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Success is a numbers game. So many people think that things are going wrong or that they aren’t good enough when just one or two things don’t go well. But the key to success in anything is in the number of times you try. The more you fail, the faster you learn. The more you learn, the faster you succeed. And the more you succeed, the better you can leverage that success. So don’t quit the game early — put in the numbers.
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Welcome back to Questionably Awesome! Today, Evans and I are going to be answering more of your questions around goals and dreams.
@jennaatkinsonp5 asks: What are the best ways to add value if you don't have a big social media following?
@tima922 asks: I am struggling with creating and implementing a strategic plan for my goals. Where do I start?
@sheriazhomayoon asks: The vision I have for myself and my professional work sometimes feels "too big". Then I question, "who am I to take that on"? How do I overcome this?
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We’ve worked with many successful people over our careers, and many of them go on to achieve even greater success. Meanwhile, some people continue to struggle in their businesses, never quite reaching their full potential. The thing is that what people struggle with seems to be universal: We hear it all again and again. We’ve identified the common traits that set apart those who succeed from those that struggle.
If you can embrace these five traits of successful entrepreneurs it can quickly shift your results for the better.
Enthusiasm doesn’t mean being loud and bubbly in public — though honestly, that can help. What it means is that when you describe your product, when you do your marketing, and when you tell someone what you do, people can feel the passion in you. If it doesn’t come naturally to you, don’t worry: Enthusiasm is a muscle you can build. So get pumping.
Time is your most valuable asset. You don’t need to know everything before you start. As long as you have some idea of what you are doing, you can figure out the rest as you go if you are just taking action. And chances are, you’ll learn it even faster.
Many people are so focused on providing value to others. That’s great! But how would you provide value if you never knew what people needed? Let’s flip it around. How great would it make other people feel to know that they are providing you with something you value? That’s right: Fantastic.
Collaboration is the shortcut to success. Collaboration in your business, in your social media, and in your marketing will fast track you to success. Focus on networking and partnerships and help others grow while helping yourself. Instead of looking up to the titans in your industry, look around to the people at your level and you can all level up together.
Statistics show that people have to see your offer 7-8 times before deciding to buy from you. With how hard it is to reach people, in order for people to see you enough you need to be taking action daily.
You can learn all of these on your own. You don’t need anything to start doing these things.
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Eric Siu is an amazing human being. Getting into video games as a kid he discovered that he was building a lot of skills, joining teams, and creating communities — all things that he didn’t have in real life. As he grew up he learned to take that same passion and skill set and apply it to other areas of his life. In his new book "Leveling Up" Eric uses video games as a lens to view personal growth and achievement in a way that anyone can understand. If you’re ready to reach the next level, give this a listen.
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Eric Siu is the CEO of content intelligence software ClickFlow, which helps you grow your traffic while looking like a genius. He also owns ad agency Single Grain and has worked with companies such as Amazon, Airbnb, Salesforce and Uber to acquire more customers.
He hosts two podcasts: Marketing School with Neil Patel and Leveling Up, which combined have over 30 million downloads to date.
He also speaks frequently around the world on marketing and SaaS.
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Believing in yourself is going to get you to where you want to go. I believe manifestation is one of the most powerful tools we can use to accomplish our goals, improve our lives, and make ourselves feel better. And that’s not just my opinion: It’s backed up by science! We all know the placebo effect and how in many instances it is nearly as powerful as actual medication — all with the power of our mind. So why don’t we think that the power of belief can work just as well with our goals? Spoiler alert: It does.
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When you stop doing the hard stuff, life actually feels harder. It’s not always easy to do the things you need to do to live the life that you want. But if you skip out on the hard stuff, the rest of your life is only going to be harder. Doing it may be the hard part, but the reward makes life easier.
There’s a couple of psychological tricks to help you face a challenging day. One is to block out the impact of how hard it’s going to be and instead focus on how it’s going to feel on the other side. You can also choose to feel grateful for everything you have in your life — including the things that are afforded by those hard things.
