Lead, Inspire, Grow - with Raven Waterman

If you're a helping professional ready to transition to a business owner, you may question how you do both and uphold the importance of ethics. More and more therapists and social workers are moving into the coaching space and wondering where and how to draw the line between their clinical and non-clinical orientation. Not only is serving the clients important but also remembering to uphold your professional ethics and personal values as a business leader. In this week's episode, we sat down with Lee Chaix Mcdonough, founder of Coach With Clarity: a training and education company for life and business coaches. Lee is the author of ACT on Your Business and the Coach With Clarity podcast host. Lee shares her personal experience with career changes and discovering coaching and how she uses her knowledge to help other helping professionals make that switch. We discuss Lee's 3 M's in business success: meaning, mindset, and mindfulness. Lee shares how she has incorporated the core principles of acceptance and commitment into a powerful approach. In this episode, you hear how the 3 M's support business leaders: When things get challenging being a leader, it's essential to think about what is important to you. Starting within and being transparent with yourself is the first step in clarifying your leadership identity and vision. When we marry your talents, skills, values, and purpose, that's where the magic happens. If you're ready to focus on developing and building your leadership skills, visit here to learn more about leadership coaching and working with Raven Waterman.

There's a lot to love about being a leader. Whether you are stepping up to a leadership role or taking the plunge into being an entrepreneur and running a business, you may be experiencing a mix of nerves and excitement. But then the real work begins, and you may wonder, "why am I doing this to myself." Being a leader is not for the faint of heart. We tackled some common leadership challenges of burnout and compassion fatigue in our past few episodes, but leadership can be gratifying. While leadership can be challenging, it can also provide opportunities to do what you feel passionate about and grow. In this episode, Raven shares some of the highlights of being a business owner and leader. She's discussing how passion, creativity, and even hard work have kept her motivated and inspired.

Sometimes working and putting others first can spread you thin. As helping professionals and caregivers, you can begin to feel like you can’t see the impact of your work, and your professional environment is taking a toll on your emotional availability to others. You can present as disconnected because you are emotionally saturated and overwhelmed. In this episode, we discuss compassion fatigue and acknowledgment of how you function as a professional to serve others and take some time for yourself. Raven discusses her own experience as a business owner and the consciousness of prioritizing change in her work habits and seeking support. What we discuss in this episode: Check-in with yourself! What do you need? What support would help me get through this? Figuring things out on your own is not always good as a leader. Recognizing when you need help can allow you to be a support for others that can also experience compassion fatigue/burnout by helping manage workload and having a proactive conversation with the team about how they engage in self-care. To learn more about leadership development and other resources, visit our website.

Let’s discuss burnout and how to combat it before it takes a long-lasting toll. We all have different thresholds of how much we can manage before we are overwhelmed, and feelings of exhaustion arise; sometimes, we are already in that space before we realize it. As a professional, you may carry responsibilities and lose a sense of purpose in your work. That space can signal that you are experiencing burnout. In this episode, we’re discussing a shared experience, burnout, that many can encounter in their personal and work life as things build up. When reaching burnout, what you experience in different career fields can contribute to depletion in motivation over an extended amount of time and the internalization of others’ issues. While it is essential to show up as a professional, it is also vital to show up for yourself as a person when needed. We are breaking down: When imagining burnout, do you see yourself or other people? Is it time for a change? Sometimes we need to understand ourselves as a machine, and we need to pay attention to what helps us run efficiently, even if that means shutting these down for some time before going into overload. You do not have to figure it out alone. Visit us here and set up a discovery call to learn more about how coaching might help you combat burnout and thrive in your career.

Leadership doesn't just happen in the boardroom; it occurs in every aspect of our lives. We get the chance to decide how we show up and what we do with our gifts and talents. We can often hit internal, mental roadblocks, like our inner critique or feeling like an imposter that can make the take of personal and professional leadership feel out of reach. So learning to be the C.E.O of your life by taking charge of your mindset can be an essential first step. Our guest Martha Ramos joins us to share the challenges and triumphs she has experienced in her life as a Latina in the corporate. She also shares what led her to develop the C.E.O method and how it helps women embrace their power. Martha is a self-described "Dominican- American, former corporate ladder climber turned entrepreneur and cheerleader of women to be, do, and have whatever the hell they want! She is also the host of the Audacious As F*ck Podcast. To learn more about Martha, visit here. Check out the Leadership Success Path Course here if you're ready to step into your professional brand. The videos, activities, and workbook will give you tools to clarify your skills, talents, goals, values, and mission and control how you show up and how others see you as a leader. The course will help you develop your leadership presence, build confidence, and progress in your career.

