Courage To Be The Difference Podcast

In the realm of business, sales are the lifeblood that keeps things flowing. However, many individuals fall into the trap of viewing sales through a negative lens. According to sales coach Liz Wendling, if you despise the very thing that sustains your business, you're headed for trouble. But fear not! In today's enlightening episode, Liz shares invaluable insights on how to become a successful salesperson by embracing your unique process and approaching sales with a fresh perspective. To start your transformation, it's crucial to shift your mindset around what sales truly means to you. Rather than conforming to the stereotype of a pushy, aggressive salesperson, seek out the skills and techniques that work best for your personal style. You don't have to sacrifice authenticity for success. Instead, reframe your mindset to see yourself as confident and self-assured. Remember, clients are not drawn to individuals who are overly pushy, but neither are they attracted to those who come across as weak. Find the balan

“Creativity, as an entrepreneur, is the greatest tool that we have,” shares host and business coach Cheri Ruskus. When you think about imagination and the role it plays in your life, what comes to mind? For Cheri, imagination is the cornerstone of her creativity and the key to her vision and passion for her business, as well as in all other areas of her life. Use of the imagination is a skill that everyone has within themselves. Even if you do not think of yourself as a creative person, there are countless ways to tap into your creativity and boost your imagination. Today, Cheri discusses how to go about honoring your creative spirit and growing your imagination. As a child, you likely used your imagination constantly without really having to think about it. This is why Cheri recommends thinking about your inner child when looking for creative inspiration. Think about what you used to enjoy doing as a child. What people, stories, and games fueled your imagination? The more you honor the inner child that still

“Emotional intelligence is an important way to understand yourself, understand others, and really open yourself up to other people's perspectives and what will lead to a happier, healthier, better you,” explains Dr. Gloria Miele, executive coach, leadership trainer, facilitator and professional speaker. In addition to her work in leadership coaching, Dr. Miele was the troop leader for her daughter’s Girl Scouts troop all the way from 2nd grade through their senior year of high school. All of this experience combined has proven to Dr. Miele the true value of emotional intelligence and empathy in leadership. Today, Dr. Miele speaks with host Cheri Ruskus about how leaders can begin to work on their own emotional intelligence and set an example that others will follow. Self-awareness is critical for emotional intelligence. When you are aware of who you are and what is important to you, then you can better decide how to manage your time and where to put your energy and focus. The more you understand yourself, the

“It's the leadership that allows for all to be heard that makes the greatest positive impact,” explains host and business coach Cheri Ruskus. Everyone has a different idea of what it means to be a leader and the most effective leaders are the ones who create an environment where everyone has the freedom to speak their truth and show up as their authentic selves. Today, Cheri shares responses from readers of her weekly Victory Letter to the question, “What does freedom mean to you?” Afterward, she guides listeners through a leadership meditation to encourage people to begin thinking more mindfully about their own personal interpretations of leadership and how to be a leader in a way that enables others to experience freedom. When leaders are mindful of what freedom means for them and their team, they can create a work environment that aligns with everyone’s values. Everyone wants to feel that they are valued and appreciated at work, especially by those in leadership positions. One way to ensure that people fee

“The number one thing I want readers to walk away with is not getting stuck in doubts,” explains Joseph Bennett, life coach and author of a variety of books including, Rest – the Art of Doing Less and his brand new release When in Doubt. In this episode, Joseph joins host Cheri Ruskus to talk about how a person’s money story influences them, the ways capitalism systemically encourages debt accumulation, and his own experiences as an expat living in a creative artist colony in Mexico City. Every culture approaches money differently. Here in the United States there is a big emphasis on keeping up with the Joneses and a lot of pressure around what people do for work. Joseph explains that he has experienced quite the opposite during his time in Mexico City. His neighbors do not seem to be as caught up in the comparison game, and the first question asked at gatherings is about family rather than work. If you have doubts around managing your money, look to those who have already been successful. Give yourself permi

“Acknowledging your money mindset at the ABCs is saying, I am ready to create a new money belief system. Because you can't make the change until you're ready for it,” explains host Cheri Ruskus, founder of Business Victories, an organization dedicated to the success of small business owners. In this episode, Cheri talks about money energy and does a deep dive into the ABCs of money leaks.  As entrepreneurs, having a healthy and positive money mindset is vital for the success of a business. Sometimes when entrepreneurs get down about money, they think just getting a regular job will solve everything. In truth, this solves the cash flow challenges, but not the underlying issue of getting to live the life they desire. Even after experiencing bankruptcy, Cheri realized that she came out of it okay overall. Money was surely important, but it was not everything. And that understanding helped to foster an abundance mindset around money. In order to get a handle on your money mindset, it is important to acknowledge w

“It's important to show people not just the pretty Instagram pictures, or the pretty pictures for the book. I try to show people the sausage making along the way because there is a lot of grit and ugliness to the process as you try to conjure something into existence,” explains Linda Vater, self-taught garden designer and stylist with an impressive YouTube following. In this episode, Linda joins host Cheri to talk about how embracing change can enable you to live a more full life.  When Linda started out her side hustle, she never expected it to become as successful as it has. As a busy entrepreneur, Linda was anxious at first about the idea of uprooting her life and family from their home of 30 years. She knew that her followers were equally attached to her garden, but felt in her gut that it had reached its full potential. Leading up to the move, Linda prepared her followers and shared her journey, even the uncomfortable parts. She strongly believes that by sharing ugly, grittier side of building something

“Looking back, I'm really glad I bet on myself. That was the best thing I could have done,” shares Wendy Conklin, founder of Chair Whimsy. Wendy is an artisan, designer, and educator who uses her chairs to teach others how to bring creativity into their lives. In this episode, Wendy joins host Cheri to talk about the importance of making time for creativity as an adult. Entrepreneurs often struggle with knowing how to involve creativity in their work. No matter what kind of job you have, even if it is not in a particularly creative field, you can still incorporate play. When you get really hands-on, that activity links with your brain and allows for creativity to happen. Allowing yourself to play requires you to allow yourself to mess up. There is great freedom in being able to make mistakes without getting hung up on them. This way you can get into a playful headspace and brainstorm creative solutions in a way that is playful and largely stress-free.  Kids are not the only ones who need to play. Play and cre

“Pay attention to how you're actually spending your time,” encourages host Cheri Ruskus. Time feels like it goes by so quickly and there is never enough of it to complete all of the tasks you want to do in a day. In this episode, Cheri shares 10 time management tips for honoring and making the most of your time every single day. Stop and really think about how you typically spend your time. Do you get hung up procrastinating tasks, getting distracted while trying to multitask, or saying yes to taking on more work indiscriminately? So many things throughout the day are time suckers that are not benefiting you or your business. But with some planning, Cheri explains that you can tweak your business strategy so that your time is better managed. Always begin your day with morning momentum, listen to your body, become more comfortable with saying ‘no’, and learn to ask for help when you need it. The average human attention span is just 8 seconds, so it is very easy to get distracted and lose precious time througho

“It’s not just the clothes, it's how they make you feel,” shares Robyn Balsley, founder of Graceful Impression. Through her work, Robyn empowers women to be more confident and open their minds to the incredible mindset shift that fashion can bring. In this episode, Robyn shares her tips for improving your clothing confidence. Clothing is a big part of determining your mindset for the day. Your fashion and style are ways to express yourself and are the first thing someone sees when they meet you. When you wear sweatpants to work, you won’t feel as productive or as confident about yourself. Even if you are working remotely, get dressed for the day. You may be surprised how much better you feel when you are confident in how you are presenting yourself to the world. It only takes seven seconds to make a first impression, so what you are wearing really does matter. You don’t have to always dress up and wear a suit, but you should still dress appropriately and wear something that makes you feel good about yourself.

“If someone would have told me back then that I would be the person I am today, that I would have spent so many years of my life in sales and become a coach and do all that I have done, I would have said, ‘What are you crazy? That's never going to happen’,” shares host Cheri Ruskus. In all of her experience, Cheri had to learn that self-love and confidence are not things that others can provide for you. In this episode, Cheri discusses her own mental health struggles and tips for building self-confidence through consistency, the law of attraction, and the 12 riches outlined in Napoleon Hill’s book The Master Key to Riches.  Typically whatever you spend the most time doing, those are the activities where you feel most confident. Consistency breeds confidence, but requires a lot of self-discipline. Cheri shares Napoleon Hill’s 12 riches and encourages you to consider what each category looks like in your own life right now. Some of these include mental health, physical health, harmonious relationships, and the

“Remember when social media first started and a lot of people thought it was a fad? This is kind of where we are with live video,” shares Jackson Hole Rose. Jackson Hole Rose spent the majority of her career as a radio show host, but recently decided to shift to the live video space. She helps entrepreneurs incorporate being on camera into their social media business strategies.   People prefer to do business with people they know and that they can verify as being real. By showing yourself to your audience on camera, you come off as more authentic. Jackson Hole Rose spent a lot of time studying influencer behaviors and getting an understanding of how they speak and act on camera. She recommends that business owners try out the live video space in addition to pre-recorded video, because live video provides opportunities for building relationships with your audience.  Adding video to your business growth strategy will help you to connect more with your audience. There is so much AI generated content nowadays, f

“A morning is a beautiful thing. Don't waste it by just getting through it and getting to the other side of it. Be in it. Enjoy it. Let it take you to new heights,” shares host Cheri Ruskus. As entrepreneurs, it is often difficult to quiet our brains and focus. Cheri struggled with this herself and did not think she could ever be good at meditation until she discovered morning momentum.  You would be surprised how much a morning practice can really change your day when you commit to it. Mornings can be very chaotic and challenging for people, especially if you are not a morning person. However, you can change how you feel about mornings by creating a ritual that gives you dedicated time just for yourself. Pick out the coziest spot in your home and commit to spending time with yourself each morning. You can meditate, read a page of a book, watch something insightful, or even listen to music. Anything that helps to wake up your senses and put you into a good mindset for your day is welcome in your morning pract

