Permission to Kick Ass

Ever take over a company after working for the owner? That's exactly what today's guest, Bernie DeSantis III, did... and it came with its own unique learning curve.  Tune in as Bernie shares his entrepreneurial journey from corporate trainer to business owner. We rant about a little of everything, from the fine art of networking to improving sales. Listen now!

Can't-miss moments:

• Bernie shares a neat trick for getting in front of the right people, even if you realize belatedly you're in front of the wrong people (this one is so simple, I'm angry I never thought of it!)
  
  
• Hard truth: being good at a thing doesn't automatically make you good at business. Here's how Bernie made that transition...
  
  
• Don't send Valentine's Day cards to people you didn't enjoy working with, and other cautionary outreach tales...
  
  
• Stop "pitch slapping" people! You know, that thing where you pitch someone your services before even getting to know them? Do THIS instead...
  
  
• "No" hasn't killed me yet... check out this approach for feeling the discomfort and making the ask anyway...

Bernie's bio:

Bernie DeSantis III owns Insignia Training Partners, a premier learning and development company specializing in providing outsourced training services for businesses. He has over 2 decades of experience in training facilitation, marketing, and operations.

With a passion for fostering genuine relationships and communication, Bernie places a high value on the human element in business. He understands that success is not merely about money and numbers but about building meaningful relationships and consistently delivering exceptional service.

Insignia collaborates with businesses of all sizes, regardless of industry, to streamline and enhance their corporate training initiatives. Whether it's training new hires to sell widgets, software implementations, virtual workshops and webinars, strategy, coaching, or designing bespoke leadership development programs, we deliver efficient and cost-effective solutions, Bernie's commitment to excellence is unwavering.

In addition to his role as a business leader, Bernie is the President of Growth Mode Engaged, a National B2B Success Champion networking group. Bernie is father to a stepson and daughter, Benjamin and Gwendolyn. Bernie is also an ordained “Dude,” and legally authorized to perform wedding ceremonies in most states.

If you see Bernie on the streets, you will know him by his EPIC mustache. Seriously, he is probably twisting and training his 'stache like a cartoon villain right now.

Links and Resources:

If you've ever felt like the world was trying to put you in a box, Shannon Villalba is here to help you break that box wide open. She's a badass lawyer who's not afraid to bring her whole self to the table, blending her practical legal strategy with her "woo" side. If you're curious how contracts and crystals connect... you're gonna want to hear this. It'll inspire you to create something in alignment with who you truly are. 

Can't-miss moments:

• What do you do when hit with a devastating diagnosis? Shannon shares how defeating cancer (woohoo!) inspired her to combine legal with woo...
  
  
• Today's $5 word is "bifurcated" - divided into two branches. Are you operating like this without realizing it? Here's how to tell...
  
  
• Angie rant: what happened when someone edited my image to put me in a tweed jacket and tasteful necklace... 
  
  
• Shannon drops a mindset-shifting stance that will have you rethinking how you present yourself on social media... 
  
  
• I've taken clients to Disney World, to Vegas to drive bulldozers, and more... so remind me why business can't be something enjoyable and uniquely you?

Shannon's bio:

Shannon Villalba, JD LLM, is a Cincinnati, Ohio-based serial entrepreneur, attorney, and intuitive business design coach. She has been helping clients with their businesses and trademarks for thirteen years and established her own virtual law firm in 2013. Through utilizing her client’s energetic blueprint, she helps her clients change their legal and business strategy narratives. Her holistic approach guides her clients through business and law, drawing upon her personal experiences, intuition, and signature HeartSong Chakra FrameworkTM.

Before she became a lawyer, Shannon produced award-winning websites for Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, and Chippendales and worked with *NYSNC, Backstreet Boys, Mandy Moore, Taj Mahal, Duran Duran, Britney Spears, and Radiohead. She has been featured in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Authority Magazine, on Follow Your Passion and Beyond Six Seconds Podcasts and WKRC in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Shannon is a small cell cervical cancer survivor. With the help of a range of holistic therapies, she was cancer-free within five months. She utilizes these same tactics in entrepreneurship, along with her legal expertise.

Links:

Two menaces to polite society sit down to record a podcast...

My friend Reese Spykerman and I get good and ranty on what it means to be a creative entrepreneur, how to know if you're too early or too late, and why taking a job doesn't make you a total failure in the business world. Her fascinating 20-year journey is full of pivots, burnouts, and imposter syndrome galore. But here's the kicker: every "failure" led her to exactly where she needed to be. 

Can't-Miss Moments from This Episode:

• Intrepreneurship vs entrepreneurship: how "giving up the dream" and accepting a full-time role in someone else's business can still be a huge win-win...
  
  
• I'm calling BS on this: there's one way "it" (whatever "it" is) gets done, and you've got to follow it OR ELSE. Reese has a rant for you if you're feeling stuck playing by someone else's rules...
  
  
• Stop trying to impress the homecoming king and queen. Here's how to recognize when you're doing something that actually matters, vs doing something for the appearance and applause... 
  
  
• Failure is part of the process! Hear the inspiring story behind one of Broadway's most iconic musicals (and how it wouldn't exist if its creator had taken, "This won't work," as a sign he wasn't good enough)...
  
  
• If you have to take cheap shots to get business, you're probably not very good. Your business should thrive with a little healthy competition, not stifle. Here's why "stand on your own strengths, not others' weaknesses" is the ultimate power positioning.... 

Reese's bio:

Hi! I’m Reese.

Former journalist and rockstar designer who combines those mad skills into a copy and design double threat known as e-commerce conversion expert. (Yeah I’m a queen of pivoting when opportunity knocks—maybe you can relate?)

Lover of Diet Pepsi (we all have our vices), parenthesis, and seasonal Spotify playlists, I’m driven to help women with product businesses sell without so much stress. My magic? Highly leveraged websites and email automations that free up their time for other things in life besides work (whether that’s combing for beach glass in Bali or bonding with their babies, human and fur alike). 

Resources and links:

**content warning: we talk about suicidal ideation and how common it can be among entrepreneurs. If you're sensitive to that, proceed with caution. If you need help please dial 988**

INCREDIBLE. That's the word I've got for today's convo with Shulamit Ber Levtov, The Entrepreneur's Therapist. This one goes deep into the emotional rollercoaster of running a business, including the importance of self-care, vulnerability, and seeking support. If you're ready to get real about the mental health struggles entrepreneurs face, we'll show you how to navigate those dark moments with tenderness and care.

And a reminder: I'm glad you're here. I'm grateful every day you stay.

Can't-Miss Moments from This Episode:

• Two words (and a tiny mindset shift) to make it easier to have those sweaty, difficult conversations we all dread...
  
  
• My FAVORITE guest phrase, potentially ever: go take a flying fuck at a rolling donut (hear what inspired Shula to throw that out, to my utter delight)...
  
  
• What to do when your boss is a freaking jerk (and you happen to be the boss)...
  
  
• Two words (and a tiny mindset shift) to help you have hard conversations with a lot less discomfort and a lot more ease...
  
  
• Normalizing the dark thoughts: so many entrepreneurs struggle in silence, and Shula offers a powerful reframe that might just save your (or someone you love's) life...

Bonus: tune in for a surprise cameo by Minnie the Evil Office Cat. 

Shula's bio:

Shulamit (she/her) is the Entrepreneurs' Therapist and co-founder of the Business Therapy Centre. She works with women business owners to care for their mental and emotional wellbeing in an era of relentless stressors that can make you want to lose your crap on the daily.

Shulamit has been an entrepreneur for over 27 years and has more than 22 years of professional experience applying therapeutic, coaching and somatic tools to support women's mental health and personal growth. In addition to working with clients 1:1, Shulamit teaches in private and university business programs and speaks locally, nationally and internationally about the intersection of mental health, trauma, financial psychology and entrepreneurship.

As an award-winning entrepreneur, masters-level, licensed trauma therapist and trauma survivor, with certifications in Brené Brown's Dare To Lead™ methodology, Trauma of Money, Nonviolent Communication and Yoga, Shula brings a unique perspective and approach to supporting women in business.

Resources and links:

I LOVE today's convo with burnout recovery coach and Enneagram expert, Hillarie Kay.  Not only does she have deep personal experience with burnout (her very first story is about winding up in the hospital with a presumed heart attack, only to think, "I don't have time to rest, give me drugs!")... she has a deep understanding of what drives us to burnout in the first place. If you've ever found yourself wondering if there's more to life than "rise and grind," this one's for you. 

Can't-Miss Moments from This Episode:

• The surprising reason most affirmations DON'T work (and what you can do instead to help reprogram your brain)... 
  
  
• To follow or not to follow: Hillarie and I reveal how we decide whether to take a "guru's" advice or follow our own guts (this one is so simple, yet most people won't do it)... 
  
  
• Bad news: all the growth strategies work. Good news: all the growth strategies work. Now what are you going to do about it?
  
  
• "You attract how you act" - Hillarie's BRILLIANT and catchy mantra will help you spot what you're doing to bring people to your world... for better or worse.
  
  
• The shocking reason a lot of businesses fail (and it has nothing to do with capital, or clients, or any of the typical "success" metrics)...

Hillarie's bio:

I'm Hillarie Kay a burnout recovery coach, speaker, trainer, and author. Prior to becoming a third-generation business owner, I forged my path in corporate America, specializing in public relations and marketing.

In 2016, I established a full-service marketing agency. In 2020, I underwent a pivotal career transition, delving into the realm of business coaching using the power of the Enneagram personality framework to guide entrepreneurs and teams toward greater success.

Since then, I've coached and collaborated with a diverse range of entrepreneurs and teams, spanning from innovative startups to industry giants within the Fortune 100 space. My passion lies in supporting high achievers, corporate executives, and teams in their quest to prevent burnout, enhance communication, and optimize performance through the transformative lens of the Enneagram.

My husband, two sons, three stepsons, and I split our time between Southeast Missouri and the Raleigh/Durham area of North Carolina. I'm obsessed with the 60s and 70s and you can often find me in antique and thrift stores searching for that perfect vintage outfit or furniture piece!

Resources and links: