Hollywood produced a powerful movie on women’s empowerment Erin Brockovich. Directed by Steven Soderbergh and released in 2000, the movie is based on the true story of Erin Brockovich, a single mother who fights against a corporate giant for polluting the water supply of a small town in California. The movie highlights the strength and determination of a woman who, despite all odds, emerges as a champion of justice.

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Peggy Bodde believes the workplace is an important area where Christians can demonstrate their faith through their actions and attitudes. Christians can be a positive influence on their colleagues and contribute to the company’s overall success.

Peggy Bodde believes that, rather than professing their faith, one of the key principles that Christians can follow in the workplace is to demonstrate integrity in all their actions. This means being honest, trustworthy, and reliable in their work. They should not compromise their beliefs or values for personal gain and should always strive to do what is right, even if it is unpopular or difficult.

Christians can also exhibit respect for their colleagues and superiors by treating everyone with dignity and kindness. This means avoiding gossip, rudeness, or any other negative behavior that can undermine teamwork and productivity. They should also be open-minded and willing to listen to different perspectives and ideas.

Another important principle for Christians in the workplace is to prioritize the well-being of others over personal gain. This means being generous with their time, resources, and talents, and showing compassion and empathy to those who are struggling or in need.

Finally, Christians can demonstrate a strong work ethic by being diligent, dependable, and proactive in their work. They should be willing to go the extra mile to ensure that their work is of the highest quality and meets the expectations of their colleagues and superiors.

In conclusion, Christians can set an example in the workplace by exhibiting integrity, respect, compassion, and diligence in their work. These principles can help them build positive relationships with their colleagues and contribute to the overall success of the company.

Peggy Bodde transitioned from senior vice president at Petzl America to a full-time writer and small business owner. Peggy Bodde runs a foundation called Sacred Work that provides women with free career and leadership coaching. She loves using words to encourage and empower women.

Peggy gets real about her life, her career, and challenges and has some great advice on networking and asking for a raise.

Peggy Bodde, I want to know something unique about you.

I think my origin story is a little different from most. I was out on my own at thirteen after a failed adoption, but the foster system was never involved. My adoptive parents were avid churchgoers, involved in the community, and kept an immaculate home. They adopted me when I was less than a year old. Despite outer appearances, they were unstable, and home was a dangerous place. When I left their house, I bounced around to various families until I landed with the Browns. They had five children already but welcomed me with no questions asked. I stayed there until I left for college.

My adoptive parents adamantly refused to give me any information about my birth mom or even my nationality. As a kid, I always thought of myself as a mutt. My adoptive parents were American and Japanese, but I had no idea what I was. I searched for my birth parents my entire life, and I finally found my birth mom seven years ago! She’s half-Italian and half-Polish, and my birth father is Chinese. She never told him she was pregnant, and he moved to a different state not long after she found out. My birth mom and aunts have become the family I never had. They love and accept me, and we make up for lost time every chance we get. God has redeemed my childhood years, and I am grateful.

Walk me through your transition from a vice president to a full-time writer and small business owner. What were the challenges?

I have to say that fear was my first biggest challenge. God had been prompting me to make this career change for several years. My degree is in English, and I’ve always loved writing. Throughout my business career, I was the resident scribe in addition to whatever formal title I held. I wrote everything from ad copy to job descriptions to policies and procedures. But—that’s very different from relying on writing as an income. I was afraid of the unknown and afraid of losing my corporate salary. I had a million excuses, which all came down to trusting God.

God knew that, so He gave me the push I needed when I was passed over for a big promotion. I was scheduled to interview for a C-suite position and ended up having emergency surgery on my spine. While I was in the hospital, my boss awarded the position to the other candidate. He wasn’t straightforward about what had happened. I found out from someone at our company headquarters.

This was a humbling, painful time, but God used it to show me that I had put my career on the throne. He had blessed me with my job to provide for me and my daughter, and I had allowed it to become an idol. Being passed over was a gift because it took me to a new level of surrender in my faith and propelled me into the career change God was calling me to make.

From that point, I mapped out a career transition plan with milestones, goals, a business plan, and a budget. In my last year at corporate, I started freelance writing on the side to make sure I could generate income. I researched all the necessary details and set up the framework for my business. After I resigned, I faced the next big challenge: chasing work. Because I wasn’t established as a writer, I aggressively pursued leads to maintain a steady income. I had saved a large chunk of money but chasing after work is stressful! Another challenge was trying to find my niche. I was writing and editing everything from fly-fishing articles to memoirs and web content. Finally, I settled into the educational publishing industry, and that is where I’ve stayed. I write textbooks remotely as my 9-5 job, and I write about the intersection between faith and work as my passion.

I love your tweets. You love using words to encourage and empower women. Talk to me about the power of words and how you are encouraging and empowering women.

Throughout my corporate career, I was passionate about mentoring others, especially women. I worked in a male-dominated industry for a male-dominated company, and I didn’t have access to female mentors. Early on, I made up my mind to fill that need for other women. I used my voice and words to encourage them, teach them, motivate them, and advocate for them. I spoke up on their behalf in the way I wished someone would have spoken up for me. I also equipped women to speak up for themselves: to negotiate, promote themselves, and deal with conflict.

When I left corporate, I knew God wouldn’t want me to shelve decades of business experience, so I founded a ministry called Sacred Work. Here, I provide free leadership and career coaching for women. I also help men, but most of my clients are women. I also just signed a contract with Moody Publishers for my first book: Sacred Work: A Christian Womans Guide to Leadership in the Marketplace. My hope is that this book can function as a pocket-sized mentor to women who need help with specific leadership challenges.

I find writing cathartic. What does writing do for you?

That’s interesting, Jerry because that’s the same reason I started writing! When I was a little girl, someone gave me a Strawberry Shortcake diary with a lock and key. I scribbled down everything that was happening in the home life that I didn’t understand. It was a way for me to process the world around me. I’ve continued journaling to this day. I also love that my journals are a written record of how big and how often God has shown up for me!

Who we are as followers of Christ informs what we do as leaders of people. I want to know more.

Too often, I think the faith community gets caught up in a scripted demonstration of what it means to be a Christian leader in the workplace. For example, always mentioning church when someone asks about the weekend or quoting the Bible to a coworker. Sometimes we put more effort into professing our faith than living it.

Leaders have to recognize that how we lead has the potential to make the biggest impact on God’s Kingdom. We demonstrate what it means to follow Christ with every decision we make, the words we speak, and how we treat our employees. Our relationship with Christ should prompt us to show excellence, broker hope, and love fully—this is how we embody Him at work.

Help me understand the Christian ethos of loving your neighbor at work.

Researchers say that over the course of a lifetime, we will have spent one-third of our lives at work. Whether we work remotely, in an office, or a combination of both—we spend big chunks of days and weeks engaging with our coworkers: over 2,000 hours a year. How we treat them is a much truer reflection of our faith than church attendance or going to a Bible study with friends.

There are simple actions we can take to love our neighbor at work:

Look for opportunities to encourage and support people: Ask God to open your eyes to those around you who may need help or a kind word. Then reach out. Send a message or an email. Make a call. Write a note. Buy the person coffee or lunch. Be present and listen.

Express gratitude: Thank people specifically and often. Is there someone who helped you meet an objective? Do you work with someone whose positive attitude is contagious? Did someone go out of her way to make your job easier? Be generous in giving recognition. Praise someone’s achievements in a meeting, to the person’s boss, or one-on-one.

Call out potential: If you notice employees with an aptitude or skill that may not be recognized or even official, let them know what you see. Encourage them to use their gifts, even if they work for someone else.

Invest time: Whether you’re a leader in your organization or not, choose to invest in the people around you. People who are new to the organization need to understand how the workplace culture works and could benefit from your experience. Informally mentor them to help them succeed.

A 25-year-old woman has been working very hard and wants to ask for a raise. Explain the process of how to go about it.

This is a great question. When I coach women through my foundation, they often ask for tips in this area. The negotiation process can feel overwhelming and intimidating, but it doesn’t have to. Here are the steps I recommend:

Have a macro understanding of what’s going on in the labor market, economy, and industry. Make sure you’re clear on how those factors are impacting your company.

Research and document salary ranges. I love spreadsheets! Document figures and sources. Be as detailed as possible. For example, you can’t just look for a marketing director; Drill down into marketing directors in companies your size and in your industry. Know how experience and education impact the range and where you fall.

Understand your company & total benefits package and how it compares to other companies. This will give you a well-rounded perspective as you enter into the negotiation process.

Document tangible accomplishments you’ve made for the company. Data needs to drive these accomplishments. What have you done to increase profitability, efficiency, or sales? How have you decreased turnover or increased engagement? What new responsibilities have you taken on? What were the measurable results? Quantify everything.

Identify your ask and what you’re willing to accept. Now that you have the documentation to back it up, name your number or a range. Then, make a list of three asks in priority order. Decide where you’ll draw a hard line. Remember, there are asks that fall outside of compensation (flexible schedules, education or training, title changes). Your list may include a mix.

Create a brief presentation to guide you through the negotiation process with your boss.

Schedule a separate meeting to present your request. Setting a meeting that’s outside of a standing one-to-one shows your boss that this is important: it’s a standalone topic.

If your boss needs time to think about your request, get a follow-up meeting on the calendar right then.

Networking is a big part of being in business. What are the dos and don’ts of networking for women?

This is an area I wish I would have paid more attention to when I was in corporate. I didn’t fully understand the value of networking. Many people are put off by the idea because it can feel fake and uncomfortable, but there are practical ways to do it.

Dos:

Reframe how you view networking. Every person has unique gifts and abilities, and no single person has every skill, talent, or depth of experience. We’re all better equipped to be our best and do our best when we’re connected to other people.
Identify your goal. Are you trying to find a job? Looking for a group of like-minded professionals? Selling a product or service? Searching for a mentor? Promoting a book? If you don’t set a goal, networking will never happen.
Create a plan. How will you spend the time you’ve set aside? This may change from week to week. You might use it to find in-person events, Facebook groups, or to make connections on LinkedIn. You can also use the time to follow up with contacts you already have. Before each week starts, create an outline of what you’re going to do based on your priorities and needs for that week.

Don’ts:

Be a taker and never give! You don’t want to be the person who only consumes content and asks for help or referrals. Engage with and support others. Proactively connect people who can help each other.
Fail to set up a system. Organize and document your connections. Some people use the Contacts app on their phones and others use a simple word document. Note the person’s contact information and other details such as where you met, or who introduced you. Jot down the date and something personal or helpful they shared with you or even a need they have.
Try to do it on your own. Find, join, or build groups with similar interests. One easy way to start is to look for groups that share the same goals. Choose keywords for an online search based on your goal. If you’re networking to find a job or meet professionals in your industry, search for groups on LinkedIn or Facebook.

I am fascinated by some of your posts and sayings. So in 50 words, I want to know what you mean by:

When our “sometimes” moments discourage us: We’re all human! We make mistakes and missteps. We get discouraged and sometimes fail, but these instances don’t define who we are. I believe God gives us a new identity when we trust Him, and that identity is secure and unchangeable.

God is not limited by our limitations: Because we can’t understand the vastness of who God is, we tend to limit what He can and will do. We hold back on asking His help because we think there may be a quota, yet His ability is endless and so is His willingness.

God is good, but is He safe? In Scripture, God allows Satan to torture Job. John the Baptist was beheaded. Jesus was crucified. Do I believe God is good and sovereign? Absolutely. But the Bible makes it clear that suffering is expected. As a childhood trauma survivor, I accept God’s sovereignty, but the only safety guarantee is the eternal one.

Finally, what is your message for my readers for 2023?

All good things start with one step. Your dream job, a promotion, the book you want to write, the blog you want to start, the career change you want to make—all these big dreams are possible. You simply have to start!

The post Peggy Bodde: Using words to encourage and empower women appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

I admire Frankie Picasso. She wears so many hats and she wears them well.

Frankie Picasso wants to make a difference in this world. She wants to make this place better.

She is busy. However, she makes time for people.

I reached out to her on LinkedIn and she replied back. She had all her answers in less than a week. Frankie Picasso talks a little about her life and she also gives some amazing advice.

Frankie  Picasso thanks for willing to be interviewed by Four columns. I am amazed you are a life coach, author, artist, social impact activist, and radio host. Talk to me about how you juggle these different hats.

Jerry, thank you for asking this question. Probably the answer that is closest to the truth is because I CAN! I tend to get bored when things become too easy. Even with all the different activities, I engage in, I still find the need to switch things up or add to my toolbox every 2-3 years. I have a lot of interests and being able to explore them all at the same time keeps me from being bored with any one of them for too long.  I was never someone who could just choose one career. A part of me wishes I could have had a passion to become a doctor or lawyer, but that wasn’t my personality. I wanted to be a jockey, a veterinarian, a photojournalist, an author, etc., and I mean ALL of them, not just one. Eventually, I was able to incorporate some of those ‘wants’ into a career. I am still thinking about becoming a lawyer…smile! Becoming a Life Coach, well that kind of chose me. My whole life people have always told me their life stories within minutes of meeting me for the first time. This is a common theme for many coaches. I did find when I had a full-time coaching practice, I hated it. I love helping folks, but not 10 a day. I am a happier person when I incorporate and fulfill all the parts of me that need filling. I am curious, I am creative, and I love to play with color and textures- hence I am an artist, and I want to change the world. It’s who I am, so why fight my nature?

I love it that you call yourself unstoppable Frankie. Walk me through why you choose that name.

Actually, Jerry, I didn’t give myself that moniker. I was teaching remotely at the International Coach Academy and one day between classes, one of the teachers asked me about myself.  I told her about a recent motorcycle accident I had. I had spent 6 months in the hospital and that is when I started taking my coaching courses. I studied every modality they offered including Master Coach Trainer. After that, they offered me a teaching gig.  Anyway, we were chatting and I told her I had broken both femurs, hip, and pelvis, and was nursing a broken rod in my femur at the time and was waiting for surgery to replace it. Basically, I was walking on a broken leg.  She said, “Boy no one would ever know it by listening to you. You must be in a lot of pain”. I told her that I took a lesson from my father that when anyone asked how you are, it’s always ‘Fantastic’.  Yes, back then I was in a ton of pain, all the time, still am most days.” She then said, “You would never know it. You can’t hear it in your voice. You are Unstoppable.”.  I figured taking ‘Unstoppable Frankie’ as a mantra was a good thing. It reinforced to my subconscious on a daily basis that nothing would stop me from moving my life forward and reaching my goals, regardless of any obstacles, physical or otherwise I was facing.

What we need are more people who specialize in the impossible.” Theodore Roethke. How can women be empowered by this statement? 

Great Question! Every day, women show the world how they specialize in the impossible. During slavery, women were expected to labor, drop a baby in the field and then carry on working as if nothing happened- and they did.  Women are the greatest multi-taskers and continue to look after family and rule boardrooms, pretty much with one hand tied behind their back. Let’s see, get kids ready for school, go to work for 8 hours, cook dinner but shop for said groceries first, take kids to hockey practice and dance lessons, then help with homework, tidy up the house, and do it all again the next day.  That was my life for many years, and I was not alone. Today, there is an organization formed called the G-100. One hundred women whose vision is to create an equal, progressive, and inclusive environment for women worldwide. Those 100 Women Global Leaders have 100 wings, supported by 100 He for She partners, and 100 chairs who provide advocacy, impact, and awareness for a gender-equal world. This translates into 1 million women standing strong! How is that for specializing in the Impossible? I am the Global Director for Media and Communications wing.

What is a social impact activist? Frankie Picasso, how are you making a difference in this role?

As a Social Impact artist, the work I create and sell goes to pay for Cleft Palate surgery through Mercy Ships. It helps pay for the care of the Donkeys at the Donkey Sanctuary. I support Women’s VVF surgery, (Vesicovaginal Fistula) which happens when a young girl who is undeveloped, (as in 13 years of age) goes into labor without a doctor to provide a cesarian and the baby is too big to be delivered. The baby then dies in utero, and she must wait for the fetus to atrophy before it’s small enough for it to go through the birth canal and she can expel it. This causes a fistula between the bladder and vagina to occur and as a result, it burns a hole and causes an involuntary discharge of urine into the vagina. The patient becomes quite smelly and is usually cast out of her village. There is a simple surgical fix but it obviously requires access to a surgeon. As mentioned above, I am part of the G100, a voluntary organization.

