So often we disempower ourselves because we look through a lens of excuses. When our businesses aren’t doing well, we’ll say, “The economy is bad” or “Email marketing is dead” instead of looking for ways we can do better. It’s time to stop depending on others and find strength within ourselves. My guest today calls this “Self-Directed Empowerment.” We have to have personal accountability to be able to withstand failure and struggle. Taking responsibility for your circumstances is not about blame, it’s about owning your space. To dive deeper into the idea of succeeding in spite of limitations, I’ve brought on a global catalyst of human empowerment Jennifer Iannolo. Through her keynote talks, workshops and private coaching for organizations including the United Nations, Harvard University, Konica Minolta, and the US State Department, she is building resilient, unstoppable humans with her method of Self-Directed Empowerment. To learn how to stop making excuses and utilize your own power, listen to this episode now. THE WONDER WOMAN WARRIOR   “Empowerment is a sustainable energy source.” - Jennifer Iannolo Highlights - No one is coming. You need to own what you’re bringing to the table. Exponential Impact: if you educate a woman, you educate a village. The way we’ve been defining empowerment is wrong. We don’t want anyone to depend on us for empowerment. Self-directed empowerment is building resilience. Check your lens: everything we experience in life is dependent on what lens we look through. There is a difference between personal accountability and beating yourself up. Eliminate “Zero-Sum Games.” In a zero-sum game, one team wins and another loses. When collaboration happens, it’s magical. Take responsibility. Guest Contact - Jennifer's Website Jennifer's Twitter Jennifer's Manifesto Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDX LincolnSquare video and please share!  Mentions - Read Jay-Z’s Biography Empire State of Mind Learn more about Imperia, the Global Innovation Incubator Resources - Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website and are all your marketing materials speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Often it's not which is why you're not converting traffic and leads to clients and attracting your most profitable customers. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. If I have suggestions for you to improve your brand message (I almost always do), we'll set up a complimentary 30-minute call to discuss. A select number of websites are also chosen for my LINGO Review Video Series. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Music by Jawn