If you've ever felt like your career was moving along with the tide, you're not alone. You may be making progress in your career or business goals but still not feeling like you're in the driver's seat. When people focus on their career path and build their leadership brand, they can take control and be proactive in achieving the success they want. Raven talks about the leadership journey and a common challenge she sees when working with senior and executive leaders in this episode. Even business owners can struggle with defining themselves as leaders and not just their role in providing a service. Developing leadership and a leadership mindset is not a linear process, and there are always new insights and ways to grow and learn, no matter your leadership level. In this episode, we focus on the seeking phase and how that is a place of opportunity and growth. What you'll learn in this episode: Working with an executive leadership coach can help leaders navigate their leadership journey and help them create a clear set of goals, identify critical steps they need to take, and then put that into action. Contact us here if you want to get support in assessing what phase of your journey you are in and want to learn more about working with Raven one-on-one or the leadership branding program.

Career and business transitions can lead to feelings of loneliness. Changes in your role may mean losing your peer group or colleagues you used to have easy access to check in with, vent to, or share a coffee. Promotions are not the only thing that impacts the way people connect at work. With more people working remotely and the increase of people leaving their jobs to start their businesses, finding ways to connect and network in your industry may be more critical than ever. But not all connections are created equal. Having the right network can improve how people feel about their careers, provide growth opportunities, and provide a space for needed support. Our guest Lisa Kuzman BA LISW, joins the show to share her experience of becoming an entrepreneur, what’s impacted her network, and how she’s approaching finding connections now. Lisa has a background in Social Work; she is a Leadership Coach, trauma-sensitive educator, peer consultation advocate, and host of her podcast, Serving it HOT. Lisa and Raven explore the complex experience of being social workers who shifted to business owners. They delve into what it’s been like to try and develop meaningful connections as they network and discuss what it’s taught them about how they connect with others. In this episode, you’ll hear: Resources shared in this episode: leadership quiz It may be lonelier at the top whether you are leading an organization or running your own business, but it doesn’t have to be. Learning how to build support networks can be an essential part of professional success. To learn more about how executive leadership coaching can help you approach professional networking, set up a discovery call with Raven.

Women still face challenges due to the pay gap in the workplace. However, as our guest on this episode, Elsa W. Smith, shares with us, the ways that women gain wealth are expanding, and that includes career growth and entrepreneurship. But many women don't have a solid plan for their medical care or wealth, leaving way too much to chance! Elsa breaks down two myths about state planning: that having an estate plan is not just for the wealthy and that it's okay to put off creating one. Elsa W. Smith is the founder and principal of the Law Offices of Elsa W Smith LLC. She focuses her practice on wills and estate planning and counsels individuals, families, and business owners to create wills trusts, powers of attorney, and advanced directives. Elsa has over 20 years of experience as an attorney, and she's a native Spanish speaker of Afro Cuban descent. Elsa shares some vital information about who needs an estate plan, when is the right time to create one, and why it's so essential for women to have one to protect their assets. If you're ready to focus on creating your plan but don't know where to start, download a copy of Jumpstart Your Estate Plan in 7 Easy Steps here. Visit here to learn more about professional coaching and work with Raven Waterman.

Goals, goals, goals, goals. We have goals for days! But when is it too much? When is it time to shelve the goals? Is it ever okay to NOT be working on something and just sit down? You may be getting overwhelmed by your "achievement" mindset and it’s actually working against you! Having goals generally can be and is a good thing. They can give you structure and purpose and really keep you motivated so that you don’t feel stagnant. But if you are struggling with actually making progress with their goal of feeling like you are working backward that could be a sign of goal fatigue. So in this episode, Raven is talking about wanted to talk about what goal fatigue is, how to recognize it and how to break the cycle. If you’re finding yourself feeling uninspired, discouraged, or lacking momentum it may be time to reconsider your approach to setting goals in order to get moving in the direction you want to go in. To learn more about the host Raven Waterman visit here.

