IAM1145- Founder Helps Entrepreneurs Find Clarity
Podcast Interview with Liz Theresa
Liz Theresa, business mentor and founder of LizTheresa.com, has been helping entrepreneurs find clarity and uniquely market themselves with confidence for a near-decade through her strategic website design, intuitive business mentorship, and clever copywriting services. She wants every entrepreneur to rise and be the star of their own business. She’s also the creator of Concept to Creation, her flagship branding and web design program and you can download a free copywriting training video from her at freecopyvideo.com.
- CEO Hack: Walking every day
- CEO Nugget: Always hold your boundaries and honor your space
- CEO Defined: Owning your power
Website: https://www.liztheresa.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liztheresa
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/InternetFameNow/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liztheresa
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/liztheresa
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liztheresa
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/liztheresa
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMLsF2rkCG2ocDcJaECXL0g?view_as=subscriber
Previous episode: https://iamceo.co/2018/12/14/iam129-business-coach-and-founder-helps-entrepreneurs-find-clarity-and-market-themselves-with-confidence/
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Transcription
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00:22 – Intro
Are you ready to hear business stories and learn effective ways to build relationships, generate sales, and level up your business from awesome CEOs, entrepreneurs, and founders without listening to a long, long, long interview? If so, you've come to the right place. Gresh values your time and is ready to share with you the valuable info you're in search of. This is the I AM CEO podcast.
00:50 – Gresham Harkless
Hello. Hello. Hello, this is Gretchen from the I AM CEO podcast. And I have a very special guest on the show today. I have Liz Teresa from Lizteresa.com. Liz, great to have you on the show.
00:58 – Liz Theresa
Oh my gosh, always happy to be here. I'm so honored to be an I AM CEO. I'm like a veteran, but not the kind that you think on special holidays, just the kind that comes on the show a couple of times.
01:10 – Gresham Harkless
Yes, yes. You won't be getting any discounts at Denny's or at the movie theater early, not that type of veteran or anything like that. Just the veteran that's been on the show before and specifically episode number 129, Liz Theresa has been awesome. I've had the pleasure of being on her show as well too. So I'm super excited to have you back Liz. Before we jump in, I wanted to read a little bit more about Liz so you can hear about all the awesomeness that she's doing.
Liz, business mentor and founder of LizTeresa.com has been helping entrepreneurs find clarity and uniquely market themselves with confidence for nearly a decade through her strategic web design, intuitive business mentorship, and clever Copywriting Services. She wants every entrepreneur to rise and be the star of their own business. And she's also the creator of Concept of Creation, her flagship branding and web design program. And you can download a free copywriting training video from her at freecopyvideo.com. Liz, super excited to have you back on the show. Are you ready to speak to the community?
[restrict paid=”true”]
02:03 – Liz Theresa
Yes, thank you.
02:04 – Gresham Harkless
Awesome, thank you. And to try to kick everything off, I wanted to hear a little bit more about what I call your CEO story. We'll let you get started with all the awesomeness you've been doing.
02:12 – Liz Theresa
Oh my, oh, you mean like lately or like in my whole life story?
02:16 – Gresham Harkless
Life story and then lately, I mix them up.
02:18 – Liz Theresa
Lately, I would say it's, this is, I feel like COVID times in business. There's like pre-COVID times in business and then COVID times.
02:25 – Gresham Harkless
Yes.
02:25 – Liz Theresa
And it's like, I think pandemic life in business has been so weird. So like it's like you said, it's been a near decade, although now a decade as of May 2021, it's been a decade. And so I need to update my bio. So that tells me that, but then it also has like shown so much change. I feel like in our world of online marketing and website building, and I love websites. And I just showed you a t-shirt that we're making that says I love websites because I just genuinely do love websites that much but it's like the way that I think like the way that I do business and interact with folks in the COVID-like world I would say has been so different than like the world pre COVID.
And what I'm referring to, I guess, is like that there's like this genuine, genuine, well, genuine in general, ennui, like, you know, ennui, like that French word that means like this, like, like longing and sadness and like weird. Oh yeah, so look at me showing off. I'm like, I have a master's degree. I do though, but not in French, but it is a thing. It's a sociological phenomenon that they call ennui. They also, there was an article that was published about it recently called languishing. Like that, like the world is very much languishing and that we're just kind of like getting through and everything is a doldrum.
