Her Next Big Move

How to Get Out of A Funk and Keep Moving Forward

We all have those days where we feel like we’re in a funk, it can manifest in many different forms, like imposter syndrome. Life has its inevitable ebbs and flows, and there are moments when we find ourselves stuck in a rut, seemingly disconnected from our passions and purpose. Join us for today’s episode as we dive into how to power through and channel yourself back into the positive!
 
Using little moments of joy, we discuss how small deposits can help get you out of a funk and keep moving forward. By continually putting deposits into your happiness bucket, you’ll get to the half full point of view versus half empty. In today’s episode we’ll explain how to get yourself out of a funk, even if you don’t feel like it and power through to move forward. Life can get so busy, whether it be work, life or just stress; by taking a step back and reflecting on the moments of a funk you can re-evaluate how to move forward. 
 
Get ready to level up as we uncover the power of reframing negative thought patterns, cultivating self-compassion, and embracing techniques to shift our mindset and lead a more fulfilling life!
 
Quotes
 
“Surrounding myself with the people that I knew were the right people to, like, Get Me Out of it, leaning, leaning on those people and also being by myself whenever like I truly like needed it in order to do self reflection or just whatever.” (3:15 | Priscilla)
“Being able to understand that everybody goes through that in different levels, different ways at different periods, but everyone feels that way and that not everybody is always going to be happy all the time. It's just impossible, and so I think really knowing your tools and your little mental toolkit of what you can pull out when you're having those days” (08:16 | Lauren)
“Sometimes you have to have a breakdown to get through a breakthrough.” (10:05 | Lauren)
And so it's like there's a good line between like, you know, self-discipline and you know, having boundaries and all of those things. But also just like don't be mean to yourself like, be kind to yourself first and then that will just like, exude out of you and be able to give yourself what you need.” (18:47 | Lauren)
Links
Instagram: @forwardfemale @hernextbigmove
Website: Forward Female Website
Join Community: https://theforwardfemale.mn.co/
Schedule Consultation: 
https://calendly.com/the-forward-female/discovery-call
HoneyBook: http://share.honeybook.com/forwardfemale
Email Us: hello@forwardfemale.com
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It’s Time To Restrategize The Business

“As we've matured, as our business has matured, so has our mission,” Priscilla notes, one of the many takeaways gleaned from a recent deep-think strategy session at Forward Female. Using the power of the pause, she and Lauren took time out to realign themselves with the business’s vision–which is distinct from its mission as they explain on today’s episode—remembering the why, as well as establishing new goals and targets. At Forward Female the mission has evolved from wanting to help more women start and grow successful businesses to helping to create more equity for women so that there can be equality for them in business.
 
Here they share prompts, questions, and advice you can use to refine your own business strategy. It’s an ongoing process and requires constant checking in–zooming in on the day-to-day aspects and panning out to see the bigger picture. You must be radically honest about what works and what doesn’t work. Get ready to leave your ego at the door. 
 
Entrepreneurship is a journey, not a destination. Grab your pen and paper as they share prompts, questions and advice for refining your own business strategy and plan your next big move! 
 
Quotes
“The ‘how’ is saying, ‘Okay, what am I providing now? Is that going to be the best solution to help me achieve that?...this is what doesn't work and I know maybe this one thing that I've been doing does really work. And I optimize that and what could be some things that I could add into my ‘how,’ to my action in order to achieve that?” (8:59 | Priscilla)
“You have to be realistic with yourself…It's being really real with yourself through these strategy sessions, and leaving your ego at the door.” (13:32 | Lauren) 
“You can't keep setting these new big goals without sitting down and really thinking through it.” (15:45 | Priscilla)
“Understanding that your vision, your mission, the actions and all of that, the reason why it's broken down so much is because it is a journey…It's not this big, ‘aha’ moment, ‘I made it!’ and it's over. There are all of these moments. And guess what? You can start to have that moment today.” (17:32 | Priscilla)
Links
Instagram: @forwardfemale @hernextbigmove
Website: Forward Female Website
Join Community: https://theforwardfemale.mn.co/
Schedule Consultation: 
https://calendly.com/the-forward-female/discovery-call
HoneyBook: http://share.honeybook.com/forwardfemale
Email Us: hello@forwardfemale.com
 