You also need to acknowledge the season of life that you are in. Sometimes what you desire is on the other end of doing something that you don’t want to do. If you enjoy personal space but you have a goal that requires you to momentarily give that up, acknowledge it upfront so that you know that this is only temporary and that it will be worth it.
Life is going to get hard. That’s unavoidable. But it’s up to you whether the hard things you do in life lead to an easier life on the other side. Pick the hard you want in life, and don’t let the drive to live easy lead to frustration.
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Rebecca Minkoff is a legend in the fashion industry. Her new book “Fearless” shares how you can find courage, creativity and success on the other side of fear. We talk about everything from imposter syndrome to living into your big dreams and all of the fears she’s still facing in her life right now and how her mindset helps her get through all of it. You’re going to learn to think like her so you can get through the hard things too.
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An industry leader in accessible luxury handbags, accessories, footwear and apparel, Rebecca Minkoff’s modern bohemian designs are inspired by strong, confident and powerful women who are drawn towards a west-meets-east sensibility.
After developing an affinity for design while in the costume department in high school, Rebecca Minkoff moved to New York City at age 18 to pursue her dream of becoming a fashion designer.
In 2001, Rebecca designed a version of the “I Love New York” t-shirt as part of a five-piece capsule collection, which appeared on The Tonight Show and became an overnight sensation.
In 2005, Rebecca designed her first handbag, which she dubbed the “Morning After Bag,” a.k.a. the “M.A.B.” This iconic bag ignited Rebecca’s career as a handbag designer and inspired her edgy, feminine creations in the years to come. Rebecca’s success was further enhanced by the support of her brother, the company’s CEO and co-founder, Uri Minkoff, who helped usher in and pioneer the company’s industry-leading innovations with technology and fashion.
After four years of designing statement-making handbags and accessories with her trademark leathers, studs and hardware, Rebecca returned to her roots of apparel design and introduced her first ready-to-wear collection in 2009.
Today, Rebecca Minkoff is a global brand with a wide range of apparel, handbags, footwear, jewelry and accessories products. In the spring of 2017, Rebecca Minkoff Watches was launched, reimagining the category through their decidedly downtown, rock-and-roll aesthetic.
The brand has 3 national retail stores, eight international locations, and is distributed in over 900 stores worldwide. In 2015, Rebecca Minkoff stores unveiled the first ever “Magic Mirror” technology, where customers could interact with mirrors installed in the dressing room walls of her store and tap to pick out additional sizes, colors and styles of clothing.
In 2011, Rebecca won industry recognition when she was awarded the Breakthrough Designer Award from the Accessories Council. She is an active member of the CFDA, and supports multiple philanthropies including Baby2Baby organization. In August of 2017, she was announced as a member of the first-ever New York State Council on Women and Girls, in the company of other female industry leaders including Refinery29 founder Christene Barberich, SoulCycle CEO Melanie Whelan and Deloitte CEO Cathy Engelbert. Rebecca is dedicated to bringing women together to enact positive change.
In September of 2018, she established the Female Founder Collective, a network of businesses led by women who invest in women’s financial power across a socio-economic spectrum by enabling and empowering female-owned businesses.
In 2020, Rebecca will launch a diffusion line of children’s clothing called ‘little minkoff”, marking a foray into designing a truly sustainable and environmentally friendly collection. She will also launch a new name sake fragrance to be sold at retailers nationwide.
Rebecca is married to director Gavin Bellour, and they reside in Brooklyn with their three children.
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I’m getting raw, real, and vulnerable right now. I’m in a place right now that exists often when you’re an entrepreneur or someone going for your dreams. Right now, with everything that’s happening, I’m just feeling really scared. There’s so much uncertainty and so many things up in the air, and I have to be okay with that. I hope this makes anyone going through this now feel a little less alone, and shows that it’s possible to get through all of this.
