Ep 8 Leading with authenticity, trust and hope in business with Shante Cofield
This week I’m chatting to Shante Cofield, The Movement Maestro, about values, grounding your healthcare business in care and so much more.
In our conversation we chatted about:
trusting yourself
showing up authentically on social media and how you market your work
creating space to build a true community based in care
how to move forward, bring people along with you and lead with hope
So much gold in this one.
Let’s dive in.
Connect with Shante
@themovementmaestro on Instagram
Links, mentions & resources
Kathy Sierra - Badass: Making users awesome
Episode Transcript
Laura Jean
Hello and welcome to another episode of The dietitian values podcast. And today we have a guest on board. Dr. Shante Cofield. Shante, also known as the movement, Maestro is a PT, turned entrepreneur, and is a powerhouse of passion, of values and of energy. And I came across Shante on Instagram where everything happens these days, right. And I really resonated with her approach. And so much so that I signed up her programs. And she's actually now my own coach. And I think that Shante shows up in a way that really brings her values to the fore. And I'm so excited to bring this conversation with you, where we dig into values, we talk about her journey, and we talk about how you can create a business that helps you to live your best life. So strap in and let's take a listen. And if you want more Shante goodness, I'm going to pop her links in the show notes. So head over to dietitianvalues.com and check out the show notes. And of course, you can follow along on Instagram @themovementmaestro.com Let's dive in.
Hello, and welcome. And I'm pretty stoked today to welcome Shante Cofield, also known as the movement Maestro, who is a very amazing individual that I'm excited to introduce you to. So we'll dive dig right in because I know that we'll be able to get into some juicy stuff. And we could probably chat for hours. So we'll maximize this podcast timing. So thanks for joining me.
Shante Cofield 1:30
Thank you for having me. I am super stoked. Namely, because of your accent. I'm like, you could just talk the whole time.
Laura Jean 1:38
Which is hilarious because Australian people like our accents to us sounds so crude. You know, like, when we're out in other places.
Shante Cofield 1:46
So good, like between you and Erica, and like, you can just lead the rest of the mafia goals. It's better.
Laura Jean 1:52
Yeah, so for what Shante is referring to there. Yeah, I'm part of her mafia coaching, which is for movement and health professionals. So check it out a little plug there. But we'll talk more about where you can get more of Shante's amazing advice and support at the end. So let's just dive in your if you want to give people a little bit of a story, because I think, you know, people be interested and particularly dietitians, from how somebody is kind of, you know, built that success, particularly in the clinical world. And then of course, obviously, your pivot as well. So,yeah,
Shante Cofield 2:27
totally. So I like like Laura Jean said, I am a physical therapist by trade. I mission to that, but I'm saying now, physiotherapist by trade, entrepreneur by choice, necessity, perhaps. And I went into physical therapy, kind of because I decided that orthopedic surgery wasn't for me. I kind of fell into it. in undergrad, and my whole path forever, was I'm going to an orthopedic surgery, orthopedic surgeon and play soccer. And then I decided, I don't know if I actually want to do that. And my advisor at the time, he said, How about physical therapy, and I had torn my ACL bone on my knee, gone to physical therapy. So I had some experience with it. And I was just kind of like, I just wanted someone else to make decision because I was like, didn't know when I was like, Okay, cool. And I already had the prereqs and everything for it cuz I was so far along in my I was like my junior senior in college. So became a PT, never really loved it, to be completely honest, was kind of always waiting for it to be better. And I was like this, I don't know if this is what I signed up for, mainly because the way that the model works over here in the states is that everything goes through insurance. And because of that, because of that insurance dictates how you care for people. And we know when it comes to any anything that relates to the human, there's no like set way of doing it, there's no way to be like, Oh, your pain will be gone in six, eight weeks. And if I see this many times, this is gonna be perfect. But that's kind of how the model is here. And so I would go to work and be seen 20 plus people in a day. And just wondering like, am I helping these people? Or are they just kind of here because they've stopped doing the thing they love. And as soon as they go back, they're gonna be hurt and pain again, like, am I actually having an impact here? And I happened to take a rocktape class for I largely took it for a gentleman by the name of Dr. Perry Nicholson. I kind of started a little bit in social media and like poking around with things. And my friend Jesse was like, I'm gonna back it up a sec, I was looking into taking a kinesiology taping class because my patients it was marathon season time. And runners be doing the most and the company with the tape on them. And I was like, What is this? What are you doing? but also very much knowing that they felt it was working. And I didn't want to take a class. There's another company and I didn't want to take their class because they had a lot of rules. And I was like listen, if my patients coming in and putting this stuff on not knowing any of these rules, and it's helping them This methodology you're trying to teach me probably isn't what I need to be doing. So my guide, Jessie was like take a rock tape class. Instead, the rules are different. It's more of a neurological or neuro centric approach. And my guy Perry Nicholson happened to be teaching, so I took it for him. And that just rocked my world opened my eyes, and I saw that there was something else I could be doing, besides the difficult treatment, a different way to help people. And for the first time in my life, I asked for something. I asked Perry, how do I become an instructor? And you know, it's one of those things of right place, right time, right background, you did the right things moving into that. And then you ask the right question. And I got fast tracked, became an instructor for them. And that was really what catapulted me in a new direction. I learned that I love teaching, I got to travel the world to teach for rocktape, I was in Australia, I was in New Zealand, I went to Dubai.
At this during this whole time, I'm working on social media and also growing my brand because rocktape has a phenomenal intrapreneur model. And showing up in the digital space as the movement Maestro, providing education for other movement professionals. And learning about marketing along the way. And learning the language you speak will attract a certain demographic, and I attracted other professionals, other professionals, and really loved teaching them. So my brand is growing, I launched my own course. And every time Laura, every time that I would go and be invited to teach right so this towards the end of my rocktape career, I've been teaching for free for a few years from by then every time that someone was specifically asked for me to come and teach, they'd always want to go out to dinner. And then they'd be like, so I want to leave my job. And I was like, okay, we can talk. I'm not like a life, you know, career counselor or anything like that, but started getting questions about this. And realizing that people were seeing me in this light of like, I could help them with these decisions, I could help them more on the business side of things, I could help them move into different areas of, of life. And so I started doing some of that kind of on the back end, all of my client facing stuff was still forward facing stuff was still movement. But very much youknow , as the time is progressing, this is probably around like 2017 maybe. And so as things are progressing, I'm like, I actually really liked this other side of things, but still very much enjoying the movement side. And then last year 2020 was when I made the official, hard pivot into only doing business related content forward facing, I was at a point where I was just like, I am not passionate about movement anymore. And hip flexors, they're great, I can talk to you about them. I also have like 3000 posts, you can go scroll through that, it's the same hasn't changed. And, you know, COVID really allowed me to do that. And my goal, one of my goals for 2020 was to stop traveling so much for work was to make the pivot into the into full time like just digital business and coaching people for that. And it really allowed me to do it, I decided I was like I'm done. I'm not doing any more posts about this hamstrings. And if you know folks that want to follow me, I was in a place where I was like, I'm okay with that. There's still resources behind me, I have pleat people I can refer them out to. But I'm ready to be working on the business side of things. And, you know, I doubled down I tried a little bit earlier than that. And I wasn't I wasn't ready. But last year, I was 100% ready and doubled down and I haven't looked back. So that's like the, you know, 20 minutes summary of, of how I got to where I'm at today.
