Ep. 21: Chris Williams

In this episode: Chris Williams

Guest Bio: 

Chris Williams, Leadership, Business Development, Sales & Marketing, International Speaker, Best-Selling Author

Chris grew up in a successful family-owned business. After receiving her marketing/finance degree from the University of Oregon, she joined Xerox Corporation and trained more than 1,000 sales representatives, launched 48 new products, and created the first local business telesales, development team. Her entrepreneurial spirit prompted her to open her own Value-Added Reseller business with a staff of 17, growing market share and overall revenue to $4M. 

Wide Awake Business is a dynamic, results-oriented, and market-driven company – where our customers are the center of our work. Chris and her team, work with business owners who are burned out, underpaid, and feel shackled to their business by generating more customers growing revenues, and creating an Easier, Simpler, More Profitable Business.  She is a co-author of two bestselling books which you can find below.  

Links:

Special Gift: https://www.wideawakebusiness.com/gift
Website: www.wideawakebusiness.com
Books: 

• Customers Are The Answer to Everything (2012)
• Customertopia (2019)

Social Handles: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriswilliams10/

Subscribe:

https://ordinarywomenextraordinarywealth.buzzsprout.com/

Transcript

Janay Harris  0:01  
You are listening to ordinary women extraordinary wealth with Marcy Predmore-McPhee. This is the show where we talk about how ordinary women achieve extraordinary wealth. We interview successful business leaders and entrepreneurs to learn about their journeys, discover what success means to them, and go over the various forms of wealth they've been able to achieve. And we'll learn all the best tips and tricks, you can start applying in your own life and career. While extraordinary wealth comes in a variety of forms, we don't neglect the financial side. And it's so important for women to feel comfortable talking about money. So in this show, you'll also learn how to put your money to work and keep your money in motion. And use your money to enjoy life today, without stealing from tomorrow. Be sure to like and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you find this show valuable, make sure to share it with your friends and colleagues. And now, your host, Marcy Predmore-McPhee. McPhee.

Marcy Predmore  0:59  
Well, good afternoon, everybody. I am so excited to have you all back to ordinary women extraordinary wealth. I am your host, Marcy Predmore-McPhee. And you know, one of the reasons that this is so near and dear to my heart, ordinary to extraordinary is because throughout life, people come into your lives, you look at them, and think, Oh, my gosh, they got it all. Everything works out for them. They are extraordinary. But I want you all to know that you all are extraordinary. And that's what I learned about myself. But how I learned it was the people that I met. And today, I get the privilege to introduce a lady who I was introduced to by another friend. But when she called me, she just made it feel like I was her friend that she really was interested in me. She really wanted to know about me, she wanted to hear about my extraordinary even though we didn't use that word. And her enthusiasm was so exciting. I ended up going to a retreat that was just really outstanding, and we're going to talk a little bit about her business. We're going to talk a little bit about what she offers. And I really want you all just to just take a minute and just listen to some things that can maybe change your business today. Because we're all in this world. It's pressing in on us some of the frustrations and where do I go from here or being on that hamster wheel of life, we want you to hear some real practical tools on how to grow your business, how to grow you. And today I get to introduce Chris Williams. She is in the business industry, she actually helps people grow their business. Why do like business is her business. She has a partner, but she's really expanding from there. She's well known speaker she is a best selling author. And they have two books. One of them I got the privilege of having as customer topia, which I really love and I looked back at the notes that I had had looked at a year ago and they still pertain to today. So they have books and I'm want you all to we're going to talk about how to get the books, we're going to talk about their website which is why the way business COMM And if you just put that in your favorites, why to weight business calm, so I will have it in the show notes. And so let me give you a little snapshot of Chris and then I'm gonna let her give you a little bit bigger snapshot. Chris grew up in a successful family owned business. After receiving her marketing and finance degree from University of Oregon. She joined Xerox Corporation and trained more than 1000 sales sales representatives and she launched 48 new products created the first local business telesales development team. Her entrepreneurial spirit, which I can vouch for, promoted her to open her own value added reseller business with a staff of 17. Why do a business is a dynamic results oriented and again, I can attest to that by the people that I met at the retreat, results oriented and market driven company where our customers are the center of our work and I love that and I hope she zones in on that a little Chris and her team work with business owners who are burned out underpaid, feel shackled to their business by generating more customers growing revenues. And creating an easier, simpler, more profitable, profitable business. And at the end, what's really amazing is my tip of the week actually fits right into that. So Chris, I just want to welcome you today. And I'd like you to share just a little bit about you and the passion that got you where you are today.