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Welcome back to Questionably Awesome! Today, Evans and I are going to be answering more of your questions around relationships.
@jaiakasha asks: How do you work through conflict and keep the relationship strong?
@charitymajors asks: How do you protect business and friendship?
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Are you trying to get things done without going all in?
Don’t allow yourself to be caught in the middle. Not in the middle of drama or a fight but caught in the middle of a commitment with yourself. This doesn’t affect the people who haven’t made a commitment and are doing nothing. It also doesn’t affect the people who are already all-in. It’s for the people that are high potential and working hard for their dreams but a part of them still wants a different life. Maybe you want a better body or a better life but you’re allowing old habits to hold you back.
If you’re finding yourself wanting to change in your life but you’re still stuck in your old ways you need to burn the ships. Up the stakes on your new life so that you have no choice but to keep moving forward. That may mean taking investments in your company so that you have to create a return for your investors. Doing extreme things in your life requires extreme action.
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If you have a big idea, a dream, and a hobby, you can turn it into a business. Brian Smith is passionate about wine and finding a way to share great wine with as many people as possible. He shows how injecting some creativity into any industry can help you grow and scale your hobby into a thriving business. This one is great for anyone looking to turn their passion into something much bigger.
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Brian Smith – Advanced Sommelier, Winc COO & Co-Founder
Brian is driven by a passion to share great wine with as many people as possible. The role of Winc co-founder and COO furthers his mission to create and connect great products with today’s consumers. Brian combines his years of experience as a sommelier, winemaker, and brand builder to oversee the world’s most innovative and culturally relevant wine program. A firm believer in creative collaboration, Brian has led Winc to partner with Charity Water, NYT Bestselling Author, Atticus, and designer, Jonathan Simkhai. Brian and his team of winemakers carefully craft more than 100 wines a year from grape to glass. Prior to Winc, Brian founded successful finance and fashion startups. His previous wine experience includes creating the wine program for the tech-enabled Clo Wine in New York and founding the millennial cult brand Jolie Folle rosé.
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When we start to look at our lives we are either addicted to the solution and the positive or we’re addicted to the problems and complaining. Which one are you? Look at your day and recognize whether you are more focused on coming up with solutions to the problems that come up, or if you’re allowing yourself to stay in the addiction of the drama. If you find yourself gearing more towards the complaining, let’s discuss how you can switch that around and fall in love with solving problems.
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Welcome back to Questionably Awesome! Today, Evans and I are going to be answering more of your questions around building confidence.
@vivianamindful asks: How do you remain confident when you're at the start of your business and feeling overwhelmed?
@suzannelamoureaux asks: How do you gain confidence when starting something new that you've never done before?
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Are you ready to be an entrepreneur?
We have six questions you should be asking yourself — whether you have a business already or are thinking of starting one — to make sure you aren’t putting yourself into situations that are going to lead you to unhappiness.
Entrepreneurship is so trendy right now. While it’s a great way to make money and build financial security, not everybody is meant to be an entrepreneur… at least not right now. Use these questions as a guide to determine whether or not being an entrepreneur is right for you:
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Without Jamie Kern Lima in my life, I’m not sure that I’d be starting my company right now. She’s a cheerleader for all women and has so much belief in people. Her personal story is a billion-dollar success story when the cosmetics company she founded was sold to L’Oréal and became the first female CEO of one of their brands in history. Her new book "Believe It" is a must-read if you have big dreams, and she’s going to ignite your soul on fire and remind you that anything is possible.
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Jamie Kern Lima started IT Cosmetics in her living room and grew the company into the largest luxury makeup brand in the country. She sold the company to L’Oréal in a billion-dollar deal and became the first female CEO of a brand in its history. Her love of her customers and remarkable authenticity and belief eventually landed her on the Forbes America’s Richest Self-Made Women list. Today, she’s a mother of two and an active investor, speaker, and thought leader who is passionate about inspiring and elevating women. She’s also an active philanthropist who has donated over $40 million in product and funds to help women face the effects of cancer with confidence.
