March 14, 2025 • 25 mins
In this empowering episode of the Tourism Hub Podcast, host Despina Karatzias dives into the legacy of the iconic Frida Kahlo, exploring how her life and art can inspire bold action in the tourism industry. As we celebrated International Women's Day, Despina reflects on Frida's resilience and creativity, sharing insights on how we can channel her spirit to elevate our own businesses and experiences.
Despina discusses Frida's journey through pain and adversity, highlighting her ability to transform suffering into powerful self-expression. She draws parallels between Frida's artistic legacy and the challenges faced by today's entrepreneurs, urging listeners to embrace action and defy societal expectations. The episode features compelling stories of other trailblazing women, such as Amelia Earhart, Madame C.J. Walker, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, each of whom exemplified the courage to act and make their mark on history.
Listeners will discover five fearless strategies to accelerate action in their own ventures, from storytelling in sales to creating unforgettable customer experiences. Despina emphasises the importance of not waiting for the perfect moment but seizing the present to drive change and innovation. This episode is a call to action for anyone in the tourism sector seeking to ignite their passion and create a lasting impact.
01:21 - Celebrating Frida Kahlo's Legacy
03:46 - Frida Kahlo's Impact and Inspiration
07:53 - Lessons from Bold Women in History
12:26 - Accelerating Action in Business
12:50 - The Power of Storytelling in Sales
14:33 - Marketing and Creating Emotional Connections
17:04 - The Importance of Operations and Systems
19:24 - Crisis Management and Resilience
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LinkedIn: Despina Karatzias
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Show hosted by Despina Karatzias and brought to you by Tourism Hub in association with Institute Of Excellence.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
>> Despina Karatzias (00:05):
Welcome to the Tourism Hub Podcast, a podcast
devoted to you and your excellence,
providing inspiration and education for
the entrepreneurs, experience makers and
excellent seekers of our industry to take
your tourism, business and career to a whole new
level.
(00:30):
Welcome. Welcome to the Tourism Hub Podcast.
The place where we ignite
excellence, ignite ideas, amplify
voices, and empower businesses
in tourism and beyond to create a
lasting impact. I'm Despina
Karatias, your host and your biggest
cheerleader in business, in tourism and the
(00:53):
art of business and tourism and storytelling and
all the good stuff. And this podcast
is very proudly brought to you by
InstituteofExcellence.com where we help
businesses not just show up, but level up
and, you know, to a point, show off.
Creating experiences that are making a
difference. Showing places,
(01:14):
spaces, people and stories
that need to be shown and
experienced. On the back
of 2025 International Women's Day.
This week, today, I want to talk about
a who knew
exactly what it meant to make an
impact. A woman who painted her
(01:35):
truth so vividly that she
became immortal. And here we are
still talking about her
decades after her
passing. A woman who didn't
just leave a legacy, she built a
revolution with her art, with her words
(01:56):
and her unwavering, spirit.
And, of course, action
in caps. That
woman is Frieda Kahlo.
And this year she has arrived here
in Victoria, Australia, in the
regional destination of
Bendigo. Yes, to join
(02:17):
the likes of exhibitions like
Elvis and Marilyn Monroe at Grace
Kelly. The Bendigo Art Gallery is
now hosting one of the most
anticipated exhibitions of the
year. And I can't think of a better
time than the week of
International Women's Day to
(02:39):
celebrate her story.
Because Frieda didn't just
exist, she transformed
everything she touched. And she did it
in a way that still moves and
inspires us. Born on
July 6, 1907,
Frida lived a life that was as
(03:01):
tragic as it was
triumphant. She endured
a near fatal bus accident at
age 18. She had
over 30 surgeries. She
experienced heartbreak, political exile,
and unimaginable, physical pain.
And yet she went on
(03:23):
to still create some of the most
powerful, visceral and
defiant artwork the world
has ever seen. She died my
age now at, just 47 years old.
But in those years, she gave us a
legacy that still feels so
alive and raw today.
(03:45):
And much to my delight, Frida is
also currently playing on Netflix. Now, I remember
first watching this when it came out in
2002, 23 years
ago, and really Salma Hayek.