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Learning How To Fail Fast With The Forward Female Team

“I feel like a proud mom, I love the evolution and growth journey we’ve been on together.” The ‘we’ Lauren is referring to is her team at Forward Female which includes today’s guests, Madison and Gabriella, and of course, Priscilla. Madison, who is in charge of web design, branding and infusing clients’ brands personality, and Gabriella, who helms the social media and market branding, talk about what it’s like to work as part of Forward Female’s “waterfall”-style bundle service. The team sets themselves apart from others by putting themselves in the client’s shoes to find out their true needs, and provide them with solutions so that they feel they are not trying to figure it all out for themselves. 
 
When it comes to entrepreneurship, it’s important to step out of your comfort zone. Even if you don’t know something, don’t be afraid to take initiative, figure it out and become a problem solver. Take advantage of all of your resources (Gabriella shares her Big Three go-tos), and if you still don’t know, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Both Gabriella and Madison share their experiences with overwhelm and how they worked to overcome it. They explain what it means to “fail fast,” how to do it and why it’s so important. 
 
By growing professionally, they’ve also grown personally and become stronger members of their team, in part by leaning into change and embracing the pivot. All business owners will attest, there is no greater failure than not trying at all. 
 
Quotes
“You're not going to know how to do everything. But there are a lot of learning opportunities within every role…being aware of that and also being resourceful is going to be really important. That would be the advice that I would give.” (8:20 | Gabriella)
“When I'm approaching a new project, I look at it as an opportunity rather than something that should be nerve wracking or holding me back.” (12:44 | Madison) 
“Leaning on each other really has been a huge factor for me, personally, because there are a lot of things that are outside of my typical comfort zone. And as we say, comfortable is not where we want to be, we want to be uncomfortable, because then we grow.” (29:09 | Madison)
“Know that you aren't alone. There are so many other people who have been in your shoes and who did it. And some of them were successful, some of them weren't successful the first time or the first seven times. But then they were.” (37:48 | Gabriella )
“If you don't try, you'll never know, and the never knowing is going to be a lot more painful than maybe something not working out and you having to change it up.” (38:40 | Madison)
 
Links
Instagram: @forwardfemale @hernextbigmove
Forward Female Website
Join the Community
https://calendly.com/the-forward-female/discovery-call
Email Us: hello@forwardfemale.com
 
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Friendship Expectations and How to Build a Team

“Our relationship has to be strong in order for the company to be strong, because we are part of that foundation,” Priscilla explains on this latest episode of Her Next Big Move. In fact, many of the same building blocks that form a strong friendship or romantic relationship–appreciation, making the other person feel seen and heard, and authenticity–build a strong work team and ultimately a strong and positive company culture. Like friends, team members should be encouraging open, two-way communication, encouraging each other’s wins and offering help when someone is struggling.
 
This starts from the top down, by showing people kindness and respect–including for their non-work personal lives– you make your business a place where people want to work. Priscilla and Lauren discuss what it was like building Forward Female from the ground up, starting as strangers and forming a relationship that is not unlike a marriage. In any relationship, no one person should be expected to fulfill every need and they give advice on the best way to delegate so that everyone wins. 
 
In the same way you wouldn’t let just anyone into your life, when building a team, you have to be mindful of whom you let into your business from the very first interview question. Lauren and Priscilla discuss their ultimate red and green flags to look out for when hiring someone, as well as the questions you can ask yourself to effectively take stock of your personal and professional progress. 
 
