Today’s episode is part 2 of my conversation with The Moxie Project founder Shelly Brockman. Click HERE to check out part 1 of the interview. 

Shelly Brockman is a numbers person. She says she is just as happy with a calculator and a pencil as she is with a new pair of shoes. Along with her love of numbers, Shelly also has a deep enthusiasm for examining human behavior and figuring out what drives people. 

Shelly began working in the financial industry in Atlanta at the height of the 2002 stock market downturn. Then in 2008 when the housing market crashed along with the stock market Shelly witnessed first-hand how quickly someone’s life savings could be taken away from them through no fault of their own. It was in that time that Shelly had an epiphany. Were these people, who just lost all their hard earned money, really happy doing it or were they just doing it so they could retire? She realized that life was too short to settle and knew she wanted to make a change. 

Fast forward to Shelly’s daughters second birthday and she had left what she refers to as her “former life” in the financial industry behind to start The Moxie Project.

The Moxie Project is a women’s small business and entrepreneurship training initiative with the mission to help women free themselves from the status quo and start living their life on their own terms. 

Shelly is so full of research based knowledge and real life experience helping women. We talked for so long that I felt it was best to split our conversation into two parts. Here are some of the things we discussed in Part 2 of our conversation:

- The talents and roadblocks associated with the 3 types of entrepreneurs: outsiders, innovators and trendsetters 
- The process Shelly goes through with her clients to get them from idea to launch
- The importance of getting customer feedback 
- What Shelly has seen can be the number 1 killer of your success
- Tapping into your fearless self and learning to trust your intuition 
- The importance of building processes and systems into your business upfront in order to avoid burnout

More about Shelly: 

The Moxie Project
Instagram: @themoxieproject 
The Moxie Project Facebook Page

A Lesson In: Trusting your gut & pursuing your visions wholeheartedly with Shelly Brockman

Leigh McNeal was the only female in her office for 2 years when she first began working at Power Home Remodeling Group in Atlanta, GA. Being the only woman in a male dominated industry has its challenges, but Leigh did not let that stop her from becoming a powerful voice in the office and eventually in the entire company. 

After 3 years of working as the Office Manager for the Atlanta office, Leigh worked her way up to becoming the director of 27 office managers throughout 13 offices. 

Leigh goes above and beyond her job description on a daily basis and that is ultimately what has led her to the success she has had with Power. 

Here are some of the things we discuss in this episode: 

- How getting denied from her dream college ended up being one of the best things 
- The ups & downs Leigh went through after graduating from college that ultimately lead her to Power Home Remodeling Group 
- Accepting criticism and learning to truly appreciate feedback 
- Creating processes that make your day-to-day tasks easier and allow you to focus on your big picture 
- Going beyond the specified duties of your role 
- Leigh’s top interview tips 
- The one thing to NEVER say in an interview
- What Leigh learned from being the only female in her office for 2 years 
- Building relationships with your co-workers in order to communicate more effectively 
- The most important piece of advice Leigh has for those looking to advance their career in the corporate world 

MORE ABOUT LEIGH:

Leigh McNeil LinkedIn
Power Home Remodeling Group

A Lesson In: Going above & beyond your job description to make it in the corporate world

When it comes to health and wellness, it can feel like you are navigating a maze. One person says fat is the devil while another says a full scoop of butter in your coffee is the way to go. Enter Raiyah Elahi. As a certified health coach, Raiyah’s goal is to take the confusion out of health and wellness. She creates personalized regimens to fit her client’s needs while also helping them to focus on treating the mind, body and soul as one. Raiyah’s passion for overall wellbeing is what lead her to create two wellness based businesses. The first, Flourish Mind and Body, is Raiyah’s wellness consulting business. And the second, Food for Tiny Thoughts, is geared toward children and helping them to develop and learn healthy habits at a young age. Raiyah is a wealth of knowledge and a networking queen. 

Here are some of the things we discuss: 

- How her Pakistani heritage impacted her childhood and increased her desire for education
- How your health changes when you start viewing the body as a whole: mental, emotional and physical health all connected 
- Raiyah’s tips for helping you stay committed to your health plan
- The different factors that effect weight-loss 
- The need Raiyah saw in the health industry that lead her to start her consulting firm “Flourish Mind and Body”
- The power of networking and Raiyah’s tips for increasing your confidence at networking events
- Raiyah’s passion for re-educating children on what healthy food is 

MORE ABOUT RAIYAH: 
The Center for Internal and Integrative Medicine 
Food For Tiny Thoughts 

Books mentioned: 
How Successful Peopel Think by John Maxwell

A Lesson In: Navigating your health & learning to treat your mind and body as one with Raiyah Elahi

Rachael Hoffman is one of those people whom everyone in the room gravitates towards. 

She is vibrant and magnetic. She speaks with authority, but listens with intent. Best of all, she goes above and beyond to help those around her in any way she can, regardless of how well she knows them and regardless of if she will get anything in return. 

I was first introduced to Rachael from a mutual friend and before she even met me she had agreed to come on the podcast and then offered to help me throw the launch party! I was truly taken aback and extremely grateful for her willingness to help someone she barely knew. But I’ve come to learn that that is just who she is. 

Rachael grew up in a suburb of Chicago and after dealing with some trauma in her late teens she turned to music to help her cope. She got into radio broadcasting and DJ’ing which  eventually led her to a job in nightclub promotion. The experience she gained from creating and marketing events in the nightlife industry led her to a business partnership with a good friend. Together they created marketing and ad campaigns for brands such as FlyWheel and Exhale Spa. Rachael eventually landed her current position as the VP of Marketing for Keune Haircosmetics North America where she leads a team talented women. 

Rachael is extremely knowledgeable about marketing and advertising. In this episode she shares her insight into the best practices for marketing a small business or brand. We also dive into the blessings and struggles of motherhood, the power of gratitude and how having a growth mentality is the key to achieving your goals. 

Here is more of what you can expect: 

- How marketing and advertising has evolved over the past decade 
- The importance of being relevant and engaging to your audience 
- How she landed her job with Keune Haircosmetics 
- The best way to use social media to market yourself or your business 
- A big mistake brands make when it comes to their social media marketing 
- Tracking the analytics of your marketing 
- Staying true to yourself and your brand 
- Tailoring your marketing strategy to your business and brand 
- The idea that you have to GIVE to your audience before you can ASK from your audience 
- How Rachael juggles motherhood and business 
- Taking action every single day to have a growth mindset and cultivate the life you want 
- Her practice of gratitude and how it shapes her life and her family dynamic 
- The power of vulnerability 

More about Rachael: 

Keune Haircosmetics
Rachael's Linkedin 
Naomi Ziva's story

A Lesson In: Marketing your brand & the power of gratitude with Rachael Hoffman

LeadHer Lessons podcast is hosted by Samantha Gabriel, an Atlanta-based entrepreneur, mom and LeadHer. Episodes feature conversations with women from all walks of life about business, personal growth, healthy, family and everything in between. 
OFFICIAL LAUNCH FEBRUARY 5, 2018
New episodes on SoundCloud and iTunes every other Monday 

GUESTS FOR SEASON ONE OF LEAD{H}ER LESSONS INCLUDE:
- Managing Editor at HuffPost Robyn Malcolm
- VP of Marketing for Keune Haircosmetics North America Rachael Hoffman
- Creative entrepreneur and mom Wendy Pruitt 
- Talented hair stylist Amanda Hill 
- Health and Wellness Lead{Her} Raiyah Elahi 
- Boss lady and Lead{Her} momma Quinn Fordham
AND MORE!

LeadHer Lessons Podcast