Rachel Beider in Entrepreneur Magazine

Being a Trusted Leader: What You Need to Know As Your Company Grows

The first step is to avoid any "us. vs. them" mentality.

The family-like environment of a new business can be a powerful thing. It allows both employees and leaders to come into work each day feeling as though they’re there to make a difference. By being a team, employees feel the company is stronger.

“When I first started Overit, it was just a small marketing agency,” Dan Dinsmore, the founder and CEO of Overit, in Albany, N.Y., told me. “I was involved in everything and got to interact with employees on a daily basis.”

But, as startups begin to evolve, that relationship may be hard to maintain, as Dinsmore said he discovered. In order to take his company to the next level, he needed to hire middle managers to oversee operations. Doing that, however, created a distinct divide between him and his employees.

“It started to feel like an ‘us versus them’ environment,” Dinsmore pointed out. “That wasn't the kind of company I wanted to build.”

To get things back on track, Dinsmore said he needed to rethink his company and how he could once again be a trusted leader. It took a lot of work to rebuild a culture of transparency and honesty.

Luckily, it’s possible to avoid that “us versus them” mentality altogether. Here are four strategies for keeping your startup employees and leadership united:

1. Admit your mistakes.

One of the hardest things for a leader to do is to own up when he or she is wrong. The feeling is that any mistake will be viewed as weakness or incompetence. But, in order to be a trusted leader, being accountable for failure is a necessity.

“Right out of college, I was an assistant receptionist for a big-time entertainment executive in New York,” recalled Kirsten Helvey, now the chief operating officer of Cornerstone OnDemand in Santa Monica, Calif. “One day, I got his lunch order wrong.”

It wasn’t long before Helvey’s boss called her and screamed at her for the mistake. Despite the fact that any of his other assistants could have corrected the issue, he wanted to make sure she knew she’d messed up. “At that point," Helvey went on to say, “All trust was broken: his trust in my ability as his assistant and mine in his temperament as a manager.”

Related: What Employees Are Saying When They Say They Don't Trust Leaders

Luckily, her boss had a change of heart. About 30 minutes later, he called Helvey back. He apologized for his behavior and said there was no excuse to speak to her that way. The incident turned into a life lesson Helvey uses now that she’s part of the C-suite.

“It showed me that even if you’re at the top, you can still mess up and damage the trust between you and your employees. But, if you hold yourself accountable and make amends to the people your mistake has impacted, you can recover, grow and even strengthen that relationship.”

2. Delegate.

As a leader, you may find it difficult to let go of control of any aspect of your company. But, to be a trusted leader, being able to delegate is a must. Otherwise, employees may believe that leaders doubt their capabilities.

“When I first hired employees for my small business, I found that it was challenging for me to let go of certain tasks and trust that my employees could handle them,” said Rachel Beider, CEO and founder of Massage Williamsburg and Massage Greenpoint, in New York City. “I was used to doing everything myself and at a certain standard.”

However, it wasn’t long before her micromanaging began to take a toll. “I think it drove everyone a little crazy at first,” Beider said. “We weren't being as productive as we should have been at that time.”

Once she decided to take a step back, however, things began to run more smoothly,  she said. Her employees began to feel trusted, and she was able to concentrate on the company’s growth and long-term goals.

To make delegating easier, take a moment and think: Is there anyone else who can successfully do this task? If the answer is yes, pass it on to that person and focus on big-picture strategies.

3. Empower your employees to ask for feedback.

Things move fast at a growing startup. There is always something to do, and sometimes, providing employees with feedback gets overlooked. But that in turn causes them to feel forgotten by their leaders.

After working in a fast-paced company, following college, Steffen Maier soon learned this lesson firsthand. Whenever his manager actually did find time to give him feedback, months had typically passed since the project was completed. This time gap left him unsure of his own personal career progress.

“The interesting thing is that after I left my job to pursue a master’s degree in strategic entrepreneurship, I was surprised to find that many of my peers had faced a similar experience," said Maier, now the co-founder of Impraise in New York.

