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b y J e n n i f e r r a n s aw s m i t h© 2 0 0 9

Redefinein2009

Seven Inspiring Principles to Jumpstart Your Life

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To ever y woman who needs a gentle

reminder about how fierce she is.

R A R

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P u b l i s h e d b y r o a r P u b l i c at i o n s© 2 0 0 9

c o l u m b i a , m a r y l a n d

Redefine in 2009Seven Inspiring Principles

to Jumpstart Your Life

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Twelve years ago, I thought I had it all; a great job as a copywriter at an

award-winning boutique adver tising firm, a beautiful apar tment, and I was

making a pretty decent salary, considering I was less than two years out of

school. I had the oppor tunity to really make my mark in the new city in which

I was residing (a small town outside of Baltimore) but, something was missing.

Even though on paper things looked amazing, I felt as though I wasn’t living

up to my fullest potential. I had an internal gnawing I just couldn’t get rid, of

no matter how hard I tried.

Daily, I would get up and delight in my lovely apar tment and how far I had come since

growing up beneath the roaring helicopters of South Central Los Angeles. I was proud

that I had been able to attend one of the nation’s most coveted adver tising schools and

learn from the best. But, at the time, I still felt unsettled.

While in school, I hadn’t quite figured out the impor tance of celebrating one’s differen-

tiators. In fact, surrounded by some of the nation’s “best copywriters,” I frequently found

myself tr ying to emulate their style. And what I realized was that I was never “quirky

enough,” I didn’t seem to share that “offbeat humor” that was so heavily coveted at

the time, and my style would never would have been considered edgy—something that

almost everyone at our school was shooting for.

What I did do and do quite well was write ads that connected—mainly with women. I was

brilliant at the “warm and fuzzy” and the kinds of ads that connected with your core. But

at the time, that wasn’t something I readily embraced about myself. I wanted my work to

be considered “hot.” So, I spent a great deal of time trying to be like everyone else; mainly

because “everyone else” seemed to be getting recognized.

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As you can imagine, I suffered a great deal back then, but it wasn’t something I discussed

much. Instead, I spent countless hours working on my “book”—por tfolio—to make sure it

had the kinds of ads that sell: quirky, edgy, masculine humor. And as many of my classmates

were recruited to work at some of the nation’s hottest agencies in NY, Chicago, L.A. and

Minneapolis, guess what? I wasn’t recruited at all. In fact, I had to find my own recruiter.

It’s a lot easier to discuss now, more than a decade later, but at the time it was quite

embarrassing. Here I had spent countless dollars receiving the best adver tising education

in the nation and I had to get out and “pound the pavement.”

Being in adver tising is a lot like being an actor. You put yourself “out there” and are

frequently subjected to criticism. If you don’t develop tough skin early on, you won’t

survive!

“Why did you take that par ticular direction, did you think it was funny?”

“This headline is a weak sister and it should have been killed a long time ago.”

“Your por tfolio is weak; you need to go back to the drawing board and star t again.”

I remember it like it was yesterday. Six months after a recruiter placed me at my first

agency on the east coast, I was laid off. Welcome to the wonderful world of advertising. My

agency lost a big account (commercial air line), and quite a few of us lost our jobs. There

I was, scared (about how I was going to pay the rent in a new city), embarrassed (about

how it looked not having a job so quickly after I just landed one) and humiliated for having

to get right back out there and “pound the pavement.” And on top of all that, my dreams

of working for Fallon, Chiat, or Weiden (some of the hottest agencies back in the early

90’s) seemed to be quickly diminishing. Now, the goal was simply to find a job; one that

would allow me to pay the rent by myself (since this was the first time I wouldn’t have

a roommate).

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So, when my recruiter called with another oppor tunity, I had to listen. “There is this

really creative agency looking for a junior writer in Kalamazoo, Michigan, do you think

you would be interested?”

While I wasn’t exactly jumping for joy at the oppor tunity to relocate to Kalamazoo, I did

more than just enter tain the possibility, I actually interviewed for the job; after pulling out

a map to pinpoint its exact location.

At this point in life, I was operating solely in what I called “defense mode.” I wanted to

work for “whoever would have me.” Not once during this journey did I sit and think that

I actually had choices—instead, I thought “I have bills.”

