Empowering Entrepreneurs by Glenn & Julie

Episode Summary:

‍In this episode of the Empowering Entrepreneurs podcast, hosts Glenn Harper and Julie Smith interview Dr. Carrie Graham about her entrepreneurial journey from athletic training to adult learning consulting. Dr. Graham shares how growing up in Connecticut's insurance industry household didn't prepare her for entrepreneurship, but her experiences as a shy person navigating Division 1 athletics taught her to be comfortable with discomfort and find her authentic voice. The conversation explores her transition from healthcare provider to university professor to consultant, driven by frustration with ineffective training programs and ultimately losing her job during COVID. Dr. Graham discusses the pivotal moment at her dining room table when she realized she didn't need external validation to make business decisions, having been empowered by her PhD and years of experience. The hosts examine her calm, measured approach to consulting, which she brands as "calm consultations," contrasting it with typical high-pressure business environments. Dr. Graham explains how her superpower lies in listening to what is said and not said, helping clients understand their training programs need to focus on their audience rather than just content delivery. The discussion covers the loneliness of entrepreneurship, the importance of mentorship, and how businesses often fail because they lack knowledge about effective training practices rather than having malicious intent. Dr. Graham emphasizes that successful training requires understanding your audience deeply, moving beyond demographics to truly know who learners are as people. The episode concludes with her vision of living peacefully while helping others transform their businesses through better learning experiences.

‍

Listen Here > https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/listening-skills-assertiveness-and-entrepreneurship/id1596506255?i=1000666103248

‍

10 Key Points:

1. Entrepreneurship can be lonely when you're the first in your family to take that path, requiring self-validation rather than external approval
2. Being comfortable with discomfort is essential for both personal growth and business success
3. Losing a job can be the catalyst needed to finally pursue your true calling and use your skills authentically
4. You don't need to be an expert at everything as an entrepreneur - focus on your strengths and delegate or outsource the rest
5. Effective training programs fail not because of malicious intent but because of lack of knowledge about adult learning best practices
6. Understanding your audience as people (not just demographics) is more important than having great content
7. Calm, measured delivery can be more effective than high-pressure tactics in consulting and business
8. Your authentic personality traits can become your greatest business assets when properly leveraged
9. Mentorship networks are crucial for entrepreneurial success, even if you don't have a single formal mentor
10. The goal of business consulting should be empowering clients to eventually succeed independently

10 Takeaways/Action Items:

1. Stop seeking external validation for business decisions - trust your expertise and experience
2. Embrace discomfort as a necessary part of growth and don't wait until your back is against the wall to act
3. Identify and leverage your natural personality traits as business advantages rather than trying to be someone else
4. Focus on understanding your audience as complete people rather than just demographic categories
5. Build a network of like-minded entrepreneurs and mentors even if you can't find one perfect mentor
6. Delegate technical tasks that aren't your strength so you can focus on what you do best
7. Create systems and approaches that reflect your authentic self rather than copying others
8. Assess training programs based on research and best practices, not just popular trends or entertainment value
9. Listen to both what clients say and what they don't say to identify real underlying needs
10. Maintain work-life balance and personal peace while building your business to avoid burnout

Key Insights:

‍Dr. Graham emphasizes that effective business training requires deep understanding of your audience as complete human beings rather than focusing solely on content delivery, and that many training failures result from lack of knowledge about adult learning best practices rather than malicious intent. She advocates for entrepreneurs to embrace their authentic personality traits as business assets, demonstrating that calm, measured approaches can be more effective than high-pressure tactics when properly leveraged with expertise and confidence.

‍

Resources‍

Listen Here > https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/listening-skills-assertiveness-and-entrepreneurship/id1596506255?i=1000666103248

Read >  Capture Critical Expertise Before They Retire

Subscribe > C.A.L.M. Email for weekly industry insights

‍