Transcript
Speaker: Hello Brilliantistas and welcome to another episode of our Brilliantista podcast. Let's just start off by saying I am so honored that you joined me each week on these podcast episodes because this is an opportunity for us to connect and to help and support the community of women who are out there truly passionate about making a difference in their lives as well as the lives around them.
Speaker: So it's about creating success in business and life. That's what we talk about here. But you and I both know that that really means a lot of things. So success in life, what does that even look like? That looks like your health. That looks like your mindset. That looks like your relationships. That looks like your friendships.
Speaker: That's a big part of our life, how we show up as parents, how we show up in our jobs and in our careers and in our businesses. So it really encompasses a whole lot of things. And part of the reason why we have this podcast is it is to connect women. It's to help you to see
Speaker: that you're more alike your sisters than you are different. And my hope is that through this process and through this journey, that you will start to be more compassionate and more connecting to other women because you know what? We're all in this together. So it is a large part of what this podcast is all about.
Speaker: And today is no different today. I'm honored that we have another special guest. So this is an interview episode and today's guest is Becky Londer. And I met Becky over a year and a half ago and it was an instant connection. So I always love that when you meet somebody.
Speaker: But I'm always looking for women who are willing to open up. So that's what this is a big part of. Are you willing to open up? Are you willing to share? Are you willing to be, call it clumsy, vulnerable? Are you willing to kind of share the good, the bad, the ugly?
Speaker: But also, are you willing to lift other women up along the way? She's in the direct sales profession. She has been somebody who has done well in this space, so it's really exciting to hear from somebody who has done really well. But it's her desire to build tools and to really help and support other women in the direct sales industry as well as network marketing in and out of her specific team. So she's a huge team player. She brings to the table marketing.
Speaker: And a lot of things about her story is kind of unexpected that this is where she ended up or even how she even started and what she thought she was going to be doing. But she's testimony to the fact that sometimes you find yourself in a situation where you're getting value out of that situation that you get to take to the next thing you do.
Speaker: So always remember that wherever you're at right now, what can you get value out of today that you can take with you to the next thing? So I hope that you are ready to listen and ready to connect and ready to feel a part of this with us.
Speaker: And it's kind of this visual for me that I'm thinking, you're all right here with us. You're all listening. You're all a part of this with us. And we're sharing this openly so that you feel connected. And I know that she shares some great tips about the concept of personal branding. So if you're interested in learning more about that, obviously we can take deeper dives in other episodes as we move through the beginning stages of this Brilliantista podcast.
Speaker: But we do talk about it and she talks about it in its importance and really how to do some things to help you identify what your personal brand is. So I'm excited we're going to talk about that with you today. And then talking about being a mom. So for those of you who are juggling small children, but you have this huge passion on your heart that, man, let's just say it, you want to be a big deal.
Speaker: You want to be brilliant. You want to step up. You're seeing other women step up and you want to shine yourself, which is hello. That's what a brilliantista is. We want you to step up. We want you to be seen. We want you to step to the top of your game.
Speaker: and help other women along the way. So are you ready? I know I am. I cannot wait for another episode and another opportunity for us to connect and really make us all shine. So let's dive in.
Speaker: You're listening to the Brilliantista podcast, where women elevate women who desire success in business and life. Each week, I'll share valuable insights, actionable steps, and powerful interviews with brilliant women who open up to share the wisdom, tips, and strategies behind their success, helping you to elevate your own. I'm your host, Sherri Custer, a stay -at -home mom who built a seven -figure business with zero experience, but the willingness to figure it out.
Speaker: Welcome, ladies, to another episode of the Brilliantista podcast. I am your host, Sherri Custer, founder of Brilliantista, along with my special guest today, Becky Londer. And I just want to give you a little background real quick before we dive in, because I know today's podcast is going to be full of rich and juicy stuff that you can use to apply to your business and life and create that successful vision that you have for yourself.
Speaker: So let me just share with you real quick how I met Becky and how I even got to know this incredible woman and kind of digging in a little bit further into her journey of success. So last year I was in an event called the Entrepreneur Experience and this beautiful bright face is just staring at me as I walk through the door
Speaker: And we began to talk just a little bit. She was just welcoming people as we walked through the door. But later, we found that we had something in common. We both had backgrounds in the direct sales network marketing business. And I felt comfortable talking with her because stepping into the entrepreneurial world and building an online business outside of network marketing, that was my uncomfort zone. So I really enjoyed talking with her. She was full of love, full of light.
Speaker: And honestly, it's like you just get drawn to certain people literally because of the energy that is coming from them. When I decided to launch this Brilliantista podcast, I knew Becky was one of the people I wanted to interview because she is somebody in this industry of direct sales and network marketing.
Speaker: that has people coming to her. So companies coming to her saying, Hey, we want you to be a part of our company, not just people going out there and saying, Hey, I want you to be a part of our team. So Becky has made a name for herself in this industry, and she is building a successful business. Actually, this isn't even her first one. So I might have her share a little bit about that as well.
Speaker: But she has a skill set, which I think every direct salesperson and network marketer has to have, and that's leadership development. So we're going to dive in to all things leadership, marketing, mommyhood,
Speaker: She is a mother. She has two children, two small children, and she's married, has the full life, and she's still building the success. And I know that the takeaways from this podcast are going to help propel you to success. So I can't wait to dive in and welcome, welcome, welcome, Becky. So glad to have you join me.
Speaker: Oh, thank you so much, Sherry. It is a pleasure to be here. And like you said, it was so fun that we connected, I mean, over a year ago now at that event, and just totally hit it off. And, you know, I shared that I was kind of at a crossroads in my career and trying to figure out the right direction and what was next for me. And
Speaker: just appreciate so much the conversation that we had. I feel like sometimes you just meet the right people at the right time and, and that was us. So I'm so glad to be here and excited to meet your community that you're creating. So exciting. Well, Becky, this is, it's a community of our peers. It's a community of other women just like us who are looking to build success in business and life.
Speaker: and do it with integrity, do it with passion, do it with excitement to serve and help other people. So that is one of the things that I know you do really well. She has a degree in Management and Leadership, right? So it's two things.
Speaker: I do. Yes. So no matter what kind of company we have, one of the most important things is to know how to manage and know how to lead. And if you don't mind, let's kind of go back a little bit and start at the beginning. Tell us a little bit about yourself and then tell us how you got started in your business.
Speaker: Yeah, absolutely. Like Sherry said, I have a degree in leadership and management, and I spent over a decade working for a leadership training company. So we actually trained leaders around the world on how to do their job better. And that was an absolute privilege. I learned so much. I was never in the training side of things. I wasn't in the classroom working with these leaders. I was always behind the scenes.
Speaker: So I was in operations, I was in analytics, I was in marketing strategy, and it was just a great place to grow up. That's where I got my degree. And yeah, about 10 years later, I was, you know, having babies and stumbled upon a direct sales opportunity. That just really started to grow and take off and I was loving it. I was loving the autonomy of having my own business and being creative with it and
Speaker: training other like -minded women to be successful as they were building their business. So I was with that company for a little over three years when another opportunity came up. And I absolutely love it. It is so much fun. I have a fantastic team that I get to work with every single day. And I feel like I have kind of the best job ever.
Speaker: Well, you've definitely expanded beyond what you were limited to if you were just back there paying attention to the analytics and all that fun stuff. But, you know, what an education. I mean, outside of the college education, getting that background to what it really looks like to help and support other people. That's amazing. I love that part. I know you kind of like briefly said, you know, here I was doing this. And then 10 years later, a direct sales opportunity came in.
Speaker: As a mommy, as somebody who was having children, where did all that fall in? Like, how did you decide? I'll leave the job, the nine to five part of your life and step into doing something else. Was there a need or a desire that you had to make that decision?
Speaker: Oh gosh, it was a very natural transition, but it was a big scary transition too. I mean, having a corporate job and a salary and a paycheck that came every two weeks was comfortable. That was easy, right? And so I started building my direct sales business on the side. Lots of late nights and early mornings and lunch breaks, kind of working on building my business.
Speaker: And there came a point where I realized I could take this so much further if I had more time. So I was able to transition from a full -time role to a part -time role at my corporate job before waiting about another nine months before I stepped away completely.
Speaker: And I think that really was after many, many long conversations with my husband and number crunching and really creating a plan and strategy to make sure that we would still be able to maintain the same type of lifestyle that we were living. And I would also be able to work on this new business. So it was definitely a transition.
Speaker: Okay, so I am gonna, I'm just gonna like dissect this out because I think this is so important. So for those of you in this mindset of you have a business, whether that's indirect sales, network marketing, or traditional business, and you have the nine to five.
Speaker: I want you to hear what she just said because it is so important. So many times we think that we need to open up our entire schedule because we need that extra time. But what Becky just said, what you just said was you had to strategize. You had to sit down and make decisions and you were making decisions based on information so that you could create
Speaker: a plan of action. It wasn't just, I just need to open up more time. You were looking at the budgets. You were looking at your timelines. You were looking at what you had and what you didn't have and what you were willing to give up and what you said. You didn't want to change the lifestyle that you currently have. And I worry when people want to just bail on what it is that they're currently doing that's bringing in the revenue.
Speaker: And yet I know there's, I would say there's two personality types, maybe there's more, but there is that motivation, that personality that is motivated by the fear of missing out. And then there's people who are motivated by not having the solid ground underneath them. So they're motivated. But then there's some people that when you don't have that solid ground underneath them,
Speaker: they crumble, they fall to the ground. And so knowing who you are, I think is so, so important. But I want your thoughts on that too, because you did something, and I would love to hear what you advise your team on as well, as they sit there and look at their timeline and say, If I had more time, I could move a lot faster or whatever the reasons are. What do you say to your team?
Speaker: It's what you're doing every day, day in and day out. So first off, you have to make sure you love it. I think that's the most important thing is really, really looking at what you're doing and making sure it's something that's in line with your values, something that you could see yourself doing over the long term. I'm more of a fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl where I'm like, come on, let's just go do it. I can do this, you know? And my husband is a much more practical, logical, he's an engineer.
Speaker: So he likes to think things through in a lot of details. So it's nice that I think he kind of balances me out in that way. But he made me crunch the numbers. Like we sat together and talked about what this would look like and created financial projections of what it would look like now, what would it look like in a couple years from now as the business grew, and made sure that as a family,
Speaker: we were really comfortable making that decision together because he's my number one fan and my number one supporter and I needed him on board and they are with me as I was making this pretty big life transition.
Speaker: Well, it was a transition that was worth it, right? Yeah, absolutely. I could not be happier. I just I love this industry. I love working with my team. I love that I have the creativity to really make this what I want it to be. And so it has been it has been a great adventure.
Speaker: Oh, okay. So I don't mean to like do a complete 180 on this conversation because I, I know that where you're at, you could say all those things. I love this and I love that. And you know, people who are out there that are listening to this, we always see and hear the stories of people and they say, here's where I'm at, but this is not where I started. And there was a journey to getting here. What were some of the hurdles that you faced in growing your business and how did you overcome them?
Speaker: Oh, such a good question. Well, I think with any business, there's going to be obstacles. And you're going to have highs and you're going to have lows. And I think particularly in direct sales, where a lot of your success is based on your team and how your team is doing. I mean, you have your personal performance, but you also have your team too. So you're dependent on motivating other people and helping them reach their goals.
Speaker: And I think that you get more ups and downs in this industry than maybe some others, because you do have people coming and going and they have their own life happening at the same time. And, you know, and really getting them engaged and on board with with the company that you're with takes a lot of work. So there were definite days that I was like, Oh, my gosh, what
Speaker: what am I doing? This is crazy. But I think picking up and starting a new day and looking at it as the glass is half full, not half empty, and knowing that there's people out there that really, really need this opportunity and you're making a significant impact in their lives is really what keeps me going.
Speaker: So for you, did things come naturally to you in troubleshooting and problem solving? Was it obvious? Did you stumble upon your answers or how did you figure things out along the way? Oh my gosh, I googled everything.
Speaker: I mean, really though, I did. If I didn't know the answer to something, I would look at somebody that had been there before me, and I sought after mentors that could help me find the right answer, or I literally googled.
Speaker: I did a lot online where I was looking at other professionals in this industry to see what they were doing or if I ran into a tech issue. I was Googling the answers. And I think with time, I've kind of just self -taught myself on how to make it. But it definitely hasn't been easy and there's been a lot of Googling.
Speaker: I love that. Okay. So this is just, I don't know if it's like the tool. So the number one tool that every leader must have is Google, right? Because you're not turning around so much and turning around to the person standing next to you or someone else and saying, what do I do? You're going to Google and saying, what do I do? So a leadership skill, number one is employ yourself with Google, right?
Speaker: Right. Well, I think it is as being resourceful and listening to podcasts and reading books and taking courses and doing what you need to do to get your skill set up to the area that it needs to be in order to have a successful business. So part of it is Googling.
Speaker: Oh my gosh. You know what? I'm sitting here just imagining right now a room of women who have this desire. And I know that so many people are out there right now, maybe digging in. Maybe it's the true leader who is digging in, as you just said, listening to the podcast, reading the books, taking the online courses, attending the events. And then there's other people who don't even yet know that that's something that they should be doing.
Speaker: Or I'm just going to call it out, not doing it, even though that they know that they should be doing it. But what would you say to somebody who's wanting big things? You want to make a six -figure income. You want to make a seven -figure income. And yet the actions and the behaviors aren't aligning. What would you say to that person?
Speaker: Oh, gosh. Well, you got to do the work. You got to put the work in. And it just doesn't happen overnight. You're not going to sign up for a direct sales company or start your own business, and money is going to magically land in your pocket. I think that it's step by step every day doing something that's going to grow you as a person and grow your business. So it's really just putting one foot in front of another and putting in the work. I don't think there's any shortcuts, do you?
Speaker: No. You know what? I think I, so I recently was listening because I like you and in constant dig in mode. So Google search bar is my best friend. Uh, YouTube search bar is my second best friend. And my, my podcast search bar is my third best friend. Audibles, right? You know, we just, I'll just keep on going down the list. These are my resources.
Speaker: And something that I just heard recently that really stuck with me that I want to share with everybody is you have to say to yourself, if I were to look at someone doing what I am doing and they were coming to me for business advice and mentorship, would I say keep doing what you're doing or would I suggest you do something different? So paying attention to your actions and seeing yourself and saying,
Speaker: act as if this is one of the statements that you could literally write on your mirror. By the way, your mirror is the most incredible whiteboard you'll ever have. And it's in your bathroom and you see it every day, but act as if in other words, as is if you are a builder of a six figure business builder of a seven figure business act as if and if you're never sure what to do,
Speaker: That's why Becky and myself and others, we use those search bars to find out what we need to do as well as tap into our leadership and be coachable. Right? Absolutely. Absolutely. And I think having some of those mentors and watching how people that already have that six -figure business are running their business and modeling yourself after other successful entrepreneurs is so important.
Speaker: I mean, you want to be authentic and be yourself, but you can learn a lot just from watching others' actions.
Speaker: One of the things that I had observed in my journey in network marketing really was there was more than one way to create success as just as there are more ways to do anything in life. And I think that all has to do a lot with alignment and finding people who align with you and your, like you said before, your values and your mission and the reason why you're doing your business.
Speaker: and paying attention to the other people that you're listening to and saying to yourself, do their values, are their priorities? Is their mission and vision, is it similar to yours? And just kind of pay attention to that because I really felt that it was critical to my success to make sure I was in alignment with other people as I was learning and developing my skillsets through their mentorship. So,
Speaker: Absolutely. I think the groups that you're a part of, the communities that, you know, if you're in a mastermind group, if you are having coffee dates with friends, I mean, even just being aware of who you're surrounding yourself with and the energy that they're putting out there to the world is literally contagious.
Speaker: Oh my gosh. So, so true. Is there something specific that you do to develop your leaders and really getting them to step in and take ownership of their business and take over responsibilities? Are there things that you do?
Speaker: Gosh, it's funny. I feel like I just do things and I don't really think about what I do. But yeah, I mean, working with my leaders, even when they're not quite ready to step into leadership, I give them a little gentle push. So even if they are not calling themselves a leader,
Speaker: yet, I still find it really important to ask them to share their story and share what's working with them and give them the confidence that they need. So when they're really ready to step into that leadership role, they're already doing the work. So that's been really important in my organization to help build leaders.
Speaker: Obviously, I have a little bit of a background in this whole direct sales network marketing experience. So for those of you who don't know, yes, I have built a seven -figure business in network marketing and I had an incredible team. I am no longer with that company anymore.
Speaker: But I had an incredible team and I kept thinking to myself, I don't want a job. I never wanted a job. I didn't want to have this ongoing, I must do everything for everyone mindset. And I see a lot of people who enter into network marketing and they love
Speaker: the busy work. They love being busy, kind of being behind everybody and just kind of, you know, doing for this person and doing for that person. And these are your, this is your team. But I just remember thinking to myself, I'm an adult. They're an adult.
Speaker: I want them to own their adulthood and I want them to gain their confidence. And what my job, I felt my one and only job was to instill in them the confidence of knowing and being resourceful and knowing that they too are just like me where we are both wanting to create success. So if you're wanting to create success, you've got to step into all of that. But I just see so many people
Speaker: not letting go of the job of taking care of everybody's stuff for them. Yeah. And I know that my whole goal was to make shining stars. Like I wanted my team to be shining stars. If that meant they were taking over the calls, making a whole bunch of little sub teams as far out as you possibly can go and then making sure that they know
Speaker: how important it is for them to make sub -teams as well and to keep on going.
Speaker: Absolutely. I think that is so, so important. I tell most of my new teammates from the very beginning that my goal is that you are completely self -sufficient. Like of course I will always be here and I want to help you, but my goal is that you have the resources you need at your fingertips to grow this business to whatever you want it to be. Perfect, perfect, perfect. Ladies, let's just kind of use an example here in a traditional business.
Speaker: In a traditional business, a lot of us as an entrepreneur, we start off, we're the CEO, we're the COO, we're the project manager, we are the design tech, we are the implementer, we're all the different titles as we wear these hats, right? We're wearing all these hats as we start in.
Speaker: And we quickly have to identify what are these titles and we have to start delegating them out and we have to start making sure that, you know, we're not always doing the everything. Yeah, definitely. Definitely. I think that, you know, that's kind of the fun part too is that you are part of a larger team and all of you probably have a very similar vision and direction that you're headed, but everyone brings different skill sets to the table. I don't have the same talents.
Speaker: as another leader on my team. So when it comes to doing a training on something else, I'm going to ask her to do it because I know that that's an area that she really excels in. So I think it's kind of a fun part of building out a larger team is that everyone's bringing different skills, experiences to the table and can really leverage that as they're training others within your organization.
Speaker: Oh, so, so true. So true. Well, I love that. OK, so now I want to ask you, our business, no matter how amazing we are, no matter how wonderful our products are, no matter how incredible our services might be, no matter what our degrees are, our certifications are, if no one knows we exist, we don't even have a business. OK, I want everybody to remember that.
Speaker: So the key component is marketing, right? What are you doing with your business, Becky, to market your business and attract your customers and attract team members and having people take a look at what it is that you do?
Speaker: Oh, I love this. This is something I'm so passionate about. So I am a marketing girl at heart. I always think it's fun to think about marketing in different ways, and I try to keep up on the newest and latest platforms that are out there. But ultimately, what you're creating is your personal brand. So even in a direct sales company where you're representing a larger corporation and you are one of many other consultants that are selling the exact same product,
Speaker: creating your personal brand is really what helps you stand out in a crowd. So when somebody else is selling the same thing as you, you have to have your personal brand. And, you know, I've done that in a lot of different ways, but part of it is on my social media platforms. So I'm trying to create valuable, engaging content.
Speaker: that my followers are going to tune in to and they're going to get excited about and doing live videos, even if that's out of your comfort zone. Getting out there and talking about what you're all about is how your customers connect with you. I also feel like having a presence on a website presence or a social media presence where people can find you and connect with you is so, so important in cultivating that relationship.
Speaker: Because what you don't realize is even when you're putting content out there, your followers are connecting with you in a real and authentic way. And it doesn't necessarily mean you have to sit down and have a cup of coffee together. That's a bonus. But there's so much you can do to create that personal brand and cultivate those relationships kind of in the background while you're still working your business.
Speaker: Okay. That was so perfect. I love the fact that you said, you know, they're still paying attention to you. They're still seeing you, even if you're not sitting down and having coffee with them. This is the beauty. I love this whole concept of using social media to connect with people. And as you're saying all of this, so talk about a personal brand. I am literally seeing your face. I am hearing you talk.
Speaker: I am seeing your smile and I'm seeing how your audience is drawn to you specifically. So your audience, so for everybody, right? We can maybe talk a little bit about branding here. I think it's really important is your audience is specific to someone who
Speaker: Likes and is attracted to you and I could go on and on and on about branding It's one of my favorite favorite things in the world. I just see that there are certain people based on a person's personality and and who they are and how they show up you're either gonna rub somebody wrong and
Speaker: or you're going to fit like a glove. And that's why uncovering your brand and really just being yourself, you're still going to attract your audience. So how are you teaching your team how to develop their brand? Are you giving them some advice or giving them tools?
Speaker: Yeah, absolutely. So I think so many times, especially in drug sales, you see people just copy and paste things, right? And you can almost see it from a million miles away, right? Like, oh, that wasn't in their own words. They just copied and pasted that. So I think one is finding your voice and being really authentic and intentional about everything that you're sharing. So there should be a goal
Speaker: whether that is education or, you know, even just giving somebody a good laugh and entertaining them, something, you know, there needs to be an intention on anything that you're sharing online. So a couple of things that I usually ask my team to think about is how they want to show up. What do they want to be known for?
Speaker: So people can only take in so much, especially in this day and age where we're just like thrown content all day long. But think about maybe three or five things that you want people to know you as. So for me, it's like being a mom. It's being a direct sales leader. It's being a trainer. It's that I like good food. I like to travel, you know, just a couple key elements of your life.
Speaker: And when you're sharing online, really tap into those areas. So next time your name comes up in conversation, you're the girl that does that, or you're the lady that does that, you know, so it really helps people think about who you are. And when you're sharing anything, it goes back to those kind of key areas of your personal brand.
Speaker: Okay, so I want to recap on that. So as you all are writing down notes, as you're traveling in your cars, you're running or you're riding your bicycle, this is something that I want you to do when you stop and have a piece of paper in front of you. If you just heard what she just said, you need to pick three, four, I always say just pick five and then you have a conversation, right? So you're sharing with everyone.
Speaker: the fact that come up with those five topics that you want to show up and talk about. And whether, like you said in the Facebook Live, if it's in your post, if it's in your stories, I want everybody to go home and write those five things down. And your five things might look just like somebody else's five things. You might sit here and hear Becky and you say,
Speaker: I'm a mom. I love food. I love to travel. I also, you know, am a leader. I'm also in direct sales. Like you might have that same conversation, write it down. And then the next level of all that is how do you show up in that? Are you an active person? Are you a physical person? Are you working out all the time? Do you have a keto diet? Are you a vegan? Are you living the clean eating living? How are you showing up and have those conversations so that
Speaker: You're not just sounding like everybody else. So I think that that's so important. So sit down and write those things out and then you get to create that beautiful marketing plan around that conversation. I love that. Yes. And I think it's okay to brag a little, show your face. And so these are things that I'm not naturally comfortable doing, but I've learned that it's okay.
Speaker: You know, it's okay to put my picture out there in a post and, you know, talk about an award that I've been given because people want to hear those things about you and they want to see kind of behind the scenes how you're doing it. And so I think that sometimes that feels a little uncomfortable to us, especially as women, you know, should I really post about how I'm, you know, I'm doing this and kind of toot my own horn, but I'm giving you permission right now that that is a okay. Don't do it every single post, but here and there, sprinkle in those accomplishments.
Speaker: because people want to celebrate with you. Oh my gosh. I'm so glad you just said that. I needed to, well, I needed to hear that. I needed everybody in this audience to hear that. It's like giving people the permission to shine, giving people the permission to show your brilliance and what you've succeeded in. And it's so funny because I think my, my first whatever 25, 30 posts, even on Instagram,
Speaker: none of me, none of me, none of me, none of me is like avoidance of whoever this mystery woman happens to be. When I heard somebody, I don't remember who it was, said, show up in your feed, show up in your feed. And I was like, okay. And it's a little intimidating for sure. So I'm so glad that you just said that because yeah, giving permission. So why is it intimidating? Because it's that little voice that's inside of our head.
Speaker: in judgment, but it's the judgment maybe that we're casting upon others that we need to give permission and say, you know what? Show up, girl. Show up and shine. And then we have to say the same thing back to ourselves, right? Absolutely. Yes. You are a big deal. That's okay. We are. That's the sign that is right behind my head. Oh, I love it. Yes, it does. It says, I am a big deal. Write it on your mirror, as you said earlier. Go put that one on your mirror. That's a good one to look at every morning.
Speaker: Oh my gosh, it's on my phone. So I do know how to use Photoshop and I created an image that is my background. So for your wallpaper, it's the background. So on my phone down at the very bottom, like every time I go and hit my home key, which I have an iPhone X, it's right down there at the bottom. And it just says, I am a big deal. So I love that. But it's that affirmation and you're seeing it all the time and you need that. You need that in your life.
Speaker: I know because, you know, we can't play small. We got to step into them big girl shoes. I love it. Okay. So I want to talk with you a little bit about some other fun little stuff. Okay. Let's do it. What's the title of a book that you most recently read? Oh, that's a good one. Well, I have a couple up here that I just, I just recently read, but I love, uh, you are a bad -ass. That one's, am I allowed to say that on here? Oh, we're, we're already categorized as explosive.
Speaker: I love it. And I also love Rachel Hollis's Girl Wash Your Face. That has been one of my new favorites.
Speaker: What were some of your big takeaways or some of your ahas that you got out of it? Oh my gosh. Okay. Rachel Hollis, I like, I'm kind of obsessed with her. I love her. And I love that. I mean, her whole thing is like, stop apologizing. Like you can do this. I love the inspiration. I love the motivation she brings to the table, but I also love how real and authentic she is. So, you know, I may be a little bit of a groupie and I watch her Facebook lives pretty often, but you know, she shows up. She shows up and like she might have dirty hair.
Speaker: you know, she might be there with her husband and crazy things are happening in the background. But I just love her authenticity and how she, she's so motivating and real and in the moment. Since I have this skill, maybe it's a curse, I don't know what it is. But I'm an observer of behavior.
Speaker: And it's kind of where my marketing mind meets the world in a whole weird way. So hopefully this will all make sense. So I pay attention to people like Rachel and other people and I just watch behaviors. So outside of what most people see where they see that authentic thing, I see the consistency in the message, the consistency in the message. So if you see and you think that Rachel is just all over the place,
Speaker: She is very intentional, 100 % intentional with every single move she makes. She is a marketing genius. And there's a lot of other people out there that are marketing geniuses. So it doesn't mean that she's just showing up, whether it's hair messy or this and that, it's part of her brand. It is not necessarily everybody's brand, but it's part of her brand.
Speaker: and she will bring value to people by being that way. So she talks about very similar conversations all the time, and it's always driven towards the direction of what it is that they have to offer. As you're paying attention to these beautiful, amazing people that are out there, I just want to give everyone out there just that insight into realizing
Speaker: This is somebody with strong intention to help and serve you for a specific need and making sure they're delivering that content, that marketing content for you to get that from them. Have you noticed that? I have. Yeah. She definitely has a very strong theme in most of her videos and posts. And I love that because, you know, sometimes we need to hear it a hundred times over and over again, right?
Speaker: Yeah, absolutely. So I just want people to see that. There's so many nuggets that people are giving you as we do sit there and get obsessed and watch them and they go live every morning. That's an important component to see the patterns and the behaviors because sometimes people are like, oh, I just want to be like them. It's like, well, here, I'll give you the direction.
Speaker: It's get intentional about those, like you said before, what are those five big topics that you want to talk about? What's that conversation that you want to drive? And where are you going to drive it to? What's the reason why you even want to have the conversation? Because this is all about marketing.
Speaker: If you're going to create success, you have to create a marketing strategy. I took my daughter to see her documentary and the whole entire time my daughter's like nudging me the whole entire time and she goes, she sounds just like you. She says everything you've ever said and I go, yeah, you know what's driving me nuts at the moment is the fact that this girl was willing to put herself in front of a microphone in front of a camera. It's like we're connecting to the information
Speaker: And it's just that stuff that people have been longing to hear. People have been wanting that permission. And I think that's what the whole girl wash your face. And I loved hearing the story about the woman who gave her the title to the book.
