C-Suite Network™

Menu

Category: Women In Business

Categories
Advice Leadership Women In Business

Unlocking My Hidden Formula to Make Your Biggest Dreams a Reality, Against All Odds!

Maura was living in a constant state of low-level anxiety that was taking a toll on her life. As a high-performing realtor who took the risk to follow her dreams, Maura was overworked and overwhelmed, which left her feeling stressed, anxious, and exhausted. 

However, Maura’s entire life has profoundly changed in just one year of working with me at Kim Woods.com. She has closed her lucrative real estate business in MA, moved out of state to a town where she said there are more cattle than people, and just launched her new business as a healer of homes. 

Maura shared, “Kim’s astrological guidance, combined with her impressive business background, is like rocket fuel. This powerful combination propelled me to take the risk I thought was impossible and live the life I so desired. She made it a reality for me. I no longer live in constant anxiety; I’m now so happy, grounded and balanced.“

 

With Maura’s constant state of stress, I knew that we needed to start by helping her reduce her stress levels. 

Here are a few of my rocket fuel techniques that I used with Maura to help reduce her stress and propel her into the life she is now living and no longer just dreaming about:

  1. Giving a glimpse of what the future can look like: Understanding astrology and how the stars were aligned for Maura the moment she was born, I could see all the possibilities available to her. This helped her shift her focus from just going through the motions of life to focusing on the outcome she desired. By doing this, I gave Maura the hope and motivation she needed to make the necessary changes in her life.
  2.  Be accessible but not available: This meant that she could be reachable through various ways such as text, Voxer, and email, but with parameters. Only responding during certain times of the day. This helped Maura set the right definition and structure in her work and personal life. 
  3. Pattern interrupt: There’s a quick technique that interrupts the stress spiral of feeling overwhelmed and anxious. Interrupting pattern techniques range from taking a walk, phoning a friend, meditating, or finding a code word. By interrupting the vicious cycle, Maura was able to regain control of her thoughts and emotions.

It’s remarkable to see how my clients have been able to transform their lives by shifting their focus to what they want to achieve rather than just going through the motions of life. 

Clients like Maura, who are willing to step into their power and see how powerful they are by mastering their mindset, are forever changed. The changes Maura has made in her life have reduced her stress levels and enabled her to live the life she has always dreamt of, creating success on her terms. 

If you aspire to make your biggest dreams a reality against all odds, you’ll be amazed at how believing in yourself, staying determined, and pushing forward, can turn your biggest dreams into your greatest achievements, no matter how unreachable they may seem now!

Connect with Kim for a FREE strategy call to see how we may be able to help you live your dreams. 

Categories
Advice Body Language Branding Capital Strategy Women In Business

How to Look Good on a Budget: Recession-Proofing Your Appearance

When times are tough, it’s easy to let our appearance slide. After all, who has the time or money to invest in expensive clothes and grooming products? However, caring about your appearance, especially when money is tight, can have a big impact on your personal and professional success. In this article, we’ll explore some tips and strategies for recession-proofing your look and enhancing your personal style, even on a budget.

 

Invest in high-quality basics

When it comes to building a wardrobe on a budget, it’s important to focus on high-quality basics that will stand the test of time. These might include items like a well-fitted blazer, classic jeans (a dark wash is always best), and versatile shoes. While these items may require a higher upfront cost, they will pay off in the long run by lasting for years and allowing you to mix and match them with different outfits. You should spend 80% of your wardrobe budget on your basics.

 

Accessorize strategically

Accessories are a budget-friendly way to add interest and style to your outfits. Look for accessories like scarves, pocket squares, jewelry, belts, and hats that can be used to change up your look without breaking the bank. By adding a pop of color or texture to your outfit with a well-chosen accessory, you can elevate your style and create a more polished and put-together look.

 

Prioritize fit

One of the most important factors in looking good on a budget is finding clothes that fit well. Clothes that are too big or too small can make you look sloppy and unprofessional, while clothes that fit well can enhance your best features and make you look more polished and put-together. Look for clothes that flatter your body shape and accentuate your best features, and don’t be afraid to have them tailored if needed. This is the number one mistake that can cheapen your look if you don’t pay attention to it.

 

Focus on grooming

Good grooming habits can go a long way in enhancing your appearance and making you feel more confident. This includes basics like regular haircuts, good hygiene, and clean nails. If you wear makeup, focus on simple, natural looks that enhance your features without breaking the bank. By taking care of your grooming needs and presenting a clean, polished appearance, you can feel more confident and put-together, even on a tight budget.

 

Care about your appearance

Finally, it’s important to care about your appearance, even when money is tight. How you present yourself can have a big impact on how others perceive you and the opportunities that come your way. By taking care of your appearance and presenting yourself in a professional and polished manner, you can position yourself for success even during tough economic times. Remember, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to look and feel your best. With a little creativity and effort, you can recession-proof your look and enhance your personal style, even on a budget.

 

In conclusion, recession-proofing your look requires a combination of strategic shopping, good grooming habits, and a commitment to presenting yourself in the best possible light. By investing in high-quality basics, accessorizing strategically, prioritizing fit, focusing on grooming, and caring about your appearance, you can look and feel your best even on a tight budget. So go ahead and rock that budget-friendly outfit with confidence, knowing that you’re presenting your best self to the world.

 

If you’re looking for expert guidance on how to recession-proof your personal brand and enhance your appearance, consider working with Sheila Anderson, The Image DesignerÔ. With years of experience in the branding and image consulting industry, Sheila can provide personalized advice and strategies for success that align with your unique goals and budget.

 

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, freelancer, or corporate professional, building a strong personal brand and enhancing your appearance can help you stand out from the competition and position yourself for success, even during tough economic times. So don’t wait – contact Sheila Anderson today to learn more about how she can help you recession-proof your personal brand and take your career or business to the next level.

Categories
Advice Capital Leadership Women In Business

UNLOCKING THE MYSTERY PART 2: THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING THE VITAL TOOL ALMOST 50% OF PEOPLE OWN, YET FEW TRULY GRASP – A MUST-READ FOR HR AND BUSINESS OWNERS!

A comfortable retirement should include a traditional pension plan or a 401(k) or similar account and Social Security. Please be aware while pensions and 401(k) provide money in retirement, they are very different.

Here is a short review to understand the basics of each account, including the benefits, disadvantages, and differences between a pension plan vs. a 401(k).

An old-fashioned pension gives you and or a partner a source of stable and predictable lifetime income in retirement, so you do not have to worry about depleting assets. Pensions take the guesswork out of retirement planning.” The company funds pensions, and sadly they are declining in availability. High costs, market worries, and the promise to pay the retired worker or partner for life have become expensive promises. Companies that have dropped pensions are replacing them with 401(k)s, shifting all the costs and responsibility of saving for retirement to workers.

Having a 401(k), all the responsibility to manage risks is on you. If you don’t save enough, withdraw too much, or your investment choices drop, your retirement fund could run out of money. Even a well-funded 401(k) offers no guarantees. While you can estimate what you may have in retirement based on previous market returns, there is no guarantee you’ll grow your retirement savings at a planned rate. This can make planning for retirement spending very difficult.

401(k) plans allow you to invest your money but only between investments your employer authorizes, and you do not have access to any investment you want. However, with a 401(k), if investments fail to perform as expected, it directly impacts your nest egg. It’s a flawed system that expects an average person to become a savings and investing expert.

A Roth 401(K) may be wise if your company offers it. The tax benefits will be appreciated when taxes rates rise. The massive national debt and the need to continue meeting its financial obligations will cause taxes to increase.

Summary: Pension & 401(k) plans can be summed up as follows:

  • Employers primarily fund pensions, while 401(k) plans are primarily funded by employees.
  • Employers control pension investments, while employees partially control 401(k) assets. Pensions offer a guaranteed income for life, while 401(k) provides unknown payments
  • that may be depleted depending on an individual’s decisions.
  • 401(k) plans are portable employer to employer. Pensions stay at the company till retirement age.

All is not lost if your employer only offers a 401(k) plan. There are a few IRS-approved strategies to make the 401(k) more pension-like and provide some guarantees. Please reach out and see if any of the ideas are available to you.

For more Healthy Money Tips Listen to our PodCast “Money 911”

Sign up for a Financial Fitness Strategy Session at Meet with Kris Miller – Financial Fitness Strategy Sessions

Go to my website https://healthymoneyhappylife.com/

Email me at Kris@HealthyMoneyHappyLIfe.com

Call me or text (951) 926-4158

Categories
Accounting Capital Women In Business

DOES RETIREMENT PLANNING NEED MORE THAN A CHRONOLOGICAL AGE?

The answer is Yes! Other crucial factors need to be reviewed.

First, understand the difference between life span and health span. Life span is how long you live. Healthspan is how long you live in good health. 

Often, the life span is always longer than the health span. Somewhere in those years is a gap. The gap consists of the span of years when we need help with the activities of daily living. The span can range from several months to maybe up to 10 years.

We all know that retirement has three stages; the Go-Go years, then as we age, we experience the slow-go years, and finally, the no go years. Many may spend a few in exiting the slow-go years and entering no-go years

When we think about retirement, we should also think about what support system will be available and have in place. Who will care for your financial affairs when you can’t count anymore?

Second, we need to look at biological age vs. chronological age to help complete the picture for proper planning.

Biological versus chronological age.

The problem is that chronological age only tells us a little about what we want to know, which is how long we will live. The reason chronological age is important is we need to get a sense of how long you have left to go. This helps with the decision if you only have ten years left? You shouldn’t be investing so much in stocks. Do you have 40 years left? You can invest in stocks.

Chronological age isn’t the best metric for your future. For a better sense, we need to use both and allow for flexibility.

 Future, we need to know your biological age. Some people are 55 years old chronologically, but their biological age is 75, and they’re not in good health. 

There are other people whose biological ages are 10 to 15 years less than their chronological age. They’re in great shape. You look at them and say, “She does not look 65.” It’s not just that she doesn’t look 65, and her biological age is 45.

We need financial plans that are geared toward the number that really matters — biological age. That’s where I think things such as long-term care insurance are essential. Even though traditional long-term care insurance wastes money, planning around it is crucial.

     Should a retirement plan be based solely on chronological age?

We need financial plans that are geared toward the number that really matters — biological age. When we look at all four issues, we can now plan better:

A low biological aged person will need two different income sources, one starting at retirement and the other some years down the long retirement road.

A person with a high biological age may need a shorter version of an income source and skip the second one.

Also, the use of recent development is an asset-based benefit that provides long-term care benefits without the need to buy expensive long-term care insurance. 

With asset-based care, you put your assets to work using IRS-approved strategies. If you don’t use the benefits, you won’t lose any of your money and can still leave the entire balance to your family upon death.

More facts make designing a better plan to withstand life’s uncertainties. Regardless of biological age, health span life span, even though they are good places to start, that is not the only criteria. Everyone knows their DOB, and almost no one knows their DOD, so targeted flexibility is the only answer to planning.

For more Healthy Money Tips Listen to our PodCast “Money 911”

Meet with Kris Miller – Financial Fitness Strategy Sessions

https://healthymoneyhappylife.com/

Kris@HealthyMoneyHappyLIfe.com

(951) 926-4158

 

Categories
Advice Strategy Women In Business

SEEING THE BIG PICTURE: HOW CAN YOU SEPARATE THE BIASES FROM REALITY WHEN CONSIDERING RETIREMENT PLANNING?

The majority of people think they’re better-than-average drivers, and mathematically, not everyone can be above average. Being optimistic is excellent, and too much may impair your judgment on many things, especially when planning for your financial future.