Quotes
“Nowadays everyone wants to be seen and heard and get their point across but if you can really hold space and listen, that is such a powerful tool. And that's how you build really solid friendships, because that's what builds up the trust.” (4:45 | Lauren)
“There are a lot of similarities between friendships, relationships, and even growing a team and who you bring on to your company. And as you grow, whether that's an initial business partner, or just growing your team in general, there are a lot of those same attributes that carry through.” (6:27 | Lauren) 
“You and I have both been really thoughtful and intentional about this, as we've grown our company. We've seen the other side, we've been on the other side of knowing what it's like…So, it's setting those boundaries on both sides and being really clear with expectations and with your communication within the team, too. That's a big one.” (18:53 | Lauren)
“Really trust that the team is doing their jobs…and support them every step of the way to where you can say, ‘How can I support you?...That is your job as a business owner, especially as you're growing a team, and should be your number one priority.” (21:10 | Priscilla) 
“A great piece of advice: Do the follow up email. The people that follow up are typically the only people I look at…If you do that, I promise, you are 20 steps ahead of most people in life.” (32:01 | Priscilla)
Links
Instagram: @forwardfemale @hernextbigmove
Website: www.forwardfemale.com
Join Community: https://theforwardfemale.mn.co/
Schedule Consultation: https://calendly.com/the-forward-female/discovery-call
HoneyBook: http://share.honeybook.com/forwardfemale
Email Us: hello@forwardfemale.com
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Your Brand vs. Business and Understanding the Difference

“Branding and business are really a two-pronged approach,” says Lauren about these two aspects of entrepreneurship that many people mistakenly believe are one in the same. Together with Priscilla, she explains how the two aspects are different, yet equally important. They work in tandem and one means nothing without the other. An entrepreneur must build a solid brand foundation which includes identifying your target audience, getting inside your customers’ head, learning their pain points and figuring out how to provide solutions, and being clear about what your business has to offer. 
 
They refer to Starbucks as an example of brand ethos, brand association and customer engagement. They explain how every single detail of the Starbucks experience is branded and how it differentiates from those of McDonald’s or Target. Speaking from her role as Forward Female’s creative director, Lauren gives her best advice on building a brand ethos and suggests questions that entrepreneurs should be asking themselves as they figure out the fundamentals of their business. 
 
Ultimately, infusing your personality into your brand will help differentiate you from others. Join today’s conversation and find out Lauren and Priscilla’s go-to summer Starbucks orders and why they actually look forward to Mondays. 
Quotes
“What is building a brand? What is building a business? I think there are a lot of misconceptions of what those two things actually mean. I think that a lot of the time people think they are the exact same thing and don't really take the time to separate them and identify what goes into each one.” (3:07 | Priscilla and Lauren)
“It's a vibe. A brand is a vibe.” (7:13 | Priscilla) 
“The key to successful branding is getting so clear and specific on it from the get go that you feel solid with it that even if you do evolve and grow and it shifts that it's still consistent throughout every touchpoint of your business. From a business card that you hand out to your Instagram to your website, from fonts, colors, just overall aesthetic, people should be getting that same vibe, same imagery. Content is huge. (20:18 |  Lauren)
“It goes back to the idea of showing up as the person that you want to be. If you want to be really healthy, then every day make decisions as a healthy person. ‘Today, I choose to be a healthy person, so I'm going to eat the salad instead of the burger. And day by day, that's going help you really become a healthy person. So within your brand, you want to show up as the brands that are really successful.” (21:27 | Priscilla)
 
Links
Instagram: @forwardfemale @hernextbigmove
Forward Female Website
Join the Community
https://calendly.com/the-forward-female/discovery-call
Email Us: hello@forwardfemale.com
 
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Natalie Franke: Building A Community First Business and Getting Acquired by Her Soulmate Brand

Natalie Franke, a dynamic entrepreneur, community builder, and the brilliant author behind the highly acclaimed book "Built to Belong," joins us today for an insightful conversation. Natalie's remarkable career has been a rollercoaster ride, featuring both incredible highs and profound challenges. As a teenager grappling with mental health issues, she discovered a transformative outlet through photography, which eventually paved the way for her remarkable journey to entrepreneurship and building a six-figure business. However, Natalie quickly recognized the isolating nature of running a business and set out on a mission to create a thriving community for fellow entrepreneurs. This audacious endeavor materialized into the awe-inspiring Rising Tide, a non-profit networking business that garnered an astonishing following around the nation. 
 
