Corporate Hustlers I got a chance to interview Dr. Sharon H. Porter. She is an educator, an instructor, a coach, and an inspiration. When you talk to her, regal professionalism just pours out. I invite you to check out my interview with this awesome woman!
The Corporate Hustler: Dr. Sharon, the first thing I always ask everybody is what do you want the world to remember you by?
Dr. SHARON: Oh, that is a great question! I think honestly, it would be my working with empowering women and leadership. That's something I'm very passionate about. Just really highlighting all of these wonderful women who are doing great things in whatever industry, whatever business, and whatever career they're in. I would just say advocating for women and their empowerment
The Corporate Hustler: Awesome! Tell us what exactly you do ?
Dr. SHARON: I actually do so many different things. First of all I am a coach and a consultant for leadership development and personal development. I do book coaching and publishing. In my nine-to-five career, I'm a leadership development coach for a school district. I coach new principals and assistant principals. I was a principal for nine years. I now have the awesome opportunity to coach novice leaders in school. I really just transferred those skills into my own coaching company, so now I do leadership development coaching, as well as personal and professional development coaching.
The Corporate Hustler: Awesome, that makes perfect sense because as I like to expose corporate hustlers' on how they should be utilizing what somebody is already paying you to do into your business. I always say, if they don’t pay you to do it in corporate America, then why should I pay you to do it in the entrepreneurship world? So, let us know what current project that you're really passionate about right now.
Dr. SHARON: My current project is Women Who Lead Anthology. I am highlighting over 20 dynamic women from different industries who are really doing their thing. It’s so exciting because I'm getting to actually interview these women, and I am just amazed at the number of and level of their achievements. But, it's not all about their achievements. I not only want to highlight their successes and achievements, but more importantly, all of the obstacles and challenges that they will face to get where they want to go. That's coming out January 2018. I am so excited about the women who have signed on to this project.
The Corporate Hustler: Awesome, now when I was looking on your website, I saw “GRIND”, which is one of my favorite words. What is your definition of GRIND?
Dr. SHARON: GRIND is an acronym and it stands for Global Relationships Igniting Network and Development. This network does exactly what you said in the beginning, when you network, you do develop relationships. That's what it's all about, and if we keep at it, that’s just the grind part. You've got to keep going, that's my little motto. Keep grinding, no matter what, you just keep grinding. Build those relationships and make those connections, that's what the grind is all about.
The Corporate Hustler: Tell us also about your perspective or relationship with network marketing.
Dr. SHARON: Okay, this is what started me down my entrepreneurial journey. About three years ago, I have been in one before, but I never had the hustle behind it. I just enjoyed the products at a discount which was my first reason for joining, but then I joined this second one, and when I tell you it totally changed who I was as a person. It could be because of the time frame because I was much younger when I joined my first company. If you're familiar with network marketing, that development that they give you is great, I mean out of this world, I was surrounded by all of these wonderful go-getters. It was actually at a women's empowerment luncheon where I was a vendor for my network marketing business that I saw all of these women entrepreneurs and I was just amazed. That day I left there saying: "I'm starting my business." It was the fuel that I needed to go and branch out on my own to do my own thing. I'm so grateful for network marketing and it actually helped fund everything that I'm doing, I actually have a brick and mortar coaching facility now because of the work that I did early on in network marketing, so I'm just grateful for the company. I'm still involved. It just gave me everything: hope, confidence, and the determination that I can be an entrepreneur as well and so that's my perspective.
The Corporate Hustler: You mentioned coaching earlier. Can you give us some advice on what habits or traits that Corporate Hustlers should be looking for when picking a coach?
Dr.SHARON: The first thing that I always say when I do my discovery sessions, (so we can feel each other out) is this is not just for me. I'm trying to see if you're a fit but you need to also see if I'm a fit for you. The first thing is to really make sure that they have your best interests at heart and it's not about the almighty dollar. I am a believer that you're going to get quality work from those who have your best interests at heart.
The Corporate Hustler: When you're coaching people, do you find that it's more mindset coaching or technical coaching. Is it that they just don't know where to get resources, they don't know the process, or do you find that they just don't have the mindset?
Dr. SHARON: I'm coaching more start-up entrepreneurs. I’m focused mostly on educators that are trying to start a business because we as educators have so many skills that we don't maximize outside of the school world. I have found a little niche there. When that's the case, it's the resources, it's the technical piece of it. They know they want to do it they just don't know how to get started.They don't know where to go to look.
The Corporate Hustler: Tell us more about Dr. Sharon, what she offers and what she's about?
Dr SHARON: I guess it’s the whole book writing part because I just believe that every entrepreneur needs to have a book. If you are an expert in what you do, then you have something to share with the world. I just believe that all entrepreneurs need to find someone, I’m not saying find me, but find someone if you need help in starting your book. It's as easy as starting an e-book, but start somewhere to share your expertise. If you're in business, then you should have an expertise of something. Just sharing that knowledge, and then when you do, write it, write the book now. Interview and podcast showing that interview of you.
The Corporate Hustler: Awesome! Okay I say that mainly because you mentioned podcasts. Sometimes we, as African/American females, are late to the game. Tell us a little bit about podcasting, what that experience is like, if you think it's something that as an entrepreneur, you should get into?
Dr SHARON: Well, I'm gonna tell you, it's not for everyone, but for me I love it. For years, I have listened to different podcast. I would actually say to myself, I wish I could get on one of these podcasts. I had been on two podcasts prior to me creating my own. In my profession, I drive from school to school. I'm always in my car, and I replace my iPod music with podcasts. I listen to various ones, whether it's leadership development or it's educational. So I was driving one day and thought, you know, I would love it so much if I created my own podcast. This goes back to one of my talks about how you don't wait for opportunities to do what you want to do, you create your own opportunity. And that's exactly what I did. I said, you know what, I love podcasts. I knew I didn't want a podcast with just me talking, because, as I mentioned earlier, I love highlighting people and showcasing their work. That's when I decided, I'm gonna do an author’s podcast. I just interview authors about their books. It's been phenomenal. I’m into my fifth episode, but I'm totally booked for season one. I’m already recording season two. It has been the highlight of my summer. It's just been phenomenal. If you don't want to do your own podcast, you need to at least make sure that you're on someone's podcast, because people do listen to them.
The Corporate Hustler: Awesome! I love it. Well, I definitely enjoyed our talk. I definitely learned a lot. To finish up, let us know how to get in contact with you…
Dr SHARON: Yes, absolutely. For all of my contacts, (twitter, instagram, ect ) you can find them on my website at sharonhporter.com or on twitter @IamDrSharon
Until next time Corporate Hustlers!
Demishia