OTS 238: Head, Hands, and Heart – Bridgett McGowen-Hawkins

Today’s guest believes everyone can use their voice to impact the world. She’s found that to be true for her own career as an award-winning international professional speaker and as a publisher who helps experts become authors.

She has written several books and compiled compelling stories for several additional books. These include “REAL TALK: What Other Experts Won't Tell You About How to Make Presentations That Sizzle,” “A Collective Breath: Stories of Being Black in America and Visions of Change,” and her newest book “Upward: Leadership Lessons for Women on the Rise.”

She has served as a faculty member for the Texas A&M University System, a Certified Advanced Facilitator and faculty trainer for the University of Phoenix, and a professional development consultant. She has presented for companies and organizations such as Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Vanguard Investments, and Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Please join me in welcoming Bridgett McGowen-Hawkins.

Would you leave an honest rating and review on Apple Podcast? Or Stitcher? They are extremely helpful and I read each and every one of them. Thanks for the inspiration!

In this episode we discuss:

• her thoughts on leadership: “Leadership is the three H’s. Head, hands, and heart. Your followers know the objectives from your heads, have the tools you provided in their hands, and believe what is in your heart and are built up by your leadership.”
• her early childhood days of having her nose in a book, copying definitions from a dictionary, and thinking her peers were lame.
• her dream of being a news anchor and the passionate reason why that was her goal as a child.
• her beginning of teaching professionals how to teach and how that evolved into being a professional speaker.
• how publishing a book has helped to grow her network.
• how knowing what people need and being able to deliver that can create new opportunities.
• how she nurtures and sustains her network by pouring into others and sharing knowledge.

Links

• Bridgett McGowen-Hawkins on LinkedIn and Twitter.
• www.connectwithb.com
• www.bmctalkspress.com

Books mentioned in this episode:

• “Upward: Leadership Lessons for Women on the Rise” by Bridgett McGowen-Hawkins
• “Redesign Your 9-to-5: Advice and Strategies from 50 of the World’s Most Ambitious Business Owners and Entrepreneurs” by Bridgett McGowen-Hawkins
• “REAL TALK: What Other Experts Won't Tell You About How to Make Presentations That Sizzle” by Bridgett McGowen
• “Own the Microphone: How 50 of the World's Best Professional Speakers Launched Their Careers (And How You Can, Too!)” by Bridgett McGowen
• “A Collective Breath: Stories of Being Black in America and Visions of Change” by Bridgett McGowen-Hawkins
• “Show Up and Show Out: 52 Communication Habits to Make You Unforgettable” by Bridgett McGowen
• “Rise and Sizzle: Daily Communication and Presentation Strategies for Sales, Business, and Higher Ed Pros” by Bridgett McGowen
• “1 Habit: 100 Habits from the World’s Happiest Achievers” by Bridgett McGowen
• “Master Your Message: The Workbook” by Bridgett McGowen

Other Resources

• Learn more about Les Brown.
• Learn more about Lisa Nichols.
• Learn more about the National Speakers Association (NSA).

About Robbie:

Robbie Samuels wrote “How to Host a Virtual a Happy Hour” for Harvard Business Review, was quoted in “The History of the Webinar and Why It Should Be History” in Forbes, and recognized as an “industry expert in the field of digital event design” by JDC Events. He is a Certified Virtual Convener and Certified Virtual Presenter.

As a Virtual Event Design Consultant and Executive Zoom Producer, he assists organizations with bringing their in-person events strategically online. He provides virtual event design strategy, emceeing, production (managing the tech, including chat and breakout rooms), and training/supporting presenters.

His clients include national and statewide advocacy organizations, including the California WIC Association, Feeding America, Visiting Nurse Service of New York, Association of Talent & Development chapter, The National At-Home Dad Network, the California Notary Symposium, and the U.S. Embassy in Mexico.

He created The 5% Advantage Program, a four-week certification program that helps presenters and meeting professionals grow in their confidence with Zoom, online facilitation, and virtual event design so they can reduce their tech angst and host more engaging online experiences. Participants have the opportunity to become Certified Virtual Event Professional #NoMoreBadZoom.

Since March 13, 2020, he has hosted #NoMoreBadZoom Virtual Happy Hours, a weekly virtual event that explores new ways to design engaging virtual experiences while creating opportunities for networking. This event attracts 50-60 participants each week, 50% of them have attended 8 or more times, 20% have attended more than 20 times.

PRE- AND BEYOND VIRTUAL EVENTS

Robbie is also a keynote speaker, TEDx speaker, and business growth strategist who has been recognized as a “networking expert” by Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Lifehacker, and Inc. He is the author of the best-selling business book Croissants vs. Bagels: Strategic, Effective, and Inclusive Networking at Conferences and has been profiled in the Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Fast Company. He writes for Harvard Business Review Ascend.

He has been featured in several books including Stand Out: How to Find Your Breakthrough Idea and Build a Following Around It by Dorie Clark and The Connector’s Advantage: 7 Mindsets to Grow Your Influence and Impact by Michelle Tillis Lederman. Since 2016, Robbie has hosted his On the Schmooze podcast which features his interviews with talented professionals sharing their untold stories of leadership and networking.

He has guest lectured at many leading educational institutions including Harvard University, Brown University, Cornell University, and Northeastern University. He has presented for associations, women’s leadership summits, and corporations including Marriott, AmeriCorps, Hostelling International, and General Assembly.

READ his “9 Ways to Network in a Pandemic” – www.robbiesamuels.com/9ways

SIGN UP for his free weekly #NoMoreBadZoom Virtual Happy Hours – www.NoMoreBadZoom.com

Keynote Speaker

Interested in booking Robbie to speak? At www.robbiesamuels.com/speaking you’ll find video clips and a description of his signature session, Art of the Schmooze. Call 617-600-8240 to speak directly with Robbie.

Watch his TEDx talk “Hate networking? Stop bageling and be the croissant!” at www.robbiesamuels.com/TEDx.

The 5% Advantage Program – #NoMoreBadZoom

Are virtual events a big part of your business plan? People have started to be less forgiving when it comes to bad Zoom, causing “Zoom fatigue.”

• You need the confidence and skills to up your game. The problem is that there are so many new pieces of technology to master quickly that you can feel stuck, overwhelmed, and like you’re running out of time.
• The reason options are overwhelming is that you’re trying to go from zero to 100 immediately, when — to make the most of your time — focusing on getting 5% better every time you host would allow you to focus on the most important and highest-impact options.
• Why? Because you know it’s true that if you try to do everything, you will accomplish nothing. This means, to achieve your goal, you have to invest in a strategy to put time on your side.
• How? The 5% Advantage Program teaches online facilitation and virtual event design, but even more so, give you the tools for reflection and continuous improvement.
• Through this interactive and experiential 4-week program you will grow in your confidence with Zoom, online facilitation, and virtual event design so you can reduce your tech angst and host more engaging online experiences that meet the purpose of the convening and participants’ need for content and connection.
• The time to start getting 5% better is now because you will be sought out, not just for your expertise, but for your ability to deliver that expertise on an interactive virtual platform.
• Interested to learn more about this program and get on the waitlist? Details at www.the5percentadvantage.com.

Business Growth Strategist & Business Coach

As a relationship-based business growth strategist, I work directly with a limited number of self-employed professionals, aka solopreneurs.

WHO YOU ARE:

You want to have a greater impact and increased income. The problem is that there are so many options for how to build your business that you can feel stuck, overwhelmed, and like you’re running out of time.

The reason options are overwhelming is that you’re looking at them as a series of disconnected steps, when to make the most of your time, you need a strategy that connects only the most important and highest impact ones.

You know that if you try to do everything, you’ll accomplish nothing. This means, to achieve your goal, you have to invest in a strategy to put time on your side.

What’s Included:

As a relationship-based business growth strategist, I will work with you to design a year-long plan that consists of three 12-week sprints, each followed by 4 weeks of reflection/assessment, rejuvenation/vacation, and strategic planning. This will allow you to sequence your goals, create momentum, and leverage your limited time.

We can build your plan through a half-day strategy session, a coaching engagement, or a mastermind program.

These are not right for everyone; they’re personalized offerings and are priced accordingly.

What might you work on?

In my coaching work with entrepreneurs and solopreneurs, we focus on the areas where you’d like to grow, which may include:

• Creating a strong sales conversation framework
• Building your referral network
• Lead generation through a relationships
• Growing your visibility in your industry
• Increasing your ability to attract the right kind of clients
• Identifying and launching a minimally-viable offer
• Breaking through whatever bottleneck is holding you back from getting the results you want and deserve
• Becoming a published author and marketing your book successfully
• Improving your virtual presentation skills

Ready to get started or have questions? Contact me. I’m excited to support you in reaching or exceeding your goals.

Stay Connected:

• Connect with Robbie on LinkedIn
• @RobbieSamuels on Twitter and Instagram
• New to his website? Start here
• On the Schmooze podcast archive – weekly since July 2016!

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Affiliate Links: Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links above are “affiliate links”. This means that if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products and services I use personally and believe will add value to my listeners. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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