Alissa Finerman

Los Angeles Executive Coach and Gallup Certified StrengthsFinder Coach, Speaker and Author

Living in Your Top 1% Interview Series with Jenni Luke – Resilience is Built From Confidence

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The goal of the “Living in Your Top 1%” interview series is to break down the qualities of people who excel and to show that you can be successful and achieve personal greatness from any starting point in your life. The interview series looks at people from all different careers and industries. Some names will be familiar and others may not. The purpose is to understand and borrow from the “best practices” of winners to develop a roadmap to YOUR TOP 1%. We will share a new story each month.

This month’s guest is Jenni Luke, CEO of Step Up Women’s Network, a nonprofit, professional membership organization based in Los Angeles. In this role, she leads one of the most sought-after women’s groups in the country in its second decade of service. Overseeing Step Up’s offices in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York, Jenni directs the organization’s objective of helping women and girls reach their potential.

Jenni and Step Up have been featured in numerous media outlets, including Inc., Real Simple, W, CBS Moneywatch, Yahoo! and The Huffington Post. She is also a regular workplace contributor to MariaShriver.com. She was selected as one of 2012’s 100 Remarkable Women by ClaudiaChan.com. I met Jenni at a breakfast in LA at the Viceroy Hotel and was impressed with her focus, passion, and authenticity. This is a woman and organization that is truly making a difference.

Alissa Finerman: What’s the most important strength you possess that allows you to excel in your role?
Jenni Luke: Building consensus through open and honest communication. I may not get a unanimous endorsement of a direction I want to lead us in, but I always try to include all of the voices that want to be heard. I want to understand the full picture before making decisions.

AF: What does success mean to you?
JL: When I align everything in my life around my core values it makes everything I do have meaning, which makes me feel very successful!

AF: What motivates you on a daily basis to keep going?
JL: Back in college my sister sent me one of those ‘you must fill this out and send it to 10 friends immediately or you will have bad luck for life’ emails. The one question that struck me was ‘What is the worst thing that could happen to you?’ The answer that came immediately to me was ‘Not living up to my potential.’ I’m motivated to live up to my own potential and help others recognize theirs.

AF: Step Up is a unique organization in that it has a very clear and passionate vision and implements these powerful ideas into action. You make change happen. What role do goals play for the organization and can you share a few sentences about the goal setting process?
JL: Whenever you are trying to create impact – whether getting underserved teen girls to graduate high school and go on to college or by growing the number of women taking advantage of our member programs – you have to measure your efforts to determine if you’re reaching your goals. As an organization that is moving from start-up to growth, we tend to set aggressive goals and are very focused on reporting progress against them. Our goal-setting process includes input from our board of directors on down to every staff member. It is always a balance between what we need to achieve and what we hope to achieve. Given that our mission is so motivating, we set high goals and stretch to do all we can to meet them. If we don’t meet a goal, we assess why and apply it back to our work. If we do meet a goal, we assess why and try to duplicate it. We always share practices across our organization to make sure we’re supporting all efforts. Goals, progress and impact are a constant conversation.

AF: What are some of the challenges you have overcome in building Step Up Women’s Network?
JL: I think what makes Step Up’s story so remarkable is that we were a volunteer- run organization from 1998-2006. Our volunteer board members devoted hours and hours of their time to keep the mission moving forward. Since 2006, we’ve grown tremendously and inevitably, that evolution has meant change. With professional staff and programs for women and girls running in three cities, maintaining a grassroots feel is sometimes a challenge. We strive to maintain the core values of Step Up while continuing to grow to serve more women and girls.

AF: Step Up truly makes a difference in the lives of so many underserved girls (not women). How do you do this?
JL: Step Up is dedicated to igniting women and girls to fulfill their potential. Step Up creates and implements impactful after-school and weekend programs that empower teen girls from under-resourced communities to be confident, college-bound, and career-ready; propels professional women through connections, collaborations, and continuous development; and inspires its network to invest in the future success of girls through mentorship and financial support. It is this combination of the women and girls that differentiates us from other organizations and is having tremendous impact.