Chris Williams  5:21  
Thanks, Morrissey. And I love being with you today. And I remember that first conversation so nice. So I've been an entrepreneur, one of the things that the first copywriter ever had was he said, When did you start becoming an entrepreneur? And I said, I have no idea. And he says, Go back and ask all of your neighbors and aunties and everybody and find out when that was. So I went back, and I asked everybody, and they, they basically said, You started selling Girl Scout cookies when you were nine. Right? So how many of us have had that experience? But here's some fascinating, right, exactly. But here's the fascinating part. I never sold one box of cookies. And I became the number one girl scout sales person, if you will. 910 and 11 in San Francisco Bay Area. And I have a newspaper article to prove it. Right. So when I was asking people, I said, How did I sell so many cookies and don't remember selling one box? And all of the entourage said, You never did sell a box? My mom said she goes, you'd come home at nine years old or 10 years old. You get on the I'm gonna date myself the rotary dial that was mounted to the wall. Right? Could you imagine if we had a mounted to the wall telephone, we wouldn't even know what to do with it. No, not today. It goes, you'd come? Right. She says you'd come home after school. And you would get your little list out. They had handwritten and you'd call auntie and the neighbor and Grandma, everybody. And here's She goes, it was fascinating to listen to you. Because here's what you'd say, you chit chat with him for a few minutes build relationship? And then you would ask him, is there anything I can do to help you be more successful at your cookie sales? Oh, I love it. And then you would say, you know, I so appreciate it. Do you want me to deliver some more cookies to you today? And that's how I became number one Girl Scout cookie sales. Now all of you, network marketers out there might think oh my gosh. But that's what I did. And then I'm going to tell you one other quick story because they're sort of fascinating when I looked back so the copywriters asking me all these questions, right? So when I was 13, my dad and our mom and dad owned a plumbing company up and down the Bay Area, and they had seven offices and it was a multimillion dollar plumbing company, right? So I wanted to work on the trucks and my dad goes, No, you're a girl. You can't work on the trucks, but you can work in the office. So he took me down to the low key office dropped me off handed me the phonebook, in the phonebook, like literally the phonebook, and said, I want you to call everybody in the phonebook. And I want you to ask them if they want their furnace, vacuumed out for $25. Oh my gosh. So being 13 years old, I said, Okay, so I started dialing, dialing, dialing out of the phonebook, making up my own script that I knew nothing about how to do. A week later, my dad came in and he goes, how you doing? And I said, I was 13. I said, Fine. I can do this on my own. So come over the weekend, okay. So a couple days later into the second week, my dad came in, pulled up a chair to the corner of the office and sat down and started going through his mail. And then just said, Oh, I go down when you do and he goes, Oh, I just wanted to hear how you're doing on the phone. And I thought it would go through my mail and just give you some company. And that was the right thing to say a few minutes later. I'm like, Dad, can you help me? I haven't made one appointment. So he scripted out for me the sales, you know how to do the call. And voila, I booked all the appointments for the entire summer in three or four weeks. Oh, wow. So that was my second thing. And then the next thing I did I started selling candy at school, because I could but the principal said I couldn't sell it on campus. So I went across the street and sold candy at the corner. But anyway, so I think it's fascinating to look at all of our backgrounds and see how we got to where we are, because those were absolutely formidable years. It built my personality, but I already had it at some level. Yes. And so that's how I got my start.

Marcy Predmore  9:53  
I absolutely love it and really just like you said, it's a natural thing for you to Build relationships because that was the first thing I, I really connected with you about is you want to build the connect the connectivity, the relationship, you don't really you care about the sale. But that's not the point. The point is, you really care about the connectivity and the people that you're great. And right, I think in this industry in this business development industry, so many people try to find that magic bullet. But really, a lot of it is just relationship. And again, I know that's where, where you come from. And if I could just share just a little bit because I want to, I want you to talk about some of the services that you do, again, small business workshops, the retreats, and really just helping people to maybe look differently at their business, or their whatever, whatever it is they're doing, maybe it's a new career, that you can help them see the 30,000 foot view that you see that you could help them out. But last year, before we had all of this world shift, I was in Florida, with Chris and her team, and a roomful of amazing female entrepreneurs, truly amazing. And one of the things that I remembered, when I was there was really just again, the relationship building that she and her partner Martha do from the front of the room. They are true relationship builders, and I just can't get away from that. That passion that I feel when I when I hear the leader up front, Chris has so much passion from the front of the room, it actually really seeps into you. And I really enjoyed that conference for that reason, because I felt like I was really included. Even though it was an industry, a lot of the women that were involved in were not my industry, it really made me feel a part of. And so if I can just share, if anybody really wants to have a mentor, if anybody really wants to have some big guide them along in their business, with the passion that Chris has, and the passion that you have, please look up wide awake business, because it would be worth your time to go to one of her retreats.

