After spending 20 years working in advertising and marketing, Jenna Armato became a coach, speaker and trainer. Jenna shared with us tips for staying motivated a few weeks ago. Now, she returns with easy, actionable steps for building a support network (and why that’s crucial!), improving your communication skills and maintaining (or rediscovering) your passion. Positive change doesn’t have to be hard—it just has to be initiated.

Lauren Jonik: You recently took the professional leap of leaving a corporate job that you’ve had for over a decade and launching your own coaching, speaking and training business. What advice would you offer to someone who wants to take a similar step?

Jenna Armato: There’s one thing I would say, regardless of whether you’re looking to make a similar transition, and that is to start an account that’s dedicated to investing in YOU. This is not your rainy day fun fund. This is a separate account to save for things like continuing education, certifications, business ventures, career transition or professional development services. You never know when your path in life can change.

In terms of making the transition from the corporate world to self-employment, I found it important to share my intentions with my family. I worked for months on evenings and weekends leading up to the big transition. It was important that I communicate what was happening 1) for awareness, 2) for inclusion – I wanted to give my son every opportunity to be a part of this big change in our lives, 3) for help around the house. When you’re working around the clock, the dishes and laundry tend to pile up quickly. I had to be okay with that at times, but I also needed to know when to ask for help. The more my young man was in tune with what I was working on, the more quickly he was willing to jump in and help out.

The other advice I would give is to talk to as many people as you can who are or have been business owners. It’s great to have conversations and reaffirm that you’re on the right track or gain a different perspective to help guide you in a new direction. One great resource is SCORE. They offer free mentoring services, workshops, and webinars for people looking to start their own businesses.

LJ: How important is it especially for women to have a support system? What tools do you recommend for cultivating one?

JA: I think it’s extremely important for women to have a support system! I attended a women’s summit last spring that had a series of breakout activities. The sessions allowed for small group discussions on various topics. It was such an amazing experience because many participants had been struggling with similar challenges but never spoke about them with anyone else prior to that day. They didn’t realize their challenges were similar until they were in an environment where they could connect with other women in an open, supportive way. This sparked a conversation that harnessed the collective power of the group. Everyone was problem-solving together and learning from one another. It was such an energizing and insightful experience.

If you don’t yet have a positive support system in place, the best way to start is by connecting and re-connecting. Reach out to women you are aware of and admire, ask for the chance to connect and take the opportunity to learn more about them. Chances are, they’ll ask about you too. You can also re-connect with friends or colleagues that maybe you lost touch with over the years, but with whom you once had a great bond. Additionally, women’s events and conferences are a great way to meet like-minded, supportive women. If you look up women’s events in your city, you will not only find events but also women’s organizations that are both national and regional. Many offer networking, educational, and volunteer opportunities.

LJ: What is the most effective way to be clear in your communication—both personally and professionally?

JA: I have always believed that communication is the key to success. The biggest communication components are:

1. Transparency – Being open and honest in communication, even when it’s hard. Being forthright and timely in communication shows others that you value them and reinforces the value you place in yourself.
2. Inclusion – Including the appropriate people in your discussions either for their input or awareness is another element that will indicate to others that you see value in them. It will also generate diversity of thought, which is such an essential growth component both for individuals and businesses.
3. Connection – Connecting is the ability to identify with people and relate to them in a way that increases your influence with them. I’ve got a Mastermind session coming up on this very topic. In John Maxwell’s book, Everyone Communicates, Few Connect, he explains that about 90% of the impression we convey has nothing to do with what we say. It’s the tone we use, the body language we display or the communication mechanism we choose. Connecting also includes listening fully and without filters. Filters are perceptions we may have about someone based on their role, or our past experiences with them. Take away the filters so you can listen fully and completely. Then you can have true clarity of message.

LJ: How can women reconnect with or rediscover their passion?

JA: It really is about going on a journey of self-discovery. The first step in the journey is making sure you’re clear minded so that you can be open to exploration of new and different thoughts. Using a visualization technique can really help! Anytime you have moments alone, or you feel your mind racing in a million directions, visualize one of your favorite places, think of everything about that place, how it looks, smells, sounds, etc. Get in the habit of doing this so your mind goes into autopilot.

The next step is to make one small change in your daily routine. If you tend to flip on the TV at the end of the day, grab a book instead, or put on some smooth jazz and do some stretching. By stepping outside of your normal routine, you’re opening your mind to change which is an empowering experience. Start thinking about what it is you’re good at, what you like to do, and what fulfills you.

Next is get out and talk to people, connect, re-connect. Learn about other people; it will open your mind to different thoughts, perspectives and roles that people play. When you can, step away from your daily environment – whether it’s overnight or just for an hour. Sometimes physically removing yourself from your day-to-day can offer a breath of fresh air that can put wind into your sails and help guide you in a newfound direction.

LJ: What was the last book you read that you couldn’t put down?

JA: I really enjoyed Jon Gordon’s book, The Seed – Finding Passion and Purpose in Life and Work. In the book, you follow a fictional character who has lost his passion and goes on a journey to rediscover it, the story is so vivid you might end up taking a journey of your own. I can honestly remember the moment when I was reading this book at the Devon in Philadelphia, overlooking Rittenhouse Square – things began to crystallize for me in an amazing way!

LJ: Do you have any mantras or succinct philosophies that guide you?

JA: The week before I left my corporate role was a whirlwind of chaos. I learned a lot in that week and jotted some notes to myself that I vowed to lead my new business with:

1) Make a decision and don’t look back.
2) Learn from your lessons and keep on trucking.
3) Be Hungry – Every day, bring the hunger and tenacity of a mama lion looking to feed her cubs.

I truly want to be able to help as many women as possible, so I need to be focused, hungry, and direct! My overall guiding principle has always been respect for others, and that will remain steadfast.

LJ: You recently started offering a daily “Morning Motivation” message on YouTube to help people start their day on a positive note. How important is it to set your intention at the start of your day? How can someone cultivate that as a practice?

JA: YouTube is how I started my growth journey. I would search for motivational videos in the morning to help get my mindset in a positive direction and carry that positivity throughout the day with me. Once my inner power started getting stronger, I asked some friends about reflection and how that worked. When I started building morning reflection into my day, it was absolutely a life-changing experience.

Being intentional in how you set the tone for your day, allows you to remain grounded and focused and more easily able to push through challenges so you can have a maximum impact and achieve your true potential.

Getting started is as simple as deciding that you want to and then making a commitment to yourself each day. Whether it’s motivational videos, a daily reflection book, praying, reading inspirational quotes, whatever the practice is for you – all you need to do is do it. If you’re not sure where to start and want to talk through it, feel free to contact me and I’d be happy to talk through some options.

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After almost 20 years in Advertising and Marketing, Jenna Armato became a speaker, coach and trainer to help others dig deep within themselves, and develop plans for personal growth that stretch well beyond comfort zones, to provide companies with education in leadership development and effective communication – to create cultures in which employees go to work because they are deeply excited to do so, and to work with schools and local communities to help prepare today’s youth to become tomorrow’s leaders.

Jenna is leading her next event in Norristown, PA on March 10. She also facilitates virtual workshops. For more details, visit https://attractengageinspire.com/marchevent.