Speaker: but that's what we're looking for. And I had this saying, this came actually my very first direct sales business many, many, many years ago. It was one of my hostesses for a home party company that I was a part of. And she said this to a girl and when she said it, I was like, oh girl, you go. And her friend was wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. You know, what was me?
Speaker: and the hostess turns to her and she says, girl, whoop -tee -doo -la -lee, slap yourself and get over it. I love that.
Speaker: And I just sat there and I said, oh, I am taking that. I am taking that with me. That is going to go into my book of quotes. And that has been something that I have said to myself many, many times. That is something that I've said to my kids many, many times. It's something that I've even said in building my team. There is only so much woe is me that we can get.
Speaker: before we need to whip out that Google search bar, right? We have to find and seek our own answers and we have to stop swimming in the little pity party tears. So I love that whole concept of girl wash your face and letting go of just wanting to stay in the suffering. And I don't think we all want to stay in the suffering.
Speaker: I think that it's work to get out of it and sometimes that work is looking a little daunting. Yeah, definitely. It takes work. It's getting up early, it's staying up late, it's a little bit of the hustle. But I think that's what sets people apart is they're willing to put in that work. Oh my God. Oh, absolutely. So I want to ask you this. Outside of direct sales, what are some of your other passions and interests that you have?
Speaker: Oh my gosh, I think I need a hobby. I always say that. I say I work a lot, but I love it. And I mean, the other big identity right now in this stage of my life is I'm a mom. And my hobbies are taking my three year old and five year old to school and picking them up and going on zoo trips and adventuring with them. And
Speaker: I think I'm pretty thick in the season of mom life right now. I love other things. I love reading and cooking and eating and all of those things, but lately my hobbies have really been my kids and my family. Any free moment I have outside of working, I'm spending with my family.
Speaker: Okay. So do you know, there's actually, I don't remember again who said this, but some people say like, I need a hobby or you should have a hobby or you should have a hobby. It's like you only need a hobby if you feel like your work is work. But if you feel like your work is something that you're passionate about and enjoy, and if you had an opportunity, you'd be jumping into it as if it were a hobby. In other words, like I can't wait to go spend time.
Speaker: doing my hobby, which is not really a hobby as long as it's paying me well. I can't remember who said that, but I remember hearing that and I thought, Oh my gosh.
Speaker: That is so me. My kids are like, what are you doing, mom? What are you doing, mom? And it's like, well, I'm not at the pool and I'm not here and I'm not there. I'm doing this because I love it. I love, love, love, love, love it. And it definitely hits high on the priority list, not just because. It's not a because the money is there or because the goals are there or the striving is there. Like you said before, you got to love what you're doing, even though you don't love every part of it. God knows I don't love every part of it, right?
Speaker: Yeah. So true. So true. Yeah. And I think I'm always thinking about what's next for my business. And I guess that's my hobby. I'm thinking and dreaming and figuring out, you know, what the next new thing is going to be or, you know, how I'm going to take my business to the next level. And I love it. Like I don't watch a lot of TV at night.
Speaker: I work a lot at night and it doesn't feel like work because I could easily go turn the TV on and sit down and drink a glass of wine and not worry about it, but I really do enjoy it. I really love my work. Okay, so speaking of TV, what's your favorite show? Oh my goodness.
Speaker: Well, it's scandal, but it's over now. So womp womp, super bummed about that. Was it like final episode or something? Can you tell I know nothing about it? Yeah, no. My husband and I watched that one. We kind of binge watched that one from start to finish. Oh my gosh, that's so funny. I think I'm not going to ever tell anybody that I don't binge watch anything.
Speaker: I don't like shows that make me think a lot. Like I like shows where I can just like veg out and enjoy a glass of wine and not have to think too hard because I think hard all day long.
Speaker: And you have to have those pleasures. Sorry, I'm never going to tell anybody, any of my clients that I ever work with, I don't sit there and say like, if you want success, you must work 24 hours a day. It's like, no, no, no, no, no. That's not the game to success. That's not the plan of action. It's like, you have to go find those simple pleasures and you got to go and do. Yeah, you've got to have an outlet to just let it go for a little bit.
Speaker: Absolutely. Absolutely. So what would you say you are, well, I won't say terrible at. So what are you not good at? Oh gosh, you should ask my husband. He probably would have some things to say about this one. What am I not good at? So this is a little ironic because I did have a job in analytics.
Speaker: But I don't love the numbers. If I had to keep my own books and do that part of it, I would want to pull my hair out. Even putting together an expense report just makes me want to scream. I feel like it's the biggest waste of my life ever.
Speaker: So I'm lucky that my husband actually enjoys that part of the business and balances things out for me. And I wouldn't say I'm terrible at it. I could just do it. I just don't love it. I don't love that kind of stuff. Too much detail. Too much detail. Okay. So, which is, which is so important. Like we, for everyone, we all have to know what we're good at, right? You have to know, like I'm good at this and I fail miserably at this over here or,
Speaker: makes me squirm, right? Like you're over here squirming going like, please, we have to put all this together. It's just like you just said, such a waste of your time. Yeah. And cleaning my house. I'm terrible at cleaning my house. I've outsourced that. Let's be honest here. If I had to mop the floors in my house, it would take me an entire Saturday.
Speaker: Oh my gosh. Okay. So I want to know what do you do to stay organized? Do you have a schedule? How do you organize your schedule? I do. Are you organized in any way? I'm pretty organized. I will say that. I have a paper planner. So I'm still a little old school where I have my paper planner with my calendar for the day of different
Speaker: that I have and then I usually try to focus in on the top three things that I want to get done that day. So for me, I have Monday, Wednesday, Friday while both my kids are at school and those are my real work hours where I have time to do things like this and I can actually use some brain power to get work done. So on those days, I pack my schedule pretty full and I keep a pretty tight ship. I'm moving from one thing to the next and really uber focused on what I'm trying to get done.