Unknown Speaker  12:30  
So Chris, I'm

Marcy Predmore  12:30  
gonna ask you a couple questions. Okay, great. And I always love to ask these specific questions, because I feel like people can relate. They're broad, but I really want to hear from the heart. What does success mean to you?

Chris Williams  12:47  
So that was an interesting question, because it is so broad, right? There's so many pieces of it. Um, what I drilled it down not by what I drilled it down to was my values, right? Love faith and family. And people say, how do you take love faith and family and incorporated in your national consulting company, and here's how I look at it. So everything is love, that's pretty easy to figure out, treat everyone as they would, as I would like to be treated, etc. and faith is kind of an interesting one, because people say, Well, that's a that's a big statement, you know, if it's all about your Christian faith, or your Jewish faith, or whatever that faith is, but I actually look at faith a little differently. Faith is trust and faith in what's happening, trust and faith that I'm supposed to meet you trust and faith that it happens the way it happens, because it's supposed to. So that whole realm of trust and faith. And then family is, you know, I have my biological family I have I have five adopted kids, and so their family, and then I have my team of 13 consultants who work across the country and then we have all of our customers and then we have everybody else. So love, faith and family fits in perfectly to everything I do. So I really look at it as when I'm feeling the most successful is when my values are matching what I'm doing. And you know, why did we business came about because one year my I don't know how old he was at the time was my third daughter and she came in and she goes, Mom, can you put me to bed and it was like six or seven o'clock and I was on the phone. I go Honey, I can't put you to bed right now. I you know, I'm on the phone with the customer, etc. And she walked out of the room, our little sulky self. And right in that moment, I realized that where was my priorities in the wrong place? So I restructured my life. I Martha and I really believe we created a life style business, um, because we wanted to be with our families and we I want in I have two kids, I did not want somebody else raising them. People kept saying, just get a nanny. And I'm like, What? So I worked while they were in school, and when they were off school, I was off. And so that love fades and family, it really is the success of everything I do.

Marcy Predmore  15:25  
I absolutely love it. And I don't think there's a better way to say success with love faith and family, then putting that family unit. Again, you chose to have your five children. And and that was a priority. That's a gift to you, and you wanted to enjoy that gift. And I think so many people forget that part. They get so wrapped up, like you said, either on the phone, sales people, whatever that is, and they have a hard time separating that sewing Why do a business in workshops? Do you help people with that separation?

Chris Williams  16:02  
So that's a great question, Marcy. So um, when I go on a speaking event, I always ask people and all of you who are listening to the podcast, just raise your hand silently. I know we can all see you. But how many of you would like to create an easier, simpler, more profitable business? Right? And many have exactly we that's what we want. That's why we're entrepreneurs to create easier, simpler, more profitable. So when I'm at a speaking event, I'll say, Well, do you care if I use mashed potato therapy or raindrop therapy? So one day I asked this man who was sitting in the front row, and I his name was Mike EOL. And I asked him, I said, Michael, do you care if I use raindrop therapy or mashed potato therapy, he stands up as bold and big as he was, and he stands up, he turns around the audience, he goes, I don't care what he does just make it easier, simpler and more profitable. So that's what more than I do. We create easier, simpler, more profitable businesses. And I depends on where you are in your business. Most of our business entrepreneurs range from about $350,000 a year up to 10 million. And our goal is always to help you. Because Don't you believe? And Marcy, I can ask you this question? Don't you see many entrepreneurs who their entire life is taken up by their business, they have no room for themselves, self care, family, and everything else is just squeezed in. So what more than I've been working on for years with over 5000 customers, we have been working on creating easier, simpler, more profitable. So if finances where you need help, you know, doing revenue models, one gal we just recently, she was a brand new client in January, in the first 45 days, we saved her $55,000 off of her bottom line expenses. And I asked rate, and she gave us a little testimonial, and she just says, Oh my gosh, in just 45 days, you helped me identify expenses. I didn't need to be spending. Yeah. So we're all about creating easier, simpler, more profitable.

Marcy Predmore  18:13  
Oh, gosh, and I bet you every person that's listening to that right now, if that didn't resonate with somebody, I'd be shocked. Because that's what I hear every day. People just want simplicity. But a lot of times people can't, as I was saying earlier, they can't see in their business, like you can see on their business, because they're so entrenched in it, they may be need to have their budget changed. They may be need to shift what they're doing socially, or branding wise, or social, media wise, whatever that is. But that's why you all need to have an expert who comes in and really kind of gives you an overview, because Chris has those practical tools that helps you through that journey. Yeah, absolutely. those are those are great, great tools for sure. And you know what, one of the things that I want you to share. So if somebody were to come to if I were to sign up for a small business workshop, what does that? What does that entail?

Chris Williams  19:23  
So, um, another great question, and you didn't even know this. So we have programs that range from $147 a month and up. So just FYI, everybody. It's not price so crazy that you can play. We're launching or relaunching a brand new program called the wide awake business accelerator program. And what it is, is every month every week for four weeks out of the month, we have been having live coaching sessions in small groups so you can get your it's kind of like your own little mastermind slash group. coaching. And it's $147 a month, you get this little box of goodies that we send to you that include a book and an easy button because we want to make it easier, simpler, more profitable. And it's a great way to get started with us. Yeah, there you go. Very good. And it includes lots of little pieces in it. And we start out by giving you an orientation, giving you a roadmap to easier, simpler, more profitable, then you come to a mindset coach on the first Wednesday of the month, and then you go to marketing and content coach, and then you go to a business development coach, and then you come to me as a sales coach at the end of the month. But what I love about it is it's not, I guess you could call it a membership program, but it's live group coaching, because I don't know about you, but I don't know if you need any more membership programs. I don't need any more mass group events. Yeah. And our goal, our customers always been at the center of what we do. So we asked, we always interview our customers, and we interviewed like 1000 people, and basically what they said, I want to easier, simpler, more profitable. That's how we got those words. And they said, Can you just give us group coaching at a rate that I can afford in small groups, so I learn as much as I can, and hence the wide awake business accelerator program. So it's $147 a month, it's a really inexpensive way to come play with us and, and get to know us and everything we do is guaranteed 100% don't like it doesn't work, you show up, you do the work doesn't work for you. We'll give you your money back. That's just how we play.

Marcy Predmore  21:46  
Wow. I mean, how could you not be at participate there? And how could you not be around other entrepreneurial men and women who help you really grow that, that passion or strength for your business? That's awesome. No, we love it. We love it. Yeah, so as I as I'm feeling that, and I know you kind of gave a range of entrepreneurial areas that you work in, a lot of the people, Chris, that you are involved in are a very, very successful business owners. But they've gotten tangled up in like you've just described maybe work a little too hard, don't separate, personal to business, those types of things. But when it comes to wealth, I know that we're all working for money. That's pretty typical. But what does wealth mean to you? And how do you disseminate that to your clientele?

Chris Williams  22:48  
Well, it reminds me of and I actually heard this from you also, is that wealth, just like anything else, you get we I get what I focus on, right? So if I don't focus on wealth, and mercy brings out up all the time, right? I don't focus on wealth, make a plan, make a roadmap, then how can I expect to grow it? And it always reminds me, let's just say we're taking a trip, my daughter and I are getting ready to take a trip my youngest daughter who's in college, and we just were planning it out right before this meeting. And she goes, Mom, when should we buy the tickets? I'm like, well, as soon as we buy the tickets, then the plan is in action, right? It starts rolling, then we get the hotel, and then we get this and then we get that. And she says so funny. She says, well, we're not going until July. And I'm like, Well, if we don't have that plan, it's just like our wealth, right? If we don't have that plan, then how can we build wealth? And it kind of ties into what you asked about? Like that question of? Where did you learn from your parents about wealth? I did not learn from my parents about wealth. It was not one of No, it was not one of the Convert. I learned how to make money from my parents. Good, but great distinction. Right? So I learned how to make money clearly barn on just like my dad giving me the phone book. And you know, other examples, my mom letting me she would have never sold cookies for me. She just gave me the phone and gave me the tools helped me with the script, probably but would have never done it. But that was only one part of wealth. Right? I can make money all day long, because that's what I do really well. But I didn't learn until I was like 35, maybe almost 40 how to save money, how to have a rainy day for you know, all those different pieces of wealth. And I'm still learning i think that's that's what you bring to the picture. This whole idea of extraordinary wealth is like, well, if I don't have a wealth Coach, what am I doing right? Cuz that's the area that I least know about, even though I have a finance degree. Yeah.

Marcy Predmore  25:06  
Yes. And you know that, I'm so glad you brought that up. And again, the tip of the week, this week, you have to have intention behind it, you have to have a game plan or roadmap just like you were saying in business. in finance, it's the same way if you're not prepared. And one of the things that I say right now is okay, let's say you make a lot of money and you have a yacht, well, you better have a place to dock that yacht. Or you're just gonna be out there in the ocean, trying to figure out where do I go next? So right, that is so important. And thank you for that. I really appreciate it. Because I would think, yes, one of the questions that I like to ask is tradition, how tradition kind of seeps in, from how we grew up. And I like to know, I'd like to hear about your tradition of money. Your mom and dad were extremely successful. entrepreneurs. They shared with you the entrepreneurial spirit, but not the money spirit, correct? Right. Right. Right. I wasn't involved in any of those conversations. And to me, that is a missing piece that is just so everybody wants to keep that so secretive and so quiet. But you and I both know, in the entrepreneurial worlds that you and I play in, if you're not prepared there, that is a huge stressor in itself, is not to have some intention, or being aware of where you are and where you want to go. Where you I mean, last year at our retreat, I know there were a few that were saying, you know, I've done really well. But

Chris Williams  26:46  
now what? So right, yeah, so on it, just like that plan of having a succession plan is what I think you're alluding to, we have so we actually changed one of our coaching platforms, if you will, to work on succession planning, because our average client is 55 years and older. And they don't, no different than a wealth plan, a lifestyle or a health plan. And it's fascinating to me that many of us have some plan, like some plan that we've been working on. And I would say wealth is one of those ones I remember, well, first time when I started learning all about wealth. And I remember sitting at a cocktail party with some family friends. And I was so excited. I'm like, Well, how much do you guys make? And how much do you save every month? And do you put a percentage, and I got shunned from literally, Shawn from the conversation. Yeah. And I thought I walked away from it going, whoops, I shouldn't have said that. And then I thought, Oh my gosh, why would I not say that and a group of people I love and care about?

Marcy Predmore  27:54  
That's exactly that's, that is just so true. And I just love that natural honesty, because I think that's, again, it's something that we all do, we have to show something else, we have to have this pretense instead of just, you know, you have a lot to offer you shared a lot with me, vice versa. And that's really what makes the whole world go round. In an earlier podcast, we talked about the tapestry of people, you know how we all can make this beautiful, beautiful tapestry together. So anyway, I love that. So as again, as my mind starts thinking of all the things that you've just shared, I know your journey. I know a little bit of your journey. I know you've had some rough patches in your journey. I know you've had some amazing successes in your journey. But what does a day in the life of Chris look like?

Chris Williams  28:51  
Well, so what she's alluding to is a year ago, I was diagnosed with cancer. And, and this is a very interesting piece because it fits into all these pieces. So for the first I want to know 60 days of the diagnosis, I went into chemo and did what I should do, hence the short hair but I love it. I do ever had short hair, but it's super easy. But anyway, so I read this book called radical remission by this woman named Kelly, Dr. Kelly Turner, where she interviewed 1000 people to have radical who had radical remission, and she came up with these nine fasters One of them was change your diet. One was take supplements. The other one was get exercise. Those were the basics that everyone did. Some of them had chemo, some of them have radiation, all different stories. Then she outlined the Seven, six or seven other factors that come into play. One is advocating to yourself for yourself. This is no different in health than wealth than business. Then any of it same exact nine factors. Yes. So what I realized is I've been doing because because I didn't know any better, because that's what the medical doctors told me and whatever. So I got very bold was a super hard conversation I called up down ecology nurse said, I want to stop chemo. chemo doesn't build on each other. Right doesn't build and I want to do a PET scan right now. She goes, Well, our doctors don't do that. men go, Whoa, my health, I'm doing that I needed a referral. I got a PET scan, I was cancers. And here's the here's another thing. It's cancer in remission, or cancer free. Words are so important. I'm cancer free. I do not have cancer in remission. Just got my last PET scan just got the results yesterday, cancer free? Um, yes. So But anyway, the lesson, what I loved about it, in a kind of funny way, is the lesson of advocating for myself working on my own psychology or my own mindset, you just no different than how do I play with wealth? I'm no different in how I play with my business. Of course, why would I not take those same strategies and apply them to my health? And part of it was and Marcy, this is so you? Part of it was? I didn't know. I didn't know what I didn't know. Right. So it was a brand new. I've never been in the health world before. I'd never been in a hospital before never had surgery before. It was all brand new. However, had I not read Dr. Kelly Turner, or Marcy right, and started learning about how to advocate for myself how to make a plan for myself. Not sure I would be in this position today. And I use that example over and over and over and over again. And you all as business owners, or as extraordinary wealth, folks, ordinary women extraordinary wealth, there you go. Perfect. Yeah. You know that, you know, when you get super clear, you know, it always reminds me of buying a house, right? You write down the seven things you want in a house, you and your partner do it. You combine the list, you come up with the seven, right? It isn't magical how the house starts showing up. And you go, Oh, my gosh, tall ceilings water. One day, I did that. And we got a brand new house. I was in the brand new house and I was unpacking and I found the list of seven and I go oh my gosh, we got everything on our list. Except for I said I wanted to be near water. And because I wasn't clear enough, I was near water. But it was an ID ditch.

Unknown Speaker  32:59  
So it wasn't clear

Marcy Predmore  32:59  
enough I needed to say lay River. Yes. And you know what, if you can imagine it here, you can hold it here. Yes. And so that is what's so exciting about the world that you and I get to live in, and that I encourage all of our listeners to really believe in and pay attention to what you think what you speak. Because you know what's real, there's a lot of energy behind the thought and the verb, the words. And I think I've shared this a couple of times on the podcast, but we had a goal. Six years ago, we invested in something that we thought was going to be our ticket. That's what was going to provide the income of the number that I have. Behind this screen. I have a whole wall of a dream board. There's a big number on that dream board that I wanted to make a month. It's much bigger than I would have ever guessed. Just two weeks ago, on my live I shared with all of you that it came from somewhere completely out of the realm now it's six years later. So it took just a little bit of time, but I wrote it every day. I spoke it every day. And I really envisioned I really felt the energy around that so Chris, I think that's what you're saying. Absolutely. And

Chris Williams  34:33  
it's not you know just like Dr. Kelly Turner says you know it's advocating for your health it's making sure your mindset is clean. And and and knowing what to do when your mindset isn't as clear crystal clear as I wanted to be your as you want it to be right now I know that I need to get out in the garden. I know that I need to go for a run the other day I came home and I was just I was so fussy and and i started to walk in the house and continue to be fussy. And I thought, Wait a second, I know how to do this. I went in, I strapped down my running shoes, and I went for a run, you do that too. And I went for a run. And I came back. And I, I didn't even know what I was all fussy about. It was gone.

Marcy Predmore  35:17  
That and you know, the thing that's so cool about that, Chris, and I want everyone to hear that is you were aware, you know, you were fussy. You were aware of that. So it was time to grow through it instead of just live in. Right? You know, because then your family lives in that or whoever your business partner, whoever, whoever that may be. So I love that piece too. Because again, we have to be aware of really what's happening around us. And, and maybe maybe there is something that creates that fuzziness. But find out. Or, again, I say the words from another mentor, I say cancel, cancel, if that little boy, yes. Oh, cancel, cancel, I'm gonna write that down. Yeah, if that little voice won't leave me alone, I speak it out loud. And I've said it before, in front of people. And they look at me like, but that's okay. I just say cancel, cancel, I'm done. Not going there again. And speaking of mentors, because I know you are a mentor to many. But for me and my growth mentors are so important. And you know, I share this a lot about mentors. They don't have to be living. It could be a book, it could be the author, it could be parents that aren't here, it could be a workshop that you went to, but tell us just a little bit about who your mentors are and what they done to help mold who you are.

Chris Williams  36:52  
So I did this funny little thing. I have a little circle of mentors. And every time I need help I go sit in the circle with my mentors and go Okay, what do I do? And one of the mentors I call in and I wish I had a candy, I think it's done in the kitchen. I think Nelson Mandela was one of the most courageous people I've ever read about. So I've read every one of his books, I almost got I met his granddaughter, I almost got to meet him. But he passed away before I was able to and I think that the courage so whenever I need courage, that's where I go, yeah, I've been following a lot of you probably are too following Bernie Brown. She's brilliant. She's done so much research, and so much is backed by facts and all that good stuff. I've done a lot of leadership training through her. And I think she's super brilliant. And she's Another one is like, when I can't think of what to say, or I know it's gonna be a hard conversation. I call him Bernie Brown. And say, help me with this conversation. I don't know if any of you have read Jonathan Gottman. He is. He's actually a psycho therapy. Now. He's a psychologist. And he does lots of work around relationships. And just like money, just like business relationship needs a plan needs a little bit of help off often and can't be forgotten. So I do that. And then I have a health coach. Because my health and my vitality is so important. During my cancer journey, which was really what it was. I remember waking up one day and I'm like, Oh my gosh, I have no one on my team to help with that part of my life. So I kind of overdid it a little I got on a natural path.

Unknown Speaker  38:47  
That's awesome. a health

Chris Williams  38:50  
coach, I guess you would call her. It's not really a health coach. More of a mindset health coach. Yeah. And then a nutritionist. And I swear, what was fascinating when I got the PET scan back, one of the radiology appointment notes was, it's really odd. They said that really odd, and kind of hard to believe that her kidney cyst has actually declined in size. Wow. I know. That's what I said. I was so excited. Um, anyway, so uh, so I think that mentors is like, how can I grow? With only what I know? Yeah, the only way I can grow is by reaching out. Right and Oprah I love Oprah man, that woman, the richest woman in the world, right. And, and I often listen to the Oh, not TED Talks, but videos of her life. And she came over so much adversity, you came overcome so much adversity, it's crazy. So there are so many people out there. I think I have a whole list of mentors but when I call it My circle. Some of them, I say, I don't need you to talk, but I need you to talk with that courage.

Marcy Predmore  40:07  
That's exactly right. And courage is part of it. I mean, it takes courage to live the life that we live some days. And if you don't take the next step, then where are you? Right, you're just stagnant. And I think that's something that is so important to me. And one of the reasons that I like going to workshops, and, and I love speaking to people, I just, it just, it fills my soul. But it also gives me the gift of, of the people that I'm with. And that's why I love it so much. But people just really need to continue to sharpen their own sword to really grow them. So not only does it change their or my life or our lives, but it changes the lives around them. So we come back to what you do in wide awake business is helping them to really shift their thinking about their business, and really help them understand that the more they grow them, the more they'll see their business a little bit differently, wouldn't you agree?

Chris Williams  41:14  
Yes, and, and that kind of brings me to lead her up. And it's lead her up. And the reason I want to share that is because that's really how Marcy and I met. And lead her up is a leadership program for women business owners who make $250,000 a year up to about 10 million. The reason we went after that particular group of women is because most of our clients fell into that. And we interviewed 40 women who fall into that category. Here's what they told us. They said, there aren't any leadership groups that aren't less than 500 people. They're not leadership that are taught by women. And so they gave us all this feedback. And they said, If I go to a leadership, I want to go and I want self care, retreat, as well as I want content. I don't want to go into a conference room, sit in a conference room, get all this information and go back to my conference room, and then go back to my office and forget everything I learned. Yeah, so we created lead her up. And the first year was 2008. no 2019. And we had 22 women there. And we went to a retreat small boutique hotel in Florida. And the feedback bar, none was because we did the whole goal was as a woman, and it's and I'm sure men too, but we're focusing on women, as a woman, I have so many hats. I wear mother, daughter, spouse, business owner, yeah, you know, volunteer, all these different hats, right. And the hat that gets the smallest pie piece is myself. Right? Most of them hadn't had a vacation. Most of them. Oh, my goodness, it was amazing. And so then your to that we did it again. So we took all the feedback from your one created your two, we had 50 people, your two, that's where Marcy came. And we put together the event. And the only negative feedback or I don't even know negative, but growth feedback was we want more self care time. So we're coming up to leader of 2021, we're going to be in San Diego, September 30 through October 4. And it's all about retreat, we have mindset in the morning. And we give you tools that you can take back to your business, everything is experiential learning, we give you a little bit of content, then you create a little bit of context, you create the content. And we're done every day between 230 and three, you have self care time we get back together at dinner time. We have some programs for dinner. And this year, we invited a woman to come join us who's going to teach us how to get on TED Talks. And she's going to spend all day Monday working with a small group of us about how to get on TED Talks, how to do the application and all that kind of good stuff. So it's all thought leadership. Yeah, leading your team, leading yourself leading your team and leading your legacy or brand.

Marcy Predmore  44:26  
That sounds awesome. Okay, I guess I have to come.

Chris Williams  44:31  
Good. You know, it's really pretty exciting. We have 29 tickets already sold. And I would say 50% of those are from folks who've been in the last two years. And it really is lead your self need your team lead your brand leads your legacy.

Marcy Predmore  44:50  
Yeah, I absolutely love that. And I'll give one plug for last year is the small group that I was in. They're still two women that I can use. Kate with from that group, and we were able to go out to the beach together and you know, just get to know one another but there was one. What do you call it? Martha and Chris had us all do in a room for one like activity, I think you trying to think of the word activity. So one activity and and I've even replicated it because I just think it's so important. And it was really good for me is they took sticky notes. And people throughout the weekend, got to know you. And they wrote on the sticky note. And then we all went around the room for about, I don't know, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, and they put sticky notes on your back about a word that represented you to them or what they saw. And to this day, when I do my quiet time in the morning, I still have my leader up book, and I look at those sticky notes A lot of times, and it encourages me so much because it was other women entrepreneurs that saw something in me that I would have never been brave enough to say, Oh my gosh, that's me. You think that's me? That's awesome. So again, leader up would be just a phenomenal weekend for you to be at. And TED Talks. Oh my gosh, that's pretty amazing. So

Chris Williams  46:24  
I know, we're very excited about it. The woman who does the TED Talks is the she's the Bracken Ridge, Ted Talk, coach. And so she's coming to San Diego, we're going to spend Monday working on TED Talks, we spend the first part of the morning on thought leadership, the second part of the morning on all the steps or the formula to get a TED talk. And then we're going to actually practice it because that's what we do at leader up. So you'll get a chance to be on the leader upstage and practice some of what you've learned or how you want to play. So whether or not you want to be a TED talk person or not. The thought leadership is definitely what we all, you know, this whole idea of ordinary women extraordinary wealth, there's nothing ordinary about any of the women we know, right? They're all extraordinary people. And there's so many gaps that we all bring. Sometimes we I think we just need to figure out how to say it, like easier, simpler, more profitable, so that it comes across clean and clear, and ready for action. Absolutely. And I second that 100%. And if anybody really wants to, if anything resonated today wider at business calm, sorry, wide, a wider business.com will be in the show notes. And so I really would encourage you, their website has so much content in it, of people that you could talk to. And again, if you want to reach out to Chris, personally, just to find out about what does a consulting time look like for her What

Marcy Predmore  48:05  
does a consulting time look like for some of our coaches or some of her staff. But I would encourage you entrepreneurial women, if you've listened to any of this in September, in San Diego would just be a phenomenal time to really brainstorm with other entrepreneurial women, and really feel their presence and then help them encourage you in yours. So I have a little gift

Chris Williams  48:31  
mercy to tell everybody. So um, there's a little booklet that we created called leverage your team and get your life back. And you go to wide awake business.com. So wide, just like it sounds wide awake business.com forward slash gift,

Marcy Predmore  48:48  
okay,

Chris Williams  48:49  
put your first name and your email address in there and download the little PDF. It's actually just like we do everything, it's in workbook format. So you can actually do these five steps, I pretty much guarantee that you'll get one or two little gold nuggets to help you get your life back so you can be more of who you want to be.

Marcy Predmore  49:10  
Oh my gosh, I absolutely love it. And I was going to ask you to give a nugget of gold. And I'd say that's probably the nugget right there. And Chris, it's just been my privilege and a joy just to have you and your presence on ordinary women extraordinary wealth, because you truly are extraordinary. And I just love sharing those kinds of stories. So please go to the website, sign up for a workshop or get a little bit more information for you. But let's help you all to be extraordinary. And I have one last tip. And I always like to give a little money tip at the end but Chris talked about it clear at the beginning. First of all, I want you to think about this. Do you get paid well You're worth? Have you ever thought of that question? I just want you to think about it. And then do you spend less than what you make? Do you have intention around what you spend and what you make. So that is my tip of the week, I want you to really find out and reach out to me if you want to find out what your worth. And I can tell you, it's a lot more probably than what you've put on yourself. But secondly, I want you to really understand that even if you make a little medium a lot of money, do you spend more than what you make? Do you have intention around? where you're going? Where's your Where are you going to dock your boat? Let's think about it. Let's talk about it. So thank you and everybody here, be extraordinary. Thank you, Chris.

Janay Harris  50:55  
You've been listening to ordinary women extraordinary wealth with Marcy Predmore-McPhee. Be sure to drop us a line if you're enjoying the podcast. As we always love hearing from our listeners. Let us know what you think by looking us up at ordinary women extraordinary wealth.com or on social media, where you can join our private group on Facebook called ordinary women extraordinary wealth. If you'd like to connect with Marcy on LinkedIn, you can find her by going to linkedin.com forward slash i n forward slash Marcy dash Predmore-McPhee. Also, it would really mean so much to us if you would leave us a five star review on your favorite podcast platform. If you found this episode valuable. Be sure to share it with your friends and colleagues. And remember, we publish new episodes every Wednesday, so be sure to subscribe. See you next week.