2inspire Inspirational Woman: Jenny Garrett, Award Winning Executive Coach and Author

The 2inspire Network is passionate about giving women who are doing amazing things a platform to inspire and encourage others, Jenny Garrett is one such woman. Jenny’s mission is to transform the world for everyone, one empowered woman at a time. With her expertise in coaching and leadership, she inspires and motivates people, working with them to deliver career and life changing results beyond expectation. Women’s Coach of the Year 2014, APCTC award winner Jenny is a sought after executive coach and trainer, speaker, author of Rocking Your Role, the how to guide to success for female breadwinners, founder of Reflexion Associates leadership consultancy and Co -Founder of Rocking Ur Teens CIC. Read more about Jenny and be inspired!

Please tell us what is a typical business day for you?
Every day is different. If my diary allows, I will drop my daughter off to school, then I often coach clients face to face in London, or may be delivering training in a corporate setting. I may be speaking or attending a networking event in the evening. If not, I’ll be in the office, blogging and following up on inquiries.

What made you start the business and how did you get started?
The world of business chose me, I attended a coaching programme and knew that transformational coaching conversations was the work I was meant to do. At the time, the only way that I could see to coach full time was to become self-employed. I went part time in my role, built my coaching practice and took the leap to go freelance over ten years ago now.

What would you say has been your greatest accomplishment in the business world to date?
I think co founding my second business a social enterprise called Rocking Ur Teens in 2014 was a great achievement, which I did as a way of giving back after winning the APCTC Women’s Coach of the Year Awards.

What has been your biggest challenge in business so far?
My biggest business challenge has been learning to ‘stay in my lane’ and not get pulled off track by offers of interesting work when it is not really my area of expertise. I’ve learnt to know what to say no to.

What are your future plans for the business?
My plans are to accredit other coaches with my proven, successful method and support them to grow their businesses.

If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?
I would have charged more early on, and recognised my value.

Why is it so important to inspire young women in particular to follow their dreams?
I have a teen daughter so she is definitely my inspiration. I think girls need role models and to know that they can do absolutely anything they want. I think we all have a responsibility to help them realise that.

What advice would you give to somebody who wants to start a business in your industry?
Go through rigorous training, practice, practice, practice, get supervision, and treat it like a business, not a hobby.

What or who inspires you in business and why?
I am inspired by Dr Yvonne Thompson CBE, A founder of Choice FM who as well as being a PR expert and author, who tirelessly serves via public life.


What is your favourite inspirational quote?
No one is you and that is your power – Dave Grohl

Jenny Garrett
www.rockingyourrole.com
www.happenistaproject.com

2inspire Network Profile: Meet The Motivational Listener - Noreen Makosewe

On June 28th 2014, at The 2Inspire Ladies Day, Life and Executive Coach and Strategist Noreen Makosewe, will share ways to unleash your personal power, overcome adversity and colour life beautiful so you can live the life of your dreams boldly and powerfully. Read this powerful and inspirational interview with Noreen and motivate yourself to be the best that you can be.

Noreen Makosewe

Please tell us what is a typical business day for you?

Business days are often planned a week or weeks in advance. With multiple projects on-the-go most days are not the same. Working to a structured time and workflow schedule keeps me focused and minimises distractions and overwhelm caused by the volume of things that require ongoing attention.

Silence, gratitude, prayer and setting a clear intention for the day is how I like to begin each day. These times of quietness keep me centred through fast-paced days and constant change.

I give priority to making or returning calls and sending or responding to emails as that is how I communicate with potential clients, existing clients, JV partners or suppliers. When an upcoming seminar or conference is on the calendar I have regular telephone updates with my events manager who works remotely. I’ve learnt that building a big dream requires building a great team. I’m still learning to delegate as part of the growth process. After emails and phone calls, I then systematically work through the day’s agenda which could include following up leads, scheduling meetings, preparing for a presentation/workshop/seminar, negotiating with venues for upcoming events or writing my book.


Coaching clients or strategy consulting will often take place in a city meeting room, online or via telephone. On work-at-home days I stick to working UK business hours (9 – 5 or sometimes longer) like I would a corporate job. Being self-employed and working at home requires time discipline. If anything, it can require more discipline than working an office job. Potential distractions are many so without personal discipline productivity suffers. I believe entrepreneurs can benefit greatly from treating their own businesses as they would a big corporation, whether working alone or with a team.

What made you start the business and what steps did you take to start operating as a business?