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So many of us are operating in life without a plan. That’s why whenever we think about our dreams or something that we want to do we start to freak out. When you don’t have a plan around the things you need to accomplish it can be paralyzing. There are just too many possibilities for you to get distracted with. So let’s talk about why you need a plan that’s going to put you into action and give you the confidence you need to keep moving forward.
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Welcome back to Questionably Awesome! Today, Evans and I are going to be answering your questions around building confidence.
@rowellty asks: How do you overcome being intimidated by being in the company of those you admire or are more successful than you?
@melissa_wucinick asks: How do I overcome people pleasing? I know I am doing it but can't stop, and need the validation on social media.
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There are some common threads between being a good leader and being a good romantic partner. Nobody is going to be great at either when they’re just starting out — just think back to your first relationship and I’m sure you’ll agree — but with some intentional practice, we can become better leaders and better partners at the same time.
Give feedback in the moment
Nothing is worse than letting a grievance sit and then coming back to it after the other person has moved on. Some people get over things much more quickly than others. If you try to bring something up later, the other person may get confused, defensive, or angry. And small things left unaddressed continue to build up until they become a huge roadblock in your relationship. That can all be avoided by bringing it up in the moment.
Being honest, open, and building trust
Building off of that last point, giving feedback in the moment is what is going to make people learn to trust you. Being honest also empowers other people around you to open up and be their best, and that is the sign of a good relationship in business AND life.
What gets recognized gets repeated
When you see the kind of behavior you want, you have to work to recognize it in a way that acknowledges the other person. This will help that behavior stick and give further clarity to the types of behaviors you want. This also opens the trust door for feedback and makes it easier to breach the conversation around what can be improved.
If you take in these three tips, you’re going to make it a lot of the way towards being great in both leadership AND relationships.
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Jessica Zweig is a girl on FIRE. Not just because she’s doing big things in the world, but because she’s truly tapped into the power of being herself. You hear it all the time: Being your authentic self is your superpower. But how do you do that? Jessica is going to show you how you can activate this power inside of you at this very moment, reminding you how to get out of your head and figure out what it is about you that makes you unique and apply it to everything you do.
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Jessica Zweig is the CEO of the SimplyBe. Agency, a premier personal branding firm based in Chicago, serving clients across the globe. Named a “Personal Branding Expert” by Forbes, a Top Digital Marketer To Watch by INC, and honored with the Gold and Silver Stevie® Award for “Female Entrepreneur of the Year” in 2018 and 2019, Jessica facilitates sold-out workshops and speaks on the power of personal branding to corporations including Google, Salesforce, Virgin, Nike, Motorola, Red Bull, and Bank of America. She also hosts the top-ranked marketing podcast The SimplyBe Podcast. Jessica’s debut book, Be: A No Bullsh*t Guide to Increasing Your Self Worth and Net Worth by Simply Being Yourself, launches in February 2021 with Sounds True, an imprint of Macmillan.
After growing up in Highland Park, IL, and attending the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Jessica co-founded CheekyChicago, one of the premier lifestyle magazines in Chicago. The website was a huge success, and although Jessica was known as a Top 10 Chicago “It” Girl, behind the scenes her life was far from perfect. The website began to lose money, and Jessica’s relationship with her co-founder turned toxic, but she still strove to maintain the façade of success. After overdrafting her checking account and unable to pay her cell phone bill, Jessica realized she wasn’t being her authentic self. Instead, she was operating from a place of fear which prevented her from true success. This revelation led Jessica to found her own company, SimplyBe. Agency, in 2014.
