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Ever wish you had a mentor to help you become who you were meant to be? Crystal Ware is redefining what it means to become your best self, in business, life, and love and sharing everything she she knows to get YOU there faster.
Are you stuck? Feel like you are meant for more but not sure how to breakthrough? Every week, we will explore all of your questions on building a path to true happiness, achieving success and creating our dream life. Brick by brick, we will work through the issues and mindsets that keep us stuck, dive into finding our passion and how to take ACTION. Clarity (vision) + Confidence (Owning your worth) + Courage (to live life on your own terms and become your own CEO) propels you to your destiny. And the good news it: its all within you!
Each week, host, Crystal Ware, will bring you all of the practical wisdom to grow every aspect of your career and life including mindset, vision, goal planning, social media management, financial acumen and so much more. You'll also meet top business leaders, entrepreneurs, mompreneurers and innovative thinkers who invested in themselves and found their way success and happiness by leading on their own terms.
You were made for more, so start living like it today. Join us as we take action, grow together, and get inspired to reach for your dreams.
[00:00:00] Welcome to the Get Clear with Crystal Ware podcast, the place where we get clear on our goals, own our worth, and learn to be the CEOs of our own lives. I'm your host, Crystal Ware, lawyer and former Fortune 500 corporate leader. Who found the confidence to say goodbye to a lucrative career and start my own business.
Now I'm opening up the playbook and sharing everything I've learned to get you there faster. It may not be easy, but it will always be worth it because you are made for more. So put on your big girl pants, jump on board and let's reach for the stars. Are you ready to get clear?
Crystal Ware: Welcome back to another episode of get clear with crystal. Where today we have an amazing guest that I have not been lucky enough to meet in person yet, but we have connected and chatted several times over the past couple of years. One of my LinkedIn besties, Miranda Von Fricken. Miranda is an amazing brand builder.
Owner of the sparkliest [00:01:00] LinkedIn around an entrepreneur by default, which we'll get to and now a proud author. So we'll hear all about her book, but I am so excited for this conversation today. So you guys get your pen and paper and listen in. Cause this is going to be fantastic. Welcome to the show, Miranda.
Miranda Von Fricken: Thank you, Crystal. I'm so excited to be here. Yes, get your pen and paper, people. If you're driving, pull over because it's going to be a fun one.
Crystal Ware: Yeah. So Miranda, what we kind of talked about offline and what I really wanted to start with was give us a background of your career.
You know, I think a lot of people can resonate and connect with some of the experiences you've had.
Miranda Von Fricken: Yes, so I did not start out with the dream of becoming an entrepreneur. I often say it was divinely guided, if you will, through layoffs. Four of them in a row. So I lovingly say when the universe knocks and you don't [00:02:00] answer, it will knock you out. I, started my career in recruiting, and then quickly.
One of my clients, which was a college, recruited me to become the career director. So I spent a good six or seven years in higher education directing the careers of adult students and connecting them to opportunities in the workforce. So I lived on LinkedIn. Very early on and was meeting a bunch of wonderful people helping the students to ultimately change careers.
It was a career college, if you will. So it really ultimately helped them to get into technology and to start their career in that field. But then, I was oddly enough laid off position elimination. I had a big team and they ended up wanting to go a little bit smaller after someone else had, became the president of the college.
And so they eliminated my role and I was heartbroken, but I was an unemployed career director. So that was so weird for me, [00:03:00] but I was like, if, listen, if I could use LinkedIn to help all my students find jobs, I can totally do it for myself. And so I just. Really started putting out posts and connecting with people, other recruiters, other hiring managers that have hired my students.
I'm now looking for myself and use LinkedIn to find my next opportunity. And then a few years later, laid off again. And then it just, it happened four times in my last four jobs. And in between each of the jobs, I started to learn a little bit more about my calling in this world and how I was meant to do more than help others find jobs, although it's a huge piece of what I do still today.
I, I started speaking, training other, students in colleges and, adjunct instructors on how using the LinkedIn platform can really help to elevate their students career. It ultimately started helping the other, people I worked with elevate their career too. and then I started doing some life coaching.
I got my master's certified in life coaching [00:04:00] as well. And it was just, it started taking off this little side hustle that I had, but in between each layoff, I would go a little harder at my side hustle, if you will, until the pandemic hit. And my last layoff was January of 2020. And I figured at that point, I needed to go all in and take my side hustle on the road and make it a full time thing.
And I've been doing that for about five years now.
Crystal Ware: Well, I think it's just really incredibly inspiring because it shows a lot of resilience. I mean that can wear and tear on a person. I mean, you know, so many times, especially as women, we get wrapped up into what is our identity. We have this work identity, we have this big team, we have this title. you know, what is your advice for somebody else that may be facing a similar situation that has been recently laid off.
Miranda Von Fricken: first of all, the resiliency part is, is a given. And it's actually a lot of what I do. In my life coaching side of my business is help women to really see the light within the darkness. And [00:05:00] that can be really challenging when it's tied to your income. Cause you're like, okay, that sounds nice.
That sounds really pretty. I want to see the light. That sounds awesome. However, I want to pay my mortgage and have food on my table and I can, I can totally get that. When I work with people who have been laid off or I post content about being laid off and how there's light at the end of the layoff, I often reference it as a gift because typically, not, not always, typically there's some type of severance or support that the organization gives you.
And if there is, then you can use that to put food on the table. While you're figuring out what your next step is, if there's not, well, it's time to jump into something to earn some income, you know, very quickly, but linkedin, no matter what your situation is. Is there to connect talent with opportunity.
And if you've been laid off, it means you had a job, which means you've got some skill, right? So it's very easy to start connecting to people on the platform and not only connect with people, but [00:06:00] put it out there in a post. I've been laid off. This is my experience, this is what I'm looking for.
I'm open to conversations. It's literally the first thing I tell people, even on a coffee chat, if we're just having a conversation, they're not retaining me to help them in any way. I say, have you put a post out on LinkedIn about your layoff? And some people get a little nervous about that. They're like, Ooh, that's a little embarrassing.
I'm a director. I'm a VP. Why would I put that I'm laid off? And I'm like, all right, if you don't want to share it, because that is your quickest way to get connections is because people want to help. Like I found very early on that people want to help job seekers on the platform. It is first and foremost, the job platform, you know, so obviously that that's what that site is there for.
but if, if you're not open to sharing it publicly, then at least share it with your inner circle, if you will, like who you would text message, even if it's just, on a holiday, right? Like share with your network that there's been a change in your employment status and you're looking for opportunities.
And would welcome conversations with anyone who's hiring or has some [00:07:00] bit of connections. Never ask for advice. Always ask for connections. I've learned when you ask for advice, you're going to get all kinds of advice.
Crystal Ware: No, I think that's great. And I think that is, there's a lot of truth in that, that people, you know, feel some guilt, feel some shame, whatever the case may be about being laid off. And so maybe hesitant or, you know, Worried about putting it out there, but I agree. I've seen so many, so many posts that have gone like virtually viral from people being laid off where people around the country in many sectors and many industries are all pulling together to help this individual that they usually do not know, find a job.
So while I get it, and there may be some bruised ego in there, like we've got to put that aside, put on the big girl pants. And move forward so we can get a job.
Miranda Von Fricken: Because think about it. If. If it's embarrassing and an organization says Oh, that's embarrassing. I'm not going to reach out to her because she put that out in public. They're not the company for you. Because I [00:08:00] see that as look at her looking for resources right away. She's not wasting time. She's not chilling by the pool during her layoff and just collecting a severance and like getting her nails done, which it happens.
It's okay. However, You're not wasting time. You're getting right back into it. You're making finding your next opportunity, your priority and asking for help is a huge part of business and growing in careers. And if you're working for someone else, they don't expect you to have all the answers. They want you to be resourceful and LinkedIn is a source.
So get resourceful, get on LinkedIn, tell people what's happening, ask for connections in order for you to start networking and find your next opportunity.
Crystal Ware: Yeah, that's awesome. So in that time you mentioned you started building up your side business, you were coaching and working with people on LinkedIn and doing some other, things of that nature. Like how long was really the process and kind of getting to your passion, getting to your. Purpose and really kind of having the aha moment because I think [00:09:00] a lot of people feel like What really is meant for me?
What am I really supposed to be doing and expect for there to be kind of like this big reveal? After a few weeks a few months and what i've seen and what I think you'll probably you know Have in mind too is that it take it can take a little longer. So what was the process? For you to get into that position and then to build up a business that really was able to you know, where you were able to say, I don't want to go back to corporate.
Miranda Von Fricken: Yeah. honestly, it's, it's ongoing. I have a moment and I'll share it, but ultimately it's ongoing. I may know what I'm doing today. I have a very successful business and it keeps expanding, which is phenomenal. but I'm still open to growing and transforming and shifting and pivoting and all the things because I'm in this for the long haul.
Right. So I'm not in entrepreneurship because it's like sexy right now. Like I'm not going back to corporate. So here's hoping this thing works out. Right. So for me, there was a moment and it was during a [00:10:00] conversation with one of my students and I'm, I'm looking across from him. He just got a job before he walks across stage.
So he is. Excited. And he's wow, like I came here, the resume is done. I got the classes. You are instrumental in connecting me to companies. I'm interview. I help them with the interviews and he's feeling fantastic. And he says, can you do this for my wife? And I was like, she's a student. He's she's not a student, but she needs a resume.
She needs whatever you just magic you did on me because These guys are transitioning careers right from one industry or no industry, like maybe they were, maybe they were coming from high school going right into a career college. And so this gentleman said, my wife isn't happy at her job.
She's. you know, struggling emotionally. And I'm like, okay, I'm not a therapist. However, I did a lot of life coaching with this guy. Let's be honest, like I'm not a therapist and I don't play one on TV either, but I play one on LinkedIn. [00:11:00] So my thought was, I did do a lot of life coaching for this guy. I did actually help him figure out what he loved, what he didn't love.
We did some assessments of course, cause it was in a college setting, but I helped him really unravel the chaos in his mind because he's like, Oh, I love everything. And some people are like, I love nothing. So pulling out the right questions, asking him, you know, things like, what would you do if you win the lottery tomorrow?
What would you do if it was guaranteed to change the world? Like just some really deep questions. And some of them, I actually even put in my, in my new book, which I'm sure we'll get to, but some of these questions get us really thinking about If this was my last job or if I really didn't need the income, why am I here on this earth?
Right? So I'm asking this guy deep questions and he's probably looking at me like lady I just want to like I just want to fix computers. Like what are you what are you talking about? Why am I here on this earth? But he knew that it was a necessity to [00:12:00] figure out What you're going to do in the professional world, you kind of got to figure out what you want to be in life, right?
And who you want to be. So when he asked if I could do that for his wife, I was like, yes, I can. I was like, I do it on the side. It just came right out of my mouth. I'm like, yeah, absolutely. I had already been doing like resumes on the side for people outside of the college because it had been like a little skill, you know, a little niche I carved out for myself back in the day.
And, The coaching side of things was just something that I thought was a part of my job or part of who I was. it wasn't until he asked me to coach his wife that I was like, Ooh, I could do that. that sounds like juicy. yes, bring her in. We'll use my office. And he did. the following week, he brought his wife in.
She felt really awkward. She's like, why am I here? And he explained to me that she wasn't happy at work. And so the three of us had a conversation about the details and the strategy that went into helping him find this career that he was super passionate about, and actually get a job [00:13:00] in his salary range before walking across the stage as a graduate.
And she knew about the job and she doesn't know all the details and she's wow, that sounds amazing. I could use one of those. Do I have to come to this college to get that from you too? And I was like, no, let's meet at Panera. So I think that's when I realized this life coaching thing, which wasn't huge.
Like back in early 2000s. I know it was out and about. Tony Robbins was huge back then, but there, it wasn't like everybody was a life coach. And so I actually went to college to get a master's in motivation because I told them I wanted to be a life coach. And they said, you could just get certified in this.
And I said, no, I want to learn about the human experience. I wanted to know how people tick, how they make decisions, how to sustain motivation. I learned all the things. I created a program as my, you know, ending project for graduate school, and I knew at that point I wanted to do life coaching. I didn't actually add the LinkedIn part of things until later on.
Of course, I used it to help people find, you know, [00:14:00] connect to their job opportunities and stuff like that, but it didn't click for me. The LinkedIn piece, Until a little before the pandemic. And then as soon as the pandemic hit, people just started asking like crazy, can you just do my LinkedIn for me? And I was like, yeah, I could do that.
So it's funny how it's always a client asking me to do the next thing for them. And then me clicking and saying, actually, yeah, that's a no brainer. It makes complete sense that that would be the next step in my business evolution. So there was a small moment, you know, a few of them along the way, but overarchingly, it really is just about.
Being open to the signs that we see are all around us. And the signs for me with that, I love learning people's stories and I love connecting them to their reason for being on earth. It is not just to go to work. It is not just to raise the babies. I mean, for some people, sure, but some people want a career or a business.
And if, if their calling is attached to their career or their business. I have a really great way of [00:15:00] connecting them to that and helping them to achieve it sooner than later.
Crystal Ware: Yeah, that's amazing. And I mean, how did you feel, you know, was there any fear around the money aspect? Like you're leaning into your passion, you're leaning into your purpose. I, you love talking to people. I mean, I think it's very clear that you are a true connector story first. Who are you? How are you?
What is going on? Then you get to, and that's kind of the way I lead. Like when I'm in business meetings, I always say it's 10%. Business talk like we'll just get down to the nitty gritty and I know the questions to ask right away But really I'm like, oh, how did you get here? What are you doing? I mean that and you are the exact same way Which I think in a larger scale really does factor into success and like getting to know the landscape in this situation You love doing that and you love talking to people and working with people and making you know, sprinkling around your magic But was there a fear around?
Really replacing your salary or what the money would look like in that situation
Miranda Von Fricken: Yes. So less my fear, [00:16:00] more of my husband's more, he was, he's not an entrepreneur and he has no desire to be, he's a corporate man through and through raised by his grandparents. So obviously an even older generation of, you know, his grandmother worked part time at a department store and his grandfather worked for GE.
So very like we have a pension, we have salaries, the grandmother cooks, you know, so very. Like a traditional older family. In my mind, it's old school me. I'm like dinners in the cabinet, picking out kids. We got to go. So I'm a little, I grew up a little differently than he did. I grew up with a single mother, me and my mom against the world.
She had to work, be mommy and dad, all the things. So I wasn't opposed to like the hustle, if you will, where. He's no, you get a good job, put in your time, retire. So he was more nervous about the money than I was because I had been making, you know, over six figures at the time in my corporate environment.
even when I got laid off, I was, it was still expected essentially for me to find another job [00:17:00] around the same salary. And then the last time, so I think it was the third layoff. I ended up Forleo's B school. Because I was like, I need to figure out what this means to be an entrepreneur. I didn't go to school to become an entrepreneur.
Although I did have that master's in motivation. I went to school to learn about people, right? That's what was my intentions was to learn about people so I can coach them better. but I never took any business classes. So I was like, how do I just say I'm a business owner and see what happens and the money just comes.
And so I ended up buying that course. I didn't, I am still on module two and that was like six years ago, seven years ago, because sometimes I mean, hello, sometimes just pressing the button to invest in yourself really in you. So I gave her the, I think it was 14 or 1999 at the time.
It was. Like half of my severance, I was just like, take it. I'm learning how to become a business owner. [00:18:00] And, I've been side hustling, you know, like taking cash at Panera as a coach for a couple of years at that point, or speaking for pizza. That that's a whole thing. That's a different story. Some companies will buy their people lunch for lunch and learns.
And I'm like, yeah, just let me have the lunch and I'll come talk. It was hilarious back then. And so my husband had No confidence that I was going to replace my six figure income when I'm getting paid in Panera, you know, so I said to him, I swear, give me a chance this. I can make this work little by little.
I started, bringing in, enough to pay my car payment or enough to pay the mortgage. And I, at that point, had so taken on another full time job, but it was work from home. So I had a little more flexibility, to do the full time work from home, but they had known that I was doing like resumes on the side and they were cool with that.
so I was still bringing in a little money, but yeah, the fear was there, but I knew at some point that I needed to go all in or it wasn't going to happen because dabbling [00:19:00] unfortunately doesn't a pay the bills. It doesn't keep the spark going. And there's something about. When you have to, to make it work in order to pay the bills or whatever.
Like there's, there's a different type of motivation. Like it's, it's more of a necessity than like a luxury at that point. and I got laid off again. So obviously the choices weren't always mine. Like I knew in the back of my mind, I needed to quit and be done with it, but I didn't have a huge savings. I wasn't like, I didn't have that six month nest egg that you often hear people talk about.
And we, you know, we had a savings, but it was just like if the furnace broke or if one of our cars broke or something crazy. No, it wasn't six months of living expenses. So the pandemic hit. I had said, all right, I don't know what's going to happen. Nobody's finding jobs. I'm just going to go hard doing my business.
I'm going to go hard. It's going to be amazing. and then my husband actually got recruited to a company that doubled his salary. So I, I feel like sometimes People want to hear, I just busted my butt and I made it happen, [00:20:00] but I got, I think I got very lucky and I think it was divinely guided. So all of my hustle and strategy is based on Jesus.
It's all about my faith. And so every day I prayed for something to happen so I could do this full time. I didn't know the strategy, but God did. So I think that's what ended up happening is that God got my husband a new job. It replaced his salary, actually replaced my salary, doubled his, and it gave him the confidence for me to go all in.
And that's kind of how it started.
Crystal Ware: Yeah. So what does what did going all in mean to you? What did that look like? just kind of give us, you know, a quick, what were you doing? What was it that was all in? because I think, you know, the definition of what does that mean? What do people need to be doing? What does that feel like? What You know, all of a sudden you're working, you're doing this on the side and now everything's new.
Everything's different and you're going to go all in on business Miranda. So what [00:21:00] did that mean?
Miranda Von Fricken: So at the time, my daughter was in third grade and all of our kids had to leave school. So I'm now a third grade teacher, which I was, is not my calling in life by any stretch of the imagination. So my husband's got this new job and it's. Really high demand. I'm now a third grade teacher. . I have, we just got two puppies, who does that?
And so I'm like trying to start my, my business. Well, not, it's in the middle. I wouldn't say start it, but I'm starting to go all in, like you say, and. What that looked like practically was setting a schedule for myself because she still had to log on to her school on the computer. So once I got her set up after I did my morning routine, my prayer square routine, I'm praying to Jesus to make this all work because I don't know how it's going to happen.
I would work out of course and kind of like get my mind, body and spirit ready for this crazy day ahead. I'd set her up. I had a laptop across so we would sit at the same desk and she'd be doing her schoolwork and I would be doing my LinkedIn work and by [00:22:00] all in, I networked. I just went crazy. I've created content for myself talking about my experience, what was happening.
I've reached out to people that I had worked with in the past, told them, you know, this is what I'm doing. I've got more capacity. If you need a resume, if you need a LinkedIn done for you, I actually already at that point had been hosting LinkedIn local, which is a connection event, here in the upstate New York area where I live, where you take the people you are close to on LinkedIn that live in the area and go and have a networking event.
So I had. Connected with the woman in Australia who did that whole, that whole started the whole LinkedIn local movement. And I brought it to upstate New York and I was already that host. Well, now that we can't go out of our house, I actually had an event set up for March and I took it virtual. So I said, all right, guys, we're all doing zoom.
no, sorry. We can't meet in person. Let's just do it on zoom. It'll be great. 62 people showed up, which normally I get like a hundred or so to the in person event. 62 people showed up [00:23:00] on that zoom call and we talked for two hours about what was happening in their world. Like we all took time in this, you know, I'd call out squares, you know, whatever we networked just like a networking event, but it was, it was more authentic because we were a little frightened about what was happening.
we were, some people were getting laid off, so I started teaching them LinkedIn, started revising some resumes for them and just started. Okay. to coach them, if you will, to get through this emotionally and spiritually. And then of course, one by one, they'd say, can you do my resume? Can you do my LinkedIn?
Can you teach me how to network on LinkedIn? And then one person who worked at a hospital was in the, it was the head of HR said, can you just do our LinkedIn for us? Because we are struggling, of course, as a hospital, but we need to get messages out. We have a one, woman marketing team, internal and external communications, and we don't have anyone that does LinkedIn for us.
Can you just do it for us? And so I said, sure. Like again, a client came to me asking if I could do [00:24:00] something, which was next level. And I said, of course I'd love to. And I put a big old price tag on it. And from that point forward, I started managing LinkedIn, doing LinkedIn management for companies and After a while, that was fantastic, but the individuals were still coming left and right.
I started LinkedIn Growth Academy. It was really just based on the need. So if anyone's starting a business or feels called to start a business, what are they coming to you for? Right? of course, what do you love to do? Because if I hated ready content, I would have said, no, I don't do that. but I loved writing content.
I loved LinkedIn. It was very versed on the platform. You had been using it for years and people were coming to me for training for done for you services and for coaching. And I, I just said yes to everything at first. And it was messy. And I had a whiteboard that organized all my stuff. Like I didn't have any tech yet.
I had a whiteboard. I had LinkedIn and a notebook, sometimes a post it too. Like I would put like the to do's, the. Top three things I had to do for that Diana Post it. So it was me sitting [00:25:00] across the desk from my third grader. She's doing work. I'm doing work now. And I just started sharing my experience and inviting people to conversations.
And little by little, it just became a little more structured. It became a little more streamlined. And I would start saying no to things that I didn't do anymore. Or I doubled down on the things I did and just Really started talking about the things I wanted to do, and more people came to me knowing that was my thing, or they'd get referred to me.
so practically, it's really just about taking that one step forward, doing one thing, and sharing it, and then seeing what else comes your way. I
Crystal Ware: Yeah, that's amazing. So after all this experience and you, you know, had these corporate experiences, you started your own business, you're running with it. Now it's thriving. How do you define success today? And how does that compare with maybe how you define it when you're 25 or 30?
Miranda Von Fricken: guess when I was 25 or 30, I was chasing titles. I was the youngest female director on campus, and You know, asked to [00:26:00] train other campuses on what I was doing. So I was really chasing titles, accolades, awards, like parking, parking spots with my name on it. Like it was to me corporate because I didn't grow up in a house who my mom's a nurse, so it wasn't very corporate.
But to me, the families I watched on television were very corporate, right? Like they were like lawyers, like the TV shows I watched. And so I wanted to wear a suit. I wanted the title. I wanted the parking spot with my name on it. So I chased those things, but slowly I became less me, right? So I had to fit into that mold.
And as I was learning who I was as a woman growing in twenties, thirties, I realized I was, I didn't care about the titles. I was. So success to me was no longer, I mean, I love money. Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to say like I'm paying my mortgage on a prayer because it's not like that. You have to make money.
But for me, it's more about, Do I, am I excited to get up and go to work, right? Like how's the energy about [00:27:00] what I'm feeling and what I get to do every day? Does it light me up still? Am I excited? Do I keep wanting to, do I want to keep learning what I'm doing? I think that's a big question to ask yourself too.
personal and professional development is a huge part of my life and business. And if I got sick of learning about people and what makes them find their happy, if you will. Then I would no longer be interested in what I'm doing because I couldn't serve the people I work with if I don't, if I'm not interested in learning more about it and being better.
so I started defining success as like my personal definition of excellence and positive energy and, My core values, like whatever my core values are leading with faith in the corporate space. I couldn't really lead too much with faith, right? anytime I talk about Jesus, people would just kind of like, Oh, we can't talk about him here.
And I'm like, why HR going to get me I'm HR.If I knew, so success 100 percent is me being my complete authentic self. I now speak on stages wearing a tutu. I'm hot [00:28:00] pink and sparkly. I carry confetti in my pocket. Like, all of this stuff people would think I was bonkers when I was in my corporate environment.
the sad gray cubicle I lived in. The beach in a box that I had on my desk with this fake palm tree from the grocery store that somebody bought me. That's not success to me, like trying to fake it and to fit into a square that doesn't fit, but being completely myself with no parameters. That's success to me.
Crystal Ware: I love it. And I also love that you mentioned, you know, finding and maintaining doing things that make you happy because we often hear about and people coach and talk about, you know, how do you get a raise? How do you get a certain title? How do you find a job that fits? How do you, you know, work your way through this journey of life and career?
At the end of the day, what I think we need to lead with more is what is going to make you happy. I mean, people often think it's a certain amount of money and [00:29:00] yes, I agree that to get, you know, to being comfortable, which, you know, to some degree equals happy, you need a certain amount of money, or certain, you know, things, house, car,
Miranda Von Fricken: Shoes make me happy and I need to be able to afford those shoes.
Crystal Ware: Bye. But it is at the essence of everything we do. We should be looking for what is going to make me happy. And I think people gloss over that for the easier to find things, the easier to define things also. so I really love that you talked about that. So I want to make sure we have time to get into your book, own your awesome on LinkedIn.
Yes, it's amazing. It's beautiful. It's sparkly. It's so representative of you. Tell us why you wrote this and who this is for.
Miranda Von Fricken: So I wrote this because I wanted something that would outlast the algorithm, right? So on LinkedIn, if you play on the platform, you know, it changes faster than we change our underwear. Like every day [00:30:00] there is a new feature or they're taking something away. And you're like, wait, where was that button? And they're like, no more button for you.
So it drove me crazy because I still want people to be successful. No matter what LinkedIn does, I want people to. Ultimately Own Your Awesome, because that's the name of my podcast and my brand is Own Your Awesome. And LinkedIn is one of my areas of expertise, if you will. And so this really helps people to shine a light on who they are and who they serve.
And it's, I mean, LinkedIn's a no brainer. LinkedIn's a no brainer. It's free. I mean, you can pay for more, obviously, features, but it's free. It's like a landing page. You don't even need a website. I mean, you could get a website, of course, if you can, but if you don't, if you can't get one that use LinkedIn, like there's so many benefits as a business owner, especially a newbie business owner to be on LinkedIn, to create your personal brand and to shine a light on who you are and who you serve and what your gifts are in this world.
The tagline, if you will, for this is there are one billion members, but only one you, and that is the [00:31:00] intention of this book, right? So calling out and drawing out who you are as an individual, putting a little sparkle behind it, if that's your, if that's your feel and vibe, if you want, and to really learn.
And it's all different categories, too. So it's not just for entrepreneurs. I have a section for our students, for entrepreneurs, for executives and for employees and hiring managers. I've been every single one of those people. I have an expertise as a student and helping students and as an entrepreneur and an executive and a hiring manager, and I wanted to put it all in one place.
And. I, I don't have the patience to create a course yet. So I was like, let's put it in a book. And so I, I really feel called, and this is actually a series. So this is one of three. my experience lies in LinkedIn, personal branding and self leadership. And so the next book is going to be on your awesome in leadership and then on your awesome in life, if you will, for the life coaching side of things.
And I just, I want it to leave a legacy for, you [00:32:00] know, everybody, my kids, my kids, my grandkids, whatever. Like I want it. Who knows if LinkedIn is going to be around in 50 years, right? But this book will be, right? Like this, there's, for me personally, it was a legacy, to put everything in one place. But for the clients that I work with, my services can be pricey for some people.
And you can pick this up for 22 and it's a workbook too. It's not even just like a read it and feel good. It's, it's a workbook where when they leave, they're going to feel confident creating and optimizing their profile. They're going to know what to put out there. They're going to know how to speak to people, know how to connect, how to DM, know how to meet the people that are going to help them achieve the goals they have for themselves.
And so this book helps you to not only own your awesome, but to leverage the power of LinkedIn to grow in your career and your business.
Crystal Ware: That's amazing. While I'm excited, I know that it is a resource for everybody. LinkedIn is not for everyone. You know, it's not that complicated, [00:33:00] but figuring out what words you want up there, how to use it, where to put stuff. You know, it does take a certain amount of time and awareness and experience to really optimize.
and I agree it is such a powerful tool and I love being on LinkedIn and part of the community and so many awesome people, so many awesome women. What a great community. What are three tips that you could give? For people that may just be new to LinkedIn or have the basic that they've had up there for 10, 10 years or so, just three tips to improve your profile.
Miranda Von Fricken: Oh my God. Only three, huh? Okay. All right. I'm kidding.
Crystal Ware: throw in a bonus,
Miranda Von Fricken: No, I'm kidding.
Crystal Ware: I just didn't want to put you on the spot for too many.
Miranda Von Fricken: I got all of them. No, I get it. So the first thing I ask is does your top pop? And people are always like, what does that mean? That sounds kind of crazy. The top is when you go onto LinkedIn and I see your profile, there's the top section consisting Your banner, your headline, your main photo, the two little squares for your education and your [00:34:00] company.
And then, you know, it goes all the way down to like the, the follower count, if you will. and if that section on the phone or in the computer doesn't stand out. I'm probably not going to scroll on, right? I need to learn everything I can of who you are, who you serve, and how you serve them, and what to do next.
drive them somewhere in that top section, and if you don't, you probably lost them. So if you're not entertaining them, educating them or inspiring them, giving them a tip or telling them how to get more, they're probably not going to scroll down. And if they love that, they may scroll down, but the odds are they got everything they wanted or needed from you to make that decision of whether they want to hire you or work with you in that top section.
So the banner is like a freaking free billboard, if you will, like driving down the road, You're at a red light. Next to you is a billboard and you've got what? How long is a red light? 60 seconds. You've got like [00:35:00] 30 to 60 seconds to get me to read the billboard before the guy behind me honks because the light turned green for me to read what you've got to say and to take action.
So you're not going to say go to my, go to my website at www on the billboard. No, you're going to say let's connect. Or DM me or something very quick because a we have short attention spans, but something they can do on the platform right away. So mine is let's connect. So that banner is a call to action in itself.
And First, my tip is does your top pop? And if it doesn't get to work, get to work, make your top pop, drive them somewhere where they can either learn more about you or you're offering them something. Even if you're a job seeker, you can offer them the opportunity to read your resume, to look at your portfolio, to have a conversation.
So drive them somewhere would be step number two. And step number three is just to, I know it's about the profile. But you have to fill out the whole profile, do as much as you can to fill it out, because once you start to go [00:36:00] out and connect with people and engage in conversations, they're going to come back to your profile.
And if it looks crazy, What was the point? So start with the profile, put all your keywords in there. That's another huge piece of people are searching for you. Use all the keywords. so get your profile to be fantastic. At least good enough. If somebody comes to you, they're not like, who is this? Why? I don't even know.
Well, why did I come here? don't make them do the work. You do the work for them by doing that top part and making it really stand out. and then offer them a conversation. I think that's a huge piece. To success on the platform and it isn't just by my widget. It isn't just hire me. It's let's have a conversation because I think people are really hungry for conversations, like deep, meaningful conversation, especially women in the workplace, like they want conversations with like minded women who are also climbing the corporate ladder or growing their businesses.
So that's why my let's connect is it's a, it's a rally cry, if you will. That's actually what, you know. Heather [00:37:00] said in my, in my forward is that this book is a rally cry for people who want connection and want to elevate their presence and they could do that on the platform, but first fill out your profile, make your top pop, drive them somewhere, and then, start connecting.
Crystal Ware: Yeah, I absolutely love it. It's amazing. And I will tell everybody it's so true for 22. There is so much value in there. I talk about it all the time on the podcast. Half of the people I have on the show are people I know or have met through LinkedIn. It is such a powerful tool, whether you're in corporate, whether you're on a hiatus or whether you're trying to build a business for yourself.
or a brand, whatever it is, there is a lot of power there. And having the critical pieces on your profile is so important. And this is your roadmap for 22. And you're really not going to even find that anywhere else. You mentioned, you didn't have the patience to do a course, but if this wasn't a course people, this would probably be 250, 500 [00:38:00] or more.
So I could not recommend more go get the book. Work on your LinkedIn, see where it takes you, especially if you have ideas about going somewhere different than where you are today. And I know that's what we talk about often, getting clear on what your goals are so you can lean into and be the CEO of your own life and have ultimate fulfillment in your life, career, and your dreams.
So thank you so much today, Miranda, for joining us. This is amazing. I mean, everything about her, you guys, if you're watching this, listening to this, I'm sure she just is popping through with all of her energy. That is so amazing. And that's why you're a magnetic for all the people. We will have the notes in the show notes.
We will have links where you can find it, her personal website and her LinkedIn. So you can check it out. If you're not sure where else to go on LinkedIn, Just look at her profile as a starting point. Obviously she created it. So that is a good template and example to start with. So thanks so much, Miranda.
I look [00:39:00] forward to talking to you again soon and blessings for the rest of your week.
Miranda Von Fricken: Thank you.