Cheese Steak State Of Mind

How Conscious Capitalism Reshaped The Way I Invest In Others

Think about the first person who believed in you… I mean really, truly believed in you.

When did you know this person believed in you? How did he or she show you they believed in you? What were you doing? How old were you? When were you inherently convinced they knew you would achieve great things? How did it make you feel?

For me, my dad was this person.

I was maybe four or five, at the time, and had decided I wanted the training wheels taken off my bike. I marched right inside one sunny afternoon to tell him I was ready! Now, I wouldn’t know because I only have one experience like this, but I feel most parents would’ve wanted to watch me ride down the block a couple times and ensure the training wheels weren’t on the ground just as much as the “big girl” wheels— or they would’ve asked me if I was absolutely sure I didn’t want the help of training wheels anymore.

Yet, without any hesitation, he said, “Okay, let’s go!” Sure, my nerves were skyrocketing and I wasn’t even sure if I was ready myself. I remember half-thinking I would hope he’d talk me out of it. His belief in me that I could handle the challenge got me through it. He inspired me to take a risk.

I’m not a parent, but I can guess there is a fine line you have to walk when wanting to protect your children and and also believing they are capable of something on their own.

Sure, I had many bumps, falls and injuries after that day but at least I learned how to ride I bike, and more importantly, I learned what it felt like for someone to believe in me.

It was this inspiration, through mere belief in my abilities, that got me through so much in life — trying new activities when I was younger, going to a new school at the start of my freshman year of high school, taking a risky internship in college and still today through so many of my challenges. If I ever need a little inspiration all I have to do is call my dad!

It was his deep-rooted trust in me that allowed me to become who I am today.

He let me be a quirky kid that rode around my neighborhood on my bike for hours and hours (probably talking to myself) and exploring my surroundings as if I was on some crazy adventure somewhere abroad.

Thankfully, my dad isn’t the only one who has believed in me throughout my life. And I’ll never stop being grateful for that.

Enter: Conscious Capitalism Conference 2017(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) where I was surrounded by people who believed in me and where I want to go in life and I in them. This community, brought together by people who want to make businesses stand for more, is changing the way I live my personal and professional life.

As I entered into adulthood, it became increasingly important to make a conscious effort to find people who believe and trust in me as I build my life and career. Opportunities like Conscious Capitalism are incredible vehicles for finding people who can be that person for me and I for them.

Here are 4 ways Conscious Capitalism taught me the importance of believing and trusting in others:

MB Concept by Miki Agrawal

MB = Mutually Beneficial

For those of us who want to get anywhere in life, most of us will need help from others in some way or another. Sure, I’m all about self-motivation and accomplishment, but we all need investment from others at some (or many) points along the journey. Whether it’s a potential boss giving you a chance to impress, a potential investor, or your friends or family.

The Mutually Beneficial concept can help you get to that “somewhere” you’re headed a lot quicker. What does it all come down to? Trust. You must trust in others that they have something you can benefit from and you must be confident that you have something to offer them as well. This applies to marketing strategies, in concept pitches, in business partnerships… in life!

The Butter Cake Philosophy

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a huge foodie and I’m here to tell you to be more like this scrumptious dessert.

I was introduced to butter cake for the first time in Philly. I’m 24-years-old and am so upset I’m just finding out about this treat, despite its 8 tablespoons of butter per batch... In all seriousness, how sweet would it be if we all “buttered each other up” more often? If you’re not familiar with that expression, I promise it’s a thing.

Trust in the power of gratitude, especially gratitude for others. I had the privilege of hearing Andrew Horn, founder of Tribute, speak about transforming work culture through the power of gratitude. Luckily, where I work — Redemption Plus — gratitude for others is a way of life. I can say from experience that I am more motivated to do my job and do it well knowing that others appreciate my efforts. Who are you thankful for in your career or life? Have you told them how much you appreciate them recently?

Trust + Belief = Inspiration

If you took anything away from my training wheels story, I hope it’s that belief in someone can easily turn into inspiration for them. By trusting in someone’s abilities, you inspire them to take risks they might have been too afraid to take otherwise.

But in order to get there, especially in work settings, you must create an environment of trust. I listened to a practicum session by Rich Diviney and Brian Wellinghoff with the Barry Wehmiller Leadership Institute about how to trust like a leader. Much of the content was about creating this environment.

They defined trust as: a belief in someone or something, a human emotion. (My theme of trust and belief going hand-in-hand continues). Diviney and Wellinghoff encouraged me to aim to live my life as an “inside-out” leader that facilitates trust through compassion for others.

“Everyone wants to do better. Trust them.” — BW Leadership Institute

My Leadership Legacy

An incredible man by the name of Earl Reum once said something along the lines of, “If you’re alive, you must still have something incredibly important left to do.” How amazing is that? We all wake up every day because we have unfinished business on this earth.

Earl changed my life in more ways than one — seriously, you’ll never understand the power of High School Student Council Camp until you’ve been there ;) —but perhaps the most important impact he had on me was helping me believe I hold the power to help others; that I have the chance to leave this world a better place. Conscious Capitalism had its own version of this same call to action.

“Every great purpose is a healing purpose.” Raj Sisodia

At Conscious Capitalism, Raj Sisodia, along with Timothy Henry, walked us through a mini-workshop titled: Journey To Conscious Capitalism. Feeling inspired in the moment, everyone in the audience was encouraged to write down our leadership legacy. Without further ado, here’s the Tabatha I aspire to be. The Tabatha I’m working toward. My leadership legacy. The words I want someone to read after I’m gone:

“Tabatha was someone who inspired others to see their full potential, their purpose in the world, who helped others realize their loftiest goals were possible. She handled conflict with a sense of curiosity and grace and fostered an environment that could effectively “raise the heat” into the zone of productivity. Tabatha challenged others to question the status quo. She demonstrated the importance of giving back to others and inspired continual learning. She was compassionate and exhibited a contagious energy.

It’s incredibly clear I’ve got my work cut out for me, but I thank Raj and Timothy for helping me to articulate what I’m shooting for — the kind of person I hope to be.

It’s been just over a month since my first Conscious Capitalism experience.

I’ve had time to enter back into reality, process what an awesome week I had and organize my thoughts. If you’re anything like me, it’s easy to fall back into your default mindset after attending an inspiring event like Conscious Capitalism. “Oh my goodness, I can’t wait to change how I live based on what I learned!”…four weeks later and nothing has changed. Yet, after reflecting on my experience, I see small changes have begun to creep into my personal life. I find myself uttering Conscious Capitalism concepts and ideas I gained while at the conference in meetings and in even in conversations with my friends. Small steps, but steps nonetheless.

Conscious Capitalism revealed that others believing and trusting in me has played an integral role in where I’ve been and where I hope to go.

Special Thanks To:

• Ron Hill and Christina Long for inviting me to attend this amazing conference with you both.
• Jackie from Savage for helping me release my inner child — more than I do already.
• Cary Broussard for allowing me to teach you the “pancake dance” and for listening to my aspirations.
• Paul Lavender for geeking out with me about Wichita, Kansas.
• Elaine at Sweet Greens for your hospitality and informative session.
• Mary Soldano for all the work you do helping women follow their dreams.
• Paul Alford, Michelle Trincia, Jen O’Niel and Lauren Hess from Bloom, so much to thank you all for!! It was such a joy discovering Philadelphia with you all!
• Steve Havill for introducing me to the term “bafoogalry” and so much more!
• Norman Wolfe for being my dinner date one evening.
• Tim Levy for being a wonderful companion to experience the conference with!
• Abby Schwalb for helping me register for the conference and all the work you put into making it an incredible experience!
• To all the speakers and practicum leaders. The content was amazing and inspiring. I know countless hours were put into preparing for the event.
• Everyone else who took the time to connect with me.
• The city of Philadelphia for all your brotherly love and history!