Being optimistic is valuable as we live our life. Frequently, overconfidence bias leads quickly to confirmation bias, and both of these biases are problematic, especially when combined.   However, sometimes our abilities begin to skew toward unrealistic, which can impair decision-making behavior.

Either alone or combined, these biases are often linked to us believing we can avoid negative things from happening to us. When it comes to retirement planning decisions, you need to separate your biases from reality; this can present a challenge.

Overconfidence in your retirement planning may cause you to overlook potential risks, underestimate the time spent in retirement, and misjudge how long your income will last. Seeing the bigger picture through another set of impartial eyes is crucial and will help you sidestep the influence of biases. Finding ways to work around these biases will allow you to see the value of long-term planning. 

Let’s be realistic about the financial future:

Over 50% of retirees retired before they planned; the most common reason was health problems. Illness can occur at any time and may lengthen your retirement requiring savings to stretch farther than planned. 

50% of retirees said their health care costs were higher than expected. 

Almost 40% said all other expenses were more than they thought. 

It’s essential to understand no one can avoid retirement risks; however, careful planning can help mitigate them.

While overconfidence can undermine the success of a long-term financial plan, clients who are secure in their decisions will likely be satisfied customers. It would be best if you found a balance between an optimistic yet realistic approach to planning.

 

For more Healthy Money Tips Listen to our PodCast “Money 911”

youtube.com/@healthymoneyhappylife

Meet with Kris Miller – Financial Fitness Strategy Sessions

https://healthymoneyhappylife.com/

Kris@HealthyMoneyHappyLIfe.com

(951) 926-4158

Categories
Capital Sales Women In Business

Gratitude, Fear, and Optimism: A Simple Way to Overcome Life’s Challenges

If I could show you a way to be much happier, incur no out-of-pocket cost, and you can start to receive benefits much faster than an Amazon Prime delivery, would you be interested?

Just practice Gratitude and The Love of Learning.

Gratitude. Being grateful takes up space in the brain that might otherwise be occupied by fear. Being fearful happens to be one of the root causes of many mistakes. Once that space is filled with gratitude, certain things begin to happen

Gratitude also leads to feelings of optimism. Optimists outperform pessimists by 31 percent. 

Gratitude leads to better thinking. 

Gratitude reduces stress. When you’re under stress, your body releases cortisol, a hormone that decreases your creativity, problem-solving capacity, and life span.

Many studies have shown people receiving pensions are much more grateful and outlive people who live off the ups and downs of their market portfolios.

Staying grateful is the best way to overcome life’s challenges.

What can you be grateful for right now? Even simple things like your cup of tea or coffee this morning will work. Having a family member or friend or just waking up today. The list is endless, so make yourself a checklist!

Love of learning is the other key factor in personal happiness.

We’re dealing with continuous change and overwhelming information, which is not slowing down. So, when confronted with a problem, we may need to learn something new. This new situation forces some of our brain’s warning lights to go on for many of us, alerting us that we are in new territory and trying to get us back to the comfort zone that worked before.

Once you realize that your current level of knowledge is not insufficient for a solution and your mind is working against you, the Love of Learning will allow you to learn these new things by overriding the brain’s comfort zone. Instead of stressing, you can calmly approach the concern and not be deterred by the brain’s warning lights. Now it’s full steam ahead as you confidently approach the problem because you love to learn.

 

For more Healthy Money Tips Listen to our PodCast “Money 911”

Meet with Kris Miller – Financial Fitness Strategy Sessions

https://healthymoneyhappylife.com/

Kris@HealthyMoneyHappyLIfe.com

(951) 926-4158

 

Categories
Advice Capital Leadership Management Women In Business

CHAINED CPI AS AN ALTERNATIVE FORMULA TO THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX, AND THE COST THAT COMES WITH IT

The government wants to reduce expenses by using a different CPI version of the (Consumer Price Index). Their new attempt, known as chained CPI (Consumer Price Index) (aka C-CPI-U), this alternative formula reflects how consumers change their purchasing habits when prices rise or fall for a broad range of services, including food, housing, clothing, and medical expenses. 