Laura Jean 8:36
Yeah, I love that though. I love lots of things that you talked about, I think so many dietitians, and anyone else listening will really see that probably see themselves in that whole like kind of falling into it or you know, having a bit of a connection. But then really yeah, waiting waiting for it to to work or to click because the system that we work in, and then here it's not much better, but it's bullshit. You know, it's really dehumanizing, it's like about outputs, and you know, and numbers and stuff. So I think so many dietitians, I know. And I think it's across the broad health professional wise, we get into this, because we want to help people, we want to make a difference. And it doesn't allow us to do that. So I love but what what really stands out there to me is, is that you you saw that opportunity. And I love that you asked because I know that you would do that. And yeah, and it just it created that space because and what you were talking about there when you're looking at both the courses and you could really see your values coming through there as far as Yeah, these people are saying this is the way you've got to do it's just another system, you know, that other kind of taping mechanism, okay, it's something different, but it's just another system, another set of rules that we're kind of trying to push onto people versus working with them and finding tools that can help them so
Shante Cofield 9:48
that was the number one thing that attracted me to rock tape and I love that you brought that up of that values, you know, retrospectively I can understand that and see that in the moment. them a young, whatever 27 year oldm ay have I don't even know how old that was probably around themn But I think I graduated I was 25. I didn't really realize that, but knew that I was like, I want to be part of this, whatever this company is doing, I see it. And I see that they are not just treating people as pathologies, they're not just seeing a pathology. They're like, how can I make? How can I listen this person's experience, and incorporate that into what I'm trying to do and actually help them out. So it was a no brainer, I love that you pulled that out of their
Laura Jean 10:27
Well, and I think that what you sort of articulated there is that it was even it wasnt a knowing, there was that gut instinct. And there was that resonating, like with somebody and, you know, I'm always talking about values and stuff, because I think that really, even if we aren't, like fully articulating it, and our values are shifting and changing, when we just put out who we are, and, and what we stand for, and you know, what we want to show up for, we will, you know, attract people, people want to come and work with us. And like what you were saying, you when you were learning about marketing and learning about how what you say, attracts different people, you know, when you say things in different ways. So, absolutely, yeah. And then COVID handed you a nice push down down into the entrepreneurial, the coaching kind of side of things. And I think the other thing that stood out for me when you're saying that is you kind of gave it a go at one point that you weren't really all in like you kind of weren't ready. Butyeah,
Shante Cofield 11:17
you did a post about this the other day like, it takes so much longer when you're not showing up in your integrity and things are not aligned. And I wasn't fully I don't think I was really, you know, convicted and convinced in my ability to help people in that capacity. I know that I could kind of, but I wasn't at a point where I was like, I definitely can. And so I put like my foot in a little bit, trying to make it more forward facing. And I was like, Hey, I'm not going to do this, right? Because if you if you're not fully there, and you meet any kind of resistance, you're going to stop. And that's exactly what happened. So I was like, I can fall back on what's behind me what's safe, what I'm still, you know, somewhat interested in. I'll teach more I can make more courses. And so then, you know, a year later, and probably you're probably a year later, I was like, Nope, I am ready now.
Laura Jean 12:01
Yeah. But I think that that's a, you know, it's an important thing for people to hear as part of people's journey wasn't just like, Yeah, I just did it. And Whoo. And it all worked like, yeah, and sometimes it takes time to figure out what's going to work. I know, I can really relate to that. Because I've always known that I wanted to put something out in the world for other dieticians to make a change in our profession. But I didn't know really what it was and sometimes I thought about or maybe it's about teaching non diet stuff, or maybe it's about doing the self compassion, you know, I sort of had all these ideas. And, and it wasn't for me until Yeah, last year, and COVID kind of was a bit of a catalyst just in the way I was seeing people working and what was happening and what was happening in the broader picture. Is this that this is, this is the differences is what people are looking for is it's bigger than just, you know, the social media authenticity, kind of Yes, yes. Yes. Yes. It's, it's Who are we? And basically, what's our vision for the world and like putting that out there. And then basically saying to people, to me, it's like, well, this is what I se, this is the space I have if you want to join in this space, like Come, come, this is this is where we can hang out. And I think you do that amazingly like the community that you create. I know I commented on one of your posts the other day like that, because I joined shante's, Instagram intensive, which another plug I highly recommend. But I signed up for this course because I thought I really should' up my Instagram game', you know, and I had been again, looking for a while but never really finding the right course that yep, spoke to me. But I really do feel like when I left your course, I left with almost like that feeling of like one to one coaching from you, but also like, and it sounds like a little bit trite, but like a friend, I felt like absolutely real connection.
Shante Cofield 13:38
Absolutely. That's, that's why we're here today. And, you know, I'm not gonna lie, it doesn't happen with every single person in the group. But, you know, in keeping on brand here, I think it's a has a lot to do with the values, I think that there's very many shared values, maybe that's part of the drills, you know, you're in the intensive that we do, where you see a lot of overlap with things, but the people that are truly living these things out, and it's like, these are like more of their top values and things like that. I tend to we tend to become more friends and stay in connection in some way, shape or form moving forward. And that's absolutely you know the case with you. Absolutely.
Laura Jean 14:13
Well, thanks. Yeah, cool. So let's talk values a little bit like for you, what's your, like? What would you say your kind of top like, I don't know if you've ever articulated them as such, but what are the values that you kind of keep front and center or try and move towards with your, with your business and with your actions?
Shante Cofield 14:30
So, you know, I'm looking for a better word as well. I love social media, Laura, but it ruins the words for me ruins them, because I'm like that. Now, I can't say that word anymore, because it doesn't mean what I wanted it to mean. But authenticity is is huge for me. So what I think if I'm going to take it a step back a step before that, it would be self trust. And that allows people to show up in a really super authentic way. I think that's something that really gets stripped from people as You know, whether it's the school system, whether it's society, all these things growing up, and it kind of gets taken away. So being able to show up in that capacity with that, that self trust, and then externally, that manifesting, showing up authentically, is, has to be the number one, the number one to everyone, it's share them one on one, a, whatever, those are the most important things for me. And it's interesting, because I get asked about it a lot. And it's something that, you know, you just always done something. So you're just like, you just do it. And that's not helpful for anybody. That's something and whether it's, you know, I attribute large part of it to my mom, I attribute a large part of it to me inherently being let's, let's say not the status, not, you know, I'm a minority in very many ways, whether it's being female, being black, being gay, whatever, and not being on that traditional path. And so not having those external influences, trying to be like, you have to do this. And you have to do this. No one really ever said that. And if they did, I was like, but no, I don't, because I'm not going for the same things that you are going for, and valuing. So I don't need to fit myself into this box. And so it never really was something that I was like, Oh, this is difficult for people to show up in this way. But definitely on top of my values, and definitely something that I in any, any area, any arena that I'm in, I'm looking to foster that and facilitate that and create an environment where people feel that they can show up in the same way.
Laura Jean 16:34
Yes, and that comes across, you know, in everything you do, and it is who you are. But I think Yeah, what you, I think we probably have to hat-tip your mom, because I think that people who who hold different marginalization can still be really influenced by that ox, all that external stuff. For you, you were able to find that confidence to sort of say, Well, I'm not going to fit in that box, because that's not what my goals are. But for a lot of people, it's more like, well, that's what my goal should be. So how do I kind of work towards that? Yeah, or feeling wrong or shame, because that isn't their goal.
Shante Cofield 17:06
Totally.I think I kind of had a little bit of perfect storm, as well, because some of the things that I actually really liked doing society, and that I'm really good at inherently, society also valued. So, Like I'm very athletic. And that where I grew up, everybody loves everyone in general in the United States of that we put athletes like just on the highest of all pedestals, right, I don't know why but be to be in school, I did really well in school, what was that
Laura Jean 17:32
I was just saying, it's big here too, like, the athletic, just,
Shante Cofield 17:35
just like, this is the pinnacle of everything. And I'm like, Alright, that's good for me, but also, why am I doing that. But being good at sports, being really good athletically. Having an inherent, you know, I would say higher like emotional intelligence, and like being able to read rooms, well, I guess, those are skills that you learn, I also think, let's be honest, I don't people are born with more of this and then than other people. And so I think having those things, in conjunction with everything else made it really largely the perfect storm, because I didn't have some of those other goals. But also, I was like, but you still respect me, because I'm good at these things that you value. So it was definitely a you know definitely made things easier. I've gone on on podcast and done talks a lot largely for like the LGBTQ plus community. And I try to make it a point to say that, like, I get that it's not easy for people to show up as their full selves and true selves, when what they really value and what they really enjoy isn't mainstream isn't supported inherently by everybody else. The things I liked. I was like, I like playing sports. I like doing this a lot. And everyone else is like, you're good, too. We like you. So there's definitely a bit of a perfect storm for that as well.
Laura Jean 18:52
And yeah, I think that there is that's probably one of the biggest to me, positives of social media is that whole connection with people who are outliers, you know, because a lot of people I know, for myself, and I don't hold many marginalisations, I hold, i have a lot of privilege. But I would always have considered myself a bit of a dietitian with a difference, you know, never really, like I was like the standard dietitian bit then through social media, you know, you can connect to all the other people who are not that kind of dietician, and all the other spots around the world who we would never have known that you existed over there. And, and so I think that's that that strengthen, which is Yeah, building that community. And I think that's something that you as I said before, you've done really well. I mean, part of it is obviously just who you are and how you show up as yourself what other kinds of things or would you give people sort of tips I know you gave that excellent podcast interview recently and some tips there, around the 10 Top Tips for around kind of that which I think feeds into that self trust stuff like building confidence. And that community, that building community, what because I think something as entrepreneurs and people trying to to step into different spaces that we know, is what we want to do and not lip-speak community, not an audience, but an actual real community.
Shante Cofield 20:06
Yes, totally. So the first thing I would say, I want to phrase this the first thing that I would say is caring, genuinely caring. And it all starts with yourself, do you care about yourself and the things that you like, and all of that. But the next step, and this is very much from James Olivia. I know you know them. And I had the the honor and the privilege of attending their, They had like a workshop during Rona time, called the like relational fuckery or something. And I was like, This is amazing. And during that they said, so many things that stood out, but one of them that really has stuck with me was that, like the antidote, the opposite of urgency, which I hate so much, is carring, because you can't expedite it, you can't shortcut it, you can't hack it, create a hack for it, a bio hack or anything like that, for it, it takes time. And I love that. You want to create a community, you want connection with people, you have to take the time to get to know them. It's as simple as that there's no literally no shortcut, it's that you are asking their name and actually listening to how they pronounce it and what they say. And then maybe taking the time to like say, right, like we had the call the other night for dinner, and one of the women in the Facebook in the in the mafia. I've been saying her name wrong this whole time. I had no idea. And she was like, She's like, I've allowed it for all this time, because it's easier for everybody else. I've been calling her surabhee and she's like, it's Surabhi. And I was like, I'm gonna need to practice this. But thank you. And I will take the time to say this, right Because it's important to me. And I will make sure I'm calling you the right name. So I think more than anything, it's taking the time to genuinely care about the other people that you're trying to have, or that you want in this community. If you don't want them, right, you have not even trying to create a community if you show up and you're caring and genuine taking the time, you will feel that community will go for
Laura Jean 22:19
Yes, gold. And when you were talking about that was was thinking I think that probably the thing that underlies that is really more an unlearning. Because I think naturally we all want to care, you know, we have that we Yeah, and particularly people in health professionals, but for most of us, we're drawn to it because we want to care we want to have care, but the system kind of trains it out of us. So it's almost like an unlearning coming back to that the roots of like who we want to. Yeah, what we want to what we want to show up
Shante Cofield 22:45
you nailed it, I think that's also why, I believe that people like us that are in any of these like healthcare vocations, it actually will come so natural, once we learn some of that and to take a step back. And once we are in a situation where we have time, that is one of the reasons I wanted to leave. My job was I was like, I have 30 minutes with people 20 sometimes, and I'm trying to do pelvic floor physical therapy, and like, there's a lot of just stuff going on. I can't take the time to care in the capacity that I want. because like you said earlier, it becomes about output and productivity and things like that. But I think for for us for for healthcare workers, and they can in any kind movement professionals of any kind. It's so natural, it's so ingrained. It's why we so to when I got into whatever we're doing. And so if we can get ourselves into a situation that allows for more of that. It just is it's so natural, so natural.
Laura Jean 23:46
Yeah, absolutely. And I think lots of people listening would really relate to that, because the system just teaches us how to turn it off. And how to put it aside to get the job done, you know, quote, unquote. But yeah, if we can come back to that kind of which comes back to what you were saying before, you know, building our trust with ourselves that actually we know how to do this, like we've got this. And I think that's something I see and I don't know, if you see this with with working with other health professionals is that we've lost that connection to our trust in ourselves. I mean, for the dietitians leaving listening, you would see that with your clients that you work with around food and their relationship with food. We've been taught how not to trust this, is that unlearning again and coming kind of coming back to ourselves again, as that's kind of 100% right way, but
Shante Cofield 24:26
100% I was having this conversation the other day and the DM me with Madison, she did a post about her kids and she has like, you know, 50 billion kids and she did about them growing up in school and you know how she's like, I have nothing but respect for teachers and they should be paid like CEOs and that she wasn't like shitting on them. I'm just like, but just the way the model is and the system isn't like how it like removes creativity and stifles things and you know you're bad if you colour outside the lines and then all these things and So we're having a discussion around that. And I was just like you're so right. The the flip side is that we always have hope. And that's what I find myself doing what I'm you know, working with adults is that Yeah, there is a learning unlearning that has to be done. Yes, the nervous system remembers, but the nervous system can also learn and we can also move forward. And consciousness is such a beautiful thing. And then you know, working from there working with the right people in social media amazing for bringing people into my into your life that like know these other things and have been exposed to these other things. So totally such an unlearning so much that goes into it. But always having always having hope.
Laura Jean 25:41
Yeah, I like that. I think. And I think we do. That's why we're here doing it and trying other ways to be different because in at the end, like, yeah, we've got that hope. And that's and we all sort of have this vision for the world we want to see and how we want to bring that into fruition. So to kind of bring us a bit full circle, then like what would be then your, I suppose top three tips, if you were giving like, I don't like to put everything into a trite like formula. But I think you know, something actionable people or things people can think about when they're stepping away, like, and they can be questions because I like leaving people with questions to do a little bit self reflective. But they can also be actionable tips, because I know you are great with the actionable tips, which is probably complimentary to my lots and lots of questions. But yeah, like, so we're creating these spaces, and we're connecting with people, and we're wanting to do things differently. So through your experience, what has really supported you to do that and supported the humans that you work with in that space. Thank you. put you on the spot. Yeah, I like it. I put it like that Jeopardy is at Jeopardy music, doo doo doo. Right. As you're thinking, but I mean, you can answer that question. How you like,
Shante Cofield 26:57
so I worked on a few things, I always got the whiteboard nearby, and I wrote down a few things. So number one, it maybe is more than three, I'm sorry, because I'm just gonna write a bunch right now fast. But number one, and these are in no particular order. This came on my brain like less likely because I just gave a talk about this yesterday. And number one, when we're thinking about marketing, when we're thinking about communities when we're thinking about helping people, we have to remember, it's not about us. And the other day, Kathy Sierra, I think, is my favorite resource talking about that, even though she's all about horses, now she's still doing the same thing. But her her book, what is it creating badass, building badass, making badass users, something like that. It's all about that, and how when you're working with other people, when you're trying to create something, it's not about you. It's about what the other person wants, what the other person needs. And I think there's something really special if you can be the type of person that can help other people figure out what they need, I think that we're very good at learning. What we're taught is like how to get people somewhere, once they decided, or someone has decided for them where they want to go. There's a lot of magic in being able to help someone figure out where they actually want to go. There's tons of resources and how to get there. But if when you will give people the space and hold the space for them to be like Actually, no, this is what I want. That's huge. And then you can help them get there. Or maybe you know, somebody else who can help them there. So number one, it's not about you. Number two, would be to actually listen. So from a very tactical perspective, i know I've talked about before, and I'll say it again, is when you're having these interactions with people truly listen, right, we're listening to understand, not necessarily listening to relate. I think people try to, it when you listen to relate, you're like, well, and how does, how do I fit in here? And it's not about you. But just truly listening to try and hear. Even if it's someone just saying their name, I will say just even if someone's saying their name, I listening to understand listening to hear and not just listening with your ears. Yes, super important. But you said it earlier. Laura, are you listening, trusting your gut that type of listening too? So I think this is super huge. Even listening to yourself. And what I want to give for the third one here,
Laura Jean 29:24
you can do more than three.
Shante Cofield 29:27
So I got two more then have the courage and this goes back to self taught self trust. Have the courage to express your ideas. It comes with practice. Absolutely. I had a call earlier today a coaching call earlier today. And she was asking about being a thought leader and like how does one become a thought leader and I was like, well, by sharing their thoughts. That's actually literally all that really what you're doing is, you have these thoughts, and you have the courage to express them, and we're not expressing them as absolutes. And I'm not gonna listen to anybody else. It's just that you have the courage to say these things. And you trust yourself enough to hold this thought and then express these thoughts. And then you have conversations and such afterwards, but you have to like, let it out first. And then lastly, and this kind of maybe ties into like more of the like tangible, tactical, like marketing side of things. And I had a little bit of a discussion, a little bit of a discussion about it on the long ass Instagram Live, Idid it the other night. But I think that when we're trying to build something, you can you nailed it earlier, we're looking, I personally am looking to invite people along, I don't want them to follow me, I'm looking to create something, and I'll give them guidance to start off with, but my ultimate goal is always to empower them such that we're on this journey together. As such, and we were talking about earlier, you know, we attract what we are more so than what we want. One of the things I've seen in the marketing space is that, especially with women, they will really capitalize on the past and emphasize their failures to make themselves more relatable and less scary. I don't know, less intimidating for other women. My advice is, lead with hope, instead of cutting yourself down, excuse me, instead of cutting yourself down. If you people if you feel that people are not ready. Look to bring them up, lead with what you believe things could be lead with how you hope things could be instead of being like, Oh, this failure behind me the stuff that's behind me itself is behind me, I will always acknowledge if something was difficult. That was really important than my story. They're like, yeah, this thing didn't work out. But I'm not gonna make that the whole story. Because I want people moving forward with me, I want us to be thinking about the potential the hope for things, right, so as it relates to that marketing side of things. Because that comes up like what should I put in the copy? You know, scarcity, urgency? Should I twist the knife on pain points? How about you just invite people along with you, and you show them what's possible, then you give them hope. That's what I'd like to see. So four things number one, remembering it's not about you. Number two, actually listening. Number three, having the courage to express your ideas and say them. And number four, leading with hope.
