The Melody of Female Empowerment in Leadership Journeys

Experiencing a moment of synchronicity, I found myself reflecting on the powerful women who've carved paths before us, just as I prepared to welcome Gretchen Barron to our podcast for a conversation that celebrates Women's History Month. Gretchen, with her rich blend of roles as a mother, educator, consultant, and a member of the Richland County Council, shares her insights on the transformative power of collaborative leadership and the indelible mark of confident, graceful women who have influenced her journey.

Pulling back the curtain on my own transformative voyage, I discuss the moments that propelled me to author a book dedicated to empowering women to claim the lead in their own stories. Gretchen and I dissect the critical components of guts, grit, grind, and greatness, revealing how these elements intertwine within the complex fabric of personal growth and leadership. This episode is an intimate tapestry of shared experiences, a testament to the notion that success thrives not in solitude, but through collective triumphs and the support we offer to one another. Join us for this enriching dialogue that not only pays tribute to women's achievements but also ignites a spark for future trailblazers.

Gretchen's Book: 

https://square.link/u/1ZugyuGH

Social media handles:

IG- @gdbarron

Facebook: Gretchen Barron

LinkedIn: Gretchen D. Barron 

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The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any organization or entity. The information provided in this podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice. Listeners should consult with their own professional advisors before implementing any suggestions or recommendations made in this podcast. The speakers and guests are not responsible for any actions taken by listeners based on the information presented in this podcast. The podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice or services. The speakers and guests make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the information, products, services, or related graphics contained in this ...

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

Welcome to Unpacked Podcasts with your host leadership consultant, ron Harvey of Global Core Strategies and Consulting. Ron's delighted to have you join us as he unpacks and shares his leadership experience, designed to help you in your leadership journey. Ron believes that leadership is the fundamental driver towards making a difference. So now to find out more of what it means to unpack leadership, here's your host, ron.

Speaker 2: 0:27

Harvey. Hello everyone, this is Ron Harvey. I'm the vice president and the chief operating officer for Global Core Strategies and Consulting. We're a leadership development firm based out of Columbia, south Carolina, and my wife and I have been in business now for about 10 years, and we built and designed our entire business to do two things to add value and make a difference for leaders and workplaces so they can make sure they create a workforce that people really want to be a part of. And we know that's a challenge in today's world, where people are really, really good leaders and all of our time helping leaders become very, very good at taking care of the people that they're responsible for and responsible to.

Speaker 2: 1:01

But what we've learned in that process is we built a different program a little bit and we came up with a podcast, and the podcast is Unpacked with Ron Harvey, and this is where we figured out having a real conversation with leaders from around the globe, from all backgrounds, coming to the table and letting you behind the curtain. So it's unpacked for a reason. All of our guests agree to come on and they don't know what the questions are. Quite honestly, neither do I, but we do promise that we're going to have a good conversation. We're going to be transparent, we're going to have fun, so we ask you to hang on, enjoy the conversations and you'll hear a lot about both of us as we go through this. So this month is March. It's Women's History Month. I'm kicking it off with someone that's a really, really good friend, a good leader, a good role model in our community, so I'm happy to have Gretchen Barron on the show with us. Welcome to the Unpacked with Ron Harvey. Thank you for coming.

Speaker 3: 1:49

Thank you, ron, for having me. This is a big deal, because they call you in the streets. I'm talking to Uncle Ron.

Speaker 2: 1:56

Yes, yes, yes, many, many titles. And so you're Ron, yes, yes. Well, welcome to the show.

Speaker 2: 2:00

What would you share with the audience? I want them to know who you are. You work couple of hats in our city. You work couple of hats in your own personal life. What would you share so the audience knows who's in front of them? And then you just released a book, so we're not going to let that out either, but we're going to talk about that book. But can you tell us who you are or what you want us to know about you as a leader? What's important to you?

Speaker 3: 2:20

Yeah, I'm Gretchen Baron and, first and foremost, I am the proud mother of the Baron boys. I have two boys. They're fantastic James Lino and Hilton Chase are y'all probably? If you follow me on social media, that's Jay and my sweet Prius and that's my. That's my first, my first job, and I enjoy that more than life itself. I'm also a successful business owner. I own Baron Academy, which is a education company that does after school programming, tutoring and summer camps. We've been doing that now since 2009. I also have a consultant business.

Speaker 3: 2:57

During the last couple of years rebranded it with the new name, and with the new name now is G Baron Consulting, and there we are working with leaders as well as business owners and nonprofit organizations, helping them to cultivate the leaders that they need to be but, more importantly, to position their companies or their businesses in a place where they can thrive not only and dominate not only in the sphere that they operate in, but also in a leadership role.

Speaker 3: 3:29

So everything nowadays is all about how we get to the next step, and I'm committed to helping people do that. And just doesn't seem like it, but four years ago. Four years ago, I was elected to Richland County Council to represent District 7. And so, as we are in this presidential year, I'm also up for reelection this year and I serve Richland County, and that's been. The last four years have been quite interesting, been a learning curve, but the one thing that I'm stay committed to, and that is to make sure that we, that our people in District 7, have an active voice at the table and have somebody in the streets working from day in and day out.

Speaker 2: 4:10

Yes, yes, I mean, we've been on each other for years and I've watched you on the trail continue to elevate yourself, continue to take on challenges and continue to add value to our city.

Speaker 2: 4:19

So thank you for all the roles that you plan, thank you for serving, and it takes a really special person to serve. It's not the easiest thing to do. It could be very challenging, but if you have a heart for it. So, as I watch you grow, and for the people that are watching and listening, if you listen, she shared that she owns the business, and oftentimes in our community you think someone that's doing what you're doing has to be a competitor. We're friends, we don't compete, we collaborate, we talk. So all you got to watch it. If you want to make your community really great, learn to work with the people that do what you do so you can serve more people, and so I'm honored to have you on here and I'm looking for your success, because if you're successful, I'm successful, and so if you're listening to, so let's let's unpack for a little bit. As we think about it, it's women's history. Who's the woman that poured the most into you for you to be who you are today?

Speaker 3: 5:07

So I have a couple. I have a couple, of course, my mother. She is fantastic. She really taught me how to be confident and to be a ladies late and I go in and out of that world because I like to do it.

Speaker 2: 5:23

Wait a minute, gretchen, wait a minute. Okay. So you're going to have to educate If we're going to let you just drive by how to be confident and be a ladies lady. So if people are listening because we got people that are trying to figure out like they think they got to be really, really like this this gotta act like a man, or gotta be just one thing, or gotta be a lady how do you, what does that mean for people that are listening? So women listen. This is important how to be confident and be a ladies lady. I don't know what it means, so I can explain to any of them, someone, that you do that for us.

Speaker 3: 5:48

Yeah, and so I guess the best way I deal in visual, so the best way is that you can be a ladies lady and go into a room Most areas that I serve in is male dominant, and for years, when I worked for state government, I wore pants, suits, because that's what they told us. You know, you want to level the playing field. Don't come in a skirt, don't come in a dress. And so my mother, on the other hand, was like you're not dressed up unless you have a dress on. Baby, you got to have your high heels on, sweetie, and so anybody who knows me knows that. You know, when you see me I'm, I got high heels on, and over the last few years, I've transitioned to wearing more dresses.

Speaker 3: 6:30

And so for women who are challenged with being confident and still being a lady, the lady is is how we carry ourselves. The confidence is who you are with inside, and and that who you are with inside, it has to come out in a manner, doesn't matter who you're talking to, and we don't have to man up to get that respect. I think it's all about when we speak. We speak with authority, we speak with conviction, we and here's a thought we speak with knowledge and people will listen to you if you sound like you know what you're talking about.

Speaker 3: 7:09

And so I am very, very blessed to be able to have my mother. That helped me be that, that lady, but at the same time, no, stand your ground, sweetie. And she's not a honey baby, sweetie person at all. But I got that portion from the other ladies in my life and that's my grandmothers. I was very fortunate to grow up with my great grandmother and my grandmother and those ladies. They taught me how to be a good Southern Bale the iron and the cooking, the cleaning, making biscuits I don't do that too often.

Speaker 2: 7:46

Yeah, I said, man, you can talk about making biscuits now from scratching, Like this lady's looking at you like, yeah, I'm not doing any of that stuff.

Speaker 3: 7:52

No, they don't do it. But I'll tell you, as a lady I am committed to and I am extremely busy, but I cook three to four days out of the week.

Speaker 2: 8:01

Yeah, you got to feed them boys. Yeah, that's a grown man over there, that's a big boy I don't want nobody else feeding my babies and I don't want Zach's Bees Chick-fil-A.

Speaker 3: 8:10

All those other people feed them. They need to know what it was. Some collard greens. That's what we have in Sunday. We have collard greens, and so those are the ladies. And of course, I have my pastor, my pastor's wife. She is very instrumental in mentoring me and really helped me, especially over these last probably five to seven years really transitioning into this space and owning it. I would have to say Dr Marsha Bailey has definitely been that person for me and I don't know if y'all can see it, but she's over there on my wall. Shirley Chisholm he set the stage for all of us.

Speaker 2: 8:49

Yes. So, ben, did you point to that wall? A couple things I would love to unpack, but let's unpack the picture that's right behind you. Let's talk about that, this book that you just released, the 4G Factor.

Speaker 3: 9:01

Congratulations, thank you, thank you. It's been a long time coming. I just want to break out and start singing. Good old Tim Cook, it's been a long time, a long time coming.

Speaker 3: 9:13

Yes, I walked around for years with this journal literally probably about five years and anybody who knows me have always heard me talk about gut, grit and grind produce greatness. I've always said that that was just my little mantra for life, right, yes? And never really thought it was a book until I was sitting down talking to the late Senator John L Scott Jr. Yes, and he said, gretchen, what is all this guts and grit? You got all over the place. I said that's my amato. He said I think that's a book. I said, well, I don't think so.

Speaker 3: 9:50

I'm not a book, I'm not a writer like that. I said who's going to read my book? He said anybody would want to read your book. You got something to say, don't you? And so I just kind of took it and it was really my 4G journal where I would just journal different leadership stuff down or things that would come up that I would experience, and I would just journal them down, and that was like for five years. And so finally I got the guts up and I said you know what I'm going to write this book and I had to deal with and this is something that a lot of women have to deal with and that is, to silence the noise in our head to say we're good enough to do just that.

Speaker 3: 10:32

And there are people out there that want to hear what I have to say. And so my book is dedicated to women and the book it's opened up and it's a letter to that woman and that woman that has that thing, and many of us have this thing that the Lord gave us or we want to do, but we're over here being a mama and we're doing all the things but we really want to do, and so it's to push that lady off the sidelines and to be an active participant in her life.

Speaker 2: 11:03

And I take each G Give me the four G's again. Yeah, because you said them really quick. Yeah, give us the four G's again.

Speaker 3: 11:09

Yeah, so it's guts, grit, and a lot of people keep saying grits, but it's grit, it's grit. Grind produce greatness. So those are the four G's and I take those four G's and I break them down and I use myself as a case study. So I am very vulnerable. In this book I talk about examples of things that I've gone through and how I've gone through it and as the example, so that a lot of times we read books and people give us all these strategies, but you ever read it, ron, and you're like, well, how you know it, how you know that work, yes, yes experience.

Speaker 3: 11:51

I'm telling you this is what I did, this is the results that I've gotten, and you too can make it, because it's only only at the top, because we don't take anybody with us.

Speaker 2: 12:02

Say that again because people hear it, because you're all the time, it's only at the top.

Speaker 3: 12:06

It's only lonely at the top because we don't take anyone with us. And you said it earlier. You said it earlier that you and I we really met. We met at a trade show.

Speaker 2: 12:17

At a trade show, yes, yes, at a trade show.

Speaker 3: 12:19

We both was in the streets just trying to get our name out here and since then you have called me and said hey, have you heard about this? I've done the same thing and it's not a competitor Like. I celebrate the wins that you and Linda have Because it's great. It's all of us, this is our community, that's winning.

Speaker 2: 12:42

Yes, I mean, I told you unpack, we're talking for real and so when you look around, the people that are supporting you, that you need to support the world is big enough for all of us to be successful, and so it's a pleasure to see it. When I heard about the book, I was like, yes, get on the show, tell me when let's do it, tell it to have a book or something that we can. How do people? Is your book available where people can go ahead and start purchasing it? Can you share that with them before we move on to anything else? How do people get your book?

Speaker 3: 13:07

So the book is available on Amazon and Barnes Noble. You can pre-order now. They will be released on March, the 26th. You can also. You can go either to my website or you can go to my preference right now because our website is in transition with the rebrand Hopefully it'll be launched next week. But you can go to my social media page, gretchen D Barron on Facebook, or you can go to Instagram and it's G-D Barron, b-a-r-r-o-n and you can click there and you'll see there's a link and that link will also provide you an opportunity.

Speaker 3: 13:46

You click it and you can order it, and we've made a decision that anyone who's ordering right now you won't have to wait until the 26th to get the book. If you use the link that's on my social media page, if you use this link that's on my social media page, we're gonna release that book because we are having a book launch on March the 23rd at one o'clock at 61, no, sweet 60, sweet 60 on Two Notch Road and that's Kiki's spot Kiki's Chicken and Waffles Again, another big supporter and so you can get those books out there. You can get them in all those medias outlets. But I will say, if you want to get the book quicker it's. You can definitely get it on my social media page.

Speaker 2: 14:30

Awesome, awesome and you can find all her social media handles and I'll take support other people that are in the community. So if you're interested, she's letting you know. The 4G factor is real and she's been super successful and she's been saying it for years and now she's finally let it go and the secret is out the recipe of how she got to where she is. I wanna go back a little bit. You talk about mentoring. How important has mentoring played? This is women's history month and sometimes women are looking because they always think it has to, because it's still pretty heavy population of men in the workplace and sometimes women need mentors and it's nothing wrong with having a man as a mentor. But how important was mentoring till you get into where you are today?

Speaker 3: 15:08

It's critical. I mean I still, every month, I have a standing appointment with Dr Marcia. I do have other mentors in my life for different areas, and that's the one thing that sometimes you can get a mentor that is one feel swoop. Dr Marcia is indeed that, and she gives me that one feel swoop, but she encouraged me. She was like Gretchen I think you need a mentor for this particular area and so I did take her advice and I got a couple of other mentors to help me along the way. And as women it's important, because we spend so much time giving out, and one of the books that we use in Barron Academy and teaching our children how to share and how to care for each other is who Feel my Bucket and we are constantly pouring out. But if nobody pours back into you, then you're left empty with nothing to give, and if you're the smartest person in your group, you're in the wrong group.

Speaker 2: 16:12

And you have now capped out. Yes, someone has to push you. How do you get women that sometimes struggle and it's not just gender, but I'm talking women's history month, so if I sound like I'm talking about women, I am and I'm gonna push that for the entire month of March. How do you help the woman get comfortable with asking for help but also receiving it, because sometimes you're asking and you don't receive it? Well, how do you get to the place where you ask for what you need and you let people help you?

Speaker 3: 16:38

Yeah, I think that's something that's personal, it's an inner working, because until you acknowledge the fact that you actually need help, you can't receive it. And a lot of times it will come people will say and make suggestions to you nice and kind and say, hey, why don't you try this, why don't you try that? And if you hear the same, why don't you?

Speaker 2: 17:03

You need some help.

Speaker 3: 17:04

You need some help and you need to receive it Because it's hard. I am a pretty private person that lives a very public life. I could say yes a very public life.

Speaker 2: 17:16

yes, I would have never put private next to your name.

Speaker 3: 17:20

Really.

Speaker 3: 17:21

So days like today it's raining, Prez and I usually go and have dinner and I was like I say he'll think it's raining.

Speaker 3: 17:31

You wanted to get the food on the way in and he was like, yeah, because your people going to be out there want to talk to you while we eating. So with that, I think that that's a rabbit trail, but with that, when you need, I think, being open, and the best thing that I did was to sit with myself and be honest with myself and as women, we just need to tune everybody out and just sit with what we're feeling, sit with what's going through our heads and then jot them down and start to look. Okay, what is this? And one of the things I learned from Dr Marcia is that if you can deal with your why and you can go back to the root of why you do dot, dot, dot, it's a little bit more. It's palatable to you and others. When you can articulate okay, you know what I fly off at the handle because of this, and I think that's the first step to acknowledging that you need help, or to accept help is to deal with yourself personally.

Speaker 2: 18:37

Yes, yes. So thank you for sharing. So I mean, and being open enough to share with hey. Ask for help, receive help. Who do you have as mentors when you begin to think about women in a professional career, young women that are listening and watching and have aspirations? And how did you navigate without burning bridges as a woman?

Speaker 3: 18:56

Well, as I alluded to earlier, I'm a good old Southern girl and just certain things we just don't do, we just don't do, and so I am so grateful that I was born in the generation. I'm not a baby boomer, I'm just jump right off the edge, I'm on it and I thank God for that, because he's my little boy. I have a couple that I'm mentoring and I'm like baby, you can't talk like that to people.

Speaker 2: 19:23

Yes. So if you're listening, how you deliver, your messages matter and people say, well, but they offended me, I said I'm not gonna tell you, we'll never get offended. It's how you respond that talks about your character. So you gotta really be comfortable, like how do you wanna be seen and received, not how you wanna be treated, because there'll be some things that just won't feel right and won't be right. But don't lose your character based on someone else's behavior, absolutely.

Speaker 3: 19:48

I've heard people say it like this you leave people thinking about their behavior.

Speaker 2: 19:52

Yes, not yours. Yes.

Speaker 3: 19:54

And one of the things that I share with my boys is I'm like listen, your delivery is everything, and so you may not have meant anything by what you said to me, but how it came out was disrespectful. So you have to work on your tone and you work on your pitch, and I am a firm believer that you can tell somebody off without sending somebody off.

Speaker 2: 20:20

That's a Southern Bale charm over there. Now she's bringing out some trade secrets that she learned early on. One of the things is being the fact that how you were raised helps you continue to show up in rooms and, when you're challenged, that you don't burn bridges. What else would you share with women? Because people more than women, but, as women's history, how do you help women? Because the old thing will be submissive and be nice and be kind, and nobody wants to be bullied, nobody wants to be pushed around, nobody wants to be taken advantage of. I don't care what gender or what race, nobody likes it. How do you manage that when it happens? Because it can be very mean in the world. How do you stay solid? How do you take care of yourself and handle business but don't come across as mean, because women get a different name when they kind of hold their feature to fire. We put some bad adjectives onto women that we don't put onto men. How do you make sure you don't get put into that box?

Speaker 3: 21:09

And I think you add on, you also say for black women.

Speaker 2: 21:13

Yes.

Speaker 3: 21:14

If we stand our ground we can cause a problem, but I think that when you are in tough spaces and being a servant leader here in Richland County, my district could lend sometimes some controversial topics like rezoning, right, and they come to rezoning meetings and they're angry because they moved to Blackwood 40 years ago and they didn't want a scout motor, they didn't want my subdivision, let alone yours, right, yes, and so they're very contentious and they're angry, and it is one thing that I have had to learn. I've had to learn, you're absolutely correct, however, and I've noticed that the slower that I speak, I'm able to pace myself instead of because the sister will rise up and I was like rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, and then the back of my head, the drums from the Motherland, is beating and I'm trying to silence those drums, but I have to remember one thing that holds me true is that there are children, especially Black girls and Black teenagers, that are looking at me. Yes, and I never. I talked about my grandmother and my great grandmother. I have a t-shirt that says I'm my ancestor's wildest dreams. I am, and I don't want to disappoint them in any way.

Speaker 3: 22:39

I have fallen short. I have in some areas, but that's what really holds me is to remember that I'm not just representing Gretchen Baron, but I'm representing my children. I'm representing you, ron. Let's say, if I came on this show and acted a particular way, they're like Ron, where'd you get her from you? That's your friend. Yes, and even after this show airs, if I go out in the street and show out, they said girl, it was on Ron Harvey's show, yes, yes. And so I think that we have to think outside of how we articulate and what we say and how we react in certain spaces, and think it all the way out.

Speaker 3: 23:21

And that's hard, that's hard because we're living in the moment. But when we live in a moment it lends sometimes to really we're gonna reap what we sown in that area and it's not always good.

Speaker 2: 23:34

Yeah, I love it. I mean, you gave something for everyone to listen. She said some really practical tips that she does because you are who you are. It's in your DNA, but it doesn't have to show up.

Speaker 2: 23:44

And oftentimes, gretchen, what people will tell me, especially in our culture? Well, why do I have to lose me? Why do I have to change me? Why do I have to accommodate all these other things that come along? And I totally get the questions.

Speaker 2: 23:55

I say what are you trying to achieve? And if what you're trying to achieve is bigger than how you think you gotta look, then what adjustments do you make? So I love that you're making adjustments, because what you're trying to do is ensure that what your ancestors fought for and believed in and want requires you to be something different sometimes. And so I'm glad that you're talking about that, because it's not easy. But you say that, and so when you come on our show and people listen to us, this is not easy, that's why we call it unpack. This is real stuff, but it's important stuff, and if we don't talk about it and teach it, our kids will never learn it. They'll never learn.

Speaker 2: 24:26

I can tell you. My mother held us on the many times because she wanted her kids to have a fair chance. And everything my mother thought didn't come out her mouth. I know that for sure, because if it had, oh we'd be in a whole lot of trouble. So get into a place where you can understand that everything you think shouldn't come out. My mother taught us that a long time ago. Everything you think, baby, everybody will have to hear, because it not only will the moment be bad, your future will be bad as well. So you mess up the moment in your future.

Speaker 3: 24:52

Yeah. So, ron, I want to bring up the point you just mentioned you don't have to lose yourself. Yeah, you know, there was a time that I dumbed down to make people feel comfortable, and I woke up one day and I was like, oh my gosh, what am I doing? This is not who I am Like. Literally, I found myself in spaces where I knew I was getting ready to go to a particular place and I would have to say, ok, gretchen, you're getting ready to go here and these people don't really like the true essence of who you are. So I need you to calm down and just chill out a little bit. And I was. When I say it was so hard and it was just like one day, god just came and shook me and was like Gretchen, be you.

Speaker 1: 25:43

Yes, Be authentic.

Speaker 3: 25:45

And so now I'm telling everybody you know I love Krispy Kreme donuts, and so I'm telling everybody. Now the hotline, the hotlight is on, the Gretchen light is on 24 hours a day. I get to be Gretchen all day, every day. And when I say it's liberating and it's freeing, and it's not that I'm changing who I am because I'm in a town hall meeting. No, it's that I am conducting myself based upon the space that I'm in.

Speaker 2: 26:14

Yes, yes, and I love that you're saying it because, at the end of the day, people want you to be authentic. People get really angry when you're not authentic and so they'd rather for say, hey, that's Ron. Ron is who. Most people know who I am across the city. People know how I operate in the business and my personality, and so, at the end of the day, I'm proud that I get to be me. So everybody that's listening. It is exhausting to be somebody else. Yes, it is very exhausting and very confusing because people don't know who's coming or going. So be authentic.

Speaker 2: 26:46

So, gretchen, when you think about the roles and all the things that you do, can you share a moment? That was the most revealing for you, that when the light came on and you started saying I know what I want now and what was the first thing you did once you defined it, because all of us it doesn't. I didn't. I mean, I started 21 years in military, but I can tell you there was a time in my life where the light bulb came on and sometimes we put a lot of pressure on our younger generation to think it's supposed to happen. Like I told my daughter, I said baby, I know you're in high school and we want you to know what you're going to major in in college. Most people don't know, even when they're in college, what they're going to major in, so I'm not putting that pressure on you. I just want you to explore the world, figure it out, and we'll support you. Think about where you are now. When did you really realize what your purpose was?

Speaker 3: 27:28

Yeah, so I think I had two spots in my life.

Speaker 2: 27:31

OK.

Speaker 3: 27:32

Where that happened the first time was when I worked for state government for many years and what thrust me into business ownership? Because I'm not a big fan of the word entrepreneurship I'm not but what kind of thrust me. There was being laid off from state government and I'd been doing some things on the side. You know how we do we vote here by vocational.

Speaker 3: 28:00

We got a sole proprietor business and such right. So that's what I was doing. And in that moment, when I was laid off and I was like, what am I gonna do, what am I gonna do? And I reminded of the scripture that says what do you have in your house, what do you have in your hands that you can do? And at the moment I was, I had left the Department of Education where I was noted as an after-school expert. I was noted as a training expert for the Department of Education. That's what I was noted for. And I started.

Speaker 3: 28:38

I was just sitting at home and I was like, okay, what am I gonna do? What am I gonna do? And my uncle called and he said, gretchen, I need you to write this grant for me. And I said okay, and he'd say, I'm gonna email you. He emailed me all these stuff and, as I'm writing the grant for him, that's when I was like this is the beginning, this is the purpose. And I took that moment and started really cultivating. I talk about this in the book, I talk about this in the book early on and I say you know what? This is gonna be the business. I'm gonna create this business. And it was a hard day because I remember taking my oldest son to private school, pulling in the garage. The car was still running, the garage door was closed and I was just some kind of. I wasn't trying to kill myself, yes, I was just out of it.

Speaker 3: 29:27

Out of it Because I'm like I had a pretty good job. You know we all live for that good state job. Yes, yes, and it was a good job. But here I am at zero. And again, here's another mentor moment. Dr Marshall called me and said how you doing? And I said I'm all right. She said no, you're not. And she said what's wrong? And I just go on and on and on about it. And she said you done. And she was like what are you going to do? I said well, I think I'm going to co-start with some time with my consultant business. And she said do you have any clients? I said no. She said why you don't have any clients. You need to create everything that you think you're gonna need, all the forms, all the this, all the that, because when you get busy you're not going to have time to release, so I'm gonna put a pen in there for you.

Speaker 2: 30:11

You just drop information for everyone that's listening. Before you get clients, create the foundation, Because when you start getting clients, they're not going to wait for you to get it together. So, if you're listening to us as business owners, everything you can, before you get over one with clients, build the foundation. It's super important. Been there, done it and literally built everything. So thank you for sharing that. Go ahead and continue. You're sitting there. She tells you why you don't have clients. Go build all of the stuff you need, because you're not gonna have time.

Speaker 3: 30:39

And that's what I did, and that's where it started, and that was one of those pivotal moments for me. It was really my foundation. And then the next time was Isn't?

Speaker 2: 30:49

that well un-packed for? Isn't that just what really happens, doug Gretchen? In the middle of your catastrophic event, in the middle of your, when you think the world is about to unfold, something is born. Yeah.

Speaker 3: 31:00

Something's gotta die. The order for something to be birthed.

Speaker 2: 31:05

Yes, and when you feel like that. So I know at the moment you sat in your garage you were frustrated, you were feeling some kind of way, and that's real, because all of a sudden I'm here and I'm now at zero. That can be very deflated, that can shake your confidence, that can stretch you out and cause anxiety. Some people can't handle that and I know you say how it was in my garage. Some people, sometimes intentionally, may wanna sit in there and that may they wanna end their life sometime because of what's happening. You can make it through. It is what we're saying.

Speaker 1: 31:33

Yeah, regardless of what you're facing.

Speaker 2: 31:36

You gotta dig in. You can make it through it. So what was the second moment?

Speaker 3: 31:39

The second moment was just really recently. I was going through some life transitions. And then going through these life transitions Again, I'm a public figure, yes, and so as much as I wanted to be private, I couldn't be private because people expected me to show up. Yes, I posted this, I think yesterday or day before, and I said, no matter what, you still gotta show up. No matter how you feel, you still have to show up. And really I thought like my whole world was falling apart, but I still was showing up and in that moment it was the push for me. It was the push for me and I remember just, I loved to be outside and I was sitting on my porch and I was just like you know what?

Speaker 3: 32:30

I don't know what's going on here, I don't know what to do. And I just kind of took a deep breath and I just and I'll never forget prayers came outside and he said mama, what you doing? I said I'm trying to get my life together. And he said your life already together. And he started rattling off you on the counter, council, you got a business, you do this? He was just naming himself. And then, with the sweetest voice, he was like and you got me and he never will know how much that meant to me, and it was like every time he started naming things that I had, I felt like he was slapping me.

Speaker 2: 33:12

Like get it together, mama Get it together.

Speaker 3: 33:14

And I was like Little boy, just told me off.

Speaker 2: 33:17

Well, he learned it. He learned it the right way. You said you could tell somebody off and and.

Speaker 3: 33:22

I was like this little boy just told me off and when he and he just went on back about, back in the house, he played his video game and I sat there a little bit longer and I was like, okay, you can tuck your tail or you can shake it off and keep it moving. Because when I came during this time, when I showed up for county council or if you called me them for ribbon cutting, I was there, baby, and I was smiling and I was here for you. But you know, internally I was still trying to work through some things. I was trying to work through some things and, as women, I think if we don't deal with the internal things that we have going on, it can Sabotage the greatness that's in us.

Speaker 3: 34:06

Yes, that's it and that is, and and I believe in that moment, that's when I was like you know what I'm really living, this 4g life? I'm living this 4g life because God knows that it was gut, grit and grind All over again, and you know they say that you're the first partaker of your fruit. Yes, so during that time, I think that really refined some things and it made it easy Although it was, I thought it was the most grueling part Right in his book was hard. It was hard like sit down girl and tight but it was the grind, that's the grind.

Speaker 3: 34:41

It was. It was the grind. I had already worked out the grind in the streets to be able to put it on the paper. Yes, yes, that, and that's the piece that I don't like to purchase books that have a lot of fluff. Tell me how to get there.

Speaker 3: 34:58

I don't need you to tell me that the pig the wiggly gonna be on the left hand side and after you pass the pig the wiggly it's gonna be three green trash cans and then you make a right turn. No, just give me the, give me the stops, give me the directions to help me get where I need to go, and that's it. And I mean that's what I appreciate about you know your book and the things that you do out here, because it's like step one, two, three, oh, oh, hold up, yes, in the words of this show. So that's my, those are my two moments in my life, and I wouldn't trade anything for it, because I think that more people need to be in tune with themselves, specially business owners, especially those individuals who want to be great and in leadership roles, because, if we're a part of my expression, but if we're all jacked up as leaders, we a seed breeds after its own kind, which means that all the other people that are following behind you, they gonna be jacked up too.

Speaker 2: 35:57

Yes, yes, you someone's watching. Whether you think there are not there, we don't watch it, and so when you get frustrated with people that are repeating what you, what they saw, you do just go back and play the video.

Speaker 3: 36:08

They got it from somewhere and our kids are the greatest.

Speaker 2: 36:16

Well, thanks to prayers, because prayers helped out. And I tell people, don't let age get in the way of what you think you bring To the table, because you'll be amazed. Your kids Oftentimes help you learn to do better at what you're trying to do better at, because they're so innocent and they're coming from a good place. There's not I'm angry at you or mad at just like. Hey, let me tell you what I see. What I know is because all of us with someone's hero or hero we someone, mother or father with someone uncle or aunt Someone's watching us and counting on us to be great. Their whole life is based on the things that we do that we think are insignificant. It's making a huge impact for them. And so thank you for sharing the story about what your son did for you, because he you say he won't never know. Well, we're gonna let him know that we recorded this so he'll get the notice, be listed to the spot cast like yes, you made a difference for your mother?

Speaker 3: 37:03

No, he actually does. Nobody doesn't know like the impact. Yes, he does know, because I, you know, I did tell you a couple of weeks after passing. Well, you know, you told me off the other day.

Speaker 2: 37:16

Yeah, you think about it for us as parents, for those parents are listening sometimes in your kids are expressing stuff back when we're growing up. I could have, probably with my grandmother, could have never said it that way, because you don't forget who you're talking to. Well, that's changed so much that we're allowing kids, we're giving kids an opportunity to help and be smart and be intelligent. So the guard has shifted, the way we do things. That shifted and I listen to my kids more than my parents listen to me. It's shifting and changing. Some people say, well, those kids have too much to say. Well, maybe we've always had it. Yeah, maybe we could have always contributed, but we had so many boundaries and rules. I don't think everything needs to be said or everything you think needs to come out your mouth, but there's some brilliant young people here's a lot to every leader in America and they're not waiting for you to get out the way.

Speaker 2: 37:59

No that thing will wait your turn. It's not gonna work for us. That thing of command and control as a leader it's not gonna work for us. You're gonna have to figure out a way to ensure that you give people a chance to be brilliant and go for their dreams, and now they're not waiting 15 or 20 years for you to pass the baton. So please don't do that to the next leader following behind you. So I'm glad you we've done a really, really good job with everybody. What would you leave with people that are listening, especially women? What three tips would you share with women that want to be successful, whether it's as a business owner, whether it's in politics, or whether it's just been happy with themselves?

Speaker 3: 38:31

I think the first thing is to that known self be true. Yes, before you can do anything for anybody, you need to take care of you. You need to know you. You need to know what your limits are, what your you know what's that thing that was just gonna put you over the edge. I think that's the first thing is to to that known self be true, and that will help in, as I, as the millennial say, that'll help you keep it 100. Yes, yes.

Speaker 3: 39:00

That you know, because nobody can shake you, because you know you. Yes, I think the other thing is study your craft, study your craft, know you know if, now that I'm in the author space, I have spent a lot of time learning about different literary work, send publishing companies and all those things, because, ron, you know, I paid a lot of money just first go around and write this book. But some of this stuff I can do myself.

Speaker 1: 39:28

Yes, yes.

Speaker 3: 39:29

So the next one won't be that way. But that's you know. That's about studying and being, and that helps you be the best version of you for your company. Because if you're, we all start with with just ourselves and it's just our bit. You know just one employee and that's fine. But when you get to start to duplicate and have more multiple staff members, you want to have that foundation where you can say, hey, this is the one thing that sets Baron Academy apart from everyone else. And how do you do that? You know, you know your markets, you know the best practices. Study, invest in yourself, invest in your business. And then three would be strengthen your circle. And a circle, a good circle, has layers, yes, and so everybody doesn't get to be in the core of the circle.

Speaker 2: 40:21

Yes.

Speaker 3: 40:22

Yes, and that's so important social media.

Speaker 2: 40:24

It is so important because everybody thinks who's a friend on Facebook is a friend, and that's not true. Everybody's on Instagram, no, or TikTok, whatever platform you're following, everybody that's on LinkedIn. Everybody's not a friend, and everybody should be in your core circle.

Speaker 2: 40:36

So please pay attention. It's not being me, no, anything. But you don't need a core circle of 5,000 people. It's just not reality, and what you see on social media is not reality either. So be mindful. What she said is super important for all of us is where's your core circle? And it has layers. So I love that you're telling us you do need to have a circle. Let's be real. Nobody does it alone. Nobody does it alone. Please have a circle. Have some trusted advisors, have someone that you'll listen to, that when you are forced, they get to slap you around and get you back on course, because we all kind of lose our minds sometimes. Let's be real. We all get off that train track and think, please, please, have someone to say, girl, if you don't stop, this is absolute listening. You're not doing that and no, I'm not asking. No, you're not doing that. You need that person in your life as well that helps you, that you respect, that's gonna look out for you when you've lost your mind.

Speaker 3: 41:22

Yeah, yeah, so it is that you know. So with those layers you got the core. Then you know somebody in the next group, your friend, but they're not your girl. Yeah, you know. And then in those circles just keep extending themselves out and with that, what those layers help you to strengthen because they're every layer has a purpose. And so just knowing what those purposes are, and don't mix it up, because just because y'all ate and went to lunch together and y'all went to brunch and had mimosas, don't mean that that's your girl and you tell her are your business. No, it means that y'all went to lunch and y'all went to brunch and had mimosas. That's what that means. That's it.

Speaker 2: 42:03

She just not packed it for y'all. Stop tripping Everybody. Ain't your closest buddy, that's what she does.

Speaker 3: 42:08

Everybody ain't your closest buddy.

Speaker 2: 42:09

It's like your body, your hand and your foot got different use. Make sure you use it the way it's supposed to be used. So thank you for breaking it down like a woman. Could you know that ain't your girl? Okay, that's somebody you had a mimosa with, so stop blending this and confusing yourself. So, baron, thank you for coming on the show For everybody. If you're interested in the book, it's on Amazon and she gave you a lot of platforms. If someone wanted to reach out to you because you're going to be on a book tour, been public office and people watch our podcast and always looking for guests, what's the easy way for someone to make contact with you? So Amazon for your book is what I told everybody. Everybody knows Amazon, so if y'all get lost on how to find other platforms, you can find them. But if you get lost on Amazon 4G factor Gretchen Baron and order the book, but how will someone reach out to you if they want to bring you on and help you promote your book.

Speaker 3: 42:53

The best way to reach me is at the 4G factor at Gretchen. Let's get it right. I'm going to give you the wrong email address the 4G factor at GBaronConsultingcom. That is the best way if you want to reach out to me and have a chat, schedule a chat about this book, because I think that this book is. I know what I went through to get it, so I believe it's going to transform some women's lives, and some men's life for that matter. So get me now, while I'm available.

Speaker 2: 43:24

Yeah, she dropped it. So, guys, don't think this is just for women. And she'll let you know right now yeah, get it, because it can change your life as well. And so thank you for writing the book, thank you for coming on the show, thank you for being a leader in our city and making a difference in our county, and thank you for being a friend, most importantly. We met many, many years ago and we've always had a healthy Gret relationship. If I need you something, I can call. If you need it, you can call. So I appreciate that. First and foremost is the friendship, and then thanks for supporting Global Court we don't make it by ourselves and thank you for running Barron Academy, because our young people need it in our city. Anything else that you'd like to share before we close out on us?

Speaker 3: 43:58

So I just want to first thank you, ron, for you're the first person to interview me about the 4G factor. So it's a settlement, muno, get in this. And I think I can't think of a better person to have done this, because I went back and forth to my head about what's the first interview going to be like, so much that I told one person that I'm real close to I said you're going to have to interview me. I appreciate this moment because it says a lot for someone to lend their space to promote something that I'm doing. So I appreciate you. To all of you that are listening, I want you to make sure that you live every moment of your life in 4G and you keep the hot light on. Even when it seems like it's very difficult and you're not certain how this new project is going to turn out, you keep that gut and you keep grinding and you keep showing up and keep doing the small things, because it's the small things that eventually will turn into something big and something great.

Speaker 2: 45:03

Yes, yes, she gave you the 4Gs again gut grit and grinding greatness. Please, please, please. I mean, that's her motto and you've always done it ever since I've seen you. So thank you so much for everyone that's watching. Thank you all for joining us, thank you all for hanging in there with us dropping a lot of great nuggets, unpacked a lot, and we can probably have this conversation for another hour, but we're going to not do that to you because we love you to come back.

Speaker 2: 45:24

For all you that are interested and want to make contact or interested in what we do at Global Core, feel free to follow us on LinkedIn. It's the platform I use more than any other platform as LinkedIn. We also have stuff posted on social media. Mostly my professional stuff will be on LinkedIn, but you can always go to wwwgcsconsultinging, be happy to have a conversation with you, be happy to support you. We love what we do, we love serving, and thank you all for supporting us, because without you, there's no us. We're only good because the people follow us and trust us to do the work that we do. Thank you all and we look forward to you on another show of Unpacked with.

Speaker 1: 45:58

Ron Harvey. Well, we hope you enjoyed this edition of Unpacked Podcast with leadership consultant Ron Harvey. Remember to join us every Monday as Ron Unpacked's sound advice, providing real answers for real leadership challenges. Until next time, remember to add value and make a difference where you are or the people you serve, because people always matter.