Focus on the latest cannabis related news impacting the New York market. Guests include policymakers, legislators, thought leaders, business leaders, licensees, advocates, and others interested in the state of the market. Will also have a dash of general national and international cannabis news. Hosted by Herb Barbot, Esq., first Director of Operations at the NYS Office of Cannabis Management. The aim of Joint Session is to provide the audience with factional information and informed opinion ...
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For female-identifying business owners ready to scale their nontraditional service-based or brick-and-mortar businesses to six figures and beyond. Specifically, Leslie supports business owners who are struggling to find their place on social media, or even in networking events due to the nature of their business. Ideal for owners and leaders of tattoo shops, permanent makeup studios, cannabis businesses, movement studios, sex toy shops, and other industries too often left out of the leadersh ...
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Send us a text In this special two-part series Herb speaks with former NYS Office of Cannabis Management colleagues – Aaron Ghitelman, Benjamin Sheridan, and Matthew Greenberg. The group holds nothing back in a wide-ranging discussion reviewing events from enactment of the NYS Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act on March 31, 2021, through the fol…
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Send us a Text Message. In this special two-part series Herb speaks with former NYS Office of Cannabis Management colleagues – Aaron Ghitelman, Benjamin Sheridan, and Matthew Greenberg. The group holds nothing back in a wide-ranging discussion reviewing events from enactment of the NYS Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act on March 31, 2021, throug…
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In this heartfelt episode of "Beyond the Pole: Tales from the CEO," Leslie Lyons, your go-to coach for embodied leadership and sales, dives deep into the complexities of running a small business during an economic downturn. Leslie shares insights and advice that are particularly valuable for owners and leaders of tattoo shops, cannabis businesses, …
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Send us a text In this episode Herb speaks with cannabis real estate attorney Kristin Jordan about Kentucky’s medical marijuana applications, the impetus for creating the Asian Cannabis Roundtable, and the real estate challenges facing New York’s cannabis market. Our Licensee Highlight segment features Reggie Keith, founder Buffalo’s Canna-House, a…
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Send us a text The measure of injuries and fatalities on the country’s roadways following cannabis legalization has been haphazard and inconclusive. In this episode Herb speaks with Chuck DeWeese, former head of the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, former chair of the national Governors’ Highway Safety Association, and founder/CE…
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Send us a text New York State’s cannabis program has been a magnet for lawsuits that have stymied progress in issuing licenses and growing the industry. Is the problem the agency’s implementation of the governing law, or is it the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act itself that is the problem? In this episode Herb speaks with attorney Fatima Afia…
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Ep: 103 Wake me up from this 2008 nightmare.
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In this heartfelt and no-nonsense episode of Beyond the Pole: Tales from the CEO, Leslie Lyons, your embodied leadership and sales coach, delves into the gritty reality of running a business in tough economic times. Leslie draws parallels to the 2008 recession and shares her personal journey of navigating financial hardships, offering a candid look…
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Send us a text In this episode Herb briefly covers news items from across the country, and locally in New York, where a major report in The City, by Rosalind Adams, detailed that OCM officials repeatedly raised alarms to Governor Hochul’s team over private equity loan deal. Also, shuttered unlicensed shop owners joined to bring a class action lawsu…
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Send us a text In this episode Herb describes his concerns with the turmoil at the NYS Office of Cannabis Management and how that might impact the momentum in the state’s evolving cannabis industry. In the first segment, Herb speaks with Jennifer Cabrera, Esq., a partner at Vicente, LLP, a law firm focused on cannabis law and policy. Jennifer’s wor…
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Send us a text In this episode, Herb speaks to acclaimed author, Daniel Okrent, about his book Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition. Daniel served as the first public editor of the New York Times and invented Rotisserie League Baseball. His book, Last Call, served as a major source for the 2011 Ken Burns/Lynn Novick miniseries Prohibition. H…
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Send us a text In this episode, Herb speaks to Jeffrey Hoffman, Esq. (Hoffman & Associates), Jeffrey is a well-known cannabis attorney and advocate, as well as host of Ask Me Anything about Cannabis Legalization in New York Ask Me Anything about Cannabis Legalization in New York | LinkedIn. Herb and Jeffrey run down the changes coming to NYS cannab…
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EP: 102 Non-Compete Are Done! How to protect Your Biz
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🎙️ Dive into the latest episode of our podcast as we tackle a burning question for small business owners: How do you safeguard your intellectual property in the wake of the government's ban on non-compete agreements? Join me as I share the invaluable advice my attorney shared with me three years ago when we revamped our employee agreements. All hop…
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Send us a text In this episode Herb speaks to Dasheeda Dawson, founding director of Cannabis NYC and Jeffrey Garcia, Executive Director of NYC’s Office of Nightlife. They discuss NYC’s support for those individuals and small businesses interested in participating in the growing legal cannabis industry. They also discuss the expected economic benefi…
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Send us a text In our premiere episode Herb speaks to NYS Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes. The Majority Leader was the prime sponsor of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, which created the adult-use market, the Office of Cannabis Management, the Cannabis Control Board, as well as the Cannabis Advisory Board. In our second se…
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Send us a text Welcome to Joint Session: Diverse Voices in New York State Cannabis. This spring marks the 3rd anniversary of the signing of New York’s Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, which legalized adult-use cannabis and established what is expected to be the largest cannabis market in the world. The rollout has already had its highs and lo…
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EP 101: I've been accused of Being a Cult Leader
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On today's closing episode of Pleasurable Profits, host Leslie Lyons reflects on the year 2023 and shares insights from her upcoming soulful planning workshop. Leslie discusses the importance of reflecting on the past year to identify lessons and areas for growth in the future. She shares her unique approach to goal setting, emphasizing desire-led …
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EP 100-Ouija Boards and Dark Arts: My Quest for Power and Control
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Welcome to Pleasurable Profits, the podcast where we empower owners and leaders of unconventional businesses to redefine success on their own terms. I'm your host, Leslie Lyons, an embodied leadership and sales coach. Today's episode is a special Halloween edition, where we delve into a personal journey that combines the mystical and the business w…
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EP 99- Breaking the Taboo: Why Successful Women Need to Reevaluate Their Intimate Partnership-Business Balance"
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In this episode, titled "Relationship Series: Desire to Be Cared For," we will be diving into a topic that may be considered risky but is important for women who desire long-term relationships. As we approach the holiday season, it's essential to address the potential strains that can arise in relationships, especially around money and unrealistic …
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EP 98- Unleashing Your Spiritual Power: The Hidden Key to Entrepreneurial Success
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Welcome back to Pleasurable Profits, the podcast that dives deep into the unconventional facets of entrepreneurship. I'm your host, Leslie Lyons, and today's episode is all about the spiritual facet of being a thriving entrepreneur. Get ready to explore our inner sense of purpose, our connection to something greater than ourselves, and the search f…
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Ep 97- Mastering Your Mental Facet: Harnessing the Magic of Your Thoughts for Profitable Leadership
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In today’s episode, we are diving into a fascinating topic: the mental facet. In our exploration of holistic leadership, we have previously covered the physical and energetic facets. Now, it's time to unlock the power of our minds and understand how our thoughts and intelligence play a crucial role in our ability to lead and navigate the complexiti…
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EP 96- Boosting Personal Capacity: Exploring the Energetic Facet for Leadership Success
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In today's episode of Pleasurable Profits, we are continuing our conversation on increasing our personal capacity to lead effectively during challenging times. Last week, we explored the physical facet of our being, and this time, we are diving into the energetic facet. Now, I know some of you may be skeptical or unfamiliar with this concept, but I…
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Ep 95- Powering Your Profits By Increasing Your Personal Capacity
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In today's episode, "Powering Your Profits By Increasing Your Personal Capacity" we are delving into the concept of personal capacity and how it impacts our businesses. Our host, Leslie Lyons, begins by sharing an anecdote about her recent visit to her esthetician, who had made significant changes to her business model in response to the economic d…
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EP 94- It's Gonna Get Worse Before It Gets Better
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Welcome back to Pleasurable Profits, where you and I, journey together, exploring the trials, the tribulations, and the sweet victories of running a thriving business. Now, today's episode, oh, it's called "It's gonna get worse before it gets better," and we're going to wade into waters that many of you know all too well. We're talking about those …
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Ep 93-Your Deepest Breath: How to Move Forward
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How long can you hold your breath? On this week's podcast episode, "The Deepest Breath: How to move forward" we draw inspiration from the awe-inspiring Netflix documentary. Watching this team of fearless AF divers on their quest to conquer the ocean's abyss, motivated me to record this episode. Running a small business can feel like a massive ocean…
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Hey there, beautiful souls! Welcome to today's super exciting episode titled "It's gonna be rockyyy!" Today, I want us to dive deep into something important: recognizing those markers in the economy and our own business. It's all about anticipating shifts and making the necessary adjustments, 'cause let me tell you, ignoring those markers can lead …
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EP 91-Motivating Employees When You Can't Pay Them What They Want
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In this episode, I tackle the challenge of keeping employees when you can't meet their salary expectations. I share insights on defining appropriate pay based on revenue metrics (around 20-30% of total revenue) and reveal secrets to motivate and retain talent without relying on money. The focus is on fostering a strong connection between a business…
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Dealing with Dummies: Microagressions and other BS
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Today's episode is all about dealing with dummies. Yep, those frustrating encounters that make us question if common sense is really all that common. In our conversation today, I had a real eye-opening moment as I chatted with someone who experienced a microaggression at work. This woman had a brilliant initiative to present, but a male colleague s…
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Live Coaching: Learn How Your Boundaries Impact Your Leadership Skills
1:01:07
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Think you don’t have what it takes to be a leader? Or just can’t see yourself as an effective one? Welcome to Corinne’s world. She has owned her movement studio for 11 years and is a pioneer for this industry in her neck of the woods (and a self-admitted gypsy). But ever since becoming an “accidental entrepreneur,” she’s missed the part about being…
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What if someone could just hand you the keys to a successful business? You’d think making money as an entrepreneur would be so much easier that way. In fact, that’s the key idea (and advantage) of buying a franchise. You see one on the street corners off of practically every interstate exit in America. The golden arches of McDonald’s are famous aro…
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Almost 50% of people who quit their jobs leave due to burnout. It’s no surprise why. From the retail and fast food industries to front desks at office suites, employees can easily get overwhelmed with all the responsibilities and to-dos of the job that seem to add up daily. And while sometimes employers can expect their employees to do too much, ot…
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How to Turn Difficult Conversations Into Growth Opportunities
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Have you been having rich, deep, grace-filled conversations with your team members? You’ve heard a lot about firing people on this podcast lately. But sometimes you don’t need to terminate someone’s employment when you think you do. So let’s turn the tide a little bit. Let’s talk about how to develop your team through conversations that possibly pr…
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How to Let Go of the Leadership Guilt When You Fire Someone
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Has the thought of firing an employee ever left you sleepless at night? You’re wracked with guilt and thinking about the family they have to feed or the bills they have to pay. So you hem and haw and agonize over it, wanting to put it off or avoid it completely. But you also know that not letting go of the employee will continue to be a burden on y…
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3 Ways to Motivate Your Team To Step Up So That You Can Step Away
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You didn’t go to corporate leadership school to learn how to lead in business. You were left to learn for yourself on the mean streets how to become a leader because, as a small business owner, you had to. You also didn’t start your business just so it could become a job you own. You wanted the time and freedom you thought it’d provide you. In orde…
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Somebody done did you dirty. You’ve had instructors, employees, previous clients, or whoever who behaved unscrupulously, and now you’ve got the scars (and the PTSD) to prove it. Thanks to their deep pockets, corporate businesses have ways of dealing with former employees who cross certain lines. As a small business owner, however, you might let thi…
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3 Steps to Free Yourself from the Day-to-Day Operations In Your Studio or Shop
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Have things gotten too overwhelming in your business? When you first start your business, you have certain plans in mind. Usually, those plans involve things like replacing your salary or gaining the freedom to spend more time doing what you want with people you love. Having a team of dozens of people to manage in your business is probably not one …
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One Shift to Calm Anxiety: Using EFT Tapping to Free Yourself From Your Business
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You know how a dog can get anxious when they see their human leaving the house? Yeah, you might be like that with your business except instead of you being left behind, you’re the one stepping away... And when you do, you worry about who’s gonna take care of this and supervise that while you’re gone. Did someone stock up the bathrooms with enough t…
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Boundaries for Bosses: How to Overcome Your Overwhelm With Strong Boundaries for Your Staff
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If you’re feeling overwhelmed in your business, what do you think is really responsible for it? You’ve built up your business to make the kind of money you want it to make. But you’re always working the business and have no real free time to yourself, so that life you’ve envisioned still seems like a vision out of reach. Nine times out of 10, the r…
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How to Give Verbal Warnings BEFORE You’re Forced to Fire Someone
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Does the thought of firing someone fill you with trepidation? When faced with terminating an employee, you probably think, “Why can’t they just use common sense and get it right? I shouldn’t be having to have this conversation!” But this difficult discussion doesn’t always have to end in a termination. Giving verbal warnings to employees is a pre-f…
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How to Fire Someone Without Stripping Them of Their Dignity
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Sometimes you just reach the end of your rope. Many women stepping into leadership roles have a hard time with difficult conversations, like job terminations. They’re afraid of hurt feelings or making a soon-to-be-former employee feel small in the process. But there comes a time when you, as a CEO, just have to let someone go. You’ve given them mul…
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CEO Lessons from Rihanna’s Super Bowl Half-Time Show
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This year’s Super Bowl had something to teach us as entrepreneurs. Now, maybe you’re not into sports and didn’t even watch the game. But in this case, it’s not the game itself that deserves the spotlight. Super Bowl LVII’s half-time show performer Rihanna served up a masterclass for entrepreneurs. (I’m not talking about the quick moment she plugged…
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How to Run Team Meetings That Inspire Your Employees
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Things have changed about the way people work in the last few years. Lots of people have refused to go back to working in the office, and time-wasting team meetings are a big reason why. Those team meetings did nothing but inspire them to walk out. In this episode, I discuss different types of meetings and reveal key pieces you need for them to ins…
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Why a “Me Manual” Is a Must-Have for Your Business
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You know yourself better than anyone. And at some point, you’ve probably wished your team knew you like the back of their hand, too. Well, there is a way for them to know how you operate, and it doesn’t require mind-reading abilities. Instead, this is where the “Me Manual” comes in. What in the world is the “Me Manual”? It resembles something you’v…
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Rest, Relax, and Reset With a CEO Retreat: Our Tulum Retreat Recap
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I’m fresh off the plane from my latest retreat. Over the last five years, I’ve done a couple of these for female small business owners. During the retreats, we talk about sales, marketing, and planning. This year, though, I went international! We were in Tulum, Mexico, stayed in an absolutely gorgeous house, and enjoyed relaxation to the hilt. In t…
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Do You Want to Be Popular or Paid As an Entrepreneur?
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On the way home from my annual retreat, I was reminded of something I always ask my clients: Would you rather be popular--like Instagram famous--or do you want to make real money? What’s your actual goal when it comes to marketing your business? Sure, it’d be nice to have both. But I know which one I’d rather get, and in this episode, I share my re…
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The Right and Wrong Way of Infusing Cash Into Your Business
14:29
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None of us are gonna say no to more money, right? And if your business grows to the point where you need to bring on employees, you’ll need money to do it. With that extra help comes additional expenses like taxes, so what can you do to increase the money flow when you need it? In this episode, I want to talk about how to strategically infuse more …
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Are You Punting On Pleasure? The Connection Between Sex and Your Business
11:56
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Hide the little ones for this episode! Put your earbuds on because like that classic 90s Salt-N-Pepa song, today I’m talking about sex, baby. I want to eradicate the shame around sex and how it ties into your business and how you show up in it. If you didn’t know about this already... well, you’re about to find out! 2:15 - Painting a picture of how…
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Don’t Do Your Business Dirty! Selling Success Without the Icky Factor
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What does it look like to “sell dirty”? Now, I’m not talking about dirty dancing while you sell. This isn’t about sexing up your sales process. I’m talking about the energy behind how you show up for sales. In this episode, I discuss the difference between dirty selling and call clean selling and how the latter address any hesitancy you have about …
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How Should You Deal With Outrage Culture as a Small, Local Business?
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Thinking about today’s episode took me back to 2020. It was a hell of a time for brick-and-mortar businesses, in a bad way! You couldn’t say anything about that lockdown period without somebody being mean and nasty about it. Now, for those who’ve been in business awhile, dealing with outrage culture is nothing new. But it can be dangerous for you a…
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What Is a Non-Traditional CEO? Signs of an Edgy or Taboo Business Enterprise
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Hey boss, it’s 2023! And since we’re starting off fresh, I think it’s an appropriate time for me to kick things off this year by explaining what a non-traditional CEO is. Not everyone knows what one is or whether they fall into that category. So in this episode, I cover who this podcast is for and what you can expect over our time together this yea…
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Why You Should Embrace Embodied Goal Setting Over Traditional Goal Setting
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I used to do traditional goal-setting for my business around this time of year. Some years, I’d reach my milestones and in others, I’d come up short in the first quarter. Three years ago, I discovered a new way of goal setting that literally turned things on their head. In this episode, I talk about embodied goal setting and how it’s different from…
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