Laura Jean 32:43
I love it. So much gold, I'll be listening back to that one. Myself and taking notes. But I'm, I mean, there's so much magic in it. But uh, number one, one of the things that really stood out to me that you said was Yeah, creating that space for people to figure out where they want to go. And absolutely, when we work as health professionals, we have these people often sitting in front of us, somebody's told them where they're supposed to be going, what they're supposed to be focusing on, probably no one's ever actually created that space for them to, to think about, well, who am I? What do I want to go? Where do I want to go? You know, what do I want to do? So I think, yeah, there was so many good things in there. But yes, I think that
Shante Cofield 33:18
I'm glad it landed,
Laura Jean 33:19
it did! Oh, absolutely. I mean, you know, I'm a, I'm a bit of a Shante fan club over here. For most of the things that you do say lands, but I just think because, you know, to see Yeah, vibing and to see somebody really bringing their values into every part of the work and just showing up as yourself, this is me, this is my space. And if this is a space that looks like a good space for you, come hang out, I would love to have you there. And that's the vibe that I get from your work, and what you put in the world. And that's what I feel like, we all have the kind of power opportunity to do to, like you said, instead of focusing on what is the past, like absolutely acceptance for where we're at, and we're in. But what do we want to create? These are the spaces these are the opportunities, who's you know, and sort of saying, like, to your audience, to the people that you want to communicate your community, the humans you want to work with, like, this is me, this is what I do. This is the space I want to create, like you think this sounds good. Like, let's hang out let's chat. So yeah, exactly. I mean, listen, like and
Shante Cofield 34:18
100% I think there's a big difference between that I see people trying to like inch their way towards it. But then they like, hit you with the NF like basically kind of like and don't let the door hit you on the ass. So if you don't want to be here, and I'm like, that's a little we were really good. I was like, dude, I was like right there with you until you said that and implied that the other ways are wrong and you like, just, it's an invitation to join. And if you want to do that way cool, then do it. And don't want to doit this way. That's also cool. I don't, I'm worried, I'm focusing on this. I'm focusing on moving forward in in this space, I got things to do.
Laura Jean 34:53
Which brings back to that number one is it's not about you like not making everything about ourselves. It's really about that and so when people say no when they've got their own no which we should be encouraging because we should be sitting in our own nos pretty confidently that knowing that it's not about us that it's just not for them. And that's cool. And we
Shante Cofield 35:10
internalize that so much in the fields, and I get it I want and like I love how you say stuff I love the things you post and how you show up because you acknowledge is very real things. But just because it's real doesn't mean we shouldn't be trying to handle that move forward and try to have that happen less.
Laura Jean 35:27
No, but that's it. First, we have to acknowledge and accept it. And particularly as people who hold privilige, who the people that I'm often talking to, like, we hold a lot of privilege, and we've got to accept and acknowledge where we're starting from, but yeah, let's move forward. How can we make things different? Like, let's not sit there in that, and let's not, you know, let's not bitch and moan about it. Let's go, Well, hey, this is what I see, this is what I want. This is what I hope. Let's work on it, like and creating that Ah Shante you always bring the gold, um, anything else that you would like that we didn't kind of cover that you kind of had in your head that you would like to put forward?
Shante Cofield 36:03
No, I mean, I came in just stoked about, i'm just gonna we back it up? I hate when people say no, and they got a whole bunch of stuff. So I should say, there isn't anything in particular, I came on, just excited to talk to you. And because you always bring great questions and great comments and great suggestions and additions. And I'm good.
Laura Jean 36:22
Oh, well, I think that people everyone listening will get a lot out of our session. And so if they want to learn more about you, I know they will. Where can they find you?
Shante Cofield 36:32
The easiest place is Instagram. So I'm the movement Maestro Maestro spelled m a e s t r o, that's the easiest way I have email and things like that. But like, it takes me a really long time to get back and then I feel really bad. So if you're wanting to connect, if you're looking for a speedy response, Instagram is your best bet. If you're like, I hate Instagram, I hate social media, then website is the same thing themovement maestro.com there's like a contact form there or you can email me shante at the movement maestro.com.
Laura Jean 37:09
PErfect, thank you. Thanks for all of your wisdom. And we'll drop a few of those links and the people you mentioned in the show notes so people can follow up. And thank you continue the conversation online.
Shante Cofield 37:23
I will see you in the DMS This was phenomenal. Thank you once
Laura Jean 37:28
and do reach out to Janae she does reply to a DM she's very good at that. She lives and breathes for it. Don't email it don't call her.
Shante Cofield 37:36
do I didn't put that out. Don't call me.
Laura Jean 37:39
The thought that the audacity that somebody would have like call you!Excellent. Okay, well, we'll wrap up and I look forward to chatting again and continuing the conversation. Okay,
Shante Cofield 37:53
sounds phenomenal friend, thank you again,
Laura Jean 37:55
OKay, see you all
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
