If you’re in a season of job loss or fear of the future during this pandemic, you NEED to listen to Miranda’s advice on how to move forward.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Miranda has led multiple teams to success in technology, higher education, sales & HR. Her nearly 15 years experience in corporate, led Miranda to her current path in coaching, masterminding and motivational speaking. Did we mention she’s also a member of the Forbes Coaching Counsel?
Don’t miss her LinkedIn success tips toward the end!
Please explain to us who you are and what it is you’re so passionate about?
When people ask me “Who are you?” I have a hard time with that question because most people want the titles. I’ve run Mastermind, I’m the host of LinkedIn Local, those kinds of things. Honestly, if I’m true to that question I’m a mother, a wife, a speaker, I’m passionate about women and progress and their potential and helping them find their calling here on earth.
But what guides all of that first and foremost is I’m a daughter of a King, I love me some Jesus. I’m not shy about it. I feel more called in this season to be more evangelical about my passions for my faith. That guides everything I do.
You have a master’s in motivational and professional development and you are on the Forbes Coaching Council. Those are two huge bragging rights, talk about those skills and how you use those in your business.
Forbes obviously is an amazing part of my business. I’m part of their Coaching Council which means that I get to write for them which is awesome. I get to put their stickers all over my promotional material. They send a bunch of questions every month and we as the council get to answer them as experts and they use those in their articles. I’ve been having so much fun answering questions, I could do that all day. That is a huge part of what I do but I also host LinkedIn Local and run Masterminds.
What is LinkedIn Local?
LinkedIn Local is a connection event. It’s essentially a networking event where people get together and do business together. The cool part about it is everybody on LinkedIn take your profiles offline, come meet each other in person, get to know the person behind the profile.
I don’t have a name tag that says “I’m Miranda and I’m a Forbes Coach ” it would say “I’m Miranda and I love cheese” or something random, to get to know me as a human. We will probably do business together or I’ll refer someone to you and vice versa because I got to know you as a person.
What is your business?
I ‘LLC’ed’ just my name, because I’m branding myself as a speaker, coach and future author. My DBA would be “Talent Culture Brands.”
The Talent piece is recruiting, helping people find jobs, the career coaching, resumes, mock interviews, connecting talent to opportunity. The cultural piece is going in and helping companies build their culture, lunch and learns, helping people build their individual culture because you can have a culture of one, your mindset, how you do life, how you define yourself. Brands is what it is, how you articulate yourself to the public.
In this time of uncertainty with a lot of people in a scarcity mindset, what are your thoughts on this pandemic and how does it impact how you do business?
My first and foremost thought on that would be faith over fear. We can live in fear and thoughts of scarcity or we can live as hope filled people who see this as an opportunity to show up. I feel like in situations like this, whether its coronavirus or some other pandemic, people will be more of who they already are.
So if you are living in a scarcity mindset, you’re afraid of everything, you’re stocking up on toilet paper because the computers are going to take over, you’re going to do more of it during a time like this. But if you are kind-hearted, giving, and selfless you’re going to do more of that too.
My thought is if you can answer a few questions, mainly “How does this pandemic affect me personally?” and “How can I help others?” If you can answer those two questions I think you’ll be OK.
For me personally, this pandemic affected more of my business than my personal life because I can’t socialize as much and I get my energy from other people. I have to adjust as to how I fill my cup and how I get my energy.
Professionally, I’m a speaker. Aside from you coming to my home, which is the highlight of my week, aside from that a lot of things have been canceled and I’m losing money like a lot of people are. You have to pivot, get creative. Use this pandemic as an opportunity.
Scarcity mindsets serve no one. They don’t serve us when you’re stocking up on toilet paper and no one else can go to the bathroom. Who is that serving, besides you? All we can really do is trust that we’ll get through this, as we always do. This is not the first time we’ve been through some kind of crisis or pandemic.
Watch for the helpers, be one of the helpers, show up for someone who needs you.
Recently a lot of small businesses are being affected by the pandemic and there is a fear of losing a job and not having money for bills. What advice can you give to someone who has lost their job or is afraid of losing a job?
There are 2 different ones. Someone who has already lost their job has options. They’ve waived their 7 day waiting period, go to unemployment. Get on a wait list or whatever you have to do, I hear they’re very busy these days. That will give you money right away.
Unfortunately you won’t be able to earn other money while on unemployment so this isn’t the time to start a business but it’s an opportunity to think about what happens after. You’re not going to stay on unemployment forever.
Either the business is going to let you come back or there will be an opportunity for something else, for something better: To work for a company that paid their people while they were gone, to work for a company who did right by their employees and be a part of that.
If you were laid off you can position yourself as an expert on LinkedIn. Keep in touch with your employer so that you’re ready to hit the ground running when you come back. Or, figure out what’s next. You can build your personal brand, brainstorm business ideas. You can clean out your basement and figure how to sell all your junk.
There are so many opportunities for people who are scared, they can turn this pandemic into an opportunity. Maybe there is a silver lining, maybe you were miserable in your job and you got let go. Maybe you loved your job, but you can keep doing it. It might be for another company but you don’t have to stop doing what you love because you got laid off.
Whether it’s coronavirus pandemic or anything else, I’m speaking from experience. I was position eliminated 4 times in the last 5 years. I was a 9-5 before going full time in my business. The first time I was laid off the whole world collapsed my insides fell out it was such an emotional time. But that gave me the opportunity to figure who I was meant to be and why God put me on this earth, what I can do to live out my calling.
It was a great opportunity for me. I can say that now because it’s over. But I can assure your listeners whether you have been laid off or you’re in flux and have no idea what’s happening. This can be an opportunity for you, don’t be scared. Wait until you get the facts and once you get the facts you can make decisions from there.
Recently on my blog I listed some tips on how to work from home during the pandemic, how can our audience make the best use of their time?
Assuming their children are also home? I did a post recently about this on LinkedIn about how working from home is a great opportunity but it can be really stressful if you’re not used to it.
Some things that can be really helpful is setting up a workspace for yourself whether its a place in the kitchen or an extra room, it shouldn’t be like mine, a living room office because it’s too comfy. Find yourself a designated place to do business. Come up with a schedule, humans thrive on routine.
As much as I like to shake it up, I still really like routine. So get up, maybe get up an hour early because you have to be a 3rd grade teacher to your daughter. Continue to get up, continue with self care, go for runs or work out at home. Make sure you’re still doing the things you need to do to keep your mind right and your heart in the right place.
One of the things I wrote, it’s so simple- get dressed. Get out of your PJ’s and get you in the mindset of working.
In one of my photos I have a pair of heels on with my yoga pants because high heels make me feel like I’m at work even if I have comfy pants on. A lot of people responded “I’m business on top and party on the bottom” and I totally get it, for video conference calls. Shower, put your makeup on, make yourself feel like you’re ready for work.
One of the biggest things for me working from home is an app called Brain FM. It’s ambient noise that helps you focus.
For those who have a corporate job, or the CEO of a company, what can those CEO’s do to help their employees in this time of pandemic & uncertainty?
Communication is key. That’s the biggest piece for high level executives leading a massive amount of people during a pandemic like this. Unfortunately they may not have any information to communicate because they’re waiting on information from New York State and the government to tell us what to do. But they can still communicate to their teammates their thoughts, feelings, options, even just to check in.
Try to come at it from a human perspective, understanding that some people are going to lose everything. As a CEO you’re making a ton of money but the administrative assistant is not, and maybe she has 4 kids, she’s a single mother, now she has to be a teacher and she’s losing her job. Try to be empathetic and understanding of every level underneath your company, it’s not just the management team.
We definitely need to focus on the business and how that’s going to thrive because if it doesn’t no one will have a job. In the meantime, looking at it from all levels, all perspectives, how can I help everyone? If you want to give some of your salary to them, or not take a salary during that time I would highly suggest it.
There are many options, but you have to humanize. Cry with them, there’s going to be a lot of tears. They may look at you because you’re kind of crazy since you make all this money, but help them. What’s a small cut to you if it means the entire administrative staff can feed their family? There’s many options but it all starts with communication.
Besides keeping a social distance, what can we do to support each other during this pandemic?
We’re all on social media at this point, especially if we’re stuck in the house. If you see a story that looks awesome, share it. Tell people about it. If you’re going to the grocery store, help someone there. I posted on my social media, “Who needs help?”
Let’s FaceTime; my kid will put on a show for you. There a lot of people who live alone right now who are scared and lonely and boredom is going to drive them crazy. People are really struggling with their businesses.
I’m a coach so I’m helping anyone I can. I’m not charging them, which sounds crazy when other people are scrambling to discount things, sell gift certificates now so they can stack up money- that scarcity mindset- when I’m doing the exact opposite.
Anyone who needs help in their business to brainstorm, I’m a life, career and business coach so I’m more than happy to have conversations with people. Anything I can do to help during this time I’m going to. Whatever your expertise is in, how can you help people, help them feel calm during this pandemic.
If you’re a meditation teacher and no one is coming to your classes maybe you do online guided meditation or private Facebook groups, FaceTime parties. I turn 40 in two weeks and I was going to have this big party with my girlfriends it’s going to be a FaceTime party.
Wine stores deliver, so we’re getting creative. The four of us will get on group chat, no kids allowed, and we’ll drink wine and just talk and hang out so we’re not losing that social connection. Or losing our minds, isolation is not what we’re meant to do as humans. Be there for each other, be there virtually. Help businesses to thrive, if you have the means to buy their gift certificates then do it, especially if you use their services anyway.
If you have a cool idea for someone’s business, shoot them a message. Solve problems, go on virtual tours of museums. Fuel your mind, use this as an opportunity to learn a new language. There’s so many things we can do so we don’t become stale in our professional and personal side of life.
Do you have any books or recommendations?
The Bible. I have a Joyce Meyers devotional I read every day to help get my mind right, whether we’re in crisis or not. It’s called My Time with God. I’m in the middle of writing one myself so that’s really cool. The Compound Effect by Derek Hardy, The Energy Bus by John Gordon. Kindle, or there’s so many books on tape if you don’t want to go out or order from Amazon.
There are so many things on social media right now for things like this. Science projects for kids if you have a yard, go explore, there are so many things to do and books to fill your mind.
Do you follow anyone on YouTube or social media that motivates you?
Ed Mylett, he also loves Jesus. He is a huge muscle man that comes off very strong, no excuses, and I like that personality. But he also talks a lot about God. He comes from humble beginnings, he was a baseball player that was injured and ended his career. He started working at a home for boys and found very quickly that was his calling. He’s meant to help young men change their lives for the better.
I love Marie Forlio, Renee Brown, Tony Robbins is a fun one, another that doesn’t let you have excuses.
After this pandemic passes, how can we move forward in our careers? What tips do you have for redirection and refocusing?
First, I think they should be doing it now. This, now, today, this is the time to make those changes or at the very least start brainstorming those changes. This is where you can reinvent yourself, present yourself as an expert, tweak your social media sites, create a personal brand, start to live the life, on paper if you can’t leave the house yet, the life you were meant to live.
Answer these important questions: Who are you? What are you here for? What are your gifts? Who are you meant to serve? How can you execute that?
Create that plan today so when this pandemic does pass, and it will, then what are your first few steps to finally start living the life you were called to live.
You should absolutely use this time to take a step back and start meditating and reflect on what’s going on and how you feel about it, get closer to your family, but don’t just let it pass you by and in 4 or so weeks have passed and you’ve done nothing to grow.
You want to come out of this stronger, healthier and ready for the next stage, whatever that may be. You have more control than you think to say what that next step is.
What are your personal business goals for the rest of 2020, post pandemic?
The goals will stay the same. I will tweak a little bit. I mentioned I’m in the middle of a book, I will continue to write, I will take a lot of my talks that I have performed over the last 10 years or so and turn them into online courses. That is happening sooner rather than later because of what we’re going through.
Loom is one of the great sites where you can create a Power Point with a little video of yourself in the corner. I’ve taught myself how to do a lot of this stuff, if you have a search engine you can pretty much do whatever you want.
You talked about earlier, you help your clients negotiating the excuses they have for themselves. Can you expand on that? It’s so needed in a time like this.
In anytime to be honest. In a pandemic like this, we’ll step up to get things done because we have to. But when the time is not like this is and it’s just chill, that’s when we have our excuses take over.
As a coach I help people negotiate their salaries daily. As a life coach I refuse to let people negotiate with their excuses. If one of your goals is to lose weight or get healthier, and one of your excuses is I just don’t have any time, I’m so busy. The excuse is always time, money, or a person but when in reality it’s ourselves.
At this point we are proving to ourselves that we can’t do it with these excuses. Once we stop negotiating with our excuses we can keep a promise to ourselves and prove to ourselves we can do awesome things. I play a game called Legit or BS. Is it a legit excuse,an obstacle? Then we can find a way around it. Or is it crap you’re telling yourself, or your mom or someone told you that you couldn’t run or something. Whatever it may be.
Is time a real factor? You work 9-5 and you have kids, I can’t go to the gym in the morning because that’s when my husband goes. Then what do I do? I may not be able to run the neighborhood but I can do Beach Body on demand in my basement while my kids are still sleeping. I can do something, even if it’s squatting in my living room, I can work up a sweat. I may not be able to run, but if it’s just to work out you can do that anywhere.
What’s the excuse, find a resource for it. That’s what Masterminds is for, to find resources to help achieve those goals. Then it’s no longer an excuse, you’ve broken free from that excuse. Something clicks inside them. “That’s a valid point. I show up for my family, for my job, my partner, why am I not showing up for myself?”
Once we bust that excuse, they start to work towards their goal, they have now kept a promise to themselves and have proven to themselves they are worthy. They are capable of overcoming that excuse.
In Atomic Habits, someone the author knew was able to lose weight by becoming the mindset of a healthy person. Every choice she made she thought “Would a healthy person do or eat this?” She became in that mindset of a healthy person and she was able to lose 100lbs.
You’re living as if already. When people talk about manifesting, you have to manifest in your mind first. If you are this buff, chiseled babe, you are healthy and 100lbs less you have to live as if you already are. You’re living as your future self today. 100lb lighter Miranda doesn’t go through McDonald’s drive thru. That means when I drive by, I’m not doing that anymore. That’s not how I live.
You’re the Queen of LinkedIn. Can you share your LinkedIn strategy?
LinkedIn, everyone should be on it, first and foremost. Some people think because they sell clothes or makeup they don’t need to be on LinkedIn. I joke and say, “Have you ever been to an office where they’re naked and don’t have makeup on?”
Real estate agents, do people who live in the homes you sell not work a 9-5? You absolutely should be on it. It’s not just for personal brand, it’s no longer just a site for your resume. It has evolved in so many ways, it’s wonderful. It’s a professional of all the other sites.
It has the top organic reach to grow your business or your brand without paying for ads or paying for the upgraded version of the site. Everyone should be on it no matter what you do. The biggest strategy is fill out those questions of who you are, what you do, who you serve, fill out your profile to get to an All Star status and then start connecting.
How do you get to an All Star status?
It’s really just filling out everything. You have to have 2 pictures, tagline, information in the about section. It’s just filling out the categories. You don’t have to have 500 connections, but you should that would get you to a different level. It tells LinkedIn that you’re out there and you are creating community.
But the thing that gets you the most bang for your no bucks is creating conversations. I call it the 3 Cs of LinkedIn: Connect, Contribute to people’s conversations, comment on posts, and Create. Create your own stuff, pictures, blogs, videos, you can send messages to people not just typing but voice messages.
There’s so many cool ways to be out there, to connect to people, create content and to spread a message, whatever your message is. Then people will start to see that you’re an expert in your field or that you have really cool things to say and they just want to be around you.
Everyone should be on LinkedIn, use the 3 Cs to build your profile and increase your reach, whether that’s growing a business, build your personal brand, to find a new job and network. Then come to LinkedIn Local, a lot of towns have it not just Albany.
What do typically do for lunch?
Depends on where I am. Typically, outside of our current situation, I’m usually working at Panera, Starbucks or I’m meeting someone. I do enjoy turkey sandwiches, with pickles. If I’m at Panera it’s that really bad for you green tea. Nowadays lunch is typically in my backyard.
Where can people find you on social media?
Anywhere as Miranda VonFricken: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram
