Ladies Kickin' Ass

#131 - You Can't Be What You Can't See! Why Your Story Is So Important

• Tanya Wilson • Episode 131

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In this empowering episode of Ladies Kickin’ Ass, host Tanya Wilson shares her personal story of navigating male-dominated trades and service sectors, emphasizing the power of visibility and the profound impact of the phrase, "You can’t be what you can’t see." Tanya encourages women to show up authentically, embrace their vulnerabilities, and celebrate their achievements publicly. Whether you’re just starting out or are a seasoned professional, your story holds the power to inspire others, break barriers, and create a ripple effect for future generations. Tanya also challenges women to recognize their successes—whether it’s achieving a six-figure sales month or being named a Titan 100 CEO—and share them unabashedly. This episode is a call to action for women to become role models in their own industries and build a community where celebrating wins is an act of empowerment.

5 Key Takeaways:

  1. You can't be what you can't see – Visibility is crucial for inspiring others and breaking barriers, especially in male-dominated industries.
  2. Embrace vulnerability – Sharing both your successes and failures helps others see the full reality of entrepreneurship.
  3. Celebrate your wins – Publicly recognizing and celebrating your achievements inspires others to pursue their own goals.
  4. Overcome fear and imposter syndrome – Fear is often an illusion; by facing it, you unlock your full potential.
  5. Your journey matters – By showing up and sharing your story, you can inspire the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs.

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction: The Power of Visibility in Entrepreneurship
03:45 – Embracing Vulnerability: Sharing Your Journey
10:22 – Why Celebrating Your Wins is a Revolutionary Act
17:58 – Overcoming Fear and Imposter Syndrome
22:40 – Inspiring Future Generations Through Your Story
25:00 – Conclusion: Owning Your Value and Kicking Ass Together

Sound Bites:

  • "You can’t be what you can’t see."
  • "Visibility isn’t just about being seen; it’s about inspiring others to believe they can achieve the same."
  • "Celebrating success isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity for growth and empowerment."

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Speaker 1:

Welcome to the Ladies Kickin', ass Podcast, where we help you ignite your inner badass and create the service business of your dreams. I'm your host, tanya Wilson, and together we'll dive into inspiring stories and expert coaching to set your journey on fire. Hey, badasses, welcome back to the podcast today. I have to tell you today's topic has just kind of been the universe speaking to me this morning, and what I mean by that is I have heard the same saying two uniquely different times in the last hour, and, and I was like, oh my gosh, what an incredible topic to talk about on the podcast today. And that topic is the saying you can't be what you can't see.

Speaker 1:

I think for many of us in our lives, as we've journeyed into or thought about getting into entrepreneurship, we were like do we have what it takes? Can I do that? Can I build that construction business? Can I start an electrical company? Can I manage all these guys? Can they manage this team? Do I know enough about finances in order to do this? Is there another person I could see, follow, touch, talk to? That has been or is at where I would like to go, and I will tell you, as a woman in the trades, this has been really difficult to find, and this is why I want to talk about it today is because I want to challenge more of you to start talking about your journey of building your business and being involved in the trades and home service industry. Why? Because we need more role models like I know you are. Otherwise you wouldn't be here on this podcast showing up and talking about the authentic life you live as a female entrepreneur in this space. I want you to write that saying on a post-it note and put it somewhere that will inspire you to take the step. Even if it's coming on this podcast, which open to anyone who wants to come on, you can't be what you can't see. So many people need to see an example that it's possible. I'm going to take my story, for instance.

Speaker 1:

I never saw women in the trades working like owning a business in this. They may have been like the bookkeeper, the secretary or the person taking the phone calls, but they definitely were not owning and running teams. They were not doing the trade work themselves, and what I wanted to do is I wanted to be that person. I wanted to bring my feminine energy into a very male-dominated workforce and soften it a little bit, give it a little juice, bring in that family love aspect. I love to wrap love around my team, around the people that work for my business. For me, I have nine people that work at my company right now. Those nine families are part of my family, because I take it very seriously that I'm not just employing the person that works at my business, but that I'm also helping provide for their families. If I don't show up and do my job, they can't do theirs, and I want to be that resource for those people. And I think that's what's really really cool about being a woman in the trades is that you bring a different energy. And so what I would love to challenge everyone that is listening to this today men, women, whatever if you are in the trades or construction industry that you start showing up more and talking about your journey.

Speaker 1:

Remember you can't be what you can't see Many of our children today. We tell them you can be anything you want to be and, as Ed Milet said in a conference I was at and he was speaking at, he said you tell this to your children all the time. You can be whatever you want to be, but are you? Are you showing up and being your most authentic self. Are you chasing your big dreams? Are you trying to be anything that you want to be? Because, if not, how do you expect them to?

Speaker 1:

One of my biggest driving motivation factors is showing my children what is possible, and it's not gender specific, just to my daughter or to my son, it's for both of them. I've been able to build a wildly successful business, starting out as a single mom trying to figure out how to do this. So if you find yourself in that place too, I've been there, girl, and I will support you. This is what this community is about. But where there's a will, there's a way, and if you need someone to show up for you, you have to reach out and ask for help, and that's what we're all here for.

Speaker 1:

Another beautiful reason of showing up is inspiring. Even people that are older than you is actually possible. I know that there's women that I am connected with that are much older than I am that are still inspired by what I'm doing today. So when we think about how we're showing up for people and how we're showing people what is possible, we're being that person that they can see, realize that it's not always just for the younger generation. Many times, it's for the older generation to say, wow, that's really incredible and I'm really inspired by you, because there's a lot of them that will reach out and say that to you. Another thing to remember when we are showing up and we're talking about our journey of becoming a entrepreneur in this space, is that we're affecting generations that aren't even here yet.

Speaker 1:

Think about all the things that have happened for us in our lives that we just take for granted today as things that are possible, that we can do, that we don't even know who made that possible for us, but because someone before us continued on the action that that person took to make that an option for us, we get to enjoy that as like a byproduct of that. I really, truly believe that you will never, ever understand or comprehend the ripple effect that you will make by showing up and trying to be the best person that you can be. It's endless, it's infinite, because you're going to impact people in very different ways. One thing when we were at our ultra event this last time I have to find my note on here but one of them that was so big for me that they that Brendan said was that if you're not chasing your dreams. Okay, you're not going after what you want to do. You don't know what it is costing others by you choosing not to live out your dreams, to chase your big goals. Again, that quote was you don't know what it's costing others by you choosing not to live out your dreams and goals. Wow, that one hit me in the heart and the head of like stop being such a chicken shit, tanya, and start showing up and doing what you said you wanted to do.

Speaker 1:

Many times we get defeated too and we think, well, somebody's already doing that. No one will ever do it the way you will. No one will say it in your voice, no one will be able to connect with that person the way that you do. Someone right now, I promise you, is praying for you to show up and chase those dreams, is praying for you to show up and make that opportunity for them possible. And when we look at life that way, when we look at achieving our goals or going after things, that bullshit imposter syndrome or fear it kind of subsides, I think, especially for women we will do things for other people before we ever do things for ourselves. And so when you can tie a reason to why you are doing what you're fearful of or intimidated by or feel like you're not experienced enough to do. You'll continue to keep showing up.

Speaker 1:

I was listening to a video this morning on Instagram and Alex Hermosi was talking about the topic of fear and he said fear, it's like a river that's a mile wide and an inch deep. It's scary as shit. When you look at it, because it's a mile wide, you're like, oh my god, I'm going to drown. Then when you get in there, you might get a little wet, but you can still stand on your own two feet. That was a great analogy for me, because I'm going through some things right now in my business that I am really fearful of, something I've never done before. I have a business that's bigger than I've ever had before. That could be very scary. It can be a little bit messy, but I'm also working really hard to skill up, to lead at another level and I think that's the most important part and I'm hoping, by doing this and talking about it and continuing with these kinds of episodes on the podcast, I am showing up and being that person that you need to see.

Speaker 1:

Maybe you're in that same situation, maybe you're in a position where you want to have a massive impact on your industry, but you don't really know how to do it yet. Sometimes it's just being brave enough to stand up and let our voices be heard so that we can start making that impact for other people. I think another really important thing that we have to embrace with showing up and actually being that person that people can see is that we got to talk about two separate things and they're both really really important is that we got to talk about two separate things, and they're both really really important. One is being super vulnerable with our failures, because failure is an event, it's not a person. Okay, we've all failed at shit. All of us.

Speaker 1:

Whether you want to admit it or not, you failed at something, and if you want to start a business, it's not if you fail, it's when you fail, because there will be lots of failures. You get really good at being able to deal with failure and many times we walk into a failure maybe it's even a new kind of failure and we're like we've never dealt with this. But you've dealt with way worse than what you're so scared of right now and you came out on the other side of that. Dig deep. You're so much fucking stronger than you forever give yourself credit for. Go back and think about the stuff that you've been through already. Is it really that scary that maybe the bank account's a little low this week? You've put money back in it before Go back and do it again? Is it really really scary right now that you've got to hire somebody? No, because you've hired people before. If it's something new that you haven't dealt with before, that's what this community is for, and if I can't help you, girl, I will find somebody that can. It's very important that we know we have a community around us to help us, which is why I'm always talking about making sure that you are dialed into a community somewhere. It's so, so important.

Speaker 1:

But on the flip side of failures, something I'd love to challenge us ladies to do more is talk about your wins. Celebrate and make it public. Don't have a little party at home with a bottle of wine and your husband and you're like we've had the best sales month ever. Fucking, post that stuff. I want to see it. And if people are intimidated by what you are saying by posting your wins, they are not your people. They're just not, and that's okay, because not everybody's going to be a fan and if they are, I don't think you're trying hard enough. It's okay that people get intimidated by your success Because those people aren't going to be doing what you're doing. But you know what happens when you celebrate your success and you show up online and you do a live or a podcast or you post a video like this and you talk about that best sales month you've ever had. Is you inspire other women to have the best sales month they've ever had? You inspire other women to continue the best sales month they've ever had? You inspire other women to continue to keep chasing that?

Speaker 1:

I remember hitting my first six-figure month. I talked to my coach, jeff, about it for I don't know he could probably tell you because I was probably driving him crazy, but I talked to him about it for months. All I want to do is get six figures in one month. Six figures in one month, six figures in one month. And when I hit six figures in one month, I remember screenshotting it on my QuickBooks and sending him the picture of it and we celebrated like crazy. You know what I didn't do? I didn't tell anybody else. I was worried about what people would think.

Speaker 1:

I remember hitting that six figures in a month was more impactful to me than ever hitting this seven-figure sales year. Because what was really cool about hitting that six-figure sales month is my business has never dropped below that ever again. Kind of like the rules, like the four-minute mile, like nobody thought it was possible and then they saw somebody do it and then it got broke, like record after record after record, like consecutively, like I think it only stood for a couple of months before somebody broke it again and it had been years before that that anyone had ever broke it, been years before that that anyone had ever broke it. And just like the six-figure month and the seven-figure year, my business has never dipped down before that. Because now I'm at a performance level that I know is possible and dropping to below that is below standard.

Speaker 1:

Now you got to raise those standards. You got to raise where you want to be at and the only way that you can raise those standards sometimes is thinking you need to see somebody else that's doing that. Sometimes as women we feel like, oh, if I want more than that's being selfish, or I'm doing this or I'm doing bullshit, it's all bullshit. If you want more, get more girl, get more. You can have it. You're worthy of it. You don't have to earn some prestigious title before you can say I want this. You don't have to have a certain education, you don't have to have a certain degree, you don't have to have so many years somewhere Like, just go out and kick ass, you can get whatever you want. You're worthy, have to have a certain degree. You don't have to have so many years somewhere, like, just go out and kick ass. You can get whatever you want. You're worthy today to have whatever the hell you're dreaming of. I'm so passionate about this because I want to see more women winning.

Speaker 1:

If you follow Ladies Kicking Ass and you post stuff that you're winning at, you can bet your ass that I will be reposting that stuff on my story and celebrating you. I would challenge you all when you listen to this podcast, post a win. Jump on into a live real fast. Send me a DM if you don't want to post it yet. You're not quite there yet. Let's celebrate it together, but please try to find the courage to post it online so somebody can see it. Talk about it. It's so insanely cool.

Speaker 1:

This year, I got the pleasure of being named a Titan 100 again for the third year, which is absolutely incredible. This is a very amazing networking group of the top 100 C-suite level people. So think CEOs, coos, cfos, cmos in the Phoenix metro area, okay. So think about this. Holy hell, when I first got nominated and got into this three years ago, I remember looking through the book of all of the people in here thinking I don't belong here and, to be real honest with you, I've struggled with that every single year, like I don't belong here. I mean, we have, like CEOs of the Arizona Diamondbacks. We have CEOs of big, huge companies that have their names on the buildings types of companies. Okay, huge leaders of massive nonprofits, like people that are on billboards, are in this group of people and, to be real honest with you, I have not tapped into that network that is available to me because I felt what can I bring to the table? But this year, mm-mm, I'm not doing that again this year.

Speaker 1:

This year I'm going to take full advantage of being named one of the Phoenix Titan 100 CEOs. Yes, I have a small business. Yes, I have less than 15 employees working for me, but we're making a massive impact. Employees working for me, but we're making a massive impact. I have a small podcast with an incredibly engaged small audience and we're making an impact, and that's what it's about. Every year, you have to fill out a ton of questions in order to continue to be potentially put in front of the judges to see if you can make it again for the next year. I'm not throwing up wildly huge numbers. I have a seven-figure business, but it's not these people that are making hundreds of millions of dollars this year. I'm not intimidated by that. This year, I know that I bring a lot to the table because to be in this group of people for three years in a row I'm one of 10 out of those 100 that are returning for the third year. That's a hell of an honor, and it's not because of the massive numbers that I'm throwing up. It is because what I am doing and how I show up authentically as myself and what I want to do for women in this community and through my other business, that continues to earn me a place in this community.

Speaker 1:

They believe I have value, or they wouldn't have let me back in or they wouldn't have let me back in. When you find yourself in this world where you have just up-leveled many times, it can be really fucking scary. Why do they want me to sit at this table? Why did they pick me? What value do I bring? I want you to stop thinking that way. Please help me. Please be my accountability buddy in this. We're not going to think that way anymore. We're sitting here for a reason. What is it that we bring to the table? If you don't know what you bring to the table, I want you to go into some self-exploration this weekend and write that shit down and post it somewhere where you're going to see it all the time. What do you bring to the table? Maybe it's crazy good energy. Maybe it's a smile. Maybe people feel warm around you. Maybe they love your story. Maybe you came from shit and you rose up like a phoenix and now you're kicking ass.

Speaker 1:

There's so much power in that story. Don't be afraid to tell it mess. There's so much power in that story. Don't be afraid to tell it. It's so incredibly important that more women hear you. They can't be what they can't see.

Speaker 1:

Some of you may be really gung-ho and be like I didn't need to see it to do it, and maybe that's true, but there's a hell of a lot of women out there that do need to be able to see it. So if you can be it for them, do that. Show up for them. Again. We're showing up for ourselves number one and proving that we're wildly fucking capable of doing amazing things. Two, we're showing up for our children and generations that will come after us.

Speaker 1:

But they're just going to think it's easy because somebody did this for them. They may never even know it was you, but how really cool is that? You're getting a lot of respect from people that are older than you that maybe didn't have the audacity to step out and do it. Maybe they didn't have enough guts to do it and they're looking at you and they're like go, girl, this is so awesome. I have lots of women that tell me that and it's really cool to be that for them. Sometimes you're helping bring someone else's dreams come true. It's a really, really cool way of thinking about it. And if those three things don't get you, I want you to think back to the quote that I said to you earlier in this podcast you don't know what it's costing others by you choosing not to chase your dreams.

Speaker 1:

So go out there, girl, this weekend. Do something. Please. Tag me in it, ladies kicking ass and go out there and be someone for others to see. Until next time, ladies, keep kicking ass. Until next time, ladies, keep kicking ass. Thanks for being part of the Ladies Kickin' Ass community. Cheers to all you badass women out there. Keep rocking your power, igniting your fire and making waves in the service industry. If you loved today's episode, please do me a quick favor. Take a screenshot, post it and tag us at LadiesKickin'Ass. Be sure to include the link to your favorite episode. Your support in spreading the word means the world to us as we aim to empower even more women. Hit that subscribe button to stay tuned for more Kick-Ass episodes. And don't forget a five-star review is the ultimate high five. Connect with us on social media. All the links are in the show notes. Thank you for being part of our tribe. Now go kick some serious ass, lady.

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Tanya Wilson

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