So when I happened to land a job at the “creative hot shop” that I spoke about at the

beginning of the story, I should have been over the moon—and truth be told, I was…

for a while. But as I sat in my living room one evening after another day of the same old

thing— going to work, coming home and walking the dog, maybe the gym, maybe not,

cooking some type of gourmet meal and falling out in front of

the television—I said to myself there has to be more…

There’s nothing worse than being lost. Unfor tunately, this is a

state that many of us often find ourselves in, because we simply

don’t take the time to get to know our deepest desires and

then unleash the courage necessary to go after them.

One evening, after almost a year of living in a state of “I should

be grateful,” I decided that I’d had enough. Yes, the agency was great; my boss was

phenomenal, the employees had embraced me and in general life was good. However, I

could no longer pretend I was happy. As I looked around my lonely apar tment, I realized

that I was all I had—in fact, I was the one I was waiting for.

So, I decided to go for it!

“There comes a time

when you get tired of

being sick and tired.”

-Jess Lynn Hanley, M.D.

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I decided to pack up my bags and head to New York City. Now, mind you, when I made

my initial decision, I didn’t get all caught up in the details of the “hows” because had

I taken any time to rationally think it through, it may never have happened. Instead, I

decided I was going to quit and move.

I decided that I would worry about things like my lease (which wasn’t up yet), job, and

material stuff later.

The road to NYC was a long, tumultuous one. But, I must admit that packing my dog in

my Honda CRX and heading into NYC for the first time will always rank as one of my

proudest moments and I’m proud to announce that God richly rewarded me for moving

out in faith in a multitude of ways:

1. My agency gave me a wonderful going away par ty and loaded me up with

lots of essentials for living in NY; including tokens and subway maps.

2. As soon as I made the decision to move, my cousin invited me to stay with

her (in a bedroom community outside of the city) while I interviewed and

then found my own place.

3. When my cousin’s landlord said I could no longer keep my dog there, my

new boyfriend (now husband), volunteered to keep her back in Maryland

until I got settled and could take her back.

4. Recruiters who wanted to represent me star ted coming out of the wood-

work and I was able to get in front of a myriad of agencies.

5. Within one week, I had four job oppor tunities—including the one that I

eventually accepted, which paid me $10,000 more than my asking salary.

Since then, my New York adventure has served as a reminder of why it is impor tant to

listen to your gut and simply GO FOR IT!!!

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When you learn to stop holding back who you are, your life will begin to SOAR. I know

this stuff all sounds so simple, when it fact, nothing can be far ther from the truth. It’s hard

to follow your bliss, or even course correct; it’s hard to not care what others think when

you love them…and sometimes when you don’t (but just want to impress them).

My stint in NYC was fabulous. My brownstone was even more gorgeous than my previous

apar tment, I had an amazing career that immediately put me on high-profile accounts and

gave me the oppor tunity to travel extensively. I loved everything about it and went about

my life with blissful ambition until one day, I had a feeling that I should be doing more…

That is when I truly learned the first of 7 Inspiring steps that I’m going to share with you

to help you redefine your life in 2009!

Seven Inspiring Principles to Jumpstar t Your Life

1. Embrace the Journey. It took me a long time to realize that Life wasn’t a destina-

tion. Like many of you, I thought you were to work hard, get a great education, get a

great job and then retire. The goal was to get to the end and then just kick back and

relax. So, like many of you, I spent a great deal of time trying to base my life on the

wrong “model.”

I looked for oppor tunities where I could rise through the ranks, make a ton of cash

and then sack enough away to “get the hell out of Dodge,” when the appropriate time

came. But, as I star ted to dig a little deeper and investigate this model, I couldn’t help

but think there was something innately wrong with looking at life as a destination.

I star ted to pay attention to those women (and men) who were really shaking things

up and taking the world by storm. They weren’t thinking about retiring! Women like

Maya Angelou, Gloria Steinem or Marian Wright Edelman. I star ted noticing that

women like Johnetta B. Cole and Tina Turner were still kicking, going strong and didn’t

appear to have “retirement” anywhere on their radar.

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Why was that? What made these phenomenal women so different from the masses?

They understood that they were on a journey! Each and every one of them took the

time, early on, to connect with what they loved and found a passion that was so deep

that they were able to express it in a multitude of ways, therefore, never growing tired

of the ride.

