One Day At A Time

0:00 The topics and opinions expressed on the following show are solely those of the hosts and their guests, and not those of W four w N Radio It's employees or affiliates. We make no recommendations or endorsements for radio show programs, services, or products mentioned on air or on our web. No liability, explicit or implied shall be extended to W four w N Radio It's employees or affiliates. Any questions or comments should be directed to those show hosts. Thank you for choosing W FOURWN Radio. I got the eye of the time and then and did you know women represent just three percent of four five hundred CEOs and less than fifteen percent of corporate executives at top companies worldwide. Have you wondered what the secrets are to getting into the top ranks, whether in the private or public sector. Do you want to figure out how to stop being held back in your career or passed over for promotion, then you're in the right place. Hi, I'm doctor Madeloni and lewis president and CEO of the Executive Women's Success Institute. I have decades of experience in the military, the federal

1:34 government, and corporate America and my mission is to help women succeed and tap into their full potential. I want to reach a million plus women around the world to become the leaders they are meant to be. So if you want to move into a management or executive level position, or maybe you're a female veteran transitioning out of the military into business entrepreneurship, then reach out to the Executive Women's Success Institute at three zero one six ninety three three two eight four. Let us get you on the fast track to success. Well. Hello, and welcome to the Success for Women's Show, where you can view us on Talk for TV and listen to us on the Women for Women Network.

2:35 I am doctor Madeline and Lewis your host, and my mission is to help women accelerate the path to success. Well. Today's topic is one Day at a Time and my guest is Ayanna E. Jackson. Let me just give you a little bit of background on miss Jackson. Ayanna E. Jackson is a leading human resource professional and career coach located in the metropolitan Washington, DC area. She is the founder of AEJ Consulting, LLC, which she started in twenty nineteen. Prior to coaching and training full time. Allanna is accomplished in human resources career spanning twenty two years across several five Fortune five hundred companies including General Electric, Starbucks, Coffee at Company, and Harris Corporation. She was the head of Learning and Development at National Public Radio in Washington, DC, which is one of America's most well known public media news sources. I'd like to present to you today my guest, Miss Ayanna E. Jackson.

4:00 Hi, welcome to the show. It is bir I'm absolutely delighted to be here. Thank you so much. Well, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to so let's get started. I always give my audience the standard bio on like then, I like to ask the guests to just tell us what you want us to know about Ayanna Chex Oh my goodness. Okay, we'll look at first and foremost, Doctor Lewis, thank you so much for the invitation. I was absolutely flattered when you reached out. I'm always happy to help in these situations and have these conversations, particularly about women and leadership. It's incredibly important. So just thank you tremendously for inviting me on today, and I hope the guest and everyone just get a lot out of the conversation today. So for me personally, I'm originally from Detroit, Michigan. I'm very proud of that. I attended Clark Atlanta University. I got my bachelor's in Business administration Marketing. Then I got a couple of years in work experience as an HR assistant. I kind of fell into HR by accident. I got a temp job doing that. Really just enjoyed the type of work, and I went back to Michigan, went to Michigan State University and got my masters in Labor relations and human Resources. So I've literally been working in you know, in the HR field in various industries since about nineteen ninety nine. And that's a little bit about me. I guess we can

5:31 get into, you know, my further background, entrepreneurial efforts and all of that. Actually for you to give us a little bit about your background and yeah, actually what led you to start your own business, which is the EJ Consulting LLC. Yeah, so, you know, I have been an HR since around nineteen ninety nine, two thousand and After about eighteen years, I really just got kind of burned out, like most of us, do, right know, just the day to day task, the business cycle, some promotions, some not, you know, constant problems needing to be solved. And when the pandemic hit, of course for many of us, that's what really gonna push me over the edge. I ended up working two different jobs for about a year and a half and that was really my push to make a change. And so a couple of years prior to the pandemic, I actually started aeg AEJ consulting and about two or three years prior to that is when I really kind of figured out career coaching is what gave me joy, right It was it was my sweet spot and I felt like I had enough expertise in that area to really kind of move forward and do my own thing. And so it was very planned out, you know, I just didn't wake up one day and say, hey, I'm gonna quit and you know, start my own thing. But it was also too when I became certified as a discacilitator. I saw that impact for me personally immediately, but I also saw it for others and I knew unequivocally that that was something that

