I am getting vulnerable with you today. There are few experiences in life that act as amplifiers for self-awareness. Intimate relationships, parenthood, and running a business can act as 'amplifiers' that can help reveal our true nature and shed light on our blind spots as a leader. I am sharing a bit of my own personal journey, including mistakes and real-life examples, to illustrate the challenges leaders face when seeking and responding to feedback. I have also created a fun quiz to help you discover your natural leadership style. I am sharing few details about my upcoming six-week course 'Becoming an Anchored Leader.’ It is designed to help you become a more confident delegator, to lead tough conversations with clarity and to help you become even more self aware in a safe and confidential group. This episode is packed with practical advice and heartfelt insights to help you become a more resilient and effective leader.

Key points in this episode:

00:43 Exploring Self-Awareness in Leadership

02:42 Key Life Experiences as Amplifiers

04:27 Self Reflection in Leadership

06:26 Seeking and Receiving Feedback as a Leader

09:36 Understanding Leadership Styles

23:40 Invitation take my Leadership Style Quiz

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Resources discussed in this episode:

• Anchored Leadership Academy
• Private Business and Leadership Coaching
• Discover your Leadership Style Quiz

Contact Kari Lotzien | Be the Anchor:

• Website: BeTheAnchor.ca
• Facebook: BeTheAnchorLtd
• Instagram: BeTheAnchor.ca
• Linked In: Kari Lotzien

In this week’s episode, I am diving into the challenging topic of accountability within small business. We are discussing practical strategies for leaders to not only hold their teams accountable but also themselves, ensuring clarity and fostering responsibility in the workplace.

Key Points:

1. Leading by Example:
   Let’s talk about the importance of leaders holding themselves accountable before expecting the same from their teams. Accountability begins with fulfilling your own commitments and setting a standard through consistent follow-through.
2. Clarity in Delegation:
   Accountability starts with clear communication. Leaders must ensure that team members fully understand what tasks they are responsible for, the deadlines they need to meet, and the specific expectations of the role. Vague instructions lead to confusion, so clarity is key.
3. Addressing Missed Accountability:
   How do leaders address missed deadlines or targets in a calm and constructive way. Using frameworks like the Situation-Behavior-Impact (SBI) model, leaders can provide feedback without creating defensiveness, while maintaining the importance of meeting set goals.

Resources discussed in this episode:

• Anchored Leadership Academy
• Private Business and Leadership Coaching
• Crucial Conversations - Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, Ron McMillan

Contact Kari Lotzien | Be the Anchor:

• Website: BeTheAnchor.ca
• Facebook: BeTheAnchorLtd
• Instagram: BeTheAnchor.ca
• Linked In: Kari Lotzien

In this inspiring episode of Be The Anchor, host Kari Lotzien speaks with Angie Caillou, founder of AVS Legal, about her journey from solopreneur to leading a team of 16. Angie shares her personal experiences in overcoming the challenges of balancing work and a busy family life, and how she leveraged business coaching and the Anchored Leadership Academy to achieve her goals.

Key Points Discussed:

1. Why not now: Angie shares a beautiful story about how she decided to take the plunge from being an employee to becoming an entrepreneur. She talks about the challenges she faced in the early year as her business grew and her family became even busier.
2. Deciding to work with a business coach: Angie shares how she made the decision to work with hire a coach.
3. The Impact of Business Coaching: Angie shares how her involvement with the Anchored Leadership Academy and coaching sessions with Kari gave her the clarity and confidence to grow her business strategically, overcoming roadblocks she faced in scaling her operations.
4. Building a Strong Business Foundation: Angie talks about the challenges of finding time to work on her business rather than just in it, and how coaching helped her create the structure and systems needed to support long-term growth. She shared how coaching helped her to attract strong candidates to build her team in a highly specialized field.
5. Gaining Confidence and Delegating: Through coaching, Angie learned to let go of control and trust her team, enabling her to focus on high-level leadership and continue expanding her services.
6. The Power of Community: Angie reflects on the importance of connecting with other business owners in the Anchored Leadership Academy, describing how the support and shared experiences of the group helped her navigate difficult decisions with confidence.
7. Balancing Work and Family: Angie discusses how coaching helped her reclaim her time, allowing her to create a better balance between her growing business and family life—ultimately taking her first worry-free vacation since starting her company.