In this discussion, Natalie fearlessly challenges the prevailing myths that hold countless people back from reaching their full potential in life, community, and business. With remarkable insights, she dares to rewrite the narrative, reminding us that it's never too late to embark on a new venture, asking for help is an act of strength rather than weakness, and ego has no place in the art of community building. Natalie's unwavering emphasis on shared values and the paramount importance of making a meaningful impact sets the stage for a paradigm shift in how we approach success.
 
Prepare to be enthralled as Natalie delves into the significance of play and offers an exciting glimpse into her forthcoming book, "Gutsy." Described as "a kick in the pants," this compelling work promises to ignite the spark of courage and resilience within its readers. This episode is an exceptional opportunity to gain priceless insights, challenge the status quo, and embrace the transformative power of community.
Quotes
“Play has a profound impact on the brain…when's the last time you played? With no one watching?” (9:16-9:49 | Lauren)
“People always worry, ‘Can I start something new? Is it too late...You are never too old… You can go after it and reinvent yourself as many times as you want.” (14:08-14:41 | Natalie)
“It's up to you and all of us are one decision away from an entirely different life, one choice away from a reality that doesn't exist for us today. We just have to take that step.” (14:42-14:53 | Natalie)
“Even though my business was thriving…I felt deeply isolated.” (17:48-17:55 | Natalie)
“Your community is only as good as its leaders, and its leaders are built by its members.” (23:02-23:09 | Natalie)  
“You’ve got to rewrite so much of what you've been taught…the faster you fail, the quicker you succeed.” (35:03-35:18 | Natalie)
“No company I've ever worked for talks about their community the way that HoneyBook employees do…as though they are the heroes the world needs.” (45:53-46:07 | Natalie)
Links
Connect with Natalie Franke:
Website: https://nataliefranke.com/
The Book: https://nataliefranke.com/gutsy
 
Instagram: @forwardfemale @hernextbigmove
Website: www.forwardfemale.com
Join Community: https://theforwardfemale.mn.co/
Schedule Consultation: https://calendly.com/the-forward-female/discovery-call
HoneyBook: http://share.honeybook.com/forwardfemale
Email Us: hello@forwardfemale.com
 
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

The Power of Morning Routines & How Accountability Changed The Game For Us

We know that one size fits all doesn’t work when it comes to kicking off your day the right way. Join us for today’s episode as we spill the tea on our own invigorating habits that boost energy, productivity, and mental clarity. And hold on tight, because we're about to share some fabulous tips on building your own personalized morning routine.
 
Here's the scoop, a fabulous morning starts the night before! Lauren insists that a killer nighttime routine is the key to setting yourself up for success. Discover why minimizing bedtime stimuli is absolutely crucial to your beauty sleep. And get ready to shimmy and shake with Priscilla as she reveals the sheer joy of dancing to loud music with her furry pals, adding that extra touch of fun to your mornings!
 
But the true secret weapon? Intentionality. And we're here to spill the tea on journaling, meditation, and goal-setting. We'll explore the power of community and how it fuels your progress. Remember, it's all about having the right tribe: those who keep it real while having your best interests at heart.
 
Get ready to transform your mornings, unleash your feminine power, and seize the day like never before! This episode will leave you buzzing with excitement and armed with the tools to conquer your world in style!
Quotes
“A lot of people disregard a nighttime routine. That's a huge part of it, because…you're already setting yourself up for success the next day.” (5:02-5:24 | Lauren)
“Research shows that even a little accountability produces measurable results when it comes to reaching your goals, which means that just by having a goal, you are 10% more likely to complete it.” (14:01-14:15 | Priscilla)
“Having somebody that you feel like actually cares about your success and cares about you actually achieving that goal is a game changer, really.” (18:46-18:56 | Priscilla)
“Energy is contagious, it's all frequency. It's been scientifically proven that we can emit and also pick up energy waves and frequencies. And so it literally is contagious.” (20:12-20:23 | Lauren)
“No matter how motivated, no matter how successful you are… being able to build people around you that help you continue your success is crucial.” (20:37-20:52 | Priscilla) 
“You're not going to feel great every single day, you're going to need people that check you on things and make sure that you're still going after the things that you really want.” (21:09-21:19 | Priscilla)
 
