperson who is bringing in clients like wildfire - as long as those clients are paying clients and profitable. Finally – and this one you should do on at least a quarterly basis, regardless of your cash situation – review all of your subscription services and software expenses. Inevitably, you will find savings here. You will find subscriptions that you’re not using, multiple or overlapping versions of the same software, user slots that you’re paying for but don’t use, or you’ll realize that a free version of a particular service is just fine for your needs right now. The potential savings here can be substantial. Remember, you always have choices! Next month, we’ll continue our series with a look at credit access and debt restructuring options.
YOU WANT TO IDENTIFY THE PLACES IN YOUR BUSINESS WHERE YOU'RE WILLING TO TRADE YOUR TIME FOR MORE IMMEDIATE CASH. 17
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WHETHER YOU RUN A STARTUP WITH ABSOLUTELY NO REVENUE AT ALL, OR A $300 MILLION COMPANY, YOU WILL MOST LIKELY FACE AN IMMINENT “CASH-ZERO” CRISIS AT SOME POINT. WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS WHEN THIS HAPPENS? MEET PAM PRIOR- FOUNDER OF PROFIT CONCIERGE The dynamic opposite of every green-eyeshade accountant you’ve ever imagined, Pam is the author of “Your First CFO: The Accounting Cure for Small Business Owners”; a best-seller that makes finance fun and accessible for entrepreneurs; she is also the entertaining and informative host of the “Cash Flow” Podcast on iTunes; and founder of the novel new Profit Concierge™ experience for entrepreneurs. With Profit Concierge™, Pam weaves together all of the components – bookkeeping, accounting, forecasting, cash flow - into one seamless and totally new Finance Experience for entrepreneurs, clearing away the muck, and allowing them to focus on their goals with full peace of mind. Connect with Pam at: https://www.profitconcierge.com/ SHEcorporatedMagazine.com
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BUILDING THE BELIEF
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WHAT DOES YOUR IDEAL LIFE LOOK LIKE?
You can put them in a frame, on a clipboard, glue them on a canvas or stick them up with magnets. Some people even like to keep them in a notebook or binder.
Seeing yourself as already having reached your goals is important to your success mindset, and a key part of visualization and the law of attraction.
What if I told you that the process of deciding what you want in life, would help you actually get what you want in life?
Once you can visualize it, you need to believe it.
“I am” affirmations are the secret to counteracting that little voice in our heads that says we can't do it. That’s the same little voice that tells us that we aren’t strong enough, we don't deserve it, or any of a million other negative phrases.
The simple process of creating a clear vision for your future, is the very tool that will create that future out of nothingness? Pretty cool right? So here’s the secret, the tool that mega successes like Tony Robbins, Oprah, and Sara Blakely, the founder of SPANX, have used for decades. It’s free, it’s fun, and it works. In order to bring your perfect life into being, you first need to know what that perfect life looks like. How does it look, what do you do each day, where do you live, who are you surrounded by? Sit down with pen and paper and really delve into the finer details. Print out images and write key words, and then compile them in a place where you can refer to them at least once a day. SHEcorporatedMagazine.com
Inspirational quotes and “I AM” affirmations can help with this. You can incorporate those in actual text form, and have them represented in some of the images that you choose to use. Aligning your verbal affirmation with your visual stimuli, is incredibly powerful. One of the keys to creating that success mindset positivity, is positive self-talk. Negative self-talk starts at a very young age, and it’s a tough habit to break, but it’s critical to stop that constant soundtrack of negative reinforcement, and replace it with positive self-talk. I am affirmations are a great way to do this.
If you feed yourself a negative narrative for long enough, eventually you begin to believe it to be true. That’s the bad news. The good news is that the opposite is also true. If you keep the chatter in your head positive and affirming, you will eventually begin to believe that, as well. And the first step to achieving anything, is to believe you can. So, take some time and really think about your ideal self, living your ideal life. How do you feel, what do you do, how do you see yourself? What is your life like, where do you live, and what makes you happy about your life when you’ve reached your goals? 20
Your vision board should serve as a constant reminder of what you’re working towards. You need to spend time with your vision board or vision book, and visualize that ideal future every morning, and evening if possible. Even 5 minutes of focusing on the details will have an impact. Hang it in an area you pass every day—the fridge, by the mirror in the bathroom, on the wall next to your bed. You can even take a photo of it and save it on your phone as your wallpaper.
Some examples of “I AM” affirmations would be: “I am healthy and strong.” “I am debt free.” “I am in a loving relationship.” “I am making 1 million dollars a year.” “I am happily living on the ocean.” “I am a successful business leader.” Keep a list of your affirmations handy and repeat them aloud to yourself a few times a day. It’s recommended that you read each one several times in a row, and close your eyes and picture that affirmation as being true. After you write down your I AM affirmations, you need to practice your affirmations regularly, and in addition to the success mindset you start to achieve, you will find benefits like, reduced stress, and increased self-confidence.
Then, once you have placed it where you can see it, be intentional about taking the time to look at it. Read the affirmations out loud, and take the time to visualize yourself already in the pictures and feeling how you want to feel in those moments. Visualization is key to your success. And most importantly, don’t imagine your new reality as an “I wish” or “I hope”. It's critical that you walk through it in your mind, as though it is real and true and inevitable. Imagining your reality into being? Can it get better than that? Yes, it actually can, because the side effect of these virtual visits to your future, is increased self-esteem and positivity. So, set aside a few hours this week, and get your ideal future mapped out!
Get your FREE VIsion Board Kit From SHEcorporated at: https://www.shecorporated.com/vision-board-kit 21
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