I am also the Mentor and Associate Director for Girl Power Talk and Girl Power USA, an incredible organization that evolved out of the need to close the gender equity gap.  Girl Power talk is passionately dedicated to empowering young women, as well as men and nonbinary individuals. Girl Power Talk began in India and today has expanded into 18 countries.  Girl Power Talk is growing exponentially and fast becoming known for its carefully nurtured culture. The organization is a meritocracy, a place where advancement depends on merit, not age or education. Every young leader is Mentored and valued and we know will exceed even their own expectations.  This is the framework for societal transformation that Girl Power Talk is built upon, and I am very proud to be a part of it.  

The Good Radio Show that you host is out of this world. I was blown away by the diversity of topics and the people you interviewed. What is the mission and vision of this Radio Show?

The Vision of The Good Radio Network (TGRN) grew out of my desire to support the United Nations Global Goals and hence created- The Good Radio Network-Radio that does a World of Good.  The station was to be a tool for advocacy and my shows Mission Unstoppable and Frankie Sense & More showcased a variety of guests that supported my desire to showcase Guests who were Unstoppable in their lives.  I searched for individuals or groups of people who were changing the World for Good. I wanted to interview guests who could become role models for listeners by inspiring them, motivating them, or just giving them the roadmap on how they too might be a vehicle for change.   I often heard, “What can I do, I’m just one person?”, and I would answer ‘a lot’.  I wanted listeners to become involved in advocacy and help NGOs, or endangered animals, whether by sending them money or volunteering their services. In my mind the best possible outcome would be they started something themselves.

I believe in being authentic, real, and vulnerable to the bone. Talk to me about  I BARED My CHEST-21 Unstoppable Women Get Naked. How did you bring such a diverse group of women?

I Bared My Chest-21 Unstoppable Women Get Naked is the title of a book that was the brainchild of Alex Okoroji, a Nigerian actress, author, and podcast host, and myself, as the lead. The book is an anthology written by 21 courageous women who agreed to strip away their masks, their armor and write with unfailing vulnerability and honesty.  They were each hand-picked by Alex and myself and they hailed from Africa, Australia, Canada, the USA, Brazil, all successful women enjoying a variety of careers, and as if this book was truly ordained by the Universe, the breadth of diversity that stared back at us once we saw the full picture was a very “happy accident “to borrow the phrase from fellow artist, Bob Ross. We asked each author to answer the same questions about life, career, love, romance, family, sex, and money, and to answer in narrative form.  The promo starts off like this: What Happens When A Canadian Radio Host gets together with a Nigerian Actress, a Bisexual Jew, a Break-Up Coach, an American Thought Leader, An Indian Men’s Right Activist, A Religious Minister, An African American Brand Strategist, A Brazilian Law Professor, An African Single Mother of 21 Orphans, What happens when they team up with a Transgender Activist, a Teenage Author, a Lesbian Buddhist, a Divorced Media Queen, a Television Host, a Prolific ‘Lesbian Fiction’ Novelist, A Muslim Singer”, a Money Coach…and a CANCER Ridden South African Political Activist???

After the book was complete, I had the brainchild of asking each author to read their chapter in their OWN voice with their great accents, and that is now offered on Audible as well. At 750 pages, the book contains a lot of life lessons and there is sure to be one story where a reader will feel alignment or synergy with an author to help them navigate through life.

Is there such a thing as a mid-life crisis in women? Frankie Picasso help me understand whether it is a wake-up call.

I believe a midlife crisis or better term metamorphosis happens for both sexes. For women, it seems to happen sometimes in their 30s and men usually in their 50s, although it can happen anytime in midlife. There is an awakening, a realization that the responsibility of power has truly been passed on to oneself and they can no longer blame their parents or family for any unhappiness or choices they made. For instance, let’s say you chose a career that would make your parents happy but you, not so much. Well, as sweet as it is that you chose duty over desire when the wakeup or midlife crisis happens, all that angst or regret surfaces, and the desire for what you really wanted rises to the conscious level.

I usually tell clients that we come into this world alone and we leave it alone and what happens in between is our own personal journey. We are only on this planet for a nanosecond. Those 70 or 80 years pass very quickly, faster the older we get. So, if one isn’t happy, they need to figure out why.

This is what I believe happens. This awakening is a moment of truth. I like to say that All the Worlds is a Stage, but if you didn’t get the right part, then ask for another one. No one is STUCK in their role. As painful as that might be for those whose lives are in our orbit, each of us deserves happiness. For some, to break free from their lives, they become like a bull in a China shop. Destruction is everywhere, but it’s in chaos, where change happens best. Once the ‘tantrum’ is over, they are able to put the pieces of their life back together in a new and hopefully complimentary way.

I find writing cathartic. It helps me to relax and become introspective. How do writing and painting help you?

I am not sure if you know that I studied as a Metaphysical Hypnotherapist and graduated as a Master Hypnotherapist, with a license to teach it from the National Guild of Hypnosis.  When we engage in writing, painting, and even driving our car, these are all considered forms of self-hypnosis. Anything that takes us out of our conscious mind and into ‘the flow’, can be considered a trance state. It’s no wonder it’s cathartic for you. It is the space where creativity lives and it also is a space that helps those with chronic pain, who forget about it for a while. I highly recommend it.

My 18-year-old daughter is heading to university and will be in residence. She is inheriting a different world. Give her some advice.

