We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Isabelle Guarino. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Isabelle below.
Hi Isabelle , we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
When it comes to developing confidence it all starts with completing something successfully once, then twice, then multiple times. For example, when you’re in the gym for the first time and you don’t really know what you’re doing so you search for a video on how to do a particular exercise or watch the person down the row from you do it and you pick up the weights and you try. You did it! Then the next day you do it again and the following day and each day adding a little more weight. It’s the same in business, you’ll never know what you are capable of unless you try! The first time I was told to prepare copywriting for direct sale emails, create P&L’s or run a marketing ad campaign, I had no idea how to do that… so I searched, learned and practiced over and over again until it became something that was so normal, so effortless and THAT is what gains confidence. When you can trust yourself, you know no longer have to think about how you’ll mess up or what could go wrong, you have confidence to know the outcome.
Making the effort has helped me gain confidence as a young boss, time and time again I felt nervous or afraid of failing, but I would stop myself and think, “what’s worse? failing or never trying?” Too many people in this life have amazing ideas that they never bring to fruition because their ego is stopping them. Will people think they are weird or a loser or that the idea is lame? WHO CARES!? If we all let the opinions of others stop us from moving forward we wouldn’t have any new inventions, we wouldn’t have Amazon, we wouldn ‘t have movement… As Brene Brown says, “If you are not in the arena getting your *ss kicked on occasion, I am not interested in or open to your feedback. There are a million cheap seats in the world today filled with people who will never be brave with their own lives, but will spend every ounce of energy they have hurling advice and judgement at those of us trying to dare greatly. Their only contributions are criticism, cynicism, and fear-mongering. If you’re criticizing from a place where you’re not also putting yourself on the line, I’m not interested in your feedback.”
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am Isabelle Guarino, host of the YoungBoss podcast. It is a show about young bosses who started their own companies, brands and businesses. It focuses on how they got to where they are, all before the age of 35 and how they made their youth their super power. Here’s the deal: young entrepreneurs are in a tough spot. Gen Z’ers have the ideas but are too stuck in their comfort zones to make bold moves. Millennials? They’re on the fast track to burnout, juggling way more than they can handle. It’s a landscape where high hopes hit brick walls, and to be honest, it’s heartbreaking to see all that potential just being wasted. This isn’t just about individual choices; it’s about how society has shaped us. Gen Z grew up with everything just one click away, making the grind seem optional. Millennials are caught in this show-off culture, thanks to social media, thinking they’ve got to be superhuman bosses. And the business advice out there? It’s often out of touch, missing the mark on what we really face every day.
Imagine this: a space where Gen Zers learn to hustle with heart, where Millennials discover the power of stepping back to move forward. I see a future where we redefine what being a boss means – it’s not about doing it all, it’s about doing it right. The Young Boss Podcast is all about making that shift happen. Real stories, real struggles, and real triumphs – that’s what we’re here to share. We’re the movers and shakers, the dreamers, and the doers. This tribe? We’re more than just ears on the other side of the speakers; we’re the heart and soul of a new entrepreneurial wave. We dig the uncut, the straight-up truths, and the stories that hit close to home. We’re riding the rollercoaster of running a business – celebrating the wins, learning from the stumbles, and embracing every twist and turn. If you’re into making a real impact and crave conversations that cut through the noise with zero sugar-coating, then you’re in the right place.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The 3 qualities or traits that were most impactful on my journey as a young boss were doing what’s right, having a positive attitude and being efficient. When it comes to doing what’s right, this one is so important to me in business and in life. Not only to do the right thing for the customer, but also for your staff and team. There have been many times where we’ve had a customer who was 100% in the wrong, and not qualified for any refund or apology from our staff or company, but we went above and beyond to service their request and get them their money back. Sometimes it’s not about being right, it’s about DOING what’s right. This is an important difference that sets us apart as a company. We don’t need to be right to do what’s right and that’s what makes people come back for more. It’s that genuine authenticity that makes the world of difference and shines bright in a world full of righteous people and businesses who don’t care about you, and only focus on the bottom line.
Having a positive attitude can be difficult at all times, but every time something crazy happens that makes you want to burst, it’s so important to focus on the greater picture. What is actually happening here and does it really matter in the grand scheme of life. Most of the time when you put things into perspective it’s really not that big. This can help you take a breath, step back and re-align. Sometimes the hardest things I’ve faced in business could have knocked me down and out, but instead I viewed them as learning lessons and that helped me stay positive.
Lastly, being efficient has helped me succeed as a young boss. It’s so vital to stay focused and keep your priorities in alignment with what you want and need in life, efficiency will get you to accomplish more and be able to reorder things when they all seem too overwhelming!
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
We are always looking to collaborate with other young bosses under the age of 35 who have opened or started their own business or brands. We love to share insights on what it took to get to the point of success and how being young helped or impeded your way to the top. What obstacles you faced and how failure has been a launchpad to more growth. We love to work with inspiring professionals who have faced down their demons and aren’t letting their generational title pull them into being complacent. We would love to collaborate with any young boss who is looking to be a guest on the show and promote their products and services or just give inspiration to others looking to start their own thing too! You can apply to be a guest at https://theyoungbosspodcast.com/podcast-inquiry/
Contact Info:
- Website: https://theyoungbosspodcast.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theyoungbosspodcast/
- Linkedin: https://linktr.ee/youngbosspodcast
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@theyoungbosspodcast
- SoundCloud: https://theyoungbosspodcast.buzzsprout.com/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@theyoungbosspodcast
Image Credits
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