What are we teaching our girls they need to be through social media? Do I need to take butt selfies to grow my fitness business? CEO of The Glute Recruit – Voted Best Personal Trainer in Westchester answers all. Jess tells her story about her journey through the corporate fitness world which lead her to create her own company. Jess touches on the unrealistic expectations that social media has and how she is trying to be the change in her industry by getting away from those never changing butt selfies and teaching our little ones to be strong & not focus on skinny.
Guest: @thegluterecuit
Host: @tryandstopme_podcast
Use Code: COLLEEN20 for 20% off your GluteRecruit resistance band!
On Episode 2, we sit down with my dear friend Stephanie Virchaux.
Stephanie is the Founder of SV Empowerment, she is a Motivational Speaker and an Energy Healer.
Stephanie had over a decade in the corporate world marketing for some of the top beauty brands in the industry. She was making well over 6 figures in the “opportunity of lifetime” position. Despite all of the perks, at the end of the day, it just wasn’t what her gut was telling her to do. Listen along as she shares her journey which lead her to her coaching business where she was able to use her own tools to help her through some extremely difficult times of her own.
Instagram: @tryandstopme_podcast
Guest Instagram: @stephanievirchaux
To listen to the full podcast, CLICK HERE or check it out on Spotify!
Guess what’s next week?! It’s BenefitsPRO Broker Expo time! This is one of my favorite conferences every year and this year we are doing the Fast & Furious Session from the main stage! So if you haven’t already registered, make sure you handle that ASAP! Since it is virtual this year, if you are a broker or agent, you can get in on the fun for no charge and learn what the rest of us already know about this great show!
In July, we kicked off our Wonder Woman Mastermind group, which was the brainchild of this series. We had a wonderful first meeting, where we shared some excellent marketing ideas with each other. If you are looking to be inspired by more women in our industry, please meet Bobbie and Deidre. Both women are breaking down barriers for women in our industry with personal impact and mentorship.
“The past 12 months have been focused on growth, speaking and mentoring! Due to all of our recent exposure and hard work, Benekiva was invited to participate in Mass Challenge FinTech Accelerator. We were selected out of over 300 applications globally and are proud of this recognition! Our impact in the industry has also increased as we’ve grown the number of carriers we work with from three to nine over the past 12 months. Personally, I was invited to speak at over 25 events in the last year, on topics such as InsurTech, innovation, customer experience, digital transformation, Blockchain, startups, women in tech, and diversity and inclusion. I’ve meet so many dynamic people along the way. Lastly, we have been able to mentor many startups and logged over 250 hours to help the startup community nationally.”
“I constantly think about the legacy I want to leave. My goal is to diversify the C-Suite and change the image of what a leader “looks like.” While companies promote diversity and inclusion, data shows the existence of pay disparities and glass ceilings amongst employees. Last December, I took the leap to become a full-time entrepreneur, providing personal brand coaching to ambitious but undervalued diverse talent. Nothing could have prepared me for what was to come. The biggest surprise has been, that in the midst of a global pandemic, unstable economy, and racial unrest, my clients are winning. For example, Uche, a first-generation African American woman, just landed a new job making 20% more pay and with the dream title we planned together. Why am I celebrating this as a personal win? It debunks the myth that top-notch diverse talent doesn’t exist. So. I encourage us all to mentor, hire and promote diverse talent.”
Know a great rockstar woman in our industry who’s doing amazing things? If so, I’d love to connect! You can just shoot me over an email with their information or feel free to make a virtual introduction to me at scombs@combsandco.com. Stay safe and mask up my friends. Hope to see you August 18th-20th at the BenefitsPRO BrokerExpo!
When the COVID-19 lockdown began, I very quickly noticed the surge, and felt bombarded by, too many choices for online entertainment. Suddenly countless guided meditations, yoga classes, friends having Zoom cocktail hours, and virtual dance parties were available simply by clicking a link. But, in order to process entering into a “new normal,” my instinct sent me to a quieter, more introspective place.
“When you feel comfortable with your own silence, you will act as if you speak volumes.”
In April 2020, I declared kindness is the new BLACK. I emphasized the importance of increasing kindness through our words, actions, and the omission of certain actions. By going to that quiet place to digest the deep sense of loss and grief we are all experiencing, I found the time and space to consider ways to communicate with kindness to my clients, family, friends, andothers on social media during these unprecedented times.
In the Age of Uncertainty, be aware that anxiety impacts the way we communicate with others.
I hear some people are a little extra snappy these days, but you didn’t hear it from me, since I’m isolated here on the 5th floor. But, now more than ever, when we feel extra vulnerable and scared, it’s important to try to be careful of what we say and to try to avoid judging others.
Debra also reminds us that we don’t always need to fill in the blanks. Too much of one thing can negate your message. Practice restraint. Let’s use the New York State PAUSE to take a metaphorical pause in communicating!
According to Debra: “Punctuate everything you discuss with appropriate silence and respectful pauses. This will enable your listener to truly take in your words, consider their meaning [because Words Do Matter], and respond as appropriate.”
To communicate effectively and with kindness, “best practices” suggest that before speaking, we should consider the following:
Aimee B. Davis Law P.C. is committed to advising its clients and resolving issues relating to the legal and business matters that are important to them. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at (917) 617-2243 or email aimee@aimeebdavis.com.
If you have a child going to college, have them pack an emergency COVID-19 bag in case they test positive and have to quarantine.
In these uncertain times, the possibility exists that your child may test positive, and have to leave his or her dorm for a quarantine location. It’s probably a VERY GOOD idea to have a pre-packed quarantine bag in his or her closet. It would be so much easier to ask a roommate to grab “the blue Nike bag in my closet and my laptop” than to try to figure out what he or she will want/need for two weeks.
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COVID-19 QUARANTINE GO BAG:
Extra cell phone charger
List of important peoples’ phone numbers written out,
List of any allergies
2 or more complete changes of comfy clothes: sweats, PJ Pants, T’s, Fuzzy Socks
Fleece throw (take the tiniest one in the house and squish it into an XL Baggie, then force the extra air out.)
Our guest Tony Pec is the go to man for social media and all things business.
Hear how he saw the potential in Instagram growth which led him to say “forget the college degree” and dove right into creating his own Forbes Accredited Marketing agency!
Take a listen the preview below!
To listen to the full podcast, CLICK HERE or check it out on Spotify!
How often do you think about the information contained on a state-issued identification document (such as a driver’s license)? How about your passport, which is internationally recognized? The data on your credit card’s magnetic strip? Pretty sure most people would answer never or infrequently to any or all of these questions, which is why there are folks like James (Jim) Mottola.
Jim spent 26 years at the Secret Service, thinking a lot about identification documents and the information contained – and not contained – on them. To law enforcement, identification is a vital part of the job. But with COVID-19, questions about identification data have taken on new forms and urgencies, beyond law enforcement and the ability to get on an airplane or drive a car. A great many of those questions revolve around health ID’s; documents that could confirm a person has the COVID-19 antibodies, or never tested positive for the virus, or received the proper immunizations before traveling to other parts of the world.
Would a health ID work, especially here in the United States? If so, how would it work and most importantly, how would you protect the data? “Dynamic Identification” is a conversation I recorded with Jim to discuss these questions and others. It’s a topic that touches on every citizen and business. If interested, just click on the video below.
The current landscape of the U.S. workforce is quite different than it was six months ago. In a world once consumed by daily human interaction, we now find ourselves spending most of our days sitting in front of a screen and talking behind a keyboard. Some may say that this is just a short-term solution to the problem at hand, while others say it will be the way of life moving forward. While we don’t know for certain which answer is correct, we can agree that one thing is for sure and that is every day you log into a computer, there is a risk that someone is out there trying to take advantage of you. That person could be your next door neighbor or a 12-year-old hacker sitting in their parent’s basement on the other side of the globe. The point of this blog isn’t to shake you out of your boots, but it is to inform you about a way to protect your business and its assets. Enter Cyber Liability Insurance, a coverage that helps protect data and operations of your business if you find yourself the victim of a cyber related attack. Here’s how it works:
Cyber Liability Insurance helps protect your business from losses resulting from online threats. These breaches can be suffered on a 1st and/or 3rd party basis. This is a responsive coverage to help soften the blow due to a cyber-attack.
What it Protects Against:
Username and password theft
Phishing emails
Ransomware/cyber extorsion
Defense costs, fines, and penalties
Business interruption after a cyber related incident
Breach response
Funds transfer fraud
Crisis management/PR
Website is hacked
In a Nutshell: If you store data or have systems connected to the internet, you are exposed to cyber threats.
Is it required?: No. However, all states have laws regarding breach notification. Some states have laws dictating cyber protocols. For example, NY has DFS rule 500 and the SHIELD Act, while California has the California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA).
Click Here for the original post on The SHRM Blog!
As a mental health speaker, much of my work is focused on supporting HR leaders around mental health initiatives. This usually involves addressing the mental health stigma. I’ve learned having uncomfortable and awkward conversations is the critical key to transforming this stigma.
We don’t usually like to have these types of conversations. But they help us reach a place of understanding.
The same is true for navigating racism.
We will only make real and lasting progress in this area when we focus on empathizing with people who have different perspectives than us. It’s important to understand that we’re never going to fully understand someone who is living in a different set of shoes. But we can do our best to have empathy so we can reach a place of connecting better. And ultimately be able to get more done together.
What you need to keep in mind as an HR leader
Many people of color are angry, sad and scared right now. Those are difficult emotions that make it hard to focus, communicate and respond to everyday situations. They often stem from not feeling listened to or feeling a lack of control over what’s happening in life.
Company words right now need to be more authentic than ever and backed up by action. Your initiative cannot be about meeting the status quo to avoid being a victim of the “cancel culture”.
Diversity and Inclusion training needs to be an ongoing, regular part of your work. This will ultimately lead to increased productivity and profitability. You may need to use this angle when talking with your C-level executives about your initiative.
Learn to ask the right questions and then listen. Here are some examples:
○ “What do you see happening that I don’t see?”
○ “How do you think you are perceived by the leaders in the company?”
○ “What do you feel we need to be doing that we’re not doing?”
○ Or simply say, “Help me understand.”
Creating effective messaging
Right now, people want to hear what your company stands for. Let them know that you don’t support racism. Share your policies and what the company is doing to prevent it. Then, BE LOUD with your actions showing the follow-through. The more public you are, the more trust you will build if you follow it up with action. Don’t get caught saying one thing and doing another!
Please understand that it’s important to embrace not getting it right. No matter how much you “perfect” your message, there will be people who think you’re saying it wrong or not saying enough. We’re not going to get it just right. But the important thing is making sure that we do our best to understand and empathize with others’ perspectives. It’s really that simple.
This is what a friend of mine said to be about 4 years ago, when we were having a trying time in our industry and just needed an influx of positivity.
Fast forward 3 years and some odd months later, I found I was the one who needed to hear something good. My husband and I both tested positive for Covid-19, and although the symptoms for us were mild, I found myself being the one that was bummed out. Days upon days of seeing emails about Covid-19 and what to do and what not to do, and suffering from information overload , and I just needed to hear something good….
This made me hit pause and remind myself, “Innovation is born from necessity.” What a bold statement that just rings so true today!
I’m in New York City, the epicenter of Covid-19, and it is definitely not business as usual.
But we have found new ways to connect with family, friends and clients and also support them in ways we never thought possible.
After doing some brainstorming with my peers, these are the things we started to do to feel more connected:
We did not actively sell. If people come to us and need coverage, we help them. We got so many calls at the beginning of the quarantine from people who had been laid off and were in need of Individual Insurance. – New York City doesn’t pay brokers for their advice; so, instead of our normal $185/hour, we are dropping it down to $100 flat. But we are finding out that we are using more leeway on just answering some general questions from people and pointing them in the right direction without their retaining us.
We reached out in kindness. We had a lot of prospective clients who were in the process of setting up new group plans or business insurance policies and we reached out just to check on them, tell them we know things have changed, and want them to know that we can pick things up whenever they are ready
You know those 4,712 emails all of us received about Covid-19? We pulled out a lot of important information from them , put it into one blog posting, and reached out to all our clients with just a “Checking In” email. – We got a positive response from this email and our clients shared with us what they are going through and what they are doing. One client is writing a new book, one is shifting their cooking classes to online classes, and some have created disaster relief funds for their own staff. So, what we did with these responses was to ask them to share with us links or information, and then we passed that information on to others.
Whenever a client reached out to us about a fund they have created, we made a donation and shared the information on our Social Media accounts.
One of the things I learned from all of this is that you have to let people do things for you, too. When my brother was sick with cancer when we were kids, the Chaplain at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital told my mother, “You have to be a gracious receiver.” So, I have eaten a little piece of humble pie and let people do for me.
I can’t tell you how many industry friends have reached out to me just to check on me and offer support. I have had people send us masks, go food shopping for us, and just “Face Timed” with us to see how we are doing.
It’s been amazing to have Zoom dinner parties and Happy Hours and be able to feel connected when we felt like we were on an island. There are truly so many incredible people in my life, including many men and women in our industry. These peers of ours are working hard to make an impact on our industry during this difficult time. They all serve as a shining light in such a dark time, and I am grateful to all of them.
Stay strong, my friends.
Bio:
Susan L Combs, PPACA, ChHC, is president of Combs& Company, LLC, a full-service insurance brokerage firm. She is a past recipient of NAIFA’s Four Under Forty Award, and past president of Women in Insurance and Financial Services.
combsandco 