And if it's not like, blah, blah, blah, it's all it's like the culture of immediacy for where it's like, I need this yesterday, that kind of stuff. So I've had like, lately, there's been lots of feelings. And I think it's probably fear about the fall and the impending winter and worry about another shutdown and so it's kind of it's a wild time to be helping people rise and be the star because it's like rise and be the star and do it please do it well and listen to things I actually tell you so you can have the staying power that I've been lucky to have in business, you know, and I yeah, does that resonate with you? Are you feeling that?
04:12 – Gresham Harkless
It definitely resonates with me. It's so funny. I don't know if you remember, but I remember we talked a little bit around, I think when the pandemic happened, and I think you said it, I've been saying it to everybody. I was like, Liz said that a lot of times you've been talking about a lot of the digital marketing, the online presence, and all those things, and people say, oh, I'll get to it, oh, I might do it. And then it's turned into a time where you kind of have to do it.
And it's been a lot that you kind of have to teach people about and let them know about how they can do it and get up to speed. And it does take a lot out of you, but we're still kind of in this weird holding pattern where I say I've been holding my breath for the last year and a half, where you don't know what's going to happen. Like you said, in the fall and in the winter and so on and so forth.
04:51 – Liz Theresa
Well, it's funny you say that because one of my clients, it's like, it's just you like in her copy, it's like she said something like, I get that you've been clenching your teeth for like over a year now. Like we wrote that and I was like, ooh, yeah, I have. Not that I'm genuinely achy in the morning in my mouth, but sometimes, it's like it speaks to what you just kind of referred to as holding your breath.
And like, And I think it's important for business owners to see, especially now where their clients are coming from, with regard to the kinds of problems that you solve as a business, speaking to, okay, yeah, speak to the problem, but speak to the problem in COVID times. Like weight loss, that has become such a thing that's talked about differently as time has gone on.
I think with like body positivity and like Instagram, and then like also in COVID times, like, you know, the coat, did you gain the COVID-19? Like, it's like a thing that people say. And it's just crazy how we need to re-engineer the way our clients are thinking about the very thing that we help them with. It's so different. The urgency around websites has become so high. There's urgent, like so much urgency around what you sell, right?
05:59 – Gresham Harkless
Yeah.
06:00 – Liz Theresa
The stakes are wicked high.
06:01 – Gresham Harkless
Yeah, absolutely. And it's almost as, you know, like we were talking about, it's not, oh, your digital storefront, it's becoming your storefront, your website is your storefront. And it's not, you know, kind of anything you have as an alternative. It's the way that people are gonna find what it is that you do, especially during those lockdown times, because that was the only way that sometimes people can find out what you do. And so you mentioned helping people to be the stars. Could you take us through a little bit more on how you do that and how that works?
06:27 – Liz Theresa
Yeah, so I used to hate not getting the lead role in plays genuinely when I was in high school. And then I know, can you picture me not the lead in something?
06:35 – Gresham Harkless
I cannot. I don't know who the lead would be, right?
06:37 – Liz Theresa
Yeah, some loser. No, they're all fine. All these people that beat me for parts. But I eventually got leads when I was junior, and senior year in high school, and then through college, junior, and senior college. And I was really into theater and I was very good at it. But I never liked in the entertainment business that you were always told how worthy you were. So like you could get the part or you wouldn't get the part or you would get the part, but like you gotta change everything about yourself to make it work, right? It was all this direction and I hate being told what to do.
And I knew it was never gonna work, even though I wanted to be an actor. That was the initial path. And so the underpinnings of my business were always related to the idea of fame and stardom because it was something that I was always really drawn to. And I loved acting and Hollywood and TV and movies and all that. But I like, I didn't want my worth to be decided by anybody but me. So that's part of it is that I think you, that women and men and everybody in between, you have to decide to be the leading lady in your own life or the leading man or the leading other non-binary beings, right? The leading human. How about that? That's inclusive and happy.
You need to be the leading human in your life. And that oftentimes we don't step forward. And so I think what I'm really excited that I get to do is I get to tell people, yes, you are a star and I give people the agency and the permission that they don't need for me. But like symbolic or not, I'm the place where you get to step into that part of yourself.
And you're like, OK, if I were the CEO, if I really were the star of my life in business, how would I show up differently? Would I make different hiring decisions? Would I make investing in my business? Would I make different investment choices? Like would I buy a website now? Would I not buy a website now? Do I invest in Facebook ads now? Do I do that later? Do I invest in headshot photography?
I help people kind of make these really natural and important good decisions, because as long as you come back to the fact that you are inherently special and awesome, then you'll make better decisions. And it does sound very Mr. Rogers hokey, but it's wicked true that if you think you're freaking cool and awesome, other people will think it too. So part of it is accepting your awesomeness and then the other part of it is stepping into that role that you are so entitled to.
08:41 – Gresham Harkless
Yes, I absolutely love that. And I'm a big Muhammad Ali fan. And he has this quote where he says, he said, I said I was the greatest before I became that. And a lot of times we forget that we have to walk into that and we have to proclaim that we have to believe that. And that comes out in everything that we do. So to be a star in your own special way is something that first we have to claim and then have to know how to kind of step into that. But so many times people will wait and say, okay, well, I'll be a star when this happens or when that happens, or I get 10 clients or 100 clients or 6 figures or 7, whatever it might be. When in reality, it's kind of counterintuitive when you start to attract what you are and what you exude. So you have to step into that first.
09:19 – Liz Theresa
Yeah. I mean, if you're attracting some negative things, man, in the past few days, I don't want to take up the whole show. But wow, I could tell you, like I've had, I've been in like this weird negative vortex. And I text one of my buddies that does Reiki. And I was like, can you just dust me off, please? Get these things off me. Whatever is, you know, but it's definitely I'm like, what am I, what did I do that attracted weirdness? And I think about it because yeah, you're right. You, you, you get what you are, you know, you get what you're, you're putting out. And I think that that's really important to think about.
09:50 – Gresham Harkless
Yeah, but I appreciate you sharing that. You know, you reached out to a buddy because I think so many times we don't realize that you can, you know, I guess, I don't want to say manipulate or be in control, but you can take steps in order to kind of redirect some of those things. And I think so many times we can feel more being, a victim maybe of everything that's happening when in reality we can take some steps to change those things.
10:11 – Liz Theresa
Well, it's like, don't let your emotions run you, and then take care of your stuff. Like, you know what I mean? Don't be a hot mess and don't live at the effect of your life be the cause. And these are all, you're like, Liz, these are a bunch of idioms, but I'd be like, okay, listener, they're like all true. Like it's all true. And there are people in my life who frustrate me, like friends and family members that don't get this, where it's like, are you sad and depressed? Go to a therapist, you idiot. Like you jerk.
I don't care how much people you think will make fun of you. They're gonna make fun of you for being an Eeyore all the time. And this is not to minify depression as a cartoon or Winnie the Pooh, but this is to tell you I've had my own stuff, right? But I take care, I like to do everything I can to fix me because when you're when you're a better you, your impact is so much bigger. You're not just Gresh and I'm not just Liz. I'm Liz's mother effing Teresa. And I will hold my boundaries.
I will wear really good shoes. I will do these things that make me feel good and that reflect my personal values. And I have the power to do that because I own who I am. And so how can, I think we all need to own our stuff more? You know, I'm not perfect, but you know me. I don't beat around the bush. I try to take ownership and take responsibility. I fall on my sword only when it's really my fault. That kind of stuff.
11:36 – Gresham Harkless
Yeah, no, that makes so much sense. And I got to add it, I'm Gresh MF Harquist as well too, because you said it, and I got to say it too. Why not own that, own who you are? I like to say run your own race because you'll never lose because it's who you are. It's what makes you special, what makes you unique, what makes you a star, and how you can kind of lean into that. And so would you consider that to be what I like to call your secret sauce? The thing you feel kind of sets you apart and makes it unique is that ability to not just be true to yourself and be true to Liz, MF, and Teresa, but also be able to kind of see that in other people and bring that to light.
12:07 – Liz Theresa
I think so, I really do. And I think it's funny because when you ask people for their secret sauces, sometimes people think that you have to know that right away. And I don't know that I settled on that secret recipe until like I was several years into the business, that I knew that that was really what I was special at because no one was there for me to tell me, you know, and tell me why I was special or give me agency and authority. I kind of had to give myself the leading role, you know?
12:33 – Gresham Harkless
Yeah, absolutely. And I think it's so important to realize that because I think people will, it becomes that, we're kind of talking about self-fulfilling prophecies because if you feel like, oh, I don't know what my secret sauce is and what makes me unique, then you go into this downward spiral where you never try to take the steps to do it. But in reality, if you start to think and know and try it and test it out, and maybe it doesn't work, you continue to kind of work through it, then you start to begin to find people forget that it's something that you actually have to work at.
12:58 – Liz Theresa
Yeah, I think one of the worst things in the world is that everyone quits too early.
13:02 – Gresham Harkless
Yeah.
13:03 – Liz Theresa
You know, I love that quote that you said though. You have such good quotes.
13:07 – Gresham Harkless
Do I? I don't know what it says. I have to go back and listen to the recording.
13:10 – Liz Theresa
Yeah, re-listen. The Muhammad Ali one was good. And then the thing that you just said was good that I wish I could repeat. Maybe I'll have to well, everybody listening is like now rewinding.
13:20 – Gresham Harkless
Yeah, collectively, we got the one button.
13:21 – Liz Theresa
What did he say? Yes, yeah, I love it.
13:28 – Gresham Harkless
Awesome. So I wanted to switch gears a little bit, and I wanted to ask you for what I call a CEO hack. So this could be like an app, a book, or a habit that you have, but what's something that makes you more effective and efficient?
13:38 – Liz Theresa
Oh, so for me, I walk like every day, and I have to because I think that the worst thing you can do is it depends on how you start your day, right? Never start your day with email, email somebody else's to-do list. So like get up and get outside, like listen to a podcast, listen to the I am the mother effing CEO podcast, and like just get into your own headspace and you like you need that especially I think especially now.
14:05 – Gresham Harkless
Absolutely. And so I wanted to ask you now for what I call a CEO nugget. So this could be a word of wisdom or a piece of advice. It could be something around marketing and mentorship and all the awesome things you do, or it could be something you would tell your younger business self if you had to tell the time machine.
14:19 – Liz Theresa
Always hold your boundaries. Boundary holding is extremely uncomfortable, okay? But like when somebody is making you feel like you're struggling or you're in a toxic relationship with a client or a colleague, If there's something weird like in the way that they communicate with you and you really are like, please stop texting me on Instagram at 9 pm about business or whatever it is, hold your boundary because holding your boundary doesn't make you a jerk. It just makes you physically ill. But when you do it, you will, like it pay for itself in dividends because like then the next time like other people hold boundaries, you're not going to be mad. It's all important for us to honor our space because I had to hold a boundary.
14:56 – Gresham Harkless
Absolutely. Absolutely. And so I wanted to ask you now my absolute favorite question, which is the definition of what it means to be a CEO. And we're hoping our different quote-unquote CEOs are on the show. So Liz, what does being a CEO mean to you?
15:06 – Liz Theresa
Owning your power. I really do like owning your power. And I think when you say, what does a CEO mean? I think in my head, I'm like, well, what does CEO Liz do in any situation? So like if you asked yourself in a funny situation, what would CEO Gresh do? And then is it different than the action that you felt compelled to take? And if it is different, you know, correct yourself.
15:28 – Gresham Harkless
Well, Liz, I'm super excited to have had you on the show. Always a pleasure. What I wanted to do is just pass you the mic, so to speak, just to see if there's anything additional that you can let our readers and listeners know and of course, how best they can get a hold of you.
15:39 – Liz Theresa
Oh, see how I jumped on that? You're like pass the mic and I'm like, so you got it now. Guys, I took it way too early. No, but I like listening to Liz on Biz. That's my show. It's very fun. Keep listening to Gresh's show. He's amazing. But also follow me at Liz Teresa anywhere and I'm Liz Teresa calm and it's Teresa with a th. So if you mess that up, you might just find a weird Liz if it was like T.E. No, she doesn't exist. I don't think she I think I've looked she's not there. So it's fine. You'll find me.
16:08 – Gresham Harkless
Yes, that makes it even easier. We'll have the links and information that's in the show notes as well too. I've been can I say I'm an OG veteran as well too on the Liz Teresa show as well? So definitely check it out. We'll have the links in the show notes as well too. But Liz truly appreciates your positivity and all the wisdom you provide here and everywhere in the world. I appreciate you so much, my friend. And I'll be able to almost the rest of the day.
16:29 – Outro
Thank you for listening to the I AM CEO Podcast powered by Blue 16 Media. Tune in next time and visit us at iamceo.co I AM CEO is not just a phrase, it's a community. Be sure to follow us on social media and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes Google Play and everywhere you listen to podcasts, SUBSCRIBE, and leave us a five-star rating grab CEO gear at www.ceogear.co. This has been the I AM CEO Podcast with Gresham Harkless. Thank you for listening.
00:22 - Intro
Are you ready to hear business stories and learn effective ways to build relationships, generate sales, and level up your business from awesome CEOs, entrepreneurs, and founders without listening to a long, long, long interview? If so, you've come to the right place. Gresh values your time and is ready to share with you the valuable info you're in search of. This is the I AM CEO podcast.
00:50 - Gresham Harkless
Hello. Hello. Hello, this is Gretchen from the I AM CEO podcast. And I have a very special guest on the show today. I have Liz Teresa from Lizteresa.com. Liz, great to have you on the show.
00:58 - Liz Theresa
Oh my gosh, always happy to be here. I'm so honored to be an I AM CEO. I'm like a veteran, but not the kind that you think on special holidays, just the kind that comes on the show a couple of times.
01:10 - Gresham Harkless
Yes, yes. You won't be getting any discounts at Denny's or at the movie theater early, not that type of veteran or anything like that. Just the veteran that's been on the show before and specifically episode number 129, Liz Theresa has been awesome. I've had the pleasure of being on her show as well too. So I'm super excited to have you back Liz. Before we jump in, I wanted to read a little bit more about Liz so you can hear about all the awesomeness that she's doing.
Liz, business mentor and founder of LizTeresa.com has been helping entrepreneurs find clarity and uniquely market themselves with confidence for nearly a decade through her strategic web design, intuitive business mentorship, and clever Copywriting Services. She wants every entrepreneur to rise and be the star of their own business. And she's also the creator of Concept of Creation, her flagship branding and web design program. And you can download a free copywriting training video from her at freecopyvideo.com. Liz, super excited to have you back on the show. Are you ready to speak to the community?
02:03 - Liz Theresa
Yes, thank you.
02:04 - Gresham Harkless
Awesome, thank you. And to try to kick everything off, I wanted to hear a little bit more about what I call your CEO story. We'll let you get started with all the awesomeness you've been doing.
02:12 - Liz Theresa
Oh my, oh, you mean like lately or like in my whole life story?
02:16 - Gresham Harkless
Life story and then lately, I mix them up.
02:18 - Liz Theresa
Lately, I would say it's, this is, I feel like COVID times in business. There's like pre-COVID times in business and then COVID times.
02:25 - Gresham Harkless
Yes.
02:25 - Liz Theresa
And it's like, I think pandemic life in business has been so weird. So like it's like you said, it's been a near decade, although now a decade as of May 2021, it's been a decade. And so I need to update my bio. So that tells me that, but then it also has like shown so much change. I feel like in our world of online marketing and website building, and I love websites. And I just showed you a t-shirt that we're making that says I love websites because I just genuinely do love websites that much but it's like the way that I think like the way that I do business and interact with folks in the COVID-like world I would say has been so different than like the world pre COVID.
And what I'm referring to, I guess, is like that there's like this genuine, genuine, well, genuine in general, ennui, like, you know, ennui, like that French word that means like this, like, like longing and sadness and like weird. Oh yeah, so look at me showing off. I'm like, I have a master's degree. I do though, but not in French, but it is a thing. It's a sociological phenomenon that they call ennui. They also, there was an article that was published about it recently called languishing. Like that, like the world is very much languishing and that we're just kind of like getting through and everything is a doldrum.
And if it's not like, blah, blah, blah, it's all it's like the culture of immediacy for where it's like, I need this yesterday, that kind of stuff. So I've had like, lately, there's been lots of feelings. And I think it's probably fear about the fall and the impending winter and worry about another shutdown and so it's kind of it's a wild time to be helping people rise and be the star because it's like rise and be the star and do it please do it well and listen to things I actually tell you so you can have the staying power that I've been lucky to have in business, you know, and I yeah, does that resonate with you? Are you feeling that?
04:12 - Gresham Harkless
It definitely resonates with me. It's so funny. I don't know if you remember, but I remember we talked a little bit around, I think when the pandemic happened, and I think you said it, I've been saying it to everybody. I was like, Liz said that a lot of times you've been talking about a lot of the digital marketing, the online presence, and all those things, and people say, oh, I'll get to it, oh, I might do it. And then it's turned into a time where you kind of have to do it.
And it's been a lot that you kind of have to teach people about and let them know about how they can do it and get up to speed. And it does take a lot out of you, but we're still kind of in this weird holding pattern where I say I've been holding my breath for the last year and a half, where you don't know what's going to happen. Like you said, in the fall and in the winter and so on and so forth.
04:51 - Liz Theresa
Well, it's funny you say that because one of my clients, it's like, it's just you like in her copy, it's like she said something like, I get that you've been clenching your teeth for like over a year now. Like we wrote that and I was like, ooh, yeah, I have. Not that I'm genuinely achy in the morning in my mouth, but sometimes, it's like it speaks to what you just kind of referred to as holding your breath.
And like, And I think it's important for business owners to see, especially now where their clients are coming from, with regard to the kinds of problems that you solve as a business, speaking to, okay, yeah, speak to the problem, but speak to the problem in COVID times. Like weight loss, that has become such a thing that's talked about differently as time has gone on.
I think with like body positivity and like Instagram, and then like also in COVID times, like, you know, the coat, did you gain the COVID-19? Like, it's like a thing that people say. And it's just crazy how we need to re-engineer the way our clients are thinking about the very thing that we help them with. It's so different. The urgency around websites has become so high. There's urgent, like so much urgency around what you sell, right?
05:59 - Gresham Harkless
Yeah.
06:00 - Liz Theresa
The stakes are wicked high.
06:01 - Gresham Harkless
Yeah, absolutely. And it's almost as, you know, like we were talking about, it's not, oh, your digital storefront, it's becoming your storefront, your website is your storefront. And it's not, you know, kind of anything you have as an alternative. It's the way that people are gonna find what it is that you do, especially during those lockdown times, because that was the only way that sometimes people can find out what you do. And so you mentioned helping people to be the stars. Could you take us through a little bit more on how you do that and how that works?
06:27 - Liz Theresa
Yeah, so I used to hate not getting the lead role in plays genuinely when I was in high school. And then I know, can you picture me not the lead in something?
06:35 - Gresham Harkless
I cannot. I don't know who the lead would be, right?
06:37 - Liz Theresa
Yeah, some loser. No, they're all fine. All these people that beat me for parts. But I eventually got leads when I was junior, and senior year in high school, and then through college, junior, and senior college. And I was really into theater and I was very good at it. But I never liked in the entertainment business that you were always told how worthy you were. So like you could get the part or you wouldn't get the part or you would get the part, but like you gotta change everything about yourself to make it work, right? It was all this direction and I hate being told what to do.
And I knew it was never gonna work, even though I wanted to be an actor. That was the initial path. And so the underpinnings of my business were always related to the idea of fame and stardom because it was something that I was always really drawn to. And I loved acting and Hollywood and TV and movies and all that. But I like, I didn't want my worth to be decided by anybody but me. So that's part of it is that I think you, that women and men and everybody in between, you have to decide to be the leading lady in your own life or the leading man or the leading other non-binary beings, right? The leading human. How about that? That's inclusive and happy.
You need to be the leading human in your life. And that oftentimes we don't step forward. And so I think what I'm really excited that I get to do is I get to tell people, yes, you are a star and I give people the agency and the permission that they don't need for me. But like symbolic or not, I'm the place where you get to step into that part of yourself.
And you're like, OK, if I were the CEO, if I really were the star of my life in business, how would I show up differently? Would I make different hiring decisions? Would I make investing in my business? Would I make different investment choices? Like would I buy a website now? Would I not buy a website now? Do I invest in Facebook ads now? Do I do that later? Do I invest in headshot photography?
I help people kind of make these really natural and important good decisions, because as long as you come back to the fact that you are inherently special and awesome, then you'll make better decisions. And it does sound very Mr. Rogers hokey, but it's wicked true that if you think you're freaking cool and awesome, other people will think it too. So part of it is accepting your awesomeness and then the other part of it is stepping into that role that you are so entitled to.
08:41 - Gresham Harkless
Yes, I absolutely love that. And I'm a big Muhammad Ali fan. And he has this quote where he says, he said, I said I was the greatest before I became that. And a lot of times we forget that we have to walk into that and we have to proclaim that we have to believe that. And that comes out in everything that we do. So to be a star in your own special way is something that first we have to claim and then have to know how to kind of step into that. But so many times people will wait and say, okay, well, I'll be a star when this happens or when that happens, or I get 10 clients or 100 clients or 6 figures or 7, whatever it might be. When in reality, it's kind of counterintuitive when you start to attract what you are and what you exude. So you have to step into that first.
09:19 - Liz Theresa
Yeah. I mean, if you're attracting some negative things, man, in the past few days, I don't want to take up the whole show. But wow, I could tell you, like I've had, I've been in like this weird negative vortex. And I text one of my buddies that does Reiki. And I was like, can you just dust me off, please? Get these things off me. Whatever is, you know, but it's definitely I'm like, what am I, what did I do that attracted weirdness? And I think about it because yeah, you're right. You, you, you get what you are, you know, you get what you're, you're putting out. And I think that that's really important to think about.
09:50 - Gresham Harkless
Yeah, but I appreciate you sharing that. You know, you reached out to a buddy because I think so many times we don't realize that you can, you know, I guess, I don't want to say manipulate or be in control, but you can take steps in order to kind of redirect some of those things. And I think so many times we can feel more being, a victim maybe of everything that's happening when in reality we can take some steps to change those things.
10:11 - Liz Theresa
Well, it's like, don't let your emotions run you, and then take care of your stuff. Like, you know what I mean? Don't be a hot mess and don't live at the effect of your life be the cause. And these are all, you're like, Liz, these are a bunch of idioms, but I'd be like, okay, listener, they're like all true. Like it's all true. And there are people in my life who frustrate me, like friends and family members that don't get this, where it's like, are you sad and depressed? Go to a therapist, you idiot. Like you jerk.
I don't care how much people you think will make fun of you. They're gonna make fun of you for being an Eeyore all the time. And this is not to minify depression as a cartoon or Winnie the Pooh, but this is to tell you I've had my own stuff, right? But I take care, I like to do everything I can to fix me because when you're when you're a better you, your impact is so much bigger. You're not just Gresh and I'm not just Liz. I'm Liz's mother effing Teresa. And I will hold my boundaries.
I will wear really good shoes. I will do these things that make me feel good and that reflect my personal values. And I have the power to do that because I own who I am. And so how can, I think we all need to own our stuff more? You know, I'm not perfect, but you know me. I don't beat around the bush. I try to take ownership and take responsibility. I fall on my sword only when it's really my fault. That kind of stuff.
11:36 - Gresham Harkless
Yeah, no, that makes so much sense. And I got to add it, I'm Gresh MF Harquist as well too, because you said it, and I got to say it too. Why not own that, own who you are? I like to say run your own race because you'll never lose because it's who you are. It's what makes you special, what makes you unique, what makes you a star, and how you can kind of lean into that. And so would you consider that to be what I like to call your secret sauce? The thing you feel kind of sets you apart and makes it unique is that ability to not just be true to yourself and be true to Liz, MF, and Teresa, but also be able to kind of see that in other people and bring that to light.
12:07 - Liz Theresa
I think so, I really do. And I think it's funny because when you ask people for their secret sauces, sometimes people think that you have to know that right away. And I don't know that I settled on that secret recipe until like I was several years into the business, that I knew that that was really what I was special at because no one was there for me to tell me, you know, and tell me why I was special or give me agency and authority. I kind of had to give myself the leading role, you know?
12:33 - Gresham Harkless
Yeah, absolutely. And I think it's so important to realize that because I think people will, it becomes that, we're kind of talking about self-fulfilling prophecies because if you feel like, oh, I don't know what my secret sauce is and what makes me unique, then you go into this downward spiral where you never try to take the steps to do it. But in reality, if you start to think and know and try it and test it out, and maybe it doesn't work, you continue to kind of work through it, then you start to begin to find people forget that it's something that you actually have to work at.
12:58 - Liz Theresa
Yeah, I think one of the worst things in the world is that everyone quits too early.
13:02 - Gresham Harkless
Yeah.
13:03 - Liz Theresa
You know, I love that quote that you said though. You have such good quotes.
13:07 - Gresham Harkless
Do I? Do I? I don't know what it says. I have to go back and listen to the recording.
13:10 - Liz Theresa
Yeah, re-listen. The Muhammad Ali one was good. And then the thing that you just said was good that I wish I could repeat. Maybe I'll have to well, everybody listening is like now rewinding.
13:20 - Gresham Harkless
Yeah, collectively, we got the one button.
13:21 - Liz Theresa
What did he say? Yes. Yeah, yeah, I love it.
13:28 - Gresham Harkless
Awesome. So I wanted to switch gears a little bit, and I wanted to ask you for what I call a CEO hack. So this could be like an app, a book, or a habit that you have, but what's something that makes you more effective and efficient?
13:38 - Liz Theresa
Oh, so for me, I walk like every day, and I have to because I think that the worst thing you can do is it depends on how you start your day, right? Never start your day with email, email somebody else's to-do list. So like get up and get outside, like listen to a podcast, listen to the I am the mother effing CEO podcast, and like just get into your own headspace and you like you need that especially I think especially now.
14:05 - Gresham Harkless
Absolutely. And so I wanted to ask you now for what I call a CEO nugget. So this could be a word of wisdom or a piece of advice. It could be something around marketing and mentorship and all the awesome things you do, or it could be something you would tell your younger business self if you had to tell the time machine.
14:19 - Liz Theresa
Always hold your boundaries. Boundary holding is extremely uncomfortable, okay? But like when somebody is making you feel like you're struggling or you're in a toxic relationship with a client or a colleague, If there's something weird like in the way that they communicate with you and you really are like, please stop texting me on Instagram at 9 pm about business or whatever it is, hold your boundary because holding your boundary doesn't make you a jerk. It just makes you physically ill. But when you do it, you will, like it pay for itself in dividends because like then the next time like other people hold boundaries, you're not going to be mad. It's all important for us to honor our space because I had to hold a boundary.
14:56 - Gresham Harkless
Absolutely. Absolutely. And so I wanted to ask you now my absolute favorite question, which is the definition of what it means to be a CEO. And we're hoping our different quote-unquote CEOs are on the show. So Liz, what does being a CEO mean to you?
15:06 - Liz Theresa
Owning your power. I really do like owning your power. And I think when you say, what does a CEO mean? I think in my head, I'm like, well, what does CEO Liz do in any situation? So like if you asked yourself in a funny situation, what would CEO Gresh do? And then is it different than the action that you felt compelled to take? And if it is different, you know, correct yourself.
15:28 - Gresham Harkless
Well, Liz, I'm super excited to have had you on the show. Always a pleasure. What I wanted to do is just pass you the mic, so to speak, just to see if there's anything additional that you can let our readers and listeners know and of course, how best they can get a hold of you.
15:39 - Liz Theresa
Oh, see how I jumped on that? You're like pass the mic and I'm like, so you got it now. Guys, I took it way too early. No, but I like listening to Liz on Biz. That's my show. It's very fun. Keep listening to Gresh's show. He's amazing. But also follow me at Liz Teresa anywhere and I'm Liz Teresa calm and it's Teresa with a th. So if you mess that up, you might just find a weird Liz if it was like T.E. No, she doesn't exist. I don't think she I think I've looked she's not there. So it's fine. You'll find me.
16:08 - Gresham Harkless
Yes, that makes it even easier. We'll have the links and information that's in the show notes as well too. I've been can I say I'm an OG veteran as well too on the Liz Teresa show as well? So definitely check it out. We'll have the links in the show notes as well too. But Liz truly appreciates your positivity and all the wisdom you provide here and everywhere in the world. I appreciate you so much, my friend. And I'll be able to almost the rest of the day.
16:29 - Outro
Thank you for listening to the I AM CEO Podcast powered by Blue 16 Media. Tune in next time and visit us at iamceo.co I AM CEO is not just a phrase, it's a community. Be sure to follow us on social media and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes Google Play and everywhere you listen to podcasts, SUBSCRIBE, and leave us a five-star rating grab CEO gear at www.ceogear.co. This has been the I AM CEO Podcast with Gresham Harkless. Thank you for listening.
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