As a result, he and a few others teamed up to create Impraise, a platform designed to make it easy for employees to ask for and receive feedback. Using this or similar tools allows employees to continue to feel supported and connected with trusted leaders.

4. Put trust above all else.

Never forget that a huge part of organizational trust is communication and honesty -- without them, employees find it impossible to know where they stand. And that creates a division between those in the know and those who aren’t.

“For us, success begins with trust,” said Tom Morselli, senior vice-president of people operations at PulsePoint in New York. “Trust in our leadership, trust in our mission and trust amongst the team: It takes hard work and must be earned by ‘walking the walk,’ keeping promises, following through and aligning one’s leadership style with the company’s core values.”

All of that happens through clear and consistent communication at all levels of the company. Luckily, there are multiple, easy-to-use tools that help keep teams connect. One option is Simpplr. The platform offers organizations an intranet that promotes and maintains productive information-sharing. It gives employees access to company news and a way to formally and informally interact with one other.

Employees should also recognize, however, that all of that talk needs a follow-up.

“The most empathetic and best-intended talk is hollow if it isn’t followed by action,” Morselli pointedout “Trust erodes quickly if you consistently fail to meet your commitments.”

HEATHER R. HUHMAN       

Waldorf, Md.-based Heather R. Huhman is a career expert, experienced hiring manager and president of Come Recommended, a content-marketing and digital-PR consultancy for job-search and human-resources technologies. She is the...

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Rachel Beider on ABC News

Photo by Bebeto Matthews 

Check out this awesome article about my business on ABC News!

STRESS IS UP, SO'S HIRING

"Business surged at Rachel Beider's two massage businesses in New York's borough of Brooklyn after President Donald Trump's inauguration, with revenue rising 50 percent that first week. Bookings have remained high and Beider, who has a total of 46 part-time massage therapists at Massage Williamsburg and Massage Greenpoint, needs four more to keep up. She's also hired a full-time receptionist.

Clients stressed about the political climate are making appointments in hopes that a massage will help them feel better, Beider says.

"Their anxiety is taking a physical toll on their health, manifesting as shoulder tension, neck pain, headaches, insomnia and jaw pain," Beider says.

Beider was surprised by the increase in her business.

"I wasn't expecting the volume or frequency of appointments — people are making more visits," she says."

To Read More:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/big-thaw-small-businesses-ending-hiring-freeze-45992408

Rachel Beider in US News and World Report

My business was featured in today's US News and World Report:

Photo by Bebeto Matthews

“In this Monday, March 6, 2017, photo, massage therapist and business consultant Rachel Beider poses for a photo at her studio Massage Greenpoint, one of two she owns, with the other being Massage Williamsburg, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Beider said she has grown her client base, as many people have been seeking stress relief since the elections.”

— US News and World Report

Rachel Beider in the Wall Street Journal

I was interviewed by the Wall Street Journal regarding clients experiencing post-election stress issues. Quotes below:

"Brooklyn massage therapist Rachel Beider wasn’t surprised to see a 12% uptick in her business after the November election, but that was just the start.

The week after Donald Trump was inaugurated, sales at Massage Greenpoint popped 48% from pre-election levels, she says. And so far this month, the figure nearly has doubled.

Ms. Beider says clients are complaining of insomnia, tension and anxiety; Most cite the new administration.

“In our industry, stress is sort of a commodity,” she says. “In an odd way, it’s good for business.”

Yes, in left-leaning New York City, stress-relief specialists—from acupuncturists to barkeepers and therapists—say the fledgling Trump administration has triggered a surge in demand."

Original Article by Anne Kadet Here: New Yorkers Seek Ways to Cope with New World Order

Building Your Unofficial Board of Advisors

As much as we would love to, (me especially) no one can do it all by themselves. Reaching out to mentors, teachers, and guides over the years made a huge difference for me at important times in my career and in moments of transition. I've sought out people who can walk me through growing pains, who can be a sounding board for ideas, and who I can turn to for support and advice. They are my unofficial "Board of Advisors" and though they have no financial interest in my company, I will often take them out for coffee or lunch and ask them about specific work questions and concerns. We talk about everything ranging from which credit card processor to use and what to do when you want to start a maternity leave plan, or tough subjects like dealing with a difficult client or landlord. My recommendation is to fill your "Board" with a variety of different people and try to stick to people working successfully both within your industry and outside of it. Choose people who inspire you: knowing that they are on your team will help encourage you and give you the confidence to take more risks. 