At SimplyBe., Jessica and her team work with corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and creatives to become recognized industry experts and thought leaders. SimplyBe works with clients including Heineken, Morningstar, Blackstone, Mars, Vishen Lakhiani, Jason Rosenthal, Andrea Levoff, Larry Jordan, and many more to successfully develop their personal brands while highlighting their greatest business asset: their authenticity. Her business provides customized branding, marketing, and creative services with an emphasis on core values like kindness, truth, service, and of course, authenticity.
Jessica believes authenticity is the key to true success, and that being yourself opens up a new world of empowerment that’s not just about how much money you’re making. She’s also on a mission to debunk the perception that personal branding is an act of vanity; instead, when done right, personal branding is an act of service, a social responsibility, and a positive investment toward a positive future.
Jessica has brought her life-changing and trademarked methodology to clients around the world, taking many from unknown experts to recognized thought leaders. In her free time, she loves traveling, meditating, journaling, working out, and reading. She is involved with multiple charities including the Humane Society, The Human Rights Campaign, I Grow Chicago, Black Lives Matter, and more. Jessica currently lives in Chicago with her husband and two dogs.
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You are always going to be uncomfortable for one of two reasons: you’re either leaving your comfort zone or you are staying in it too long. They both create discomfort, so which would you rather choose? Staying in your comfort zone never creates the result that you want; you don’t grow, and still end up experiencing pain when the universe decides it’s time to wake you up. Or, you can choose to leave your comfort zone on purpose and move through the discomfort to reach the next level — you’re going to be uncomfortable either way, so you might as well have something to show for it.
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Welcome back to Questionably Awesome! Today, Evans and I are going to be answering your questions about consistency and greed.
@miss_evab asks: I'm struggling to be consistent with my business social media account!
@danigmorris asks: Can you talk about how to overcome GREED? I'm seeing it become an addicting habit.
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There are two types of pain points in life: The ones you are dealt and the ones that are chosen. If you aren’t choosing the pain that you face, life is going to choose for you — and it may not be the kind of pain you want. But any pain you face is going to help you grow, so if you need pain, make sure it’s the pain you choose.
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Felicia Alexander is the cofounder of BoxUnion, a boxing fitness studio sparked by her dream of empowering communities and helping others discover their greatness. In 2020, her business went digital in order to adapt to what was happening in the world, taking her reach from California to global. We talk about pivoting, opening a business, and leaving behind the life you thought you were going to lead. It’s an awesome, inspiring conversation that you’re going to get a ton of value from.
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Felicia’s love of community and fitness started at a young age. While her grandfather was an amateur boxer, it wasn’t until after the sudden death of her father when she was only 16, Felicia discovered her love of boxing.
A graduate of Stanford University and the UCLA Anderson School of Business, Felicia went on to have a successful career as a Sales & Marketing executive for companies including Sun Microsystems, Sony, Mattel, and Leaf Group, all the while recruiting friends and members of her team to come together through fitness.
In 2016, she decided to leave corporate America to chase her childhood dream of empowering the community through boxing and helping others discover their true greatness through fitness— no matter their age or ability. Together with her business partner, Todd Wadler, Alexander launched BoxUnion in Santa Monica, CA in April of 2017. After the success of the first studio, BoxUnion opened a second location in West Hollywood, CA in January of 2019. In April of 2020 BoxUnion Digital launched allowing consumers all over the world to stay healthy, de-stress, and build their mental strength from anywhere at any time.
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I’ve had a lot of people reach out to me about how I’m able to get so much done so fast in my new company. I want to dive into that topic, showing how I am getting some things done fast, what is taking me longer, and the things that need to intentionally go slower in order to do them right. Making decisions is a muscle that needs to be worked, so get flexing!
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Welcome back to Questionably Awesome! Today, Evans and I are going to be answering your questions about overcoming struggle.
@sambamfarley: I hate my day job and want to quit but don't have enough income to support me. What should I do?
@samantha_haffner : Struggling with motivation! I have been lacking motivation and need to kick my own butt. Help please!