AF: What are some of the most meaningful accomplishments for Step Up?
JL: We are incredibly proud that in 2010 and 2011, 100% of Step Up seniors graduated high school and were accepted to college. The vast majority of these girls were the first in their family to go to college and often were the first in their family to graduate high school. The key to achieving this is by first giving the girls a foundation of confidence and then turning that motivation into action around college and career exploration. You can’t be what you can’t see. Introducing our Step Up teens to our Step Up women is like watching magic happen.

AF: You meet so many women during the year from women who hold senior level positions to teenagers in need, what are some of the themes you see for people who excel?
JL: We did a study of our teen programs with pro bono support from Deloitte. After interviewing educators and our alumnae alike, the number one common trait they highlighted as necessary to success was resilience. This is specific to our group of girls from underserved communities who have a lot to overcome. But I think it applies to everyone. Resilience is built from confidence. You can’t be effective at anything without belief in yourself.

To learn more about Jenni Luke and Step Up Women’s Network, please visit their website.

About Alissa
The “Living in Your Top 1%” interview series is presented by Alissa Finerman, a Business/Life Coach, motivational speaker, and author of the book, “Living in Your Top 1%: Nine Essential Rituals to Achieve Your Ultimate Life Goals” which is available on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. She has an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and a BA from the University of California, Berkeley. To learn more please visit, AlissaFinerman.com and Facebook.com/AlissaFinermantop1.com.

Living in Your Top 1% Interview Series with Dr. Allison Belger – the Power of Community

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The goal of the “Living in Your Top 1%” interview series is to break down the qualities of people who excel and to show that you can be successful and achieve personal greatness from any starting point in your life. The interview series looks at people from all different careers and industries. Some names will be familiar and others may not. The purpose is to understand and borrow from the “best practices” of winners to develop a roadmap to YOUR TOP 1%. We will share a new story each month.

This week’s guest is Allison Belger — psychologist, author, mom, fitness coach, and co-owner of four CrossFit affiliate gyms. I’m excited to share that her first book, The Power of Community, is now available. She highlights why it’s important to build communities in our lives in order to thrive and how a strong community can motivate people to push beyond perceived limits. A former division-one collegiate soccer player and five-time marathoner, she understands community and has embraced it to help herself and others to excel and lead fulfilling lives. She graduated from Dartmouth College, earned her Master’s Degree from Northwestern University, and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Wright Institute in Berkeley, California.

I’ve known Allison for more than 30 years and it’s a treat to include her in the Living in Your Top 1% interview series…

“When you have a group of people surrounding you, the landscape is limitless and the possibilities endless.” – Allison Belger

Alissa: What’s the most important strength you possess that allows you to excel in your role?
Allison Belger: I have a great ability to focus on a task at hand and crank out the work that needs to be done, regardless of whatever else is going on in my life. I am an extremely efficient worker – comes with being Type A and preferring to get things off of my plate – instead of having them linger on some unwritten to-do list. I think I possess a good combination of high expectations of others and an ability to motivate them to do their best, while also knowing when to let a softer side come through and allow the needs and desires of others to be heard and met when possible.

AF: What does success mean to you?
AB: Success means doing something to which you have chosen to apply yourself in a way that makes you feel good about the outcome. You decide what you take on, and you do it well.

AF: What motivates you on a daily basis to keep going?
AB: My family provides the ultimate motivation to “keep going” in the grand sense of the phrase, but my commitment to myself is what drives me within pursuits I have sought out based on interest and genetic inclination. Pleasing others is not much of a motivation for me, but of course if the end result of my commitment to myself is that I’ve done something others appreciate, then that’s great!

AF: What role do goals play in your life?
AB: I have to admit, I’ve never been much of a list-maker or specific goal-setter. It may be why I struggle with balance in my life (see balance question below). I have always allowed my goals to evolve organically, and thus the effort put toward those goals flows unformed at times, as well. This works for me, but it doesn’t work for everyone. Some people need, and respond well to, more structure.

AF: Why is community so important?
AB: We are social animals. We are driven to make connections with other people. We usually perform better in groups. Social support allows us to dig deep and access parts of ourselves that would otherwise remain dormant. In the comfort of friends and supporters, we are freer to take risks, allow ourselves to be vulnerable, and push beyond the limits of our comfort zone, all of which lead to greater outcomes.

AF: How can we create community in our lives?
AB: Become a volunteer at an organization whose mission jives with your ideals and values. Many non-profits are centered around creating community for populations in need, so there’s the added bonus that while you are becoming part of a community, you are also creating one for others less fortunate.

Go on an outdoor adventure lead by a trusted adventure outfitter. When stripped of the external trappings of everyday life, we learn much about ourselves and experience the critical nature of interpersonal support.

Join some kind of group exercise program. CrossFit is a great one. It is a functional fitness program whose culture is all about community. You’ll experience for yourself why people can do so much more than they ever thought possible, given group support and affiliation.

AF: You now own four CrossFit gyms and have created a powerful community. What are your challenges as a mom, wife, and business owner to keep some form of balance in your life?
AB: Like so many people who wear multiple hats and have many obligations and passions, I often struggle to keep balance in my life. My success at doing so is variable, to be honest! I’m a pretty obsessive person by nature, which means that I have a hard time letting go of projects and leaving behind my work life when I’m in the role of mom. Working out is one form of release and balance for me, but even that has become complicated, since my workouts have become so intertwined with my work life. I recently started doing some mini-meditation exercises throughout the day, and this seems to be helping with that balance quite a bit.

Ultimately, the most effective way to find balance is to look at my kids and remind myself what they need and how little they care about many of the things by which I can become consumed. If you don’t have kids and cannot make use of this perspective, perhaps think of the child in you needing something from the busy, working adult in you.

AF: What are some of your most meaningful accomplishments?
AB: Becoming a wife and mother, becoming a psychologist, and having my first book published. I am also incredibly proud of having helped to create our TJ’s Gym community of over one-thousand members whose lives are getting better, one workout at a time, one interpersonal connection at a time.

AF: What do the top performers do differently to excel?
AB: Top performers care enough to make sacrifices that will allow them to excel. They set realistic but far-reaching goals and know what it takes to achieve them. They surround themselves with people who share their commitment to excellence, and they make meaningful connections with those people as part of their process. They are not afraid to take a few steps backward, working on the foundations despite their public reputation as an expert or top performer. This ability to be vulnerable and to check one’s ego at the door is a huge part of what leads to greatness.

** To learn more about Allison, please visit her website and to learn about her new book, The Power of Community, please click here.

About Alissa
The “Living in Your Top 1%” interview series is presented by Alissa Finerman, an Executive Coach and Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, speaker and author of Living in YOUR Top 1%. She works with managers, C-suite executives and teams to leverage strengths, shift beliefs and achieve meaningful goals. Alissa has an MBA from the Wharton School and a BA from the University of California, Berkeley. She has worked with Ross Stores, Petco, BNP Paribas, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Brookfield Property Partners, Neutrogena, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Dress for Success. To learn more about coaching with Alissa, please visit her website and follow her on Facebook

 

Living in Your Top 1% Interview Series with Julie Weiss – “If you can dream it, you can achieve it”

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The goal of the “Living in Your Top 1%” interview series is to break down the qualities of people who excel and to show that you can be successful and achieve personal greatness from any starting point in your life. The interview series looks at people from all different careers and industries. Some names will be familiar and others may not. The purpose is to understand and borrow from the “best practices” of winners to develop a roadmap to YOUR TOP 1%. We will share a new story each month.

This week’s guest is Julie Weiss aka the Marathon Goddess. I first met Julie at my book signing in LA at Barnes & Noble. She shared her exciting journey of running 52 marathons in 52 weeks to raise money/awareness for Pancreatic Cancer (which took her father’s life). She had a lot of amazing ideas that she wanted to put into action and I loved her energy and passion to make a difference. We spent some time working together and she’s never looked back.

Julie is taking on a huge challenge with an open heart and determination and is filled with much hope. She is putting her dream into action and we wish you the best of luck on your incredible journey. She will featured in the upcoming documentary about running, “Spirit of the Marathon 2.”

Alissa Finerman: What’s the most important strength you possess that allows you to be successful in your role?
Julie Weiss: I have always been a very positive and optimistic person. That’s a huge strength. Even before I started running, I knew there was the opportunity for greatness within me, and running has helped bring it out. Running has given me a gift. Through running I have discovered things I didn’t even think were possible. Many people will look outside of themselves for strength and or happiness, whether it is clothes, a new car, food, etc. I believe and have found that when you are optimistic it creates opportunity and allows people to achieve the impossible. I also like to surround myself with positive people and spread inspiration and hope wherever I go.

AF: What does success mean to you?
JW: I believe success is doing what you love. In order to be successful I truly believe the only way to achieve that is to love yourself first. It has to start with you.

Success comes from within.

Success is being healthy, waking up every day and being grateful that you are alive. By having a feeling of gratitude and love, this will allow you to go after your dreams with greater passion than you ever thought possible. Success comes from the heart, not from your bank account. The heart has beats and to be successful you need to make sure those beats are spent wisely and for a purpose. To me, that is success!

AF: What inspired you to start Marathon Goddess and pursue such an incredible goal (run 52 marathons and raise money for Pancreatic Cancer)?
JW: My father, Maurice Weiss, was my greatest fan and most challenging critic. He was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer in October 2010 and I lost him only a month later. Our greatest dream was for him to see me qualify for the Boston Marathon where we would go together. I ran the Sacramento Marathon for him two weeks after he passed. I finally qualified for the Boston Marathon on December 5th, 2010, after nineteen attempts. I ran it in 3:47, finishing with my fingers pointing to him in heaven. In 2011, I ran Boston and although my dad wasn’t there in person to see me run, I know he had the best seat in the house — my heart.

My father always did things in a big way. After I ran Boston, I knew there was more I could do. I had heard of people running 52 marathons and thought, why not me? I can do that! And now, I am running with greater passion and purpose to help change the course of history and raise over one million dollars to find a cure for Pancreatic Cancer. One of the goals is to increase public awareness and government focus on finding cures for the nation’s fourth leading cause of cancer deaths.

AF: What motivates you on a daily basis to keep going?
JW: To stay in the moment and be grateful for the miracles in your life. This includes appreciating the small things, like a flower or your car, and bigger things such as your children, pet, home, or friends. Often, we get so overwhelmed with life but if you pause for a moment, there is so much to be grateful for. It is a collection of seeing the sweetness in all things good and the blessings even in the bad.

If you can dream it, you can achieve it.

AF: What role do goals play in your life?
JW: Setting goals and benchmarks will be critical in my upcoming journey. My #1 goal is to stay healthy so I can make this all possible!

AF: What obstacles/challenges did you have to overcome to start this new venture, 52 For You? How did people react to your idea?
JW: They said it was the worst thing they have ever heard. Some of the obstacles included overcoming the doubters, breaking out of my comfort zone, believing in my vision, and staying determined to redefine what’s possible. Stay tuned…

AF: What are some of your most meaningful accomplishments?
JW: My children, meeting David (my fiance), being a group leader for the LA Roadrunners, and being on a mission to change the course of history for Pancreatic Cancer.

AF: What do the top performers do differently to excel?
JW: They have a great attitude, a support system, and an unstoppable will.

AF: What’s next for the Marathon Goddess?
JW: Meeting with top government officials, appearing in a running documentary, writing a book, speaking around the world, and gaining federal funding for Pan Can.

Please visit Marathon Goddess to learn more about Julie and her fabulous journey. You can also donate to Pancreatic Cancer Action Network directly through her site and help make a difference, Marathon Goddess.

***

About Alissa

Alissa Finerman is an Executive Coach and Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, speaker and author of Living in YOUR Top 1%. She works with managers, C-suite executives and teams to leverage strengths, shift beliefs and achieve meaningful goals. Alissa has an MBA from the Wharton School and a BA from the University of California, Berkeley. She has worked with Ross Stores, Petco, BNP Paribas, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Brookfield Property Partners, Neutrogena, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Dress for Success. To learn more about coaching with Alissa, please visit her website and follow her on Facebook

Living in Your Top 1% Interview Series with Heather Howell – Failure is not an Option

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The goal of the “Living in Your Top 1%” interview series is to break down the qualities of people who excel and to show that you can be successful and achieve personal greatness from any starting point in your life. The interview series looks at people from all different careers and industries. Some names will be familiar and others may not. The purpose is to understand and borrow from the “best practices” of winners to develop a roadmap to YOUR TOP 1%. We will share a new story each month.

This week’s guest is Heather Howell, the C’Tea’O (Chief Tea Officer) of Rooibee Red Tea. Her focus is on building the company and brand and raising money to fund additional growth. Heather has 15 years experience as a strategic partner for Fortune 500 and Fortune 100 companies. She is moving outside her comfort zone and excelling in her new role. She says when talking about her plans and goals for the emerging new beverage, “Failure is not an option.” Rooibee Red Tea is brewed and bottled in Louisville using Rooibos, a plant found only in South Africa. It’s an organic product that is high in antioxidants and naturally caffeine-free, which the health conscious consumers are loving.

I had the pleasure of spending time with Heather at the National Association of Women MBA’s (NAWMBA) Conference in Dallas, TX earlier this year. She serves on the National Board of Director’s of NAWMBA and was the ‘Chair’ of the Conference. She is innovative, smart, engaging, and high-energy. Heather does an amazing job of juggling her current high-powered role as C’Tea’O plus being a mom and wife.

Alissa Finerman: What’s the most important strength you possess that allows you to be successful in your role?
Heather Howell: Prior to becoming C’Tea’O of Rooibee Red Tea, my background was in people. I have over 15 years in Human Resources. I learned through working with top level executives and Fortune companies around the country, the key to success is hiring the best people for the job. For me, I have a good sense of self. I understand my weaknesses and lack ego. Therefore, I surround myself with talent that has strengths where I am weak. I also look for individuals who have crazy passion around their work and our brand.

AF: What does success mean to you?
HH: Success is inspiring others, in particular, other women. Success is small victories and seeing women break through barriers. I mentioned in an article once, that I want to create a world where, together, women break through the glass ceiling and dance on top of it. Success is making the world better for my children.

AF: What inspired you to leave a career you were doing well in to take a leadership role to build Rooibee Red Tea?
HH: It was a pivotal moment. I was making six figures, I had just been added to the Management Incentive Plan, I was also carrying the full family benefit coverage, I had access to an executive cafeteria that I still dream about, and all the resources one can imagine. However, my thinking and my actions were different. My ideas were creative and I was sprinting on a corporate treadmill that was engineered to move at a certain ‘turtle’ speed. At the time, I was watching men get promoted and during my time in Human Resources I had access to diversity numbers – when I saw that there were only .04% of women in Director level roles, I left and have never looked back.

AF: What motivates you on a daily basis to keep going?
HH: I am a mother to two children (boy and girl).
I am a wife.
I am a businesswoman.
I am board member.
I am a mentor.
I am a role model.
I am a community leader.
I am better at all of the above when I am working.
I feel that I am making a difference.
I am changing the statistics.
That’s what keeps me motivated.

AF: How do you “balance” running a company, being a mom, wife, and making time for yourself?
HH: I get a lot of sh*t for this comment and so I am going to add context around it…
“BALANCE IS FOR BALLERINA’s!”
I heard this quote from another working/mom – Amy Franko.
My life as a C’Tea’O of Rooibee Red Tea and C’Mommy’O of my household does not provide a daily balanced regime. My schedule shifts depending on the work, and many times it is not planned. The truth of the matter is, it’s not easy to be a working mother. You still have to do the laundry, buy the birthday gifts, do the Christmas shopping, plan the birthday parties, buy groceries, cook, entertain, and provide the love and support of friends and extended family. When my children are sick, or there is a snow day, the balance shifts and I have to create virtual solutions, or lean on my business colleagues for support. When, I have to travel or be gone for extended periods, it’s tough. My husband and I do not outsource our child care. One of us is home by 5:30pm every day. I don’t want to neglect the fact that my spouse has an equally intense career, as he is an M.D. in a very specialized field, he is a pediatric ophthalmologist.

Thus, I have stopped apologizing and have embraced the fact that balance is not in my repertoire. I get balance by being the best mom and the most ethical businesswoman I can be based on what is thrown at me on any given day.

AF: What role do goals play in your life? Tell us a few words about your goal setting process.
HH: My first week at Rooibee Red Tea – we set five pivotal goals. They hang on a white board in my office and I view them daily.

The first and most feared goal on my list of five is to raise capital. Because we are a consumer product company, success means we need more cash, until break even. The goal was to raise the first million of preferred stock. This goal was big. Who would invest in a women owned C’Tea’O? Would others see the same R.O.I. that I see? Would I be able to raise the money in my home town of Louisville, Kentucky? Every day I watched and learned. I am happy to report that we just completed the Series A preferred stock issue, giving the company $1 million in funding for expansion (the tea will now be available in Whole Foods Markets).

AF: What challenges have you overcome either in your new role or previously?
HH: I don’t really bog myself down in challenges. I am a solution driven thinker, so this question is difficult for me to answer. I guess the biggest challenge is moving into and leading Rooibee Red Tea in an industry that is considered both ‘Manufacturing & Non-Alcoholic Beverages.’ I had absolutely NO experience, with the exception of being a consumer of organic, healthy products. However, I am proud to say, I have over 80 years of experience in beverages and manufacturing if you combine my board members and my internal team. Rooibee Red Tea is filing for WEBNC Certification and just gained nationwide distribution, and this year we aligned ourselves with one of the best food brokerage firms in the nation. So, I guess not knowing, means — You are fearless.

AF: What are some of your most meaningful accomplishments?
HH: By far…Forty under Forty
* Winning Garden & Gun’s Best of the South Food Category — Garden & Gun is one of the coolest magazines that celebrates the South. I admired their magazine for years and my husband sent the link to this contest for BEST OF –Awards. So, one night, I got up the courage and $100.00 and entered Rooibee Red Tea into the contest. WE WON! It was a great day and over 550,000 subscribers still call or order our products from being named BEST OF THE SOUTH – FOOD.
* Being featured on the Weekend Today Show – Over Labor Day Weekend
* Most important – having a daughter and son who are both very good children, they say “please & thank you – and I don’t care for it…” My Grandmother (God love her!) would be so proud!

AF:What do the top performers do differently to excel?
HH: THEY HAVE PASSION!

Please visit Rooibee Red Tea to learn more about Heather and her fabulous company.
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About Alissa
The “Living in Your Top 1%” interview series is presented by Alissa Finerman, an Executive Coach and Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, speaker and author of Living in YOUR Top 1%. She works with managers, C-suite executives and teams to leverage strengths, shift beliefs and achieve meaningful goals. Alissa has an MBA from the Wharton School and a BA from the University of California, Berkeley. She has worked with Ross Stores, Petco, BNP Paribas, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Brookfield Property Partners, Neutrogena, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Dress for Success. To learn more about coaching with Alissa, please visit her website and follow her on Facebook

Living in Your Top 1% with Violet Zaki – One Mind, One Body, One Life

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The goal of the “Living in Your Top 1%” interview series is to break down the qualities of people who excel and to show that you can be successful and achieve personal greatness from any starting point in your life. The interview series looks at people from all different careers and industries. Some names will be familiar and others may not. The purpose is to understand and borrow from the “best practices” of winners to develop a roadmap to YOUR TOP 1%. We will share a new story each month.

This week’s guest is Violet Zaki, regarded as a master fitness instructor. She started her journey in Australia as an overweight teenager. She decided to take charge of her life when she was 15 and set out on her fitness adventure. Violet is an adidas Global Fitness Ambassador in Martial Arts and travels around the world introducing her programs and inspiring people all over the world.

I first met Violet in NYC while taking one of her classes at Equinox. She has amazing energy and inspires hundreds of people every week in her packed classes. She believes we all have one mind, one body, and ultimately one life to live. It’s how we choose to use these tools that makes the difference in our journey through life. We are responsible for the choices we make and how we influence others. Take charge of your life…dare to live an extraordinary ONE.

Alissa Finerman: What’s the most important strength you possess that allows you to be successful in your role?
Violet Zaki: Clarity, perspective, and being persistent in the face of challenges.

I have very specific goals so I have a clear idea of what success looks like
and how my goals fit into the big picture. This helps me evaluate my progress and course correct as part of the journey. Another part of the process is to be persistent and have the guts to face failure and to learn from any mistakes. Ultimately, these strengths help me instill the right beliefs and patterns of behavior to make changes.

AF: What does success mean for you?
VZ: For me, success is a product of my self-expression and creativity and is a reflection of my drive, motivation, and discipline. I always look for opportunities to step into my greater self and to find joy and inspiration.

AF: What role does mindset play in reaching one’s potential?
VZ: Mindset is key and there are several areas to consider which include:

* Self Awareness: reflects my core strengths, talents and abilities
* Focused determination: enhances my stubbornness by not taking “no” for an answer
* Curiosity: makes me take more risks
* Intuition: tells me to listen to my gut instincts when I’m not in an emotional state
* Accountability: makes me show up every single time to keep my commitment
* Integrity: keeps me honest, dependable, and responsible
* Emotional/Mental fuel: gives me the mental/emotional strength I need when I want to give up
* Willingness: opens my heart and mind to do whatever it takes to learn
* Assertiveness: reminds me never to act like a man in a skirt to achieve success
* Ability to pivot: keeps me on my toes so I know when to give up, stop what I’m doing and head in another direction.

AF: What motivates you on a daily basis to keep going?
VZ: Failure

AF: What role do goals play in your life? Tell us a few words about your goal setting process.
VZ: Goals give me a sense of productivity. Being an avid user of lists and someone who likes to stay highly organized, I create a vision board. I start by creating a list of what my big picture will look like and how I will be once I have achieved this goal and then I continue to chunk it down with my “to do” list and target dates. I review this monthly with a “status report” to evaluate my progress.

For example: GOAL: Become a Body language expert
“To do” List:
• Explore Classes
• Sign up for classes by Oct 2011
• Buy books on the topic
• Attend classes

AF: What challenges have you overcome on your path?
VZ: The biggest obstacle really was two-headed, one external and the other internal. In 1993, determined to challenge myself, prove my independence and evolve out of cultural/familial limitations, I set out on my own and moved to the U.S. (New York) as a first generation Egyptian Australian female at the age of 25, tethered only by an impromptu commitment to volunteer at a non-profit children’s summer camp run by the Association for the Help of Retarded Children (AHRC). Unsure what to expect, I hoped to establish a foundation in human services, backed only by my undergrad degree and a couple years experience in the field of disabilities in Melbourne, Australia. My ultimate aspiration, though, was to build a top-flight career in the fitness industry.

A seemingly insurmountable external hurdle surfaced in my effort to secure a green card, requiring eight years of simultaneous work at two jobs—career development counselor at my sponsor AHRC and volunteer fitness instructor at the YMCA—including a four-year setback when my day-job manager failed to file the appropriate paperwork before deadline. I certainly questioned my resolve during this period, especially for a brief time when I had little money to eat more than bagels at each meal after paying rent. But I stayed focused, set ascending goals, and made the most of the process, including obtaining my black belt at the YMCA (after being physically attacked in a NYC subway). This gave me a sense of safety and belonging while being a single Aussie female whose family was thousands of miles away.

Yet, like many people I have worked with on a daily basis for the past seven years as a full-time fitness instructor, particularly women, the toughest challenge was probably the internal one of building self confidence and self esteem – really believing I had what it took to excel at my passion and rise to take advantage of each greater opportunity that came my way. Even today, after many gratifying years rallying others to self empowerment, along with unimaginable achievements as a fitness personality, I still have to give myself a pep talk every now and then.

AF: What are some of your most meaningful accomplishments?
VZ: I am most proud of going from being a self-perceived underdog (I was underdeveloped as a child, viewing myself as the “runt of the litter,” and then somewhat overweight as a teenager) to becoming a support system for those who face similar personal struggles.

The ability to dig deep and become a successful, self-made professional female, especially when remembering the personal reinvention necessary at times along the way, is very much part of this gratification. I relate back to this and the feeling gets reinforced every time a student of mine shares the emotional, mental, and physical strengthening they are undergoing as a result of my teachings, authentic engagement with them, and efforts to create a positive environment allowing them to grow while still challenging them to get out of their comfort zone.

AF: What do the top performers do differently to excel?
VZ: People who excel: set goals, constantly re-evaluate, correct and change course, maintain flexibility, are kind to themselves, and have a mentor.

To learn more about Violet, please visit:
www.ZakiFitness.com

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About Alissa

Alissa Finerman is an Executive Coach and Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, speaker and author of Living in YOUR Top 1%. She works with managers, C-suite executives and teams to leverage strengths, shift beliefs and achieve meaningful goals. Alissa has an MBA from the Wharton School and a BA from the University of California, Berkeley. She has worked with Ross Stores, Petco, BNP Paribas, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Brookfield Property Partners, Neutrogena, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Dress for Success. To learn more about coaching with Alissa, please visit her website and follow her on Facebook