“I'm an expert. I was already an expert. But now I have the book,” explains Tina Larsson, Author and CEO of The Folson Group. As entrepreneurs, we are often encouraged to leave our day jobs to focus on our businesses. Familiar with this dilemma herself, Tina shares how different coaches, from speaking coaches to business coaches, gave her the confidence to control her input and achieve incredible, almost impossible-seeming results. Throughout her entrepreneurial journey, coaching has been Tina’s key to success. When she first left her company after ten years, the CEO encouraged her to start a new business at their office while she got started. This experience led to her leaving and creating the Folson Group, which consults co-op and condo board members on managing projects and reducing expenses. From there, she found coaches who gave her Linkedin advice, encouraged her to speak at networking events, and eventually encouraged her to write a book, which she did in record time. Without leaving her job, she would

“A good coach will ask you to do things or think about things that you may have never been asked before,” explains host Cheri Ruskus. Hiring a coach is invaluable as you examine your business goals. As a coach to entrepreneurs herself, Cheri explores valuable business advice and how it can lead to further success. Today, Cheri breaks down 101 reasons to hire a coach. A decent coach will help you gain referrals, provide marketing tips, and offer networking ideas. Although you may think you can do it all yourself, having a knowledgeable person available will give you the freedom and the confidence to do more. Whether you’re looking to change your mindset or brush up on a new skill, there are many reasons to make a coach part of your team. With this new year ahead, make coaching part of your business plan. Learn more about what to avoid when hiring a coach, speaking benefits, not product features, and cutting out distractions. Quotes “We can all do better with a coach by our side, whether you have one in your b

“To put yourself out there, it's confronting, challenging, and there was a lot of fear,” explains Jena Bedson, Ceramic Artist, and Art Therapist. No one should let fear stop them from going after their bright shiny objects. Having her own experience with insecurity and fear, Jena shares how she moved past her imposter syndrome to help other artists unleash their creativity to the world.  During the pandemic, Jena took the time to ponder what she wanted to do next. She then became in touch with a fellow creative named Tessa, who helped her put on online ceramic workshops: her bright shiny object. Although being public in this way was initially outside of Jena's comfort zone, she committed to seeing it through and has met wonderful people as a result. Imposter syndrome is common, but we can’t let it stop us from chasing our dreams. Learn more about  Jena’s inspiration for her online programs, the encouraging nature of her ceramic workshops, and how she pushed past her introverted tendencies to help make her wor

“Goals are what end up bringing us back to what we truly want when a bright, shiny new idea gets a hold of us,” explains host Cheri Ruskus. As an entrepreneur, Cheri understands that new strategies can be exciting but often distract us from the big picture. Today, she shares her insights on differentiating what we genuinely want and what is fleeting to formulate a plan that works. It’s essential to shed the idea of the person you thought you should be and embrace who you are. When you commit to being yourself, you can evaluate your goals to determine what is serving you and what is not. When your goals align with your greater vision for your life, they are the bright shiny objects that can keep you on the right path. Even if things don’t go as planned, doing what brings you joy will make it all worthwhile. Follow the goals that match what matters most to you. Learn more about strengthening your creative spirit, tracking your progress with a planner system, and finding your purpose in business and life. Quotes

“Private cheffing is a big, bright, shiny object for me because I realized that I could really do it on my own terms,” explains guest Bailey Ruskus aka Chef Bai. On today’s podcast, host Cheri Ruskus interviews someone very near and dear to her heart, her daughter. A vegan chef who successfully navigated a male-dominated field, Bailey shares her entrepreneurial journey and the bright shiny objects she found along the way. When Bailey first went to culinary school, she quickly realized that being a restaurant chef was not for her. Not interested in dealing with a culture of sexism and grinding, Bailey switched her focus to becoming a private chef. Now, Bailey uses her love of food to promote wellness and health to her followers while calling out the corporations who force us to live in a toxic environment. Every entrepreneur is driven by making passion a way of life. Learn more about Bailey’s reflection on youth, her client experiences, and the process of writing a book. Quotes “The more eyes on you, the more

“We must be actively aware and mindful of the ideas that are bright, shiny objects taking us places we actually want to go,” explains host Cheri Ruskus, CEO, Author, and Business Coach. Formerly the Business Victories Podcast, Cheri welcomes you to The Bright Shiny Object Podcast. While the show will still focus on all things entrepreneur, she’s ready to deep-dive into the new ideas that either bring innovation to our business or distract us from our goals. If you’re a true entrepreneur, you see shiny objects that others do not. You may stay up all night with new ideas you’re dying to try, but it’s essential to understand you may either be led to success or the wrong rabbit hole entirely. However, it’s normal for some ideas to die and some to thrive as you navigate your entrepreneurial journey and enjoy the magic of chasing your dreams. The road of a small business owner isn’t easy, but it’s extremely rewarding. Learn more about Cheri’s goal to motivate like-minded individuals, the common traits of an entrepr

This week's episode does some exploration in finding your Inner child. That part of you that keeps you smiling and in the process can be your greatest source for confidence.