Your Career Revolution Episode #203 Celebrating International Women's Day

Your Career Revolution Episode 203 Celebrating International Women's Day with hosts Tamara Loring and Mike Toper interview Career Ownership Coaches™ Lisa Gustafson and Patricia McGraw EdD

Lisa Gustafson
 
Career Ownership Coach™

https://lgustafson.esourcecoach.com

After spending 30 successful years in corporate employment, I went through a career transition. My position was eliminated in 2017 along with hundreds of other people. And that was from the #17 company on the Fortune 500 list.

That smashed my illusion of security and stability from corporate employment.

Several years ago, I successfully transitioned out of corporate America into self-sufficiency. And you can too. The current Great Resignation is prompting the Great Ownership Revolution among Americans who are searching for flexibility and financial freedom.

Through a proprietary process of education, awareness and discovery, clients clarify their goals in income, lifestyle, wealth, and equity. We discover and explore various, customized career options and pathways. I coach clients in comparing and contrasting paths until we discover the one that has the most potential to reach their unique goals.

Patricia McGraw EdD
Career Ownership Coach™
https://pmcgraw.esourcecoach.com/

Patricia has over 26 years in the corporate world in training, coaching, and helping others realize their dreams.  She received my doctorate in education in 2007 from Eastern Michigan University in Educational Leadership. 

Patricia chose a career with The Entrepreneur’s Source as it was a great fit for her strong commitment to helping others succeed.  After spending the majority of her career growing others' businesses, Patricia realized it was time to take control of her own destiny and do what was best for her family.

As a Career Ownership Coach, I help people realize their dreams of self-sufficiency in a safe environment. Through the process of education, awareness, and discovery, I help my clients clarify their personal income, lifestyle, wealth and equity goals and evaluate their options. With a relationship of trust and in a safe space, I coach my clients to understand what motivates them and to evaluate what is really important for their future. I facilitate transformation in my clients by asking questions and thus helping them gain clarity. Further, as a coach, I help my clients stay on track while thinking outside their comfort zone so they can reach for new goals and horizons.

This podcast is based on our latest book “Your Career Revolution: Reimagine and Reclaim the Life of Your Dreams,” which gives people permission to dream. Terry Powell, Visionary Founder, co-authored this revolutionary book alongside the Career Ownership Coach community. This book is a great guide and starting point for anyone who wants to make meaningful changes in their lives and careers. From the Franchise Source Brands International and The Entrepreneur’s Source.