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that government spending on Social Security, Medicare, and other benefits would decline by about $300 billion over ten years if this less-generous index were in place.

The idea of switching to a chained CPI has garnered bipartisan support to rein in entitlement spending. But at what cost? There will be plenty.

Many elements of the federal tax code — including tax brackets, personal exemptions, standard deductions, limits on contributions to 401(k) plans and similar accounts, and critical parameters of the earned income and child tax credits — are also adjusted annually for the CPI. According to the CBO, switching to the chained CPI would raise an additional $150 billions of tax revenue through 2026.

The chained CPI grows on average by about 0.3 percentage points per year more slowly than the official CPI (which is weak at best gauge to the actual cost of living). The Social Security actuaries, in their projections, assume the gap between the two CPIs will continue to average 0.3 percentage points per year in the future. 

The Chained CPI will chain you to a lifetime of higher taxes. According to Congress’s Joint Committee on Taxation, if individual income taxes had been indexed to the chained CPI starting July 2013, by 2022, 69 percent of the gains in revenue would come from taxpayers with incomes below $100,000, while those in the highest income brackets would barely be affected. In other words, raise the taxes on the middle class while leaving the rich alone.

Higher taxes are coming; start planning now!

For more Healthy Money Tips Listen to our PodCast “Money 911”

Sign up for a Financial Fitness Strategy Session:  Meet with Kris Miller – Financial Fitness Strategy Sessions

You can reach me at Kris@HealthyMoneyHappyLIfe.com, (951) 926-4158

Categories
Entrepreneurship Personal Development Women In Business

It’s My Prerogative – [Cloned #194597]

I’m working with a new client who reminded me our emotions could quickly and easily derail our goals. Mix your emotions together and you come up with a lethal cocktail.

“There are four emotions sure to undermine our goals:

fear, uncertainty, doubt, and shame.”

~Michael Hyatt

Seasons of life change often. Each season of life brings new events. Such as job change, divorce, sickness, or something else. Our emotions are then subjected to fear of the unknown, shame, uncertainty of our abilities, self-doubt, and acceptance.

Before respectively earning the title of Unstoppable DIVA, I did not speak. I would avoid social interaction. My colleagues just assumed I was anti-social. If I did attend a social event, I would have a glass of wine to relax my nerves.

An event that derailed my behavior, its called divorce. Initially it was embarrassing and the shame consumed me. My self doubt and fear of the unknown was too much to bear at times. Everyone was looking at me, they knew about me. Or so I thought.

Perspective

As I’ve come to learn, it’s human nature to have these feelings – these emotions. It doesn’t matter if I’m coaching corporate executives, entrepreneurs or speaking. These emotions are a common affliction.

There’s no manual or playbook telling us how to feel or behave. It’s our prerogative to make it up as we go along. The nerves of acceptance by clients when launching new products still creep up on me. When I speak I still get those butterflies in my belly. The truth is if you don’t feel that way, you’re clearly egocentric.

We will always endure these emotions it’s human nature. It keeps us real. Just don’t allow the emotions to derail your goals.

Realization

I came to realize when developing my programs I must focus on my audience. They want to know how I can help them, they’re not thinking about me. Everybody is infected by emotions at every season of life. When I realized I wasn’t alone in the divorcee club, I got out of my way, got out of my comfort zone and I felt better about me. The wart on my nose went away.

Socializing became enjoyable. Asking for dollars became enjoyable. Owning the title of UNSTOPPABLE DIVA became natural. I was stepping out and using my emotions to keep me on track to reach my goals.

Emotions could derail your goals. It’s up to you to keep your goals in perspective and overcome the negative influence around you. It’s your prerogative. Let’s Be Unstoppable Together.

Do you have questions or comments about the issues in today’s post, want to know how to apply them, or how to help others with them? If so, contact me at connie@pheiffgroup.com or CLICK HERE to schedule a 20-minute discovery call. I will be happy to discuss with you personally.

