I’ve been talking to lots of people who took time over the Summer to pause, reflect and reinvent themselves, their career or their business. Some on their own and others forced into it due to layoff or furlough or lost business resulting from the pandemic.

People who…

• Started a new business
• Got a new [dream] job
• Launched a podcast or new program
• Wrote a book

Are you one of them?

I definitely am. 

See, back in March, the pandemic brought me to my knees.

Not only did all of my planned client work go away (in person programs were off the table!), I was left questioning my beliefs and the future of my business:

• Is it relevant?
• How do I want to emerge from this lockdown?
• Who am I in this Covid world and are my beliefs still valid?

What nudge did the past few months give you?

Time for Reinvention

Everyone has a different process for reinvention. Here’s what worked for me…

• Sit in the suck of the pandemic. I’ve done enough personal development to know you cannot ignore emotions if you want to heal them. Some blog posts on the topic: grief and loss, emotional ups and downs.
• Question everything. I’ve never been one to take things at face value. Questions help me get at the heart of everything. Dig deep. What questions do you need to ask? Here are 20 to get you going.
• Recharge & Refocus. Cannot figure out where you want to go if you’re not wiling and able to take time to think about. Plus burnout is real. Meditation, journaling, talking it through with friends and coaches helped me a lot. Have you given yourself time to recharge and refocus? Lucky you, I’m planning a retreat or two this fall to do just that!
• Get some help. Once I gained clarity from the quiet time, I realized that what I need help with right now is messaging, business model and systems. So I have reached out to trusted professionals for that support. What support do you need to get back in motion?
• Get back in motion. Now I’m announcing changes, planning new programs and taking action to bring this new and improved vision and message to life. Scary, yes? The right thing to do? Absolutely. What action can you take to bring your vision to life?

Bottom Line

If there’s one thing I learned through this pandemic, or maybe it’s the fact that I’m middle aged, it’s that hiding our personality, creativity and ideas serves no one. If you feel that same way, you’re in the right place. Things are going to get fun around here.

So…What’s New at Engage The Room? 

After all the questioning and quiet time, I decided to get some help from a brand message consultant (check her out online, she is amazing) to reinvent things around here. Something I wanted to do pre-pandemic and well, COVID provided a much needed nudge.

What nudge did the pandemic give you?

Today I want to share some of what’s new because some of you will love it, some might be uncertain and others might want to unsubscribe (if that’s you, I’ll miss you. And I understand.)

I’m super excited about this reinvention and hope you are, too. Here’s a little about you can expect from now on:

New Brand Message

Have you ever worked with a messaging consultant? OMG what an incredible process. Whether you work for a company or own one, I highly recommend it. Here is the new messaging we developed for Engage The Room:

“Shed The Formality…Speaking, networking, leading others – whatever feels awkward – can feel natural if you drop what’s holding you back.”

It’s time to stop stifling your personality and ideas. You can read the full brand story here.

Programs & Offerings

Engage The Room provides unconventional public speaking & leadership development to entrepreneurial women and startups. You can bring this work to your company (ETR@Work) or attend an event, intensive or retreat through the “ETR Studio” coming (online) this fall.

Podcast Name Change

Shed The Formality (formerly Engaging Voices) launches end of September/early October. Same great format & conversations, new name. This is a podcast for entrepreneurial women who are tired of formal protocols stifling their personality, creativity and ideas. Conversations focus on what it takes to feel more natural speaking, networking, self-promoting, leading others. Past episodes of Engaging Voices will remain for your listening pleasure. 

Be Well & Keep Shining

Remember, the world needs you and your ideas. It’s time to shed the formality so you can step into your natural ability to speak, network, or lead. Will you join me?

Have you reinvented yourself? Or maybe you’re thinking about it? Leave a comment and let me know. I’d love to hear from you.