7:03 I really wanted to help people to do. And so while I was still working full time, I really kind of knocked out the administrative pieces of the business, right, So you know, I set up a website and you know, order business cards and got my LLC documentation and you know, started the social media and all of that. And so I started to take on clients one at a time, you know, in the evenings, secretly, during some lunch breaks, sometimes at work. And I just found that it was really helpful to do all that administrative you know, those administrative pieces up front, you know, over time. So when I did leave my corporate job in September of twenty twenty two, I was able to hit the ground running and really start focusing on those revenue generating activities and not solely you know, the operating things to get set up. So it's been an interesting journey.

7:55 Wow, that is interesting. So tell us what was the hardest part about leaving time career and striking out on your own as an entrepreneur. Yeah, you know what, if I had to attribute it to anything, it was just good old fashioned fear. That was the hardest part. Right, It's just where our own worst critics, right. I didn't announce anything, I didn't put anything on LinkedIn or Facebook. I just went out and started doing the work or just really kind of continuing the work you know that I that I wanted to do. And the reason that I didn't announce it is, you know, I had so many career connections and friends in different industries and in the human resources space. You know, I was honestly just fearful of their judgment, right, And not to say that I thought everybody's gonna call me and tell me I was terrible, But you know, I honestly didn't want to be seen as a failure, particularly because I didn't make it to the chief HR officer role. Now I knew in my spirit that's not even a role I want, right, And it's not because I couldn't do it. It was just literally because that's not the type of work I wanted to do. That's not what gave me joy. It didn't excite me, right, But we as human beings, particularly women, you know, we could fall prey to what the pressures of society and where we should be in our career, especially after you know, so many years of experience, so you know, moving into entrepreneurship, it was it was I was scared.

9:22 I was nervous and another big part of that was growing up. For years, I never believed I could be an entrepreneur. I didn't think that was something for me. As I mentioned, I'm from Detroit. I grew up in Detroit, and everybody there worked, right, They worked in a company in an office for you know, big university or one of the big three auto manufacturers, and you know at the time that was four GM and Chrysler and so. And people were successful, right, They bought homes, they put their kids through college, you know, they retired, so it was a feasible plan. But no one that I grew up around had their own business, right. Everybody had to work for somebody else, and one certainly didn't leave a job to go start their own job, right, right.

10:11 It just you know, it just wasn't modeled, you know, it wasn't shown to me. And so I really bought into and just kind of believe that narrative that I couldn't be an entrepreneur. It wasn't something for me. So really overcoming that programming from when I was younger and being used to what was modeled and just fear that was the hardest part. And once I got over some of those things, that's you know, when I really started to flourish. I think as an entrepreneur, Wow, that is awesome because you know, there are a lot of people's like you say, and especially women who would have that fear, would have just gripped them to the princilal way not have stepped out there that and gone into entrepreneurship. Yeah, yeah, to you for thank you. I encouraged me. I want to I want to encourage others. So yeah, absolutely, And then we too, we think everything has to be perfect. We have to have the perfect website and the perfect business card and the perfect social media. Straight just do it.

11:15 Just start off there. You know you will come just like they just do it. So what's the biggest what has been the biggest lesson you've learned in your full time career that now when you were in your full time career that now plays a big part in you being an entrepreneur. What do you think? Um, I would probably say I think the number one thing is consistency and having a routine and how I work. Okay, right, And I figured that out because if I can get up every morning for twenty plus years and get drussed and be somewhere and you know, on time, and and then later have a kid and get my kid dress, you know, and be somewhere on time, and being in an office for eight nine, ten hours and write and respond and connect and solve problems. If I can do that all consistently, I can unequivocally do that for myself, absolutely right.

12:15 And so it's that consistency that you take from being in that environment for so long that you just apply to yourself. And you know, the good thing about it, looking back on it is, you know, I really did have a good work ethic. If you don't have that, you are going to struggle as an entrepreneur. You absolutely have to get up and do it every day, right, And I still get up, you know, I still get up not as early, but you know every morning at the desk, already exercised, eight, showered, ready, and I just really approach my days as an entrepreneur the same way that I did when I was working for somebody, Like you said, that's what you have to do, I mean, because if you don't take as serious for yourself, I mean you were serious when you were doing it for someone else, exactly serious. So you know now it's it's you. So you really want to knock that ball out of the park. Absolutely absolutely. Why do you add in that consistency?

13:11 You create new routines, right, So for me, because now I have to come to this space every day and figure out for me how I'm going to succeed. I've got nood routines, right, So I have marketing Mondays and every Monday, I'm sitting down. How do I market my business? What do my socials look like? I also have money Mondays? What's my money doing? What am I investing in? What bills? You know do I have that I need to pay? What's coming up Wednesdays? Is writing Wednesdays? I love to write. So I have a blog. I made sure I try to get something out every Wednesday, or it's website Wednesdays. I'm updating my website. I'm gonna add an events tale like we talked about. And so just having those routines it's super helpful. And then the best part, you know, like any entrepreneur, entrepreneurial tell you you've got more time for family. You know. Now I can take my daughter to lunch. Now I can go on a motorcycle ride with my husband. Now I can take the kids to the pool in the middle of the day.

14:07 You know. So when you have those routines and you know what you're gonna do, that's what sets you offer success to really have that work life balance that I think we really all are searching for, exactly, Like I a friend of mine, she has her own business, and one of the things she used to always says, she says, when the government shut down, I shut down to she did she quiet quit what she quiet? Quitting the same holidays as the federal government. Right, yeah, I believe it all the time, you know that when she used to say that. But it's like you said, it's how she set her routine, right right, That's part of her routine to do it like that, And so it also gave her a bit of a break, you know. I mean, yeah, just think all of different months that the government is closed unfortunately furloughs, but yes, well no, not with the little pop but with the actual legal holidays, you know. Yeah, yeah, definitely definitely that I used to think. At first I laughed at it, but then I thought, hey, you know, it's that's not a bad idea. It's it's you want to structure your particular organization, your business. How you want to struct absolutely, hey, is to keep the consistency and that wow. So what's the biggest area of opportunity you see for most of your career coaching clients that they may need to prove upon. Yeah, and you know what, that's such an easy answer because I've been doing resumes for so long. I see it

15:39 pretty consistently every almost every single time. It's what I go in looking for and I usually always find it. People list what they do on a day to day basis instead of what they've accomplished and achieved. Yeah, that is the biggest differentiator that I see on every single resume, right, And it's such a huge miss and our abilities to showcase our talent, you know, our resumes, our marketing documents, and it's literally what I coach on the most. It's honestly, you know, just improving that document about you. And I think the reason that it happens. And I've talked and interviewed enough people to know. You know, people tend in their day to day at their job and I'm guilty of this too, right, but in their day to day at their job, they're focused on the day to day and there to do list right, And very rarely are they stopping to assess how they tie back what they're doing to organizational goals, to divisional goals, to department goal what is the key thing that the organization is trying to achieve? And this is applicable no matter what type of work you do. I've worked with all types of people over the years. Right, So whether you're sudden clothes at the mall or you know, you're a director of finance, marketing, whatever, how does the work you're doing really impact the bottom line? What are the metrics and results of what you do? How much money did you make? How much money did you say making you unique out of that?

17:03 What makes you unique out of that? That thing you did that you listed that you thought was important it might be, how do you shape that in a way that shows this is how it impacted the organization? And that's why I hired you. They want you to help them get to this level with one of the things too, like when they get ready to have their performance a place and all of that stuff. You need to be writing stuff for that too, you know, give them to This is what I've been doing and maybe you didn't even know it, but this is what like. For example, I've had friends that have been presidents of organizations. They have literally run a large organization that they were, you know, involved in, but they don't include that kind of stuff. It's like, let them know.

17:52 They make they don't know what you're doing. You need to add that in there, because that's a plus for you. That shows your leadership abilities. Yeah, that's what you can do, is for it's organizing and different things that you know. But they think, oh, well, that's an outside think. Maybe I don't need to. Yes, you let them know. I always tell them to toot their own horn. Don't exactly. I was just about to say that. I think we as women, sometimes we rely on what is said on paper, the idol, the hey look read this as a pause to really articulating out loud. This is what I do, this is why, right, this is who I help, This is how I succeed. I think as women, we are much more hesitant to literally to our own horn because we're thinking, oh, they see it, they don't see it, trust me, tell you have to see may see it, but they don't think it's like, oh, all that important, right, you got paper. Then they're actually looking at it and they may when you tell them, well, I had to oversee like eighty to one hundred people, Yet where I organized this entire five hundred count event that they didn't know. They don't have to put the mentrics behind it. That's why you have missed those metrics how much it was to show that scope and that depth.

19:18 Now you're you're absolutely right. Wow. Um, So what's the biggest area of opportunity for managers with teams of people and how they can get better at what they do? You know, COVID and the pandemic was just you know, it changed the world. It changed so much. And I think one of the biggest things that I see with managers being most challenged in their area of opportunity is really managing the needs of the mental health concerns of their teams. Yes, you know, one of the things I love about younger millennials and gen Z They're going to put their mental health to the forefront and it is the number one priority and you're going to pay attention to it. And I admire them that right because I grew up in a time frame as gen X where that doesn't hurt of just took a sick day or two sucked it up, got over and went back to work. And I'm not saying that was healthy, that's just the way it was, right, And so I feel like today's managers are really ill equipped to handle these concerns because there's rarely a one size fits all solution, right, But what we do know is that the solution isn't bringing in a mental health counselor over lunch on zoom and making it mandatory for everybody to show up, right. I'm saying that shouldn't be done, but that's not the real solution. And so when I think about that that piece and that challenge that managers have, it's a lot simpler. I think managers just need to have more empathy, right, And we're typically really unempathetic because we don't understand, we don't know what that person's

20:49 going through, we don't have experience with it. It's odd, it's disruptive, you know. And instead, I think managers really need to be better listeners and really be better at granting time off, Like if it's not a fire, death or robbery, you can sometime off. It's okay, Right, We get so caught up and wanting to get to the bottom line. We sacifice the very people we need to get the work done. Yes, and that's that's the big miss, you know. And very rarely in my time of work, very rarely have I seen people take advantage of time off systems. Very rarely do I see people, you know, jump on a bandwagon so they can take time off too, or you know, claim it's unfair. I rarely see that. But what I have seen is organizations create rules and policies that punish the actions of many based on the actions of a few. Ye right, And we're so untrusting of our employees. We're petrified of what the masses are gonna do, and so we put these rules in place that really prevent all scenarios in anything. And that's what employees are fighting back against. That's what unionization efforts are, That's what quiet quitting is.

22:03 That's why gen Z is quitting via text because we don't trust them, we're not talking to them, we're not empathizing with them. And not to say all those issues are so are around mental health, but it is causing some mental health concerners. So I feel like that's one of the things managers and organizations really need to jump on to really put some better solutions in place. Absolutely. Now, one of the things you mentioned earlier is that you were as certified facilitator, and you also mentioned that that's one of your favorite training. Why do you feel personal assessments are so important? And just in case some of the audiences up there don't with DISC is, would you let them know what? Yeah? Absolutely? So. The DISK assessment is kind of like a personality assessment, and the version that I give really helps you determine and figure out not only your own style, but the styles of people around you. And so I'm sure we've all taken some form of a DISC assessment of Mine's brigs, strength Finder or something like that. And the thing that I found with us, and I'm not complete, but the thing that I found with them is that they're hard to remember. Right Like if somebody asked me my myyer's brigs letters, no clue, I just don't remember what they are. And so self awareness is the key to success. The better you understand not only your strengths, but your opportunities, your weaknesses. How do you act when you're stressed out? One of those characters? What drives you,

