Scaling Success Your Way with Denise Musselwhite (Ep167)

But I think what's interesting hearing this story is it was all right there.

As I think about this crossroads you're at, you were kind of trying to decide, do I leverage my expertise as a technology leader? And do I go help other organizations or other schools with technology? Or do I go down this other path? And what's interesting is even as you were telling the story, this other path was already presenting itself.

What was it in the work that we did that gave you the ability to let go of, like, even though I built my career on this other one, I could really trust it? Because that was the watershed moment.

Like, that was it.

Like, once we got clear, like, this is the direction, like, everything just, like, went into place.

Like, everything.

You know, we got your... your thrive framework together you know we got we got clarity on your once we got that direction we got clarity on your ideal client we got clarity on the problem you solve we got clarity on the framework we got clarity on you know kind of like the the the offers that you were going to do all of that came but what was it about that moment that allowed you what like what allowed you to trust that it is not even just you had this other passion from your school You were mentoring people on the side.

You were part of the Florida Executive Women Council.

You were always mentoring people.

Does my question make sense? It was all right there.

What was it allowed you to trust that what was emerging was the right direction for you?

You know, I think that it was a culmination of things that allowed me to trust.

I really remember...

A conversation that I had with my husband at the time, right, where I, you know, was expressing enthusiasm and also fear.

And I know that I did that with you often.

And I remember him asking me, like, when have you ever failed at something that you put your mind to? And I was like, huh.

Similarly to like nobody puts Denise in prison.

her place it's like if I when I set my mind to something I'm gonna turn it into something and it's going to succeed even if it doesn't look exactly the way that I thought right like right it's gonna get there right so he's like I don't really know anyone who's as disciplined or motivated or intense and focused as you so why is it that this is scaring you and I was like oh You know, so it's like he held up a mirror maybe.

And you did that to me, too.

Yeah.

So I think that's the the moment is when you realize if I am the daughter of immigrants who, by all accounts, probably should not have succeeded, but did.

Right.

My parents were able to create a path forward for us in a way that was incredibly remarkable.

Right.

I was successful as a woman, as one of the only people at the table as a CTO, CIO.

But I think what's interesting hearing this story is it was all right there.

As I think about this crossroads you're at, you were kind of trying to decide, do I leverage my expertise as a technology leader? And do I go help other organizations or other schools with technology? Or do I go down this other path? And what's interesting is even as you were telling the story, this other path was already presenting itself.

What was it in the work that we did that gave you the ability to let go of, like, even though I built my career on this other one, I could really trust it? Because that was the watershed moment.

Like, that was it.

Like, once we got clear, like, this is the direction, like, everything just, like, went into place.

Like, everything.

You know, we got your... your thrive framework together you know we got we got clarity on your once we got that direction we got clarity on your ideal client we got clarity on the problem you solve we got clarity on the framework we got clarity on you know kind of like the the the offers that you were going to do all of that came but what was it about that moment that allowed you what like what allowed you to trust that it is not even just you had this other passion from your school You were mentoring people on the side.

You were part of the Florida Executive Women Council.

You were always mentoring people.

Does my question make sense? It was all right there.

What was it allowed you to trust that what was emerging was the right direction for you?

You know, I think that it was a culmination of things that allowed me to trust.

I really remember...

A conversation that I had with my husband at the time, right, where I, you know, was expressing enthusiasm and also fear.

And I know that I did that with you often.

And I remember him asking me, like, when have you ever failed at something that you put your mind to? And I was like, huh.

Similarly to like nobody puts Denise in prison.

her place it's like if I when I set my mind to something I'm gonna turn it into something and it's going to succeed even if it doesn't look exactly the way that I thought right like right it's gonna get there right so he's like I don't really know anyone who's as disciplined or motivated or intense and focused as you so why is it that this is scaring you and I was like oh You know, so it's like he held up a mirror maybe.

And you did that to me, too.

Yeah.

So I think that's the the moment is when you realize if I am the daughter of immigrants who, by all accounts, probably should not have succeeded, but did.

Right.

My parents were able to create a path forward for us in a way that was incredibly remarkable.

Right.

I was successful as a woman, as one of the only people at the table as a CTO, CIO.