Launch Youniversity

Turning Good Intentions into Reality in Your Career, Business and Life

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098: Delight Ministries’ Cofounder MacKenzie Wilson on Starting Small, Staying Passionate

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The Launch Youniversity Podcast
The Launch Youniversity Podcast
098: Delight Ministries’ Cofounder MacKenzie Wilson on Starting Small, Staying Passionate
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Summary:

Most of us visioneers have the same problem — we have this idea we’d like to see get off the ground, but we’re overwhelmed by the starting point (where is that thing anyway?). Others of us jump clear over the start line and land somewhere in the middle, bypassing all of the important stuff that keeps the idea afloat.

On today’s episode, we’re joined by MacKenzie Wilson, cofounder of Delight Ministries, a nationwide Christian ministry that invites college women into a community centered around shared college experiences and stories. What started as an idea among college sophomore friends in 2012 with just a few interested women transformed into an organization present in more than 130 universities nationwide and in the United Kingdom and Uganda. Together with host, Shane Benson, Wilson shares how the vision for Delight Ministries was propelled by community, and trial and error.

Welcome to episode 98 of the Launch Youniversity Podcast.

Links + Resources:

089: Wes Jones of Honeysuckle Gelato on Starting Small, Building Team Culture, and Taking Calculated Risks

The 5 Elements of the Launch Loop

Delight Ministries

Three Takeaways:

  • Decide where your strengths lie.
    Whether or not you’re working in a partnership, it’s important to determine your stronger areas and the areas where you need more support. Take some time to reflect — in what areas do you naturally thrive? What areas feel like more of a task instead of a natural flow? These questions will help you decide where your strengths are.
  • Don’t leave friction among leadership unchecked.
    Tension within leadership can be felt throughout the entire organization. Unresolved conflict should be met with regular check ins and clearly defined expectations.
  • Celebrate wins big and small.
    When you’re neck deep in operations, or when your organization is growing faster than anticipated, sometimes it’s all too easy to bypass celebrating your achievements, especially those on a smaller scale. Remind yourself of where you came from and where you’re headed and celebrate all of the milestones in between.

Thank you for listening to the Launch Youniversity Podcast! If you have a question that you want to be answered on the podcast… ask us here!

16 Top Apps for Increasing Your Productivity

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When your schedule is jammed packed and your to-do list is a mile long, do you reach for your phone or a notebook? If it’s the latter, keep reading. [Read more…] about 16 Top Apps for Increasing Your Productivity

097: How to Use Hospitality as a Leadership Strategy

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The Launch Youniversity Podcast
The Launch Youniversity Podcast
097: How to Use Hospitality as a Leadership Strategy
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Summary:

Many innovators and launchers do not consider themselves leaders, but becoming a leader is inevitable in the process of bringing your idea to life. Most run from the title because it often feels weighty — you have flashbacks to The Office’s Michael Scott or maybe your current leader and think, “That will not be me.”

However, what if leadership could feel a lot more like home? Rooted in the idea of treating your team, collaborators, and future employees like guests, Terry A. Smith shares with host, David Farmer, another perspective of leadership based on the principles of hospitality and how we can create an environment where people and dreams flourish.

Welcome to episode 97 of the Launch Youniversity Podcast.

Links + Resources:

Enter to win a free copy of Terry A. Smith’s book, The Hospitable Leader, for you and one friend by following Launch Youniversity on Instagram. Locate the post about the book and comment in the caption!

The Hospitable Leader: Create Environments Where People and Dreams Flourish

Live 10

Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business

Frances Hesselbein

The Hospitable Leader online community

Elevator Pitch

Three Takeaways:

1. Hospitality is Crucial for Influence
You cannot lead someone effectively if you don’t have their permission to be led, and you will not get their permission if they don’t feel welcome. From your attitude to your environment, hospitality can make all the difference in how you influence others.

2. Engagement is Essential in Leadership 
Moral leadership is about engaging and influencing someone’s will. It will be easier to mobilize your team around your mission when they feel heard, understood, and invested in as individuals and as a valued contributor.

3. Inclusion Multiplies Influence
Growth happens when we are stretched. One way to be stretched is to surround yourself with people and ideas different from what you’re used to. Celebrate inclusion and diversity.

Thank you for listening to the Launch Youniversity Podcast! If you have a question that you want to be answered on the podcast… ask us here!

095: How To Be A Life-Giving Leader — An Interview with Tyler Reagin of Catalyst

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The Launch Youniversity Podcast
The Launch Youniversity Podcast
095: How To Be A Life-Giving Leader — An Interview with Tyler Reagin of Catalyst
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Summary:

According to a Gallup study, only 51 percent of employees say they’re engaged at work. Another 16 percent are considered “actively disengaged,” they’re unhappy, they complain about their work circumstances, and are overall disinterested in the company they work for and the work they do. In a Randstad study, only 53 percent of workers believe their boss values their opinion, and only 35 percent of workers feel inspired by their boss.

As leaders, we often see how much improvement is needed on our teams, but we often don’t look within ourselves for the changes we need to make. In today’s episode, Tyler Reagin, president of leadership conference, Catalyst, shares how leaders and launchers can avoid being a part of the majority of lackluster leaders and transform into leaders who serve their people well.  

Welcome to episode 95 of the Launch Youniversity Podcast.

Links + Resources:

Tyler Reagin

Catalyst Leader

The Life-Giving Leader: Learning to Lead from Your Truest Self

John Maxwell

Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t

Taylor Guitars

028: Brad Lomenick on Launching Catalyst, Scaling Success and Being the Right Kind of Leader

Three Takeaways:

1. Take care of your people. Good leaders love well those they lead. When you don’t care for those you lead, turnover rates are higher, thus decreasing productivity and tainting the overall mission. Spend time getting to know those on your team and nurture a culture that will be hard to leave.

2. Be comfortable in who you are. So many people spend their lives feeling a tension between who they want to be and who they are right now. If you want to be an effective leader and overall happier person, you need to operate from your truest self.

3. Have confidence in your calling. Whether you’re launching a book or a new idea, remember your passion and why you’re doing what you’re doing. Outline your boundaries and stick to them, remaining true to your mission the entire time. The result will be an authentic launch you can be proud of.

Thank you for listening to the Launch Youniversity Podcast! If you have a question that you want to be answered on the podcast… ask us here!

094: Lauren Gall and Melanie Ammerman of VaVa Virtual Assistants on Why and When Solopreneurs Should Delegate and Invest In Their Businesses

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The Launch Youniversity Podcast
The Launch Youniversity Podcast
094: Lauren Gall and Melanie Ammerman of VaVa Virtual Assistants on Why and When Solopreneurs Should Delegate and Invest In Their Businesses
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Summary:

For many launchers, what jumpstarts their visions is a problem to be solved, a community that needs caring for, or a desire for independence. No matter the size and scale of your vision — whether you desire to work for a large organization or imagine yourself as a craftsman who makes a difference on a smaller scale — it’s difficult, if not impossible, to make a difference alone.

Today, we hear from Lauren Gall and Melanie Ammerman, cofounders of VaVa Virtual Assistants, a virtual assistance firm that specializes in executive assistants, marketing and creative support for businesses. Together, they share their story about launching their business, what it means to be an owner and operator of a business (or solopreneur), and share telltale signs of when your business needs extra help.

Welcome to episode 94 of the Launch Youniversity Podcast.

Links + Resources:

VaVa Virtual Assistants | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Takeaways:

  • Know when it’s time to ask for help. You might be used to doing everything on your own, but it’s important for you to look for and acknowledge when you need to bring others on to your team to support you. How do you know when you need help? Do you often feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to get things done? Do you often feel you’re at the end of your rope in terms of capacity? If so, then it’s time to delegate.
  • Build processes. There will come a time when you’ll need to delegate certain tasks if you want your business to grow. Start taking notes on the things you do repeatedly on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Repeated tasks are often those you can pass along to someone else to do.
  • Stay the course. Launching is hard, but remember what brought you here in the first place. View every challenge as an opportunity to help grow your business.

Thank you for listening to the Launch Youniversity Podcast! If you have a question that you want to be answered on the podcast… ask us here!

092: 5 Ways to Overcome Your Blind Spots as a Leader

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The Launch Youniversity Podcast
The Launch Youniversity Podcast
092: 5 Ways to Overcome Your Blind Spots as a Leader
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Summary:

Leadership doesn’t come without its share of missteps, that’s for sure. But approached the correct way, those mistakes you make — whether as a business owner or someone who works inside an organization — can lead to opportunities for growth. Today, mentors Jeff Henderson, Shane Benson, and David Farmer share what they’ve learned about leadership through years of setbacks, triumphs, and having the right people around them who offered candid feedback. In this episode, you’ll learn five ways to overcome the common roadblocks that might be a barrier to successful leadership.

Welcome to episode 92 of the Launch Youniversity Podcast.

Links + Resources:

Personal Brand Assessment

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck

Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

Dr. Henry Cloud

Five Takeaways:

1. Embrace self awareness. It’s impossible to keep up a constantly fast pace. If you try, you’re well on your way to burnout. Take some time to pause and reflect about where you are and where you’re headed. Whether you journal or take personal assessments, your growth depends on your ability to rest and reflect.

2. Seek feedback immediately. A lack of feedback on your performance is a breeding ground for blind spots in your leadership. Sure, some feedback will feel critical and tough to hear, but the only way you can improve your work and relationships is when you stop and listen to what others have to say about them.

3. Acknowledge your struggles. No one is perfect and no rational person expects you to be. Find some people you can be honest with about the challenges you’re experiencing. If you don’t acknowledge your struggles, your self awareness will most definitely take a hit.

4. Invite accountability. It’s one thing to ask for advice, but it’s a totally different thing when you trust the advice you’ve been given and act on it appropriately. Surround yourself with people who will tell you the truth and who want to see you succeed no matter how tough the feedback.

5. Don’t hide behind your brand. Transparency builds trust. When you show people who you really are and what values you stand by, your product or business will reap the benefits.

Thank you for listening to the Launch Youniversity Podcast! If you have a question that you want to be answered on the podcast… ask us here!