"Have a clear understanding of both the problem you’re trying to solve and how you are uniquely suited to solve that problem" with Neily Boyd

Neily Boyd has more than a decade of experience as a math educator, working with students and teachers from kindergarten through high school. Most recently, she served as Director of Math, serving six elementary and middle schools. During her tenure, she implemented a hands-on mathematics curriculum designed to engage students in academic discussion and conceptual thinking. As a result, the schools showed some of the highest growth in Tennessee, according to several assessments.  

Seeing a need to help children start kindergarten with better numeracy skills, Boyd launched Counting With Kids in 2019. Since then, her Instagram account has grown to more than 30,000 followers and she has published two e-books on early elementary mathematics. Boyd has also hosted numerous workshops for parents seeking to build their children’s numeracy skills.

Boyd’s vision has since expanded to supporting parents and educators from preschool through elementary ages by providing easy-to-use resources aligned with rigorous best practices. She also continues to host regular online sessions where parents from around the globe seek her advice.  

1.     Can you tell our readers about your background?

I am a former secondary math teacher, and most recently was the Director of Math for six elementary and middle schools. In that role, I implemented a hands-on mathematics curriculum designed to engage students in academic discussion and conceptual thinking. As a result, the schools showed some of the highest growth in Tennessee, according to several assessments. But, for me, the most exciting part was watching students’ excitement around math grow as it began to feel both relevant and interesting.

In 2019, I started Counting With Kids with a purpose of providing parents of young children with high-quality, research-based information for incorporating math at home. I’ve found that the most practical way to do this is through comprehensive, yet simple activities that fit into families’ everyday routines.

I have a B.A. from Vanderbilt University and an M.Ed from Lipscomb University, and I am mom to two kids—a preschooler and first grader. My husband is also a teacher, and with over 25 years of combined experience working in schools, there’s a lot of talk about teaching and learning in our house.

2.     What inspired you to start your business?

Throughout my more than a decade working in math education, I became increasingly aware of a root cause as to why children were struggling with math: it wasn’t being connected to their real lives. The math learned in the classroom wasn’t translating into their lived experiences. Research shows this gap starts as early as the toddler years.

Seeing a need to help children start kindergarten with stronger foundational math skills, I started Counting With Kids in 2019. My goal was to provide parents with easily-accessible, research-based ways to connect math to real life. Since then, the Counting With Kids Instagram page has grown to more than 30,000 followers and I have published two e-books on early elementary mathematics. I also host numerous workshops for parents all over the world seeking to build their children’s numeracy skills. In August, I will launch two membership communities to support parents of preschoolers and kindergarteners as they build their children’s early math foundation.

3.     Where is your business based? 

I am based in Nashville, TN, but my business is predominantly online. Through the Counting With Kids website, Instagram and Facebook, I work with thousands of parents from all over the world.

4.     How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took? 

My first steps were to launch my website and social media accounts, specifically Instagram and Facebook. Through these channels, I was able to connect with people who shared my interest in early math and reach parents who wanted more support in building math skills at home. For the first year, I focused solely on growing the blog and social media accounts. This allowed for time to fully understand the needs parents had around early math and ultimately create resources that would help solve the frustrations they were feeling. 

5.     What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business? 

Instagram has been the most effective tool for raising awareness of Counting With Kids. Through connecting with people on the Instagram platform, I have the privilege of talking with my clients and hearing about their experiences with math. Building these relationships has been invaluable to growing Counting With Kids for two reasons:

(1)   Through my conversations with my clients, I am better able to understand what is working with math in the early years and what isn’t. This allows me to continually adapt my products and services to best meet the daily needs of my clients.

(2)   The relationships I’ve built through Instagram allow me to add a personal element to my online business. Online businesses can often feel so impersonal, but my clients know me. They watch videos of math in my home with my children. They share stories and pictures of what their children are working on at home. This connection is why so many of them refer their friends and family to my page. It’s truly a community of parents supporting each other as they bring more math into their homes.

6.     What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them? 

My biggest challenge has been working by myself. I love to collaborate and bounce ideas around with colleagues. While I still miss the dynamic of working in an office with a team, I’ve found that there are lots of other people out there who share my interests and are doing similar work. I’ve developed friendships with a few other people who are doing early math work, and we now bounce ideas off each other and offer support in the way a traditional colleague normally would.

