Episode 203: Winning at Business and Life with Valerie Forgeard

This is Professor Pete Alexander with the Winning at Business and Life podcast, where business leaders share their insights. It is 6 questions in 7 minutes because successful business leaders are busy and rarely have more time to spare. So let's get to it. Question number 1: In a few sentences, please tell me who you are and what you do.

I'm Valérie, I'm the founder and director of World Citizen Artists, which is an organization which promotes humanitarian issues and social issues through arts and music and all creative mediums. And I'm also the founder and director of Stunning Brand, which is a branding agency that focuses on social impact and cross-cultural branding. And I'm myself specialized in social impact and cross-cultural branding.

Well, Valérie, it's such a pleasure to have you on the show. Question number 2: What is something that makes you smile and/or laugh about working in your industry?

I quite find it fun when I start with new clients because I'm someone who tends to think outside the box, and I'm also very relaxed. I traveled for over 15 years, 16 years now, I think, and I worked with over 100 nationalities. So when The way I approach, my way of approaching topics with clients, it's more almost like as a friendly conversation, which tends to worry them at the very beginning until they see suddenly the result that blows them away because, blown them away because they don't expect such results. Because I think things always come from experience, so you don't have to be super bureaucratic about things. You just have to make sure that you're on point and listening carefully. And, and that's very often what clients at the beginning don't always see, and it's always a nice surprise when I see their reaction on when they see the work that has been done.

I love that, and I totally agree with you about, you know, when you have the skill of listening carefully to what they're saying, because there's so much value in doing that as opposed to just trying to do all the talking. So I really, really love that. Question number 3: I have a fictitious book with all the answers for business. What chapter would you think most companies should read?

Which book or which chapter?

Which chapter for this, because it's a fictitious book.

You always start with chapter 1.

Okay. And is there a title to that or is it just the introduction? What would you say?

The introduction is the most important. I mean, the first chapter is actually more important than the introduction. Because usually it's how you decide if you're going to get into it or not.

Exactly. Yeah, it's, it's whether or not it captures your attention and gets you to want to read on. So I totally get that. Question number 4: Other than the generic work harder, have a great attitude, and care for customers, what advice or insight would you give to other business leaders?

Think about others and stop thinking about yourself. That's the mistake that most leaders do. They think of how they should present and what messages they should pass on, but very often they have a lack of understanding of what people want from them or expect from them. And until you understand what the person in front of you feels, wants, needs, it will be very hard to lead.

Yeah, and I like what you're saying about the expectations too, because at least in my experience, when the expectations are not set or clarified from both ends, both the leader as well as the person reporting to the leader, it can end up adding additional stress when one person is working towards one particular objective and the other person is expecting a particular objective and those aren't aligned. Would you agree?

Totally. Uh, there's so many miscommunications that slows down work in every company and every, uh, business deals. Um, and, and very often it's because, uh, there hasn't been this, um, giving first, giving attention, and, and even also just giving, um, positivity or like something that makes people want to work with you, for you, or buy from you.

Absolutely. Yeah. People want to buy from other people, and if they don't like you, they're probably not going to buy from you. And the other thing that I've seen is that the number one reason that people leave their jobs is a poor relationship with their supervisor or managers. So, you know, both those things are, you know, with positivity, and you'll be able to retain customers, you'll be able to retain employees. It makes complete sense.

Yeah, there's something amazing to take from anyone, uh, from the moment you fully listen and understand what drives them. And, and I think that's, uh, something that still needs to be worked on.

Absolutely. Question number 5: What other business leader like yourself would you like to acknowledge and invite to be on my podcast?

I would recommend my colleague Orla Sullivan. She's a mindfulness instructor, and the reason why I would recommend her, not only because she's been trained at the Thich Nhat Hanh Center, which is the highest level of mindfulness training you can get, but also I think these days the The world needs to chill out.

I completely agree with you there. Thank you for that referral. I'll reach out to her. And our final question, question number 6, please tell me about your first job.

My first job was actually in London. I, the funny thing is for the interview, so it was in the biggest fashion, for the biggest fashion designers at the time. They were the only fashion designers that required membership cards, so only celebrities and royal families were going there. And I was completely broke. I was 19. I was in minus £2,000 on my account, staying in a very basic hostel, eating cold sandwiches every day. And when I found out I had an interview, I went to spend the rest of my overdraft on clothes, makeup, and everything that could make make me look good. I arrived half an hour late because of the makeup, and, and, and the first thing the manager said when he opened the door, he said, you're late. And I said, I just spent all my money for this interview. I'm completely broke. That's my dream to work for you. So if you don't want to give me the job, I understand because I'm late, but give me at least the interview. I think I deserve it.

Wow.

And he said, "When can you start?" No kidding, without actually interviewing you? Yes.

I'll be darned, what a great story. And I absolutely love how you had the presence of mind, even at 19, to be able to stand your ground and to reinforce why this was so important to you. That's— and that, I'm sure that that must have come across very, very clearly to that person, and that's why You know, he probably just said, oh wait a minute, this person is so, uh, confident with— this is the person we need. I guess it's a great story. I love it. Thank you for sharing that. And Valerie, thank you so much for being on the show. How could people find you?

Um, they can find me, uh, at hello@stunningbrand.com. Uh, there is also a website stunningbrand.com, uh, and if they're interested in, uh, arts and music or or any, if they're artists or creatives, they can also contact my team at worldcitizenartist.org.

Perfect. This is Professor Pete Alexander with the Winning at Business and Life podcast. Thanks for listening.

Thank you.