John Varvatos ’s Post

I am excited about October 2023! ✅ First of all, this month I will celebrate the 1st anniversary of publishing my book, Leading Inclusion. Can you believe a year has gone by? It takes a village to get a book into the world, so I will celebrate the many people who helped me complete the work. 🦋 Those helped me write the book, 🦋 Those I interviewed for the book, 🦋 Those who endorsed the book, 🦋 Those who helped me market the book, 🦋 Those who purchased the book, 🦋 Those who reviewed the book, 🦋 Those who shared the book, 🦋 Those who helped me get speaking gigs, 🦋 Those who gave the book awards, 🦋 The librarians who added the book to their collections, 🦋 And everyone who helped in ways I don't even know. ✅ ✅ Second, I will share some new resources. AND. ✅ ✅ ✅ Third, I will make a big announcement later this month 💡 🎉 🎂

WHY I’M RETIRING FROM DEI (POST 6 of 10) y’all. it’s a new year, and i’m on some BOLD SHIT… nothing new. AND. i’m prioritizing living a life FILLED with radical joy, radical love, and radical acceptance…not necessarily in that order… i don’t take it lightly that the work matters. i’m not saying DEI isn’t important. i’m just saying it’s not my work…and this is the year i live in congruence. here’s ANOTHER reason why: ✌🏽doing the work is LITERALLY simple. but WE are deadset on making it complicated. you can only sit in an inefficient barbershop for so long before you get a belabored haircut that costs too much money. and i don’t have resource to waste on shit that doesn’t add up… i know what you’re thinking…but dr. lloyd…you’ve been doing this work for decades. you’ve shifted culture dramatically everywhere you go. you speak for the people who are too afraid. you’re bold AF. AND. you have a ph.d. in doing the work…if you don’t do it, then who will?! shiiiiiiiit. y’all better figure it out. ro-sham-bo…draw straws…einey-meany-miney-mo…nose goes…or run an inequitable election process. i don’t give a fuck HOW you do it… but trust and believe, i will NOT be a target AND a shield any longer… AND. since i’ve always had to work AT LEAST 10 times harder than my counterparts…this is technically job creation, too! see that?! changing the world…one thoroughly exhausted, highly-qualified AND entirely-undervalued Black woman at a time. what’s next for me?! STAY TUNED!! but for now, just know that you + me + DEI = three…and three is a CROWD. i’m OUT. ✊🏽🖤👑 #exitstrategy #dei #equityinaction #selfcarefirst #nothankyou #imgood #byefelicia #gettingunstuck #livingmybestlife #shineandthrive #doingthingsdifferently #WE

Always remember, whether it’s a financial goal, health goal, or career goal, you… 𝐆𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬! 💪🏾 As you complete the first week of June and prepare for the second half of the year, a lot of you are crushing your goals but read this if you’ve fallen off the wagon. For one, wherever that wagon is you get back on it: 🏃🏾♀️Run alongside it 🗣️Tell it to slow down so you can get back on 🏇🏾Chase it down until you’re on it ✋🏾Tell it to stop so you can hop on You have the choice now on whether to get back on it. Whatever you do…don’t stay down! There are 5️⃣ things you can do today to get back on the wagon. 1️⃣ Find an accountability partner - Whether it’s a community of like-minded people - A financial planner like myself - A trusted friend who is not afraid to call you out 2️⃣ Break your goal into smaller parts - For instance, if you plan to accomplish your goal in a year. Measure your success every 90 days and see what you can accomplish in a smaller window of time. 3️⃣ Find your 𝑊ℎ𝑦? - Ask yourself, “𝑊ℎ𝑦 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡?” - Use the 5 Whys Technique where you ask why five times to get to the bottom of how important it is for you to achieve your goals 4️⃣ Measure your progress backwards - I learned the importance of this after reading 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐺𝑎𝑝 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐺𝑎𝑖𝑛 by Dr. Benjamin Hardy and Dan Sullivan - It becomes hard to stay on the wagon when you are only looking at the distance you have ahead of you over how much distance you’ve already covered 5️⃣ Celebrate your wins frequently - You don’t have to wait until you reached your goal to celebrate - Find something to celebrate every day, every week, every month until you reach your ultimate goal What else would you add? ________________ 👋🏾Hello! I’m Shehara (Sha-Hair-Rah)Wooten, CFP®, speaker and author. I help ambitious mid-career Black women STEM professionals who are paralyzed, stuck, and anxious about their finances develop a clear plan so that they can have peace of mind knowing that they never have to rely on anyone for their financial security and live the life they’ve imagined. DM “WAGON” to schedule a strategy session to discover if The Wealth Gap Closers™ Method is for you.