As a general rule, you have probably been encouraged to leave your personal experiences out of the workplace. Certainly, all the best parts of yourselves like your skills, talents, and work ethic are welcome. But leave your trauma, fears, and biases at home. On the surface maybe that sounds right but is it reasonable and does it really happen? The answer may be Yes and No. In this episode, Raven is diving into the concept of compartmentalizing and the pros and cons. While it’s reasonable and even ideal to expect people to show and be the best version of themselves in the workplace it’s not realistic and it may not even be the key to success in the workplace. So what’s realistic to ask of ourselves then? Instead of compartmentalizing, focus on becoming self-aware of both your positive qualities like your skillset but also your trauma and fears. Focus on being present, building self-awareness, tapping into your strengths, and working through areas of emotional struggle so that you can be intentional about how you show up each day.

Sometimes you need to say "no" to say "yes" to the right opportunities. Learning how and when to say "no" can open up doors in your career and life. If you find yourself struggling to make progress on your goals, lacking focus, or feeling overwhelmed, then you don't want to miss this episode. Learning how to say no to some opportunities or requests of you and your time might be part of the problem keeping you from getting to your real goals. In this episode, we're talking about the importance of saying "no" and how it actually can help you get back on track. Raven shares her own experience around this process and what it's taught her about achieving goals and leadership in life and business. Here's why saying 'no" to specific opportunities or ideas can be powerful: How comfortable are you at saying no? How often do you take things on just because they are in front of you? Is that contributing to you feeling confused or unaligned from your own purpose? To learn more about how leadership coaching can help you gain clarity and help you build a path to achieve your purpose visit www.ravenswingsllc.com

We hear the term burnout a lot, but do we really know what it means? In this episode, Raven is sharing insights into what to look out for, how it impacts everyone, and ways to start combating burnout. Burnout can definitely be an issue for leaders who are responsible for dealing with the needs of their teams, clients/consumers, stakeholders, and their own needs as well. But even if you’re feeling burned out already you can still do things to treat those symptoms too. Creating self-care plans is often a part of the coaching process and can be a valuable goal and action plan when a leader is feeling stuck. If you or someone on your team is dealing with being burned out and stuck as a leader visit https://www.ravenswingsllc.com/leadership-coaching and schedule a consultation today.

It took a minute for me to get myself back in front of the microphone because I was definitely leaning into enjoying a little downtime. So I had to let go of feeling guilty about not being on top of all the things and just let my momentum naturally build back up. The theme for this season is leadership and wellness! There are many aspects to wellness as it relates to emotional and physical health, financial literacy, personal and professional relationships, and spirituality. Join me this season as I continue to talk about different aspects of being a leader and topics that have come up during my coaching sessions. Buckle Up! It’s about to get real! Have a question, comment about an episode or want to apply to be a guest on the show? Email show host Raven Waerman at ravenswingsllc@gmail.com

Nonprofit leaders dealt with unexpected challenges during 2020 and 2021. Systems and people were more in need, and many women who work on the nonprofit front lines answered the call. The work didn't stop just because there was a global health crisis taking place. Instead, it highlighted many of the social and economic disparities that communities, communities of color, women of color, and children face daily. However, there is a gap in services and monetary compensation, creating disparities in access and pay equity. However, that can change when people advocate and demand more for themselves and others. Our guest, Beda Gamboa, a clinical social worker, shares her own experience of demanding more for her clients and herself. Through Beda's efforts, she helped expand the availability of telehealth services to ensure that people did not fall through the cracks of the healthcare system. Beda also shares how she fought for compensation for herself and other workers and how she could reframe the way she approached her thinking around compensation. In this episode, we talked about: What it was like to lead through a global health crisis Different ways to bridge women's pay gap, including monetary compensation How to leverage your work and experience to get a raise A little more about Beda: Beda is a clinical social worker with almost 20 years of experience. She's a native of California and has worked in both New York and California's healthcare systems. Beda's interests include health care and socio-political advocacy. Resources shared in this episode: Insight Timer- Meditation App If you are a nonprofit leader and interested in learning more about how leadership coaching can help you gain clarity around how to leverage your skills and experience to make more money, visit here to contact Raven Waterman and request a free consultation today.