 

Categories
Case Studies Culture Leadership Marketing Personal Development Skills Technology Women In Business

Women Supporting Women

Did you know it’s National Women’s History Month? As a female business owner and entrepreneur, I’d like to say THANK YOU to all those who came before me and paved the way. Sometimes, being a strong powerful woman can feel very isolating. We all know the irreplaceable value of a strong, inclusive, loving support group. From childhood to parenthood, small networks of family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and classmates give us a sense of belonging, protection, and camaraderie.

Support feeds the soul.

Getting the right support is crucial. Whether your kid won’t stop yelling your name or your coworker is clicking their pen incessantly, there are times when you’re frustrated and stressed out. All you want is the sympathetic voice of a friend who knows what you’re going through (and maybe a glass of wine).

You may have been disconnected from your usual support systems in recent seasons of life. I’ve discovered that a great podcast can help rebuild a sense of community. Listening to a wonderful podcast host feels a bit like a conversation with a wise and empathetic friend.

I’ve had the honor of collaborating with several incredible podcasts within the Conscious Parenting Revolution platform. If you’d like a little female camaraderie and support, I encourage you to listen (and subscribe!) to these fantastic shows.

THE SENSORY PROJECT SHOW

Rachel Harrington and Jessica Hill are certified occupational therapy assistants whose mission is to help families practice health and wellness in their daily lives. They’re light-hearted, funny, intelligent women with a fresh perspective on healthy family dynamics. Listen to my episode with Rachel and Jessica here.

THE BLENDED FAMILY PODCAST

Melissa Brown addresses the challenges of having an extended and blended home life with personal stories based on her own family. She tackles difficult topics like having a healthy divorce, managing relationships between non-biological siblings, and “time sharing” with an ex. Her episodes aim to help blended families not only co-exist, but thrive. Listen to my episode with Melissa here.

DISTRACTION PODCAST

In our world full of bright, shiny objects, we all need some advice on managing distractions. Dr. Ned Hallowell, a New York Times best-selling author and ADHD expert, lends his expertise on minimizing distractions in your daily life. His bright, enthusiastic show offers practical advice and shows how issues like ADHD can transform into strengths. Listen to my episode with Dr. Ned here.

THE MODERN MAMAS PODCAST

Jess Gaertner and Laura Bruner embody modern motherhood: Laura is a certified nutrition consultant, Jess is a licensed athletic trainer with a master’s degree in kinesthesiology, both are CrossFit trainers, and mamas to their babies—whew! They interview guests about fertility, pregnancy, parenting, fitness, and holistic health and spirituality. This duo is a blast to listen to! Listen to my episode with Jess and Laura here.

EXPERT TALK WITH TGO

A direct connection into the world of “Trailblazers” who openly share their journeys to success. From step-by-step tips on building their businesses to how they overcame insurmountable odds and turned their dreams into realities. Tune in to our International Women’s Day LIVE Event March 8th!

LAW OF ATTRACTION WITH NATASHA GRAZIANO

Bringing you the latest wisdom and neuroscience on how to manifest your goals in life and create abundance in wealth, love, health, relationships. She is the creator of the world renowned meditational behavioral synchronicity (MBS) method. By listening to this podcast, you will learn how to refocus your mindset and thought processes with practical and mindful exercises that you can begin right here, right now, simply by pressing play. Listen to my podcast episode here.

 

Which episode was your favorite? Hit reply and let me know!

Love and blessings,

Katherine

P.S. I am thrilled to be part of the 3rd Annual International Women’s Day Marathon!! An event featuring over 25 live interviews hosted by my good friend, TGo, showcasing successful women from small business entrepreneurs to trailblazers from around the world. On March 8, 2023, from 9-5pm PT, you can watch this event for FREE, streamed live from the comfort of your own home. You will have the opportunity to hear from remarkable women who have made a significant impact in their respective fields, inspiring and empowering you to achieve your own goals. This inspiring event is made possible by NOW – the Network Of Outstanding Women, and is sponsored in part by PodNation TV and JD3TV networks. I can’t wait to share with you! iwdm.live

 

Categories
Branding Leadership Networking Women In Business

Crack The Code and Glide!

Susan K Younger Personal Brand Origin Story:

“Susan, you are shy, smart, and tall which means people are going to mistake you for being conceited, stuck up, and arrogant. You will need to reach out to people, don’t assume they’ll come looking for you.” This was mom’s sage advice for as long as I can remember.

I was also a klutz.

Constantly tripping over my size 11 feet with an awkward gait. Yet on cold winter nights, when cars circled around our neighborhood baseball diamond to illuminate a sheet of ice, I became calm and graceful. Gliding effortlessly through a crowd of peers, skating backwards, and doing twirls in a blue and white parka. My skates had baby blue pom poms with bells, and I wore earmuffs to match. It was the only time my younger brother Fred – who thrived in all sports and in all social settings – did not mock me for being uncoordinated. Now in scholastics I had the upper hand, every grade Fred entered he got compared to his older sister, the smart, straight A-student.

“If I hadn’t been there for your birth, I wouldn’t know you were mine. You have a mole on your arm in the exact same spot as I do, and you look like your dad and act like him too.”

Mom called me her little Harold. It didn’t matter. Both of my parents loved us the same and encouraged us to become whoever we wanted to be. For me, from a young age that was an architect. Whenever we moved to a different house, which we did rather frequently, I’d sketch plans to solve problems my parents described in each home we considered. I was enthralled at the idea of being able to design a room.

Emboldened with this desire, in my junior year of college I walked into a local architectural firm, introduced myself, and asked if I could work as their summer apprentice. The position didn’t even exist but because I took the initiative and made a good impression, they created the job for me.

Taking this one bold step launched my career.

After that I managed teams of architects and drew plans for retail stores throughout the country, often finding myself as the only gal in the room. Quickly, I learned I needed to face my own ignorance and ask clarifying questions, even at the risk of sounding silly. Additionally, I had to understand what motivated people and how they made decisions. For a long time, I did this intuitively feeling the energies of a room or conversation, and then naturally was able to process what was needed to succeed. However, I had no way to communicate my process with others.

Once I got certified in BANK personality profiling – a simple, scientific methodology that takes less than 90 seconds to complete and reveals the primary way a person interacts with the world – I became empowered with a language to discuss the various energy dynamics happening at work and at home.

There are four personality types – Blueprint, Action, Nurturing, Knowledge – and each one is listed on a card with several values.

A person reads through and organizes the cards in the order of what is most important to them. I am a NAKB. Nurturing is my primary orientation backed by Action and then followed by Knowledge and Blueprint.

When I know people’s codes, I have key insights on how to communicate with them in their preferred style which is motivating to them, increases trust, and reduces a lot of friction and frustration. For example, when I managed two colleagues – one a Blueprint who thrives on structure and checklists, and the other an Active who enjoys freedom and creative control – I passed projects off to them differently to set them up for success.

For the Blueprint she wanted clear directives, so I’d encourage her to make a workflow that we could review together before she began. For the Active, this same approach would have stifled his creativity, so his projects were given with broad instructions and ample opportunity for him to make it his own. It’s also applicable in our personal lives. Looking back, it’s now easy for me to know that both Fred and my mom were Actives. They were vivacious, go-getters full of stories and always having fun. Often people will associate ‘architect’ with Blueprint but what fulfills me is designing a space that nurtures the people who are occupying it. How form can foster community.

Learning these codes enables me to dance among various personalities and feels akin to being back on that ice, gracefully gliding through the crowd.

If you are interested in ‘cracking your code’ you can do so for free here. Afterwards, feel free to reach out and have a conversation with me. We’ll discuss how this information can be immediately utilized to increase workflow and strengthen interpersonal communications either in the workplace or at home.