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How Long Does It Take to Become Famous? Featuring Maria Rosati

Maria Rosati is the founder and CEO of Eminence Communications – a boutique advisory working with change makers to build brands and corporate reputations.

We discuss:

  • How to [re]embrace your individualism [02:40]
  • The people that [don’t] want to be a cog in the wheel [05:30]
  • A mental equation to help you know if entrepreneurship is for you [08:38]
  • Women in corporate communication who are past the age of 60 [10:20]
  • What it feels like to take control of your destiny [13:11]
  • When entrepreneurs should turn the lights out and shut the door [15:47]
  • The power of community to test your idea [17:58]
  • The difference between having the business come to you through referrals versus selling [20:19]
  • Right and wrong ways to build a personal brand [21:54]

Learn more about Maria at www.eminencenyc.com and LinkedIn.

Transcript
Maria Rosati:

A lot of people say, how long till I'm famous

Maria Rosati:

And I'm like, you can't quantify it.

Maria Rosati:

It's just like me saying my business, putting a timeline that, five years

Maria Rosati:

It doesn't work that way is something that.

Maria Rosati:

It's a constant on dedication.

Maria Rosati:

So I always say, ask Serena Williams.

Maria Rosati:

when she thought she was gonna win her first grand slam as Harry styles,

David Shriner-Cahn:

welcome to smashing the plateau.

David Shriner-Cahn:

We help you get on stuck so you can do what you love and get paid.

David Shriner-Cahn:

What you're worth consistently.

David Shriner-Cahn:

I'm your host, David Schreiner con.

David Shriner-Cahn:

Today on smashing the plateau.

David Shriner-Cahn:

I'm speaking with the CEO and founder of eminence communications, Maria Rosati.

David Shriner-Cahn:

When you're selling your own services, you're trying to become

David Shriner-Cahn:

In today's episode of smashing the plateau, Maria shares how to promote your

David Shriner-Cahn:

Stay with us to hear all of the details.

David Shriner-Cahn:

Maria discusses the importance of testing your ideas.

David Shriner-Cahn:

An easy place to test.

David Shriner-Cahn:

New ideas is in a community of supportive like-minded colleagues.

David Shriner-Cahn:

As a member of the smashing, the plateau community you'll have access

David Shriner-Cahn:

You'll also find a range of tools and resources to support your

David Shriner-Cahn:

If you're committed to getting your consulting business, to grow on your

David Shriner-Cahn:

I invite you to apply to become a member of the smashing the plateau community.

David Shriner-Cahn:

Learn more@smashingtheplateau.com.

David Shriner-Cahn:

Now let's welcome, Maria Rosa.

David Shriner-Cahn:

Maria is the founder and CEO of eminence communications, a boutique advisory,

David Shriner-Cahn:

Maria, welcome to the show.

Maria Rosati:

Thank you, David.

Maria Rosati:

Nice to be

David Shriner-Cahn:

here, Maria, how did you learn to embrace your individualism

Maria Rosati:

Yeah, it's a very good question, David.

Maria Rosati:

I think embracing individualism is a lot about resilience and I consider

Maria Rosati:

But, I think it is really hard when you are inside of it, now we're

Maria Rosati:

Being authentic.

Maria Rosati:

So I feel like post COVID, being authentic and being individual is more embraced than

Maria Rosati:

And so that was one of my choices of wanting to start my own consultancy

Maria Rosati:

That was my path was, striking out on my own.

Maria Rosati:

Really let me sit back and understand my value and how I could help others.

Maria Rosati:

And, I'd have to think a little more and a little more detail, how you

Maria Rosati:

But I would say in a corporate world, It's always about reinvention.

Maria Rosati:

some of us who've had the same job for 5, 6, 7 years, same titles,

Maria Rosati:

So it's always trying to reinvent that role on a daily basis, can I add

Maria Rosati:

I want to value that because at some point you're going to leave the company.

Maria Rosati:

So it's about being true to yourself and always reinventing.

Maria Rosati:

So they, your skillset and how you feel about yourself is a lot stronger

David Shriner-Cahn:

How long have you been in your own business?

Maria Rosati:

I have been in my own business for about three years.

Maria Rosati:

I took a little time, from the corporate world to decompress

Maria Rosati:

And then I started my business formerly in 2019.

David Shriner-Cahn:

And were you an employee for your

David Shriner-Cahn:

Yes.

