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Introduction 0:03
Welcome to the #PirateBroadcast™, where we interview #interestingpeople doing #interestingthings. Where you can expand your connections, your community, #kindnessiscool and #smilesarefree. Let’s get this party started.

Russ Johns 0:21
What a beautiful day for a #PirateBroadcast™, interviewing #interestingpeople doing #interestingthings. I just thrive on this opportunity to highlight and shine the light on other people in the community. Cary is an amazing individual that has been working with others throughout her career, helping lift others and just making people feel amazing and always awesome when she's around. So, Cary, thank you so much for being here on the #PirateBroadcast™. You're now officially a pirate. So thank you so much for being here.

Cary Broussard 0:59
I'm so honored. You're the one that makes everybody feel great. Thank you.

Russ Johns 1:04
Well, I appreciate that. I'll receive that and thank you. So Carrie, we've known each other for a number of years, I consider you a friend, and absolutely one that I would go to for advice. I know that you've had several opportunities to share that same feeling and lift others up in the community. And you've helped so many people kind of give us a snapshot of what you're doing now and how you got to where you're going and where you are right now.

Cary Broussard 1:42
Well, again, I just want to emphasize how much I appreciate having met you several years ago, because you helped us not only get Cinderella CEO on air, off the ground, our first podcast which still exists, which we've kind of shortened out as C to CEO on air. We we worked really hard and really well together. Thanks to you and you guiding us through the basics of getting one started. You're laughing because you remember

Russ Johns 2:18
Navigation through the treacherous waters, oh sure.

Cary Broussard 2:22
Doing our intro and outro, all the things that you're so good at. It's really been wonderful to see how you've grown your business and I really love seeing and helping people grow their businesses and grow in their careers. I guess it all started with, I was fortunate enough to be able to author a book called from Cinderella to CEO. It was when I was in the hotel business full time. It was at a time when women in particular weren't really traveling as much on business, but we saw the trend that they were going to grow the the market was going to grow for women business travelers. So while I was at Wyndham, I wrote the book. We ended up building on this momentum of the book, which was all about mentoring and listening to women who have a whole nother perspective on industries and the industries that listen and respond to women are really benefiting so much. I have. So that's how we got started. Then from there, we've just been building on it. From the Cinderella to CEO awards that we did last year in New York and this year, we did research, which was funded by Texas Woman's University, there center for women entrepreneurs. What we learned from the research was so interesting how women really value collaboration over competition. Women leaders, we wanted to really study leaders, in particular women, we did research, we did survey some men. You probably got the link to the survey. It was just interesting to see how collaboration, positivity, really compassion are really looked towards and reflected by leaders as the traits that they need to or the traits that they've used to become successful.

Russ Johns 4:40
Yeah. But it's a it's an amazing opportunity to kind of see inside the mind of business owners, especially women, and kind of pull out some of the learning and education and some of the traits that you saw and that actually accumulated and you did an event, highlighting some of these individuals, as well. I remember, that was a big occasion.

Cary Broussard 5:11
That was a big occasion. And a big undertaking. I have done award shows, many of them in my career, and I love them. I think they're fantastic. I love the energy of just seeing the winners be surprised and deserving, you know, and their teams clapping and supporting. People have earned the recognition. So we wanted to honor women who had overcome obstacles and barriers, who didn't look back. They just they kept going. And yeah, they stumbled, they failed in certain instances, but ultimately, they just kept their eye on the on the prize, and the eye on helping others. That was the other cool thing. I literally now feel like we've arrived at a place where Cinderella to CEO is, we're the champions of the Cinderella comeback. We want to honor people and help people who want to be the best they can be in all aspects of their being. It sounds kind of trite to be the best you can be, but if you look at all the aspects of just living, you've got your work life, your home life, your community life, and I think the pandemic in particular, has shined a light on the fact that it's more difficult than ever, and maybe should never have been separated. But we have to take all of this into consideration.

Russ Johns 7:08
One thing that the pandemic has done is make a lot of real life, or make a lot of people realize how important community actually is. It's one of those things, it sounds kind of cliche, but you don't really notice you miss it until it's gone.

Cary Broussard 7:25
Oh, I know.

Russ Johns 7:27
It's really one of those things. I've networked for years, I know you're very active in the community and these things that we no longer have immediate access to, are some of the things that we're having to work around. That's where I want to kind of talk about now is this idea that now you had that event pre pandemic and a large gala, it was in New York, this huge undertaking and an amazing outcome. And the reality is, that's probably going to change, and we don't know how long it's going to take place. So I think it's important for us to navigate through some of these waters, and understand what is happening next. How are we going to get that same feeling, pursue that same emotion and recognition for others in this particular environment? I know that you and I've had several conversations around that and what you can do, and how we can work together to make that happen. So your virtual events are on the horizon more and more.

Cary Broussard 8:43
Yeah, that's a really great point. Going back to the research, two things that came out of it is that 68% of the people surveyed, were willing to change industries, change careers. So we've done a deeper dive into that. A lot of people surveyed were in the are in the hospitality and travel industry. So those transferable skills that people in hospitality have, or service industry traits, they're there, they want to help people, they want to provide a community, provide experiences that delight and and take people into other dimensions. So, we're looking at whether the awards and that is the pla, to take them virtually next year. I look forward to hopefully working on that with you in a way that we can build upon the fact that a virtual community, especially for certain generations, is not something that was done. It's time, right? Now 80% of our life virtual is versus maybe 20 or 30% for probably the baby boomer generation, and then the generation z and x and y, whatever, they were much more, I guess, digital natives, as you say. So they're more used to the online community, but everybody was used to seeing people in person and hugging and handshaking and we're at a crossroads of how do we combine? Accelerating that to a point where, how do you get that feeling from people? Is it possible to do it.

Russ Johns 10:54
Anything is possible. I believe that somewhere in between live events and large gatherings and going completely digital, there has to be something and there's a combination and I think it has to be done in a in a smart way. Social distancing is the theme right now. I was having a conversation the other day on the show, and I was like, well, what happens if this is three years? Lasts three years? What happens to the last five years? We have to start thinking about what our business is going to pursue under those conditions, under those guidelines. It's like any other entrepreneurial decision, you have to decide, okay, here are the circumstances I have to deal with. It's the obstacle is the way is kind of the stoic philosophy and you have to think about, okay, well, let's deal with that. Let's put it out there. let's recognize it for what it is. Then let's start working around that subject. I know a lot of podcasters are exploding, a lot of live streaming is taking place. I've done virtual events for people. I'm continuing to do virtual events. It's really one of those things that you have to understand whaat the the limitations are. I may not necessarily have the opportunity to get 1000 people in the room. However, I can get 1000 people in a virtual room. There's no geographic boundaries at that point in time. So there's opportunities as well as obstacles.

Cary Broussard 12:46
Yes, absolutely.

Russ Johns 12:47
Navigating that decision process has to be part of the equation.

Cary Broussard 12:53
Oh, my gosh, I guess we have to look at it as...goes back to the point that was made in the survey, is collaboration. And this whole idea of, hey, we're gonna have to figure this out together. Otherwise, and I think this is one of the the stalwarts of being an entrepreneur, is to understand we will get further together as entrepreneurs. When you think of a corporation, all these people in a big corporations, all that brainpower. They collaborate, they work together, sometimes they're silos and there's politics and things, but I think the entrepreneurs that figure out working together. I don't want to say can't be competitive, because that is absolutely the basis of the capitalist society, I guess. Back to my conscious capitalism days.

Russ Johns 13:50
Compete against yourself. The person you were yesterday. That's what I say.

Cary Broussard 13:56
Say it again. What?

Russ Johns 13:58
Compete against the person you were yesterday.

Cary Broussard 14:01
I love that. It's like golf. Right?

Russ Johns 14:05
I'm just trying to improve my own score.

Cary Broussard 14:07
Yeah. God knows that I need to. By the way, I've learned to play pickleball. Have you ever played?

Russ Johns 14:15
I have not. I have several people that are really active in pickleball and they love it.

Cary Broussard 14:21
Maybe I brought this up to you before we were prepping for the showk, but it was really fun. If you haven't played out there. It's like tennis and ping pong and badminton kind of all combined. But anyway, you compete. I'm literally competing against myself with that type of, you know, like, can I run? Can I keep my eye on the ball?

Russ Johns 14:45
Can I move quick enough to get across? Yeah, yeah.

Cary Broussard 14:49
Yeah. So these are interesting times and what do you think, you know, this is one of the parts that came out of the survey too. I wanted to bring this up again, is Probably 60% of those surveyed said that they really had the deep they had the need and the desire for coaching, in addition to community and, and curriculum learning, development, so learning and development community, but also, have you ever had a coach? Just curious, like, a lot?

Russ Johns 15:22
I have I've had several coaches I, I'm a believer in, in coaching and the thing that I really like and enjoy, as well as masterminds. Yeah, having a mastermind, where you're having a group of individuals, like minded individuals that can lift you up and call you out and keep you accountable. Because I think I think there's two sides of that is, you know, the most the highest performers are the ones that you'll find that typically have coaches. Yes, exactly. The best coaches have coaches.

Cary Broussard 16:00
Exactly. That's so interesting, because a lot of people don't realize that CEOs. I mean, 99% of the time have coach, you know, they that's helped them in their career, they've had a sponsor or mentor, coach, when you've done your masterminds has it been in the podcast? field in the engineering field in the communications field? Just curious, are all business just a business in general?

Russ Johns 16:28
A combination depends on the mastermind. I've been in masterminds where it's strictly business oriented in what how, how to navigate through your business. I've been in masterminds, I have two masterminds that are focused on more on the tech space, more online, you know, web development and content creation space. I think I'm getting one started right now around lead generation, I'll be hosting one on lead generation, and how to utilize live streaming and podcasting parafin in order to, in order to accomplish your goals. So

Cary Broussard 17:08
that's fantastic. That's, that's really going to be helpful to people. I think the mastermind groups, C to CEO, we are also doing that and featuring a CEO of a of an industry a high high profile person in the industry. Like, for instance, later this afternoon, and will rebroadcast it, but Cheryl Nash, who is the CEO of a company called Tegra, 118, which is a financial, very successful financial wealth technology firm, she's going to explain it much better than I do. But if you work for Charles Schwab, or any of the trade houses, they do all the technology behind that, and she has risen to the top of CEO fantastic story. Oh, and Ellen Ellen. Boy Who CEO of and founder of women in trucking, she was the grand prize winner of the Cinderella CEO awards. And she'll also be one of the CEOs that we highlight in the in the next week. And so basically, people come on and here come down to the show here, what the CEOs have to say. And then we have a panel discussion, right after that with experts who have the delve into the really the meat of what they've said to apply the the, the different rules or the different learnings from what the CEOs have talked about, but the thing that we're working on, and I'd love to hear what you think about this last is we have, before we open up the podcast live, we have in the waiting room, if you will, or in the practice session room, a chance for this group of eight people to meet the CEO and the panelists together as a mastermind group, so they get that one on one time, at least to meet the CEO directly before we open it up. Yeah, I think it's really gonna be we're trying that today for the first time. So

Russ Johns 19:21
Oh, very cool. Very cool. I love that I love the idea of being able to, you know, because the reality is carry that CEOs are people as well. Yes. And and the best CEOs are the ones that listen to the audience, gain clarity through the collaboration of others, and really look at the vision that needs to be in place in order to to allow others to succeed. You know, and I believe those are traits that really are what from what i've my experience in CEOs and working with CEOs is is the really forward thinking with the idea that we're all going to succeed. And it's not just the individual that's going to be successful. It's more about us, we, rather than me, and mentality and I think that's really why women CEOs are successful, because I think there's a little more empathy and a little less competition. And, or at least those are traits that I've noticed in, in a lot of CEOs.

Cary Broussard 20:33
It's it's, it seems to be to bear out that the collaborative nature of people who, especially women who have been raised or nurtured to be collaborative is or others, they tend to be in the data is bearing out that the companies that promote women into promote women, basically, in the workplace, those companies are more successful on the profit loss side, they, they can show the results over, you know, several years that because they promoted women that that company has been more successful. So I think that women and men who do this as CEOs or leaders, if they see Russ, John's, or Gary Broussard, and they see in us, they stretch us to do something we didn't think we could do. And they see they, and they allow us space to maybe fail, but definitely succeed. Ultimately, they they give us that confidence to do that. And so I think that's what I I really want to be able to do with Cinderella to CEO seat to CEO is to recognize the people and bring into the community, those people who understand the value in doing that, and reward them for that. By the way, if anybody wants to it's pretty obvious Cinderella ceo.com you can go to the website and learn more about what we're doing. And if you go to Cinderella, CEO on air, the podcast, just know that Russ John's is behind that. And he helped us get that off the ground. And thank you so much for that.

Russ Johns 22:30
You bet. You bet, always willing to help, Cary, because you're an amazing individual doing great work. I know you and Logan are doing some amazing things in the community as well. So I just want to give a shout out, Cary, to some of the individuals that are here, Matt Mohawk says, I'm excited for this conversation. So he's here. Rohit is in the house. Tapas Das. He's here just for a quick hello. I know that there's several people that I know are excited to be here. Mark Morrison hello and ready to be motivated. Well, I hope so. Russ N Leah Hedge are here. Oliver Corrigan and Mark Lacour. Houston pirates are in the house. Thanks for being here, Mark. I really appreciate it. Mark also said that if you start hearing an echo, drop off and come back in. Sheri Lally, Good morning, Russ and Cary. Sheri, who runs Slaptagz, Cary, is CEO she does a lot of work in the construction and healthcare industries. Well, she has her business out there doing some great work. Russ N Leah Hedge, great info, Cary, we must learn to adapt and grow.

Cary Broussard 23:54
Absolutely. Thank you, Russ.

Russ Johns 23:55
Marchello says, hello, Russ, how are you? I'm doing well. Thank you so much for being here. And then Liz Lawless, creative catalyst.

Cary Broussard 23:58
Thanks, Liz.

Russ Johns 24:11
Hi, Russ and Cary, thank you so much for being here. Have a creative Thursday. Hey, pirates. Thank you everyone for being here for the podcast. I read those out so people can recognize that if you're listening to the podcast in the future, you'll know that there are other people that join into the live stream.

Cary Broussard 24:36
Very cool. Yeah, I've been following you on LinkedIn and all the people that come on your show. It's great.

Russ Johns 24:42
It's amazing. It's an amazing community and I know that there's a lot of great people that are willing to participate and get involved and engaged in the community and support each other. I feel nothing but support when I come in here and I connect with individuals and reach out. I'm booking the show five days a week. I'm reaching almost 300 episodes now and it's so we'll just continue to grow and shine a light on other people

Cary Broussard 25:21
Go, Russ.

Russ Johns 25:25
So what's next on the horizon for Cary and Cinderella to CEO.

Cary Broussard 25:33
Quite a lot.

Russ Johns 25:35
Yeah, quite a lot.

Cary Broussard 25:36
I think we are all pivoting in this arena. I'm really focusing on, we continue to have our public relations and marketing arm that's very active. You mentioned creative director, Logan, who is busy doing his editing on the broadcast side and creative direction in branding. Then we've developed this C to CEO, coaching curriculum and community that is growing and developing based on the fact that that's what women told us they wanted. We're not necessarily limiting it to women, because women lead men and men are involved in working with women, obviously. But it is really just the women in particular are still in a situation where we need our community that helps women excel in a way that is different. The difference is that, for instance, right now we're looking at women are unfortunately having an issue with staying home with the kids while they're working. While they're learning remotely. There are men are doing it, too. But women in larger numbers are having to step away from their jobs. So that's going to pull women in lots of different directions. It is now and so we have to figure out a way...this is why technology, thank you technology, and the CEOs that understand that technology is helpful to keeping women in the workforce.

Russ Johns 27:31
Yeah, yeah. We we need diversity in the workforce, we need the women.

Cary Broussard 27:39
Absolutely.

Russ Johns 27:40
Having grown up with four sisters, I understand and appreciate how valuable...

Cary Broussard 27:47
I forgot that. I'm one of four girls, and we have one boy, one brother.

Russ Johns 27:55
Yeah. So I was the one brother, Cary.

Cary Broussard 27:57
You've all turned out so well. Look at you. I should have remembered that. I know you work some with your sister and I'm working some with my sister.

Russ Johns 28:10
Yeah, Mel's my right arm now. You know, a few years ago, we moved to Arizona to support mom and dad and like many people, they don't really understand what I do. It's like, well, you work on the computer all day, that's all I know. Yeah, that's true. I do. My sister has traveled so far and learned so much in the last few years. Now booking episodes and producing shows, and taking care of websites and some of the marketing that goes on and it's just really amazing to watch.

Cary Broussard 28:50
It's a family business, now.

Russ Johns 28:52
Family business, now. So we continue, she gets excited about it, because she knows and she could see the outcomes and the challenges that we go through and the wins that we have as far as that andit's that kind of collection of emotion and attachment and excitement that I think that women bring to the table. They can have great wins and they can have great opportunities presented to them. They take ownership, they grab a hold of it, they learn what needs to be done, and they continue to grow. I just get excited when I can involve anyone that wants to learn.

Cary Broussard 29:34
Yes, absolutely. There's so many people that do want to learn. Women in particular, diversity is the key to success of business. One last thing I would tell you that I think is so interesting when I think about Steven Colbert working with his wife. She was his production team. Bringing his show every night. All the people who are bringing in their family members because we're sheltering. Kids are holding booms, sound and light fixture. It's really that there are some positives, we have to always remember what, in this horrible time of the pandemic, there's some positives that have come out of it, working with family.

Russ Johns 30:21
I've talked to so many people that are actually...I've been working from home, I've been a remote worker for a decade. Literally, the impact on my life has not been drastic, in terms of, I'm not going out as much, I'm not networking to the degree that I was or anything like that. However, as far as my work life goes, it's not a lot of change. So I'm fortunate and very blessed in that regard.

Cary Broussard 30:52
Yes.

Russ Johns 30:53
However, I have seen an increase, or my business has increased, because I'm helping others get to the same level of independence from travel and meetings and face to face events.

Cary Broussard 31:08
That's great. You've been such a good resource for people who are maybe starting from scratch.

Russ Johns 31:14
Yeah, absolutely.

Cary Broussard 31:15
I know how that goes.

Russ Johns 31:17
Yeah. Well, Carrie, thank you so much for being here, I know that you...all the success in the world and just keep shining the light on other people. It never gets dull, knowing that there are other people out there doing great work. So, if you can facilitate that, help the women in the community shine their light on other people, it just keeps going and the gratitude and the goodness can never stop. So as long as we we do that with intent, and then a little bit of empathy. Because, let's help each other out. Let's just keep moving forward.

Cary Broussard 31:54
I love it. Thank you for being a great example of that. It's such a pleasure seeing you, being on your show.

Russ Johns 32:02
Well, thank you so much. We will see everyone again tomorrow. Same channel, same time, and follow us on YouTube, like and subscribe to the channel to get notified. We're on Facebook, on Periscope over Twitter and also LinkedIn live every single day, five days a week, not every single day. Five days a week.

Cary Broussard 32:31
But you're working seven days a week,

Russ Johns 32:32
I work seven days a week. It's not work if you love what you do. So it's one of those things. I do take breaks, though. So we got to remember that.

Cary Broussard 32:42
Thank you. Good. Take a break. I'd love to see everybody at cinderellaceo.com/discovery/. You can sign up for a discovery call with me and we could talk further.

Russ Johns 32:55
And you're on LinkedIn as well?

Cary Broussard 32:57
Absolutely. On LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, all the usual places. I just started YouTube. Recently got back on that. And then, of course, Cinderella CEO on air is on Spreaker and iTunes, all the places. Were there because of you. Thanks. Thank you so much, Russ. I appreciate it.

Russ Johns 33:24
Thank you so much everyone, #kindnessiscool, #smilesarefree. So you #enjoyyourday.

Unknown Speaker 33:32
#Kindnessiscool. Thank you and you are too, Russ. Thank you.

Russ Johns 33:35
Take care, Cary. Bye.

Exit 33:38
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