You may be interested in starting or running a nonprofit and need help with understanding how one gets started and the ins and outs of running an organization. There are lots of things to consider and some common questions like, how can I start a nonprofit with no money, what’s the purpose of a board, and how do organizations partner with others to meet their mission. Whether you are building from the group up or leading a department or program, there are key things you need to understand about what it takes to start or run a thriving nonprofit organization and how to ensure that there is equity. According to the Urban Institute's June 2020 report, approximately 1.54 million nonprofits were registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in 2016, an increase of 4.5 percent from 2006. PND Direct sites that there continue to be inequities faced by women of color in the nonprofit sector and systemic barriers to professional advancement and highlights that to address these issues the nonprofit sector needs to make changes at the systems, organizational, and individual levels, including supporting organizations led by women of color and efforts to elevate their leadership. In today's episode, we talk with Simone Joye, the CEO at S Joye & Associates. Simone’s 25+ year nonprofit career includes serving as the Executive Director of the Howard University Medical Alumni Association (HUMAA). CEO of a Boys & Girls Club and leading nonprofits in Atlanta, New York City, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. This was an information-packed episode and Simone shared some gems about everything from how to start a nonprofit with little to no money and explained some of the important things you need to understand about the business aspect of nonprofit organizations. We also talked about defining equity in the nonprofit sector. Here's what you'll learn in this episode: Resource shared in this episode: United Way National Associate of Nonprofit Professionals A little more about Simone Joye: Simone is a visionary entrepreneur, media communications specialist, nonprofit strategist, and author. She is an expert panelist for the Forbes Nonprofit Council. Simone is a Board Chair, of the National Association of Nonprofit Professionals (NANPP); the Creator of The Nonprofit Store™.

Often, women wear multiple hats that can include being an entrepreneur, organizational leader, mother, or caregiver and need help figuring out how to change toxic behaviors and thoughts that can derail them from finding the success they want in these areas. Sometimes you'll need to think outside of the box and challenge yourself to figure out how to change these toxic behaviors and thought patterns that limit you, create self-doubt, or keep you stuck in doing things the "safe way." But doing that can be vital because it can allow you the freedom to go after something important to you. Our guest shares her incredible story of making, as she calls it, "out-the-box choices" and finding her way through a journey of challenges and unforeseen opportunities. In today's episode, we talk with Melinda Abbott, the Ed.D, CHES, and founder of Melinda Abbott Yoga.Nutrition.Wellness. Melinda Abbott has spent time as a personal trainer, teacher, business owner, and mother. She is a Jivamukti Yoga Instructor and has a doctorate in Health Education. We had a great time talking about how Melinda confronted her doubts and worked through imposter syndrome with changing behaviors and thoughts and were getting in her way. Melinda share's key questions she asked herself, taking risks, and the difference that supports made. Hearing how our guest's experiences have shaped how she looks at life and her business is inspirational. Here's what you'll learn in this episode: Resource shared in this episode: resources Here's a little more about Melinda Abbott: In addition to being an experienced personal trainer, Yoga, nutrition, and wellness expert, Melida has taught at CUNY Hostos and NYU. By her 30's Melinda's career was in full swing when she decided to pursue her "non-negotiable" goal of becoming a mother and went from 38 and single to '40s and a mom of three. She provides online free and paid Yoga and nutritional services and shares her journey through her blog and social media. To learn more about working to overcome challenges that hold you back professionally, like how to overcome fear, and find your own opportunities for success, you can read our blog here.