It is funny, I am not sure if 18 is as young today as it was in my day when I headed off to college at 17, but being away from home can offer up a lot of temptation, especially if one comes from a stricter upbringing. Ok, daughter Watch out for The Freshman 15, it’s a real thing.. That’s the amount of weight, 15 pounds, first-year students usually gain in residence. Partly because they can party, they can eat whatever they choose to eat and they don’t have home cooking so they eat McDonald’s and other junk. FREEDOM!

School costs a lot of money, so try not to waste it. Go to class, buckle down, but save room for fun. Even though it costs a lot of money, if you find out that you truly believe you chose the wrong major, don’t be afraid to tell your folks, and don’t go down the road too long. Change is allowed, but don’t change because something is hard. Change because you really didn’t know, what you don’t know, and what you didn’t know was that would don’t like that career path.

If you feel like you want to right the wrongs of the world, I highly encourage you get involved in advocacy work. There are a ton of NGOs that need help and if you find yourself in business or entrepreneurial studies, think about the United Nations 21 Global Goals, and how you can help save the planet, advance world health, education, gender equity, stop violence against women, or help the environment and so much more. Add SDGs to the agenda of your business plan.   There are just so many activities and roles to engage in. Best of luck with your Future.

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Tiv Perfume recently launched a campaign called the Love Yourself Challenge, which is all about empowering women to love themselves, be all they can be and lead their best lives. The seven-step challenge encourages women to invest in their emotional wellbeing through self-love, and by giving themselves permission to have the things they want and deserve in life. I pose some questions to Cynthia who founded the firm and talks about women empowerment.

Cynthia, please tell me a little about yourself?

I’ve been in the fashion and beauty industry all my professional life as a model and then, at the age of 25, I became fashion coordinator at Kaufmann’s Department Store in Pittsburgh, my hometown. Kaufmann’s was the flagship store in the May Department Stores retail chain, now Macy’s.  Since that time, I was promoted to Fashion Director at the May Company Department stores in Cleveland.  From Cleveland, I moved to New York to become Director of Fashion and Beauty Marketing at Essence Magazine. I was recruited from Essence to the headquarters of Estee Lauder in Manhattan as a marketing director in the fragrance division.  After a number of years with Estee Lauder Company, I embraced my entrepreneurial spirit and developed my own fragrance line, Tiv … The Designer Fragrance of the Caribbean.

Let’s talk about Tiv Perfume. I have heard of French, Italian and Swiss perfumes. Never from the Caribbean. So, what is unique about your perfume and why should women buy it?

I moved to the Caribbean to create Tiv in its own environment.  While there were a number of local fragrances on many of the islands, there was no designer fragrance that represented the beauty, sunshine and exotic scents of the Caribbean.  For me, there was a simple solution.  Creating Tiv was the natural thing to do.  Tiv was successfully launched in the Bahamas and became a favorite with tourists from all over the world, as well as the locals.

Help me understand what is the Love Yourself Challenge all about and how does this empower women?

The Love Yourself Challenge is about empowering women to love themselves in the most profound way…by leading their best life. It’s about encouraging women to have confidence, strength, self-love, self-worth, and feel beautiful… to be successful in life, to LOVE their life. To live their dreams and achieve their goals, and not give them up to make sacrifices for others, as we women often do (for our families, kids, husbands, etc). As we get older, we let our dreams fade, and we give up on our joy. And as we fall out of love with our lives, we lose the motivation to care for ourselves. We’re so busy and stressed that we stop looking after our health and our emotional wellbeing.

We want to make sure women everywhere know it’s okay to look out for themselves and focus on self-love, that they have the power to turn their life around and start truly LOVING their life, and loving themselves. Because that’s the most critical aspect of your life… We aren’t truly whole or happy unless we love ourselves fully.

Walk me through the seven-step process?

The seven steps of the Love Yourself Challenge focus on:

1. It’s time to live your dreams and start doing the things you’ve ALWAYS wanted to do. Before, it’s too late.
2. Use affirmations instead of negative self-talk. We criticize ourselves every day, thinking things and saying things when we look in the mirror that we would NEVER say to a loved one. So why are we saying them to ourselves?!
3. Make rest and relaxation a necessity in your life, and learn how to figure out your most productive times during the day. It is critical we rest during our natural “down-times”, and not only for our health but in order to be our happiest and most successful.
4. Learn the importance of building quality relationships with friends that inspire you and encourage you to be the best person you can be. Remember, you directly reflect the people you hand out with the most.
5. How to start loving keeping your body healthy and fit. If you don’t love exercise, you’re not doing the right type of exercise for you!
6. Achieving your goals is the key to leading a fulfilling life. But your goals and dreams will never become a reality if you don’t get clear on what EXACTLY you want to achieve, map them out, break them down into steps, and start taking action.
7. How to find a creative practice. Giving yourself permission to take the time to be joyfully creative is one of the most profound ways to love yourself.

Why did you launch this challenge? Is it more a marketing gimmick or sincerely helping women?

The reason we launched the Love Yourself Challenge is because, as women, we know what women struggle with the most, and we wanted to do something that had the potential to truly change women’s lives. Something truly, deeply meaningful. Something that would make a profound impact on women across the nation, even around the globe, if we can spread our challenge wide enough. The Love Yourself Challenge aims to help women from all walks of life and all aspects of the struggle, to live the life they deserve. To live happily, healthily, and meaningfully. To love their bodies and their reflection. And to live their dreams.

Our only dream for the Love Yourself Challenge is that any woman who has found value and impact from the challenge share it with their friends and family, to help us change as many women’s lives as possible, on the largest scale we can.

What does women’s empowerment mean to you?

Women empowerment, to us, means encouraging women to be leaders in their lives. To be in the driver’s seat of your own joy, your own success, your own body, your own voice, your own path.

Young women all over the world want to make a career in the beauty and cosmetics industry. Please give me a couple of tips?

Like any other career, one must first have a natural affinity … were you in front of the mirror as a youngster, loving fashion magazines instead of comic books, at the mall in the boutiques and cosmetics counters, etc? If one has that innate sense, then it may well be for you. It’s a wonderful, competitive and satisfying industry full of energy and people who love what they are doing.

Please explain where you live, the city, food, restaurants, culture and why should we visit?

Southeast Florida is the perfect place to be outside of Manhattan for anyone interested in fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and sunshine. I live in Delray Beach which 50 years ago was a great beach town. Over the years, it has grown to within inches of its boundaries. But fondly enough, over and above some of the other rival historic beach towns in the area, Delray Beach remains a great beach town… It’s remarkable! The shopping district is alive with eclectic shops, restaurants, boutique hotels, art galleries, live entertainment, and casual culture.

The corporate offices are in Boca Raton, a relatively small city with an international reputation for excellence. It has more corporate headquarters than any other city in the state of Florida. And yet, you’re close enough to the beach to have lunch overlooking the surf and get back to the office.

Share with my audience something challenging you have been through. What did you learn and how did you come out on the other side thriving?

Tiv perfume is The Designer Fragrance of the Caribbean. Therefore, we have always had a Caribbean home. We relocated the company from the Bahamas to the U.S. Virgin Islands 20 years ago. However, when we made the decision to make online sales our first priority, we had to move to the mainland to accommodate the demands of high-speed internet capability, shipping, fulfillment and talent. The first challenge was where to relocate. And we couldn’t be more pleased with the decision to move the company to Boca Raton. The infrastructure, vibrant business community and the people make it the perfect move. But two things were happening – relocating and completing changing our direction from retail to online sales and marketing. We still maintain a marketing and promotional presence in St. Thomas, but all major company activity is in Boca Raton.  We learned that the major challenge in such a major move is research.

I am sure you lead a hectic life. How do food, faith, finance, and family come together for you?

You can imagine the answer to this question is, “It’s a challenge.” First, I try to take advantage of the markets that sell fresh vegetables, fruits, and seafood for meals at home. The area is remarkably business-friendly which is a plus for building a financial future both personally and for the company. My family and old friends are scattered but visit often. As for my faith, I wake up every morning with a prayer to acknowledge the blessings of strength, courage, and good health. Life is good.

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Fuzia is a dynamic and robust organization that empowers women and has a community of 4.5 million people around the world, as well as 50,000 active contributors.

The goal of Four Columns is to empower women to lead balanced lives in the 21st century. Women empowerment is not a buzzword in Western society anymore. However, here are some scary statistics :

Globally, 750 million women and girls were married before the age of 18 and at least 200 million women and girls in 30 countries have undergone FGM. The rates of girls between 15-19 who are subjected to FGM  in the 30 countries where the practice is concentrated have dropped from 1 in 2 girls in 2000 to 1 in 3 girls by 2017. In 18 countries, husbands can legally prevent their wives from working; in 39 countries, daughters and sons do not have equal inheritance rights; and 49 countries lack laws protecting women from domestic violence. One in five women and girls, including 19 percent of women and girls aged 15 to 49, have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner within the last 12 months. Yet, 49 countries have no laws that specifically protect women from such violence.

Shraddha Varma and Riya Sinha are game-changers in the women empowerment landscape. They are the founders of Fuzia, which is a creative community driven by women all around the globe. The mission is not only to empower creative individuals but also to work towards women’s empowerment and gender equality.  They focus on shattering the glass ceiling, forming relationships, and creating change.

I wanted to know something unique about the founders. Shraddha Varma in all her humility says ‘Aside from being a management expert, an experienced marketer, and an ambitious entrepreneur, I’m a keen learner and a creative thinker with decent communication and leadership skills. I believe that economic freedom is necessary for women to be able to break out from patriarchal, pseudo-liberal patriarchal structures. In addition to leading Fuzia’s global marketing and operations as a Co-founder, I’m also a full-time mentor to my team in diverse cultural activities! Being a firm believer in gender equality, we have together driven a million women to represent their largest untapped talent pool! My notion is to reach out to every single woman to stay empowered in the challenging world from every minute to minute. Our organization, Fuzia intuitively influences global women to assist one another to grow, live their interests, chase their aspirations, and create their own identity, thereby promoting gender equality, feminism, and empowerment.’ 

Riya Sinha tells me ‘As an 11-year-old school student at Palo Alto High School in California, I was curiously intrigued with the intention of Fuzia for women, by Women. I’m currently in my second year at UC Berkeley, California, and work part-time for Fuzia. I’m mainly focused on initiatives like Fuzia’s public relations that is supported via television as videos and interviews with notable women and partnerships with other companies.’

Shraddha Varma talks about Fuzia and its various initiatives.

What was the motivation behind starting Fuzia? Did the success of it come as a surprise?

Fuzia sparkled up with a conviction for us to enlighten the stereotypical minds of society. Riya Sinha and I bonded over a cause of uplifting our sister women and defeating our mutual frustration at all orientations! At 11, when most of us were worrying about how our freshman year at high school would be, Riya Sinha had authored a book. Her short novel “Runaway Twins” at a local bookstore in Palo Alto destined a short fan moment when a kid came running to her and exclaimed that Riya’s book had inspired her to write and create; that she wanted to become a writer as well.

This incident laid the founding bricks of what Fuzia is today. I joined Fuzia in 2015 and am relentlessly devoted to empowering women worldwide. The small writing club, at the present, is an independent international online space for women to create and connect globally that I seamlessly manage.

We have reached significant milestones during the last five years. Over a year, we achieved 1 million users and supporters on social media. For our users, we launched a high-tech user-friendly app that marks the precise version of the Fuzia website. We have even received honors from prestigious organizations, such as the Women Economic Forum’s “Iconic Teen Entrepreneur and Innovator” award. Fuzia now has a community of 4.5 million people around the world, as well as 50,000 active contributors.

Empowering women through the fusion of cultures and ideas is your mission. Talk to me more about this?

Fuzia believes that talent shared is talent fostered, thus the outcomes are numerous campaigns and contests where women from all over the world participate and express themselves. They are also given training and employment opportunities in areas of their interests and expertise. At Fuzia, we broadly collaborate with our in-house talents and experts, including social media influencers, entrepreneurs, and inspirational women, to host interactive live sessions where women can have their questions answered and receive the training they need to launch their own businesses.

With the potential that many women possess, we ensure them to have economic assistance and opportunity in a variety of ways. Consequently, we indulge in preparing the individuals with their extraordinary skills tuned in such a way that benefits both the organization and its users financially. Our zeal of organizing a variety of interviews with strong women who share their inspiring experiences on Fuzia TV assists other global women to break free from their shells.

Empowerment is a new concept in many cultures where patriarchy, misogyny, and two levels of citizenship are hegemonic. What have been some of the challenges you have faced on the journey of Fuzia?

Fuzia as a community has always kept its focus on being a cultural organization that is gender inclusive. We strongly believe that gender inclusion is not just restricted to peripheral equality but also facilitates the breakdown of the very unconscious bias. We’ve tried and made our platform open to every individual, be it men, women, or people of other genders. Anyone who supports the cause of women empowerment, feminism, equality, and mutual support/upliftment has to be of our deciding interest. Fuzia also believes that true ‘Empowerment’ is incomplete without people of all genders supporting it. Therefore, we highly support and encourage gender inclusion, which as a concept transcends mere equality.

In North America, women are outperforming men in every area. There are more women in universities and in many careers. Do you see this happening in India?

The majority of men in India emphasize that women are befitted to being homemakers than at the workspace. They show fewer interests to encourage women who are striving to become a better version of themselves. This created a wall of hindrance for many men to participate in women’s empowerment. The patriarchal system also holds back men who care about the cause and want to empower women.

But this situation is gradually changing as we see many women breaking through barriers to live their dreams. A successful woman as a homemaker is also a multifaceted professional in every field establishing herself with ground-breaking achievements. Women have effortlessly proved to accomplish things that even men fail to do. This strong setback is emerging from both the rural and urban backgrounds embarking on the real adventure of women across her unending hurdles.

Walk me through what areas that women need to be empowered?

Women in the modern world stay super dynamic to dust off their routine starting from domestic chores to the documentation at the workplace. Many other women are silently enduring their pains as a part of their existence. Discriminations, failures, false hopes, negativities, character assassinations, and many more are dragging them to the dome of darkness. Taking this forward, Fuzia anchored firm affirmations in every woman to surpass the series of discouragements.

The Fuziaties testimonials evidenced that a larger introvert community has benefited the most from what Fuzia offers to every single woman in the world. Women empowerment needs to be focused on women’s sense of self-worth, their right to have and determine choices, and get unlimited access to opportunities and resources. More importantly, enriching their ability to influence the direction of social change to create a more just social and economic order, nationally and internationally.

Help me understand how men can empower women in their lives?

Fuzia believes that men can act as allies to women by showing support for the women’s empowerment movement. They can increase their share in domestic work and family responsibilities. They need to promote gender equality when fighting for women’s access to jobs, rights, and opportunities. Men need to understand and listen to the unhidden voices of women and truly give a solid secure space for them to unleash their inner potential. Genuinely appreciating their best efforts will encourage them to perform even better at home and in the workplace. We must also understand that women’s lives would be much easier with a supportive and attentive partner by accepting their scars and making women feel worthy about who they are.

Talk to me about the cities you are from? I want to know the food scene and why should one visit them? (You can take Mumbai and Delhi).

I am heading from Mumbai, a city that never sleeps and is beautifully located in the mid-western part of India. With a population of over 18 million people, Mumbai is popularly known as the “jewel in India’s crown” is a merging pot of religions, customs, food, and thriving trade. Mumbai’s cultural diversity can be reflected in the city’s gastronomic diversity, which includes street food with Muslim, Gujarati, South Indian, Parsi, and Maharashtrian influences. Dishes with these flavors, colors ,and textures burst in your tongue without breaking the bank. If you’re a foodie, you’re in luck if you’re in Mumbai because there are so many great spots to munch over street cuisine!

The other city I can’t skip bringing up is Delhi, the country’s perennially intriguing capital, that works as a magnet, drawing visitors from all over the world. The city has its distinct charm and diverse culture that encompasses all of India. The city is proud of its rich history and possesses many well-preserved historical monuments. With its vibrant and bustling marketplaces, Delhi is also a shopper’s delight. Delhi is also known as the cuisine capital of the world, with a cornucopia of delectable street food such as parathas, chaat, butter chicken, kebabs, chole bhature, biryani, nihari with a slew of contemporary eateries. One of the things that keeps the Delhi culinary scene alive is street food. Eating on the streets of Delhi is a crash course in the city’s history and culture, which is unparalleled in its richness.