Links
 
Instagram: @forwardfemale @hernextbigmove
Forward Female Website
Join the Community
https://calendly.com/the-forward-female/discovery-call
Email Us: hello@forwardfemale.com
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Emilie Hoyt: Starting & Growing a Lasting Business

“I dove in head first and it was a sink or swim situation,” says Emilie Hoyt, founder of Lather, a true pioneer in the clean beauty space now in its 23rd year. From a young age, Emilie dealt with migraines brought on by synthetic scents in soaps and cosmetics. So she set about creating her own alternatives. Here she speaks to other women in business about what it was like to create an independent venture when heavy hitters like L’oreal were dominating the beauty business. She talks about running things by herself before she had her team, discovering her strengths and weaknesses, her greatest regret and her biggest mistake that took her far too long to correct.
 
Like so many who start a business, there was a lot that Emilie didn’t know but she was afraid to speak up. As Lauren and Priscilla always say, asking for help is a superpower, and Emilie concurs with examples. She also explains how much of success is saying yes, while also knowing when to quit and move on. She shares stories of the brand’s early and unexpected champions, and some of the complications with creating different bestselling products.
 
The same synthetic fragrances which caused Emilie to seek alternative products remain in any number of everyday products. The fragrance industry is massively deregulated and protected and she warns about the dangers of fragrance, the effects of it on the body and what consumers can do to protect themselves. She also gives insight into Lather’s next moves, including efforts toward sustainability. 
 
Quotes
“At that time in the late 90s, when I was starting Lather, independently owned-beauty was pretty much non-existent and the barrier to entry was enormous. Everything was really owned and controlled by Estee Lauder, L'Oreal, all of the bigger players. There wasn't an entry point…which has also dramatically changed for the better. (11:15-11:54 | Emilie)
“Keep yourself open–there are a lot of paths to get to where you're going, to get to a point, and just never, ever give up.” (13:15-13:26 | Emilie) 
“It has been 23 years and I'm still a small independently-owned company, so it's not overnight. It's…just realizing it's going to be a lot of very small steps.” (13:54-14:31 | Emilie)
“Had I said, ‘No, we don't really do that,’ or ‘We don't do that business or ‘No we just do consumer or whatever,’ I don't think we would be around…if there's a way to still accomplish your goals and have a product of the quality that you're proud of and be able to serve a need, it can just lead to so many more things.” (18:39-19:15 | Emilie) 
“The number one thing, if you do nothing else, do not put anything with the word fragrance on your body. Ever. I mean ever.” (39:44-40:00 | Emilie)
Guest Links
Connect with Emilie Hoyt: info@lather.com
Explore the world of Lather: Lathar Website
 
Priscilla’s Favorite Lather Products:
https://www.lather.com/collections/moisturizers/products/sweet-almond-face-moisturizer
https://www.lather.com/collections/face-masks/products/white-clay-deep-pore-cleansing-mask
https://www.lather.com/collections/muscle-ease/products/muscle-ease-gel
https://www.lather.com/products/nail-cuticle-renewal-oil
Forward Female Links
Instagram: @forwardfemale @hernextbigmove
Forward Female Website
Join the Community
https://calendly.com/the-forward-female/discovery-call
Email Us: hello@forwardfemale.com
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

How We Hit Our First Six Figures (& How You Can Too)

“That’s such a number that’s out there in the world right now,” says Priscilla about the six-figure mark that so many new entrepreneurs shoot for while growing their businesses. It’s important for founders to get specific about what they want–including about which actual six-figure number you want to reach. Taking the time to figure out what success really looks like to you–your ‘why’--is crucial to success, she and Lauren explain. They also discuss the importance of maintaining authenticity, staying on top of operating costs and other finances, and of continuing through difficult times and dealing with self-doubt. 
 
