We recently connected with Gernae Alexander and have shared our conversation below.
Gernae, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
I focused on 3 things: doing the work, leaning on community and trusting my inner voice.
Our level of confidence is impacted both externally and internally and we are at the mercy of so many forces as we grow up, it’s no wonder so many of us are in pain and don’t believe in ourselves.
Three years ago, I turned to a soul healer who helped me start upacking baggage I didn’t even know I was carrying to get back to me, back to the me I was destined to be. The inner me who was labeled bossy and stuck up for advocating for herself and having high standards. The me who knew she was meant for greatness, but told to just be content with what was in front of me. The me who desparately desired acceptance, but couldn’t get it because I wasn’t accepting myself.
I continue doing the work it’s liberated me to new heights. I’m still climbing!
Leaning on my community has been a complete gamechanger. Not the one I was born into or around in my environment, but the one I built from scratch. I curated people in my life I knew would uplift me, push me, comfort me, celebrate me and hold me accountable. People who show up for me and check up on me. People who do what they say they are gonna do!
They say it takes a village to raise a child, well it takes a tribe to raise a business.
Lastly, but most importantly, I learned how to listen to my inner voice, the part of me connected to my highest self and our creator. My intuition has always been strong, but I was conditioned to ignore it over time. At one point, I couldn’t even hear her voice, and things rolled downhill. But once I looked for her and started following her instruction, my life changed once again. I have this inner knowing that tells me if people mean me well or harm, before even being in a situation that allows them to do so. Sometimes I can just see their name and feel their energy.
We are all spiritual beings and our intuition is a gift from the creator to guide us to our highest selves in this life. That’s why I’m so confident and self-assured. I know I’m being led by the greatest navigator in the universe.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I teach entrepreneurs how to leverage networking to get more clients, aligned collaborations and unique business opportunities.
What’s most exciting about this is getting to be apart of so many people’s entrepreneurial journey and being able to give them the support they need to completely transform their lives. I love connecting people, giving them the tools and strategies they need to flourish and witnessing their growth. Pouring back into my network is so important to me, because my number one priority is to add value, always.
People want to build invaluable networks, but they forget about being OF value to their network. When I’m speaking at conferences and workshops, I always aim to highlight the significance of this fact. If you can master this, the world will open doors you never knew existed. Serve your network if you want it to serve you.
My book Do The (Net)work is a step-by-step guide that teaches you exactly what to do to gain personal and professional success through networking. My coaching programs are designed to teach entrepreneurs how to turn networking into an income generating activity to gain clients, contracts, speaking engagments, PR and more.
These resources teach you how to turn your connections into collections!
I recently hosted an invite only networking experience called A Soiree in Spring and the result was beyond my imagination! The goal was to create a uniquely curated environment for genuine and meaningful connections to be made among our guests, the start of what we trust will develop into incredible collaborations and opportunities to serve the greater entrepreneurial community.
Boy did that happen and more!
Clients and collaborations were born before my very eyes and the blessings that followed have been tremendous. I’m excited to be hosting a complete seasonal networking experience series and curating experiences for other hosts who want to go outside of the networking “mixer”, “party” and “brunch” boxes for something out of this world.
Networking will NEVER be the same.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Courage, resilience and audacity. Entrepreneurship, motherhood and life in general is hard af. They challenge you in ways that can break you completely and you have to find the strength to continue in hard times, even when it seems pointless.
I spoke to an entrepreneur recently in a strategy session, and she said she wanted to be fearless like me. I told her I wasn’t fearless; I’m courageous. Courage is the ability to act in spite of being afraid and it takes courage to pursue your joy. It’s unfamiliar, uncomfortable and terrifying, but you do it anyway.
Resilience isn’t being tough or being able to endure whatever happens to you; it’s the ability to adapt and stay grounded when everything has gone to hell. And there will be multiple occassions where your house is on fire! But if you can find an anchor to keep you centered, optimistic and focused, you can whether the storm. That’s what faith and community does for me.
Audacity is essential to become not just successful, but great! It says, “I have the nerve to believe in myself, the gull to think I can create something magical and do what’s never been done before, in spite of the laundry list of reasons (excuses) that try to tell me I can’t.” Audacity is when you stop asking for permission to be great and you put all your energy into being great, not in the future, but in this very moment to your highest ability.
If you’re just getting started, the best way to develop these is to build your support system. Surround yourself with people who are genuine, compassionate, inspiring and smarter than you. Be vulnerable with them and trust them; they will not give up on you.
And always believe in yourself no matter what ANYBODY says, periodt.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
They taught me that mediocracy was not an option. They always told me I wasn’t average and wouldn’t let me get away with average outputs. When I did my chores, it had to pass the white glove treatment. When I brought home my grades, they had to be all A’s. When I made a commitment, I wasn’t allowed to quit.
These lessons were hard learned and some of them left scars, but I am so grateful for my parents instilling them into me because now I live by a standard many have never experienced in others; excellence.
Because I know I’m not average, I never deliver an average performance. I always over deliver and when I say I’m going to do something, I do it first class, even if it’s pro bono.
No parent is perfect and the baby boomers generation has a lot of trauma they passed onto their children, but I truly believe my parents did right by me and I am eternally grateful.
Contact Info:
- Website: gernaealexander.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/networkwithnae
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gernaealex/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gernae-alexander-mba/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@networkwithnae
- Other: Learn more about my services: https://companyname258804.hbportal.co/public/662fa3c1be534700276aaa1c/1-Inquiry_form
Image Credits
Gernelle Nelson Lifestyle Photography Sophie K Hunter Photography
