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