This week’s guest is Alexa Carlin, motivational speaker and Founder & CEO of Women Empower X, a speaker convention dedicated to connecting diverse female leaders, executives, and entrepreneurs. Rain and Alexa discuss setting realistic and measurable goals for 2020, finding the courage to share the stories you are currently living, and harnessing the power of storytelling to build a community. This episode is perfect for all you entrepreneurs and goal setters!
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A few months ago I got a message on the Six Second Stories Instagram account.
It read:
“Hi! I just moved to Raleigh and discovered your platform through my friend who spoke at your event. Would love to connect with you as we are looking to grow via short stories for my company’s platform, highlighting women founders and leaders.”
This is exactly the type of work I love to do: empower people through storytelling.
I was excited, so I went off to do some research.
Alexa had created an event called WEX (Women Empower X), a conference for women to come together, learn from leaders, get inspired, and share their stories of success.
I was completely impressed by what she had accomplished in just a few years and the following she was creating. Not only that, but she was doing things that I saw myself doing in the future.
She was on a mission and I wanted to learn more about it.
When we met, we hit it off immediately. She understood many of the core concepts of motivating people through storytelling (like empathy and vulnerability) but was eager to soak up all she could because she had already seen the power of storytelling in action.
At a young age, Alexa was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that gave her a very low chance of survival. Alexa lives with this invisible illness every day and instead of letting the fear of it run her life, she uses it as motivation to pursue her dreams.
But more than that, she uses it as a chance to show other women that it doesn’t matter what they are struggling with, they can still follow their passions and purpose.
“When people can find the courage to share the story that they’re currently living, it creates this sense of trust, honesty, relatability, strength, that people are attracted to. And not only attracted to follow you, work with you, be part of what you’re creating, but also to actually make an impact in their life.”
Because we’ve gotten to know each other recently, we nerded out about a ton of great topics, including: setting realistic and measurable goals for 2020, finding the courage to share the stories you are currently living, and harnessing the power of storytelling to build a community.
This episode is perfect for all you entrepreneurs and goal setters!
Some highlights of our conversation:
How to set goals with realistic timeframes and measurable results in 2020
Starting projects with specific goals
How to measure your goals
How being a good teacher requires a different skill set than you might think -- some of the best coaches are not the best athletes
Getting over imposter’s syndrome
The key to making a project happen: Just start
Picking projects centered around your main goals
Being a little selfish while goal setting -- after all these are YOUR goals
Women Empower X - Alexa’s conference to empower female speakers, entrepreneurs, and leaders
Alexa’s goal to be a best selling author
You can reach all of your goals - just not at the same time
How Alexa created community by bringing women on stage to share their stories
Empowering others through storytelling
Growing a business through storytelling: social media marketing and public speaking
Alexa’s history of creating “give back” businesses
Living with a chronic illness
The effect that physical illness has on your mental health
Why Alexa started sharing her story by being vulnerable
Finding the courage to share the stories that you are currently living
Getting rid of the idea that you can only lead if you are fearless
Snowboarding analogy in relation to business: anything new is going to be harder at first
Using social media to grow an audience
Alexa’s platform of choice: Instagram
Using YouTube and IGTV for longer video content
Creating micro-content
Using Facebook Ads
How to juggle all that social media… hire someone!
Outsource only what saves you time
What entrepreneurs can learn from corporations
Incorporate a task manager for your team (Asana, Slack…)
Deciding where to put your energy
Brainstorming with people who have skills that you don’t -- if you’re a creative, brainstorm with a numbers person (or vice versa)
Making more calculated business decisions
How to balance your business brand with your personal brand -- they should feed into each other
Where to put your energy when time (and money) is tight
Alexa’s dream of a video series for WEX
Why don’t you see successful people sharing the ins and outs/ ups and downs of business?
Trying to take one step forward every day - It only takes one!
As always, enjoy the episode!
Peace and Love,
Rain
Follow Alexa on Instagram @alexarosecarlin
Check out her website at www.alexacarlin.com
Follow Women Empower X (WEX) on Instagram @womenempowerx
Want to visit a WEX event? Check it out here: womenempowerx.com
For more storytelling tips and tricks,
Follow us on Instagram @sixsecondstories
Visit our website sixsecondstories.com
Hosted by Rain Bennett (@rainbennett | Twitter) (rainbennett.com)
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Depth vs Width with Gary Vee
Cardone Zone Podcast with host, Grant Cardone
Where to find WEX in 2020