How to Regain Your Power with Two Time CEO, Allison Walsh
Allison Walsh is a seasoned executive, philanthropist, speaker, professional consultant, and Miss Florida 2006. A two-time CEO for national coaching firms, Allison has over 15 years of organizational leadership, mentorship, and coaching experience. She serves as Vice President of Business Development and Branding for Advanced Recovery Systems, a national provider and industry leader in behavioral healthcare. As host of the She Believed She Could and Dear Mind, You Matter podcasts, and the creator of impactful coaching programs, Allison focuses on helping women develop and leverage their personal brands personally and professionally to scale their businesses, careers, and influence while making an impact. Named in the Orlando Business Journal's 2021 Top 40 Under 40 and Women Who Mean Business, Allison is a proud member of Forbes Business Development Council, Dell Women's Entrepreneur Network, The Revenue Collective, and Orlando Business Journal's Leadership Trust.
Allison has raised more than $2 million for eating disorder education and treatment through her 501(c)(3) nonprofit Helping Other People Eat (H.O.P.E.), and her philanthropic efforts have been featured in national news. She served as a Board Member for the National Eating Disorders Association, and currently serves on the boards of the Forevers Foundation, and Project Opioid.
“You have to take your power back." – Allison Walsh
Highlights
💫 1:37 A little about Allison's career journey
💫 4:40 How Allison knew it was time to make a pivot in her career
💫 9:34 Being a perfectionist can hold you back from getting started
💫 18:20 Why having support in your business is so important
💫 20:21 Turning your ideas into actions
💫 22:24 3 key takeaways from today's conversation
Let's Connect!
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A Story of Pivotal Moments and Breakthroughs
So I have just had an interesting story, I didn't quite understand how it was all going to come together when it was going on. I felt like it was kind of piecemealed and had a general idea but then realized quickly that I needed to really get honest with myself about what I wanted to do. So I did go to law school. And about two years into that I realized that I did not want to practice law. I initially went because I was incredibly passionate about eating disorder advocacy. And I started a foundation when I was 18 years old to help others that were struggling. And during that time, I was so tired of people not getting the coverage that they needed that I thought okay, well I can do something about this if I become an attorney, and so started law school. I realized that was not my thing, not my jam, not what I needed to be doing. And somebody that had booked me to speak and share my story about six years prior came over to me and said, Do you know anybody on your board that would be interested, we have this opportunity to be in business development and marketing for an eating disorder program, as well as a substance use program? Would you be interested? Do you know anybody that would be interested, I quickly raised my hand, and I was like, I am getting myself out of this law school thing.
So I finished law school and started working full-time in the behavioral health industry on that side of things on the treatment side. And simultaneously, I always just really loved helping people level up. So I knew that like there was more for me outside of what was happening in my day job, so to speak. And so I started a coaching company, and it grew, and it was wonderful. And then eventually that evolved as well. And simultaneously was able to lead a team in my job, and I got to move over to another organization, literally being employee number to scale a company to 1000 employees, all at the same time. So it's kind of like having the best of all worlds. And it's been just an incredible journey, but really have loved being able to pour my heart and soul into whatever I've been able to do. But if I would not get honest with myself and made a change quickly, I probably would be sitting in a law firm not happy with what I was doing at this point.
So but yeah, that's where I'm at now, running a national business development team for Advanced Recovery Systems, we literally get to change and save lives every single day. But I've also been running Allison Walsh consulting for about a decade and get to work with amazing women who are investing themselves leveling up on their personal brands, taking bold moves, really creating the lives that they want for themselves, and putting themselves out there in a way that they haven't done before. And so it's a really incredible experience to be able to walk alongside women who are ready to take that next step. And so it's been a great ride.
Well, that is an incredible journey from law school to being in the mental health organization and really supporting those with mental health and eating disorders. So when was that moment where you said, Okay, I'm ready to leave law school because that in itself, that's really relatable to those who are maybe in a position that they are not finding joy in. When did you know deep down inside that you’re ready to make a move?