7.     How do you stay focused?

I use a method called block scheduling. When you run your own business, it can get very easy to get distracted by the 42 different hats you wear on a daily basis. So, I block out time on my calendar each week to handle the logistical things I know will come up—time for accounting, time to respond to client emails, time to update the website. This allows me to focus on the creative projects that need large chunks of deep focus. I don’t get distracted by things that pop up because I know I have time blocked out later to attend to those issues.

8.     How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

I think the personal touch I’m able to add through my Instagram page makes a big difference. People know me, and I get to know them. They understand why this work matters to me so much, and, by seeing math come to life in my home, they’re able to visualize the process in their homes.

9.     What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

Instagram, without a doubt. It allows me to personalize my work in a way that simply isn’t possible through a website alone.

10.  What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

Have a clear understanding of both the problem you’re trying to solve and how you are uniquely suited to solve that problem.

11.  What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why? 

Favorite app: SparkPost. It’s a great tool for adding fun and personal touches to my photos.

Favorite blog: Emily P. Freeman’s blog focuses on decision-making and learning to decipher our “next right thing.” It’s really helped me learn to define my priorities and set boundaries when things aren’t a priority.

Favorite book: Dare to Lead by Brené Brown has taught me how to show up in my work and in my leadership as my true self. 

12.  What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

Honestly, Google. There is a never-ending list of new things for entrepreneurs to learn, and most of the time Google is the tool that points me to the specific tool I need for a specific problem I’m having. There’s no shame in not knowing everything. Google can help.

13.  Who is your business role model? Why? 

Brené Brown. She recognized a need in our society—to help people build comfort around the topics of shame and vulnerability—and, by understanding how her skill set could be used to help, she has completely changed the global conservation about the connection between vulnerability and courage. She balances research with creativity, and honesty with understanding. Additionally, her work on leadership, specifically her book Dare to Lead and the corresponding podcast, has deeply influenced my beliefs about how to inspire change.

14.  How do you balance work and life? 

The key is setting boundaries. The challenge is knowing which boundaries to set. I once heard advice that every “yes” we say is a “no” to something else. Every time an ask comes my way, I take time to think about the “no” I’m saying if I give that ask a “yes.” Along with this, I’ve also taken time to get very clear on my work priorities and my personal life priorities. If an ask is made of me that would result in a corresponding “no” to one of my priorities, then I set a boundary and say no to the ask. Setting boundaries in work is challenging for me, but it gets a lot easier when I have clarity around what I’m sacrificing in my personal life if I don’t set that boundary.

15.  What’s your favorite way to decompress?

I reset by going on walks and listening to music.

16.  What do you have planned for the next six months. 

In August of this year, I’m launching Math Companions, which are online communities for parents with preschool and kindergarten-age students. These communities function as a hub for parents seeking resources and expertise explaining the math children should be learning at each developmental step, why it’s important and how they can support it at home. Math Companions will add another grade level of content each school year.

 How can our readers connect with you?

My Instagram and Facebook are @countingwithkids, and you can also find me on my website, www.countingwithkids.com.

Embrace flexibility and messiness with Deborah Haile and Jonah Seyum

LESLIE ANDREWS PHOTOGRAPHY

As part of my interview series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jonah Seyum and Deborah Haile, mom and son duo who are bestselling coauthors.

Co-CEO of Tiny Global Footprints, world traveler, and bestselling author, Jonah is eight years old and has traveled to 10 countries. He is the first published Eritrean child author and enjoys spending time with his family. Passionate about sports and reading, Jonah plays soccer and basketball as well as loves reading the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. He also enjoys learning new languages and dancing to Eritrean music.

Founder and Co-CEO of Tiny Global Footprints, writing coach, and bestselling author, Deborah is a busy working mother committed to seeing the world with her son. She loves seeing the world through his eyes and sharing stories from their travels by writing Jonah’s Global Footprints: Book 1: The Search for Elephants in Thailand, and Book 2: Finding My Amigo in Cuba, and more to come in the series.

She holds a master’s degree from George Mason University in Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota. Deborah is originally from Eritrea but grew up in Minnesota. She is passionate about teaching children about global cultures and wants to help make travel an essential part of every childhood. Deborah plans to publish more books based on the different countries she and Jonah visit. 

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path? 

Thank you for the opportunity. When Jonah was very little, he and I weren’t able to spend a lot of time together because of the long hours I spent at work (I had and still have a full-time job), not to mention the time required for my graduate school program. I’d work all day and then take classes at night, just trying to keep up--though I always felt like I was behind and not enough...never enough at work, at grad school, and as a mother. I hoped that if I just worked a little harder, things would somehow get better, but nothing seemed to help. And the harder I worked, the worse I felt until I began to burn out, the mental and emotional tax of “work harder” overwhelming. 

In the chaos, I’d found a respite in travel—I loved seeing different places and it was a way to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life with work, school, and other responsibilities. After his first trip abroad to the Dominican Republic when Jonah was 17 months old and then his next trip at 20 months (this time to Dubai and Eritrea for a family trip), I could see that Jonah loved to travel too. I wondered if I was onto something; could there be the potential for travel to be a chance to spend some special time together, perhaps helping to make up for any time we’d lost?

Well, travel hit the spot I’d been searching for, creating a space for Jonah and me to share new experiences, go adventuring, and learn about ourselves, and the world together. (And the family travel trend continued).

Now at eight years old, Jonah has been to 10 countries around the world. Then from these travels and sharing with friends and family, we began to get questions about what it was like to travel the world with a young child and what Jonah thought.  

As we began to share more of our experiences, the idea to write books came up, and we started our book series: "Jonah's Global Footprints". Then that became a mother and son business with Tiny Global Footprints where we aim to share the educational impact of travel in childhood and inspire other families to travel with their children! 

Can you tell us a story about the hard times that you faced when you first started your journey? 

There have been many times I struggled with my business (and continue to struggle!—a first big challenge has been working to balance my full-time job with being a mom and working on our mother/son business. I wish there were more hours in a day and that I had two of me! That's been a challenge from the beginning and that I keep working on—work/life balance and time prioritization.

Another has been on the tactical end: Jonah and I were starting to write books and there was interest, though did I really want to start a formal business? I was debating opening an LLC for publishing the books (and maybe other business ventures) or just writing and publishing my books on my own.

All of the to-dos for setting up an LLC sounded intimidating and overwhelming. However, as I thought about our plans and dreams and what we wanted to accomplish longer-term, I knew it'd be better to go the formalized LLC route. So I took a deep breath and got the paperwork and everything else that was needed together!

Where did you get the drive to continue even though things were so hard?

A huge part of my drive is from my son Jonah—his smile, hugs, and encouragement keep me going. Another part has been from the families and children who have started to follow our work. We regularly get new book reviews on Amazon (which amazes me) and I receive messages sharing that our books, website, and brand encourages them to travel and write books. They ask questions and share what they've done or are going to do. On a hard day, those messages give me the boost I need to keep going.  

So, how are things going today? How did grit and resilience lead to your eventual success?  

Today, things are going well. I won't kid you—it's difficult to juggle a business with a full-time demanding job (as well as being a mom and human—ing in general). However, I know our business and our books have a purpose. I've seen firsthand the impact of world travel on a child—the educational piece of visiting new places and experiencing different cultures including his own Eritrean culture.  

I love seeing the world through his eyes as we learn about history, geography, languages, and so much more. Jonah talks about his travels and is always excited about our next trip. He's also enjoying writing and has written his own book (Basketball or Soccer?), as well as has started to share tips, ideas, and suggestions to other kids (and adults!) interested in writing a book. His enthusiasm and growth have been amazing to see, as has the special bond we continue to develop through traveling and writing together. It's hard at times, though so rewarding at the end. 

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

A mistake from when I was first starting out? Oh my —the entrepreneur road is bumpy for everyone, and the bumps keep coming! Let's see. The first one was worrying about sharing that our books, something we'd made ourselves, were for sale. Friends and family had asked and expressed interest, though I know that I don't like feeling sold to, so I wasn't sure how that would turn out.

I was almost afraid to start sharing that they could buy the books once we started publishing the first one! It struck me as funny how much I'd worried about what others might think and then saw how delighted people were when they were able to get a copy. They would have been disappointed if we hadn't shared about where they could purchase them! 

This mistake about worrying about how to sell something we'd created has taught me a few things.  

1) Fears and worries will come up in business. Sometimes you have to sit with them and see what's really there.

2) Especially related to selling, there are people who are looking for what you're offering and who would be disappointed to not be able to find it! Sure, there may be some people who aren't interested, but that's okay. There are others who will be so excited when they hear about your book (or product/service/offer). So put it out there!

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

One big thing about Tiny Global Footprints is that it's a mother and son company (we're co-CEOs!) and that it started when Jonah was only six years old! A second really neat thing is that between the two books we've written together (The Search for Elephants in Thailand and Finding My Amigo in Cuba) and then the one he wrote by himself (Basketball or Soccer?) Jonah is now the youngest best-selling Eritrean published author ever. It’s great to watch his growth. 

On the story end, Jonah has started doing a "Monday Tips with Jonah" series on Instagram where he is teaching other children and families about travel, being an author and how to write and publish a book, how to learn a new language (he's currently working on Spanish), and more. The feedback we've been getting from his lives and posts has been amazing and heartwarming. We're hearing that it is inspiring other families to expose their children to being creative and opening their minds to entrepreneurship!

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

A first tip would be to prioritize self-care, however, that looks for you. If you love to travel, take the time for an afternoon, day, or weekend away, whether solo or with your family and/or friends. It may seem hard to juggle at the moment, though you'll be amazed how much better you will feel coming back with a rested and refreshed brain! And it doesn't have to be a long trip/break. What's important is that it is something different, that you get yourself away from the daily grind.

A second tip would be to remember that the road will be bumpy and to cut yourself some slack. You'll never get it all done (there will always be more to do because life continues)—and that's okay. When you feel the "I must get this done or I'm not enough/a failure/..." start to play in your mind, take a deep breath (and maybe a quick nap). Whatever you are able to get done today WILL be enough—and you are enough. And you can start again tomorrow.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

Jonah is the first person who I'd note. From when he was little and cuddling in my arms as I typed on my computer, working on schoolwork for grad school, or a project for my job, he would be the first person to smile at me, to kiss me, to tell me I could do it. A few months ago, I was on a work call and he came into the room. I could tell he needed something, so I wrote him a note: "What's wrong? I'm in a meeting, Jonah." He wrote back: "I just miss you." I responded: "OH, I MISS YOU! A lot & can't wait to kiss you! :)" to which he noted: "After you are done with your meeting, I can't wait to give you a big hug!" It just touches my heart. 

A second person is my second mom/BF, as she is incredibly important to me and has been there for me through so much. We recently took a trip together to St. Thomas and it was amazing. She helps me remember to have fun, laugh, and be kind to myself.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?  

On our social platforms and with our books (in the interviews, podcasts, and articles we've been honored to be a part of), we're working hard to inspire kids and families to see the world and go adventuring—whether through the pages of our books or by getting in a car, train, plane, or boat.

We also share the process of writing a book—the ups and downs, the how-to’s—to demystify the process so hopefully others will know that it's possible for them too! We hear from a lot of people that they want to write a book but that it feels too hard. We're working to show them that it is possible and that they can do it, that their story is worth sharing, (and important to share).

On a different note, we're also working to share everything Jonah is learning about his Eritrean culture because it's important for children to know the cultures, stories, and traditions of their families and where they are from! And we hope to inspire other families to share their culture with their children, too. 

What are your "5 things I wish someone told me before I started leading my company" and why? Please share a story or example for each.   

1. Keep going when it gets hard—I've felt (and still feel) discouraged many times, but going back to my purpose always helps me keep going.

2. Don't compare yourself and/or your business to anyone else. This is something that I've struggled with, especially around social media and followers! However, I am working to keep reminding myself that I don't really know where anyone else's business is or how it's doing (nor is it any of my business). What's important is to keep my eyes on my own business and show up for it.

   3. There will always be things you will need to figure out. I can't tell you the number of times something new has come up as an entrepreneur where I was like "What is that? I don't know how to do that!"—whether with things about my website and figuring out how to log in and make changes or coming up with a content calendar or figuring out what platforms are best for us to use. There is always something new to learn!

4. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Following up on #3. There will always be new things to learn and I'm not going to be an expert in every tool, platform, and aspect of entrepreneurship. I do what I can, and when I am in over my head (or realize I don't have the time). That means it's time to ask for help from someone who specializes in that part of being in business. I've gotten help with my website, PR and marketing, social media, and more. It's okay to ask for help!

5. Embrace flexibility and messiness. The business may go in directions you didn't foresee or maybe your partner (like my co-CEO wanting to write his own non-travel-related books) may have different ideas about what they'd like to do. And that's okay! Sometimes the best ideas are the ones that seem to come out of nowhere and take some time to show how they fit into the bigger business picture. :) 

Can you share a few ideas or stories from your experience about how to successfully ride the emotional highs & lows of being a founder”? 

As a founder, there will be highs and lows—guaranteed. One thing that has been very helpful for Jonah and me has actually been our Instagram feed as it's been a journal or diary. While some days I've wanted to pull my hair out while figuring out what to post, it's been amazing to look back through our photos and posts and see everything that's happened over the past year! When I've felt down, seeing the pictures have reminded me of past challenges, as well as the wonderful times that came right around the corner, which has helped me remember that it's a messy journey and to keep showing up. 

I'd also recommend keeping a "testimonial" or "fan feedback" folder, doc, or file for the days when things feel hard, and you want to quit. When you receive a note or email or review that touches your heart and makes you smile, stick it in the folder, doc, or file. Then, when a hard day comes (which will happen), pull out the folder and read through it. Seeing the words I've received always helps me remember my purpose and why I'm building this business! 

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I would want to go into schools and share a "Your words matter" movement, sharing with the children (especially those in under-resourced and underserved districts) what it's like to become an author and how they can become an author, writer, and/or speaker too. And whether or not they become a writer or speaker, it's more that I want all children to know that their words matter and that THEY matter. Imagine if every child (and adult) in the world right now knew that and believed it—that would be amazing. I'd love to go and share that message. Because I know its importance with every fiber of my being.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

They can visit our site: tinyglobalfootprints.com and follow us on Instagram @tinyglobalfootprints_ https://www.instagram.com/tinyglobalfootprints_

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much.

"Set limits and boundaries with work" with Angela Ficken

As part of my interview series, I had the pleasure of interviewing psychotherapist, entrepreneur.com, and online educator Angela Ficken, LICSW. She is a full-time psychotherapist in private practice. Her office is located in Boston, MA. She specializes in OCD, eating disorders, and anxiety-related concerns.

She started her career at McLean Hospital, which is one of the top-ranking psychiatric hospitals in the country, and affiliated with Harvard University. She was the head social worker on an inpatient unit that focuses on anxiety and depression. During her time at McLean, she trained in exposure therapy and became certified in CBT and DBT. Shortly thereafter, she worked at Harvard University as a primary therapist for undergraduate and graduate students. During her time there, she taught students CBT and DBT skills to help them manage a range of challenging emotions that young adults face daily.

Along with her work at McLean and Harvard, Angela had a small private practice for years before she decided to move full-time in 2013. From there, she focused her attention on working with young adults and entrepreneurs primarily after noticing that both groups struggled with anxiety disorders and stress-related issues due to life transitions and the uncertainty of what was coming next in their lives. 

She spent years fine-tuning her practice and building her business into something more than a standard full-time private practice. She began writing for Huffington Post as an expert, which then catapulted her into writing for other major online sources which include Marriage.com where she was a verified expert, YourTango.com, ThriveGlobal.com, and has been quoted in Oprah Magazine, and on MSN.com, Forbes.com, FastCompany.com, Inc.com, Bustle.com, Popsugar.com, Buzzfeed.com, Nylon magazine, Getstigma.com, and Justluxe.com. She has also been a guest on Onward Nation with Stephen Woessner where she talked about OCD and intrusive thoughts, as well as on the radio in Chicago and Reno speaking about stress and anxiety.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?

Thank you for this fun opportunity! 

For years, I had heard from clients that the skills and strategies they had learned in our sessions were tremendously helpful. I also heard from them--that finding a therapist like myself who is proactive in sessions and teaches skills--was a hard find. Clients would tell me it took them months or even years to finally find me. 

That’s when I knew I needed to find a way to reach more people. If they were having a hard time finding me, and Boston isn’t that big of a city, then who else might be out there looking for someone like me and the skill sets and training I have? What can I do to provide access to people who want help managing stress and anxiety and who might not be able to get to Boston, or be across the country?

As someone who wanted to answer those questions, I shifted my career from a psychotherapist who only sees people in office, to an entrepreneur who is an online educator. 

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

I don’t know if I have one story that sticks out, but I think my shift from full time private practice to jumping into the entrepreneur world is interesting and one that I did not expect in the beginning. It’s been a unique experience. 

What advice would you suggest to your colleagues in your industry to thrive and avoid burnout? 

Burnout is a huge issue in my industry. If you want to protect yourself from it, I would encourage you to look at your schedule and ask yourself if there is anything you are doing that isn’t helping you grow your business, or if there are things you could delegate to get some time back in your day. 

If you can pinpoint one or two items (there usually is), cut it from your schedule or hire someone to help you. Virtual assistants for example can be a tremendous help. Hiring someone to do your billing, social media content, or helping you respond to emails from potential clients can give you back hours to your week, giving you more time for self-care or other things you prefer doing.  

For example, I have someone who helps me with my social media. I was spending 5-6 hours a week on social media involvement. By hiring someone, I now have those hours back to focus on writing, seeing clients, and I can end my day a little earlier and spend time with my daughter or go for an afternoon walk. Time is precious and if you can cut out certain tasks, you save time, add brain space back in, and that can definitely help avoid burnout. 

What advice would you give to other leaders about how to create a fantastic work culture?

I think leading by example is the best way to create a welcoming and engaging work culture. For example, if you want to prioritize well being in your work environment, think about how you can model that for your employees. Focus on your mission statement and the values that resonate with you and your business.  

• How do those values translate into your relationship with your business partners and employees? 

• What does a healthy, exciting, and fantastic work culture look like to you? 

• What are the ingredients that go into making that happen?

 Asking yourself those questions once a quarter will help you stay focused on your mission, creating a culture that represents your values, and creating an environment where people will want to stay with you ,work for you, and feel valued. 

Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

The most recent book I’ve read “13 Things Mentally Strong Parents Don’t Do” by Amy Morin has been a game changer for me as a parent. I am a mother of a three year old daughter and I want to make sure, like all loving parents, that I do right by her. I want to make sure I teach her healthy coping skills, to use her voice, and be a confident, capable individual. This book talks about the stages of childhood and strategies to help create a safe, loving environment while also giving the child space to have their own experiences, make mistakes, and become their own person. Any parents out there, I highly recommend this book. 

Ok, thank you for all that. Now let’s move to the main focus of our interview. Many people have become anxious just from the dramatic jolts of the news cycle. The fears related to the coronavirus pandemic have only heightened a sense of uncertainty, fear, and loneliness. From your experience or research, what are five steps that each of us can take to develop serenity during such uncertain times? 

1. Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness means you focus your attention on the present moment while also acknowledging your current emotions. Doing this, can help you learn to manage hard emotions, like fear, without having fear dictate your decisions. You can practice mindfulness for a few minutes or longer. One mindfulness skill is to get your five senses involved. When our senses are activated, it helps us get back into the present moment. Name five things you can see, four things you can hear, three things you can touch, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. You can do the exercise exactly like this, or you can break it up and focus on one or two things. 

2. Practice gratitude. When we focus on what we feel grateful for, it can help improve our mood and shift our thoughts from an all negative standpoint to a more positive and hopeful mindset. What are three things you feel grateful for? Write it down or say it out loud for one week and notice your mood improve. 

3. Set limits and boundaries with work. Working from home has its benefits, but one major con is it can be hard to shut work off when you are always at arms length of your computer. Wrapping up at 5pm in the office is easier than doing it at home. All of a sudden you are checking work emails at dinner, and responding to issues right before you get ready for bed. I suggest you turn off notifications after 5pm and put your work items away every work day at the same time. Honor your time and set limits. It’s okay to set boundaries and create space for yourself. You will feel less stressed and that means your quality of work, relationships with other people, and overall enjoyment will improve. 

4. Reframe your negative thoughts and assumptions to a positive and realistic perspective. For example, “This is never going to end” is an anxious statement that is untrue. This will end at some point, and could even be sooner than we think!  

5. Keep making an effort to stay connected to your people. You might be feeling Zoomed out, and don’t want to FaceTime anyone, but you can do a regular call, text, or go old school and write letters and mail them to your loved ones. Someone recently told me they were making postcards and sending them to their friends. It made her feel better and her friends loved getting the surprise in the mail. 

From your experience or research, what are five steps that each of us can take to effectively offer support to those around us who are feeling anxious? Can you explain? 

1. Know that anxiety manifests in many different ways, and therefore, how your best friend experiences anxiety might be very different from your experience or someone else in your life. You might do one thing to support your friend and something entirely different to support your spouse through anxiety. 

2. Ask how you can be supportive. It’s absolutely okay to not know what to do, but the anxious person in your life might be able to articulate what they need such as someone quiet to sit with, help by playing a game or just spending time together, or help reframe anxious thoughts. When in doubt, ask. 

3. Normalize and validate their emotions. It’s okay to feel what you are feeling. Feeling heard can help move through anxious times. It lets your loved one know they aren’t alone. 

4. Encourage them to talk to a professional if the anxiety is really over taking their life. 

5. Engage in grounding strategies or coping skills with them. You can be a guide for them and a reminder to practice skills that are helpful. If they have a favorite breathing strategy that helps them calm down, do it with them. You might notice your own mood improve too!

What are the best resources you would suggest to a person who is feeling anxious?

Seeing a therapist who specializes in anxiety can be incredibly helpful. They can teach you tools to help you manage your anxiety, and once you learn what helps you, you have that for life. 

Can you please give us your favorite "Life Lesson Quote"? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life?  

I have several, but the one I say most frequently is “If it makes me anxious, do it anyway.” This mantra and life lesson came about in early 2017 when I had a thought of seeing one of my favorite musicians, Ani Difranco play and checked her tour schedule. She was touring in Europe around and I thought that would be an exciting adventure. I have traveled on my own before, but someone always met me on the other end. This time would be different. I’d be on my own and while that idea felt exciting, I also felt scared. What if I get lost? What if I miss my connecting flights? What if I feel lonely or anxious while I am there? All these “what if” thoughts made me question whether I could do it. That’s when I knew I could not let doubt or anxiety make decisions for me.  

I went to Scotland on my own, saw Ani in concert, had fun adventures, great food, and met amazing people. I was anxious and did it anyway. It was at that point my confidence in myself and in my business expanded. I do things all the time that force me outside my comfort zone such  as podcast interviews, live radio, documentary films, live streaming, and webinar presentations. I could go on! And I learned that letting anxiety dictate my decisions robs me of opportunities and experiences. So now, whenever I feel anxious or doubt myself I know I have to do it, and so far I’ve been better off for it! This is something I recommend others try too! 

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

One idea I would love to create or get involved in is helping families in need. How can families in need get access to diapers, medicine, clothes, and food for their children?  

As a social worker, I know there are family services in every state to help, but what about families who want to donate clothes, packages of diapers, educational toys to those who could benefit? I’d love to start that movement. 

What is the best way our readers can follow you online?

Sure, the best ways readers can connect with me is through my websites WorriedtoWellbalanced.com or ProgressWellness.com, on Instagram.com/progresswellness, or Pinterest.com/progresswellnes.

Q+A with Olivia Griffian

Growing up, Olivia’s Griffian mom owned a beauty salon in Miami, Fl., so at a very early age her exposure to the beauty industry in many facets was very strong. She took a liking to the esthetician and would spend hours learning about facials, skincare and products. So naturally when she began considering a career that was anchored in her passions and goals, skincare was at the top of the list. In her quest to expend her knowledge of skin care, Olivia has traveled throughout Europe and New Zealand under the advisory of the top skincare professional to bring SevenSkin Beauty to life. 

What inspired you to start your business?

I had challenges with my own skin and I knew I couldn’t alone in my struggle. So, in an effort to educate myself, I wanted to learn not only how to treat my skin, but also learn why my skin would react the way it did. I began researching everything about the skin and consulting with aestheticians both internationally and domestically. One of my greatest discoveries was the learning about the seven layers of skin, and each of their function. Understanding that most brands focus only on the top three layers, I came to an understanding that the key to prevention, would be in treating all seven layers of the skin. This is when SevenSkin Beauty was born. And my purpose to share both my knowledge and my product with everyone.

Where is your business based?

SevenSkin Beauty is based in Los Angeles. 

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

The first steps I took involved a ton of research about the skincare market, trends and problems. Although I knew what I had to offer was valuable, it was important to understand what was currently in demand. I would test products from luxury beauty retailers to see what my consumers were interested in and that helped me narrow down my market to skin repair. Once I felt confident that my product would meet a need that was not being fulfilled and the competitive landscape was supportive, I was all in! 

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

I have been very creative in raising awareness for my brand. Word of mouth, blogs, and Instagram has been the most effective so far. I have also sent my mask to several beauty influencers which has resulted in more press and exposure on amazing platforms. Another strategy I have added recently is to share content from other brands promoting the use of LED light therapy. Although this may sound like a conflict of interest. Having a “big picture” understanding that any reputable brands such as Vogue, promoting LED light therapy can only serve to support my brand and spread awareness about this amazing method of advanced skin care.  

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

My biggest challenge has been educating consumers. In order to know why my products work, a bit of understanding is required. It’s like saying “admitting the problem is the first step to solving it”. You have to understand what happens in your skin’s deepest layers to solve the issue. I’ve overcome this by simplifying the complexity of skin problems. Using before and after images to support the educational content has been key.

How do you stay focused?

While I am incredibly passionate about skin health, I am equally passionate about my overall health. I work out 4-5 times a week, which gives me the energy and determined mindset I need. I also give myself a lot of pep talks and I block off time to get work done that cannot be interrupted.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

Seven Skin Beauty stands alone in the ability to provide both education and solution. We are the first beauty brand to focus on skin repair through a system of LED light therapy. And provide products using probiotic ingredients.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

I’m always researching the psychology of consumers and different ways to reach new customers. It’s important in this time to understand so much information is made available to people. And so, if takes a lot of creativity to stand out from other brands. My approach is always rooted in a genuine and authentic desire to share what I know with men & women everywhere. Educating people can benefit from whether they become a customer or not, but ultimately building trust in my brand as a whole.

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

How I built this by Guy Raz is my favorite podcast. It’s a podcast where CEO’s and founders from an array of business fields tell stories of how they got started. It’s so incredibly inspirational and motivating. Listening to the many success stories gives me so much to anticipate as a founder and CEO.

My favorite book is Influence:

The psychology of Persuasion. This book has taught me so much about why we make decisions as customers and consumers. It’s helped me rewire how methods of persuasion can be applied.

My favorite blog is LessWrong. There are countless posts about rational, communication, artificial intelligence, and cognitive theories. For me, it’s a great way to remain curious and expand my intellect. 

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

My favorite business tool has been HARO. Not only does it challenge me to advocate for myself, but I learn different ways to pitch my business. Elevating my ability to articulate my business both verbally and written. I think it’s vital to know how to cater to your audience and that changes over time in business.

Who is your business role model? Why?

My business role model is Gwyneth Paltrow. She took her passion for skincare and turned it into a global brand (GOOP) that’s trusted and gives retail opportunities to other businesses. In addition to creating her own luxury brand of skin care products, she has also open an online platform for other luxury skin care brands to be sold.

How do you balance work and life?

I am so dedicated to my business. For this reason, it is equally important for me to be incredibly protective of my work life as well as my personal life. I love a little self-care, and I surround myself with an amazing group of friends that bring me so much support and joy. 

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

My favorite way to decompress is over a glass of champagne and a really long bath.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

Since recently being added to Amazon, I plan on doing a strong marketing campaign to support this milestone. I plan to release the debut probiotic-based line which includes a face wash, serum, body wash and body milk.  I am meeting with interested investors, implementing marketing strategies, and raising awareness on large levels and platforms. And whatever pivoting is necessary based on the current climate.

How can our readers connect with you?

Readers can find SevenSkin Beauty on Instagram using the handle @sevenskinbeauty and at Clubhouse @PlanetOlivia. They can also access the website at www.sevenskinbeauty.com. Where they can sign up for our email list to receive news about SevenSkin Beauty regularly.