Welcome to Milestone Moments, the show where
we explore the journeys that lead to success.
I'm Sheila Slick, your host and founder of Five
Milestones. In every episode, we will bring you
insights from the minds of entrepreneurs, leaders
and experts who will share not just their expertise,
but the milestone moments that have reshaped
their journeys and led to significant achievements.
So if you're looking for motivation, you're in
the right place. Subscribe now and discover the
milestones that mark the path to success. Welcome
to another episode of Milestone Moments in Business
and Leadership. I'm Sheila Slick, your host.
And today, my special guest is Lenore Cantor.
Lenore is a transformational coach, author, mentor.
career advisor, and inspirational speaker. She
guides smart high achievers to greater personal
growth, professional fulfillment, and higher
income by overcoming their blocks to creating
soul -aligned work. She is the author of So What
Do You Do? The Authentic Alchemy Path to Find
Who You Are, an unconventional guidebook and
eight -step path for conscious leaders to discover
their work in the world. Welcome to the show,
Lenore. Thank you, Sheila. It's such a pleasure
to be here. Let's start talking about your book.
So what do you do? I'd love for you to share
a pivotal moment from your own life, your own
journey that led you to develop this framework
and perhaps an example of how it has led to a
transformation. Yeah, I'm happy to share. So
I spent about 20 years in the corporate world
as a financial marketing executive, and I was
a high achiever. I didn't start that way. I originally
went to business school hoping to work in nonprofit,
and then as things happen, you get exposed to
new avenues, and I went in a completely different
direction. And I had helped take a company public.
And shortly thereafter, we were acquired by a
much larger organization. And I had been working
in an entrepreneurial environment. So we went
from 150 people to 300 to 50 ,000. So a few months
into working through that corporate integration
process, I left the meeting, went into the bathroom
and started. bawling my eyes out. I knew I just
couldn't keep working in the environment where
I was doing work that didn't align with what
I cared most about. I think I'd been working
on some brand strategy and I just knew like it
wasn't really going anywhere. And I call that
a tower moment for those who are familiar with
the tarot, which talks about our life journey
and archetypes, the towers when your world falls
apart, the building is burning, people are jumping
out, it's been built on an unstable foundation.
And this happens to so many people with different
experiences in their life. And for me, it was
this emotional breakdown that led to a breakthrough
where I realized I needed to really live much
more in alignment, not just with my head. but
also my heart and my soul. And I had been training
as a life coach. I was actually doing that as
a side hustle for a few years. And I knew I needed
to leave the corporate world. And I thought,
you know, if I hate it, I'll go back. But once
I went on the path of starting my own business,
I just, you know, loved it. Once I learned how
to ride the uncertainty of it, right, because
there's a lot of unpredictability. It took me
a few years to detox. I call that PTSD, like,
you know, getting it out of your system and feeling
like you can do it on your own. But essentially,
I was working as an outsourced chief marketing
officer and doing coaching work with leaders,
executives, and founders. And I kept getting
more training in somatic practices and other
areas. And about two years ago, after I'd finished
my energy medicine training, I decided it was
time for me to write the book. I had had about
eight drafts in my folder that were waiting to
be written, and I just never pulled the trigger.
And finally, it felt like it was time. And it
was really... process of going through all the
things that I've learned in my work with over
a thousand leaders to identify really what were
the key elements that needed to be addressed.
And long story short, what I've seen is there's
a lot of focus on the external, right? Our resume,
our LinkedIn profile, networking, those are all
important. However, only looking outside ourselves,
doesn't address the inner work. What do we most
care about? Who do we want to be? What's the
impact we want to make on the world? What do
we want to be known for? And so that's really
the work that I feel is most important is helping
people understand what they want to create, where
they are now, and what is getting in the way.
And usually there are things that come up from
the past that keep us from realizing our future
vision. And so that's really a lot of the work
that I guide people through in the authentic
alchemy path is how they can understand where
they may be blocking themselves or how they may
be prevented from moving forward and how they
can clear and release those things to step into
the vision they want to create. I've been focusing
a lot on self -leadership because, you know,
it all begins from within. And for me, that self
-awareness that I told you about before I practice
often, it often reveals certain things. And so
I love that you went through the process as well
while you then turned it into a program. And
I'm glad to hear that you did the switch and
you're happy with that. And that's part of your
purpose. Yes, absolutely. So you integrate multiple
modalities in your coaching approach. You use
business strategy and somatic practices, even
energy work. How do you determine which tools
to use with different clients? And do you receive
any kind of resistance when you're introducing
more spiritual elements to high achieving professionals?
Yeah, this is such a great question because,
you know, having come out of the corporate world,
I would. was in my head a lot, right? And a lot
of us, we want the answers, like tell me what
to do. So I used to do strategy sessions and
I was very happy to tell people, well, you should
do this, this, and this. But what I realized
is I don't want to give people the answers. They
know for themselves what is true, but fear and
resistance and other things get in the way. and
prevent us from connecting with our heart, right?
So if we're worried about money and we have scarcity
issues or we have a family and obligations, all
these other things, they can keep us from wanting
to do what we're drawn to because we feel like
we have to be practical. I mean, there are so
many different reasons. So what I try to do is
create a space. where people feel safe to connect
with their truth. And for everyone, it's a little
different. I mean, I do find a lot of, you know,
I came out of the financial technology space.
So technologists, finance folks, they're very
quantitative oriented. You know, give me the
numbers, show me the money. And there's a place
for that. But I do try and get underneath that.
Is that really all that's important? And if someone
is really focused there, I'm probably not the
right coach for them because I try and take this
holistic view that we're more than just our utility,
right? So I think our society defines us in terms
of our value, our productivity, our performance.
It's very quantitative. But in fact, there is
this whole qualitative element, which is what
are our values? What do we care about? So I really
want people to. recognize how that is important
for them and that does come back to a willingness
to feel like to connect with our emotions right
what is authenticity it's when our words our
thoughts our actions our emotions our energy
and our environment are all aligned So we can't
only be in our head. So I do usually try and
introduce some embodiment practices because I
find that's a good way. And if I notice someone
is feeling tense, I'll be like, oh, do you feel
tightness in your head, your head, your shoulders?
Can you bring your energy down? And some of them
struggle with that. Maybe they can't feel it.
We really try to engage and I like to meet people
wherever they're at. However, I have found that
many people do have an interest in connecting
more spiritually. Anyone who's a little creative,
once you open that up, I'll sometimes bring in
tarot and oracle cards or we do storytelling
or other exercises like that, creating personal
rituals. I mean, I'll give you a perfect example.
I worked with one. financial executive and this
guy had had a very bad experience we did a lot
of release work around that letting go of something
that he'd been literally carrying for years and
it was holding him back and so we talked about
how do you let go of something that's not serving
you and then we did a ritual and he loved the
water and I told him to go down to the ocean
take stones throw it in the water and use that
to release it. And so, you know, I think there
are many ways that you can find a connection
for people that resonates with them. And that's
really what I believe. Everything is unique.
I don't feel there are any cookie cutter approaches.
You brought me back. When I had a similar experience,
I picked up seashells and I started thanking
them and releasing them into the ocean. And right
now that you said that, it's like, wait, maybe
I was practicing some kind of release in my subconscious
because I didn't do it with that intention, but
it felt good. Yeah, yeah, it's so beautiful.
You know, I think there is, when we're conscious
and intentional in whatever we're doing, we bring
a different level of... energy and focus that
gives it more so It must be a challenge, too,
because you're in a major city. You're surrounded
by the stock market, financial. I mean, that's
a high -stress environment. This is where you
would imagine they're going 24 -7, and they don't
know when to stop. There's a really high burnout
rate in that area and industry, as fast -paced
as we get in the United States of America. So
I can only imagine that transformation when you're
able to. put them in that different space to
really look outside and beyond the financial
market, right? It's not all about the finances.
Like you said, it is for some, but I think that's
great work and you're in the perfect place to
help. Yeah. You know, what I would say is I don't
think everybody is really ready to step away,
right? There are such a thing as golden handcuffs
for a reason. People get paid a lot of money
to continue doing what they're doing. Unfortunately,
I think for some people it takes a wake -up call.
So I had a classmate from college died of a brain
aneurysm. Now, maybe he had health issues in
his family. But my observation, because I had
spoken with him at a reunion, was that this guy
was working in a job that he hated and he felt
an obligation to maintain his lifestyle. And
that kind of stress and pressure, it takes its
toll. Hopefully it doesn't come to that, but
I know many people do suffer health scares or
divorce or family crisis or other things that,
you know, that I don't want to say they bring
upon themselves, but that become a byproduct
of not looking at ways that they're out of balance.
I've worked with many clients who have found
it hard to set boundaries. They answer. email
messages and phone calls and text at all hours
of the night and then wonder why they burn out.
So part of this is helping people develop strategies.
We were talking about self -awareness to see
what is their part in perpetuating patterns and
habits that no longer serve them. So many of
your clients are seeking greater purpose and
meaning in their work. What patterns have you
observed about why smart, successful people often
feel disconnected from their soul -aligned work?
And what's that first step you recommend to begin
that reconnection process? Yeah, you know, I
like to listen to what is unsaid. But what I
most often find is people have a longing, right?
They're passionate about something. but they
don't believe they can make money at it. Or they
were shamed for whatever they cared about. Oh,
you were too sensitive. That was my story, right?
Oh, you know, you care too much or whatever.
Why are you over, you know, because I used to
read all of this stuff, you know, in people and
the energy. And so that was frowned upon, right?
And then I went into an industry where emotions
were not allowed. And so. What I try to create
space for is for people to really connect with
the parts of themselves that are their deepest
desire and longing. And so one woman I worked
with, she really wanted to create films around
saving the environment, for example, or sustainable
change. She was used to getting a steady paycheck
and working in a corporate environment. And I
was like, that's not calling you anymore. So
it's about helping people see that maybe there's
a path forward for them to do what they want.
It may not look the way they expected, but that
doesn't mean it's not possible. They need to
find a creative path to make it happen. Worked
with another. She was a corporate salesperson.
She wanted to be a nutritionist. She was a mom.
She wanted more time for kids. And we worked
with her around helping her believe she really
could work with other mothers to give them, you
know, healthy food and exercise tips. And once
you kind of open up for people. that their dream
is a possibility and they can see that, oh my
God, what if I really could do this? And they
can feel like, oh, it's possible. It's like you
remove this weight off their shoulders and the
fear and then the desire to step into what they
want becomes greater than the resistance to deny
it. You know, it's like you can't keep pushing
the... the ball under the water, right? And it's
going to pop up eventually. And so I think that's
really the question for people is, are you going
to wait for the ball to pop up and hit you in
the face because you have some, you know, big
event? Or are you going to sort of look at, oh
gosh, what is it that I really want? And how
can I move towards having or creating an environment
where I can have that in my life? So you're an
author? You're a speaker and you're a coach.
What's your next milestone? That's a wonderful
question. So I love the writing. And I don't,
you know, many of us write. I had a newsletter
for a number of years. And the impetus that got
me to write my book was that a friend responded
to my newsletter. She's like, this was so powerful.
You should write a book. And somehow I needed
that external validation to give me permission.
And that was really what caused me to, you know,
started me on my journey for the last year and
a half. And then in writing the book itself,
I discovered so much about that creative process
of uncovering and discovering. I have four more
books at the top of my head that I'm going to
be writing. Three fiction, probably one more
nonfiction. That is really the path that I see
becoming, you know, a deeply fulfilling aspect
of my work. I'm going to continue my coaching
work. I would say what I let go of was some of
the organizational change work I used to do because
I was finding that it really came down to the
leaders. Changing an organization when you have
an executive in charge who's unwilling to change.
is a recipe for frustration. And I just found
that I really wanted to work with the leaders
who were willing to do the work needed to change
because it's not easy and they need to be prepared
to face it and step into it. And I'm sure you've
seen that in the work that you do as well. Absolutely.
And that's why I'm focusing on self -leadership
before you think of leading others. The person
you can change is yourself and lead yourself
first. Yeah, you know, it's funny. I was just
reading an article. I don't remember the guy's
name, but it was a CEO who was forcing all of
his employees to sign nondisclosure and confidentiality
agreements so he could protect himself from bad
behavior. And it finally started getting out
because people were tired of being suppressed.
And hopefully there will start to be more accountability
for leaders that really don't take responsibility
for the impact of their actions on others. And
I think this is an area where clearly the work
that you're doing and what I think we both hope
for is that as more and more conscious leaders
step into their purpose and live with their values
and meeting, it's going to create a different
environment for everybody. That's certainly my
desire. Yes. And I love sharing perspectives
because when it comes down to, you know, doing
things and how it should be done or your experience
is different than mine, it only compliments each
other when you have all of these different ways
to. get to that same spot. So I've really enjoyed
today's conversation. I look forward to reading
more of your books. It does get addicting because
I started writing a lot to keep changing the
version, like rereading it. And so you inspired
me today. All right. So I'm going to give you
one big tip is that I do think that for lack
of a better expression. you're birthing a book
and you don't know what the end form is going
to be. And you can go in with a concept, but
in the writing and the research, the analysis,
it may emerge in a completely different way.
And that's really the journey is to let it unfold
in the way that it's meant to. Because I'll just
share with you, I originally had a three -step
process. And then it was a five -step process
and it became an eight -step process. And that
was only as I went through it and I really came
up with the framework and kind of conceptualized
everything and made sure that it came together
in a way that was really solid and substantial
that I felt complete. And so I just share that
with you that you can't know. where it's going
to take you, and you sort of need to let it lead
you on the journey to evolve the way that it's
meant to. And I think that is the process. That's
the creative process and what makes the experience
frustrating, but ultimately deeply satisfying
and enjoyable. I appreciate that. Thank you.
I will leave Lenore's contact information and
website information. And a link so that you can
learn more about her book in the notes of the
episode. So thank you very much for joining me
today. Thank you, Sheila. This was such a pleasure.
And thank you to all who tuned in to another
episode of Milestone Moments in Business and
Leadership. Until next time.