I always knew I wanted to get paid for doing work that makes a difference in people’s lives and the world. My late father made me believe I could achieve anything I set my mind upon. Those words keep me motivated. Also, growing up I saw many women juggling a corporate job, raising a family and setting up businesses. As much as I admired their tenacity, I saw the pressure juggling all of these things put on them, their health or their families. This is not always the case of course, but they inspired me begin business-building early in my singlehood.


The first year of my degree course in Information Systems and Management helped me figure out very quickly that although I enjoyed the technical know-how of IT, I did not want to work with machines long-term – I wanted to work directly with people. Informally involved in music and putting together youth and music events in my early twenties, I toyed with the idea of setting up a music recording studio or a corporate events company. Stints in various client-facing jobs didn’t yield any career options that resonated with my vision. Whilst researching jobs and courses online one day, I came across Life Coaching and discovered there was an entire industry that offered the opportunity to build a career out of something I felt was a strength. A good friend recommended Noble Manhattan Coaching. I liked their ethos and values as a company so I trained to become a Certified Life and Executive Coach, set up www.radicalleap.com and never looked back. I eventually also became a Strategic Partner of Noble Manhattan, helping others become certified life, executive or corporate coaches.


Some of the key steps I took to start operating as a business included:

• Getting clear about what I wanted to do and how I was going to make it happen 
• Getting the vision down on paper to keep me focused 
• Lots and lots of research 
• Registering the company as a legal entity 
• Speaking to lawyers and accountants about pitfalls and growth strategies in business 
• Attending business start-up, personal and leadership development events 
• Reading business books and books written by those already accomplished in my industry 
• Setting up the back-end systems and processes I would need for the day-to-day operations of the business. Knowing IT helped 
• Preparing myself mentally and financially to balance having corporate job while I built a new business from the ground up. I had to be strategic 
• Setting aside a budget for continuous professional development as is required in my industry – training, courses, events, books 
• Bags of focus and determination 

What would you say has been your greatest accomplishment in the business world to date?

According to Bloomberg, 8 out of 10 entrepreneurs who start businesses fail within the first 18 months. That’s a whopping 80%! Being around since 2007 and making a difference in the lives and businesses of entrepreneurs and leaders not only in Europe but also in Africa feels like a great accomplishment. We still have a long way to go but I’m grateful we’ve made it this far. The brand has evolved and grown over the years and we’re looking forward to impacting more lives and being a company that creates changes of generational significance.

What has been your biggest challenge in business so far?

Juggling multiple projects has challenged performance and productivity. It’s both exciting and adventurous but can put pressure on profits as well as wellbeing. The lessons I’ve learnt over the years have been incorporated in coaching programmes that helps busy entpreneneurs manage their time effectively, and maximise performance and productivity. 

Noreen Makosewe means business!

What are your future plans for the business?

Expansion. Africa has been on the agenda from the beginning and right now there are great opportunities to take our products and services to entrepreneurs and business leaders in Africa. There’s a hunger for knowledge, personal development, leadership development and business development and I’d like Radical Leap to be a part of meeting that need. We have some clients in East and West Africa and are forging alliances with complementary organisations to collaborate on people development projects.


If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I would invest in business and leadership mentoring very early in the business. Mentoring would have helped me avoid certain pitfalls, access better resources and accelerate the growth of my business.

What’s the best compliment you could receive in business?

“You changed my life!”

Why is it so important to inspire young women in particular to follow their dreams?

“You educate a man; you educate a man. You educate a woman; you educate a generation.” ― Brigham Young


I believe this statement to be true. My experience of working with the Women of Africa charity has given me the opportunity to read as well as hear the challenges women experience, some of them heart-breaking. I believe investing in men is worthwhile too but there are so many odds stacked up against women worldwide and it’s going to take a lot of policy changes to bring about gender balance that will place many women in a position of safety and power to impact their communities with their knowledge and their talents. In the meantime, we should not stop inspiring and empowering the next generation of women who will carry on the work of ‘being the change’ and creating a better world.


What advice would you give to somebody who wants to start a business in your industry?


Here are a few simple tips:


· Study the industry. Here are 5 free downloadable coaching reports that might help: http://tinyurl.com/lu79xm9


· Invest in the best professional coach training programme you can find


· Invest in mentors – personal, business, financial, spiritual


· Invest in continuous professional development


· Know who you are and what area of coaching you would like to focus on. Play on your greatest strengths and don’t be distracted by how everyone else is doing things


· Know who you want to serve with your gift and then give them your all


· Prepare to put in the work. It is a rewarding industry to be in and persistence pays off


· Learn from those with experience in your area of expertise


What or who inspires you in business and why?

I believe we all have internal wiring that compels us to pursue our individual life paths. I’m inspired to be the best I can be and fulfil my life purpose helping others fulfil theirs boldly. Things my parents said to me when I was growing up remind me that nothing is impossible. I’m also inspired by the women in my inner circle. The ups and downs of this journey are easier to handle with a good support network and lots of laughter. “No wo/man is an island.”

I’m inspired by the countless women all over the world who feature in lifestyle, inspirational as well business publications like Forbes; women who are boldly living out their purpose and making a difference whilst remaining authentic to their personality and their message.

There are also “invisible women” who inspire me. Women no one knows about but who are using the resources they have to change their world. They work quietly but their legacy will live on for generations. I know about these women through association with various charities. Because of them, light shines in dark places.

What is your favourite inspirational quote?

“The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.” ~ (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)


@noreenmakosewe  

www.themotivationallistener.com

FREE Live Online Presentation on "How to build a Health & Wellness Business from Home" with Tobi Ayowemi

The saying “health is wealth” can be interpreted in so many different ways. One common interpretation is that being free from illness and pain is more than any material possessions someone can have. It is a reminder about the richness of a healthy life and the importance of taking care of oneself. This philosophy is being adopted by the masses as research shows an amazing growth of the consumer health industry, this includes a huge increase in consumer health spending, a shift in consumer behaviour and attitudes with a huge number of consumers using the internet to research a broad array of health options and more noticeably retailers across all industries expanding into health and wellness.

With all this in mind and the fact that the health and wellness industry is an emerging trillion-dollar market this THURSDAY NIGHT (20/3/2014) at 9pm - 9:45pm, the network in partnership with Tobi Ayowemi will be holding a FREE Live Online Presentation on "How to build a Health & Wellness Business from Home" 

Successful Health and wellness entrepreneur,Tobi Ayowemi, will be sharing with you how you can increase your income in the following ways:

• Retailers £200-£400+ per month
• Team leaders - £800-£2,000 per month
• Business Developers - £3,000-£10,000 and more per month

She will be personally Training, Coaching & Mentoring You on using Facebook and other tools

to achieve the income bracket of your choice!

Please send an email to events@2inspirenetwork.com if you would like us to send you a link to the Live Presentation.

It will be online, from the comfort of your own home, we won't be able to see or hear you, so feel FREE to be in your PJs!

*With her Coaching & Mentoring Plan, you can build your Business to start making an income of £800-£2,000 per month in 5 months!

Think about what this can be mean for you and your family! It is a journey I have taken and I haven't looked back. Join the call and see what it is about, you have nothing to lose, your health to improve and financial freedom to gain! Contact us for the link to the presentation.

Hazel Chawapiwa

2inspire Network

2Inspire Profile: Hazel Oatey, professional trainer and coach.

Hazel Oatey is the founder of assess4success, an organisation which offers recruitment and development services to various clients. She ignored doubts from others to set up a company that matched her values on life and business, read her inspiring story.  

Please tell us what is a typical business day for you?  

There is no typical day, it is very varied and it includes writing, working with new ideas, running training/workshops, 1-1 coaching/mentoring sessions, psychometric profiling, client meetings.

 What made you start the business and how did you get started?

Ten years ago I just felt it was the right time to work in a way that matched the values I held about life and business.  Values of integrity, honesty, collaboration, empowering and so forth.  I felt that I could do better by working for myself rather than have the message diluted through others/organisations.  It was a fairly quick decision and I trusted and somehow knew it was right, despite a lot of other people worrying and calling me for quite a while after I set up the business with their concerns.  I have never looked back.  I set up a limited company and had on-going clients from day one.    

Greatest accomplishment in the business world to date

The feedback I have received is that I act as a positive catalyst and inspire people to tap into and take the journey towards the highest potential of themselves in life and business.  Being able to educate and make an impact in terms of positive shifts in consciousness in people and businesses towards empowerment vs power/control and collaboration vs competition continues to be a passion.

What has been your biggest challenge so far

Having the courage to be bold and go for the big dreams and trust it will all work out

What are your future plans for the business?

I am soon to re-brand using my own name and bring out a range of new workshops and products as well as starting to write the bones of a book.  

If you had to do it all over gain what would you do differently? 

Early on I would listen to the messages and intuition I have about how I contribute and get expert advice sooner in areas that are not my forte.

Why is it so important to inspire young women in particular to follow their dreams?

Women are not the underdogs by any stretch.  I believe everyone has an important contribution to make whether they are male or female.  So, I think it is vital to inspire young women to be authentic, step out and be confident about what they are here to contribute and help to lead the way, in a society that hasn't quite caught up.  

There is still some old fashioned thinking and ingrained beliefs about women in business (particularly in some industries) and I do think the balance needs addressing.  However, I feel it is more important that young women be supported to achieve in the world we are in today and without giving to much energy or attention to the old paradigm thinking that is currently dissolving at a rapid pace to make way for the new.  

Women have a lot to offer and men and women can collaborate effectively, so having the courage to follow their passion and dreams and help to dissolve the gender imbalance in senior business positions / influence so worthy.  It's time for more women to take centre stage.  If women embody what and how they want to be the world will shift around it rather than give power to the outdated views.  Many of the indigenous tribes, such as the first nation tribes in the US/Canada, understand and respect the contribution of women and the immense power women hold.

I found an interesting article about the increase on women on boards of companies (see press release https://www.gov.uk/government/news/women-on-boards-2013-two-years-on) in the last few years although there is still a long way to go.  Never mind the statistics, let's stride out and make it happen.

What advice would you give to somebody who wants to start a business in your industry?

I'm in the "people" business so ensure you are passionate about people, be authentic to yourself, be an expert in your subject .

What or who inspires you in business and why?

I know several inspiring women friends who are successful in business and all are characterised by passion for what they do, innovative and inquiring thinking, tenacity, humour, intelligent and open minds, high quality delivery and the desire to make a difference for others

In terms of famous women - Oprah of course and the emerging younger generation such as Mary-Kate Olsen

For famous people the first that spring to mind are Steve Jobs and Richard Branson - for their creativity and not limiting ideas - understanding their strengths and gathering the right people around them to bring a project through to fruition. 

What is your favourite inspirational quote?

There are many quotes although in particular I like are:

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle."  Steve Jobs

and

"Simplicity is the key to brilliance"  Bruce Lee

 Contact details

Hazel Oatey

hazel@assess4success.com

Twitter : HazelOatey

Tel: +44 (0)7957 162103

2Inspire Business Profile: Aji Michael founder of Head Affairs

In this 2Inspire profile we feature Aji Michael, whose business, Head Affairs is about inspiring and motivating people on a daily basis.  Her coaching business has grown from strength to strength over the past few years and we are so pleased that she has been able to share her story with us.

Please tell us what is a typical business day for you?

I do not have a typical day. I have different tasks for different days; for instance Mondays are my admin days. Aside from doing school runs in the morning; a great deal of my time is spent on speaking to clients and attending meetings.

what made you start the business and how did you get started?

I have always been in business, as far back as my college days. My Coaching and Consulting business was borne as a result of my passion for helping and adding value to people. I got started when I resigned from my job managing projects and decided to follow my passion. I started off as Career - Clinic; helping people transition into a new career/job. The business evolved gradually when people approached me to help them develop business plans, prepared business cases for funding, facilitate their meetings etc. as a result Head Affairs Coaching was borne.

What would you say has been your greatest accomplishment in the business world to date?

I have a lot of success stories with my clients. I would say that my recent one was helping a Care Trust transition to Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and the organisation was seen as the strongest CCG on the patch.

What has been your biggest challenge in business so far?

I am really working towards setting boundaries with clients and helping them abide by them. Some clients call very early in the mornings, some late at nights even weekends, and some simply because they still want you to do tasks meant for solicitors or Accountants. It’s been really difficult especially when they see you as a solution provider.

What are your future plans for the business?

My future plans are to outsource some tasks while I focus on developing a business model that works better for entrepreneurs.

If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I will always follow my intuition. In the time past, I have always operated like a perfectionist; I tend to wait until everything seems right before I do things. I have learnt from the software companies that, launch out the trial version, get feedback and do a ‘beta’ version. That’s doing business through innovation.

Why is it so important to inspire young women in particular to follow their dreams?

I believe we all have dreams and visions in life. We are here to fulfil a purpose. It is important for a young woman to follow her dream because there lays her self esteem, confidence and fulfilment. If that is the only one thing she achieves in life. I ask people, what will be said of you when you pass away?  Remove all the self imposed limits, rules set by the society and follow your dream NOW!

What advice would you give to somebody who wants to start a business in your industry?

Geese flying in formation can fly 70% farther and at a much faster speed than they ever could alone. Do not do your business in isolation, have a mentor and peer group who you can always bounce your ideas with.

What or who inspires you in business and why?

My inspiration comes from successful people around me that I know how they started and seeing where they are today. Following their dreams and believing in it are one of the things they have in common. That is why I know it’s important for someone to believe in oneself even though nobody does. Just believe in yourself.

What is your favourite inspirational quote?

“Life will not give you what you deserve but what you demand, because life is a just employer”

Contact Details

Entrepreneurs and Executives Coaching

Tel: +44(0)8432896790

Email: aji.michael@headaffairs.com

Web: www.headaffairs.com

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