Episode 52: Talk About Being the CEO of Your Business with Kawania Wooten & Geomyra Pollard
In this episode, we talk all about being the CEO of your business. I’m thrilled to have these two powerhouse CEOs on the show today: Kawania Wooten and Geomyra Pollard. Kawania and Geomyra are former wedding planners turned educators. They know about the difference between working on your business and working in it. So, they’ve made it their mission to help creative business owners shift their focus. We talk about how to move into the CEO role in your business, the difference between being busy and being productive, and their Secret Sauce Course among so many other things.
Learning all about being the CEO of your business? Yeah. You’re going to want a notebook for this one, friends. Grab your coffee, grab your tea, grab a pen, and let’s talk it out. Listen in.
About Kawania Wooten
Kawania Wooten, CMP, is an innovative event management executive, who excels at competitive strategic planning, convention and trade show management, and volunteer management. Her expertise lies in developing operational and programmatic initiatives that provide added value, reduce operational costs, streamline internal processes, and standardize association policies and procedures.
As the owner of Howerton+Wooten Events, Kawania uses her strength in contract negotiations, logistics management, budget management, and strategic marketing to enhance the overall attendee experience of conventions of 5,000+ attendees. Additionally, Kawania is an adjunct instructor in the hospitality, tourism, and culinary arts department at Prince Georges Community College in Landover, Maryland. Over the years, she has taught various classes, such as “The Fundamentals of Convention and Event Management,” “Introduction to the Hospitality Industry,” and “Hospitality Entrepreneurship.”
In her past work life, Kawania was the director of industry affairs for the National Cable Telecommunications Association (NCTA), where she planned events for Washington DC lobbyists, cable television executives, and some of the country’s most infamous media moguls She earned her Certified Meeting Professional designation from the Events Industry Council in 2004.
Kawania authored numerous event industry articles and books, and she has been featured in “ESSENCE” magazine, “WASHINGTONIAN Weddings,” “Refinery 29,” “InStyle,” “Martha Stewart Weddings,” “Baltimore Weddings,” and numerous event planning and lifestyle magazines and blogs. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Media Arts from Hampton University and she attended the Harvard Business School Executive Management Program in June of 2005 under the auspices of the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing.
About Geomyra Pollard
Geomyra Pollard is a well-rounded life + biz coach for creatives that aspire to create and live with grace, passion, and purpose. Through her coaching firm, Coaching for Creatives, Geomyra finds joy as the strategic support and encouragement for entrepreneurs seeking a thriving business and a well-rounded life! She was recognized as one of HoneyBook’s 20 On The Rise business coaches based on empowerment, impact, purpose, and passion. As a former wedding planner and designer, she uses her fourteen years of experience and formal education to coach clients, so they may focus on what matters most.
Geomyra is the host of the top-rated weekly podcast, A Well-Rounded Life, and owns the online shop, Living Well-Rounded Merch Boutique. Geomyra considers it a blessing and her calling to educate, coach, and encourage determined small business owners and boss moms. She is a systems and workflows guru, lover of handbags, can’t live without dessert, and is always ready to use her passport. Geomyra is married to her high school sweetheart and is the proud mama of favorite daughter Payton and favorite son Jackson.
Key Takeaways for Being the CEO of Your Business
- Getting Your Backend in Order (of your Business)
- Working In vs. Working On
- Power In Letting Go
- How Kawania & Geomyra Got Started
- How You Can Learn More About Being the CEO of Your Business
- Who the Course Is For & What Their Course Covers
- The Journey In Creating & Collaborating
In Being the CEO of Your Business, Renee, Kawania & Geomyra Talked About:
(This section may contain affiliate links.)
This Week’s Sponsors
Group Coaching & Masterminds
Enrollment for our next round of group coaching and masterminds is open! We had such an amazing, transformative 12 weeks together this spring and summer, we cannot wait to do it again!
As a wedding planner, uncertain times are still ahead. And the truth is, who knows what our new normal will look like? What I do know for sure? I want to do my best to make the most of the time we’ve been given. And if you’re anything like me, you are a high achiever, and I want to able to look back on this time and know that I acted with intention and with my business’s best interests at heart.
Our group coaching program is perfect for new planners or those who want to work on foundational aspects of their business. Our mastermind is perfect for more seasoned pros who are looking to uplevel, scale, and pivot.
Listen, you can’t get all the answers you need for your specific business and your specific goals in a Facebook group. So head on over to reneedalo.com/group and learn more about group coaching and masterminds. Spots are fillings super fast and we start the week of September 7 so don’t sleep on it. See you there.
Book More Weddings Virtual Summit
As we look at the last half of this truly bizarre year, it’s even more important to take advantage of this time to work on your business instead of in your business. And as always, we want to keep our eyes on the prize: booking more weddings. That’s why I want to tell you all about Heidi Thompson’s Book More Weddings Virtual Summit, happening September 14-18.
This summit brings presentations from 26 industry experts who have learned to attract more clients and book more weddings. You’ll learn the steps to book clients in the age of COVID-19, how to use Instagram to attract ideal clients, and so much more–like passive and diversified income taught by me! So get your free ticket at reneedalo.com/bookmoreweddings. I’ll see ya there.
Thanks for Listening
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Credits
Title Track Voiceover: Melissa Disney
Editor: M. Lynn
Photos: Courtney Paige Ray
Cover Art: Magnoliahouse Creative