And this movie is why I know about
Frida. In the first place. And why I'm so excited
that she's coming to our, shores in this
(04:07):
exhibition at the Bendigo Art Gallery.
Now, seeing it pop up on my Netflix.
Only this last few days, I
did, watch it again. And I was just,
again struck by the sheer
intensity of Frida's world. Her
passion, her politics, her art
and her pain throughout all of
(04:29):
that. And the film doesn't just, you
know, tell Frieda's story. It feels
like her paintings come to
life, vibrant,
surreal and, you know, this
unapologetic, rawness
to them. And it made me wonder, really,
did Netflix time this re release in response to
(04:51):
Frida's exhibition coming to Bendigo? Because
if they did, brilliant move. If
they didn't, well, it's one of those moments of
synchronicity that I reckon Frida
herself would have appreciated just as
much as I did. Popping up, I felt like it was
telepathy because I've been thinking, like, I really want to watch that
(05:11):
movie again. And boom, there it was.
What this also did, it got me thinking a little bit
deeper. What is it about Frida
that still commands so much
interest and respect? And more
importantly, how can we take that
same bold Frida energy and apply it to,
into our businesses and into our work and
(05:33):
the experiences that we create?
Now couple all of this with the theme of
this year's International Women's Day
being accelerating action
and thinking about Frida. And thinking,
well, Frida didn't wait for that
perfect moment. She created it. She
(05:55):
didn't wait to be called to
act. She acted. And
to a point, neither should
we. So if you're a business owner, an
entrepreneur, a, creative or a leader in
tourism, wherever you are on this
journey, buckle up, because
this particular episode is all
(06:16):
about how you can start
to take your vision, your brand,
your idea, your business
to a, Frida, like,
level with your own bold,
unapologetic, accelerated
action. Alright,
now, Frida Kahlo's life was a
(06:38):
masterclass in resilience. When a
tragic accident at 18 really literally
shattered her body. She found
herself bedridden for months.
So when we talk about crisis into
an opportunity, instead of
surrendering to this pain and giving up,
she picked up a brush. She turned her
(07:01):
suffering into self expression.
She made that canvas her
voice. Just like for many of us,
we make our businesses and our work our
voice. Frida didn't just paint
her images. She painted
emotions, truth and
defiance. She painted her way
(07:23):
into history. But here's the
thing. Frida wasn't Alone in
this boldness. Throughout history, women
and men have done the same, each in
their own way, each of us in our own
way, in different fields, across different
generations. Their stories
(07:43):
there to teach us one
thing. Waning is not an
option. Action is
now. As a mother of two daughters,
I find myself constantly searching for
ways to empower, inspire
and equip them, even in the
teenage years, with the tools that
(08:05):
they need to navigate this world
with confidence and courage. One of
the most treasured books I've ever bought my
girls is the Goodnight Stories for
Rebel Girls. Such a beautiful
collection of stories and illustrations
about women in history who
defied expectations,
(08:27):
shattered barriers, and they really changed
the course of history that here we are, some
have passed on and we're still talking about them. And
my girls will speak
of them to their daughters and
granddaughters now. I realised quickly
that this book wasn't just for them. It was also for
me too. And this book isn't just a bedtime
(08:49):
story. It also is a, call to
inspired action. It reminds me
that every step that I take today, every business
I build, every bold decision that I
make is not just for me. It's for
them and for their daughters and your
daughters and nieces and
granddaughters. It's for the next
(09:11):
generation of, rebel girls who will continue
to shape the world. Take
Amelia Earhart. That features in the book the
first woman to fly solo across the
Atlantic. Everyone told her it was
impossible, that women didn't belong in the
cockpit, that the sky was no place for her,
that. But she accelerated action. She took
(09:33):
flight and proved them all wrong. She didn't just break
records, she broke barriers, showing
women they didn't have to stay grounded by
society's expectations.
Then there's Wangari
Maffei, the first African
woman to win the Nobel
Prize. She didn't just dream of a
(09:55):
greener Kenya, she took action.
She started the Green Belt
Movement, an initiative that planted
over 50 million trees
and empowered women across Africa
to take charge of their land, their
environment and their futures. She
saw a problem and didn't wait for permission
(10:16):
to fix it. And let's talk about
Malala. Malala
Yousafzai, who at, just 15
years old, was shot by the
Taliban for daring to speak
out about a girl's right to education.
But did that stop her? No.
It made her louder. It made
(10:38):
her stronger. Malala
took what could have silenced her forever
and turned it into a global
movement for education, earning
her a Nobel prize at just
17 years old. These women
didn't wait. They acted they didn't
let obstacles define them. They used them
(11:00):
as fuel. They understood that
hesitation is a form of self sabotage
and that the only way forward is through
action. So what does that mean for us? it
means we also need
to stop waiting for
permission, stop waiting for the economy to
improve, for more time, for the right
(11:22):
moment, for the universe to align. The right
moment is when we decide
to move. The right moment is when
we choose to move, when we embrace
Kinesis. Kinesi, the
Greek word for movement. A, force that
propels us forward, driven
(11:42):
by inspiration, challenge, or
necessity. In biology,
kinesis describes movement in
response to a stimulus. In life, it
is no different. The spark of an idea,
the urgency of a challenge, and the
pull of a dream are, our
stimuli. The moment we act, we
(12:04):
transform that energy into momentum,
change and something far more significant than
ourselves. Because progress doesn't wait. It,
moves with those bold enough to
step forward. And that's
what we're really diving into.
Five bold, fearless ways to
tap into your Frida and these inspirational
(12:26):
rebel girls to accelerate
action in business, tourism,
leadership in anything. and
any project that you got going on
that you need to just put your foot on it. Put the
pedal to the metal.
So let's start with sales, shall we? A lot of
people think sales is about pushing a product or a
(12:48):
service or an experience, but it's not.
Sales is about storytelling. You've
heard the saying, tell it, don't sell
it. About inviting people into a world
they want to be a part of. Frieda's
aunt wasn't just about paint on a
canvas. It was her soul, her, truth. Her
invitation for people to see the world through
(13:10):
her eyes. The same applies to any
business, especially in the business
of experience. If people don't connect
with our, stories, they won't invest in
what we're offering. Think about
Madame C.J. walker,
America's first self made
female millionaire. She didn't just sell
(13:33):
hair products. She. She sold
empowerment, confidence and
independence to black women at a
time when society was telling them they
had no place in business. She
once said, I am a woman who came from the
cotton fields of the South. From there,
I was promoted to the washtub. From
(13:55):
there, I, was promoted to the cook kitchen.
And from there, I
promoted myself into
the business of manufacturing
hair goods and preparations.
That's what made her brand
unstoppable. She didn't rely on waiting
for customers. She built a movement
(14:17):
around her mission, proving that
sales aren't just about transactions.
They're about creating a,
Transformation. Then comes
marketing. Frida understood
this before marketing was even a formal
concept in our universe, she
was her brand. The way she
(14:38):
dressed, the way she posed, the
way she presented herself, it
was all intentional. She didn't
just create art, she
became the art. That's why
she remains so iconic
still to this day. The same is true
for brands that stand the test of time.
(15:01):
You think of Oprah, for example. Our
girl Oprah. We don't even need to say her
surname. She built an empire
not by selling products, but by
creating deep emotional
connections with people. She made
her audiences feel seen, feel
heard, feel, feel understood. And that's
(15:23):
why her following is
still so fiercely loyal today.
She didn't rely on gimmicks. She relied
on authenticity. Oprah once said,
what you do for yourself is done
for yourself, but what you do for others is
done for the world. That's the secret
to marketing that lasts. It's not about selling
(15:45):
to people, it's about serving them.
It's about creating something so
valuable, they can't help but talk
about it.
And speaking of connection, let's talk about Visa.
experience. The most unforgettable
experiences aren't about what people
see or buy. They're about how people
feel. When someone walks into your hotel,
(16:08):
your tour, your restaurant, your experience, your
shop, what's the story we're telling
them? Are they just another customer? Or
do they feel welcome? Do they feel like we're
grateful for their presence? That they're stepping into something
meaningful, something curated just for
them? Mary
Barra, the CEO of General
(16:30):
Motors, transformed GM by shifting
the focus to customer experience.
She believes that the definition
of innovative and innovation
is providing value to the
customer, full stop. Because
when you create something people want to return
(16:50):
to, they do. And when they return,
they consequently bring others
with them.
Let's talk about the backbone of it all
operations. Without structure, without
systems, even the best ideas
collapse. And I know what you're thinking, but I don't
have time for systems. I have a business to run.
(17:10):
Exactly. And that's why
we all need them. Yours
truly also accounted for that.
Because when things go wrong, and they will
also, Yours truly, can attest to
that. We need to be prepared.
Sarah Blakely, for example, the founder of
Spanx, learned this lesson the hard way. She
(17:33):
once shared that if I knew then what I
know now, I would have done better. Due
diligence on key manufacturers from the
beginning. In the early years, one of her
manufacturers went under and gave her only
four days notice. Four days.
Imagine having to unravel
and create that solution to that
(17:56):
problem when your entire business has less than
a week to solve a
manufacturing problem. And that's why
systems matter. They don't restrict you.
They give you the freedom to focus on that big picture.
But what made Sarah Blakely
truly successful as one of
(18:16):
a few female self
made billionaires, it
wasn't just her resilience, it
was her ability to, to challenge the status
quo. In an interview with
Virgin, she said in her
words, smarter thinking for us at
Spanx was always started with asking
(18:39):
the question, why? Why can't we
do this and it will turn out we can.
Why can't we put shaping inside of
jeans? We did. Why does it have to be
done this way? It doesn't. The it's
that level of curiosity. Bold thinking
and refusing to accept limits
(18:59):
is what accelerates action.
It's just not about having a great
idea. It's about asking, how can this
be done better? What if we did it
differently? Those questions are, what
can drive real change?
And finally, let's talk about crisis
management. Because if there's anything
(19:21):
business have in common with life,
it's that things will go
wrong. Frieda knew this. She lived
through physical pain, political turmoil
and of course just heartbreak in her
relationships. But she didn't react
in panic. She adapted. She
painted through it. She created art.
(19:44):
And through that, here we are talking about
Frida today. The same applies to business.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
When she faced discrimination in law school,
she didn't just accept it. She strategised.
She planned. She built a case so strong
that she rewrote the laws that had been
(20:06):
holding women back for generations.
Her advice and the best quote that I found
from Ruth. Fight for the things that you
care about, but do it in a way that will
lead others to join you. Because action
isn't just about making change. It's about making
change that lasts.
And speaking of Ruth Bader
(20:27):
Ginsburg, if you want to truly feel the impact of
her legacy, as it turns out,
another freaky thing I wrote and I
and I read about Ruth and then I in my
Google search find that literally
this week another incredible
art experience has opened up at the
Melbourne Art Centre, bringing her story
(20:50):
to life on stage in
rbg. That's what the show called her
initials. Of Many One
is what it's called rbg, of Many
One, which is a powerful play that
explores the pivotal moments of her life
and her work. So I'm looking to get
myself a ticket to this because it's like, wow,
(21:11):
what's another serendipitous moment.
So her journey from a young woman fighting
for a place in a male dominated world to
Supreme Court justice who changed the
course of history is a reminder that
resilience, strategy, and bold action
can alter the world. It's not just a
(21:31):
play, another masterclass at
what it means to take action in the face of
adversity. So these are, five
ways that we can all accelerate action.
Not by waiting, not by hesitating, but
by stepping boldly into what's
next. Because if Frida had waited, if
(21:52):
Madame C.J. walker had
hesitated, if Sarah Blakely had stopped
questioning the why, they wouldn't have left the
legacies that they did to inspire all of
us coming after them. The
lesson, let's not wait for the world to
permit you. Take it, own it, make your
mark.
(22:12):
so let's wrap up with what's your
own kinesis? What's your own
Kinesi movement? If there's one
thing that we've learned from frida,
Amelia, Madame C.J.
walker and Ruth, it's that
action shapes history. These
women didn't wait for permission. They didn't sit on
(22:34):
the sidelines hoping the world would change. They
didn't sit there complaining. They made
the move. They ignited the
Kinesis. The movement turned
their visions into legacies. And
now it's your turn, my dear friends.