So it was about what law school is brutal. I think I was really stubborn in the beginning. It was relatively early on that I knew it wasn't for me, but I'm also a really stubborn human. And I didn't want to disappoint anybody. And I was very hard on myself. I couldn't even fathom thinking that I had just made a really expensive mistake. And so I really had to get honest with myself, right? That was really more. So what was, when the job opportunity presented itself, it was towards the end of my law school career. And I said to myself, you know, I want to at least finish this and see this through. But I can't continue to live a life that I'm not going to be satisfied living and having those critical conversations with the people that were around me that I knew I was probably going to disappoint; that needed to happen sooner rather than later. And I think once I got through those, and honestly, there were a couple of people that were disappointed – my parents. So you know, my husband just suffered through law school, essentially, for a second time, because he's an attorney, you know, he'd already done it and warned me before I even started. But, you know, once I got over those conversations, and I leaned into where my passion was, what I was good at, and what I loved doing, then it was a very different situation. And so, but sometimes I think we will hold ourselves back, because we're so worried about what other people are going to think, instead of just doing it. And people spend decades of their lives doing things that they don't want to do. Because they're worried about what other people think. And you have to take your power back. And when I did that, and I had those uncomfortable conversations, and I got honest about it, and I moved forward. It all worked out. And so I just encourage anybody listening/reading that these first conversations can be tough, but they're very worth it.
Yeah, those conversations can be tough. And it is about bringing power back to yourself. Because so often we get so worried about what other people are going to think. And the reality is, other people aren't living our lives. They're not the ones waking up every morning and living the life that we are. And so are we doing our job? Are we living our lives for other people? Or are we living it for ourselves?
Yeah, it's important, we got to get honest with ourselves. Those are some difficult conversations to have. And for those, you know, those of us out there that are really thinking about doing something differently, and don't know how to have that conversation, walk us through what that would be like.
Unpacking Hard Questions
So I think part of what intimidates people with having hard conversations is that they build up all of the worst things that are going to happen, right? And so one of the things that I encourage people to do, whether it's this type of conversation, or something else is to remove the power from what you've built it up to be. So I write everything down. And I noticed that when I write down what it is I'm worried about, and I actually think about, okay, worst case scenario, how would I handle this situation? If it would happen this way, if at all, it would all go down in the worst possible way, what would that be? How would I handle it? Right, the world is going to keep turning. So I just need to get over myself as we move through that. And so that helps me a lot. And I encourage people to do that all of the time. Whether it's you know, having a conversation at work, having a conversation with a loved one, having a conversation with someone who is going to change the course or the direction of what you're doing. Currently, it's important to really roleplay what that's going to feel like and write it out. Once you've done that, and then you feel good about it, I always like to tear that piece of paper up and throw it away. I find that to be very liberating. And then I make it happen. One thing that I've done recently that I found to be very helpful. And I don't know if you've read Mel Robbins’s “5 Second Rule”, but it's that 54321 Go, that helps a lot too. Because I think sometimes we're like, okay, it's gonna happen today, I'm going to have this conversation, I'm going to rip off the band-aid. And then we can easily talk ourselves out of not doing it. So that's been something that I've I've really put into motion because there's no reason to delay a conversation that needs to happen. It's better to get it done and move forward.
Yeah, it only takes us five seconds to talk ourselves out of something. And you really think about that really quickly. It is our inner critic who just starts telling us all the reasons why it's not going to work out. And those worst-case scenarios – can they really prevent us from stepping into what we want to do? And, you know, you talk about procrastination, and oftentimes I say perfectionism is procrastination in disguise. So what are some times that you've found where you've tried to be that perfectionist, and you realize it's held you back from doing what you want to do?
How to Manage Perfectionism
So I'll limit it to just a couple of short examples. But the one that's really that stands out the most to me, as you know, I've mentioned I've run a couple of different coaching companies. And there was a time when I was reinventing the brand, right? And I was, you know, back on my own again, I had an amazing partnership right with one of my really good friends. We ran an awesome company for several years together. It was so much fun, but it was a very niche audience and demographic and so when it was time for me to step back out on my own, I wanted to have a new identity, right like I wanted to take the good thing. But this was a different type of clientele that I wanted to work with. And so things needed to change. And I remember struggling to just put it out there. And it was something that I had worked so hard on, right? And I think this is a part of what really gets in our own way is that, you know, when you're starting something new, it's number one, you got to do the mindset work about just doing it right, then you got to pull it all together, you do all the work, you create the website, you do all the content, you make the curriculum, you do all of this, and then it's time to market it. And that's where the mindset stuff just can hit you right away again. And I was so nervous about how it was going to be perceived. And I was so worried that it wasn't good enough. And I sat on it for a long time. And that was perfectionism at its peak, right? Because I could have been helping people for a long period of time but I didn't, because I sat on it. And I think once I shifted my mindset to listen, it's going to be far worse if I don't put it out there because I'm not going to be able to serve in the way that I want to serve my clients if I keep holding on to this stuff. It's better for it to be out there. And I can tweak it along the way, as I get feedback, as I noticed things, it is not set in stone. So move forward, do it, put it out there. And you'll be so pleased with the fact that you did and it's just it's such a good positive reinforcement when you see people having great results from something that you've created. But you can't have that if you're sitting on it because you're too afraid to put it out there. So that was definitely one of the more recent ones, it was a few years ago. But it was a real wake-up call for me that I needed to just get over myself.