To learn more about resources mentioned in this episode:

Resources discussed in this episode:

• Anchored Leadership Academy
• Private Business and Leadership Coaching

Contact Kari Lotzien | Be the Anchor:

• Website: BeTheAnchor.ca
• Facebook: BeTheAnchorLtd
• Instagram: BeTheAnchor.ca
• Linked In: Kari Lotzien

Contact Angie Calliou | AVS Legal Services:

• Website: AVS-Legal.ca

Leadership goes far beyond managing people, having the most knowledge, or the most experience. Leadership is a completely separate skill from what most of us learn in traditional schooling. In this episode, I am delving into the key principles of leadership and the foundations of the Anchored Leadership Academy. Leadership is about fostering true collaboration and finding the best in people. It starts with the ability to self-reflect and self-regulate. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to enhance their leadership skills, whether in business, community, or personal life.

Key Points:

1. Understanding Leadership:
   • Leadership is more than being the boss—it's about collaboration, understanding, and facilitating growth within a team.
   • The traditional idea of leadership as merely directing others is outdated. True leadership involves optimizing the talents and strengths of members to reach a collective goal.
2. Self-Regulation as a Leadership Skill:
   • Effective leaders manage their own emotions and reactions, creating safe spaces for others to contribute without fear of shame or ridicule.
   • Self-regulation includes being mindful of body language, tone, and facial expressions to ensure they align with a supportive leadership style.
3. Listening and Observing:
   • Great leaders are often not the loudest in the room. They excel at listening, observing, and understanding the dynamics within a team.
   • By noticing gaps and encouraging quieter voices, leaders can create a more balanced and inclusive environment.
4. Asking Better Questions:
   • Effective leaders ask questions that encourage reflection and collaboration rather than simply seeking agreement.
   • Avoiding the word "why" in questions can prevent defensiveness and instead promote a more constructive dialogue.
5. The Role of Leadership in a Technological World:
   • In an era of automation and AI, leadership remains a distinctly human skill that cannot be replicated by technology.
   • Leadership is essential in maintaining human connection and fostering meaningful collaboration in both business and community settings.

Are you ready to take your leadership skills to the next level? Join the Anchored Leadership Academy and embark on a transformative journey to become the leader you aspire to be. This 12-week program is designed for business owners who are eager to scale their businesses, build strong team cultures, and lead with confidence.

I have opened up a few spots for private business and leadership coaching for owners who would like a higher level of support. Private coaching clients work through strategic planning to identify needs and priorities in their business. Coaching is then customized to align with your plan and may include support for team development, operations, marketing and finances. Together, we design your business to integrate with the life you want.

Resources discussed in this episode:

• Anchored Leadership Academy
• Private Business and Leadership Coaching

Contact Kari Lotzien | Be the Anchor:

• Website: BeTheAnchor.ca
• Facebook: BeTheAnchorLtd
• Instagram: BeTheAnchor.ca
• Linked In: Kari Lotzien

Service-based businesses trade their time for money. You might think that you can’t grow your business without hiring more staff. In this episode of Be The Anchor, I am sharing some of my favorite ways to build service-based businesses without hiring more people. I guide listeners through a process you can use to assess your own small business and what trends are happening in your industry. This opens up opportunities for new ideas to consider to increase your revenue, increase the lifetime value of a client and possibly change the way you work in your small business. We talk through specific scenarios for marketing companies to mechanic shops.

Key Points:

1. What is happening in your market right now? Recognize how technology such as YouTube, Canva and ChatGPT are changing the landscape for many service-based businesses and how to adapt to these shifts.
2. Gather Client Feedback: When was the last time you spoke with or surveyed your best customers to ask what you could do even better?
3. Consider different models in your service delivery - There are 3 options for most service-based businesses and most are only utilizing one model (which happens to also have the highest cost to you).
4. Leveraging your experience and knowledge to build profits. Consider mentoring as a way to leverage experience and knowledge, turning potential competition into clients, and creating new revenue streams.
5. Strategic Planning for Scaling: Reflect on how to strategically plan for growth, ensuring that your scaling efforts align with long-term business goals.

I have opened up a few spots for private business and leadership coaching for owners who would like a higher level of support. Private coaching clients work through strategic planning to identify needs and priorities in their business. Coaching is then customized to align with your plan and may include support for team development, operations, marketing and finances. Together, we design your business to integrate with the life you want.

The Anchored Leadership Academy, a 12-week group program designed for established businesses ready to scale, will be launching in September. For more information or to secure a spot, listeners can click the links in the show notes or reach out via email for an inquiry call. Don’t miss out on the chance to take your business to the next level!

Contact Kari Lotzien | Be the Anchor:

• Website: BeTheAnchor.ca
• Facebook: BeTheAnchorLtd
• Instagram: BeTheAnchor.ca
• Linkedin: Be-The-Anchor-Ltd

Key Links from this Episode

Private Coaching with Kari Lotzien

Anchored Leadership Academy - September enrollment is open now

Book a call to discuss the best options for your situation directly.

It can be challenging to offer raises when your business budget is tight. In this episode, I discuss practical and cost-effective ways for small business owners to show appreciation for their team members without overspending. Recognizing and valuing your employees through creative perks, flexible work arrangements, and genuine feedback can help maintain morale and motivation. Balancing financial responsibility with sincere appreciation can foster a positive work environment and contribute to long-term business success.

03:57 Understanding the Impact of Raises - a small raise can cost the business more than you realize.

05:06 When is the best time to give a raise? The one time you should always give a raise.

06:30 Never use a raise to try and motivate an underperforming team member.

09:00 Creative ways to manage cash flow in your business during slow seasons while still giving great perks to your team members. Time as currency.

12:35 Creative Perks and Benefits

• Offering perks like contributions to post-secondary education, weekend getaways, or charity donations.
• Providing benefits like healthcare creates a sense of security and appreciation.
• Offering these perks strategically to manage costs while still showing appreciation.

16:00 Specific and Genuine Feedback - always has value and costs you nothing

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Contact Kari Lotzien | Be the Anchor:

• Website: BeTheAnchor.ca
• Facebook: BeTheAnchorLtd
• Instagram: BeTheAnchor.ca
• Linkedin: Be-The-Anchor-Ltd

Key Links from this Episode:

• Private Coaching with Kari Lotzien
• Anchored Leadership Academy - September enrollment is open now
• Book a call to discuss the best options for your situation directly.

It can be tempting to offer steep discounts or to host large events to show appreciation to your customers but I think we need to be cautious. In this episode, I am discussing practical and cost-effective ways for small business owners to show appreciation for their customers in personal ways that cost very little. Personalized and genuine gestures are so valued. This is where I think small businesses have an edge over large corporations. Showing sincere appreciation while balancing financial responsibility, can help you build meaningful connections without overspending.

• 04:30 Listen to your customers to learn what matters to them. Notice small details.
• 06:20 Implement the Platinum Rule when it comes to customer appreciation.
• 08:45 Be creative and financially smart when planning how to demonstrate gratitude to your customers. When your journey becomes bigger than you, how many other lives will you impact and enrich?
• 15:00 Could you build VIP access or offer package deals instead of discounts?
  21:45 How can you ensure that your customer appreciation efforts are good for your customers and your business?

Contact Kari Lotzien | Be the Anchor:

• Website: BeTheAnchor.ca
• Facebook: BeTheAnchorLtd
• Instagram: BeTheAnchor.ca
• Linkedin: Be-The-Anchor-Ltd

Key Links from this Episode:

• Learn more about Private Coaching with Kari
• Book a call to discuss the best options for your situation directly.

In this episode of "Be the Anchor," host Kari Lotzien is joined by LinkedIn expert Tony K. Silver to discuss how small business owners can optimize their LinkedIn profiles and leverage the platform to generate leads, build relationships, and increase sales. Tony is a multi-award-winning LinkedIn profile expert. He shares practical tips and insights from his extensive experience since 2009, providing listeners with actionable strategies to enhance their LinkedIn presence.

Key Points in this episode:

1. 4 Keys to Optimizing Your Profile
2. Posting on Linked In - quality content, consistent approach and engagement
3. Using the platform for lead generation, relationship building and sales.
4. Practical tips to improve your visibility through SEO and indexing

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Contact:

Tony K Silver - Website

Tony K Silver - Linked In

Kari Lotzien - Linked In

Be the Anchor: Business and Leadership Coaching