Executive functioning and getting enough rest are vital parts of emotional self-care that leaders struggle with daily often due to the high demands of their work. And yet many nonprofit leaders don’t recognize that focusing on improving their emotional self-care, can lead to an improvement in their and executive functioning skills and positively impact their work and their personal life. In today's episode, we talk with Joycy Ann Lacombe, MA LMHC and founder of Illuminating Hope. Joycy is a licensed mental health counselor with over ten years of experience working with individuals, couples, and adolescents. She is the author of Getting Back To Me: A Book For Children and Adults on Emotional Regulation Which takes the whole family on a journey to learning fun and practical ways to self-regulate a variety of thoughts and feelings. In our discussion, Joycy shares her own journey as well as stories of her work with individuals and couples who are overcoming executive functioning challenges and in some cases managing ADHD diagnosis. We discuss the often under-recognized ways that this impacts romantic relationships and productivity at work and examples of practical solutions. Here's what you'll learn in this episode: Resource shared in this episode: Here's where to find More about Joycy Lacombe: Illuminating Hope A little more about Joycy Lacombe: Joycy has a background in behavioral therapy. She is a huge proponent of helping people develop effective communication skills, namely through learning to clarify and reflect as the listener and sending direct messages as the speaker while assuming the best in each other. If you’re in a nonprofit leadership role and struggling with anything we discussed in this episode, set up a free consultation here with Raven Waterman to explore how leadership coaching could work for you.

I had a listener of the show write in and ask if executive leadership coaching makes sense if they're unsure where they want to take their career, so I am answering that question here in this episode. I know they are not alone in thinking about what the next steps are in their career. Like this listener, other women in nonprofit leadership roles are ready for something to change but may not be sure what change they want or may not feel confident about going after what they want. Leadership development activities help leaders gain tools that are important in their current roles but also will be valuable for them as they transition to whatever is next. In today's episode, I talk more about the impact of professional development overall. One way leaders can focus on their growth is through executive leadership coaching: this process incorporates leadership development activities, topics, and confidence-building exercises. Gaining clarity and an understanding of their skills and talents can help women lead confidently and pursue other goals as well. Whatever stage of your career you are in, professional development can have a significant positive impact. But coaching may not work for everyone and every situation. In this episode, I also share insight into when coaching is not the right fit for a leader's needs. Here's what you'll learn in this episode: Resource shared in this episode: 7 Ways to be a Confident and Standout Leader Email your questions to rw@ravenswingsllc.com

It can be a challenge for women in nonprofits to balance their goals and passions with their career growth and making a desirable income. But facing these professional and personal life choices can also provide opportunities to learn valuable lessons about leadership, emotional self-care, and how to have healthy relationships. Our guest Vanessa Watkins discovered this for herself and in this episode, she shares her story of being a teenage mother, a nonprofit employee, and a leader, and eventually, becoming an entrepreneur. In today's episode, we talk with Vanessa Watkins the Founder and Managing Director at CRS Creative Explorations. Vanessa has a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies and is pursuing a master’s degree in Leadership and Organizational Management. We had a great time discussing her experience as a nonprofit professional and what being faced with choosing between her passion and her income taught her about herself. Vanessa shares her journey of emotional self-care and how developing healthy relationships can help and inspire women to turn their own passion into a purpose. Here's what you'll learn in this episode: Here's where to find More about Vanessa Watkins: Facebook CRS Creative ExplorationsNext Level Relationship Conversations groupAll Things Marriage group A little more about Vanessa Watkins: Vanessa has worked in the human service field for over 14 years. Vanessa is part of a transracial family and is an adoptive parent. She is passionate about the impact that mental health can have on relationships because of her own journey. If you're feeling stuck within your career schedule a free fit call today with host and leadership coach, Raven Waterman to discuss coaching can help you achieve your goals.

Many nonprofit leaders, nonprofit CEOs, and even nonprofit board members need help with recognizing how to protect their energy when faced with all the demands of leadership, the needs of their teams, and their own needs. But recognizing when and how to do this is a vital part of a healthy emotional self-care plan and an important part of leadership development. Emotional self-care is important because it can help leaders thrive in their roles and even support their teams and organizations better. Oftentimes, when stress gets high and the demands of work and life become overwhelming the first thing that gets lost is self-care. On the other hand, sometimes leaders are experiencing things in their work environments that are getting in the way of thriving and resulting in burnout. In today's episode, I talk in-depth about how leaders can benefit from having a self-care plan and why it’s an important part of leadership development. I thought this was important to talk about in this episode because of my experience as a therapist and executive leadership coach. Here's what you'll learn in this episode: What it means to protect your own energy as a leader How to recognize signs of burnout Tips that promote emotional- self-care