Transcript

Unknown: 0:21

Hello, and welcome to your career revolution presented by the entrepreneur source. My name is Mike Tober. And we've got a special edition this month as we celebrate International Women's Day, which takes place on Wednesday, March 8. And so we've got a great panel of TDS coaches and experts Joining me to talk a little bit about women in the business in the franchising world and kind of celebrate that equity among the genders. And I'm joined by my co host here tomorrow Loring, who is the Chief of Audiology for T Yes, tomorrow. Very excited to have this and actually T Yes, is has been very involved with the women's movement and the women in the workplace having just sponsored the women's franchising committee at the IFA, or the international franchising associations conference in the last week in Las Vegas. So you've had plenty of experience in talking about this and this specific topic. Absolutely, Mike, and super excited to be here with two wonderful lady. So let's do this lady. Absolutely. And as you mentioned, those guests, I've got Patricia McGraw and Lisa Gustafson. Ladies, if you just kind of introduce yourselves. We'll start with Patricia. Hi, I'm Patricia McGraw, I have been a business owner with the entrepreneurs source now. Two and a half years, and I love it. It has been life changing for me. And thank you for having me. I'm honored to be a be with this illustrious group. Lisa Gustafson, I spent 30 years in corporate American very large blue chip corporations. And for the past five years had had the dream of my life of being a business owner come true. Through the entrepreneur source, and it's changing my life and my family's legacy. Excellent. And again, you guys are each of you had decades of experience in the corporate world when it comes to that side of things. Now, obviously t as coaches and I'd kind of like to start there again, as the whole point of this is to celebrate women in business, International Women's Day being celebrated, you know, all month long, really. I want to start and see if you guys can kind of talk about our journey. But first of all, we also want to mention the summit coming up at the end of the month, right tomorrow. That's right. Many of our ladies and men to work with the Small Business Administration, and at the end of the month, they're hosting the second annual summit. And this is going to be the Office of Women's Business owners at the SBA in combination with the National Women's Business Council, we're hosting this event. So hopefully, when you're listening to this podcast, there will be a link to the blog, check it out. There are going to be a lot of fireside chats, a lot of panel calls, anything to support women, entrepreneurship, and women and business. So super excited about that event coming up here at the end of the month. Yeah, we'd love to see it. And that's part of why we're doing this podcast. So again, as I mentioned, Patricia and Lisa each have decades of experience in the business world in the corporate world, and especially when it comes to working your way through business. And we'll start with Patricia, can you just a little bit kind of discuss your journey to get to where you were as now a career coach? Sure, I always wanted to own my own business. So I always had the entrepreneurial spirit. But I wasn't sure how to connect the dots. So I worked my way through corporate. I started my career in education, transitioned into senior living, climb that corporate ladder, it seems like the better I did, the more I got transferred. So that ceiling that I wanted to break through. There were always obstacles that stopped me from getting the income and the lifestyle that I wanted. So in senior living, I was Director of Sales and Marketing and then I became a Regional Director of Sales and Marketing. And my purpose has always been helping others. So when I think of that common thread through education or corporate, I'm a helper I'm a giver. I like promoting people into better spaces. So going through in learning about you know what Te is offered, now I'm able to do that for others. And speaking of doing for others, are you able to help the birds outside the window there? It sounds like wherever you are sounds amazing and like you're in some great nature. Like Cinderella, maybe the animals are following me. I'm that sounds gorgeous. I'm not sure where you are, but it's it's a beautiful day in North Carolina. And I hope it's the same for you because that sounds great. Carolina right now. So good. We got the same thing going. Lisa, as far as you, can you tell us a little bit about your background, and I believe you've been a TDS coach here for now, almost five years are right around there, what kind of led up to that? So I, you know, I was progressively increasing my influence my managerial capacity in very large chip, blue chip corporations like Knight Ridder newspapers, March of Dimes, Kinkos. And then when I left corporate America, Kroger, so very big companies, and always did very well, I was a person that brought things to fruition, I would be told make this happen, I'd make it happen. And then I'd expand it. You know, one of the last things that I did with the Division of Kroger that I worked with, I took a very small program that was in one little city in southern Colorado, and I expanded it to nine states. And so just always taking things and expanding and making things happen, right for these big companies. And then at the age of 53, with 12 years at Kroger and my husband, they're 30, they sold off five of their 32 divisions. And Kroger has been around for 175 years. And there's a reason why, because they change. And so at age 53, my husband and I were let go from the number 17 company on the fortune 500 list. And I said, if you can't be secure with the nation's longest largest traditional grocery chain, then there is no security. And that's when I decided to take that irritation of being let go from no fault of my own. And use it like the grain of sand that creates the pearl. But But I was very blessed in corporate America. But I understand the need, then to have complete control and to put complete value on ourselves. Well, that kind of leads to the next thing I want to ask Lisa, and I'm sorry to interrupt you. But as you both have mentioned you and Patricia if we've Jan tomorrow, obviously as well have weaved your way, kind of climb the business ladder. I was curious about as you kind of just alluded to, you know what kind of challenges that you've seen along the way? And I guess Lisa, you can start since you just kind of started mentioning it too. And then we'll go to Patricia, as far as women specifically challenges if do you mean in corporate America, corporate America and the franchising world as you're kind of going through this. For