Episode 27:  I’m happy to welcome Rita Ernst to the studio to discuss the launch of her new Show Up Positive book.  You may remember Rita from Episode 22.  She is an industrial/organizational psychologist, who became a business consultant and now, a published author.  She’s appeared in the local news, on radio and to a book signing with 70 people.  Let’s learn about how her approach to helping individuals to have a positive impact.

Meet Rita Ernst

Rita is the owner of Ignite Your Extraordinary, in Louisville, Kentucky.  She is a business consultant working with clients on both a local and national basis.  She’s a trained organizational psychologist.  This background helps her to work with business leaders and teams to craft the workplaces and jobs to ensure people feel their needs are being met, while remaining engaged in their roles.

She began working with companies, on the side, via word-of-mouth.  Eventually, she was able to launch Ignite Your Extraordinary and pivot to it as a full-time passion.

The Pandemic’s Role in Rita’s Decision to Write a Book

She fully explains this in the book’s Preface.  Rita goes on to explain that not all businesses closed or transitioned to remote working, during the COVID-19 Pandemic.  Essential businesses remained open.  Those business leaders and employees had to balance the needs of child-related responsibilities, concerns about bringing home the virus and more led to highly-increased levels of stress for many people.

Sustained levels of stress can lead to emotional exhaustion.  It’s simple biology.  People typically withdraw and begin to express negative emotions.  If it gets out of control, it can become a cancer within an organization. Read more →

Episode 25:  Cyber security and cyber theft are real issues for small business owners.  There are now cyber liability insurance policies available to cover you, should you fall victim.  In this episode, I interview Beth Combs and David Goheen from Gallagher, a large insurance company providing multi-line insurance, risk management and consulting services.

Gallagher was founded in 1927.  Beth and David are heavily involved with various types of commercial coverages.  They can also assist with personal, home and automobile lines for various needs.

How Does Cyber Liability Insurance Work?

David explains that many businesses have access to personal information/data about employees, co-workers, customers, vendors, etc.  This creates exposure for cyber liability.  You could be held accountable if that sensitive information gets exposed.

A cyber liability policy can cover legal fees, forensic investigation, credit monitoring and more.  It’s an added layer of protection.  A small business can be financially devastated if it were to be held responsible for the exposure of personal and financial data.

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Episode 22:  The business assumptions, rules and paradigms you used to guide your business through 2020 and previous years won’t necessarily apply in 2021.  Join me for a discussion with Industrial psychologist and business coach Rita Ernst and photographer/brand & image consultant Coral Abood.  If 2020 was the year of pivot, 2021 will be the year of flex.

Rita discusses how her background as an industrial and organizational psychologist gives her a unique perspective in how she approaches her client issues.  She works with small businesses who have achieved significant earnings, but now realize that the tools and approaches the business leader relied upon during start-up may no longer be the right tools, as the business evolves.

Rita can assist with defining the organization structure, roles and responsibilities, culture, etc.  She works to bring clarity to business challenges and to empower the leaders to resolve issues and continue making solid progress.

As a small business owner, do you feel as if your business is running you, instead of you running your business?  Maybe it’s time to engage a business coach to help you.

Coral has been in business for almost 12 years.  She works with businesses to create and/or improve their images and brand positioning.  She often begins with 2 key questions:

• What sets you apart and makes you unique in your marketplace?
• Who is your target audience?

Coral brings a level of intention to how and why the images are going to be used to appeal to the audience and convey meanings.  This is about visual story-telling and your imagery needs to support your brand’s story.

Evolving Business Require New Skills

I asked Rita Ernst about the importance of recognizing that your skill-set has to change if your business is going to be managed effectively.  Rita understands that when leaders fail to understand this, they themselves can actually be a roadblock to the company’s success.

Business leaders bring passion and vision to the business.  They have enormous energy to devote to the details, as well as the overall operation.  Delegation of some decisions and/or responsibilities can be very difficult for some people.

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Episode 20:  My good friends Wendy and Alan Hall joined me in the studio for a discussion about the Alan Hall Agency.  They work with various types of insurance.  In June of 2018, they appeared on my small business radio show, Let’s Get It Started.  Their business recently went through some changes, so I thought it would be a good idea to ask them to walk us through the process.

Their business was founded in 2013.  Today, they primarily focus on Medicare, health, home and automobile insurance.  Earlier this year, they relocated their office, just before the COVID crisis.  All things considered, the business is still doing well.

One of the drivers behind the relocation was the opportunity to expand their lines of business insurance policies.  However, that area if far more complicated and takes much longer to process.  The other types of insurance they provide are much more efficient to quote and process, based on their years of experience.

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Episode 18:  There’s a lot of negative news with COVID-19, protests, riots and other factors.  Jim and Dr. Tony Sheppard will discuss some useful perspectives and tips for filtering out that negativity and maintaining your mental health, as you manage your business and protect your family.

Dr. Sheppard is the owner of Groupworks Psychological Services in Louisville, KY.  He’s a certified group psychotherapist.  The practice provides various types of psychological services for children, adults and families.  During the COVID-19 crisis, his practice has successfully transitioned to a tele-health format.

Many of Dr. Sheppard’s 2020 business goals have been delayed or sidetracked.  This is a common theme for many business owners, entrepreneurs and managers.  In fact, Tony actually contracted the coronavirus at a conference in New York, earlier this year.  Luckily, he’s made a full recovery.

Business owners are struggling with financial pressures, increased stress and anxiety, feelings of helplessness and maybe even failure.  We may also deal with many distractions and a general inability to focus.

Read more →