Garlic can help the heart and reduce inflammation. Ginger can help with a range of problems from heartburn to cancer. Chicken breast is healthier than dark meat.”

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

3 cloves crushed garlic

3 tablespoons ground ginger

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 limes, juiced

Directions

1. Pound the chicken to 1/2 inch thickness. In a large re-sealable plastic bag combine the garlic, ginger, oil and lime juice. Seal bag and shake until blended. Open bag and add chicken. Seal bag and marinate in refrigerator for no more than 20 minutes.
2. Remove chicken from bag and grill or broil, basting with marinade, until cooked through and juices run clear. Dispose of any remaining marinade.

Presently, Linda has a radio talk show at WNJC 1360AM  Blog Talk Radio and Comcast/Verizon in the Philadelphia area.  She is now writing a book on fitness after creating The Lady with the Moves™ fitness program.

However, Linda’s career had been on hiatus for twenty years after making a decision to focus her time on raising her children.  Her radio and television career began more than 20 years ago along with a growing motivational speaking business.  Plus she had authored a self–published book titled Simple Treasures for a Complex World.

When you are building a career, you have to be patient, persistent and passionate. The road is going to get rough, bumpy, filled with detours, many stop signs, and yield signs.   That is okay as long as you don’t give up.

“The challenges ran the gamut from racial discrimination to gender discrimination.  I was in my 20s and I felt I didn’t have the emotional maturity to deal with these unexpected challenges.  After long days of working, I would go home and cry myself to sleep.  I used to cry myself to sleep just about every night, with a headache and with a knot in my stomach.  I decided the only way to overcome challenges in my life is to take control of my life,” says Linda.

In one instance, Linda experienced gender and racial discrimination during the hiring process.  She had applied for a position traditionally dominated by men.

“I had strong credentials and outstanding references.  I was close to being turned down for this position.  Fortunately, a senior leader intervened to avoid a potentially difficult situation,” says Linda.

Working within various corporate cultures, Linda encountered similar problems in all her experiences: the proverbial glass ceiling, discrimination and office politics.

Being engaged in healthy self-talk kept her moving forward.

I tell myself I refuse to allow someone’s opinion to destroy my dreams and define me; and I do not have to internalize setbacks.  If I do not like something, I change it; if I cannot change it, I change the way I think.

Linda developed a mind transformation technique she has been using now for over 20 years.  She begins by writing the same positive, inspirational messages and affirmations twice a day.  Then she repeats these messages and affirmations three times a day for a period of 21 days; and she does so enthusiastically in front of the mirror.  Generally, 21 days are needed for your subconscious mind to transform your thinking.

“I accepted the fact that corporate America was not what I was expecting.  I decided that starting a business would be a better option.”

Every great dream begins with a dreamer.  Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world. – Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman’s powerful quote gives me strength, says Linda.

Linda’s career path began with her parent’s expectation she would attend college after high school graduation.  She was accepted at Queens College in Flushing, New York.   However, Linda decided not to attend Queens College after visiting relatives over the summer in Baltimore, Maryland.

“I knew that I had to go to college, but wanted my independence, so I made a rash decision and enrolled in the Community College of Baltimore.   I was not sure what I wanted to do, but I knew that attending college very important to my family,” says Linda.

Her daily walk to class past the community college’s radio and TV station influenced her career direction.  “I was fascinated with the set and the production of shows.  One day I mustered up the nerve to open the door and speak with some of the on-air personalities.”

“My curiosity started to grow, and I found myself visiting the station frequently. I decided to major in radio and television broadcasting.  I got my FCC license, and before long, I was involved in the radio and television production.  I was the vice president of the radio and TV production club,” says Linda.

The club hosted an on-air holiday show.  Here, Linda had an opportunity to meet Oprah Winfrey.  “She exuded class, poise and confidence. At that time, she was a local news anchor and she was new to Baltimore.”

Linda eventually transferred to Queens College and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Speech Pathology.  At this time she pursued a career in business.  Although she stayed in the business field for a number of years, she was unsatisfied.

“The first opportunity that I got to get away from the business community, I embarked on a career in radio and TV broadcasting.  I was able to land a spot on WTTM Radio Station in Trenton, New Jersey as a radio host and also on Comcast Cable in New Jersey as a television host and producer,” says Linda.