Because the right moment, it isn't somewhere
in the distant future. And now it's your
(22:56):
turn, my beautiful tourism brothers and
sisters. Because the right moment, well,
it isn't somewhere in the distant future
waiting for the perfect conditions. The right
moment is when we decide to
move. When we stop
hesitating, stop overthinking,
and start stepping into
(23:18):
what is next for you.
So here's the challenge. Choose one
action today. Maybe it's
pricing your worth. Maybe
it's doing something that
tells a part of your story with conviction,
like Frida. Maybe it's questioning
the status quo. Can this be done
(23:40):
differently? And who says why not?
Or maybe it's fighting for something bigger
than yourself, like Ruth.
Whatever it is, like, let's look at
starting something now, within the next week.
Move forward, create momentum. Because the
world doesn't just change on its
(24:01):
own. It changes when
we have Kinisi. If
this episode, my friends, resonated with
you, let me know. Share it,
subscribe to it, leave a review. You
have no idea how, like,
yeah. What it does to my energy and my
kinesis. When I hear
(24:22):
someone say that they've listened to this
episode and that it resonated in
a way, shape, or form, and caused you to
act. It all just will go a long,
long way. And it keeps me coming back to
deliver something of value for you.
And if you're ready to take bold
action in your business,
(24:44):
connect over at
instituteofexcellence.com with
me and check out our range of
courses and look at ways that we could potentially
work together. Because your movement, your
kinesi, starts today. Until next
time, my friends, Be bold, be brilliant, be
excellent talent. And, let's all channel our
(25:05):
Frida and make your
mark. Relax.
Welcome to the Tourism Hub Podcast, a podcast
devoted to you and your excellence,
providing inspiration and education for
the entrepreneurs, experience makers and
excellent seekers of our industry to take
your tourism, business and career to a whole new
level.
(00:30):
Welcome. Welcome to the Tourism Hub Podcast.
The place where we ignite
excellence, ignite ideas, amplify
voices, and empower businesses
in tourism and beyond to create a
lasting impact. I'm Despina
Karatias, your host and your biggest
cheerleader in business, in tourism and the
(00:53):
art of business and tourism and storytelling and
all the good stuff. And this podcast
is very proudly brought to you by
InstituteofExcellence.com where we help
businesses not just show up, but level up
and, you know, to a point, show off.
Creating experiences that are making a
difference. Showing places,
(01:14):
spaces, people and stories
that need to be shown and
experienced. On the back
of 2025 International Women's Day.
This week, today, I want to talk about
a who knew
exactly what it meant to make an
impact. A woman who painted her
(01:35):
truth so vividly that she
became immortal. And here we are
still talking about her
decades after her
passing. A woman who didn't
just leave a legacy, she built a
revolution with her art, with her words
(01:56):
and her unwavering, spirit.
And, of course, action
in caps. That
woman is Frieda Kahlo.
And this year she has arrived here
in Victoria, Australia, in the
regional destination of
Bendigo. Yes, to join
(02:17):
the likes of exhibitions like
Elvis and Marilyn Monroe at Grace
Kelly. The Bendigo Art Gallery is
now hosting one of the most
anticipated exhibitions of the
year. And I can't think of a better
time than the week of
International Women's Day to
(02:39):
celebrate her story.
Because Frieda didn't just
exist, she transformed
everything she touched. And she did it
in a way that still moves and
inspires us. Born on
July 6, 1907,
Frida lived a life that was as
(03:01):
tragic as it was
triumphant. She endured
a near fatal bus accident at
age 18. She had
over 30 surgeries. She
experienced heartbreak, political exile,
and unimaginable, physical pain.
And yet she went on
(03:23):
to still create some of the most
powerful, visceral and
defiant artwork the world
has ever seen. She died my
age now at, just 47 years old.
But in those years, she gave us a
legacy that still feels so
alive and raw today.
(03:45):
And much to my delight, Frida is
also currently playing on Netflix. Now, I remember
first watching this when it came out in
2002, 23 years
ago, and really Salma Hayek.
And this movie is why I know about
Frida. In the first place. And why I'm so excited
that she's coming to our, shores in this
(04:07):
exhibition at the Bendigo Art Gallery.
Now, seeing it pop up on my Netflix.
Only this last few days, I
did, watch it again. And I was just,
again struck by the sheer
intensity of Frida's world. Her
passion, her politics, her art
and her pain throughout all of
(04:29):
that. And the film doesn't just, you
know, tell Frieda's story. It feels
like her paintings come to
life, vibrant,
surreal and, you know, this
unapologetic, rawness
to them. And it made me wonder, really,
did Netflix time this re release in response to
(04:51):
Frida's exhibition coming to Bendigo? Because
if they did, brilliant move. If
they didn't, well, it's one of those moments of
synchronicity that I reckon Frida
herself would have appreciated just as
much as I did. Popping up, I felt like it was
telepathy because I've been thinking, like, I really want to watch that
(05:11):
movie again. And boom, there it was.
What this also did, it got me thinking a little bit
deeper. What is it about Frida
that still commands so much
interest and respect? And more
importantly, how can we take that
same bold Frida energy and apply it to,
into our businesses and into our work and
(05:33):
the experiences that we create?
Now couple all of this with the theme of
this year's International Women's Day
being accelerating action
and thinking about Frida. And thinking,
well, Frida didn't wait for that
perfect moment. She created it. She
(05:55):
didn't wait to be called to
act. She acted. And
to a point, neither should
we. So if you're a business owner, an
entrepreneur, a, creative or a leader in
tourism, wherever you are on this
journey, buckle up, because
this particular episode is all
(06:16):
about how you can start
to take your vision, your brand,
your idea, your business
to a, Frida, like,
level with your own bold,
unapologetic, accelerated
action. Alright,
now, Frida Kahlo's life was a
(06:38):
masterclass in resilience. When a
tragic accident at 18 really literally
shattered her body. She found
herself bedridden for months.
So when we talk about crisis into
an opportunity, instead of
surrendering to this pain and giving up,
she picked up a brush. She turned her
(07:01):
suffering into self expression.
She made that canvas her
voice. Just like for many of us,
we make our businesses and our work our
voice. Frida didn't just paint
her images. She painted
emotions, truth and
defiance. She painted her way
(07:23):
into history. But here's the
thing. Frida wasn't Alone in
this boldness. Throughout history, women
and men have done the same, each in
their own way, each of us in our own
way, in different fields, across different
generations. Their stories
(07:43):
there to teach us one
thing. Waning is not an
option. Action is
now. As a mother of two daughters,
I find myself constantly searching for
ways to empower, inspire
and equip them, even in the
teenage years, with the tools that
(08:05):
they need to navigate this world
with confidence and courage. One of
the most treasured books I've ever bought my
girls is the Goodnight Stories for
Rebel Girls. Such a beautiful
collection of stories and illustrations
about women in history who
defied expectations,
(08:27):
shattered barriers, and they really changed
the course of history that here we are, some
have passed on and we're still talking about them. And
my girls will speak
of them to their daughters and
granddaughters now. I realised quickly
that this book wasn't just for them. It was also for
me too. And this book isn't just a bedtime
(08:49):
story. It also is a, call to
inspired action. It reminds me
that every step that I take today, every business
I build, every bold decision that I
make is not just for me. It's for
them and for their daughters and your
daughters and nieces and
granddaughters. It's for the next
(09:11):
generation of, rebel girls who will continue
to shape the world. Take
Amelia Earhart. That features in the book the
first woman to fly solo across the
Atlantic. Everyone told her it was
impossible, that women didn't belong in the
cockpit, that the sky was no place for her,
that. But she accelerated action. She took
(09:33):
flight and proved them all wrong. She didn't just break
records, she broke barriers, showing
women they didn't have to stay grounded by
society's expectations.
Then there's Wangari
Maffei, the first African
woman to win the Nobel
Prize. She didn't just dream of a
(09:55):
greener Kenya, she took action.
She started the Green Belt
Movement, an initiative that planted
over 50 million trees
and empowered women across Africa
to take charge of their land, their
environment and their futures. She
saw a problem and didn't wait for permission
(10:16):
to fix it. And let's talk about
Malala. Malala
Yousafzai, who at, just 15
years old, was shot by the
Taliban for daring to speak
out about a girl's right to education.
But did that stop her? No.
It made her louder. It made
(10:38):
her stronger. Malala
took what could have silenced her forever
and turned it into a global
movement for education, earning
her a Nobel prize at just
17 years old. These women
didn't wait. They acted they didn't
let obstacles define them. They used them
(11:00):
as fuel. They understood that
hesitation is a form of self sabotage
and that the only way forward is through
action. So what does that mean for us? it
means we also need
to stop waiting for
permission, stop waiting for the economy to
improve, for more time, for the right
(11:22):
moment, for the universe to align. The right
moment is when we decide
to move. The right moment is when
we choose to move, when we embrace
Kinesis. Kinesi, the
Greek word for movement. A, force that
propels us forward, driven
(11:42):
by inspiration, challenge, or
necessity. In biology,
kinesis describes movement in
response to a stimulus. In life, it
is no different. The spark of an idea,
the urgency of a challenge, and the
pull of a dream are, our
stimuli. The moment we act, we
(12:04):
transform that energy into momentum,
change and something far more significant than
ourselves. Because progress doesn't wait. It,
moves with those bold enough to
step forward. And that's
what we're really diving into.
Five bold, fearless ways to
tap into your Frida and these inspirational
(12:26):
rebel girls to accelerate
action in business, tourism,
leadership in anything. and
any project that you got going on
that you need to just put your foot on it. Put the
pedal to the metal.
So let's start with sales, shall we? A lot of
people think sales is about pushing a product or a
(12:48):
service or an experience, but it's not.
Sales is about storytelling. You've
heard the saying, tell it, don't sell
it. About inviting people into a world
they want to be a part of. Frieda's
aunt wasn't just about paint on a
canvas. It was her soul, her, truth. Her
invitation for people to see the world through
(13:10):
her eyes. The same applies to any
business, especially in the business
of experience. If people don't connect
with our, stories, they won't invest in
what we're offering. Think about
Madame C.J. walker,
America's first self made
female millionaire. She didn't just sell
(13:33):
hair products. She. She sold
empowerment, confidence and
independence to black women at a
time when society was telling them they
had no place in business. She
once said, I am a woman who came from the
cotton fields of the South. From there,
I was promoted to the washtub. From
(13:55):
there, I, was promoted to the cook kitchen.
And from there, I
promoted myself into
the business of manufacturing
hair goods and preparations.
That's what made her brand
unstoppable. She didn't rely on waiting
for customers. She built a movement
(14:17):
around her mission, proving that
sales aren't just about transactions.
They're about creating a,
Transformation. Then comes
marketing. Frida understood
this before marketing was even a formal
concept in our universe, she
was her brand. The way she
(14:38):
dressed, the way she posed, the
way she presented herself, it
was all intentional. She didn't
just create art, she
became the art. That's why
she remains so iconic
still to this day. The same is true
for brands that stand the test of time.
(15:01):
You think of Oprah, for example. Our
girl Oprah. We don't even need to say her
surname. She built an empire
not by selling products, but by
creating deep emotional
connections with people. She made
her audiences feel seen, feel
heard, feel, feel understood. And that's
(15:23):
why her following is
still so fiercely loyal today.
She didn't rely on gimmicks. She relied
on authenticity. Oprah once said,
what you do for yourself is done
for yourself, but what you do for others is
done for the world. That's the secret
to marketing that lasts. It's not about selling
(15:45):
to people, it's about serving them.
It's about creating something so
valuable, they can't help but talk
about it.
And speaking of connection, let's talk about Visa.
experience. The most unforgettable
experiences aren't about what people
see or buy. They're about how people
feel. When someone walks into your hotel,
(16:08):
your tour, your restaurant, your experience, your
shop, what's the story we're telling
them? Are they just another customer? Or
do they feel welcome? Do they feel like we're
grateful for their presence? That they're stepping into something
meaningful, something curated just for
them? