Unleashing Potential: From Corporate to Creative with Wendi Blum Weiss

🌟 Welcome to another inspiring episode of the Timeless Vitality podcast! 

💡 Today, co-hosts Amber Stitt and Kate Beck sit down with Wendi Blum Weiss, a true testament to the power of professional transformation and unleashing one's potential.

🎤 In this episode, Wendi shares her incredible journey from a 25-year career in the pharmaceutical industry to becoming a successful author, coach, and speaker. 

🙌 Discover how she transitioned to a life filled with passion by helping others share their stories and unleash their potential. 

💼 Whether you're an entrepreneur, corporate employee, or someone looking for a new direction, Wendi's insights are sure to inspire and motivate you.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Embracing Change: Learn how Wendi left a stable corporate career to pursue a more fulfilling path in her late 40s and early 50s.
2. Power of Community: Understand the importance of collaboration, community, and partnerships in achieving professional success.
3. Overcoming Fear: Listen to Wendi's personal experiences of conquering fear and stepping into new roles, such as speaking on stage alongside Chris Everett.
4. Creating a Legacy: Discover why Wendi believes everyone can and should share their story to leave a lasting legacy.
5. Unleash Academy: Get an inside look at Wendi’s latest venture, the Unleash Academy, and how it’s helping individuals from various walks of life realize their full potential.

Memorable Quotes:

• "It's just beginning. This phase of life is just beginning." - Wendi Blum Weiss
• "You just start doing one thing. You say yes to one thing that's out of something that you're really comfortable with in a whole different lane. And then doors just start to open." - Wendi Blum Weiss
• "We are ageless, timeless, boundless, and limitless." - Wendi Blum Weiss

📽️ To watch the video podcast: https://youtu.be/VywvYgvyqTc

📻 Join us in this transformational conversation and explore the limitless possibilities that await when you dare to unleash your potential!

🔗 Connect with Wendi Blum Weiss:

Website: WendiBlum.com

Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

💬 Want to Be Part of the Unleash Academy? Interested in joining the Unleash Academy or learning more about collaborative book projects? Please visit Wendi's website and follow the links to find out more.

📚 Additional Resources: For more inspiring stories and actionable insights, check out our previous episodes and subscribe to our podcast for weekly updates.

🔗 Contact Amber and Kate:

Visit our Website: Timeless Vitality Website

👍 Your journey to thrive beyond 100 starts today!

#TimelessVitality #ProfessionalTransformation #AmberStitt #KateBeck #WendiBlumWeiss #UnleashPotential #AuthorCoach #PersonalGrowth #CommunityBuilding #OvercomingFear

TVep16

Transcript

Kate Beck  [00:00:03]:
Welcome to the Timeless Vitality podcast where co-hosts Kate Beck and Amber Stitt explore the unique journeys, inspiring stories, and timeless wisdom of those who embody vitality and resilience.

Amber Stitt [00:00:17]:
Together, we discover what it means to thrive well beyond 100, sharing insights that empower you to live with purpose and create a lasting legacy.

Kate Beck  [00:00:27]:
Let's get started with today's episode.

Amber Stitt [00:00:30]:
Hello and welcome to the Timeless Vitality podcast. I am your host for today, Amber Stitt with my co-host, Kate Beck.

Kate Beck  [00:00:38]:
Welcome. Thanks for joining us.

Amber Stitt [00:00:40]:
And today we welcome Wendi Blum Weiss to the show today. Welcome, Wendi.

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:00:44]:
I'm so happy to be here.

Amber Stitt [00:00:46]:
So, Wendi, you are an author, a coach, a speaker, involved in your community, multiple communities, and we are so excited to have you on the show today. For the listeners that haven't met you yet, can you tell the audience what are you up to? What's the day in the life of Wendi?

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:01:02]:
Well, I'm going to have to start with where I came from and the only world that I knew before I became a speaker and a coach and an author and all these other things. I worked in the corporate world for 25 years. I come from the pharmaceutical industry, so it's pinch me that I get to do what I love with people that I love working with today. So today as an author and coach, what I'm most passionate about is helping other people use their voice and share their story and unleash their message to make an impact in the world. And I had always felt like a piece was missing. And now, as I declare very proudly of being an entrepreneur, I get to work with extraordinary men and women from around the globe. And I founded a speakers and coaches society and also the coaching business and my new partnership with Patricia Wooster, which I'm sure you know, we'll talk a little bit more about to help people publish their books and become bestselling authors. And I feel like it's just beginning.

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:02:10]:
This phase of life is just beginning.

Amber Stitt [00:02:12]:
I love that you say that. And selfishly, we wanted you on to talk more about that selfishly in a way of encouragement. We want people to know 40 plus, that might just be the beginning of one or two or multiple things. And you had a big change from age 50 even to age 60. Can we talk about completely leaving the pharmaceutical corporate world? You had other things happening and like you say, "It's just the beginning." Can you share what you mean by that?

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:02:37]:
Well, so I remember the very first time I started on a personal growth path and I had never thought about anything other than working in the corporate world. I really wasn't around or knew too many people that were doing anything differently on the creative side of things, or really entrepreneurial. And then when I started on that path, I started to meet new people and be part of new communities. And then new ideas started to drop in. And one of them was...two, actually. One was to write a book. I was like, "Wow." Like, even the thought of that, it was like, "Wow," I can become an author.

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:03:16]:
Like, hmm, that's very interesting. And then the second idea was to become a speaker. And I'll never forget the day I was in the audience and our vice president was on the stage speaking to an auditorium filled with management salespeople. And they were doing their thing. You know, we had these very large corporate meetings twice a year. And in that moment, I just flipped the script and I saw myself on the stage speaking and I saw her in the audience. So that just became an opening. I was so intrigued by that that you can change your life at any time, that you can change your career.

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:04:01]:
And then I just started taking some small baby steps towards doing so.

Amber Stitt [00:04:07]:
Because life was good. It wasn't like, "Oh, I really don't like this and I'm not making the money that I want to make." I mean, life was good, but you envisioned something and there was a connection there. Did you always have this will to succeed? I mean, is some of that from growing up and wanting more? Do you think there was a little bit of a backstory, or was it always just in there?

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:04:26]:
No, it wasn't. It was not in there. Until my late 40s, I felt sort of like I was living somebody else's life. And although I have the utmost respect for my 25 year career and all of the people that I worked with, but I felt like something was missing, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. And then when I started to read books and I always went to medical conferences, right? So I went to an entrepreneurial conference and it really blew my mind. I was like, who are these people and what is going on here? And they were talking about that you can change your life and change your career and really open your mind up to do new things. And I thought it was interesting.

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:05:11]:
Now, I will say, though, to your point, which is an excellent question, because I bet a lot of your listeners may have had an experience like this as well. I always had a side hustle, so I come from a very conservative industry, so I needed a creative outlet. And so I started to put inspirational messages on T-shirts. So that was like my play. But then I started to actually make an income from that, and it was really rewarding. So I started to kind of veer off on that path and to experiment.

Amber Stitt [00:05:45]:
With that, you put some...not guardrails on it, but you created some safe space to be creative. You needed that. But then financially, it wasn't just like completely just jumping in. It gave you more confidence. Would you say that having that side business is baby stepping in?

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:06:01]:
Sure. Well, I consider myself a strategist. So, I always thought about growing my career, like climbing that corporate ladder. And when I started to lean into making these T-shirts, I was just paying attention. I'll never forget the day that I got a phone call from someone who asked me when I was coming out with my new line. I had a lot of different messages on the T-shirts. And she said, I have all of your T-shirts, but I don't wear them.

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:06:30]:
And then, of course, I said, "You don't?" She goes, "Oh, no. I hang them around my room and I read them." And that became an A-ha moment where I decided to take all of the messages I put on T-shirts that were inspired by people's stories. So I shared the quote, or the inspirational message and then the story, and that became my very first book.

Amber Stitt [00:06:55]:
That was amazing.

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:06:56]:
So, but I did kind of stair step in. I realized that I could make a career of some sort. I didn't know if it was going to be the T-shirts per se, but you just start doing one thing. You say yes to one thing that's out of something that you're really comfortable with in a whole different lane. And then doors just start to open.

Amber Stitt [00:07:19]:
It's trusting that things that you're noticing these ideas, trusting in that it's supposed to be happening to you, and it's okay. Yeah.

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:07:27]:
It felt good. I was having fun.

Kate Beck  [00:07:29]:
It's almost like these T-shirts were the catalyst to this purposeful endeavor that it launched into. And because you were open and coachable, you said, "Yes." You said yes to this path. And sometimes those paths come and they have a lot of trees in the way. You might have to get your gardening out and make a way, but you created your own path for yourself and for others.

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:07:51]:
You know, it's just allowing it to be. And the messages, actually that I was writing, I didn't understand at the time. This was when I was in my late 40s. I started with these T-shirts, and I was writing messages like, "I am strong, powerful, courageous, and fearless." And from that, what I was doing is I was awakening that part of me. I was starting to think about that and then I was becoming that.

Amber Stitt [00:08:15]:
Okay, so I feel like the late 40s to 50s, you are really finding yourself. Do you think that allowed for you to know who you could partner with in this next venture with Patricia?

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:08:26]:
I knew right away though I didn't want to do anything alone. So I always thought about community, collaboration, and connection. So right out of the gate, even when I first started, I was asked to speak at an event and then I partnered with the organizers of the event. So I learned early on that the way that you can reach more people and to have fun and to actually get a lot more done is to partner with other people that are like minded. So, years later, now this phase of life, and I call this phase the 60s, like at 60 it was a whole other new rebirth. At 50 is when I resigned. At 60 is when I've had this new rebirth and I feel like it's just the beginning. The ages between 60 and 70 can be the greatest decade of your life.

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:09:16]:
So I'm very excited about all of the new things, including a brand new business that I've created with my now business partner, Patricia Wooster, where we help entrepreneurs, creatives, business owners, speakers, coaches, either write their book, or become a co-author collaborator in a book. So it's a whole built-in community and also to speak on stages and start getting their message out. Instead of one-to-one, one-to-many.

Amber Stitt [00:09:48]:
Yeah, Kate, it's like the 50s to 60s, she's saying it's just the beginning. I mean, how many people do we run into and they just think by 70, when we're helping them with their planning, or partnering, or you're hearing them retire, it's like, let's bust this myth. I mean, that's part of the reason we wanted this series of messages to go out to people so they can feel it and see others doing the work and having fun.

Kate Beck  [00:10:10]:
I specialize in the transition to Medicare and I am telling you, I am blown away and inspired by each person that I meet on a daily basis. I mean, many people are sharing with me books that they're reading or they're living in the blue zone and they've decided in their 60s that they're not going to drive to work, or to the grocery store anymore. They're actually going to ride their bike, or walk, and be more mindful about what it is that they're purchasing because it's going in their body and how that's affecting the environment. And this can lead down a whole path, all the way down to food composting. But it is such an inspiration on a daily basis when I get to visit and meet with people in the community.

Amber Stitt [00:10:47]:
And Wendi, you guys, your partners because you have Patricia, but you've also done other events and a lot of different things. You're not just speaking to the entrepreneur, it could be the employee because you were going creative while you were in corporate. Can we talk about why it's important to maybe go to your industry event like you did the medical conferences, but you still need the personal side?

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:11:10]:
We need both. And you know, like I had mentioned that I had a side hustle. I mean that actually infuses energy into your career, into your profession. We're not just one-sided. I remember going into a bank and the banker was just like so upbeat and had the best personality. So this is what I said to him. I said, "What else do you do in your free time as a banker?" He goes, "At night I'm a musician."

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:11:39]:
I said, "Of course you are." There's no reason why in today's world we just have to be in one lane. We can do different things. And I think that it's really open, especially with technology. It's a creator economy right now. I think everybody should have a book. I think everybody should share their story, should share their expertise, especially a professional, a doctor, a lawyer, a financial analyst.

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:12:09]:
I think they all should have a book and they can tell their story. They get to leave their legacy. They get to share their life lessons from their unique perspective. And they never know where like one book changes somebody's life.

Amber Stitt [00:12:24]:
Yeah.

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:12:24]:
So why not? Because we can do these things. We can do both. We can be a best selling author and we can be a lawyer at the same time.

Amber Stitt [00:12:32]:
And we talk about pearls of wisdom on the show, the empowerment. The community is big because in order to have resilience as you face things, if you can go back to the community, that book, that voice. I think sometimes people feel like if they don't have something traumatic happening, they can't write about it. But everyone's story matters. I know you're a big advocate on that.

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:12:50]:
Yeah, I am. And to share their expertise, like why they do what they do and all the life lessons. If you're a doctor for 25 years, you have a lot of case studies and stories and you've seen a lot, experienced a lot, and you can share those stories, the reader is going to read that story, and it's going to make a difference in their life. So I always say, instead of always, "Why?" Like, "Why not?"

Amber Stitt [00:13:17]:
I think you've written about that, too. Like, why not me? You know, why shouldn't I be doing this? And you talk about the growth of being a human being. It's just this evolution, and we got to keep after it and keep learning and evolving. And stories definitely can help, but, you know, going out and seeing others that inspire, but you get to meet a lot of people. You've been global, too. And if you can build your business around wherever you want to go, I mean, there's freedom in that, too. And I know you've done some of that.

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:13:43]:
Yeah, why not? I toured and spoke throughout Bali, Indonesia, you know, so why can't you do those things? You just have to declare that you're doing them and then start reaching out so you have some contacts. But first you have to have, you know, the idea that it's possible to do it. And lo and behold, there it was, you know, opportunity came knocking. And of course, why not go? Why not do that?

Kate Beck  [00:14:10]:
I'm curious about what the biggest challenge that you overcame. Was there an ongoing message or problem or opportunity to overcome something that constantly came up in all of these transitions?

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:14:22]:
Yeah, there's always fear, so there's always the voice that's inside of your head that compares to maybe I'm not good enough, or who am I to do these things? So the voice keeps coming up. I just remember, and I was just talking to somebody last night who was at the hospital that I spoke on stage with Chris Everett. Here I was. I was calling on this hospital, and now it's reversed, and now I'm a speaker for a major women's center that they are opening a wing of the hospital, and I am speaking, and it's Chris Everett. I didn't sleep for three weeks. I mean, I was like, "What if I screw up? How can I go after Chris Everett? Like, how can I do that?" Anyway, so I had a lot that I had to do to mentally give myself permission and say it's okay. You know, just the fact that you're doing it at all. And it doesn't have to be perfect.

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:15:18]:
It's not altering, although it, you know, it is personally. But, you know, there's a lot of questioning that goes on because every time you are taking a step or a leap in another direction, it comes up. So you have to constantly be working through those things.

Amber Stitt [00:15:34]:
Well, I appreciate your vulnerability on that and I know that when you work with your clients, the clients that work with you, they love that you can share that message. And we're not alone in that. It's funny. I don't know why our brains do that. Probably even worse now with social media, you know, that imposter syndrome that we can have. But if we all have some of that little tugging noise, if you will, that's where our community, if we need to, can help push us out of that funk. And so with the most recent projects you have, that's part of what you've been working on, is to make sure people have a place to trial and error together. Can we talk a little bit about the communities now? What are you seeing as the fruit of that?

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:16:10]:
Yeah, so we just launched the Unleash Academy. And this community, it's brand new, it's in the infancy. Four months old. And yet the shares and...first off, people from all walks of life, men and women, every decade, every age bracket, every background we have an Harvard trained attorney, someone that's retired from a big medical profession, everything under the sun, a chef, artist, a singer, all different professions coming together. Because I think when you cross pollinate across industries, you learn even more because you're kind of attuned already to your industry and so there's some little nuances where you can pick up some fresh new ideas to bring into your industry, as well. So yeah, I think community and connection and the opportunity for collaborations are everything.