And, you know, a lot of times what I find is what we think is easy, and we assume it's easy, may not be easy to others. And so like you said, when we're holding back, we're doing others a disservice. And so it's really about saying, What am I good at? What's my vision? How can I support others? And just follow your heart. And when you follow your heart, people will gravitate towards you, because they want that in their lives. And if that's something you're really good at, then that becomes your niche, that becomes the way that you get to create something special for others.
Overcoming Limiting Beliefs
It's huge. I mean, you just, you don't, I think we sell ourselves short. We all have this beautiful blend of unique talents and skill sets. And, you know, as I've been working with my clients now it's really about packaging that right. And so often they think they have to be 100 yards ahead. And it's really just a few steps ahead of whoever they're trying to serve. Essentially, your ideal client or those that you're trying to work with are people that are just like you a few years ago, when you weren't sure how to do something or you didn't have it all figured out. And so it's important that we allow ourselves to not overcomplicate things like the natural tendency is to be like, I've got to do everything, it's got to be the most extensive and expansive thing. And it's, you know, who am I? And then the imposter syndrome creeps in who am I to be putting this out there? I don't have this, like, I don't have that degree. Who cares? Do you know how to solve a problem they have? Yes. Okay, you can help them right? So get over yourself again, and go do it.
And so that's been really fun to be able to really help others package up what they have and put themselves out there in a new way. And that's just been so much fun. And to see people really understand and realize that they have all of this within them. And I always call it the light switch effect, right? Like, it's when somebody realizes how truly amazing they are. And that is probably my favorite part about working with my clients is that it happens with all of them where all of a sudden, it's like, oh, my gosh, I can do this, like I actually can do this. And you know, some of them say you got to push me across the finish line. But I know at least in my soul that I'm capable of doing this. And so that's fine. And I've really enjoyed being able to be a part of somebody's journey in that capacity.
That lightbulb moment is such an incredible moment. It's so joyous to get from because you see, you know, we all have these limiting beliefs, these inner critics, and the things that we tell ourselves. And sometimes it just takes that other person to see you in a new light that you don't really see yourself in. And then all of a sudden, your heart opens to something completely new. And you're like, oh my gosh, I didn't realize that I had that power deep down inside until somebody pointed it out to me. And it's that lightbulb moment that just is so special to see.
And I think that sometimes too, we make it harder on ourselves and what it needs; we have really high expectations of what that final product or what that needs to look like before we get started. And so often you don't have to have it all complete before you get started. And I think that's the other piece too that you know I work with a lot of coaches or crew aiders and even some therapists that are like repackaging how they do things. And, you know, it's like, you don't have to have it all done before you start selling, right? You want to get proof of concept. You want to understand what your audience wants or needs, and ask questions, right? And also reflect right. Success leaves clues. And if you're not, you're so in it, and you can't see the outside, like, sometimes you need to get some other people's advice or opinions on things. And that's where, you know, that's where I've been able to step in with my clients. But that's why whatever you're doing, have a supportive group of people around you that are good advisors that have an objective view of what you're doing that maybe are you two or three steps ahead. It really does make a difference. And it helps you to see the light maybe a little bit faster than when you're so in it. It's nice to have somebody that can give you a different perspective.
The Power of a Having Support System and Putting Visions Into Action
The power of creating a tribe around you to link arms with and whether that is you know, you and I are both coaches. And so I have a coach, I invest in a business coach, I have a leadership coach, I'm part of this really intense leadership program for the next six months. And you know, whether you're a coach and you have a coach guiding you through things or whether you're in a career, and you have a career coach that's supporting you, there's so much power in having somebody that you get to link arms with, that gets to see you in a way that you may not see yourself and just provide some guidance and somebody to lean on and talk with and, and really, you know, share ideas and create that, you know, the support for your vision.
I'm going back to me being a very stubborn human sometimes, like, I can delay my own progress, just simply by getting in my own way. When I switched my mindset to think of like, okay, I can sit here and try to figure all this stuff out on my own, or I can bring somebody in, that's going to help me go faster. It helps me get over the hurdle, right? And I think what happened to me early on with my first coaching company, is it was very successful, almost by dumb luck, right? Like, we knew what we were doing, like, but we were having a lot of fun. And we worked hard. Tons of clients, and it was a great experience.
But the thought of like reinventing myself and needing to learn new skills – I'm like, Oh, it'll just happen like the last one. And I'll figure it out. Well, I spent hours and hours and hours and hours and hours trying to teach myself something that if I would have just hired somebody to help me, I would have saved time energy money, and certainly, you know, stress level. But I was stubborn, right? And so once I got over myself with that, and I started saying okay, first of all, what can I outsource? Right? Like, I don't need to do everything myself. Number two, who can I bring in that's going to help me get where I want to go faster? Because if I take the number of hours that I've just spent trying to teach myself something that I'd have no business doing then and multiply it by what my hourly rate is. That's ridiculous right now I'm like literally burning money.
So when I start to shift my perspective on that, that really helps me and now it's you know, I as soon as I get to a point where it's either maybe stress or it's taking too much time and like, who can I find? Who can I bring into this to help me and, you know, that's where I've been able to work with great coaches I've had, and I've taken wonderful programs, and I've done all that stuff. But the one thing I want people to listen to is that sometimes we become obsessed with learning, and we don't follow through and execute. And so the worst thing that you can do is just consume, consume, consume and have some momentum, but not put things into action. And so whatever it is that you're doing, however, you're working on yourself, or however you're trying to level up, make sure there's an action step after every encounter because otherwise, you're gonna just be a professional consumer of other people's knowledge. And that's fun. But like, if you really want to do anything, you need to actually make it happen. So that would be just a piece of advice for sure.
That's great advice because you're right. I mean, we could read as many books as we want, and take as many seminars as we want. And if we're not actually putting things into action, then what's the point you get just to be a consumer, but the whole goal is that you put these in action and continue to develop yourself professionally, and personally, and just create the life that you want.
Absolutely. And it's really common. And I think you see it a lot when, you know, people have the best of intentions. But again, when there's all of this great knowledge, right? And then you couple that with any source of fear, impostor syndrome, or the inner critic, those issues can quickly stop you from moving forward, if you don't hold yourself accountable. So like, if you're doing anything, have a buddy. If you don't have a coach, at least have an accountability partner, because you guys will help get each other to that next level and, and encourage that action to happen. So you know, I think the whole point of being alive is to evolve into the complete person you're intended to be. The intention is to constantly grow and evolve. If you're growing, it's going to be uncomfortable. So make sure you have somebody there to help you keep moving forward.
Three Actions That Can Help You Regain Your Power
Focus on being 1% better each and every day.
I think sometimes people put unrealistic expectations on themselves, and they set themselves up for failure. They get defeated, and then they're back on the hamster wheel of emotions, right? And so focus on just 1%. And I think if you celebrate every day, and you have a win list, where you write down what is something that I accomplished today that I haven't done before, right, or what's something that I crossed off the list, focus on the wins focus on that growth. It's amazing because consistency compounds, which is the goal – you get to see it through the end. Take stamina if you're just working in short sprints and you're trying to over-exert, or you're trying to get too much done at one point, you're gonna burn out, you're not going to enjoy it, and then what the heck are you doing this for? So really focusing on that 1% mentality makes a massive difference.
Get really comfortable with a routine.
Whatever it is, build in time for you to work on something that lights your soul on fire every day. Because even if you switch, say, for example, you're in corporate America, and you're like, I want to start my own business, I want to start a consulting company, whatever it is, you start pouring all your resources into that quickly, it could feel like it's now more work. So you have to make sure you're infusing joy into it and have that routine, have that time for you to be able to recharge your batteries, whatever it is.
Get visible.
You can't hide under a rock, right? You can't create all these things. And then just pray, you know, that concept of like, set it and forget it, or if you build it, they will come. You know, if you build it, they will come if you market yourself and you get visible so you know really invest in your personal brand. Take that seriously, if you're looking at even if you're doing something within your own industry, or you're looking to uplevel your career, you're looking to go after bigger opportunities. You want a new job and a promotion, you want to start a company, whatever it is, take the time to really do a brand audit for yourself and see if you are in alignment with how you want others to perceive you are the messages that you're putting out there what you want them to be. Are there ways that you can enhance your social proof? Are there other ways to bolster your credibility or really position you to be eligible for other opportunities? A lot of that is uncomfortable for people. They're like, don't be fine. Well, again, like get visible, right? Like you got to put yourself out there and invest in your personal brand, it’s definitely something that I think everybody needs to do and really get comfortable with. Being visible and available for opportunities because it's amazing what comes your way when you let the universe know that you're welcoming it.