Navigating the maze of the Federales (yes, that's my playful nod to the federal government😜), I've mastered the art of thriving within its structured confines. But as the sun sets on the bureaucratic hustle, my true passion takes center stage at Hazelbrook Consulting, LLC. Here, I'm not just navigating; I'm charting new territories, guiding Black women to build legacies that resonate with passion and purpose. As we embrace 2024, I'm steering this ship with intentionality and accountability, my compass set on enriching every aspect of our lives. It's about more than just thriving; it's about reveling in our joy, making every moment count, and transforming our dreams into tangible realities. But what's a journey without a tribe that understands your path? That's where Win Some, W(h)ine Some comes into play. It's not merely a gathering; it's a sanctuary where we, as Black women professionals, 👭🏾unite. Here, we shed the formalities and the facades. We come together to share, to support, and to savor the richness of our collective experiences. It's our space to be unapologetically ourselves, embracing the joy and the journey with open hearts and minds. In the realms of the Federales and beyond, I'm all about fostering change – change that's meaningful, impactful, and lasting. Whether it's through the strategic pathways of Hazelbrook Consulting or the nurturing embrace of Win Some, W(h)ine Some, my mission is clear: to enrich, to evoke, and to elevate. So, if you're ready to redefine your narrative, to weave joy and intentionality into the fabric of your professional and personal life, let's connect. Join our newsletter crew to stay in the loop (link in comments), and don't miss our next Win Some, W(h)ine Some virtual happy hour on Friday, February 16, 2024, at 8 p.m. (link in comments). It's your time to shine, to share, and to shape a legacy as vibrant and profound as you are! #BlackWomenInBusiness #Intentionality #Accountability #Joy #LegacyBuilding #HazelbrookConsulting #WinSomeWhineSome #Sisterhood

Here’s a little sneak peek of what I wrote in this amazing book #mystory #grateful #leadership #extraordinarylatinas

I am thrilled to share that I will be taking part in The Speed Project (TSP) LALV in March 2024. 🎉🙌🏾 💥You know that I am always up for an adventure and being placed in spaces to learn. 🏃🏾♀️I am super delighted to embark in this venture with five other PHENOMENAL women who also relish doing this type of challenge and made it through the application process (celebration hands up emoji). As a result we have come together for this endurance race and created a sisterhood called LDN Sole Sisters. 📣What is TSP? A bit of background, TSP is a 340 mile race (if you’re lucky and don’t get lost) from Santa Monica Boulevard, LA to Las Vegas running across the desert for 2 days. 📣Who are LDN Sole Sisters? We are a group of 6 FABULOUS women ranging between the ages of 40 and 50 and we all enjoy making our bodies move! We want to show and celebrate that being active and adventurous doesn’t stop just because you reach a at a certain age. 📣Why are we doing it? We all have our own unique personal reasons for wanting to do this madness. Ultimately, We want to be the change we want to see! There aren’t too many folks that look, and sound like our team in these spaces. We know the systemic challenges faced by Black women in this space, which are rooted in historical disparities and societal prejudices. These challenges include limited representation, unequal access to resources and opportunities, as well as stereotypes that may hinder participation. We want to challenge and change this - collectively that is our mission. 📣 How it’s going? The training plans have begun in earnest, and I am under no illusion as to how hard this is going to be! This will demand a lot from my body, mind, and soul! Plus juggling life with epic training commitments, BUT as a crew we’ve got our sights firmly fixed on our goal = 340 miles, 6 Women, 2 Days 😅 📣 So, what happens once we’ve done it? Sure, that is great and good for us but what does that mean? Does it change anything? Well, there’s certainly a lot to be said for being “seen” as a way of inspiring others, but we plan to make it a reality for another team from an underrepresented group. We’ll assist them in their quest to take part in the next race / challenge in the following year. We want to pay it forward – make that on going. 📣We need your help ⭐️To make this happen we need support and have started a fundrsiser ➡️ : https://gofund.me/fc3a4ef7 ⭐️We welcome donations from those in a position to do so ⭐️Please share this post to increase visibility of the post. is also a great help. ⭐️If you represent a brand or corporate that is interested in sponsorship of our team, please reach out to me directly via dm or by email Big Love Team LDN SS x P.S. Please follow the teams instagram page for updates @ldnsolesisters

What do you do for work? Innocent question, right? We all ask it when we are in social situations getting to know new people. When I am asked this, depending on the crowd, I alter my answer. Why? Because I know if I immediately say, DEI, there is the potential for walls to go up. Those walls can take a ton of work to break down, so I will simply say, "I teach people how to be kind to one another." Maybe this sounds crazy, but it's incredibly true. Still don't believe me, check out this article that was recently shared with me. I am most intrigued by the part that asks the question, how many DEI programs have you participated in that have made you this adamant against DEI efforts? Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are not here to exclude any group of people. It's here to lift voices of those who have historically gone unheard and unnoticed. If you still have doubts, reach out to me and come to one of my programs. Or, I'll come to you! I'm happy to show you what this work is truly about! https://lnkd.in/ekqVm-qp

In honor of Women’s History Month, let’s have an honest conversation about “having it all.” A lot of women I know (myself included) have felt pressured to have it all, be it all, and do it all both personally and professionally. We want to be there for our families, succeed at work, and give back to our communities but when all of those things are said and done, there’s often no time left to show up for ourselves. I want to encourage my fellow female friends and colleagues out there that… It’s ok to not be everything to everyone. It’s ok to say “my calendar is full.” And it’s ok to ask for help when you need it. My advice? Find the level of support that you need to succeed, and don’t be afraid to increase it when life gets busy! Whether it’s calling for takeout during a go-live, getting extra eyes on a work deliverable, or requesting help with other life-admin projects, start seeing your “yes” to help as a “yes” to caring for yourself ❤️ Any other ideas or suggestions for balancing life and work? Would love to hear what tips and tricks have worked for you!

Imagine The Impact! Imagine the impact that you can have on a black woman founder! Imagine the impact of a network of peers, mentors, and investors that can help to provide access to resources. Imagine the impact if there were no systematic road blocks from keeping a black woman founder from reaching the next level. Imagine the impact of a level playing field. Imagine the impact of fighting for something against all opposition. Imagine the impact of community coming together in small ways. Some can only imagine! I choose to imagine and to fight!

There is power behind DEI as long as you don't "green-wash" it I just had a deep, meaningful conversation with DEI expert Trenice Wade, MA (you should all listen to her, and invite her to speak about this). Here are 4 cornerstone insights I got from Trenice: 1.  Attrition is below 10% if you promote people from a diverse background quickly 2.  A person of e.g. color will not even apply unless there are others like him/her in the organization 3.  Some companies are doing a great job partnering with organizations for minority groups. It helps. 3.  Some companies treat DEI as a non-revenue generating cost, while others favor the investment. My expertise is in communication, motivation, and engagement, so it is valuable to understand the mechanics better. It also matches my own keynote content (and experience as a 2nd generation immigrant.) It was great talking to you Trenice ^_^ PS - Have you ever been sidelined because of your ethnicity, gender, etc.? I actually have.