Soon Linda was living her dream working in the broadcast industry, developing a motivational speaking business and writing a book.

Then life changed.  I had to stop these ventures to raise a growing family… I gave up on this dream.  I never thought it would happen again.  But in the back of my mind, I felt it was my destiny.  However, I did not have a clue as to how destiny would reveal itself.

“Money was tight.  My husband and I did not have the support of an extended family.  My husband was the sole breadwinner.   My first priority was to raise our sons.  I had to make a life-changing decision. I had to focus on what was most important, and that was raising our children,” says Linda.

During her pregnancies, Linda gained over 120 pounds.  This weight gain and the desire to lose the weight inspired Linda’s new business venture: The Lady With The Moves™.  This is a fitness business for women and an accomplishment Linda is most proud.  She plans to deliver her message of fitness and motivational thinking first on a local and national level, and then internationally.

“I started this business to help others lose weight without a gym, without a personal trainer and without a diet plan. I felt ideally suited for this role.  During each pregnancy, I gained over 60 pounds. In spite of not having access to a gym or a personal trainer, I learned to incorporate exercise into mundane activities.   I have been able to maintain my weight and restart my exercise program whenever I fall off the wagon.”

What I contribute to my success is my stamina to work long hours, my tenacity to circumvent obstacles, and my foresight to focus on the future goals. 

Goal setting has always been a key component to my success.  It is more than a road map; it’s a treasure map, says Linda.  Many goals are reached before you reach the final goal. It is important to acknowledge those successes along the way.  Those small successes will empower you and strengthen you to keep hunting for the treasure.

“Celebrate the small goals and the achievements; gain the strength to overcome the obstacles and leap frog to the next small goal. Ultimately you will reach the final goal,” says Linda.

Exercise is a key element in Linda’s life in accomplishing both professional and personal goals.  “Oftentimes I work very long hours and I find myself at the computer, but I have to remember to get up every hour and walk or exercise. The exercise increases oxygen to the brain.”

“When I exercise, I make sure I smile because smiling will change my state of mind.  I also repeat affirmations.  I need physical and emotional change to keep me focused,” says Linda.

Linda’s advice to women starting their climb up the pink ladder:

Find a mentor.  Find a support group.  Find books in your field.  Due diligence is key.  Seek out your competition and partner with them.  Keep abreast of current events in your field.  You have to be an expert.  Remember to network.  And most importantly, have a healthy mindset to navigate through the storms. 

Mentoring has deepened Linda’s success.  “I’ve had the experience of working with disenfranchised women and students that obtained their GED degrees.  I have held workshops seminars and keynotes for these groups.  One of my greatest joys has been reading their testimonials.  Knowing that someone could learn from my experiences and have a more fulfilling life gives me great satisfaction.”

Networking has been an unpredictable experience for Linda.  Networking is like a fork in the road – you never know if it’s going to go to the left or to the right.  At times I have gone into networking situations and I’ve had high expectations, and my expectations have been lowered quickly.  On the other hand, the reverse has happened, says Linda.

Linda’s support group is comprised of her mother and her husband. “They have always believed in my accomplishments and career goals.  Together, they have been my rock and foundation.”

There are only two races of men: decent and indecent. – Viktor Frankl, author of Man’s Search for Meaning.

Linda embraces Viktor Frankl’s belief and admires his courage and ability to find meaning in suffering.

“When you’re climbing the pink ladder of success, don’t bring baggage.  It will just weigh you down,” says Linda.

Move out the old mindset and move in the new.

Joni is a fresh entrepreneur having embarked on two business endeavors this past year: JPierce & Associates, an executive coaching and consulting business; and C’est Bon Organics, a super clean organic skin care line.

“I did not attend college immediately after high school since I came from an area of the country where women and girls are encouraged to keep a house and find a man. When I was younger I had very little confidence in myself as someone who could be successful in business and therefore my biggest career dreams were to become a secretary by the time I was 40. I really believed at that time that if I could accomplish that goal by then I would have arrived.”