David Shriner-Cahn:

Yeah.

David Shriner-Cahn:

It's interesting this whole concept of embracing your personal brand in

David Shriner-Cahn:

like you many people feel constrained to be able to be proactive about

David Shriner-Cahn:

And, you mentioned also that at some point you're going to,

David Shriner-Cahn:

How did you feel all those years as an employee about embracing

David Shriner-Cahn:

The employer, employee relationship generally doesn't last forever.

David Shriner-Cahn:

Yes.

Maria Rosati:

So yes.

Maria Rosati:

And we both can testify to that.

Maria Rosati:

But what I would say is, for years, I started my career in PR at a PR agency.

Maria Rosati:

I was taught one of the things, I guess that helped me early on was in my writing.

Maria Rosati:

there's different writing skills for different clients.

Maria Rosati:

So some of our clients want more creative, flowery writing.

Maria Rosati:

Others wanted more.

Maria Rosati:

business gets straight to it.

Maria Rosati:

And so you learn to adapt to each client.

Maria Rosati:

And that's also very, part of my personality, I'm always questioning

Maria Rosati:

And I think that's a topic that's a whole nother topic that's

Maria Rosati:

so I'm the type of person that has always said, why are we doing it this way?

Maria Rosati:

for many years it was like, Shut up, go along with everyone else.

Maria Rosati:

Just do, as you're told, my last job, I was older, I wanted

Maria Rosati:

And I felt like the role I had, I was just a cog in a wheel.

Maria Rosati:

And so I knew that I wanted something greater and I didn't feel fulfilled.

Maria Rosati:

And I knew that my company had a short shelf life.

Maria Rosati:

And so I knew it was a matter of years before a decision would be

Maria Rosati:

So with that, Started doing is, reaching out to vendors

Maria Rosati:

But I also started adopting certain skills that I wanted, that I saw are

Maria Rosati:

And so I wanted to learn more about, so I just built a network to help me do

Maria Rosati:

But again, it all goes into individualism.

Maria Rosati:

Resiliency, but that's me is so I'm pushing the boundaries.

Maria Rosati:

your show is for entrepreneurs, solo foreigners, not everyone is a preneur

Maria Rosati:

but I would say probably most solopreneurs entrepreneurs have some sort of.

Maria Rosati:

Pushing the brown is resiliency.

Maria Rosati:

Individual is, already as part of their personality.

David Shriner-Cahn:

I agree with you wholeheartedly that not everyone

David Shriner-Cahn:

There's some big differences between being an employee and being an entrepreneur.

David Shriner-Cahn:

even if you're staying in the same discipline, the way

David Shriner-Cahn:

And I wonder what your thoughts are about particularly.

David Shriner-Cahn:

If you've been an employee for a long time, how do you know whether being

David Shriner-Cahn:

whether you'll be better off as an entrepreneur or not there,

David Shriner-Cahn:

But how do you know whether being an entrepreneur is right

Maria Rosati:

So here's the, medical equation that I went through.

Maria Rosati:

And hopefully this helps other people that are considering being

Maria Rosati:

I am in my mid fifties and I looked around and I didn't see a lot of.

Maria Rosati:

Senior women and corporate communications.

Maria Rosati:

And so I said, I could go to a lateral role or, a little bit of a, get a

Maria Rosati:

And so the risks reward for me.

Maria Rosati:

Was I rather start off slow and build a business that I can run effectively

Maria Rosati:

So I maybe have another 20 years left, maybe even 25 where I see most of my

Maria Rosati:

so that was my risk reward.

Maria Rosati:

I think it, you have to consider that I also came from my

Maria Rosati:

He was a optometrist.

Maria Rosati:

So I saw what it was to run your own business.

Maria Rosati:

And I think it was always something that was programmed in me.

Maria Rosati:

I just didn't know when I was going to launch it.

Maria Rosati:

And the stars aligned, I had the opportunity and I ran.

David Shriner-Cahn:

going back to what you just said about look, looking

David Shriner-Cahn:

What did you see happening to those women when their past age, the age of 60?

Maria Rosati:

I didn't see any of them.

Maria Rosati:

Yes.

Maria Rosati:

They get moved down.

Maria Rosati:

the few women that were around, I saw them, the careers where

Maria Rosati:

it was, everything they lived in brief work.

Maria Rosati:

I don't think that's a good answer.