me, the big change was when I recognized all that I had done, right, everything that I had done for corporate America and recognize, oh my goodness, I want to make that happen for me. But I don't have a framework or the basic business business acumen to make it happen. And so then to take everything that I am and apply it to a proven system like franchising, and when I work with women, especially in their 50s, like I am, who, who have really benefited by the past couple of decades of momentum for women in the business, but still brush up against that, that glass ceiling to be able to say, what if we gave you a playbook and then you could bring all your initiative, and you could maximize that playbook to to bring it to fruition for however much you want it to be. And that's my biggest passion for you know, for franchising and women is because in corporate America, there have been great strides. I saw great strides, but we still, you know, I think some of the zippia demographics show that in corporate America, women still make 8383 cents per $1 of men. You know, and so, I like franchising, because you have that ability to maximize a system, but bring all of the initiative with absolutely no fetters, totally unencumbered. And Patricia, how have you seen that change? Again, you you've spent a number of years in the corporate world getting to where you are, have you kind of seen that shift and and what have you seen as far as women kind of taking larger roles? So I I'm very lucky I get to work with various successful people. And most of them are happy with where they are financially. They're happy with their compensation. But they don't know that there is that ceiling So when I'm working with a woman and she realizes, you don't a lot of people think I have to travel four days a week to make the money that I'm making, I have to sacrifice my family to make what I'm making. And when they see the opportunities that are out there through franchising, it changes that mindset that there are many things that they can do, they can increase, really their financials, they can leave that legacy, as Lisa said, for their families. So it's really eye opening. Most individuals set their own limits. So when I can be a part of helping people set their sights higher, and realizing there are opportunities that you can work from home, there are opportunities that you can have that lifestyle, you want kind of a hybrid model, take that skill set, get rid of the ceiling, and the only thing limiting you is yourself. So it's a pretty powerful conversation. And it's changed a lot of people's lives. And tomorrow, we talk also about franchising, and part of celebrating International Women's Day in this month. One of the things that T yes talks about is embracing equity and what that means, right? Oh, absolutely. I mean, I've been part of the franchising world for over 20 years, and it's all about achieving self sufficiency and financial freedom. And sometimes I guess I take for granted that that's what it's like in the world of franchising and as a business owner, that there's a direct or your effort. There's a direct reward for the effort that you put in, if you're a great business owner and you take responsibility. It doesn't matter whether you're a man or a woman, it depends on how good you are as a business owner, so it's refreshing, or it's at least helpful for me to remember what it may be like coming from a corporate setting. Lisa, you were talking about glass ceilings, and just recognizing that there's opportunity if people know to look outside of their current comfort zone. So no wonder there's a revolution brewing your career revolution reimagined and reclaim the life of your dreams. And I love the fact that these two ladies amongst all our coaches are helping women and men just reimagine what it could look like if the current path that they're on is no longer serving them. So I've definitely seen it in franchising. However, I have to say, at the entrepreneur source 75% of our leadership are women. So I feel like it's women dominated. When I look at our team members, I think I looked that up over the weekend. 56% of us are women. However, when you look at our franchisee base, we are equal to what the statistics are in franchising, and only about 30% of our franchisees are women. And for many, many years for decades. As a matter of fact, I've always wondered about that feeling like not only is franchising, the best kept secret, but our business model in particular, why wouldn't more women be attracted to it? And I know, Patricia and Lisa probably have some opinions about that. But I feel like we need to get the word out because this could be an amazing vehicle for so many more people than just the men out there. You know, I really agree with that, especially after the pandemic where people said, You know what, I can have something that's closer to home, right, that has that lifestyle. So we always look at ideal lifestyles in terms of income, lifestyle, wealth and equity. And so many of us, at least me during the 80s and 90s when you know we were workaholics that we had to show up. You know I covered nine states if someone said I want you to drive from southern Colorado, to Cheyenne, Wyoming hit 17 stores say hi to everybody, check them out, do an audit, come back and pick up your daughter from daycare at 5pm. I was like, I'm your girl. I'm your girl, right? I mean so. But now after the pandemic we've recognized Hey, we like being around more with our family and so forth. And I had a great I had a great woman Her name is Wendy. And she agreed to let me tell her story. You know, she was awarded the JD Powers award for customer service for running the customer service for a huge international insurance company. But her children had just started college and one was on the west coast in college volleyball and one was in Mississippi playing college football and she wanted to travel On Fridays to see her children play collegiate sports. And she couldn't get off. They wouldn't let her off. And she had been in the business for over two decades. Two decades, and she was awarded, she was an award winning manager for him and she couldn't get off. And so we looked at home based virtual businesses for her. And she ended up going into one, so that she can control her schedule. And we know she's going to be award winning. But she can then fly on Fridays to see her children play college sports, you know. So, I mean, I think there's a lot of opportunity for us to talk to women, who both want to have that full life with their children and their husbands and their wives, but also have an entrepreneurial business for be able to command their schedule. In Patricia, just looking at a little bit of back of your background, I know that as a TDS. Coach, which you and Lisa, obviously, obviously, are you have had a number of female clients yourself. And I wanted to know, how have you been able to help them and kind of talk them through there, that dynamic of perhaps business ownership and how that may differ from any experience you may have had working with male clients. So I was talking to Tamara earlier about this, and the fact that I'm a woman, I don't want to say I relate better to women, because I like helping both men and women explore their options. But when I can share my story with a woman, I think it's more meaningful, because we're walking the same walk. And that having female mentors, so women in business ownership, helping other women get into business ownership, that's how I was introduced to my te es coach was from a female friend saying, Patricia, you need to do something more, you're better than what you're doing now. Talk to the coach. So I think that's one thing that women can be a lot better at is being more intentional networking, and helping each other. I really love it when I can launch somebody into something spectacular, better than they ever imagined. So if every woman took the time to talk to a friend and say, look, there are things out there that you don't have to sacrifice. And even there are those hybrid businesses where you can work from home. But when you are a business owner, you set your own schedule, even if you're a full time owner operator boots on the ground. There is that flexibility, because you own it, and you deserve it to your to yourself to explore and learn what that's about. If you've been successful in corporate, you can be successful as a business owner, I would not have done this without the support of a franchise, I always knew I wanted to get into business ownership, I wasn't sure how to connect the dots. And that's one of the things that we help with is focus on where you want to be who you want to become, we help remove those obstacles and connect you to a whole flurry of individuals that will help you get there. But if you know a woman, you are a woman and you want to explore self sufficiency, use a coach. It's such a safe space. And it really is life changing. And I always say to clients, you know, at the end of the day, you're going to choose the opportunity that works best for you. But know that there are opportunities out there other than what you currently are experiencing. And not, you know, it's fine. We can pat ourselves on the back right here tomorrow, you mentioned earlier and that kind of speaks to the entrepreneur source. And as you mentioned, some of the power structure in the way the the coaches and yourself are built out that there is a pretty sufficient and good female influence. And there you're also mentioning me tomorrow about Web. What is that? And can you explain a little bit about what that is? Sure. Absolutely. We're so passionate about women being empowered by business. If you think about what that stands for its web women and powered by business. And like Patricia was saying people fear striking out on their own. They think it's going to be something that is insurmountable. It's going to take an incredibly long time to replace maybe the great income they did have in corporate America. Patricia Lisa, do you care to comment on that? You both started in a business, what was it like for you? Well, my first year I matched my corporate income. And my second year, I almost tripled it. So I would say it's not when you when you find the right opportunity, it, it's fun, it doesn't feel like work. And franchising is one of those opportunities where I have a ton of support from the entrepreneur source. But also I, I can work as much or as little as I want to. And I joke and I say, this is one of the easiest things I've ever done. Not that it's easy, but it fits me. And that's what the entrepreneur sets source does is help people find that opportunity that fits them that suits them that matches their personality. So when you find that fit, it just doesn't feel like work. And I don't know, tomorrow, there's so many coaches that renew, then they renew and renew, because it doesn't feel like work. For many, this has become not just a business opportunity, but their life's calling. And the interesting thing is most of our clients actually don't even ever know that the entrepreneur source is a business opportunity. So it's the exception, not the rule that somebody is attracted to our concept because, quite frankly, coaching is not for everyone, Patricia, you seem to make it feel you said, when you love what you do, it doesn't feel like work, right? But being a business owner is not for everyone. And maybe this kind of business is not for everyone, either. Lisa, how about for you? You know, there are there are realities that are going on in my life in my husband's life and our children's life that we never dreamed, never dreamed I was a good corporate girl 401 K, maybe college Davies, and I had no idea how to get an LLC or do anything. So the idea of becoming a business owner was always a dream. But that business acumen I didn't know, I didn't know anything about business as far as creating one. And so for me, within my second year, of being a business owner, that was made possible through franchising through the entrepreneur source that gave me the business acumen. They said, here's our business acumen, we're gonna just give it to you and help you and bring all these people around you to do it. So then in my second year, I was able to exceed my six figure salary that I had earned over 30 years took me 30 years to get that. But then, the amazing part was then in year three, it increased. And then unbelievably, and, you know, they the Lord, last year, it doubled. And so we have restructured our corporate, we've gone to being an escort, we're doing tax planning, we are doing investments, now. We're paying cash out of the business, for our son's college, we have eliminated all debt except for our house, we are able to generously impact our community of faith around the world. And I mean, there are things happening in our life, that I always say, I don't feel like I have a license to be able to even talk about, let alone drive. So entrepreneurship or through the entrepreneurship. So it's really it's helped me. And the other thing that I love about franchising is that, you know, I looked at the top industries for women who are in senior leadership in corporate America, and it's HR education, health and hospitality. And that accounts for like a huge chunk of senior leaders. But in franchising, you have 80 industries. You're not You're not isolated just to HR. You can go in and be a business owner because franchising levels, the need for you to be an expert in anything, you just bring that initiative that drive that collaborative spirit, that ability to work with people, and you can go into 80 industries and not be isolated to four in the corporate world. And those are the those are the possibilities that franchising just, you know, opens up to so many women and men and just go ahead or admin so that was a life changing moment for me quite frankly. So when I really I knew that I was no longer pigeon holed that I could participate in over 80 different industry sectors. And I remember hearing people say that, would you believe that most people who run those businesses have no prior, I had no prior industry experience or maybe an affinity towards that business. And the first time I heard that, it sounded like, well, that sounds like a recipe for disaster because I didn't appreciate the value a proven system brings that they have the proven recipe, they have the playbook. If you bring sweat equity and hard work and good ethics to it, then you can execute on it. So yes, I mean, that changed my opportunities forever. I feel like I'm a kid in the candy store, I won't grow old enough to be able to leverage all those opportunities that are out there. And then the other thing they said that you said, too, is that you're not limited to a 2% 4% increase, or however much your boss thinks that you should earn regardless of gender. When you're in business for yourself, the sky is the limit. And then Patricia, something else that you said that I think is so valuable people have this misconception about business ownership and franchising, they hear that so many fail, and they think franchising is all about fast food and french fries. But one of the things that I've learned to value about not only business ownership, but within a franchise model is the community. You don't need to go at it alone. Lisa, you spoke about the fact that you didn't have maybe the business acumen, but you were able to ramp up faster than you probably would have had you try to figure it out all by yourself. So are there challenges within business ownership? Are the challenges within franchising? Absolutely. But it's the community that you get to be a part of, and you get to you? Well, you get to figure out how far you want to take it. And I feel like every woman should hear that message. Yeah. And just to kind of tie a bow around our conversation. That's well said tomorrow, but as we celebrate, you know, the month for him and International Women's Day going off along that again, just to kind of wrap things up. I'm curious to Patricia and Elisa, were where do you see the girls from here? What do you see this encouraging as far as women in business and franchising? And, you know, where do you see it progressing to for each of you, we'll start with Patricia. I was thinking about, you know, how many women I work with, I would say, about 45% of my active clients are women. I think that when women have that mentor, and somebody that can say to them, like I had that friend who said, you can do more than this, you know, and I wanted something that I just didn't know how to connect the dots. So until I had a franchise, I was kind of lost and waffling. And there are opportunities that fit everybody's income and lifestyle dreams, if they find the right one. And I think more women will start looking, should start looking and can have that lifestyle that they desire that balance if it if it is a balance. But there's something out there for everybody and just explore and know that there's people out there that want to help. And I will say one other thing about franchising, it is a healthy environment, because it's an environment where everybody wants you to succeed. It's not like corporate where one person can have the job or the title. Everybody can do well, and everybody celebrates that. And it's part of that healthy lifestyle that I wanted. It's not just having time to do things I need to do. But it's also a healthy work environment where my colleagues support me, I support them, and we celebrate each other's successes. And I think women are really good at that. Yeah. And Lisa, what do you see going forward? You know, first of all, I see a lot of encouragement, you know, 31% of all franchise owners are women. And that doesn't include the husband, wife teams, or perhaps co owners. Those are women ownership. And so, you know, that's increasing. They make higher wages, you know, they compensate themselves higher than they do in corporate America. I think the biggest thing, though, is that as women, you know, we naturally share the information that we have, you know, it is all about us looking over our shoulders and say, I have found a different way. May I share it with you, and then you can become educated and possibly explore that way and see if it's right for you. And that's why I love the entrepreneur show sorts having been laid off having to be in my 50s You know, going through all those things is just to share are with them and say, there's another way do you want to learn about it. And we believe in it so much that we actually offer it at no expense to those people that we work with. Understanding that primarily, we want them to be confident about a whole portfolio of opportunities for them. So I see it becoming more and more possibility driven, which is what we're about. But I believe it's about women looking over their shoulders and saying, Come with me learn, can I share with you my experience, see if it might fit you? And let's explore. That's excellent, not for nothing. But the job that I have now was referred to me by a woman. So I'm always going to be thankful for that. Tomorrow, oh, my goodness, this has been such a good a good conversation. If only there were some place that people can learn more about these types of ideals. Where might that be tomorrow? Oh, my goodness. If they haven't seen me hold up the book before. I would say they should do that. Now. Check it out on Amazon, your career revolution reimagined and reclaim the life of your dreams in there, you'll see success stories, you'll see QR codes, I encourage you engage with a coach, you have control, and you can create that better and brighter future for yourself. Yes, yeah. And just a reminder, excellent to just a reminder that the Office of Women's Business Ownership of the Small Business Administration will be holding their second annual Women's Business Summit at the and at the end of the month, virtually you don't wanna check that out. You can go to the TDS website, the entrepreneur source.com To find the link for that. And I want to thank my guests, Patricia McGraw along with Lisa Gustafson and of course tomorrow Lauren for joining me ladies, this has been very informative. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. My name is Mike Topher and you've been watching and listening to your career revolution presented by the entrepreneur source