When I launched out of high school I had little to no direction so I dabbled in radio, moved to NY to become a nanny for a few months and drove auto parts around.

“Not long after high school I moved to the community of Los Alamos, NM which is filled with highly educated scientists and lab researchers. These good people inspired me toward learning and education. I was already saturated with fuel for learning and they acted like a spark or a match which ignited a desire that burns to this day,” says Joni.   “I was amazed at how they would communicate ideas with respect and openness toward all views, this was very different from the absolutes of truth that I had grown accustomed to.”

College was always challenging and required a big sacrifice of time, money and energy. Some people were supportive and others were not but in the end I was very glad that I finished everything I started and invested in myself and my learning interests.

Joni’s academic career began at the University of New Mexico, and kept going with an AS in Biology at SLCC; BS in Business Administration at the University of Utah; MBA at the University of Utah, Six Sigma Black Belt (statistically based process engineering); and Advanced Leadership training from the University of Florida.  Presently, Joni is enrolled in the College of Executive Coaching where she will complete the Certified Professional Coaching designation during 2012.

Once I began on a career path in leadership I found that to be a very good fit for my personality, skills and abilities. It was after some experience with leading and making decisions that I decided to formally study business.

“As for the secretary dream, I actually did become a secretary at the age of 22 at a medical review company that I work at for 10 years where I progressed over time to ultimately become the COO/EVP. It was after that experience that I developed the confidence to take the next step,” says Joni.

Self-doubt seems to be a problem women face more often than men, says Joni. “In fact, some of the management research I’ve seen seems to suggest that women underestimate their ability and men overestimate…go figure.  Every time I got a promotion or more responsibility I would roll around at night losing sleep and thinking what if I can’t do it, what if…this or that. In the end, I always found that not only could I do it, but I could do it well and be in the top 5% of my peer group.”

Confidence in yourself is the most critical ingredient in moving your career forward. If you do not believe in yourself, others will question your ability as well.

At times Joni found herself in work situations she felt she could not endure and giving up was beckoning.  “Usually when I get like that, I know change is eminent. Change will occur or I will make change happen. Sometimes we are unable to effect immediate change and must endure a situation or environment. I think it helps to separate your personal life from your work life. It helps to carve out some private, sacred space that your polluted situation cannot invade.”

Taking an inventory of tough situations in life that were overcome, then writing them down, then understanding the ability to move through those tough situations that once existed, can give added strength. You already had the strength, it had been forgotten, says Joni.

Life is not static and all things are in motion, trials come and go, challenges ebb and flow -which means whatever you are facing will most likely be gone in a few short weeks, months or years.

Office politics can become highly destructive to individuals and the business results overall, says Joni. “I’m not a big fan of overly political environments and work hard to reward people based on a meritocracy rather than social bread buttering. My advice for anyone who finds themselves in this deluge is to be visible and vocal.  Surface your contributions often since politicized leaders manage in sound bites and your adversaries are most certainly filling the airwaves.”

If in a difficult work environment, Joni’s advice is to continue to manage the situation while brushing up your resume so you can get out as soon as feasibly possible. “This is an organizational culture problem that requires attention and commitment at the top levels of leadership in order to change and evolve, which can take a very long time. I’ve worked to evolve several company cultures that were hostile and destructive, ultimately the problem people left and that’s how productive change occurred.”

Important to assessing the work environment is managing the gremlins in your head, says Joni.  This means managing your mind by not making assumptions.  Look at the facts and consider other explanations of the situation.

I also have a level of faith that all of our trials can be used for growth, it’s not fun, but they can strengthen us and we realize that later.

“While I have been well aware of gender glass ceiling issues in leadership, I have been fortunate to have the men in my circles invite me into their board rooms. They believed in me and gave me support and resources to be successful,” says Joni.   “The women in my past have been more challenging, limited in their views, sometimes insecure, a little short sighted and frankly uninspiring at times.”

“Overall, both genders bring very different strengths which can complement each other in leadership scenarios. It is so important to have both women and men on an executive level team. I plan to continually strive to offer my leadership in a way that takes the best of what I’ve learned from both men and women who lead large groups successfully.”

I found opportunities and next career steps at the intersection of preparation and timing.  Roll up your sleeves and dive in because anything worth doing usually requires some solid work effort, says Joni.

Acquire a unique trademark set of skills reflecting your strengths and develop a reputation for possessing this trademark of skills.  This is Joni’s advice to women climbing the pink ladder.

Stellar performance and a high level of commitment to your work are necessary to success.

Goals are critical to success. “I’m a planner type who likes goals for the day, the week, the month, quarter, yearly as well an intermediate and long term vision. At the same time you have to be flexible in adjusting your strategy and goals to adapt to the external environment, which could include the market, the competition, the technology, regulatory change etc…It also helps you know where and when to say no, this is who we are not.”

Networking and relationship building is what business is all about, says Joni. Networking is essential and it requires a conscious effort.  “About 15 years ago, I decided I was very unskilled at networking and wanted to improve. I made cold calls, went to events and introduced myself, had lunches and dinners I would have normally refused. Over time I was able to learn how to effectively network and now I’m completely comfortable contacting people for a short chat.”

Joni suggests setting a weekly goal of contacting a few people.  Prepare to state your objectives and offer assistance in helping your contacts meet their objectives. “Networking should come from a genuine place where you really do want to be of assistance to those you contact.  Keeping in mind they can possibly be of assistance to you now or at some time in the future,” says Joni.

I believe the best leaders are those who really do understand the needs and aspirations of the people they influence and interact with. 

“Being mentored by an unbiased, independent person is really one of the best experiences a person can have in their career, says Joni.  I was lucky enough to get a mentoring engagement that involved a man in a different market who was a few states away.  He was and had been the CEO of several companies as well as an investment banker. I admit that at first I was disappointed that the woman CEO they had lined up fell through. However, I realized over time that my mentor was a great fit for me at that time in my career. He helped me with collaboration, idea generation, guidance, empowerment, advice, and attentive listening, all this with an experienced and loyal ear.”

Joni was later given an opportunity to be a mentor for a non-US executive in an international market. “This was a wonderful experience for me to be able to pay it forward. We spent some time building trust which may have taken longer since this was a woman mentoring a man in an offshore market with strong male leadership models. However, once we began really working on his agenda we both saw him make impressive progress that was noted by other executive leaders. Knowing that I had helped in some small way gave me great satisfaction. When he would report back I truly felt joy in his success.”

Keeping optimism and hope in the forefront provides the ability to see things as they could be.  This is how I create opportunities when few are seemingly apparent.

Balancing people or understanding how to balance the needs of employees, bosses, shareholders, clients, and myself, is critical to success.  Honesty and integrity are also critical elements.  People like doing business with someone they can trust, says Joni.

“I am now an executive coach which involves a confidential relationship with my clients as a sounding board and thought partner. We work to discover strengths and leverage those strengths to forward the clients agenda and goals.”

The evolution of my career has occurred as one thread has touched another. Because I had leadership experience in a small medical review company that used certain products in the creation of the service, I was later hired by a healthcare data and analytic company as a product manager for those same products; this in turn led to a product marketing manager role from well-known company which took me into the software development arena related to hospital billing products; and since this company provided Six Sigma Green Belt training, I landed the role of the Company Quality Officer which progressed into the Chief Operating Officer for that business unit.  This all went well so I was given three more companies to oversee as the SVP, says Joni.

Make sure that your contributions are visible and don’t be afraid to toot your own horn.

I departed from corporate life because my company had a single focus to consolidate their leaders into one larger market and I had no interest in moving in this direction, says Joni. At this time I suffered an extreme physical injury to my ankle which sidelined me for a few months. These factors combined with my desire for something new and something fresh led me to what I’m doing today which is launching two completely unrelated companies.

Joni lists her successful career as one her achievements she is most proud.  “I’ve worked hard and faced challenges I never thought I would overcome.”  She is also most proud of the people she’s inspired and helped along the way in her journey. “This really makes me feel good and gives me a sense of joy.”

Joni’s 25 year marriage is another accomplishment most proud.  “It hasn’t always been easy or fun,” says Joni.  “My husband has been my biggest fan and supporter. I have appreciated his supportive and inspiring ideas along the journey. He is more than a husband, as he is a trusted and dear friend. This is essential for anyone who is hard driving in their career, that is, to have a trusted and dear friend.”

I’m calm, confident and optimistic about the future. I can easily see the gifts in other people. It wasn’t always this way.

“My personal evolution has been in steps. Each step progressively building upon the last one. From blue collar to white collar to gold collar to open collar…perhaps the final step for me will be to have no collar at all, just flip flops,” says Joni.

1 ½ cup sugar

1 lb butter

2 c packed brown sugar

3 eggs

6 cups flour

2 Tbsp vanilla

½ tsp salt

1 ½ tsp soda

6 cups choc chips

Beat sugars until not lumpy. Add butter and cream together until really creamy.

Add eggs and vanilla.

Add flour, salt, and soda.

Mix dough (will be stiff), add chocolate chips

*For oatmeal – add 1 ½ cups of oatmeal

Cover cookie sheet with wax paper then drop dough.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

The dishes were all made in one day by the Pink Ladders’ staff and displayed under the photographs of the women who contributed their favorites.  Prior to serving ourselves, a synopsis of each woman’s career and significance of their recipe was read aloud to the dinner guests as champagne was poured and the women were toasted.

All guests wore pink in some fashion in the form of bright pink ties on black button down shirts, pink shoes, pink scarves, pink nail polish or pink sweaters.  We made our way to the dining room with full plates where pink glowed all about.  All the dishes made from the recipes were uniquely delectable.

Why pink?  Well, pink of Pink Ladders.  And, pink in Pink Ladders represents women climbing their career ladders. Plus, pink signifies femininity according to color psychology.   ”Pink is a sign of hope that calms and reassures our emotional energies, alleviating feelings of anger, aggression, resentment, abandonment and neglect.   Pink is intuitive and insightful, showing tenderness and kindness with empathy and sensitivity.”

“Pink is a  combination of red and white, pink contains the need for action of red, helping it to achieve the potential for success and insight offered by white. It is the passion and power of red softened with the purity, openness and completeness of white. The deeper the pink, the more passion and energy it exhibits.”

Pink inspires the possibility of a positive outcome.  This is Pink Ladders, honored to be a repository for inspirational stories of our monthly Women of Focus.

So pink it is and so pink was the Pink Ladders’ dinner.

“I wish I could say I have a favorite recipe but I really do not like to cook. I can make a pretty good stir-fry and had a sushi making stage. I do enjoy making soups and turkey meat-loaf with my son. I usually wing it and occasionally use a recipe for guidance. Needless to say nothing usually comes out the same way more than once.”

1lb. ground turkey
bread crumbs
1 raw egg
onion
garlic
carrot
ketchup
Worcestershire sauce
horse radish
carrot
pickle(can even use a little pickle juice)
olive
BBQ sauce

Mix the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl with bread crumbs and raw egg. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Chop up small – this can vary depending on the veggies chosen. I listed our favorites but sometimes we use celery or pepper. As far as the condiments go, let your imagination run wild, just use a little of this and a little of that.

This is my son’s favorite part in helping out. It is a great opportunity to clean out the fridge and put whatever is hanging around to good use. Continue to mix thoroughly in large mixing bowl than put the mixture in an 8-10 inch baking pan(I happen to like glass pans), then bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until everything looks cooked.

I am Grateful to You began when Beth gave up.  You feel broken and defeated then you give up, says Beth. I allowed myself time to give up but then I had to find a way to re-group.  Nothing takes away the pain but it is the way in which it is dealt with that counts.

“By re-directing my thoughts and feelings I was able to come up with a business idea that has transformed my life and now I hope to help transform others by being a Gratitude Facilitator.”

I am Grateful to You offers cards and gifts displaying a spiral logo along with the words I am Grateful to You.  This concept’s inception began after Beth went to bed crying and feeling defeated in her financial struggle to maintain her retail business, and raise her children after divorce.

Life unraveled to the point that all I could do was cry and I had hit a wall. I broke down, was exhausted and numb. I really did not know if I could go on. I had reached my breaking point.

Upon waking in the middle of the night, Beth searched for a way to lift the weight of desperation.  “I started to peel back the layers and realized when I was stripped of everything material – the one thing that helped to pull me through emotionally was my gratitude for those who were there for me through thick and thin.”

“I started thinking about expressing gratitude to those people…I starting thinking about a card, a gift, something meaningful and heartfelt.  From these thoughts and my continued entrepreneur spirit I had started to work out a business plan. In the morning I went to the computer and was able to register the domain names, I am Grateful to You and Gratefulware. I was not 100% sure where I was going with all of this but I was finding a way to turn all this misery around. That was a little over a year ago and the beginning of forming my new business, Gratefulware LLC, dba I am Grateful toYou.”

Someone said her life circumstances had not changed but her inside story had, and that has made all the difference. This is really how it has to begin to make a difference, says Beth.

Beth knew the spiral would be the logo for I am Grateful to You.  “Many times I picture the spiral connecting through my heart. Sometimes I feel so low on that spiral, but I am getting better at climbing up and expanding the spiral.  Then when I think of others besides myself also expressing gratitude through our cards and gifts, I see the spiral grow throughout our world.  It is a wonderful way to connect through the vibration and expression of gratitude.”

From the difficulties of one business, a new business idea was born.

When I first opened my retail store I knew nothing about retail. I had only worked in a shoe store for a year when I was in high school. I actually wasn’t really into fashion but I ended up being successful at buying and selling women’s clothing. I ended up specializing in prom dresses. That was never my original intention. I never even went to a prom, says Beth.

Beth attended college after graduating from high school choosing to study international business over jewelry design.  Her parents stressed the importance of a college education and set this goal for Beth since they did not have the opportunity themselves.

“My first job out of college was with AIG Group. I quit that job and went to work for 20th Century Fox, the film company. I was fired after 6 weeks because I could not handle the job responsibilities.  I must say being fired was the best thing that ever happened to me. “I never worked for anyone after that. “

Beth has owned a women’s retail clothing store for 25 years.  “I was 26 years old, still had student loans, female, no savings, no equity, etc…. I had just returned from traveling throughout Europe and the Middle East for a little over a year. No banker of traditional financer would talk to me so I wrote a business plan and received private financing. I started my first business with $12,000 – terribly undercapitalized but I thought I would give it a go.”

After 3 years in retail, Beth partnered with a retail friend and moved to a larger shared retail space.  Her retail friend owned the shoe store and Beth owned the clothing store.  This way they collaborated but independently ran their own businesses.  They then partnered in an import business.

“We used to travel to Asia, Africa and Mexico importing container loads of handcrafted home products and furniture. We started that business with about $5,000.00 each. It was a lot of fun and we dealt with some wonderful mom and pop operations in various countries. We had a retail store for this business and we also had a wholesale division for some of our products.”

Beth relinquished the import business when she married and started a family.  “For many years I focused on my marriage and children, even putting my former husband through college. Then in 2007 life and business started to unravel. I moved my store as the economy starting to slump. I also started the divorce process.”

From a life that seemed mostly successful and obstacles that now seem so small compared to my life today, I have had to re-examine every aspect of my life.  

The biggest challenge over the past few years is to survive when business has dipped so low with such a reduction of income and massive debt, says Beth.

Paramount to success is a support system.  “It is hard to survive and flourish without a support system. Retail in itself supplies a diverse group of supporters. Most friends and acquaintances I have made resulted in a connection being formed when people walk through the door and a relationship begins. You never know who you are going to connect with and on what level but many times that insures the success of a business,” says Beth.

Keep in mind the customers really are the back bone to the success of the business.  Reaching out in a comfortable way to let customers know you are grateful to them for their business is essential.

I set goals, but with feedback I can redefine them. I always remember everything is a work in progress so no goals have to be set in stone.

I am a risk taker but I tend to be calculated about it and first try baby-steps before I go full force, says Beth.

Beth finds physical movement such as yoga important to reduce stress and keep her mind focused and clear in order to meet her goals.

Networking is so important. It does not have to be in a formal way but just being open to what comes your way, making every experience positive.  Working in retail for almost 25 years has opened the door to connect with people from all walks of life, says Beth.  Sometimes the most inspiring message comes from the most unexpected person.

Writing ideas down is helpful, even the craziest idea.  This can be a start to a new business idea.

Beth says her faithful and caring employees have made a world of difference, in particular, Una, whom she calls her guardian angel in human form.  She has worked for Beth since 9/11.  “She was and still is my main inspiration for gratitude,” says Beth.

Beth’s other inspirational people are Barak Obama, Hillary Clinton, Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey and Deprok Chopra because each has contributed so much positive energy in the world.

For many years Beth had a retail roommate and partner in the import business. They were each other’s mentor.  Mostly, Beth has learned through experience without the assistance of a seasoned mentor.  “Recently, I found a mentor for my new business, I am Grateful to You.  I am very grateful to have connected with a wonderful man with a lot of business experience. It is a dream come true.”

“I realize now more than ever that we really need to help each other and not feel so alone in our endeavors. We are not a competitive world but a cooperative world. That is how we need to define success,” says Beth.

Beth’s advice to women just starting out is to always listen to your heart.

Every day I search for gratitude within myself.  My business based on gratitude is a dream come true so I would like to spend the rest of my life helping people to express gratitude by providing the cards, the gifts, the website and whatever else develops as the spiral grows, says Beth.

“I attribute success to realizing the fears and walking the fine line between success and failure. I am always walking on this fine line. Even when I fall off the line I can get back on or someone will help me.”

Always listen with an open heart and mind. Your career path my not be what you had initially envisioned, but if you are enjoying, growing and learning through the process than it is all worthwhile, says Beth.

Be persistent, positive and patient and it does all come together.

One of my all time favorites that is quick and easy (this goes with anything as a side dish)

Cucumber and Onion Salad- Catering to Charleston, Frances Hamby

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons seasoning salt

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 cup white vinegar

1 cup water

3 medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced into ¼ inch slices

1 onion, thinly sliced

Combine sugar, pepper, salt, oil, vinegar and water and mix well. Mix together cucumbers and onions in a bowl.  Pour marinade over salad.  Cover and marinate for 1 hour.  Serve chilled.  Makes 6 servings.

Ali is an RFx Circle Leader, Independent Consultant, and 2011 Hall of Fame Member, for the Proactive products of Rodan and Fields Dermatologists. This means she has won the bonus Lexus, earns a mid-six figure income and leads a team, all originating with a part time job.

This all began with knowing her Why.

Essential to career climbing are well executed steps towards an overall goal, says Ali.  ”To set goals you first break them down.  People have a goal or place back in their mind that drives them.  This is your Why.”

Recalling the Why is what can motivate people to get out of bed and begin their day.  But how you get to that Why in the back of the mind starts with establishing goals involving daily tasks, weekly tasks, monthly tasks and then yearly.  Make the goals achievable.  Check them off and see the progress for the Why in the back of the mind.

“I often make goal boards with new consultants to give them a visual of their personal goals.  This allows us to work as a team because my team knows my goals and I know theirs.  It really makes the business more efficient.”

Ali and her team begin with poster boards, cutting and pasting images and any media that shows the Why.  Achieving the goals requires finding a system that works for you, says Ali.  What works for others may not work for you.  Ali’s system involves a different color folder for each month holding her goals.  Once accomplished, the folder is filed away.  Goals not accomplished are moved to the following month’s folder for attention.

The overall goal should be something that is important to you, says Ali. This may not necessarily be a company goal.  Some people like financial rewards, while others like titles and personal recognition.  Climb the ladder to a place that fits your personality.

“My career path started in pharmaceutical sales where I was a top performer of billion dollar products.  After getting married and having two children, I retired from the pharmaceutical industry to become a stay at home mom.  Then I was introduced to the most amazing opportunity that would soon change my life in so many ways.  Now I am 1 of 4 Top Leaders within Rodan and Fields Dermatologists, I am now able to show people how to change their skin and change their life.”

Ali attended the University of Tennessee where she obtained her Bachelor’s in Consumer Sciences Management as well as a BS in Interior Design with a Minor in Business Administration. “I attended college right after high school.  This was understood, not up for conversation.”

Armed with her college degree, she was hired in the pharmaceutical industry. “Being a young and attractive female, I was automatically put in a stereotype by the male physicians,” says Ali.  She had to show she could bring knowledge to the table.  “I had just come back from training, standing in the hallway waiting to see the physician.  He came out of his office and said ‘Alright rookie, you come back here and see me.’ This was not professional.  I would not joke back with him.  I set and created the boundaries.  Had I laughed and blown it off, he would have done it again.  He then drilled me with anatomy questions.”

You have to push on through when times got tough, says Ali.  Knowing it was important to professionally make her mark, Ali read books on carrying herself, presenting and leadership.  This self-training developed skills that have played into her successes today.

She left her job in the pharmaceutical industry to focus her time on her two young children.  During those four years off from paid work, Ali still had a “drive and desire to do something.”  Having had a career, then taking the time to be at home gave her a new perspective.  “Children change you, your whole mind set.”  Leadership involves drawing on life skills.

Treating her business as a brick and mortar business, even though she works from home, has been instrumental to Ali’s success.  Ali defines a brick and mortar business as a place of business where one works as though their virtual part time job is their full time job in an office where 100% focus is given.

She began her involvement in direct sales with a couple hours a day at home with the remainder of the day devoted to raising her two children.  However, those two hours were treated like a brick and mortar business.   She approached those two hours with full determination.  Her comportment was not that of a business she is doing on the side but a business she is running fully engaged.

Two people who have guided and given insight to Ali in climbing her pink ladder are her husband David and Bobbie Silva, her regional director.

“My husband, David, has guided me through learning how to manage people in business.  He has really helped me be the leader I am today…He is the man behind the scenes; he works on everything from websites, my back office, and training for our team.  Most importantly, being a Daddy and taking the lead with the children while I help build this company.”

“Bobbie Silva, my Regional Director, has opened my eyes to the industry of direct sales.  She has taught me everything I know about the industry and how to be most successful.  Bobbie has inspired me and pushed me to be the TOP!”

“Most of all, I am proud of being a mom to our two beautiful children and being the wife to a supportive, loving man.  In business, I am overwhelmed with gratitude to my amazing team and proud to be inducted into the 2011 Rodan and Fields Dermatologists Hall Of Fame.  Leading my team to all new heights as their RFx Circle Leader and sharing this position with my husband, David.”

Find what works for you, something you are passionate about.  To do great things, you have to believe in what you are doing.  Financial rewards are good but personal rewards feel so much better, says Ali.

“I love the impact I have on others when I teach them this business.  They learn the business and a skill set they didn’t know they had.  I have watched friends who were in poor financial situations develop a six figure income working part-time.  I want to continue down this path of meeting new people and teaching them how to be successful.”

Ideas are thought about and implementation is already sliding for “after the holidays”.  Soon implementation becomes a spring fling. Another year then puts our ideas right where we started the year prior.

How about now making Fall to Begin this time.

Let’s pull out our Pink Ladders’ Task Manager or similar facsimile and reacquaint ourselves with our goals.  Let’s rethink relevancy and importance.  We can do this as we read our affirmations out loud. Shall we add to them, drop some and rewrite.

Take the time to think about your affirmations.  These reflect the you that you see.

Then let’s look at goals.  Do these goals produce your affirmations?  Once the goals are reached, the affirmations are realized.  Now let’s look at tasks. Personal tasks and work tasks are the elements required to reach your goals.  The tasks involve all things such as open new bank account, pick up the dry cleaning, send out a resume’, or clean out the barn.  Jot down tasks and add a completion date.  These tasks bring you to your goals.  For example, if you plan to move, write down all the tasks to complete in order to move.

As the tasks are completed, cross them out, highlight them or develop your own visual code to show at a glance that progress has been made.  Soon pages will be completed and it will be evident that your goals are more than words.  Add new tasks daily, weekly  or as needed.  These tasks make the words written or uttered real and alive. Check back with your task manager.  This is a tool to realize your affirmations.  When you look back and wonder how you got here, you will know.

Work your ideas.  Make the Fall to Begin.

“Change is a measure of time and, in the autumn, time seems speeded up. What was is not and never again will be; what is is change.”
~ Edwin Teale