Maria Rosati:

I tend to see also a lot of women that are the few that are

Maria Rosati:

And so they dedicate more time to their work.

Maria Rosati:

But honestly, I just didn't see a lot of women and I.

Maria Rosati:

The pandemic has definitely made more of a change because

Maria Rosati:

We need more of a work-life balance.

Maria Rosati:

And that's what I don't see with senior women that are still around past age

Maria Rosati:

and I just, in general, corporate America, there's a lot of old

Maria Rosati:

So that's not.

Maria Rosati:

Read the chilies and said, you know what, let's just go now and start

David Shriner-Cahn:

It also sounds like you have a lot of patients

David Shriner-Cahn:

you just mentioned your plan to be doing this for 20, 25 years or maybe more.

David Shriner-Cahn:

And what I'm hearing for you also is that you're realizing that it takes

David Shriner-Cahn:

And it sounds like you have the patience to do it as.

Maria Rosati:

Yep.

Maria Rosati:

And, I had a roadmap coming out, I've talked to some other solo preneurs that

Maria Rosati:

And I'm like, I don't know, business books you've read.

Maria Rosati:

But when I came out, I got a line of credit from a bank and I had to

Maria Rosati:

But I knew that, I was going to take a step back salary wise and year one to.

Maria Rosati:

Three and probably a year three would be breakeven and go and beyond.

Maria Rosati:

So I was fine with that again, because I see a longevity of twenty-five plus

Maria Rosati:

And.

Maria Rosati:

But solitary, you can play at age 91.

Maria Rosati:

And so I don't want to retirement that looks like that either.

Maria Rosati:

I'd rather work, but other people might not feel that way.

Maria Rosati:

And they'd rather take the money and maybe retire at 75.

Maria Rosati:

So it's, all in what makes you happy?

David Shriner-Cahn:

Let's talk a little bit about what actually it looks like.

David Shriner-Cahn:

Control over your destiny, like you've done.

David Shriner-Cahn:

How does that feel?

David Shriner-Cahn:

especially right at the beginning, when you first opened

Maria Rosati:

it feels amazing.

Maria Rosati:

And it's funny because earlier today I shared a post on LinkedIn about

Maria Rosati:

Rejiggered and that it's old and stale and broken.

Maria Rosati:

And, just thinking of that, every year, the performance review and

Maria Rosati:

What's my promotion, what's my bonus.

Maria Rosati:

And it's also, I find highly biased.

Maria Rosati:

And so it's just refreshing to know that.

Maria Rosati:

I made control.

Maria Rosati:

I can run this as long as I want it also, it really changes your

Maria Rosati:

Clients are hiring me for me.

Maria Rosati:

So I'm sure all of your listeners, that's what people are buying

Maria Rosati:

So it's just so much more fulfilling.

Maria Rosati:

Then, just being part of a function and, just because you're part of our 5 cents

David Shriner-Cahn:

Yeah.

David Shriner-Cahn:

I'd love to hear a little bit about your process for.

David Shriner-Cahn:

Being able to sell yourself, creating your personal brand and selling yourself.

David Shriner-Cahn:

Because one of the challenges that I hear from so many people when they go

David Shriner-Cahn:

They're always people who need you.

David Shriner-Cahn:

You don't have to go out and.

David Shriner-Cahn:

And look for, not going out and look looking for work.

David Shriner-Cahn:

The work is always coming to you and you have this built in social

David Shriner-Cahn:

So you always have people to talk to, especially if you're working on

David Shriner-Cahn:

Then you go out on your own.

David Shriner-Cahn:

Initially for many people, they don't have any business at first,

David Shriner-Cahn:

And so their inbox is empty.

David Shriner-Cahn:

The calendar's empty.

David Shriner-Cahn:

They have no social structure because that's gone.

David Shriner-Cahn:

Your quote, unquote, friends from work are ghosting you because you've left.

David Shriner-Cahn:

they're all sorts of reasons why that happened.

David Shriner-Cahn:

But you spend a lot of time alone and you have to get up and market

David Shriner-Cahn:

And it can feel really daunting.

David Shriner-Cahn:

And then all these hours that you spend alone make the lack of

David Shriner-Cahn:

And it sounds like you embraced being able to create your personal brand and sell it.

David Shriner-Cahn:

So I'd love to hear a little bit about how you.

David Shriner-Cahn:

Sure.

Maria Rosati:

like I had mentioned, I had been stagnated in my career

Maria Rosati:

I was there for 12 years.

Maria Rosati:

So I would say the last three, I really, wasn't personally growing

Maria Rosati:

So when I came out, I just continued those conversations.

Maria Rosati:

But the path that originally, I thought it was going down or who I thought

Maria Rosati:

But yeah.

Maria Rosati:

I also realized that I'm a natural sales person.

Maria Rosati:

Then I could just talk to people and they're like, okay,

Maria Rosati:

tell me more.

Maria Rosati:

So it came very easy to me, but I would say anyone that's considering

Maria Rosati:

And you're let go.

Maria Rosati:

And then, you got to start your business, but you say it's something that's already

Maria Rosati:

You already have a network of people that buy in.

Maria Rosati:

And buy into you as a talent to represent that idea.

Maria Rosati:

So it's just tapping into that and it just keeps growing.

Maria Rosati:

David, do you have an organization to help entrepreneurs grow

Maria Rosati:

And I also did a lot of networking.

Maria Rosati:

I'm a part of an organization for C-suite females to build their network

Maria Rosati:

So that's been, really grateful for me to build my business, but I'm constantly out

Maria Rosati:

If you're an entrepreneur and you're waiting for people to come to you,

Maria Rosati:

So it's seizing those opportunities.

Maria Rosati:

you have to be out there.

Maria Rosati:

and that's what I did.

Maria Rosati:

I was

David Shriner-Cahn:

out there.

David Shriner-Cahn:

Yeah.

David Shriner-Cahn:

T tell me a little bit about how you can tap into the power of a community.

David Shriner-Cahn:

Cause you mentioned that you're part of chief, how do you tap into the

Maria Rosati:

Like I said, as a professional network to connect C-suite

Maria Rosati:

So that's what it was originally designed for.

Maria Rosati:

But, we used to have a slack channel.

Maria Rosati:

We have an intranet.

Maria Rosati:

Their premises, you have a core meeting, they designed a forum for you and you

Maria Rosati:

That's facilitated by an executive coach.

Maria Rosati:

So it's just the national network.

Maria Rosati:

early on someone introduced me to lunch club, which is also an online network

Maria Rosati:

Of course.

Maria Rosati:

I also, when I work with a lot of my clients are startups or

Maria Rosati:

If you don't tell people, they don't know what you're selling.

Maria Rosati:

So one of the things you have to do is tell people what you offer.

Maria Rosati:

So a lot of my clients wanted to be on board service and I'm like,

Maria Rosati:

So it all goes back to the more you tell people, I've done very little

Maria Rosati:

And the last thing I will say is that is part of their job.

Maria Rosati:

As an entrepreneur.

Maria Rosati:

I see three buckets servicing.

Maria Rosati:

Building my reputation, which is, a good example of being on the

Maria Rosati:

So those are the three buckets that every entrepreneur should

David Shriner-Cahn:

So what's the difference between having

David Shriner-Cahn:

Like you just described through referrals versus selling versus talking about.

David Shriner-Cahn:

I can, what are the different, these sounds like there are

David Shriner-Cahn:

Yeah.

Maria Rosati:

And they are distinct steps.

Maria Rosati:

They sound a little like you're asking, how did they differentiate?

Maria Rosati:

But it's being at a cocktail party.

Maria Rosati:

It's being out with friends at a dinner and there might be

Maria Rosati:

People say, what do you do?

Maria Rosati:

And then I tell them, and then I tell a little bit about the importance of it.

Maria Rosati:

And they're like, oh, what, can you help me with this?

Maria Rosati:

Or I know someone or, and so that's how it starts.

Maria Rosati:

So it's not bragging to some people, feel, and that's another

Maria Rosati:

There is no bragging.

Maria Rosati:

It's just talking about what your value proposition is.

Maria Rosati:

So what, again, the more people you tell, what you offer and the need you

Maria Rosati:

So

David Shriner-Cahn:

when you meet somebody new and they say, Maria, what do you do?

David Shriner-Cahn:

What's your.

Maria Rosati:

I tell them that I build personal brands and I build

Maria Rosati:

And then they usually ask me, what's the personal brands.

Maria Rosati:

And I go on about how it's about asserting your individuality and.

Maria Rosati:

Setting you apart, but the whole basis behind any find a brand and

Maria Rosati:

So the more you're known commodity, the more people seek you out, either for

David Shriner-Cahn:

What are some ways that people build

Maria Rosati:

I mean doing it in the wrong way.

Maria Rosati:

some people don't go into it with a philanthropic mindset.

Maria Rosati:

there are some people that do it for wealth or fame or, for an inauthentic.

Maria Rosati:

Good.

Maria Rosati:

And I think when it's authentic and natural, People know that and

Maria Rosati:

And the people that are doing it more for vanity, eventually

David Shriner-Cahn:

Yeah.

David Shriner-Cahn:

What's an example of somebody who is building a personal

Maria Rosati:

is someone that's building a personal brand in the right way.

Maria Rosati:

You stumped me on that one.

Maria Rosati:

Yeah.

Maria Rosati:

I think, like I said, it's what I'm doing.

Maria Rosati:

It's, it's marketing for yourself.

Maria Rosati:

It's networking for yourself and it's servicing clients.

Maria Rosati:

one of the things I will say about building a personal brand is a lot

Maria Rosati:

You can't quantify it.

Maria Rosati:

It's just like me saying my business, putting a timeline that, five years

Maria Rosati:

It doesn't work that way.

Maria Rosati:

It is something that.

Maria Rosati:

It's a constant on dedication.

Maria Rosati:

So I always say, ask Serena Williams, when she thought she was gonna win

Maria Rosati:

And they were doing it for 12, 15 years before anyone even knew who they are.

Maria Rosati:

And that's the same dedication of being a solopreneur, building a

Maria Rosati:

It's a multi-year commitment.

Maria Rosati:

This is not something that's five years, one and

David Shriner-Cahn:

done.

David Shriner-Cahn:

This is I always say a breakthrough is when somebody else notices

David Shriner-Cahn:

Yes.

Maria Rosati:

Yes, exactly.

Maria Rosati:

That's what, I'm fun.

Maria Rosati:

Someone finally notices.

Maria Rosati:

And to that point, one of the things you ask who's done it well, and I don't

Maria Rosati:

So how do things go viral or how does someone notice, if

Maria Rosati:

you're just a book just came out, they read something you put

Maria Rosati:

And then people finally start to notice.

Maria Rosati:

And that's the aha.

David Shriner-Cahn:

Well said, Maria, is there anything else

Maria Rosati:

I think you've asked some really great questions.

Maria Rosati:

And the only thing I would say to the listeners is, I think now is a better

Maria Rosati:

the, where we're trying to remove all the stigma.

Maria Rosati:

this is mental health awareness month, stigmas against a lot of biases

Maria Rosati:

And so I just say, embrace yourself and get out there.

David Shriner-Cahn:

Sounds great, Maria, I want to thank you so

David Shriner-Cahn:

Somebody wants to go deeper with anything we've discussed

David Shriner-Cahn:

Access any resources you have.

David Shriner-Cahn:

Where's the best.

Maria Rosati:

Sure.

Maria Rosati:

So I would say the best place to find me is on LinkedIn, under Maria

Maria Rosati:

Or you can email me@mrosatiateminencenyc.com.

David Shriner-Cahn:

My guest today has been the founder and CEO of

David Shriner-Cahn:

Thank you so much for Maria for joining.

Maria Rosati:

Thank you again, David,

David Shriner-Cahn:

when you visit the smashing the plateau

David Shriner-Cahn:

Along with the links we mentioned on the show on today's episode, Maria

David Shriner-Cahn:

New ideas is in a community of supportive like-minded colleagues.

David Shriner-Cahn:

As a member of the smashing the plateau community you'll have

David Shriner-Cahn:

We're inclusive, direct, active, and empowering conversations are welcome

David Shriner-Cahn:

You'll also find a range of tools and resources to support your

David Shriner-Cahn:

If you are committed to getting your consulting business, to grow on your

David Shriner-Cahn:

supporting the lifestyle you want and you don't want to do it alone.

David Shriner-Cahn:

I invite you to apply to become a member of the smashing the plateau community.

David Shriner-Cahn:

Learn more@smashingtheplateau.com.

David Shriner-Cahn:

Thank you for taking the time to listen to our show.

About the author, David Shriner-Cahn

David is the podcast host and community builder behind Smashing the Plateau, an online platform offering resources, accountability, and camaraderie to high-performing professionals who are making the leap from the corporate career track to entrepreneurial business ownership.

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