Tell us a bit about yourself! How did you get started with your current career path/business journey?
I started my career bagging groceries and spent 20+ years navigating corporate life to build my strategic marketing / branding career. In 2018, I forced myself to see the real truth that there was SO MUCH MORE that I was capable of. I took a leap of faith to discover what else was possible in my life and eventually launched TOSCA Coaching and Consulting. I got started with a word of mouth recommendation for my coaching services and have kept my foot on the gas pedal of my new life ever since. In the journey I discovered my mission to detoxify workplaces and help individuals and organizations re / discover the heart of who they are so they can fully express all their magic.
How are you overcoming challenges during the pandemic as a business owner?
I increased my Iyengar yoga and meditation practices quite dramatically, so that I can listen to my own guidance, despite what is going on in the external world. This is important to me because I want to remain true to myself, my beliefs and my passion for transformational change. By staying true to my business vision and foundation, I am avoiding getting hooked on doing things that are short-sighted for the “hit” of feeling productive. I have ramped up my conversations for how I can serve differently in this unique time of need and experimented with different formats – such as workshops and short format talks. I also constantly have to work on not beating myself up, given the big part of me that always wishes I was “doing more” – especially during this time of need.
What does your day to day schedule look like working from home?
Since I left corporate (almost 2 years), I have gone through a big journey of learning how to be in flow – which for me means unlearning the 9-5 mentality and re-defining what success and productivity look like for me. My day often includes a morning mediation, coffee with my husband (hopefully on the roof if it’s nice), and a mid-day walk or yoga. I have client calls, networking calls and business support calls throughout – but avoid scheduling them back-to-back so that I can keep my energy up and shift my mindset for whatever is needed on that call. Allowing myself to follow my own rhythms and flow also means that sometimes my plans for ‘productivity’ go out the window if I’m having a hard day and need to take more time to do things that fill me up and bring me joy.
In what ways are you taking care of your personal well being and what are your #selfcare tips?
As someone who strives to be completely present for my clients and hold space for every emotion, self-care is especially critical for me. I do this by honoring my needs, even if they are inconvenient. This has included things like going for walks, taking salt baths, letting my emotions out, calling friends when I need support and allowing myself to indulge (wine, pizza, you name it) when I’m having a hard day. I also give myself permission to escape into other worlds via Netflix (I’m currently really enjoying The Last Kingdom…the lead character is not hard on the eyes, if you know what I mean)!
How are you inviting others to take a seat at the table #virtually?
I’m very direct and believe that now is the time to call out the power we all have to make forward progress (which will look different for everyone) – regardless of the “how” being disrupted. For many, this can be a great time to do the real work of understanding how we are getting in our own way and become even better leaders. This is because with disruption, we can more clearly see our triggers and identify what’s most important to us. I’ve been inviting people to see the opening for transformation in my messaging and one example is with my recent blog post: Perfect Time to Reset.
What impact has Luminary made in your career? eg: Business Generated, Revenue, New Clients, Career Connections, Advancement Opportunities
Seeing my values reflected not only in the Luminary leadership qualities, but also in how Luminary does business, has felt so validating. It gives me hope for what is possible when we re-write the rules, put customers first and express our truth. Being around other entrepreneurs has also been absolutely incredible and inspiring because it’s additive to the types of people in my existing network. The digital platform that has been created allowed me to experiment with a workshop format – which I may not have done otherwise without the opportunity to push my comfort zone with the support of Luminary. The network has also created several budding friendships. So the impact for me, has been very deep – in a very short period of time – for which I am so grateful!