This is a big lesson for women to embrace. Do what you love and you’ll forever love to

do it. That is not meant to be taken literally, because yes, you can grow tired and weary

of holding the same job, but the essence is true. For example, If you are passionate

about educating women, you may spend the dawn of your life in the classroom and

the dusk as a mentor and the bulk in the middle might find you doing everything from

heading an educational nonprofit to being a dean at a university. You’ll enjoy being on

the journey, because you’ll understand that although you may take different paths, the

roads all lead to the same place—and that is someplace you enjoy going.

After I got to NYC and landed my “dream job,” I soon realized that although this is

exactly what I prayed for and I was living a rich and fulfilling life, it was just the first

stop on a long journey.

2. Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable. This too, was a hard one for me

to embrace, because, as a Libra (I won’t get all astrological on you), I have a deep-

seated desire for comfor t. I’m a natural-born peacemaker. I’m the one you can count

on to bring the par ties together. Looking back, I realize that I was also often the first

one to apologize when there was a dispute—not because I thought I was wrong, but

because I just didn’t like feeling the stress caused by conflict.

It’s very hard making a change when things are “fine.” In fact, I believe that “fine” is

detrimental to life; it’s like cyanide. “Fine” is the state that lies between things could be

better or things could be worse, so I guess I’m ok. What you are is probably stuck.

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Indulge me for a moment and imagine a pendulum. If the ball is sitting right in the

middle, the area I call “fine,” you have no momentum. And unfor tunately, without mo-

mentum things usually don’t change.

How many times have you looked at your life and felt dissatisfaction (personally, pro-

fessionally, spiritually, physically, and creatively) but things just weren’t bad enough to

act on. You knew that you wanted to make changes but you just weren’t ready for the

ramifications of hearing your inner critic or the opinions of others.

It’s hard to buck the trend and “Do you,” as my gir lfriend Leslie likes to say. It’s hard

feeling the butterflies and moving anyway. How do I know? I’ve done it, time and time

again. I understand the trepidation you feel because “the time just isn’t right.” I have

experienced the self-doubt, self-defeating talk and limiting beliefs of others, personally.

But, I have come to understand that if you are “fine,” it means you are not pushing

yourself to live at your optimal level. If you are comfor table, you aren’t fully engaging.

You should be pushing yourself beyond your comfor t level at least once a day!

Ever since that evening in 1996, when I sat down on my

living room floor and decided to move, I have begun to

embrace the butterflies that come from getting outside

my comfor t zone, because I now realize that they only

appear when I’m living boldly and really about to expe-

rience something great!

3. Remember, Authenticity Can’t Be Duplicated. As I said earlier, I spent a large

par t of my life trying to be like everyone else. Growing up in Southern California,

I wanted to be thin, like the rest of the California gir ls (when in fact, my body was

perfect for ME); I wanted to be more popular, live in a “better neighborhood,” and

the list goes on and on. Of course, some of these deep-seated insecurities followed

“If you want to succeed,

double your failure rate.”

-Tom Watson, Jr., Chairman IBM

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me throughout college and into the workplace, rearing their ugly heads as “wishing I

were smar ter,” “…had gotten accepted into a better college or landed that “dream

job” without having to look so hard.

So, in a nutshell, it’s probably painfully obvious that I spent too much time embracing

everyone but myself. But, I’m not alone. We live in a society that is constantly bom-

barding us with images that tell us we are not enough; not pretty enough, not smar t

enough, not thin enough or successful enough. Every day, we are subject to messages

both subtle and over t that emphasize what we are lacking, when in fact, we are perfect

as we are!

When Obama said, “We are who we’ve been waiting for,” on the night of his Accep-

tance Speech in Chicago’s Grant Park, I couldn’t have agreed more.

We are each fabulously unique. There is no need to emulate because authenticity

can’t be duplicated. Why choose to be a second-rate someone else, when you can

be a first-rate you? Who knows how my life would have turned out if only I had em-

braced this philosophy earlier in my career? I could have saved myself countless untold

hear tache, had I spent less time emulating others. I used to study all of the great

books in adver tising, like CA (Communication Arts Journal) or The One Show; not just

to stay abreast of industry trends, but also to study the “styles” of other successful

copywriters. Had I spent less time wishing I wrote like someone else, and embraced

my own skill, my ability to connect would probably have carried me to heights greater

than my imagination.

It would take me years to fully realize the impor tance of “staying in my own lane.” In

fact, it would take a boss pulling me aside before I really star ted to “get it.”

Years after my NY experience and career as a copywriter, I was working at an agency

as a Sr. marketing executive when my VP (an unofficial mentor) pulled me aside. She

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said, “Jennifer, you have one of the best abilities I’ve ever seen of connecting and en-

gaging with people. People want to work with you; use that to your advantage. But

realize that you are a top-level thinker. You need to set the direction and get out of

the way; let others get caught up in how in the technical details; because when you

don’t let them do it, it’s a disaster.”

Ouch…but oh so true.

Until that conversation, I had this vision of being this dynamically skilled executive who

could multitask and put together an entire project from concept to implementation. I

didn’t realize it then, but I was awful at implementation.

Now, I know better and I no longer try to “do it all.” I work with teams. And like my VP

told me, I set the vision and then put the people together who can make it happen; I

have also star ted to fully embrace my gift to connect through copy.

Being true to who you are is hard. Probably one of the hardest principles to live by

because we live in a society that constantly tells us what we women should be doing.

But guess what? There are no “shoulds” when it comes to authenticity.

Being fabulous is being unique and embracing your quirks. We could all learn from

Oprah who was asked to changes her name to Suzy, because it was friendlier and was

fired from a job because she was too sympathetic with the audience, so she said no

and decided to “do her,” and look what happened!

4. Get Clear and Stay There. There is nothing vague about life. Therefore, there

should be nothing vague about the direction in which you are headed. You should

have a laser focus when it comes to your life, because after all, as the saying goes, “life

is no dress rehearsal.”

For a long time, I felt stuck. I didn’t know what I wanted to do; I just knew it wasn’t what

I was doing. I felt no sense of internal satisfaction. I had come to depend on the hefty

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paychecks, I enjoyed many of the accoutrements my jobs provided like a beautiful

office, iphone, ability to travel and expensive, delicious meals, but, beyond that, I felt no

deep-seated satisfaction that I was doing what I was supposed to be doing.

Life, by definition, is intense. And it is so easy to get on the treadmill, but so difficult to

get off. I had grown so accustomed to being in the frenzy of “life” I decided that I had

to do something to “turn things around,” before it was too late.

Two years ago, I found myself with the same gnawing I experience periodically when

it’s time for me to take it to the next level. I sat down for an extended period, while

away on a break, and wrote down all of the things that I absolutely loved to do: public

speaking, writing, empowering women, tennis, photography, gourmet cooking, coach-

ing, and the list goes on and on.

Then, I wrote down all the ways I was currently infusing my passions in my life; that half

of the page was kind of sparse. Again, life had become so hectic my needs and wants

conveniently had sunk to the bottom of the list.

So, I decided to write down all the ways I could infuse those things I was most passion-

ate about into my life. The list was radical, creative and inspiring. I star ted to see the

possibilities of what could be and I was reminded of how I felt back when I was living

outside of Baltimore. “I am who I’m waiting for.” If I don’t change things around, shake

them up, I am destined to spend a lifetime in a “good job,” when that simply isn’t good

enough; I want a passion-filled career.

Clarity rocks! I recommend it highly. Do whatever is necessary to get it. Whether that

means journaling, talking to a therapist, reading books, listening to tapes, star ting a

mastermind group or a suppor t circle; I believe amazing things begin to take shape

in your life when you star t asking yourself the tough questions and pursuing a life

on purpose.

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When you star t down this path, suddenly things become much clearer. You know what

it is you will and will not tolerate. You know what you believe in, are willing to die for,

and are passionate about. You only align with those things that suppor t you and your

mission in life. When I got clear, my purpose was revealed and now every decision

I make is rooted in it: to empower women and show them the importance of defining

their lives and creating living legacies and pretty much all that I do is connected to that

purpose in some shape or form.

5. Seek Your Own Council First. When I was in college my best friend, Cindy, told

me a story about when she was a teenager. She called her brother Dana to ask his

advice about a problem she was having. He told her, “Seek God first, then call me in

the morning.”

We laughed about that for years.

But truth be told, I think Dana was on to something. Whether you believe in God,

Allah, Mohammad, the Universe, Buddha or any other higher power, there is nothing

more powerful than getting still and connecting with that source of strength. This is the

process I call being “guided from within.”

As someone who is blessed with many “close friends,” I have spent a lifetime seek-

ing outside council. If I had a problem or wanted to get validation, I was sor t of

like that contestant on “Who wants to be a millionaire;” can I phone a friend please?

And then…

“Girl, listen to this, what would you do in this situation?”

“Let me run this idea by you and get your opinion.”

“Tell, me if I’m crazy or not?”

O.K., so I’m a recovering “talkaholic.” Yes, it was hard for me to embrace my more

introspective side; to seek ye first. I felt as though by doing so, I was somehow

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operating in a vacuum, and it truly made me uncomfor table—until I actually star ted

practicing it.

What I realized was it wasn’t the discussing of situations that was hampering my

growth; it was the solicitation of “outside opinions” for what needed to be internal

decisions. And while this quest is not an easy one, it has been richly rewarding.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m still surrounded by the most amazing gir lfriends on the

planet and we still discuss everything under the sun (from the latest tabloid gossip

to how to raise fierce children). But, I’m no longer taking the wimpy way out. I spend

time every day in prayer and meditation; I journal without fail and I ask God daily what

is the best way for me to use my talents and services for the greater good; how I can

realize my potential fully and leave the world a better place.

And what I’ve discovered is no one can hear the answer but me.

When I first decided to move to NYC, a few people asked, “Are you sure? You have

such a great job, a great place to live in Baltimore; what happens if you don’t find a

job?” I didn’t listen. I knew what my internal voice was telling me and I knew the only

way for me to silence it was to act on it. And so now that is precisely what I do: ask

God the question and then I get quiet enough to hear the answer.

6. Be Fluid. I used to think that I had to finish everything I star ted. It was as if there was

some sor t of Commandment out there preventing me from changing my mind. And so

for years, this thinking had me “stuck.” I felt as though if I declared to myself and the

world that I was going to do something, I needed to do it. Period. And yes, while on

the surface this philosophy makes perfect sense and is a completely admirable trait to

have, when you break it down a little deeper, you realize that life can be a little more

complicated than that.

How many times have I psyched myself up to do something, only to realize that I

didn’t want to do it all. Or, if I did, it was for all the wrong reasons. I have a drawer full

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of countless business plans I’ve written for the “next big thing,” beginning chapters

to several books of the next “bestseller,” franchise ideas, etc. For years, because I

hadn’t taken the time to figure out what would make me happy, I pursued everything

else. And honestly, now I know that’s ok. In fact, it wasn’t until I gave myself

permission to star t “trying things on for size,” that I actually star ted discovering

what “my thing” was!

It wasn’t until I began to really explore all of the limitless possibilities of what life had

to offer, as a writer, executive, and entrepreneur did my gifts, talents and passions

begin to crystallize.

Oprah once said that her life drastically changed the day she realized she had permis-

sion to change her mind.

I want you to think for a moment, how deep that concept really is. You have permission

to change to your mind!

Through the years, I’ve met so many people who live their life to the contrary.

They believe that they must continue down whatever path they have star ted, no

matter how uninspiring, boring, or wrong it may be.

So what if you thought you wanted to be a lawyer your entire life and now realize you

hate it!

Last summer I bought a CD by Oriah Mountain Dreamer. In it she asked the following

question: “Are you willing to risk making other people uncomfor table, angry or

disappointed with you in order to be true to yourself.”

Just hearing the question made the hairs on my arm stand up because I knew how

impor tant that concept was.

Being fluid means being willing to change directions and try new things. It means being

flexible and agile.

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When I got on the subway heading out for my interview in NYC, I had the following

thought: “What if I don’t get an offer? What will I do? What will I tell people?” Then,

it came to me; I realized that if push came to shove and nobody wanted to hire me, I

could always go home…and star t again.

7. Toot Your Own Horn. I’ve spent my entire professional career studying the value

of promotion—so needless to say, I’m quite the exper t (there goes my first shame-

less plug). Therefore, it never ceases to amaze me when I meet people, often women,

who are too “modest” to tout their own vir tues. They think they can just stand on the

sidelines and perhaps through osmosis, everyone will recognize how utterly amazing

the many talents they have are.

Wrong!

I have no idea when “modesty” became such a cherished vir tue, but honestly, I wish

it would go away—and fast. Because nothing will kill your potential more than being

afraid to tell the world who you are!

I’ve never had a client come to me and say, “You know, we were thinking we wouldn’t

do much marketing this year ; maybe we will just let our product speak for itself.

We don’t want to appear to be braggadocios.” Please note, I’m not referring to a

bunch of tiddlywink clients here. My previous clients included: Coke, AT&T, Kraft, Clairol and

Burger King.

Sure there are millions of clients that do choose not to adver tise in the “traditional”

sense, but rest assured, they have devised a clear and concise plan on how they intend

to get their message out.

What my clients did frequently say was help us get our message out loudly and

clearly “by any means necessary,” but, within budget. So my par tner and I would

determine how it would unfold. Maybe it meant tugging at the hear t strings, using

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humor, or going for the more edgy and in-your-face positioning; or maybe it

simply meant taking a more laid-back approach. No matter the approach, what’s

most impor tant is we took one.

Imagine if Nike never told you that by wearing their shoes you would suddenly feel

like you could “Just Do It,” do you think you would have just come up with that feeling

on your own? Probably not.

I want you to repeat after me: Being willing to step up and tell people how

great I am is not a sin. In fact, it is the one trait, if adhered to correctly, that can

star t catapulting your career—and life—to levels you may never have imagined.

How? Because once I know your skills and talents, and realize you’re good, I now

want you on my team; I’ll now think of you when oppor tunities emerge; when

board vacancies appear ; when someone is looking for “the right person” to head

the next project.

I have a gir lfriend who is an amazing stylist; she works for Nike, has styled for People

Magazine and is on call with one of our area’s fiercest talent agencies. It was two years

before I even knew what she did. We would chitchat after church and one day I asked

her, what she did. When she told me and gave me her background, which included

being an FIT(Fashion Institute of Technology) grad, I was in shock. When I asked her

why she had never mentioned what she did, she said: “I’ve always been modest; it’s

hard for me to talk about what I do.”

Ladies, please learn the lesson here. How can you possibly know that I’m looking for

someone with your talents, if I don’t know that you have them?

I hope these 7 strategies provide a foundation as you begin to develop your personal

plan for taking your life to the next level. Remember…2009 is going to be your year

to shine, so it is time to star t plugging in your star!

©2009PERMISSION TO REPRINT: This ar ticle may be reprinted provided it appears in its entirety with the following attribution: Jennifer Ransaw Smith is a powerful personal brand strategist, coach, writer, speaker and adjunct professor. She empowers women and small businesses by showing them how to position and differentiate themselves in the marketplace. She is founder of ROAR (www.womenwhoroar.net), an empowerment consultancy for women and cofounder of Brand id (www.brandid.com) a marketing communications agency for small-to-mid-sized businesses.

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amazing life that is both inspiring and authentic.

Here is what your membership will entitle you to:

• Live Monthly Calls (the third Thursday of every month at 8:00 p.m.) with me and with dynamic guest exper ts who will teach as well as challenge you

• Digital recordings of the calls• CD’s of all the calls delivered to your mailbox• Weekly branding and personal PR tips• Discounts on all other products • Special Bonus: Handsome Binder in which to store your material.• Just $49 per month!

I truly look forward to helping you redefine your life. In the meantime…

Be Fierce,

Jennifer Ransaw SmithFounder, ROAR

“Define you before others do!”

CLICk HERE TO SIGn UP nOW!

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R A R

About Jennifer

Jennifer Ransaw Smith is the founder of ROAR, a per-

sonal branding consultancy designed to empower women.

She is also a par tner of recently launched Brand id, a

full-service branding communications firm for small-to-mid-sized business, nationwide.

She has spent the past decade helping some of the nation’s top brands position and

differentiate themselves in the marketplace in agencies in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Wash-

ington, DC, Baltimore and New York City. Her creativity, insight and candor have raised

brand awareness, challenged the status quo and helped generate impressive revenues

for her clients. Brands such as Burger King, Texaco, Kraft and AT&T have been direct

beneficiaries of her strategic thinking and innovative communication techniques.

Today, she utilizes many of the skills she learned working with products to empower

women by teaching them how to cultivate and manage effective personal brands. As a

brand strategist, adjunct professor, coach at the Baltimore Business Journal, public speak-

er, blogger, and entrepreneur, she is committed to helping women realize that effective

personal branding isn’t an option; it’s a necessity.