PS. If you need someone by your side, I'd love to join!

You've got this,

Rachel

10 Reasons to Start Your Own Business

Experienced entrepreneurs know not to force a new business idea, simply because they need something to do. The best business ideas arise out of a genuine need for something meaningful in the marketplace, and entrepreneurs that acknowledge this truth will train themselves to become hyper-aware of potentially profitable business ideas within their areas of interest.

1. You're Moving to a New Opportunity, Not Running From an Old One.

A new business opportunity, perhaps in the form of an unserved need in the marketplace or a new technical innovation, can be a good reason to start your own business, as long as the opportunity is real and you are not exaggerating its value as an excuse to escape your current employment situation.

2. You Have an Idea That'll Actually Deliver Value for Your Customers.

At the heart of every strong business opportunity is an idea that will deliver value to your customers. In other words, if you have an idea that a sizable number of customers are willing to pay for, you have a good reason to start your own business.

3. You Have a Business Idea You've Already Validated.

Perhaps you're sitting on a tested prototype, the results of a consumer survey, or the anecdotal evidence from years working in a corporation, suggesting that there is a true need for the product or service you have in mind. These types of validations are great reasons for moving forward with your business plans, while failing to listen to feedback from your prospects can be disastrous.

4. You Believe Your Solution Can Achieve Something Unique.

If you see an unmet need or an unsolved problem in the market that you're excited to take on, this is could be your calling. Perhaps no existing competitors address the problem as well as you can, or they only do so partially, leaving room for your superior service or product.

5. You Enjoy Learning by Doing and Taking on New Responsibilities.

As you start your own business, you will have to perform all the activities that in larger corporations would be divided between different people and departments.

You will be the marketing, financial, sales, operations, HR manager and CEO. If you're anything like me, you've never held most of these positions, so you will have to try new things, dive right in, think on your feet and learn as you go.

6. You Have Strong Optimism Toward Your Business Idea.

There will be times when others doubt you and the viability of your idea. That will continue on until the signs of your success are visibly apparent. Near the beginning, your own steadfast optimism is essential to keep you working toward your goal. Of course, your belief in the idea should not be unfounded, but powerful optimism in the face of challenges sets successful entrepreneurs apart from the rest.

7. You Won't Accept Failure as an Option.

Your progress will initially be slow and uneven. New milestones will be followed by setbacks and your attitude towards handling these momentary road blocks will determine your long-term success. If you refuse to accept failure and instead get back up on the saddle every time you fall down, you are well-suited to be an entrepreneur.

8. You're Excited About Working Hard on Your Passion.

When you bring hard work and passion together, amazing things happen. Looking at successful entrepreneurs, you rarely find a case where the two don’t come hand in hand. History is full of people who tirelessly pursued their passion and created successful ventures.

9. You Have Experience From the Industry Your Business Will Be in.

Successful first-time entrepreneurs often start a business in a field they have experience in. For example, an industry in which they have worked in the past. If this is your case, you will benefit from having an above average understanding of the industry, markets, customers and competitive dynamics. These are all things that are difficult to match by industry outsiders, as you'll be able to leverage existing relationships to speed up your progress.

10. You Have Resources Necessary to Turn a Business Opportunity into Reality.

Having an idea is great, but to start your own business, you need the relevant resources to turn that idea into reality. These resources can come in the form of financial capital, information, technical know-how or valuable networks that'll help you accelerate your success.

Post by: Ryan Robinson

Upcoming Workshops for February 2017

I'm looking forward to teaching my next business classes in the month of February!

Course Description: "According to the Small Business Administration, 90% of service businesses will fail within the first 5 years. These statistics are even higher for Massage Therapy as a profession. They fail not because they don't offer great services, but because massage therapists can be extremely uncomfortable with traditional marketing, resulting in feeling overwhelmed, isolated, and frustrated. Wellness practitioners tend to be highly nurturing. We nurture our clients, our peers, our loved ones, its what we do. This course will teach you to nurture your business. 

When Rachel Beider started her practice at 24, 6 months after graduating from Swedish Institute, she was able to effectively and immediately grow her private practice from 10 clients, to 110 new clients within one summer. She did this with limited resources and very little funds, which required creative solutions. 

This course is Rachel's proven system for getting more clients, all while on a budget. And it works. She will lay out an easy-to-follow road map for starting and growing your massage practice based on 7 core self-promotion strategies. Through verbal and written exercises, you'll not only learn how to develop a strong marketing plan and brand identity, but you'll also learn why self-promotion is absolutely critical to your success -— and how to do it with passion and purpose. 

Even if you hate the idea of marketing and selling yourself, this practical, inspirational course will lift you up and give you the confidence you need to comfortably and authentically market yourself and your services, tap into an endless supply of quality referrals, and watch your business grow."

I will be teaching at The Swedish Institute in NYC on Wednesday Feb 8th at 6pm. Click Here for more info on the Swedish Inst Workshop

I will be teaching at Cortiva Institute in Hoboken on February 11th at 1pm. Click here for more info on the Cortiva Institute Workshop

Both Courses Provide 4 Hours of NCBTMB CEUs and are Open to All. I hope to see you there!

30 Important Questions to Ask Yourself

Photo by: Mag Pole for Unsplash

With 2017 Fast Approaching, HeRE are Some Important Questions to Consider:

1. How much have you loved? Count the people. Add it up. When it comes to love, I’ve always felt in red numbers. I’ve been so focused on the minuses — all of them based on the not-enoughness, the virus most of us suffer from, the glass half-empty, the “but” – the “won’t” – the “can’t” – the “don’t” — the “what if.” (So if you’re in red numbers too, let’s put the ball back in our court. How much have you loved? Have you loved even when it hurts, when you can’t, when you shouldn’t, when you wouldn’t, when you didn’t – just because love is a verb, not a noun, and it’s the hardest, most beautiful gift of life? If so, you’re richer than you feel.)

2. What do you love doing that you aren’t doing? Furthermore, how could you get paid for doing what you love? Let’s brainstorm. It’s your right to be alive every second of the day. You’re not supposed to spend 8 hours a day in chains and the remaining 4 getting high on mental and physical distraction in order to cope with the depression of not doing what you should, what you really want, what you need to be doing.

3. What person or type of person would you choose as a life companion? A witness to your life? Forget the shoulds / the can’ts / the won’ts / the impossibles. Who would you love and who would love you back if you could have a say in it? Because see, your say in this makes all the difference. When you say your dreams out loud, you turn on the engine. It’s like this whole unlived, abundant life is waiting to come rushing out of you and in wishing it — out loud — you open the gates and give it permission to happen.

4. Where do you want to live? Are you happy with your life where you are? Could you be happier somewhere else? It’s true that you can be home wherever you are. But it’s also true that some places are more in tune with the kind of life that comes bursting out of you. There’s nothing more inspiring and motivating than good company and an environment that reflect and support your mission.

5. What do you want to accomplish? And most importantly, why — what’s your motivation? Be unrealistic. Life itself is unrealistic. Your very existence is as random, impossible and unrealistic as it gets. Only unrealistic people accomplish extraordinary things.

6. What do you want to be remembered by? Write it down. This is the man / the woman who _______________. Take your time.

7. What kind of life would make you jealous? And why? If you could start over, what would your life look like, right now? (psst…you can – but shh, don’t let your doubts in on this yet – they’re gonna’ ruin everything).

8. What adventures do you want to have? Can you list five? Adventures aren’t just for children — or maybe the 10-year old in us never dies. And it’s that inner child that really loves and lives life for what it is: the greatest adventure in the universe.

9. If you had to add something to humanity, what would your contribution be? List at least one. The world doesn’t owe you. You owe the world. The good news is that whatever the answer to this question, you’ll enjoy doing it. Your mission is encrypted in your blueprint.

10. What are your ghosts? Your unspoken demons? The stuff you keep in your closet under a lock? What are you most deeply afraid of? Say it out loud. Get real with yourself. It’s how you conquer them.

11. What are your favorite memories? Can you picture four or five instances in your childhood you are fond of? Do you see a river running through them? What’s that river, that common denominator, the deepest statement about you and life that lies at the core of them? There is usually only one – or two life-altering statements that come up when you dig.

• Get to the bottom of it. How can you live from that same belief now? How can you transform your current experiences so they begin with that same idea – that fueled your most cherished childhood memories?

12. Who do you love the most? What 10 people would you put on a lifeboat in case of a universal tsunami / asteroid / zombie attack or any other realistic end of the world? Make a list. You can have a million friends on Facebook, but at the end of the day, you’re lucky if you can find 10 people you would die for and who would die for you. Email them as soon as you can. Remind them that if the world ends tomorrow, they’d be on your lifeboat. (Truth is…you never know if the world will end tomorrow. At least for you. And human beings are the most forgetful animals. Do you eat, drink and sleep every day? Then love every day too.)

13. What worries you the most? Why? Worry comes from fear. And most fear is imaginary. Fear of the Thing is not the Thing itself. Learn to distinguish one from the other. It’s as simple as asking Why? (So what are you worried about? List even the most trivial worries, they’re a projection of a deeper fear. And if any of these worries came true, do you think you could survive? And if the answer is No, then all the more reason to enjoy the world before it ends (and not worry about dead or dying ends).

14. What type of people inspire you and make you come alive? What people — at this point in your life — add to the truest equation of YOU? Reach out to them, get closer, “touch” them, spend time with them, be around them, aliveness is the one virus you always need to catch.

15. What type of people bring you down and make you hate yourself? Break up with them. Today. It’s not rejection, it’s just selection. Life is short. You can’t invest your love in people who don’t want it and who use it to deplete you. (Love is the most elevated, beautiful transaction between two creatures. But it’s still a transaction. The whole of nature is transaction: a give and take. When one is missing, the cycle is interrupted, the fire swallows all the oxygen and you burn out. We each have a choice – to give and to take love — and whether we are aware of it or not, we choose the people we give to and take from. You are responsible for your heart’s investments.)

16. Who are your mentors? What have they taught you? Can you make a list? If you know them personally, thank them? Writers, thinkers, teachers, people who’ve shown you the way at some point, and the beautiful mystery of life made sense in their hands. Inspiration is contagious. It fuels you up. You owe them a mention on your lips and in your heart, and you must pay it forward and become a way-shower to someone else.

17. What is your cosmic elevator pitch? Not your job description, not your professional bio, not your resume, not your About page. But if you got in an elevator on a spaceship that tours the galaxy and you could say anything you wanted about yourself, what would you tell your elevator mates? (In short, who are you – raw, unedited, wild, ordinary and extraordinary you? What does it come down to? And why?

18. What issues can you help with? We’re in trouble as a planet, as a species, as a global community, and as individuals. It’s not a choice, actually. If you want to live here, you need to pay the toll of helping out, or your so-called-living won’t be more than a selfish idea of living. (Interdependence is the new Independence. In order to make it real, you have to help clean up the mess others have made. Don’t worry, so will others help clean yours. It’s how it goes with humans. They mirror each other, for better or worse.)

19. How can you express yourself creatively? Starting with the belief that we are all creative animals by nature, what’s your medium? Don’t think about profit, think only of how you can recycle your demons and become a channel for truth. (Art speaks directly to the heart. It doesn’t go through reason. They are two parallel languages. You need to speak Art if you want to understand Heart. So pick a medium and start practicing.)

20. How do you manage your time? What works for you? If you’re a mess, how can you get it together? Here are some creative tips on productivity. Can you make a schedule, write down your routine (to help you stick to it), come up with a productivity manifesto of some sort.

21. If you were to leave the world today, what’s your manifesto? What would you tell your children if you were forced to abandon them unexpectedly? Tell them now (even if you don’t have children). You do actually, we’re all inextricably interconnected to each other – in ways beyond our wildest imagination, and every child born on this planet is also a bit yours.

22. What makes you come alive? What ignites you? What makes you forget time, and space, and love, and food and water and even why – if taken to extreme? As Bukowski put it, “Find out what you love and let it kill you.” (Or resurrect you.)

23. What are your most painful memories? Are you still replaying them in your mind and using them as an excuse to fuel your fear of getting hurt again? Do you think they might be keeping you from trusting your heart again?

24. Why do you eat the way you eat and the things you eat? What do you think you should you eat that you’re not eating – and why? What can you put in your body that gives you pleasure and also respects and nourish it? If you don’t know, can you find out? Google it, read books, take a nutrition course, a cooking class, an online support program, hire a health counselor, do whatever it takes to get to know your body’s needs and then give it what it’s really asking for.

• (Your cells are made from the very food you eat. What you eat is the most important physiological aspect of your aliveness. You can’t honor life through your work, mission, relationships (you name it), if you don’t eat what gives you life.)

25.  What ignites your brain? What turns your light bulb on? Can you add more of that to your everyday? Get smarter? Train your brain? Evolve? Don’t waste your precious time on meaningless entertainment that numbs your mind and makes you smaller. It’s later than you think.

26. What physical exercise makes you sweat it like you mean it and enjoy both, the process and the afterward feeling? If you’re not currently practicing it, can you read more about it, surround yourself with people who practice it, sign up for a class, do whatever will motivate you to practice it?

27. What does your body need in order to function at its best? Can you make a list of what makes you feel healthiest and function optimally and try to practice it every day? If you’re not sure, start experimenting. Your 100% is just a little higher than your 80% but it makes a lifetime impact.

28. What feeds your spirit? What gives you goosebumps? What makes you fall down to your knees in awe (and weep)? Is it god? Religion? The universe? Science? Starry nights? Philosophy? Nature? Music? Art? It has to be higher than a person (than you), and surpass your understanding. There is no awe without mystery.

29. What are you proud of so far? What have you accomplished? Don’t compare yourself to others. There will always be someone who’s done “more” and some who’s done “less.” But what can you, at this point in your life (your circumstances, your reality), give yourself a hug for? Do it.

30. Fast-forward to your epitaph. What does it say? As a place-holder, let’s paraphrase Jack Kerouac: “They lived and loved and asked, blessed and adventured…and they weren’t sorry.”

• Article by Andrea Balt for Rebelle Society.

How to Start and Grow Your Practice - Cortiva Institute Workshop

I was so impressed with my students this week at the Cortiva Institute of Massage Therapy! It was an intimate group, and we were able to really focus on individual concerns, taking a deeply personal approach to explore and support each student's goals. I heard a lot of seriously positive feedback, and enjoyed the beautiful and modern campus! I will be teaching a more in-depth version of the workshop again in February, stay tuned for details!

3 Beautiful, Clean, Simple Websites to Inspire

One of the first things that I look for when working with new clients is their website. A website should reflect how the business makes you feel, and should align with the values of your business. Good design, clean lines, modern, simple, and easy to use are a Must. Here are some absolutely beautiful websites to inspire:

Jessica Comingore Studio: "A boutique design studio specializing in refined visuals for emerging lifestyle brands." Her modern and clean approach and beautiful palette create a website that feels deceptively simple and accomplishes the job.
http://jessicacomingorestudio.com/

Women's Health Specialist, Nicole Granato: "Certified Health and Wellness Coach working world wide with Women to overcome Hormones Imbalance, Infertility, Weight Loss and over all vitaility." Her website feels clean, sleek, modern, easy to use and image heavy in a way that easily conveys vibrance and health.
http://www.nicolegranato.com/
 

Saxon Campbell's Buds of Brooklyn: A flower design company offering hand-delivered custom designed bouquets for all occasions. This site is the embodiment of clean, simple, cool and modern.

http://www.budsofbrooklyn.com/