The post Fuzia: Shattering the glass ceiling for women appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

Amarilla Nirmala is the co-founder and Chief Marketing Whizz of WeDO5, based in Vienna, Austria. WeDO5 believes in the power of women, especially women who want to make a difference. The focus is on female-led impact start-ups, that not only create businesses that make money but also push the status quo to be more ethical, transparent, and create equal opportunities. They support female entrepreneurs, who are driven to establish long-term business solutions.

WeDO5 contributes to the value chain in the start-up ecosystem through community building. They are the first yes for early-stage Startup-founders and offer support from idea generation to conception until growth and internationalization.

Amarilla has years of experience in executing and developing marketing strategies in the UK and Dubai. I am a big believer in start-ups. It is small businesses that are the growth engine of the economy and that create jobs. I talk to Amy about her life in Vienna and what she wants her legacy to be with female entrepreneurs.

Amy welcome, I want to know a little about you?

Hi, I am Amy; I am an Indonesian living in Austria. I have lived in 4 different countries in the past 12 years. I have 2 kids, and currently am a social entrepreneur. I have several businesses that focus on giving back to the community as a business model. I love cooking, gardening, paddling, and in my spare time, I love to play a tourist in my own city.

Talk to me about your social entrepreneurship and what WeDO5 is all about?

WeDO5 is the new name of KulturenReich (German words for Culturally Rich). We started as a social initiative focusing on immigrant women and Austrian women with migrant backgrounds. Austria is a rich country. Vienna has won the #1 city with the best living quality for several years in a row. However, for many foreigners, they find difficulties in starting their professional life again upon residing in the city. Most of them spend years to fully integrate, mostly because of language capability, and tight competition.

KulturenReich focused on empowering foreign-born women to be professionally successful and financially independent, through various activities such as workshops, focus groups,  and on the job training.

In 2020 we changed our name from KulturenReich to WeDO5, the number 5 stands for the fifth point of SDG by the UN, gender equality. We are now focusing on women impact entrepreneurs, those who aren’t only making money but also giving back to the community.

Help me understand mental health and your group Sahabat Jiwa?

Sahabat Jiwa (means soulmate in Indonesian), is a project that basically started in 2013 by my partner Anya. In 2019 I joined the organization as I believe I need also to give back to Indonesia, my home country. Mental health is a sensitive issue where people with problems receive stigma and often they also don’t realize they have issues. We provide literacy about it, and free consultation for young adult Indonesian people with mostly SES C- and below. The consultants are professionals with license, so even though free of charge but it is reliable. However, we do not accept life-threatening or emergency cases.

I want to know a little about the city you live in, the food and the culture?

I’ve been living (again) in Vienna since 2017. I came here in 2011, but moved to different countries in 2013, came back here in the middle of 2017, and found out the city has been changing quite fast!

Vienna is a classical city with beautiful landmarks and parks everywhere. The size isn’t big but very convenient as many things are easily reachable by public transportation.

What I like about the food here is that we have high standards, from eggs till meat, vegetables till desserts!

We try to buy our food from organic farms, and meat from local Austria as it provides certain standards and quality. We are quite concerned about where we get our food from. Things like how the animals slaughtered, how the chicken that produces eggs, what kind of banana we have, how sustainable the honey is, etc. And I must say that many people here are also thinking the same.

What does women empowerment mean to you and how is the modern Indonesian woman different from a few decades ago?

When people think about Indonesia, they think about the exotic paradise Bali, and it is a Muslim country. The fact is, Indonesia has the biggest Muslim population, but we aren’t a Muslim country. Since I was a child, I grew up reading some powerful and inspiring Indonesian women, such as Christina Martha Tiahahu from Moluccas province, or Cut Nyak Dien from Aceh province who bravely led an army to fight colonialism.

My mother, she was also a career woman, independent but also a loving mother. She worked in a British bank with high responsibility, oftentimes she came home late. But in the morning she was the first who wakes up, prepared stuff for my father and us, the kids. She didn’t have a me-time at all, because she spent her time caring for others.

This isn’t bad but she should have taken good care of her life too! So if we are talking about empowerment in Indonesia, it isn’t about women not getting an education or being forced to marry at a young age (although this is also still some cases in several provinces), but moreover about less judgment to women. Let them choose what they feel right. We still expect women to perfectly manage all aspects of their lives. People still expect women to do everything from cleaning the house and raising the child. Household responsibility needs to be shared. People need to be less judgmental to women who are still single.

Tell me a little about your role as a mentor in micro-entrepreneurs?

Currently, I am also active in Micro Mentor; I am giving free mentorship for micro-entrepreneurs in Indonesia.

My current mentee is an Elementary school teacher who produces brown sugar with low glycemic as an alternative for diabetes people.
I am giving guidance on how he should market his product, from marketing strategy to basic branding knowledge. We have 12 sessions, 1.5 hours per week.

You have a Masters in Design & Brand Management. Are you using it presently?

Yes! It has helped me helping female entrepreneurs market themselves.

How has social media changed your country and life in general?

My private Instagram is basically about things I find amusing. It can be a beautiful pic of Vienna, my plants, everything.

But currently, I am using Quora Indonesia to also share my knowledge about branding and marketing, giving advice and some simple steps about career and education. I believe social media is a powerful tool we can utilize for anything. Selling your products? Creating your professional persona? Building your company’s image? Or getting your 15-minute fame as Andy Warhol said last time.

It all depends on us; we just need to be careful about what kind of image we’d like to be remembered.

For me, my focus in life is about legacy. Surely I won’t win a Nobel prize, but I still can help some women who start their small business, I still can inspire young Indonesian people to decide their career path better, and also making good memories with my kids

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