Amber Stitt [00:17:13]:
Okay. I know I can appreciate being part of the community, which we are, because we can't really go back to our financial services and really find that mojo. It's not always there for us. We need a different community to definitely help see all walks of life so we can find that way to bring the message and that really helps me segue to asking you, you've met so many people, you've had different stages. What makes somebody timeless, or something timeless?

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:17:38]:
Oh, you know, when we look at the scope of life, the people that have come before us and those that are going to come after us, that we leave some sort of soul print out into the ethers. And one of the shirts that I created is "My destiny is to be and to remember." I'm just adding that part in "to remember" is that we are ageless, timeless, boundless, and limitless. And I would put that T-shirt on as a reminder. Otherwise we feel like we don't have enough time and we feel like we're fighting against the clock. But truly we are Timeless. Because time is a state of mind. We just need to see the role models that are doing it at all stages.

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:18:28]:
My role models these days are people in their 90s and people 105, 107. You know, like you said, Kate, thinking all the way up to 200, we have to break through the barriers of our mind and to say that's possible. So I think we are timeless. I agree with you.

Kate Beck  [00:18:46]:
Thank you, I love it.

Amber Stitt [00:18:48]:
Kate, I feel like you two are going to collaborate and go plant in a garden and create your little coffee table books.

Kate Beck  [00:18:54]:
Planting seeds of peace. When Amber asked me to be on her podcast, before Timeless was even had a name, I was a guest on Amber's podcast. And planting seeds of peace and cultivating confidence have been a mantra that we continue to keep saying. And it came up organically. And Wendi, you're part of this garden, this beautiful garden that we're growing and it's starting out locally. We're all little seeds of peace all around the nation. It's becoming global and it's purposeful with intention. And I just love that you had the energy and the courage to show up today for us and for yourself and for our listeners.

Kate Beck  [00:19:34]:
It was really fun.

Amber Stitt [00:19:35]:
So, Kate, we'll take our local farmers market. So we're going global, baby.

Kate Beck  [00:19:39]:
We're going global. Yes. With the voice. Our coffee table book of planting seeds of peace and cultivating confidence and trust trees. Trust trees so you can sway in the wind.

Amber Stitt [00:19:53]:
Wendi, you'll hear about that. And if you haven't already on previous episodes.

Kate Beck  [00:19:58]:
Yes. So, Wendi, how can we find you?

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:20:01]:
Well, first, I changed the spelling of my name. So I'm Wendi with an "i". So Wendi Blum. Like plum, but with a "B". So Wendi Blum and Wendi Blum Weiss and you know, all the social media channels and YouTube and website and...yeah, easy to find.

Amber Stitt [00:20:19]:
Well, and if people want to be involved. Are you guys still taking new members for Unleash Academy?

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:20:25]:
We're taking members on an ongoing basis for the Academy. So we'd love to have you in our community. If this message is resonating with you, we'd love to have you.

Kate Beck  [00:20:35]:
And these books, these collaborative books, books that we're all participating in. How do we share about the application method to see if you can be approved?

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:20:42]:
There's a link that we can send. It's not an easy to say URL, so the link you can post in the show notes, but for the application and we would get on a call with you.

Amber Stitt [00:20:54]:
Awesome. Well, thank you for being here and we will be seeing more of you personally. But for all the listeners that just have to know you and be motivated, I know they will be. So we really appreciate you being on the show today.

Wendi Blum Weiss [00:21:07]:
Thank you so much for having me, Kate and Amber.

Kate Beck  [00:21:10]:
Thank you for joining us on the Timeless Vitality podcast. We hope today's episode has inspired you to embrace the journey of thriving well beyond 100.

Amber Stitt [00:21:19]:
Remember, your story is still unfolding and every step you take adds to the timeless legacy you are creating. Until next time, stay vibrant, stay empowered, and continue living with purpose.

Kate Beck  [00:21:31]:
We'll see you on the next episode!