They discuss what it was like to hit the six-figure mark with their own business Forward Female–for which they opened a physical space just before the pandemic—and what they learned along the way. That period prompted a move into the digital space and provided some surprising benefits. As they continued to hone their business model they had to decide how much time and effort to give to their members while they were still wearing all the hats. They learned to lean into the community they’d built and to gather crucial feedback from them. 
 
Ultimately, they had to make a difficult but necessary decision in order to move forward. Tune in to learn what this decision was as well as their thoughts on the best way to manifest money and other abundance as well as what they call their Fiji analogy. 
Quotes
“Money and management, overall of your business, is a huge thing that you have to be aware of, you have to be conscious of the whole time, from the very beginning, when it's just an idea before it's even an LLC or an actual business, all the way to growing into six figures and above.” (12:10-12:25 | Lauren)
“Every entrepreneur will go through that growing pains stage where you do have to do some trial and error and see what's going to work and what's going to actually bring you money. A lot of the time-–and we see this a lot with like the very beginning entrepreneurs—they have all these ideas, and sometimes you think an idea is going to be great and it totally flops.” (14:52-15:16 | Lauren ) 
“It's really powerful to be able to unpack your ‘why.’  Ask your why ‘why?’ If you're doing something because you want to make a lot of money, okay. Why, though? Really? What is underneath that? What is the root of that?” (26:04-26:20 | Lauren ) 
 
Links
 
Instagram: @forwardfemale @hernextbigmove
Website: www.forwardfemale.com
Join Community: https://theforwardfemale.mn.co/
Schedule Consultation: https://calendly.com/the-forward-female/discovery-call
Email Us: hello@forwardfemale.com
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

NJ Falk: The Power of the Mentor and Knowing When To Scale

“One of my big things now is being a connector,” says NJ Falk, who, as co-founder and “mentor-preneur” of Forward Female, is the perfect person to kick off Her Next Big Move. She joins Priscilla and Lauren to discuss the power of mentorship, which is a two-way relationship and one that should be maintained throughout a lifetime. She describes the proper etiquette for mentor and mentee as well as steps both can take to maximize the relationship. She also explains the best way to start and build a network for those who don’t know where to begin. 
 
In business, she explains, it’s a marathon not a sprint. The workplace is constantly changing-every 5-7 years–and it’s important to change with it by keeping your skills sharp and your education current. She shares the common mistake to avoid when scaling your business, including the crucial difference between massive growth and profitability. She talks about the importance of finding your niche, of both cash and collaboration, and offers her perhaps surprising take on following your passions.
 
The business advice doesn’t stop there. NJ shares tips and tricks to a successful presentation and the importance of storytelling and empathy in sales. She explains how to gauge whether your work culture is going well, and reveals her own next big move. 
 
Quotes
“Embracing change is critical in your career in the workplace, and whatever business you're in…how you respond to change is sort of a testament to what kind of person you are in the workforce.” (11:58-12:16 | NJ) 
“Does your business attract top talent? Do people want to join your brand, and is it exciting? Is it something where they want to join the culture, and they're excited about the brand? That's a great litmus test for what you're doing and your team and growing your business, and just a general enthusiasm, and a sense that everyone is a cheerleader.” (18:30-18:58 | NJ)
“You sort of get to a certain stage. And then if you want to keep being part of the conversation, you have to keep teaching yourself new things and adding new dialogue. So I never feel like it's status quo.” (24:46-25:02 | NJ)
“Again, it goes back to the network. I tap into my network in a very thoughtful way when I don't, when I feel I need advice. And certainly I need advice just like everyone else. I look at my network and I say who is the person that might have the best skill set within my network that I can reach out to? I call that person up.” (26:56-27:21 | NJ)
“It's really important in business to be a great storyteller.” (42:52-42:56 | NJ)
 
Links
 
Instagram: @forwardfemale @hernextbigmove
Website: www.forwardfemale.com
Join Community: https://theforwardfemale.mn.co/
Schedule Consultation: https://calendly.com/the-forward-female/discovery-call
Email Us: hello@forwardfemale.com
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm