Episode 106: Never Underestimate a Powerful Lady International Women's Day Special Edition
Today we have a super special episode for you all. International Women’s Day on March 8th, is the biggest global experience we create each year at Powerful Ladies. We have hundreds of women around the world sharing their story through our Instagram Extravaganza, we host events, raise money for charity and more. This year as one of our virtual events, we hosted a guest speaker panel discussing our 2021 International Women’s Day Theme “Never Underestimate a Powerful Lady”. It seems fitting after the year we’ve all experienced to talk about how we’ve been underestimated, how to stay motivated when the odds are against us, and why does International Women’s Day matter? I hope you enjoy this special episode featuring guest panelist Hannah Diffenderffer, Lanie Edwards, Valerie Delgado and Freddie Georges.
“In my mind (my motivation) wasn’t “I want to prove him wrong”. It was, “I want to finish for me.”
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Hannah Diffenderffer: @hannah_diff
Lanie Edwards: @lifeoflanie
Valerie Delgado: @valsevolution
Frederique “Freddie” Georges: @fgpg
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Follow along using the Transcript
Chapters:
00:00 Welcome and International Women’s Day intro
02:00 Introducing Powerful Ladies and the panel theme
04:00 Meet the panelists – Hannah, Laney, Valerie, and Freddy
06:00 Stories of being underestimated
09:00 Resilience and finding new boundaries
12:00 Overcoming self-doubt and childhood challenges
17:00 From YouTube to launching a fashion brand
20:00 Facing doubt from mentors and proving them wrong
24:00 Being underestimated as women in business
28:00 Positive shifts for women during COVID
31:00 Freddy on thriving in a male-dominated industry
34:00 The power of community and teams
36:00 Exciting projects ahead for 2021
38:00 Personal growth, self-care, and honoring yourself
41:00 Biggest hurdles overcome as entrepreneurs
44:00 Staying motivated during overwhelming times
48:00 Who to turn to for support and motivation
50:00 Handling imposter syndrome
53:00 Why failure matters for success
55:00 Do we still need International Women’s Day?
59:00 Closing thoughts and upcoming eventsHi guys. I'm your host, Kara Duffy, and today we have a super special episode for you all. International Women's Day on March 8th is the biggest global experience we create each year at Powerful Ladies. We have hundreds of women around the world sharing their story through our Instagram extravaganza. We host events, raise money for charity and more.
This year as one of our virtual events, we hosted a guest speaker panel discussing our 2021 International Women's Day theme. Never underestimate a powerful lady. It seems fitting after the year we've all experienced to talk about how we've been underestimated, how to stay motivated when the odds are against us, and why international women's day matters.
I hope you all enjoy this special episode featuring guest panelists, Hannah Different Durer, Laney Edwards, Valerie Delgado, and Freddie George's. Plus, there's still time to jump into our International Women's Day events. Visit the powerful ladies.com to register. Make sure you're on our email list to say up to date with all of our activities, new launches, and of course, each new podcast episode.
Do you know what every successful person has? Every person you admire, they all have a coach. If your dream is a start your own business or you already are an entrepreneur, having a business coach is a game changer. Save time, save money, save yourself from overwhelm and not knowing what choice or step to make.
Visit kara depp.com and book a free consultation appointment. I can't wait to meet you and help you build your dream business That thrives.
All right, well we are gonna get started 'cause powerful ladies, we gotta start on time, right? So, uh, happy International Women's Day, everybody. I'm really excited, um, to have you here today to have this amazing panel, to have this discussion. Um, obviously our theme for this year's International Women's Day is never underestimate a powerful lady.
And, um, if you want your t-shirt, you can still get it. Uh, the link is in the Powerful Ladies Bio and all the proceeds go to support, um, sponsoring women through the programs@womenwomen.org, which are really amazing. Um, they're our charity sponsor all the time, so we donate to them each year and whenever we have a special event, we try and tie in with them as well.
Um, and so to begin and talk about this topic, I'm gonna first introduce myself and then powerful ladies. So gimme one second to screen share.
Okay. So those of you, most of you here know me. I'm Kara Duffy, I'm the founder of Powerful Ladies, and of course I'm a business consultant and advisor. Um, and we do all sorts of things at Powerful Ladies. We have our Thrive Network, which is for female entrepreneurs and women trying to find their purpose and their path.
We have our podcast, uh, we do events like, uh, series all the time. We have panel conversations like this that are amazing. We have a lot of things and we like hanging out together, especially virtually now that that's our only choice today on our panel. We are so lucky. Lemme move you guys out here. So you'll see it, um, to have these four amazing women be a yes to sharing their wisdom and expertise and advice.
Um, I'll let all of them introduce themselves shortly, but. I want you to know, um, kind of how we selected them and chose them for our panel this time. Um, we were really looking for women who we admired, how they had come through this past year in COVID, how they've risen against doubts in general in their life, and how they keep choosing themselves when they're looking at, you know, what's next and how can I be more powerful.
So, without further ado, I will stop screen sharing
if the panel will, if it'll let me come back. Okay. There it is. And I'll let each of them introduce themselves. Let's start with Hannah, please. I knew you were gonna. Me first. Me first. Only because Olivia. Hi everyone, my name is Hannah. I am a social media manager and strategist. I currently work in-house for a CPG company and I am so, so grateful to be here today.
Thank you Kara, for having me. Of course, Laney. Hello everyone. Thanks for coming. Um, I'm Laney. I own a lounge for brand called Cozier and I also am a YouTuber and just kind of like a digital content creator. Overall, I love to do branding and helping other brands with their content and yeah, I'm really happy to be here.
Happy International Women's Day. Thank you.
Hey everyone. Oh my gosh, it's such a full house. I feel so nervous. All this evolving beauty in the room. Um, first of all, thank you Karen. Powerful ladies team for having me today. I'm really excited. Um, I own Makeup Evolution, which um, is a cosmetic retailer and beauty services. And in March, 2020, um, I started Just Evolve Academy, which is a beauty boss coaching business.
And you have the coolest hair on the entire panel today. I went all in for New Years. I love it. Thank you. Of course, of course. And um, Freddy, do we have you here today? There's some phone numbers, so I can't tell if somebody snuck in as a phone call.
Okay, so we will proceed right here. Freddy, if you jump in, shake, keep an eye out, please. If Freddy does join, let me know. Um, but let's get into it. So any of you who saw my post today about, um, my Powerful Ladies T-shirt and when I've been un underestimated, that's the first time I've kind of shared that story publicly.
Um, so I would love to jump into when have you ladies been underestimated and what was that like? How did you get through it? How has it changed how you approach, how powerful you are today and what you're creating today?
Anyone wanna start or there's a pick on you? Yeah. Okay. Go ahead. Um, I personally think I'm the one that underestimates myself the most. Like, I don't feel like I've ever had an experience where someone has been like, you can't do this. It's more so that voice in my head that's telling me that I can't do it.
And what I've learned throughout this experience of like, 'cause I don't have, you know. Experience in the fashion industry. Like I just kind of jumped into this. So what I've just learned is that you just have to not have that voice in your head. Like, you just have to keep going because it's never helpful to doubt yourself.
Like you're never gonna get anywhere by doubting yourself. So I've learned with not doubting myself, I've been able to accomplish all of these things and there really is no benefit of like, holding yourself back. Um, so I think that it's great because I do actually have a really great support system and I have so many women in my life that are amazing.
So just seeing, you know, them not doubting themselves and seeing how far they've come with that, um, I've learned like that. Nothing good comes from that. Um, and you can only keep going and you have to like be your biggest cheerleader. So that's the thing that I think, you know, from experience, just keep going and seeing what's what all I've accomplished.
Um, I've learned just there's no reason to doubt yourself basically,
Hannah. So when I was thinking about this question, um, a few different experiences came to mind and I'm glad that you brought up Laney. I'm glad that you brought up doubting yourself or, um, because that was definitely on my list of notes, but I was actually put in an experience, a few experiences that really rattled me.
Um, and I had to really, really cultivate my resilience muscle to pull myself out of it. Um, I guess the one that I'll talk about was in a workplace setting. I was actually gonna talk about a different one, but I feel called to share this one instead. Um, I was put in a workplace setting with C who. Told me that I wasn't good at my job and that I wouldn't amount to anything and that I was stupid.
And obviously that's borderline, no, that's not borderline. It's a hundred percent harassment and should not happen in the workplace. But it was the most intense situation, um, of my life alongside my professional career. Um, told me that my ideas were stupid, that I wouldn't ever amount to anything other than what I was doing in the current moment.
And like I said, it rattled me. It rattled the way that I looked at myself. It rattled the way that I looked at my career. It rattled the way it, that I wanted to proceed with my journey. Um, and it took a lot of settling into the uncomfortability of that happening to me and me. Hearing that and me having to really, really, really unravel his words from my brain and my, and my body.
I felt like it was sitting on my shoulders for months after that situation happened. Um, so it was intense and it's still an experience that I find myself going back and thinking about. Um, and I'm really proud of myself for pulling myself out of that one. 'cause that's a really scary and dark place to get kind of dropped into, especially in a career setting.
Um, no one should be told that. So if anyone else has experienced that, my heart is with you. Well, and and knowing that you've now come through that, how has having that experience changed how you approach everything else you do in your career or what you expect now or what your new. New boundaries are potentially, so my new boundaries are extremely clear to the point where it's more than Crystal.
Um, but I give myself the space to process because. Before that experience, you know, my idea of resilience was just moving through, moving through, oh, you get told that, you know, you work in the social, I work in the social media industry, so you're constantly being judged immediately with the work that you do by just putting it out there.
So I was, I primed myself to just keep going, bulldoze through, it's fine, whatever, I don't care it, da, da, da. And I was, that did serve me for a second. But in this experience, it, I really had to sit with those really, really uncomfortable feelings and thoughts that I did not want, and that I didn't ask for.
And I had to sit with it. I had to be non-reactive. I had to process. And for me, it, it was kind of just being, it was doing really nothing. There isn't really, um, anything magical that I did. It was reflecting on it. And so now I am non-reactive with all business decisions, whether that be within a corporate setting, a freelance setting.
I, I really sit with things before I. I make a decision or before I, I speak. Um, I think too, as women we're, at least my experience, we're always told to be the loudest in the room and be, be the one who has the big, biggest and brightest ideas. And it's almost like we're kind of fighting for that spot at the table when in actuality you can sit and you can think and you can process, and you don't necessarily always have to be the loudest at the table, um, to get your point across.
I love that. Thank you. Mm-hmm. Val, what about you? When have you been underestimated and what has that experience been like for you? So I can totally relate with Laney. Um, I feel like most of my underestimating is myself. And I, I know hands down a thousand percent where that comes from. Um, I know everyone has a story, but I really feel like it comes from my upbringing.
Um, I come from a very, very like hard. Upbringing, um, in and out of rehabs with my dad driving him back and forth. So I come from like a very dark upbringing. We like all shared a bed and there was five of us sharing a bed growing up, moving from like hotel to house. Like it was just a really, really rough upbringing.
And, um, I feel like ha like knowing that upbringing was always like a chip on my shoulder, that I'm gonna be judged from like how I was faced. And um, that's why I feel like the underestimating is usually myself and it could be someone usually like triggering it. It's funny how, um, Hannah said like, when someone calls you out on, like someone says something to you, I remember I was in independent studies 'cause I took care of my dad, um, when he was really sick.
And, um, I, my teacher telling me, and I don't know, like I really, I, now that I'm older, I feel like. I almost feel like the underestimating or that pressure made me who I am now. But I did independent studies and I would always tell, come with an excuse of like, why I didn't have my homework or why my dad's been in and outta rehab.
My dad's sick, my mom's never home. Like it was always an excuse. I'm raising my sisters like I always had, I dunno if it was an excuse 'cause it was real, but at the same time, like I still had to do school. I still had to graduate. I still had to turn in my homework, right? And one day she told me, I feel like you always have an excuse and if you continue having an excuse, what's gonna happen is you're gonna become an excuse.
And I was like, whoa. Like that sat so deep in my stomach and I honestly feel like that's when I like really like stepped it up and was like, oh hell no. I am not gonna be an excuse. You know? And I just really, I remember that. Like being built during that time and um, how Hannah talked about the resilience and you just like, go, go, go, go, go.
So I feel like since I was in high school till about like maybe last year, I was go, go, go nonstop. I'm the girl who like takes on three jobs, says yes, compromises my comfort to make someone else feel good. And I realized last year, like, it's so important to process and feel like before you decide. But I think because I was so encouraged to like prove that wrong from like back in high school that I never, I've never even lived.
I felt like I was like, go, go, go. I never really like processed and lived, you know? So, um, but ultimately, like, I kept thinking about this question and I was like, damn. I think the main thing is me underestimating myself because of things that I've gone through growing up. You know, it's, that's always like the trigger.
And you've taken on so many big things in your life. So even though you underestimated yourself, you still had an, you know, have built an amazing career for yourself, have launched multiple businesses and you're coaching other people. What shifted were you able to turn underestimating yourself into empowering other people?
I, um, I almost feel like it's a trend where we get so like that, that feeling of as women or, you know, there was a point where I was always the young one in my, at my corporate job, you know, there's always like, or someone telling me, well, you need a little bit more flare, something, you know, and I feel like as women, we're always trying to prove ourself, but I really wanted to create some type of space where like.
It's okay. Like, it's okay to not always be on the go, not always having to prove yourself, not always having to, you know, it's okay to step back, take a day off. I love how Kara, you're so big about like, breaks, you know, and, um, you know, celebrating wins. You know, I feel like sometimes because we've had to prove ourselves as women, we forget those things.
And, um, I, firsthand can say I have forgotten those things and that has really made me want to like, create that space of like being able to help others and show them like, Hey, our time's gonna come, but it's so important to still live while you're creating your life. And I love that somebody once told you that you needed more flare, because I am horrified at what they would've told me of any flare.
Uh, so you see there's always something for somebody. Something always something. Oh my goodness. Um, well, I think that Freddy's here by phone, so let me see if I can unmute her and see if it will work so she can join us. So let me try one time to see if it'll happen, right? It is not letting me. Okay, so I'm gonna go back to my next question.
Okay. So LA you started out as a YouTuber in high school and became your own YouTube sensation. How did, did underestimating and Doubt come up through that process? And how did it give you confidence to now launch your apparel business? Yeah, so a little backstory. Um, when I first started my YouTube channel in high school, I didn't tell anybody about it.
The entire time Shay went to high school with me, she's in here and she knows this. And she is my best friend and she was my best friend in high school and I didn't even tell her about it. Um, and I think that had everything to do with doubt because I thought that, you know, my friends were gonna doubt me or make fun of me.
And I was like, you know, 16-year-old in high school uploading to YouTube. Um, I didn't even tell my family or anything, so they actually found out. And then my, one of my friends found out and told everybody. But from then on, I actually, the reaction that I got from my friends was really surprising to me and was actually the complete opposite of what I thought it would be.
Um, 'cause they were very, very encouraging. They loved it. My teachers loved it, which was like kind of embarrassing for me, but everybody was very supportive of it. Um, and so from then on, like I always just felt support. And once again, going back to the self-doubt thing, it's like why am I even doubting myself and not telling my closest friends about, you know, something that's important to me.
Um. So from then, and then actually getting, you know, feedback from the people who are watching me. So my subscribers has been a very positive experience for me. Luckily, like I, I think I've built, um, a subscriber base that we're all positive and if not, you know, constructive criticism, but not in a terrible way.
And I think that kind of just reflects off of you as a person. Like how you deal with things is also kind of like how your community should deal with you too. Um, so luckily being, being in such like a positive surroundings and only making sure that I'm in positive surroundings when I can, um, I'm very big on like self peace and just like enjoying my time and enjoying what I'm doing because if not, what's the point kind of thing.
Um, so all of that has been able to keep me going and has encouraged me to do all the other things that I want to do. So when I started my clothing brand, I was like, oh, well they, they've been so supportive about my YouTube channel and like all my little separate things I've done within my YouTube channel.
Um, and I was obviously doing like fashion stuff within my YouTube channel, so it wasn't like a big surprise that I wanted to do something with clothing. Um, so with me doing halls and stuff for other brands, I was like, it'd be cool to do a hall with my own brand and like create my own stuff. Um, so that transition was actually really, really helpful and easy for me because I already had that fan base and they were already supportive.
Um, so with that, they are al always giving constructive criticism and I always ask for it because I don't wanna be like, you know, just thinking everything's perfect and like, you know, I can't improve in any way. So, um, I'm always asking 'em questions, whether it's my videos or within like my Instagram stories and stuff like that.
Um, but yeah, definitely like that support system and my, um, subscribers have all pushed me to be able to do everything I've done today and have done it, um, with such a supportive environment. So, yeah. I noticed when I was writing my caption for my post today that I've actually been underestimated a lot, but most of the time I just assume that's like regular doubt and I'm just like, oh yeah, of course they can't see it.
I can see it. Um, and the post I shared was about in college being, um, accused of plagiarism because my teacher didn't think I could have written a paper that well. And what upset me, you know, wasn't so much that I was accused of plagiarism, which I would never do, was horrified that I was even accused of that.
It was more that someone I admired didn't see the full potential in me. Have you guys experienced a situation where someone that you've admired hasn't been able to see how big you could really be? And if so, what? How did you handle that situation?
So I don't know if I admired this person, but I respected him. He was the, uh, he sat on the chair of, at my, at the college I graduated from, I, I graduated from Cal State Fullerton and unfortunately, um, my dad passed away in one of like my last semesters, and I had to take a leave of absence. And at the time, the university's policy, I don't know if this is still the case, but you have to go and you have to sit down with each and every professor and explain why you need a leave of absence.
And then they have to sign a, a paper. So you're essentially going and sitting down, depending on how many classes you had, I had five. And asking and reciting a really traumatic story to a stranger and then asking them to, you know, give you some grace. So he told me he didn't believe me. He was my last one for the day.
He told me that I was, um, lying, that he felt that I was lying to get out of taking the final, because finals were in two weeks and I couldn't suck it up. So I asked him if he wanted to see my dad's death certificate and he said, no, that wouldn't be necessary and signed my paper. So I did take, I took the semester, I took two semesters off actually.
And I went back and I had to finish his class and he didn't remember me. And when I graduated a few short weeks later, I shook his hand and walked off the stage. And it was probably one of the most powerful moments of my entire life. Um. That was really, really, really intense. So I don't think I really ever admired him.
I respected him. Um, but I
expect your, your powerful lady to do. Yeah. Um, but it, there's, you mentioned something that um, I shared in my post as well about how there's power in feeling that underestimation from somebody handling your business and coming back in front of them. Yeah. Yeah. It was, I don't wanna say I was fearless 'cause I wasn't, I was so scared.
I was so what if he's right? What if I don't go back? What if I don't finish? What if I. What if, what if whata, what, what, what if? And it really just took stepping aside for, uh, you know, essentially six months, two semesters at the time, um, healing, or healing as much as they could, and then going back. And I didn't even realize in the process of it all, in my mind, it wasn't like I wanna prove him wrong.
That was never a thought in my mind. My mind was, I want to finish for me. Mm-hmm. So I think it's a slippery soap where, of course we wanna prove these people wrong, who underestimate us, but if that's the root of why we're continuing to do what we do, I feel like that can get a little toxic. So in my mind, it was always, I wanna do this because I really want to finish this.
I want my degree and I wanna see this through. And it was just an added cherry on top that, you know, he didn't believe in me and I got to walk off stage and accept my diploma from him. Well, I like, I like both sides. I like full retribution. Yeah. Oh yeah. I love it. Have, have, um, any of you experienced being underestimated simply because you were a female
Valerie saying yes. Yes. Do you wanna share your example? Yeah. I feel like, I feel like this is something that happens often too. And, um, I don't know. I just, like, I try not to now I try not to look at, in, look into it so deep. 'cause I feel like it just takes up my, my time and energy that I can be putting into something else.
Mm-hmm. But, um, when, when I first opened my business, um, so my family's really involved, my husband's side of the family. My family is very like, um. Old, they're, well, I guess I would say like more old fashioned, you know, it was really hard for me to pitch to them like, it's a, I'm gonna be big in the beauty industry.
Like, they didn't get it. They're like, go be a doctor. You know, it's, mm-hmm. That's how it went. But with Christian's side of the family, especially like his siblings, um, his brother's involved with, um, the city council, I feel like hands down, they have really taught me a lot about, like, they showed me a whole nother side of like what I'm capable of doing.
But what, what happened was that I'm surrounded with my husband and my brother-in-law. Like that's who I'm surrounded by when it comes down to like, business questions or, um, community events in the city. 'cause we're very involved in the city. But something I would always get, like when we, when I first opened, um, if Christian was there like doing something in the shop, people would come in and apply and walk straight to them.
Like, they would like walk right by me and walk straight to him. And they'd be like, I'm looking to apply. And he'd be like, go talk to her. But you can see it on their face like. Oh, she's the owner, you know? Um, because we're, again, we're in the city where my family is so involved. Um, I used to also have a lot of people come in and be like, oh, my, my brother-in-law's name is Andy and he's councilman of our city.
And they'd be like, oh, that's so nice of you to run Andy Car's store. You know, did he open up this place for you? Or, you're so lucky your husband created this store for you, you know? And obviously I don't wanna knock them because I do really feel like, I feel like they played a huge part, but I'm like, how?
Like, no, I showed up every single day. I saved my money to open up this place. I made relationships with the vendors, I made relationships with our customers. And, um, it's always been something that like, it would kind of like affect my ego in a way. Where I felt like I had to even more like make an announcement of how I created my own business and how long it, I felt like I had to like boast about it, you know?
But, um, I've been totally working on that 'cause I really feel like it's hard to change someone's mind when they've decided already. They decided. Um, but yeah, I really feel like I run into that even till this day with the whole women thing. Like they give my husband the credit. By a show of hands, anyone else been like, assumed that someone else who is male in the room is actually in charge?
Yeah, I used to lead a skate team, right? Like a whole, like, uh, women was never in charge of skate product category. So I'd sit in the room and they would look at me like I was somebody's assistant sometimes, or she must be the marketing girl, right? I. And that would, it would be, it was, I thought it was great.
I was like, you know, the shark in the corner were like just waiting. And again, I'm a bit more devious than maybe I should be. Um, so, you know, obviously International Women's Day is more than, um, you know, talking about how there have been struggles and we've been underestimated. It's also talking about what we're really excited about.
There's been so many changes for women in a positive, even with having a crazy year of COVID. And I would love to know from you guys what is something that you're proud about where, where, what women are able to do or have access to in the world has changed in the past year, and what are you proud about for yourself that's changed in the past year as well.
Um, I think for myself in the past year, I'm really proud of going from a job that I wasn't happy with to working for myself. I think that's like a big step to make for anybody. Um, and especially in this pandemic, like it's very uncertain about, like everything's uncertain. So it was a big leap for me. Um, but doing that, I've found a lot of power in myself and once again, overcoming the self-doubt pretty much every single day.
Um, it's an ongoing struggle, but it's al I don't think I would've been able to do that had I stayed in the position that I was in. Um, so I'm definitely really proud of myself for that. And also like kind of just jumping into an industry that. I didn't know much about in terms of the backend of like going, finding a manufacturer and like designing my own clothes.
I had no experience in any of that. Um, so literally just this past 2020, like I completely changed my entire profession, my entire interest, like everything. Um, and just kind of hope that people would support me. And I think that with my support system and me just kind of keep going and enjoying what I'm doing, um, I think that that's something I'm really proud of, is just actually finally being happy and doing what I love, um, and having the strength to do that and to leave a stable job.
Hey Kara, this is Fabia with FGPG. Are you able to hear me? Yes, I can hear you. Hi. Oh, great. So Freddy was having some issues with connectivity, but I'd love to jump in on her behalf on this question. Sure, please go ahead. So I mean, obviously Freddy is the CEO and owner, co-founder of FGPG, born experiential marketing agency based in Huntington Beach.
And you know, when this company was founded 20 years ago, it was, it's primarily very male dominated industry. So there were plenty of times where she was underestimated, um, for being a female business owner in the male industry. And we not only thrived, but survived a number of really challenging times over the last 20 years, particularly with COVID being in events.
I mean, we were obviously hit unlike. Any other industry probably closest to hospitality. And Freddy was amazing at just getting the team to learn and educate ourselves as much as possible on pivoting to virtual. And we did that in very little time. We just delivered an awesome virtual event for a financial company that is just getting major accolades.
And we know that some of our big biggest competitors owned by males in the industry are still struggling to make this pivot work. So pretty proud of that. I think if Freddie could speak, she would probably use this as an example. I love that. Hey, fab. Can, can y'all hear me finally at long last? Yeah. Hi.
Welcome. Oh my God, I can't believe it. I literally have dialed in like four times and tried to connect to internet like half a dozen times. That is the most stressful. Absolutely the most stressful. I apologize for, um, in the interruption though, in chiming in so late, fab. That was, that was well said.
Actually. Quite excellent. And I would say to add to that, fabri to Fab and the team, um. To be perfectly honest, it can never be an option, um, to allow anybody to underestimate you. I think that's the philosophy that I've carried through and through whether it was, uh, before COVID with just a very male dominated industry.
Uh, at one point. I wouldn't say that it is now because that would, uh, not be fair to all the women that do incredible work in our experiential industry. But prior, for many, many, many, many years as a union dominated, uh, community, um, it was in fact you really had to stand your own and you still do to this very day.
Um, but post COVID, it's just not an option, um, for anybody to say, uh, to underestimate you to, to make you feel like you're underestimated and, um, you have to stand your own. It's, it's, it's, it's, um. I think that's the philosophy we've all carried for all the team that's listening from fg PG to our session tonight.
Um, it's a testament to all of them that, um, you just simply do not have an option and you power through together as a team, stronger together, as we always say. So thanks for hearing that. Of course. No, I totally agree. I mean, that's, that's where powerful it comes from, right? Like everybody needs a community and a coach, so why aren't we hanging out together and making it happen?
It's, um, we talked on the call this morning, the Rise and Thrive call about how whoever we need to be on our team next is usually one degree away. And when I say team, I'm talking about whatever team we need for our life squad. For work, for, you know, whoever we wanna manifest with, right? Hannah's on my manifest team.
So, um, you know, who you need these different teams in your lives, but, uh, it matters so much and, and I don't know if, if women are more prone to teams because of being underestimated historically for so long, that like we know we need a squad to like, make things happen. And I think we also end up managing so many of the life realities where it's like, why?
Like, we wanna have fun and take care of all this stuff. So if we do it together, like how do we combine it and make it easier for ourselves? So, um, I totally agree about the power of community and resourcefulness and powerful ladies thrive in both those things. I think. So speaking of powerful ladies, you know, who are some of the powerful women that you've seen rise this year that you are cheering on?
I think Fabrica, you should speak to all the wonderful women that you've, um, referenced in our, uh, the ft PG blog. Um, you have highlighted women, um, throughout 2020. Um, I think, um, you should take this and speak to some of those. They've inspired me, um, beyond words. So, um, I think, I mean, to be honest, it's, it's too much to list down the line, but we have been highlighting women throughout the last year, in fact do women Wednesdays every Wednesday, and we highlight a different artist, um, politician.
Amanda Gorman was a huge inspiration to all of us recently, obviously the vice president as the first female vice president of the United States. I mean, mostly we follow a lot of our artists, so. It's just amazing over the last year and the last few decades, what women have done for this world and business and moving us all forward.
Laney, when you think about what's next for you as we go into 2021, like what are you most excited about and how does it celebrating International Women's Day here today allow you to be more inspired about what you're creating next? Yeah, so, um, I'm really excited to keep designing. Um, as I said, I don't have like, professional experience in designing, so I'm kind of just winging it every collection that I drop.
But, um, I really always keep women in mind. It's a, it's a unisex brand, but it's mostly women. Um, and I grew up with women. I went to an all girls school my whole life, um, and my mom was an entrepreneur her whole life. So just seeing that, like I'm, I've always been surrounded by that. Um, so. Just being able to like keep designing and keep being in my creative bubble that I love to be in is really, um, something that I'm excited about.
And also more so not even just me designing, but like seeing my designs on women is like, so it just brings the biggest smile on my face, like anytime I see anyone in my design and like aside from myself, 'cause I always see myself in my design. So actually seeing it on all different types of women, I'm really big on like a big size range 'cause I want to be inclusive.
Um, so I do everything I can to make sure all my designs are from, you know, extra small to double XL at least. Um, so just seeing a whole range of women in my designs, not, that's the best part really. Not even just me designing, but seeing that and seeing people happy with what I've created, I think is like the best part about all of this.
So, continuing to do that, continuing to get better with everything, like with my packaging, with my branding, um, with my designs. Um, just every drop I feel like I get better and better. So just to see like that, you know. Elevation. Um, and to continue doing that is the best part for me with this whole process.
Makes it not worth it.
You know, Hannah, one of the things I'm most proud of you for is how you're so amazing at doing personal development, right? Like, you have different coaches, you take on different things. You are an avid reader like I am, right? Like, that's such a commitment to you and you're, you know, when I think about the self-care I should be doing for myself, I'm always like, Ooh, what's, what's should Hannah, what Hannah doing?
So when we look at, you know, being powerful, of course having a strong foundation of ourselves and our own identity as part of that, um, what would you advise to everyone here today about how they can honor themselves at levels that maybe they're not thinking about? And how do you do that for yourself?
Oh my goodness. Okay. Loaded question. Um, so when I. So when I think of being underestimated in general, I feel like that's always going to be part of the process, especially as women, right? So I just welcome it in at whatever layer of my life I'm gonna be in, I just welcome it in rather than resist. 'cause it's in the resistance where why waste that beautiful energy on resisting it and trying to you showing up is already proving enough.
So I think to be able to sit in the fear of, can I do this or am I really gonna do this? Or, oh fuck, I'm doing it right now. Um, that's, that's career self-care in my opinion. That's taking care of yourself, that's, uh, exercising that resilience muscle. Um, and the more that you can continue to move through, even with being so scared and terrified, the more resilience you build and you're gonna need that.
Um. I think that as women, yes, we're always, you know, put in a box or underestimated, but, and that's unfortunate, but fortunately, we're also multi-layered and we have so, so, so many layers. To quote one of my coaches, she says that women are as layered as there are seashells at the ocean and that we can really use to our benefit.
You know, we don't have to be just one thing. We get to be all the things. And of course, doing it within our boundaries and not burning ourselves out. But, um, I think being able to move forward, even though you are so scared and fearful is. One hell of a thing to do for me. I'm personally in a transition period, and I've kind of just tore up the three year plan and I'm creating a new one.
And I'm so scared and I have no idea what I'm doing, but I'm, I'm just gonna do it. And, um, I do have a plan. Carrie carrie's like, wait, you're going in without a plan. Like there's, that's not okay. Yeah. She's like, we're gonna have a talk after this. Uh, there I'm recreating the plan. I should say, I do have a plan, kind of.
So, yeah, don't, I think fear, especially this past year, fear can really gridlock you and it could stop you in your tracks. And, and that's okay. Let it do that, but then process it and let it move through. Um, the only way out is through. And don't let, don't let it stop you. Welcome it in. That would be my advice.
I love that. Thank you. Um, Freddy, when you look at how you have, um, overcome so many things in the past, I think it was 25 years, um, that Federica said, um, what's been the biggest hurdle that you're proud of, that you've overcome?
Um, having overcome many, um, um, some more difficult than others? Um, I would say COVID is actually, we, uh, we've over, we started fg pg, just to put it in perspective. Uh, we started FG pg, Melanie and I, um, a month before nine 11. Um, and that was a, that was a disastrous time for many of what would've been our competitors, but they ceased to be competitors as we were launching, and as a result thrived.
Um, uh, it took time. And then since then, three economic, three separate economic downturns. Um, this is by far the most difficult. Um, but not for one minute was it so daunting that we didn't even attempt to go down that road as a team and as business partners, Melanie and I, because we really didn't know how difficult it was gonna be.
So you do what you always do, which is move forward. You only look one direction and that's forward, and you just, we just did it like we always do. And so we really didn't know how difficult that road was gonna be. We didn't know when it was gonna. Reach an end. Um, and to this day, it hasn't reached that end because COVID is not completely obviously eradicated.
Um, and therefore live events or experiential events are not back to what we would've at one point called normal. So, um, that process has been a completely new, um, business pivot, not only for the business as itself. If we had to write a business script or a business, um, uh, report, it would be completely different than it was a year ago.
That's number one. And number two, everybody had to learn a new career, including myself, because what we knew about digital content at one time had to be increased by a thousand percent. So it's a completely new career, completely new direction. Um, some people have experienced it and some people have not yet experienced it because they're still limited, um, experiences that are.
Being contracted. Um, but those that we've been fortunate to win and grow from, unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable. And, um, I hope everybody can go through that journey because it makes you stronger than you can ever imagine being. That's for sure. So I hope I didn't ramble too long. No, not at all. That was perfect.
Thank you for sharing. Um, so we have some questions from the, um, audience and one of them is how do you stay motivated and overwhelming times
that for anybody, whoever wants to jump on that question, go. So I really feel like. Before all, before COVID happened, I had learned about self-awareness and that's something that I never like, gave attention to because of that whole go, go, go. I never really like sat and felt like, what really makes me happy?
What really like, or am I overreacting on what's happening? Am I making myself tired before I even dive into it? Am I, you know, it's, it's all these things that come immediately, but we're not being self-aware about it. Um, this is something that I work with my girls a lot, like my 13-year-old about being more self-aware.
'cause I really wish I would've learned a long time ago. So when I do feel like sometimes, like, especially when COVID hap first happened, I was like. Oh, it's all over. It's all over. I have no hope. My, my job is touch and feel. Explain hands on. It's the beauty industry, you know, and I really, really like, jumped immediately to like the worst situation.
But I had to like, bring myself forward and tell myself like, really sit down and evaluate what's happening. Like what's really happening. Are you gonna have to alter a couple things? Is it really all over? I just like legit break it down and then I'll try to tack one task at a time. At a time. And, um. I talk about, like I, not so long ago, I did a presentation and I talked about like how it's never really been like motivation comes first.
It's doing those like that process and attacking it. You start getting motivation to keep going. So even if it feels like it's all gonna be over, if it's all ending, I always say it's like discipline yourself to start taking action and then you'll start feeling the motivation. But if you're just like looking at it and you're not diving into it, it's gonna feel horrible.
You're gonna feel unmotivated, you're gonna, no one wants to work out. That's not motivating. No one wants to work 12 hours. That's not motivating. But when you start putting the action to it is when the motivation starts to come. And this is really just, I like to say like, I call myself out on my own bullshit when I feel like it's the end of the world, but is it's like, I'm like, Hey Val, is it really the end of the world?
Or can you start taking steps to making it better? So that's how I get my motivation. All right. So o option one is to evaluate and stay in action. Okay. Laney, what about you? Oh, okay. Yeah, so I'm really big on, um, putting my mental health and my health first with anything, and I've always. Realize that being feeling overwhelmed and frustrated never helps anything.
Like you'll, when you're frustrated, like you'll just make decisions based off of that frustration and not on what's actually logical. So I always take a step back, even if I'm ar like, even if I'm in an argument with my sister, I live with my sister and I get into an argument with her. It's like I need to take a step back and realize, you know, look at the bigger picture and realize it's not that serious and you're just saying things out of anger.
Um, and the same thing goes with like running a business. So luckily I get to, I live in Los Angeles, so I, I love the beach. So if I don't, if I'm ever feeling overwhelmed, um, I love to go to places that I feel happy. So I'll try to go to the beach or I'll try to least sit out in the sun on my balcony or something like that to really just relax myself.
Um. Because I never wanna make decisions, um, in a, a, a negative state pretty much. Um, so that kind of thing motivates me because it's not a bad life, it's a bad day type of thing. Like you're, you're, you're gonna be fine. Usually you just have to like, kind of talk yourself through it. Um, and I know a lot of situations can be overwhelming and feel like the end of the world, but usually the next day, even if you have to cry it out, I love crying.
I cry all the time. Um, even if you have to cry it out, like the next day, you usually feel a lot better. So like, releasing that emotion, you shouldn't keep it bottled in. Um, but just don't release that emotion on the wrong thing. Like kind of just, you know, release it within a separate type of entity. Um, but yeah, I'm really big on just like your mental health and putting that first no matter what the situation is, because that is kind of the base of everything you do moving forward.
So if you have that solid foundation with yourself, then you'll always have that with everything that you do.
Another question we have is who do you reach out to when you need motivation? Um, you know, I'm gonna pass that one to Hannah. So like Hannah, who do you reach out to when you need to be motivated or need to get out of that cycle and you're feeling stuck? I am so lucky 'cause I have, I have a squad, I have a few squads.
I feel so number one, my mom. My mom is so badass. Um, she did a career change at, in the middle of COVID and she, she's, she's in her fifties and fucking amazing. So my mom, because she can do anything. Um, I'll call Natasha, I'll call you Kara. I'll call my friend Madeline. I'll call, um, I'll call my friend Maria.
I have him on like rotation. Like which one? At like the hype level. What hype level do I need right now? Um, I got real comfortable this year with being like I am in. A shit place right now, and I need help. Like, can you pull me out? Um, I have my girlfriend Jeanette. I, yeah, I feel like you keep those people close to you, keep them close to your heart.
Um, and I'm never afraid to be like, wow, I'm having a really dark day. This sucks. And I cry all the time too, lady. Oh my gosh. I love crying. It's a freaking release. You can keep that stuff bottled up. You have to cry. I probably cry like twice a week. It feels good. It's therapeutic. Um, yeah. So keep your hype squad close to your heart for sure.
The another question we have from the group is what do you do about imposter syndrome? You know, many of us have heard it called as founders fraud. Uh, you're an entrepreneur. We've created something. Um, but we could feel like an imposter. All sorts of places. Our relationships, our job, our business, our social circles.
Doesn't. So, um, what are you guys doing to squash or, you know, tell imposter syndrome to shut up.
When you guys figure it out, let me know 'cause I don't have anything. I personally Okay. You go. You go ahead. Okay. This is Fred. This is Freddy. Um, I'll say that. Um, it is, it's real. It is, it's prevalent. Um, and it can consume you if you are not, um, cognizant of it at all times. And that's really hard because you kind of have to walk around giving yourself pep talks all the time, saying, um, um, um, you're the real deal and you've got, uh, knowledge and um, and leadership.
Um, but it's so hard not to get that imposter syndrome because you get bombarded so many different ways. That is what we sign up for though. So I always remind myself that, of that fact that it's a choice to be an entrepreneur and a leader and to always, um, remember that, um, you may make mistakes, but that does not make you an imposter.
Always remember that mistakes just make you better at what you do. Um, and they're supposed to be there. It's important that they're there, there for, um, no reason to turn that and spin that into an imposter situation. You just have to remind yourself of that all the time, which is what I do. I love that. I read a quote recently that the most successful people that we admire entrepreneurs, um, inventors, you know, scientists, all these people that we look up to actually have more failures on their list than people who don't.
And it's not that they have more failures than successes, most of them do as well, but. There's this element of like jumping in, like almost the same thing they tell you in sales. You gotta get those nine nos to get your one yes outta 10, right? So it's almost a moment of pride of like, when you do fail, right?
It's that learning mo moment to pivot. So how many, how many failures can you rack up and quickly, right? Because let's get 'em going 'cause we want that win. Um, but it's true like the, the women who come on powerful ladies from a podcast perspective, the women who you know, come on the powerful ladies like all of you as as panelists.
Like so much of that is, um. Is based on the fact that you've overcome something, right? And you can't overcome something if you don't mess something up or don't have an adversity that you're facing. Um, it's, it really is like what do you do in, in the face of that? Um, well, we have a few minutes left. I wanted to open it up if there's any more questions from the audience that you wanted to ask before I get to ask all mine.
But anyone else have any other questions? Check in the chat real quick. No. Well, my last question for all the panelists is, does do we need to keep having international women's days? And if we do, why?
Um, I think absolutely. I didn't know about International Women's Day until college. Well, actually, I don't know when it started, but at least in college is when I first started hearing about it. Um, and from then I've made it a point to celebrate it every year just because obviously women should be celebrated every single day.
Um, but the fact that, you know, with this online community that we have, especially with COVID, like every online is so prevalent. Um, and just seeing that really everybody kind of chiming in on International Women's Day really just kind of inspires you to keep going. It makes you feel very motivated. Um, even if you haven't talked to like one of your girlfriends in a while.
Like, I feel like everybody just kind of comes together on this day, which I think is amazing. And also just seeing pretty much everybody, like men also have, I've seen a lot of men on my timeline at least, um, chime in and, you know, talk about how much like women have inspired them. Um, so just kind of like a whole community coming together and really highlighting women I think is amazing.
Especially, you know, on one day it's like you're just feeling all the love. It's like your birthday. Um, so I definitely think we should keep celebrating it. Um, and obviously celebrating us every day, but the fact that we do have this day I think is great.
Question, Kara? Yes. Um, because Ive had a, oh, sorry. Oh, I was just gonna say, this is Freddy. Uh, I was just gonna say that International Women's Day for FT PG is, um, a, a, a lifelong commitment if you'll, because the world is global and even more so now. So, um, I think for us it's been, um, as an agency, um, it's one of the most critical things that it's, um, that we, we are a global agency and therefore recognition is globally and always has been.
And even more so now where regionally it's less and less, uh, possible when, um, with COVID and with virtual. So,
yeah, for sure. Um, Hannah, you were saying, I had a thought about this this morning about. What's the point of continuing to celebrate and honor this day? Like being a woman's hard, we know, do we have to keep talking about it? And then it kind of dawned on me that, yeah, we do. 'cause there's a lot of women who fought really, really hard historically for us to even be able to have this conversation.
And it dawned on me that we have to honor them and we honor them every day by living out our dreams, making career choices, being brave, persevering in the face of fear. But definitely this day I feel like we have to really, really sit and and honor them too. Mm-hmm.
I also think that we should continue it. I'm actually raising two little ladies right now and um, I've been working so hard to teach them how to have a voice. Um, I have a 13-year-old and honestly she has unlocked so much of my own potential, which is so cool just seeing her. And um, although we have made a huge impact on International Women's Day and empowering women, I do feel that there's still a lot of work.
It's a constant campaign. There's gonna be a lot of things that we still have to do. Um, I'm teaching my daughter now, my 13-year-old now when even some teachers are a little old fashioned that don't understand and kind of, you know, um, it's just something that I feel like we have to continuously work on.
Um, so I'm totally game for like celebrating every year and just keep it a constant campaign. Yeah. Yeah, I think between the fact that there's multiple generations to consider, and as Freddie mentioned, like there's the whole global element. It's so easy to forget the privilege that we have in North America where I think all of us are from on this call.
And, um, knowing that there's so many things that we take for granted or forget, or even a thing to acknowledge that didn't exist a few years ago. Um, I mentioned it recently that I, it caught me off guard, you know, going through Ruth Bader Ginsburg's accomplishments of like even just who could open a bank account.
Like that wasn't long ago. Like it was in my mother's generation. Like she couldn't open her own bank account until she was older. Right. So, um, I think between how, how volatile the, the world has been in the past year and knowing that the work isn't done, um, it's almost like we have to, we have to keep acknowledging this day to make sure that things don't go backwards.
They really go forwards. 'cause it can be so easy, right. For something to, to shift and, um. It also keeps changing, right? Like what, what being a woman means, like what can, what is a woman's allowed to do? All this stuff keeps evolving and I don't think we've, even here, and probably even in this group as well, like really thought about like, what else aren't we thinking about right now?
What else isn't being considered? And so, um, I think it's cool to see what keeps happening, right? Um, and to Hannah's point, like if you talk about like what the victories are, I'm excited about International Women's Day this year. 'cause so many people kicked ass last year, right? Like half the group I see on here either launched a business, like, made a huge pivot like Freddie mentioned, Val, right?
Like all these people are making these huge changes. And to me, it's the women in my life. This is my personal like view, right? But the women in my life handled this past year. Well, like really well. And, um, I'm really impressed and proud at the resourcefulness and the new connections and the new support that came out of it.
Um, obviously that's what my whole life is, right? Empowering people and connecting people. Um, so I would of course love for all of you guys to follow the panelists that we had here today. Um, they're all people that you can DM and they'll probably give you an answer even though they're all very popular, um, and busy.
But like, reach out. This is a community where we're trying to connect and support each other more. Um, and I'll put that back up on the screen. Let me find that again. Um, but it's, you know, it's a big deal to want to make sure that we are continuing to support each other and open those things up. And apparently when I closed it before I closed the whole thing, so let me just pull that back out.
Um, we of course have two more events. Um, this week, Thursday at noon Pacific time, we're having a whole workshop about building amazing teams. And the same process of how we build teams can apply to Quas in your personal life teams for your business. Uh, but my favorite fact is that the fastest way to 10 x your business is to build a team, which most people don't think is true.
So I'll be talking all about that because powerful people need powerful teams and making a powerful team is maybe the hardest thing of all the business decisions that we have to make. Um, we also have our happy hour on 5:00 PM on Thursday. It's gonna be a lot more networking, a lot more connecting.
It'll be a much bigger group, it'll be a lot of fun, so it'll be there as well. Um, and if anyone has any other questions, you know how to get ahold of me. Gimme one second. I will screen share and you can see all the things. All right. Can you guys see my screen? Okay, so here's all their names and handles again, so you can follow everybody.
We also put them in the chat before and if you wanna come and hang out with us, just go to the powerful ladies.com or at Powerful Ladies and you can find all the things. Um, any last questions as we wrap up today? Do you guys need that? Did I take it away too fast? Powerful Lady Speed. Okay, also, yes, Natasha, thank you.
If you want these t-shirts and you wanna support other women in need around the world, go to the link in there. It's also in our Instagram handle. Um, but all the proceeds for all the swag for the Powerful Use International Women's Day Collection go-to supporting women through women of women.org, which is amazing.
Uh, so thank you guys so much. Hannah, Laney, Valerie, Freddy. Thank you guys so much for today. This has been incredible. Happy International Women's Day everybody. Thank you. Thank you everyone.
Thank you for listening to today's episode. All the links to connect to our guest panelists are in the show notes@thepowerfulladies.com slash podcast. There you can also leave comments and ask questions about this episode, episode. Want more powerful ladies, come join us on Instagram at Powerful Ladies, where you can also find some free downloads to start being powerful today.
Subscribe to this podcast and help us connect with more listeners by leaving us a five star rating and review. If you're looking to connect directly with me, visit kara duffy dot. I had like to thank our producer, composer, and audio engineer Jordan Duffy. Without her, this wouldn't be possible. You can follow her on Instagram at Jordan K.
Duffy. We'll be back next week with a brand new episode. Until then, I hope you're taking it being powerful in your life. Go be awesome and up to something you love.
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Hannah Diffenderffer: @hannah_diff
Lanie Edwards: @lifeoflanie
Valerie Delgado: @valsevolution
Frederique “Freddie” Georges: @fgpg
Created and hosted by Kara Duffy
Audio Engineering & Editing by Jordan Duffy
Production by Amanda Kass
Graphic design by Anna Olinova
Music by Joakim Karud