Speaker: So in addition to that, I use Trello, which I love to keep track of all my customers and my team. And that has been a really good system for me to keep tabs on everything I have going on across my businesses.
Speaker: Trello is kind of like a project management tool where you have boards and cards and kind of can move things around based on your priorities or who is working on them. So that works really well for me, especially as I'm working with a larger team so we can all be aligned and on the same page for things.
Speaker: So one of the things about using these project management tools that is so important is first off, understanding and distinguishing the difference between a to -do and a project. So many of us, and I started there same as most of all of us, is we know what a to -do list and we write down a to -do list. And say, for example, you wrote down the to -do that you want to build a website. And when you look at that and you have to put
Speaker: write, you know, create a website every single day because you don't build a website in one day unless you know somebody who knows how to teach you how to do that, wink, wink. But here's what we, here's what we do.
Speaker: we instead create a project. And in Asana, as well as in Trello, these online project management tools, you can create a project specific, give it the title, so if it's build a website, then you break down the different tasks that are necessary in order to complete building the website. So that is how you literally chop those things off of your list. So those would be things
Speaker: called goal. So goal is to build a website, you have to break it down, give it individual tasks. So say, for example, write your copy. So I would write down, so it'd be like write copy four, and then each section of your website or each section of a landing page,
Speaker: or any of the content that you're putting together, you need to have it individualized. And so the minute you're done, you're done with that specific task, and then you get to move on. So really, really, really important in creating some organization into your day, but also more importantly, feeling like you're productive. So instead of just seeing that same to -do being carried over day after day after day, it's so important to break it down individually. So I wanted just to share that with everybody.
Speaker: I love it, thank you. Since we talked about all of that, in being organized, I'm curious if in your day, do you have things that are non -negotiables? And if so, what are they? Oh, that's such a good question. A little bit, yeah. I mean, mostly my kids, right? That's a non -negotiable. So pickups and drop -offs, those don't change. I definitely try to get a workout in. More days than not is my goal.
Speaker: And, you know, there's certain things like I really try to reserve dinner time and bedtime with my family. So I might be going all afternoon and all day, but those are some hours that I really set aside, you know, to be with my family and that's important.
Speaker: as you're growing your business and building success in your business and in life, I am sure mentors that are out there who you would look up to, who you admire. And if you had an opportunity to sit down with them and you had your own list of questions or maybe one burning question, what would you ask of them?
Speaker: You are bringing it with the questions. These are so good. I think one question that I'm always curious about is what they wish they would have done sooner in their business or areas that they maybe ran into a huge obstacle or that became a really big challenge for them and what they learned from it, how they pushed through it, just like really getting in their head and understanding
Speaker: what worked for them and then also what didn't work. I can be on the lookout for what those red flags might be and learn from how they've navigated tricky situations that at this point in my career, I probably don't even see coming. Just like you wanting to know those things, that's what our listeners are wanting to know. That's why we want to know what are the obstacles that you have experienced. People are wanting to know how did you overcome them? What did you do?
Speaker: And even going back to that question of if you could go back, and I think that this is a really important question. Let's first off just set aside the belief that everything happens for a reason and that we wouldn't be where we are today had we not fill in the blank, right? But if you could go back right now and start in the beginning, what would you do different?
Speaker: Oh, goodness. I think for me, at a younger age, I would have surrounded myself with people that were doing the work that I wanted to do. So I know that that sounds a little bit weird, right? Like I wasn't totally sure what I would be doing or where I was going to be. But I think I spent a lot of time after college with an amazing group of friends, which was fantastic. But it wasn't necessarily people that were starting a business, growing a business.
Speaker: and really encouraging and motivating you to be your best self. And so I think that it took me a while to realize that the people that you surround yourself with really defines who you are. And cultivating some of those relationships and putting myself in situations where I was going to meet
Speaker: the right people that were going to give me the support and the encouragement that I needed as I was starting my own business could have been even more success for me to have that support system built in earlier.
Speaker: Mm, that's really, really good. And I think even you stating, I mean, I think that that's important that you are even going back to that point of college and the people that you were surrounding yourself with at that point. I think that's so important because it's the defining circle. Definitely.
Speaker: With that being said, I think so many of us, myself included, I could use the excuse of my family, what we didn't have, what privileges I didn't experience, any of the challenges that aren't necessarily ideal, and using those as excuses as to why I would not be somewhere that I would want to be.
Speaker: But would you also say that once you're an adult, isn't it important to then assume the responsibility to say, now it's up to me to surround myself by the people that I want to surround myself by, even if you don't know exactly what that is. And I think you were, you were saying that like, I didn't even know that I was going to pursue a career in building my own business, but you wish that you had. So you would have gone back and done something different. Is that kind of how,
Speaker: Yeah. Yeah. Because I think that you put yourself in the experiences and the situations that you enter. I mean, that's really up to you. If you sign up for that course, if you attend that event, if you walk up to that person, introduce yourself. I think all of those little actions
Speaker: are helping you kind of create that path for yourself, even when maybe you don't realize what's coming next for you. So I mean, a great example of Sherry is just you and I talking here today. If it wasn't for the fact that we struck up a conversation at an event a year ago, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to be here with you today. So it's all those little actions that I could have sat in the corner at that event and drank my wine and talked to people I knew.
Speaker: You know, but you step out of your comfort zone, you connect with people and you start building those relationships and putting yourself in those situations that are going to help you grow as a person. Oh my gosh. So, so good.
Speaker: Put yourself out there. We all hear the saying, get outside of your comfort zone. I think sometimes people say, well, what does that mean? Or what should I be doing versus what should I not be doing? And you just said it right there. It's like, I could have been sitting over here drinking my glass of wine and talking to people that I know. So that's comfort zone. That's the comfort zone that we put ourselves in. Outside of your comfort zone is walking over to somebody, brand new face, hello, and striking up a conversation.
Speaker: I would say one of the leadership traits, whether you are born with it or you build it. So I don't believe that you have to be born with anything and I'll even share maybe a little thought around some of this as well. I think that we can learn these skills. We just have to know what to do or we talked about before, what about that Google bar or that search bar on whatever platform that you want.
Speaker: But being intimidated to walk up to the most influential person in a room should never be something you avoid. Always make it your goal to approach the most influential person in the room. I think that that would be one of my biggest bits of advice of my success was just that. I found the person at the front of the room, the speaker,
Speaker: even the MC, whoever it was, I wanted to go over there and not just do the pose. I didn't want to do the pose. Shake the hand. Hi, so nice to meet you. So here's a bit of advice. People want to know how amazing they are, but they also hear the same things. You were amazing. You were awesome. You were this, you were that. If you can walk up to the person who is speaking and tell them what you got out of something that they said,
Speaker: Their whole time in speaking, they now realize was valuable. They made a decision when they got up on stage. This is what I do every single time I turn on a microphone, get on a team call, talk to my team, create a vision board, whatever it is, turn on a Facebook Live, record a video, stand up on stage, anywhere I go.
Speaker: The whole thought in my head is if I can affect one person to help them move their needle from here to there, then I have made progress. And so if you can walk up to that person and tell them specifically what they did, you will create a connection.
Speaker: They will recognize you. They'll say, hey, let's take a picture. They'll want to take a picture. You've made an impact and you've made memories. I love that. I love that. Just a little bit of advice. Okay, so as we're wrapping up, I know it's like the time just keeps going and going again. We could keep talking all day. It's cool. I know. I'm just going to keep going.
Speaker: So I know you're a mother. You've built this business, as you said, they're a priority. They're part of your non -negotiables and you have a husband. Obviously you want to maintain that healthy relationship and building your business in connection with your life. Is there anything, whether it's business tips, whether it's life tips, anything that you want to share with our audience as we wrap up this amazing podcast today?
Speaker: Well, first off, it's such a privilege to be here. I mean, I feel like I could sit down and just have this coffee conversation with you all day. So it's exciting that we get to share this with a broader audience. So so cool. And you know, I think it's it's going after what you want. I think that that's that was kind of the theme for this whole this whole conversation is thinking about who you are, your brand and putting yourself out there, doing the hard work,
Speaker: standing out in a crowded marketplace and having confidence doing that and know that you have a whole tribe of women out there supporting you and cheering you on. And it's okay to put yourself out there even when you feel a little uncomfortable about it. It's okay.
Speaker: So I heard it said, and I will attest to this myself, that don't wait until you're comfortable to step into things. More than likely, it's best to be uncomfortable and then realize on the other side, you did it. And that's where growth comes from. I know that was for me. I remember the very first time public speaking, I was panicked, not even like prepared. I didn't even know that I was going to be talking.
Speaker: But when I was done, I was, first I terrified, terrified, terrified, done, and then I was excited and I wanted to do it again. How in the world did that happen, right? So don't wait until the fear is gone. Don't wait until you feel like you're fully ready. You have to step into it 100%, regardless of where you're at in your emotions, regardless of where you're at in your readiness, and just be willing to embrace that fear. The very
Speaker: first personal growth and development book I ever read, which was 28 years ago, was a book called Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway. And to be honest, I barely opened the book. The words, the title said so much to me right then I thought, oh my gosh, it's exactly right. No matter what, you have to move in. So I just want to share that with everyone.
Speaker: And as we wrap up, Becky, first off, I'm honored that you've taken the time. I know that I'm in your calendar. I know this time has been blocked. And I so appreciate every single juicy minute that you have shared with us in our audience. And I can't wait to get this out. And I can't wait to share this information with everybody.
Speaker: Because whether you are in a direct sales company, a network marketing business, or whether or not you're building an entrepreneurial business online or offline, we are all in this together. And even though some of this stuff is continuously repeating and you're hearing similar things over and over again, I have heard everything repeated.
Speaker: But what I want you to know right now is that last night, after hearing something probably 200th time in my life, something clicked. And when it clicked, I don't mean it was a little click. I don't mean it was a small little tweak.
Speaker: I mean it was earth shattering, shaking me, turning the switch that needed to be turned and revolutionizing my mindset and my actions that I needed to take in order to take my business to the next level. This is why I encourage every single person on here, and I know Becky would agree,
Speaker: You have to keep showing up. You have to keep moving forward. You cannot give up. You cannot think, I am terrible at this or I'm never going to be able to make this happen or any of those things. You must always tweak. You must always pivot. You must be willing to adjust. You must be willing to fill yourself up.
Speaker: as much as you possibly can. And along the way, clarity comes, those moments happen where you are in it to win it and you will succeed beyond your wildest dreams. So with all of that said, again, thank you so much, Becky, for your time, for your love, for your inspiration, for your wisdom, for your tips, your tools, and all the juiciness that you shared with our audience today.
Speaker: Thank you so much for having me. This was so fun. It was so fun. Let's do it again. Maybe I'll start a podcast. You could come on mine. I'll show you exactly how to do it. Brilliantistas, I am just going to wish you all a wonderful day and just know that we will be back here next week with another special guest. I just want you to know that we are with you on your journey as you go out there and you create success in your business and life.
Speaker: and hopefully always start at the core of who you really are and make sure the world knows just exactly what that is. So thank you so much for joining me and bye for now.
Speaker: Thanks for listening to the Brilliantista podcast. If you love the show and have a moment, please let us know by leaving a review or subscribe to the podcast. Truly, this would mean the world to me and my team. And remember, ladies, share this with your friends because that's what friends do. If you want to stay connected, go to brilliantista .com and join our Facebook group. You can also find me on social media at Sherry Custer or Brilliantista on all platforms.
Speaker: Most importantly, I hope you heard something today that inspires you to elevate your brilliance. Bye for now, Brilliantista. We'll be back next week.