23:36 what motivates you? What are you fearful about what makes you happy. This disk assessment, that's the beauty of it. It helps you understand that not only for yourself, but your spouse, your kids, your co workers, your boss, your boss's boss. So it's a really powerful tool. So when we think about disc the version that I give, instead of using numbers and colors and all these things, we use birds, right, We use the birds. And so the dominant eagle, the interactive parent, I, S is supportive, dove, and C is conscientious out. And when you identify the traits of those birds and apply to people, your world is going to change. It's gonna help you communicate better, talk to your team better, be more empathetic, take the personal out of it. So when people are stressed and angry in the workplace, they're not taking it out on you. Look at their style and look at what their stressors are and how their style plays out under stress. So it's a really powerful assessment. I'm a huge, huge advocate of it. It's a really fun training, it's a simple training, and it has a lot of sticking power. It's something that people easily remember how to assess. Wow, now I don't ever recall taking the disks assessment. I have taken Maya's Briggs. Yeah, I stj don't. I'm also can Obe and I think I'm like a five five blond one something like, but what does that mean? But but if I tell

25:07 you I'm a ninety nine I interactive parrot, now you're like, oh, well, what are the characteristics I'm a parrot. They're colorful, they're talking. If they're interactive, they're social. And now you start to see that in my personality. Now you start to see that in the way I teach, in the way I talk, in the way I you know, interact with others. And so once you learn those are just very easy characteristics, you can apply that to everyone in your life. And it's it's such a powerful tool. That is very interesting. I have to take a look at the distance. Yeah, absolutely, my website reason that is one that I have never had the opportunity to take that one. So yeah, now it's fantastic. Yeah. So what's the biggest change, maybe the biggest challenge you've seen leads have to handle in the last few years since Yeah, again, that pandemic was just incredibly disruptive a lot. Yeah, and in ways that I think we're still figuring out and determining, you know. But when I when I think about the challenges today with managers, aside from the mental health challenges that they need to kind of you know, get a handle on and get some training behind, um, I would say it's really managing those remote and hybrid teams right. Um. When the pandemic first hit and everyone was

26:38 working from home, I think some tracking software immediately came out to see how many people are online and win and I thought, okay, that's intrusive, but okay, we did a ton of hiring, you know, lots of people got hired during the pandemic, and now we seem to be, you know, completely reverting back. There's a huge lack of trust and lack of product you know, not a lack of productivity, but that unbelief that productivity is actually happening, you know. And people are worried about time theft, and some of those are legitimate concerns, but again it's one of those situations where let's going back to the old way of doing things is not necessary the solution or the solution for everybody. And so I think one of the big challenges for managers is you know, how do you manage those remote teams?

27:23 How do you understand those different styles of the people on your team? How do you, you know, manage different age groups. You know, we've got several generations in the workplace. Now, who are your team? Have you hired remotely that you haven't even met yet? You should really mean them in person? Right, bigly one all ones, those should actually be required. And so you know, it sounds simple, and honestly it should be, but it's not happening, you know, but the mindfulness that it should and there has to be trust, you have to build those relationships. And you know, I've just always been of the belief that, you know, managers number one priority shouldn't really be the development of their people, because people feel invested in and trusted and see a path forward in their career. When they're giving meaningful, broadening assignments, you're not gonna have quiet quitting. So it's twofold. On the one hand, we have managers not doing what they're supposed to do for employees, but we also have employees completely checking out because they're not having those conversations with their managers in there exactly. It's funny, I know, you have mentioned too about having a tracking software set are working remotely, because I've seen in my excess class. Normally I go to like a naticle class and the people come with their laptops. They've put them on a side or you know, so that they can like as long as I'm signed in, I'm good. Yeah, yes, exactly. The mindset of

28:56 um why they do that and do their look class and then I guess they go on home and get one on the computer. But I always we got to treat people like adults, like we have to not give always give people the benefit of the doubt, but we've just got to set the expectation and then follow up accordingly. Are there people out there of using the system, Absolutely, but it is the onus of the least management system. And the fact that these companies are losing these corporate leases, is that are our backs? I don't think so. And so I just think, you know, there's not a one size fit solution making everybody go back into the office.

29:37 That doesn't work anymore. People have changed lives, moves, caring for elderly, caring for children, like it's just a different day now. And I don't think managers and organizations are really on board with that. Yet I don't think they get it yet. I really don't because they're looking at that bottom line. A lot of them even feel like two are they realized, Hey, I can still do the work I need to do for them and be home what I need to do. But again, like you said, it's the discipline part and the con system because even if you're at home and you're supposed to be on the clock from what to five or three or whatever, then you really need to make that sacrifice to make sure that you know, people put that effort in there to do that because like you said, want you know, a couple can make it bad for a few and so that you have some employees are insisting that some of these people come back into the office. But then your other hand, you have a lot of for example, the federal government, they're playing for space. Yeah, a lot of people for space right. Absolutely, they want to they want to come back and want them to come back so they can feel that space up to the cases. So you know, you, like you say, it really did change or whole that pandemic. It did. It did, And then I looked to it some organizations. My last organization NPR National Public Radio. We didn't miss it be. We didn't miss it be. If you were a

31:08 regular listener to NPR, you would never know that those hosts were in their homes, in their closets with mattresses over the door, Like we got it done. And I'm not saying that that's unequivocally how should we should do a moving forward, But for those who are capable and who for those who you know, show that level of productivity, it can be done. It absolutely can be done. Absolutely absolutely Wow. So what are some ways that people can better seek out new career opportunities? Market being so unpredictable? Yeah, So when I think about that question, I think my answer is going to sound very philosophical, but it does ring true, and it's to me the kind of foundation of when you started job, sirch So the first one is just your mindset right, and the second piece of it is really understanding and being able to articulate your purpose, your values, and your motors. And we go into job searching so often taking what the market gives us, whatever, whatever it says, whatever it says, I gotta do, I gotta do this this, I gotta have this, this I gotta have these responsibilities, these tasks, these skills, instead of really asking for what we are seeking. Right, because we don't believe us out there, We don't negotiate salaries, we don't have a debt reduction plan for when we do get the salary we want, right, we go into it wanting to really maintain our

32:43 lifestyle and focus on making more and having a better lifestyle with more money. So my whole philosophy as a career coach is to get you to a career you love. And that doesn't just mean peppering the internet for the same resume. So the titles and salary and trying to see if you can and check off every single one of the responsibilities and skills that that job description says. Right, tendary one dimensional in our career search and just like I said, accepting what the market gives us, the job market is unpredictable, now you right, you need to go into this search with the sense of who you want to help, where you add value, what makes you excited about the role, What can you do in your sleep, what's easy for you?

33:25 You know, what type of environment do you want to be in? And so I don't think we go into our job search, you know, with that mentality, we go in job board, job board, job board title, title title, Oh, I think this paid enough? And we go and we you know, and it's just a mindset change in terms of really understanding what our authentic vocation is and taking some real time to do that. And I don't want people to get discouraged. That can't take time. But you're making the decision, Hey, I'm in this role now and I want to go find a new opportunity. There's some key mental work I think that you have to do first before you step out there. Because the jobs are there, they're gonna be hiring. The market is up and down, but if you've got skills, there are roles and opportunities out there. We just need to get really much more specific about what we want and how we want it. And it's out there. It can be done, but we got to change that mindset first, absolutely so now and we could pretty much hear it in your voice, But tell what are you passionate about and how do you incorporate that into your work? What am I passionate about? Well, first, the first thing that comes to mind, I love to read and I love to write, and so I'm really big on sharing books and reading and I'm in several book clubs and all of that, and I always kind of kind of share that with my clients, particularly the career development books I know that worked for me and sharing that information. My model is the answers

34:58 in the book. I've heard so many people say so many times, I read this book and it changed my life. It changed my perspective. It gave me the nugget that I needed. And so you're not reading, I beg of you go read, because reading, to me is just so so critical. The other thing that I've gotten super passionate about, which is a little bit of a surprise, I really like graphic design. I can spend all day in Campvade doing stuff and creating stuff. Unfortunate I get to do that for my business. I also do that work for my church, so for median communications team, and so graphic design for me has just really like I love it so much. I almost thought about it. I go this as a side hustle to my side hustle. This is fun for me, but yeah, yeah, but the graphic design piece I really love to do.

35:51 And then the last thing I would say is just really being into technology and particularly AIM. So I'm a huge advocate right now out of learning tech, understanding tech, understanding AI, understanding chat GPT. I write about it, I blog about it, I tell my clients about it. I'm still learning about it. I was just in a webinar earlier this week that was giving an overview of it, and I've been through a dozen overviews, but I always learned something new every time. This AI have its scary parts, absolutely. Is it going to eliminate some jobs, absolutely? Is it going to create new opportunities? Absolutely? And so I would rather need my clients, you know, the people that I impact and touch and talk to.

36:34 I would rather than be on the side of understanding it and learning about it and knowing about it and ignoring it and not paying attention to it, because that's how you really get, you know, knocked out of the park. So those are three things that you know. I'm super passionate about it, and I love to share with people all the time. So good, good to here. So tell me what do you have coming up? Anything on the horizon that you want to tell us about that you you know anywhere you're gonna be that you might have about Yeah, no, thank you for asking. I'm getting there right. So I will be a guest speaker in December at the mid Atlantic Career Councilors Association. I'll be speaking on technology, so I'm excited about that. Later this month, I'll be doing some training around resumes and interview for the US Botanical Gardens, which is a division of the architect of the Capitol here in Washington, DC. So I'll be doing some training there, and then just what's today, Today's Thursday? Thursday. On Tuesday, I just got an email about being a guest speaker at another conference for women's leadership, So I'll be kind of wrapping that up and getting the details about that, but it'll all be on my website. Super excited about the opportunities that I'm being granted, especially to speak and to write. Those are the biggest areas that I love to do in training. So I'm just super grateful and just you know, so blessed that you know, again, I overcame that fear and just getting out here and trying to do all the things you know that I love and still get paid for it. That's an entrepreneur. So I'm super super grateful. For it. So tell us if

38:07 you had one piece of advice that you leave with our viewers and our listeners, what would that advice be. I would say, overcome your fears. I'm not the first to do this, I'm not the last to do this. And when I just think back over my journey over the last you know, two three years and the changes that have come about, is really about overcoming fear. Like we are our own worst critics and greatest you know, enemies of you know, self doubt and not doing things, and so just start. It doesn't have to be perfect, it doesn't have to be the greatest, it doesn't have to be super new, but just get on board with a few people who are in the space that you want to be in.

38:58 Absolutely listen to what are talking about. Listen to some podcasts like it's it's a lot easier than people make it out to be. And I'm not saying it's easy it's a cakewalk, But if you just apply yourself, if you start to start, just overcome that fear and start. It's where I would tell people to land because it's it's such a blessing on the other side, it really is. Wow. So tell us how can the viewers and listeners find you if they want to contact you with any questions, anything that they might want to know about, let us know how they can reach out to you. Absolutely, So, first off, my email address, it's info I Info at Ayanna E. Jackson dot com. Super simple. And then on social media platforms just about everyone, you can find me as Ayanna Career Coach. I just join Threads, the new Twitter. If you're on Threads, come follow me. There have a ball over there, that's a great platform. I'm also of course on LinkedIn. You can find me at Ayanna E. Jackson or my company A E J Consalting LLC. So I'm pretty easy to find Ayanna Career Coach across the board is how you can find me. And yes she is. I found her on LinkedIn and that's how we make this. So I know that you are very easy to find because when I reached out to you, you responded. You know, you got back right away. So uh, it was great having you on the show,

40:31 super quick. Thank you so much. Have you shared your nuggets with us? And actually I'll probably reach out to you again something else you might another platform you may want to come and talk about the things that you do, especially business wise. The Black Missiness Fix is a entrepreneur, absolutely sure so, and I mean the things that you've done and what you're doing. It would be a great thing for you to come on and talk about. Thank you, Okay, thank you, yeah, so, thank you again for joining us today. It's been great to have you on the show. And I will be back in touch with you. Thank you. What's going on? So, but right now I'm going to talk about some upcoming events that I have coming up, and that is for to let everyone know that they should not forget to pre order their copies of the Own It anthology It's Your Life, Own It Unapologetically and the Journal three hundred and sixty five days to transformation. To pre order the paperback book and journal separately, each will be twenty four ninety nine for if you purchase just the one, or to order the complete set both the book and the journal, it is forty nine ninety nine. To order your copies, you can email me at info at each XWSI dot com, or you can go to my link of www dot

42:07 my website, I should say www dot EXWSI dot com. The Success Store click on at the top the success store and also the links are there where you can order them through my website. Also, make sure to tune in to the Black Business Olympics this month. It's going to be July twenty fourth through July thirtieth. And of course, the Black Business Olympics is a fundraiser to provide scholarships and laptops to high school seniors going to college and K through twelve entrepreneurs. The Black Business Olympics showcases black businesses, black business owners and corporations all around the world. And if you'd like to be a speaker to showcase your business, you can email me at info at EXWSI dot com and here it comes. I want you to get ready. Get ready, then start packing or get your bags ready, get your suitcases ready because the next show up to rise up twenty twenty four Women's Retreat, we will be heading to Jamaica. So make sure that you start now to update or get your passport because as I understand, it's a bit of a weight. May take about three, I don't know, three to six months for you to obtain your passport if you don't already have one. So you want to get that started now so that won't be a deterrent Again, make sure you get ready

43:40 for the twenty twenty four Show Up to Rise Up Women's Retreat and I also coming soon you'll be able to join the women Show Up to Rise Up Network and the mission of course of the Women's Show Up to Rise Up Network will be to empower and to connect all women in their career, business, professional and personal lives by helping them to gain resources, gain buying power, increase their revenue and accelerate their personal business and career growth through unlimited opportunities. And as a member you will be you will have access to coaching, training, different events, workshops, resources, networking and much more. All set too.

44:29 If you have not viewed my TEDx talk that I did in Vancouver, Canada, make sure to do so. My topic again is show Up to Rise Up. You can watch it on YouTube. If you do, you can put my name in the search box doctor Madeline and Lewis, or you can email me at info at EXWSI dot com and I will send you the direct link. Make sure to check it out as I'm excited because as of today it has one hundred sixty eight thousand, eight hundred and sixty nine views and of course, my goal is to reach one million plus, So thank you and for all of those who have already viewed it and thanking thanking you in advance for those that will support and share the video, and we'll be doing so. I am also a contributing writer to the own It magazine where I share nuggets and resources every month. Own It Magazine is a resource for personal and professional business development, so make sure you get a copy or either you can get a subscription. And for the subscription of the magazine, you can go to my website www dot EXWSI dot com or again you can email me info at EXWSI dot com. I'll be glad to send you a digital copy so you could take a look at the magazine and see what you'll be

46:00 getting. And that will be all of the announcements. So again, I want to thank my guests, Miss Ayanna E. Jackson for joining us today. She shared some great nuggets, so if you did not take notes, you can always go back and listen to this episode. I want to thank all my viewers and listeners for joining me today. This has been the successful women's show. I am doctor Madeline Anne Lewis and if you like to reach out to me. You can always email me at info at exwsi dot com or go to my website www dot exwsi dot com and while you're there may show you download my three part video series on three things every woman should do to position herself for executive leadership. And don't forget to sign up for my online core which is Cracked the Career Code how to Lead with Confidence, Charisma and Credibility. To sign up for the course, you can go to www dot Crack the Careercode dot com. You can also reach out to me on any of the social media sites. I'm easy to find. Again, just put in my name and it should pull it right up. Don't forget to subscribe to the channel, my YouTube channel and also the talk for TV channel.

47:32 Like this episode, and make sure that you share, Share Share, because we had some great nuggets today from Ayanna E. Jackson. Again, this is a success for women's show. We are here every Thursday at two pm Eastern Standard time. I'm your host, doctor Madeline and Lewis helping women to accelerate the path to success. Thank you all again for joining me. I love you all to life. So as always be well and stay safe out there I got the eye of the time, and