Owning your power & success with Priscilla Presley

Akua: Today’s episode is all about knowing your power and remembering that you deserve everything you want in your business and your life. Priscilla Presley, who is the CEO of Forward Female, a creative agency that helps women build and optimize their successful brands, businesses, and communities. We talk about leadership and how to go after everything that you want.

One thing about Priscilla is that she is an absolute powerhouse and it was so much fun to learn more about her entrepreneurial journey and how we can discover our gifts and lean into them to create a business that is successful and aligned. Now let’s get into the episode. Welcome to Unbreakable Business, the podcast where we uncover the untold stories behind entrepreneurship.

This isn’t about polished success stories. It’s about the sleepless nights, unexpected roadblocks. An unshakable grit that builds businesses that last every week. We sit down with entrepreneurs who faced it all sharing raw, honest conversations about challenges, growth, and the moments that made them unbreakable, whether you’re just starting out or chasing your next breakthrough.

This podcast is your reminder that you have the strength to keep going.

Priscilla: Priscilla, how’s it going? Hey girl, I am so excited to be with you today, my long lost sister, uh, like it’s such a pleasure.

Akua: I know. Okay. You guys. So me and Priscilla have a little bit of history. We had the opportunity to go to Tel Aviv, Israel.

I don’t even know. I feel like it’s been like a couple of years. A couple of years, a couple of years ago. So that’s how we met. We got to spend, HoneyBook flew us out to Israel. We got to meet, this was before I became host of the show. We got to meet the team, hang out for a week, went to the beach, like got to do so many different cool things and it was just a vibe and it was.

So much fun.

Priscilla: It was such a good time. You know, I still have these videos of us like skipping down the streets of Tel Aviv, just living our best lives and just like so grateful for that experience, like for everything we got to really experience, um, in that, in, you know, beautiful city.

Akua: Oh my gosh. 1000%. You know, and it’s, it’s, uh, It’s just funny now how time has evolved and here we are again.

So I’m really, really excited to have you both on the show because you are such an amazing business owner. That was something I just learned so much about you in Tel Aviv and, you know, with Forward Female. I mean, the impact that you are making is phenomenal. And so. When you first started Forward Female, did you envision that this is what, that it was going to kind of like take this life of its own?

What struggles or challenges have you faced trying to grow it?

Priscilla: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, to answer your question, no, I don’t think that I envisioned it being exactly what it is today because, you know, whenever we first started, we had a completely different vision. For the company and what we saw it being at that time.

And obviously there’s been a lot of changes in culture, a lot of changes in the environment and, and just the world of business for us and for women, uh, since we started that we’ve had to make and move and groove along the way in order to get to where we are today. But, you know, the vision that I had back then versus the vision that I have today.

is astronomically different. They’re both really exciting. But what has changed the most is I’ve just changed as a person and as a business owner and as a leader. And that’s allowed me to kind of have this even bigger vision that I have today. Um, whenever we first got started, we Um, really it was like the movement of me too.

It was in 2019, end of 2018, beginning of 2019. We started kind of conceptualizing this, this membership platform where women could come together and work together in order to help each other achieve the dreams that they wanted to achieve. I was working in corporate. I was, uh, had so many different privileges to see so many different women and all of these different ages and stages.

And this. In these amazing corporate roles, but they all had this dream in the back of their head that they actually wanted to be doing something different, which I thought was fascinating. My dream from a little girl was to be working in these big corporate roles and to see that people weren’t actually happy.

And a lot of the ones that I was seeing, at least, was troubling. And I was like, well, why don’t you just go after that if that’s what you really want? And everybody was just a little scared that I was, you know, in contact with. I didn’t feel like they had the support that they had the ability to do it.

And so, you know, we created what was going to be the, the Ford Female Membership. It was going to be a digital website. And then it even grew over a couple months into a physical location where it was going to be This member center in downtown Los Angeles. And we did that. And then with that, we had this vision of these member centers all over the country and all over the world.

Maybe at one point that was going to bring women together to work together, to collaborate, to help each other build their dreams and build their ideas. And, you know, even in the first year of business, that vision grew and transformed. So much from, you know, the website, just MIP digital membership to be this actual physical space to be maybe spaces all over the world.

And then March of 2020 happened and that whole vision was completely destroyed in a sense. And what you, we had two choices, I think, at that moment in time, and it was to either quit and say the vision that we had is the only vision that we ever wanted and we’re going to quit and just go and do something else, or We’re going to create a new vision and we’re going to get to work on that.

And we already have a little momentum here and what can we do from this? It’s the pivoting and all of it where you find, you know, the new frontier of what it could be. And obviously it’s transformed a lot since then too.

Akua: Yeah. Oh my gosh. That is just amazing. I loved hearing that story of, again, like you had it in your mind it was going to be one way and then it, and it didn’t.

And again, like so many business owners were affected by COVID. And again, All of us had to pivot in some way and it to your point, you had an option either to quit or pivot and you chose to pivot and look at what you’ve built today, which is just phenomenal. I’m really curious to know how, because you mentioned earlier of how you evolved and grown as much as a leader and what challenges.

Because you know, after you’re leading this movement, right, that has grown and what challenges have you learned from as being a leader? Because I feel like being a leader is a very humbling experience and I feel like you get humbled quite a bit and, um, having to. Learn and stretch yourself in uncomfortable ways.

Like what has your Like growth in leadership look like

Priscilla: yeah, you know my growth in leadership has taken so many different forms and it’s really I’ve just grown as a human being, um, which is also very humbling experience. And, you know, starting Forward Female, whenever it was just, uh, me and my two business partners, but really myself fully in the day to day operations of the business, I kind of naturally just became the CEO.

Of our company and so it wasn’t like, you know, there was like a big vote and like I got, you know, it just handed this big salary and all of a sudden I was a CEO. I just kind of naturally became it. I didn’t take a class. I didn’t, you know, I didn’t get a certification and how to become a CEO. I just was it one day and um, So that was a mindset, I believe, in deciding that I was worth that title and that even if it was, I was just a CEO and it was just me, I was going to act like a CEO in every way that I needed to show up as.

And that really allowed me to just build confidence in myself and in my own ability. I look back now at like, Showing up as a CEO like, gosh, four years ago, and I’m like, wow, that is a completely different human being. But really, it’s the same human being, like, under it all. I always had heart. I always had a wantingness and a willingness to do the right thing and to, uh, Do whatever it took to get the job done and deciding what my own core values were, um, was really important through that.

And then, you know, we made our first hire, then we made our second hire, and now we have a team of around 10 people that, you know, I lead and I’m teaching them to become leaders too. And the biggest thing that I realize is that I, uh, being a leader and being a CEO doesn’t mean that you’re perfect. It means that you’re willing to make mistakes, you’re willing to give yourself grace through those mistakes, and you’re willing to give your team grace as well.

But the most important thing about being a leader, whether your title is CEO or, uh, And whatever kind of situation you’re having to lead anything is having a vision for where you’re going. And that was something that I really had to grow into of really owning my own vision for what I saw instead of trying to ask everybody else what they wanted and if they agreed with it.

And the leader that I am today and the CEO that I am today is standing firm in what I believe in. See what I know to be true what it is. I want to create and then ensuring that everybody That’s a part of that vision is aligned with it. And if they are, then supporting them to the ends of the earth to make sure that we can achieve it.

And if not, there’s no hard feelings. It is just misalignment. And so, uh, that took me a while to figure out. Um, and to really stand firm in, but once I was really able to do that, which was, it took nothing else, but maybe be, um, going through some situations where I realized how important it was to my own well being to stand in that, that I realized the power in it and how good it felt to just firmly stand there.

And, um, the biggest opportunities that I’ve ever seen in my life have come from me standing in that. We’ve, you know, we’ve multiplied our business more than ever by me doing that, and so, uh, I just trust in that method. Uh, More than anything.

Akua: Yeah. Oh my gosh. I love that because there’s just so much to impact, but number one of just how much you’ve leaned into more of your confidence of like, I may not be like, I just got this title.

I may not be a CEO today, but I’m going to like, I’m going to. Start acting like it, right? And I think that’s such an important thing because I Have these goals and for my own business and I have been thinking I’m like, okay Akua like I’m like, okay I want to be a multi six figure business owner, right?

And I’m like, hey, well, what is a multi six figure business owner do? How does she dress? How does she show up? How does she handle conflict? What are some of the things that she says, right? And so like finding different ways to start embodying that because I feel like, I think so many of us as business owners, we can think sometimes that we have had an opportunity and we felt like we weren’t prepared, right?

And it’s like the worst feeling when you feel like you wasted that opportunity. And so even for me, I’ve been like, alright, like, I’m staying ready so I don’t have to get ready. Like that was even similar. Similar for you, right? And I think, and I love that so much. And so I really, I think a lot of, uh, especially women entrepreneurs, you know, this is just all, and I, and I feel like there has been a lot more deconstructing of this and a lot more conversations of this now, which I’m so grateful for, but also too, like, I think it’s.

It’s so hard to sometimes like, to sacrifice, like right, like, um, we have to sacrifice ourselves, put our, put other people’s needs before our own and you know, and I think that shows up in business in so many different ways, like these societal pressures that can just show up. And so for you, as you stepped into just being more of a leader, as you’ve grown forward female, share with me like a story where you just felt so small and how you were able to just kind of gain your confidence and to like stand in who you are.

Priscilla: Yeah, you know, I think that this took me a lot of work on myself, right? So as we think of ourselves as business owners a lot of the times what I see is that we feel like we have to Separate the two we have to separate ourselves as like a human Versus ourselves as like a business owner CEO, whatever your role may be But understanding that both are so equally important is really crucial what I found for me was that I felt as though I really needed to lean into my masculine energy whenever I was going into certain situations and I had to kind of be on a defense or I had to go in more powerful or I had to go in in a certain way because I felt like that’s what I needed to do in order to, to fit in.

Um, and to really feel like I was meant to be there. And, um, and I think that’s a lot of what we see in the world of business today. What I find is that as women, we have such a power of understanding both our masculine and our feminine energies and how to use both to our. uh, advantage because that is such a power that we have.

It’s not about how to like show up in a more powerful way or show up like all the men are showing up. It’s showing up as you and as authentically you. And playing with both of those, um, the biggest thing for me that I remember whenever we first brought on one of our, our first like biggest clients, big celebrity client, we had been working with a lot of unfunded startups and, uh, and really helping them grow small budgets.

And then all of a sudden we had this opportunity to start working with. More in that kind of A lister, celebrity funded, there’s definitely money that we can play with in different ways. And I really had to sit and think about how I wanted to approach it. How I wanted to show up in that initial meeting.

How I wanted to show up in sending over that first proposal and making sure, like, is it too much? Is it not enough? Like, are we asking for the right thing? Are they gonna give us the opportunity? And acting like we’ve done this a million times before. And, and really leaning in that. And I really feel like in that moment, the actual thing, and by the way, she’s still one of our, like, clients today, and we have such a beautiful relationship and, and we’re friends.

And, and that was actually the biggest thing that won it over because I came in and I was just the most authentic with what I really thought. And I was so honest with her when a lot of people were not honest with her. And I just spoke to her as a, As a woman and as a creative and sharing exactly what I thought.

And shockingly, not a lot of people had spoke to her in that way. And that’s where actually our biggest business relationship still to this day has. derived from. And I remember my team at the time, they were like, Priscilla, like, why are you, why are you showing up in that way? Like, we should be doing this or we should be doing that.

And I said, no, it’s a dance. It’s a dance of understanding how to approach situations, how not every situation is the same, how you have to really trust and like that gut feeling of what it means to show up as yourself. And And not putting a label on what it means to like be powerful in one certain way because you can walk into any room and you can do that.

And building the relationship is what could change everything and that comes from being yourself. And if you’re a woman and you feel like you can’t show up and be yourself, then that really isn’t the room maybe that you’re meant to be in right now. And the room that you’re meant to be in is the one that’s going to fully Embrace you being authentically who you are, and if they aren’t embracing you with that same energy, that’s some maybe work that they need to do that you’re not ever going to be able to control their own outcome, and that was really hard for me.

So, um, you know, all in all, About About is showing up authentically as you, as a woman. As a man, like, uh, bringing both energies to the table. Cause we all possess both in the different scenarios, dancing through trusting your gut and you’ll get the outcome that you want. I’ve, I’ve seen it time and time again, because.

With that, you have this inner confidence and this inner knowing so that if somebody tells you no, if somebody says, no, I’m not going to fund you in that way or no, I’m not going to give you that opportunity, you just dance around it. And there’s a lot of power in that from what I’ve seen.

Akua: Oh my gosh, I love all of that so much, like, that is just such a beautiful way that everything you’ve phrased, sort of like, you just dance around it, right?

And again, like, there is power in who you are. And I think a lot of us as business owners, we really do underestimate just how powerful we really are. And I think we need to be reminded of this consistently because your power is what’s going to give you opportunities that you never thought were ever possible.

And I love that. Again, just standing firm and building that confidence. It’s a muscle. It’s a muscle that you have to build as time goes on. And I feel like we, as business owners, we always find ourselves, it’s easier to find ourselves in uncomfortable situations. Now I try to seek them because, you know, I’m like, I, I want to learn and grow and new things about myself.

Like we talked about it earlier, our conversation before we started recording, where you were just like, I told you everything that I was like, my whole transition of becoming the host. And you were like, Yeah, you got found your way back to yourself. It’s now just a different, more beautiful, evolved Akua.

And it’s like, oh my gosh, that’s so true. Such a great reminder of like, every single time that you’re exercising that confidence, anytime you’re being stretched uncomfortably, like it’s, you are evolving into a beautiful, more refined. business owner that’s going to prepare you for the season that you’re going to, right?

Because I’m always like, I hear the term fake it till you make it. And I’m like, I’m not faking it no more. I’m already here. So you’re right. Like I’m already moving. Like I’m already here. And that’s something that I have even really been leaning more into as a business owner. And so

Priscilla: It’s like, I was just telling my team this the other day.

I don’t believe in faking it till you make it because what does make it even mean? It’s like, show up authentically as who you are and you are, it is inevitable that you are going to grow. It is inevitable that you are going to evolve and that you are going to be like just this more impactful human being.

And if you’re a business owner, then you get to like bleed that into your business, um, by just. Existing, and by just experiencing things, experiencing people, experiencing circumstances. And I get excited by that like little butterfly feeling now like in my own gut because I get restless. Like we were just saying of if I feel like I’m, I’m doing the same thing over and over again if I’m not evolving.

So whenever you are evolving, you have to look at it as like the biggest blessing ever and how do I really capture that is to show up authentically as who you are and people will I feel it. I’ve been in the biggest rooms with the biggest billionaires in the world now and the only reason I was able to do that is not from any, not from what I believe any capability I have.

It’s by completely showing up as myself, being completely honest in who I am, in my ideas and being open to other people too and their ideas. and their vulnerability and making them feel safe. If we can give that to each other as humans, I think the world would be just such a better place.

Akua: Such a better place.

There’s just so much testament to that of just how far you’ve gotten in your business just, again, being yourself. And then I think of my own journey as well and I’m like, Oh my God, like, so many other opportunities wouldn’t have came if I wasn’t truly myself. And so it’s like standing firm in who you are, no matter what, I think is just, it’s such a powerful, powerful thing.

And so for you as like forward female is continuing to evolve consistently, right? What are some things that you see, especially with like women entrepreneurs where they’re struggling with growing their business?

Priscilla: Yeah, I think right now that I see the most is in all I, I have such a privilege of working, uh, primarily with women business owners, but I, but also I work with men as well.

And so I do see this across the board is, um, a lack of, of vision. A lot of the time, I think a lot of us as business owners, we get really excited about ideas and we get really excited about the, the potential of something really short term. that can become exhausting. So I see a lot of burnout. I see a lot of overwhelm.

I see a lot of loneliness because people are just like coming up with a concept, running with it until they’re just run dry. And they’re not really building something that’s strong and sustainable with a really strong vision in mind. So just like I said, my vision has evolved a lot over the years. But what has stayed consistent is that I have a vision, that I have a place that I’m going and I know that I’m building into, so I’m constantly staying really focused on what that is and still open to different possibilities that might arise through that, but.

Being able to create that and stay solid in it and then build a strategy based on that. I think there are so many different like marketing strategies and different platforms that people are jumping on and, uh, at different offerings that they might be doing, which is really great. If it’s aligned with your bigger vision at the end of the day, whether that’s a financial goal, whether that is.

It’s more of a goal of building something that you can just stand in the owner box in one day and it can run without you having something as a legacy or being able to experience certain things. It’s really understanding what it is that you truly want. And it might sound so silly, like, yeah Priscilla, but I’m dealing with this, but like I’m dealing with this, but I would challenge you to say, but do you really have a strong vision?

And are you really being smart with setting your milestone goals that are only and clearly aligned with that? Because what I see more. I like to set a couple really, really clear goals, and the only thing that I’m focused on, and I’m saying yes to, is if it is alignment with that, and, um, and that has helped me grow tremendously.

That has helped my clients grow tremendously and see success, whatever success looks like for them. For women in business, I would say it’s getting really clear on that and staying really confident in what that is for you so that you can ask for what you need. Because as women, we are taught, I think, as you pointed out earlier, to just kind of do, to serve, to like, make sure everybody’s taken care of before.

Ourselves and I have so fell victim to that so many times because I wasn’t even really thinking about what I really needed. I didn’t even have the time. I remember years ago people would come to me and I’d be like, I’m so stressed out and they’re like, well, what can I do to help you? I’m like, I don’t even know because I didn’t really even know how to ask for help or what I even needed help with to get me to where I wanted.

To go. And so I think that formula altogether is actually the secret to unlocking it. Um, because if you’re not doing it all by yourself, but you know exactly what you want, you can stand firm in what you want. And then you can be clear with the asks that you have along the way. Whenever I’ve, I’ve coached a groups and there’s different women and they’ll stand up in front of a, uh, a group to present their three year business plan.

And they’ll say, I’m not really a business woman, but here’s my, here’s my presentation. And it’s saying, no, you are, um, you clearly have a very clear vision. You just have to be able to deliver it. And ask for help. So I hope that, uh, I hope that gives some guidance to anybody out there feeling a little lost or feeling a little defeated as a woman, man, we have such power and you can dance around the nose, um, in order to get to the S’s.

But know exactly what you want because that’s how people are going to help you. And there’s so many people, there’s so many people that want to help you in the world of business. There really is.

Akua: Yes. Oh, that’s such, such a good point. And you know, the only, my thing is too is like a lot of us, we hear that all the time, cast your vision.

Right? I think a lot of us think we know how to do it, but we don’t know how to do it. Yeah. You know what I mean? I mean, like, I feel like a lot of the times. It’s, we, it’s not always very clear, like we’ll lay out our vision, but then it’s still not very clear. And so for you, how are you laying out your, your, your visions where it’s just like where you feel confident?

Rooted where you’re not easily swayed like that is when you know, your vision is clear Like if you have a vision and then you kind of already have shiny object syndrome Your vision isn’t clear right like you do certain things that indicate that your vision isn’t clear And so though I’m like, yeah, well, I’ve already done that.

I’ve already I’ve already I’m sure people listen like yeah, I get it I’ve I’ve you know, I’ve laid out my vision. I’m like Sure. Great. Love that. But let’s take it a step further because again, to your point, things pop up all the time as a business owner. And when you’re in the day to day, it’s so easy to forget what that vision is.

And so for you, how are you taking it a step further, a step deeper of like, this is the vision and I’m staying grounded in that.

Priscilla: Yeah, totally. Great question. There’s a couple different elements to this that I typically, I walk myself through, I walk our team through, and I walk our clients through in this way.

And it’s an accumulation of a lot of what I’ve been taught, um, throughout my years as a business owner that has helped me evolve to even get this more crystal clear. The first thing that I kind of, uh, mimic this to is like the most gorgeous vacation that you’ve ever gone on. Like the most, like, amazing.

Resort that you just like cannot wait to go to so for me. I use this example of Fiji I’m like manifesting Fiji in my life. I Am I really want to go on this vacation? My vision of this vacation is I want to be on one of those bungalows Overlooking the water. I want there to be dolphins swimming by the splashing me in the face face.

There’s like this really hot, sexy man with like a 27 pack bringing me the strongest pina colada that you’ve ever seen in your life. And it has a cute little cherry on top and it let I, I can see it. I can taste it. I can smell it. It’s, it’s fresh air and the breeze and it’s perfect. There’s nothing I would change about it.

Right? That is where I want to go. Now how I get there could be a lot of different ways, right? Like you can see my vision, can you not? You can, you can taste it, you can feel it. It’s all of these different little bitty elements that it includes as well. A lot of people, um, uh, confuse that vision and that destination point.

As, uh, the strategy. The strategy is how are you going to get there? You might get there by plane, train, automobile. You might have a couple stops along the way in order to actually get there, but ultimately that is where you want to be. And guess what? Once you get there, you might hear about the Maldives, right?

A hop, skip and a jump and away, and then that’s your next vision because your vision is evolving. Right? So I say that as like a silly example, because if you think of it this way, If I didn’t have the vision of going to Fiji, I just said, I want to go on a vacation. I want to start a business. And I just walked out my front door one day, and I just started walking, and I’m in L.

A. by the way, everybody. And, uh, and I just start walking, and I just hope I get somewhere. Who knows? I could get to Palm Springs in the middle of July. It’s hot, it’s exhausting, I’m dehydrated, and The only thing I, way I’m seeing Fiji is in some kind of hallucination, right? So, and I give up and I go back home.

Because it’s not actually where I want to be. It’s not really an exciting place for me to actually arrive to. And I’m so exhausted, burnt out, overwhelmed. I don’t even want to do it anymore. Which is like where I think a lot of business owners get to. It’s understanding where is that dreamy, yummy, Like, idyllic world that you want to build for you and the community that you serve with what it is that you do.

It’s like Barbie land if everybody watched the Barbie movie. It’s understanding like what that is with such extreme clarity so you can paint the picture not only for yourself, but if you’re a leader for the team of saying this is where we’re going. If you’re on board with this, like, hop on because that’s where we’re going and everybody’s so excited about getting there and what it means to get there, everybody is motivated to go.

It doesn’t matter what you’re going to encounter along the way because you’re so motivated to get there. This is the difference of this key question to ask yourself whenever you’re coming up with what your vision is. Is this what I want, or is this what I really want? The difference of the two questions is what you want has stipulations and baggage.

That if, if something came up that was hard, that would mean that you had to overcome that in order to actually achieve your vision, you wouldn’t do it. You would stop, you would quit, you would turn the other way. Like COVID, right? COVID came up, you either pivot or you quit. You said, I don’t want to overcome that.

No hard feelings, right? It’s just, I’m done, right? That had some stipulations behind it for you to be able to move forward. Likely. You know, there’s different scenarios for everybody. But what you really want, it doesn’t. Freaking matter what it takes. You’re going to claw and scratch and fight and be strategic and work late nights and, and do it because that is what you really want.

At the end of the day and this is a question you can ask yourself for your business or just for your life In general of what is it that I really want for my life, right? What is it that I really want the vision for this? Business to be and how do you paint that picture to where it’s so specific? You know exactly what you’re going to be celebrating saying that you achieved it Whatever that may be.

Maybe it’s a couple hundred thousand dollars in revenue. Maybe it’s a million dollars in revenue. Maybe it’s a profitability point. Maybe it’s being able to only work two days a week and spend the rest of the time with your kids, or just sit in that owner box and have something that’s running really smooth and is helping X amount of people change.

The world, whatever it is for you, it has to excite you and light your soul on fire, whatever that drive is of why you want to achieve the thing. Because if you achieve it and there’s no real fire and hunger underneath it, the likeliness is it’s the thing that you want, but not the thing that you really want because it doesn’t have meaning and purpose behind it.

Akua: Love all of that. Like, yes, what do you want? But what do you really want? And even just you painting, you know, Fiji and the Pina Colada and all of that, like, just how clear that is, but also too, like, thinking, adding to that, like, what feelings do you get as you’re, like, thinking about this, right? Because, like, even, like, does it activate your senses?

I think, too, our body, a lot of the times, tells us, this is what you truly want. Because I think there’s so many of us that are like, oh, I don’t know what I want. And they’re like, well, I think I want this because they’re easily influenced by what they see everybody else do, which is, it’s no shame. Like, we’re all guilty of that.

And I think, again, getting clear of what you want and what do you really, really want. Um, and I think that’s just, again, it just lights a fire in you because you’re gonna move so, so different when it’s what you really want versus what you want. Like you move completely. You show up differently. You’re, like you said, you’re hungry.

You’re gonna, uh, crawl, scratch, do whatever it is that you got to do to get to wherever it is that you want to go. And that requires a totally different kind of person. And that is something I always, even in this season of my life, I’m reminding myself. Cause like, you know, I’m having some really exciting transitions into my business this year.

And I have been like, Akua, like if this is where you want to go, it’s going to require a completely different Akua. Like that you have never met. And so I even right now in this season, I’m getting to know myself in newer ways. Even just like small little changes of like, even when I’m getting ready for a podcast and you’re like, I’m like, okay, I want to lean more into hosting and what does that look like?

Well, okay. I’m a person right now that has this very successful show and I want to continue growing the podcast. So what does it cool? I have to do even little minor details of like laying out my outfit the next day. So then I just like know what to wear, preparing a little bit more extra for these interviews, right?

Like any way to where like. I am this host. Then I am the unbreakable business host. And this is what I’m going to continue lead to because I want this show to get to a completely different level than where it is now. And that’s going to require a completely different Akua. And so that’s something too. I just want to add to that of like as business owners, wherever it is that you want to go, it is going to require change regardless.

And so it has to be something that you really, really, really want because it’s going to require somebody totally different. And are you willing To make the change.

Priscilla: Yeah. It’s such a good point. Right? You have to, uh, and, and what will make you willing is by it being the thing that you really want. You being really excited to get out of bed in the morning and go after it and listening to yourself.

If you’re saying, I just, you’re dreading doing something or you’re not excited about that thing anymore. Maybe that you used to be excited about, it might be time for a change, right? Because you need to be that. Uh, that intrinsically, uh, motivated to be able to really achieve the things that you want. So you can start speaking them into the world with confidence.

I mean, I remember, Akua, I, I, I really, it’s so crazy. I like, I consider myself like a master manifester. So, and I am LA, in LA, everybody. So I know this is a little woo woo, but it, uh, it really isn’t, right? Essentially what manifesting it is, is just getting so clear on exactly what it is that you want. And then your, your physiology really just works towards achieving it because your body doesn’t realize it’s, it’s different from what’s actually happening.

So you’re saying like, no, this is exactly what I want. With such clarity, a little tiny example of this is our team. We did, um, we did a vision board party this year and we did it for the company and we did it individually. And the first one for the company, we all said like, if we put everything into it and we were able to achieve these things, what would it.

What would it look like? And mine was I have these my vision for this year is I want my table to be filled of women that um are Extremely inspiring to me. I’ve been spending a lot of time Helping you know pull I want to pull women up to a certain level and now I want to be pulled up to a certain level.

And so I got really clear on that intention going into this year. I want my dinner parties to look different. I want them to really look different. So I said I’m going to host dinner parties. There’s certain people that I want at the table. I want Reese Witherspoon. I want, um, Emma Greed. I want, uh, these very specific women to be sitting at the, that ends, that I really look up to cause they’ve mastered certain skills.

that I, I really admire . I, I got a call yesterday and it was from somebody that I was, uh, I, we had been emailing back and forth for a couple months and, and I told her, and she was, she was asking me if I could help her get one of her clients on a podcast. And, and I said, I just, out of, uh, because it was my intention and my vision, I said, I’m gonna host a, a dinner party and.

Uh, in March and I’d love to invite you, um, any, and I had no idea it was, this was for something completely different. She was like, Oh, she started spouting out every single woman that she is friends with that was on that vision board that I set at the beginning of this year that are going to be invited to my dinner party in March.

Now, you can call it a coincidence or you can call it intentionally moving towards exactly what you want. So I would, uh, I would implore you to think of it in both ways and test it and say, How could I think of one way that I could move forward in a way that I, like, really intentionally want? If creating your big vision for your whole life and your whole business feels, like, a little overwhelming, I get it.

But, um, maybe start with some baby steps of, like, what could be these one little things that could feel, like, completely out of, The realm for you, whatever feels the craziest thing that you could think of. And I implore you to just put intentional focus on it every single day. Tell yourself that every single day that that’s what you’re working towards and watch it start showing up in front of you and you realizing that it was always there.

But because you have the clarity of that intentional focus now, you see it so vibrant, you see it so clearly that you’re able to take action on it and say yes. Speak up on it and then, and if you just start playing with little things like that, the likeliness is, you’ll get really excited and you’ll wanna do it more and more and more.

So that might be a good way to start too.

Akua: Oh my gosh, yeah. That is absolutely phenomenal. Like that is, and I get it, that it’s woo woo, uh, to me it’s not, but I, I can get, I can understand this other people, right? Yes. You know what I mean? But I think. Again, you, no matter what it, however you, however it is you view it, like vision again, and that clarity is so, so important.

Why? Because you took the aligned action when you had your vision. And I think that’s also a key component as well for business owners is like, when you are so clear in your vision, you are always going to make the right choice. always going to be aligned. And I think that’s a very, I feel like maybe I’m a little too, because I do believe in manifesting manifestation and all that stuff, but aligned action is So, so key.

Like, if you have this vision in your mind and you’re like, I want this, the action has to match it. Otherwise it’s not going to happen. And so that’s where to like, to your point of like, you didn’t have to tell this woman anything about this dinner party.

Priscilla: No,

Akua: you didn’t have to bring it up at all. And if you didn’t, right.

And it was an online action that you’re like, okay, I, this is what I want. I’m going to take these steps to get it. And so boom, right. And it like led to this amazing opportunity. And so I think I’m a firm believer in that as well. And I think that’s absolutely phenomenal. And like I said, you don’t have to be woo woo y’all, but like, I think, I think it just goes to the fact of like vision and clarity.

And when you are so clear on what it is you want, that you can literally experience, like feel yourself. Experiencing these things of where you wanna be at. Um, every single choice that you make, every single move that you make is going to reflect that and get what it is that you want.

Priscilla: Yeah. Yeah. And dream and, and you’ll, and you’ll start dreaming bigger, right?

Yeah. I, I, a lot of the clients that I start working with, right, they’re. They’ll just say they want 100, 000, right? Because it’s the biggest that they can dream, right? Then, and I have no qualms with it. I’m like, whatever your biggest dream is, I am on board. But once you start experiencing that, then you say, Oh my, well, why the heck didn’t I dream of a million dollars?

Right? A million dollars. I know. Because it’s, you realize that the only limitations. are yourself. And it really is so true. I remember a couple months ago, I took my husband on a, um, on a deep sea fishing trip and the whole way down there. And this is where I say you can play with this idea in so many different ways.

If you feel like it’s just like you’re just kind of getting started. On the way down, if anybody’s ever been on a deep sea fishing trip, you know, you got to wake up really early to go get the boat before the sun comes up and you, and you go off in the deep blue sea. And so I’m kind of, I’m sitting in the passenger seat and I’m closing my eyes and I, I wanted to prove.

him wrong that I was like actually a good fisherman and so I was manifesting me catching this big Fish on the boat that day I sat there in my in the passenger seat on the car driving down to Newport and I was just visualizing me Struggling to reel up the biggest fish me seeing the biggest fish. I was doing this He was making fun of me the whole way down there.

We get there I look at, I look at this whole wall full of people that have caught the biggest fish, uh, uh, at this place before we go on the boat. And I’m sitting there, I’m, I’m standing in front of this wall. I’m closing my eyes. I’m picturing my face on the wall holding the big fish like I am, like seriously manifesting.

You don’t have to do all of this. But I was, I was really trying to be intentional , and we get on the boat all day. I kid you not, I’m not catching. Anything. It’s this whole boat of all of these men. I, I’m the only woman on the boat and, and they’re all looking at me. I’m in my cute little pigtails and my pink hat and like the whole thing.

And, uh, and all of a sudden I get a bite. I start reeling it in. I can’t even reel it in. It is so. I can’t, I’ve never, I didn’t catch any other fish that day. It was only this one fish. And so I was just getting the experience. My husband comes over, uh, they said I had to reel it in in order to get the jackpot that we had all put 5 in forever.

Caught the biggest fish on the boat that day. I had to reel it in. I finished reeling it and I pulled it in. I caught the biggest fish. I was on the boat that day and I won 150. I’m not, I’m not even kidding. You can’t even make this up. It really is so crazy. And I said, I manifested it. I manifested it. And my, and all these men, they have no idea what I’m talking about.

And I would, my husband was like, Yeah. She does this. It’s crazy. I don’t know how she does it. Why she hasn’t manifested us a gazillion dollars is beyond me. And, uh, and it was crazy, but it’s another just small little thing that you can play with, play with it in fun ways in your life. Yeah. And, um, and the most successful people that I know on this planet do this, like do this and it can change.

Your life, whether you win a big fish or, you know, a million dollars.

Akua: Yeah, 1000%. And you know, it’s visualization. It’s like literally like putting yourself as a person that’s experiencing it. And I think that’s so, so, so important because number one, you’re not limiting yourself. That’s how you know that everything, anything is possible for you and your business, right?

Like no matter what that looks like for you. And I think that’s just so important because again, like we do naturally put limits on ourselves and we don’t know what’s possible, but it’s like anything is possible. Anything is possible. If you have taken the leap to start your business, if you could do that, and that’s already hard within itself, and then you still got a business today that you’re still going, anything is possible.

You know what I mean? Like anything. And so, yeah, I love that. so much. Yes, if you believe it, you have to believe in yourself. And I think I love what you said earlier about how business like we separate the two being human and being a business owner. And I agree with you 1000 percent because we are more than our business.

Like we are human beings. There’s, you know, we are so different. There’s multiple layers and I said all the time, like the different complexities and nothing is black and white. We’re just, that’s just being a human, right? That’s just how we, how we move in the world. And I think, you know, that’s just a good reminder because here you have to truly work on your mindset.

You have to work on you as a person in order to have a sustainable thriving business because things are going to hit the fan. Shit’s going to hit the fan no matter what, right? There’s things that are going to be hard, but it’s that mindset, who you are, how you truly take care of yourself. That’s what’s going to get you through.

So if that’s visualizing manifesting, whatever that is like therapy, I don’t care. You know what I mean? It’s just the fact of like, We, as business owners, we have to remember that I am a human and this part needs to be taken care of in order for me to be able to run my business.

Priscilla: A hundred percent. You know, it’s fascinating. I went to this conference not too long ago and we were going over our values and the values were actually one of the things that made me quit corporate fully and go into business ownership. Because I realized my values were not aligned with the life I was living and, uh, and the life I wanted to be living was completely different.

And that’s why I was really anxious, sad, and depressed all the time and, uh, and realizing that this evolved. So I thought those core values were just my core values till the end of the earth, um, until the end of time. And what I realized at this conference that I went to. Not long ago was that actually my number one core value before was contribution Significance making sure I was contributing to the world before myself And when I actually realized this year was that that no longer could be my number one core value It had to be health.

It had to be myself It had to be that so that I could contribute, so that I could do these things because without that, without your mental, your physical, your emotional well being, there’s only so far that you can go.

Akua: Mm hmm. Oh my gosh, yes. Definitely your core values is something you have to always think about and it can always shift.

And I think if anything, I have taken from this whole conversation is that. You won’t know what you want. You won’t have clarity. You won’t know anything until you slow down. That’s just what it is. And I think that’s something too we forget. Like, you have to be able to slow down so you can really hear yourself, feel yourself, so you can really make these Decisions and just get clear on what it is that you want.

Get clear on your values so that you, you can move forward 1000%.

Priscilla: Yeah.

Akua: So, oh my gosh, Priscilla, I have loved this conversation. It has been so much. I already knew you would deliver, honey. Okay. So I’m not shocked. I already knew our audience is going to be obsessed with you. So I

Priscilla: love you. And I love HoneyBook like so much.

HoneyBook was one of the things that I mean, really helped us, um, yeah, You know, transition, you know, at one of our biggest pivotal moments was, which was the pandemic and I had no idea what to do, but I do what I wanted to create. And so that was, you know, like such a, such a big moment for us and has been continued to be.

And so, um, yeah. And I love you so much. And, you know, this has been so much fun and I’m so happy for you and everything. Oh, for it.

Akua: Oh my God. Thank you, friend. No, I’m so happy for you as well. Like absolutely phenomenal. And every question we love to end with on the show is what does having an unbreakable business mean to you?

Priscilla: Having an unbreakable business means having confidence in myself that no matter what I encounter, no matter what happens, that I will always come out exactly Where I’m meant to be and having the full trust and knowing that nothing is happening to me. But everything is happening for me.

Akua: For me. Yes. Oh my gosh.

Clock that. I’m like, logging that away, girl. That is so, so true. Like, it’s not happening to me, it’s happening for me. Like this season, whatever it is, is necessary for me to get to where I want to go and it’s going to shape me in a certain way that I need to be. And right, and so I, I love that. Love that so much.

And Priscilla, Thank you. Thank you so much for coming on the show. For people who want to connect with you, how can we support you? Where can we find you?

Priscilla: Yes. Please come check us out. We’re at forwardfemale. com. Everywhere. Uh, we’re just at Forward Female and then, yeah, you can find me. Through there, I’d love to help anybody become clear on their vision or support you in any possible way.

Just sharing your own businesses too. I, uh, it’s my, it’s my biggest passion in the world. So, um, would love for you to come check us out and even pop over your own business in any way I can share it or support you. I’d love to.

Akua: Oh my gosh. Oh, yay. Well, thank you so much, friend. I adore you and for everybody listening until next time, thanks for tuning into Unbreakable Business.

If you loved today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs a little extra inspiration. Remember, no matter what life throws your way, you have the power to keep going and your business can be unbreakable too. Until next time, keep building, keep growing, and stay unbreakable.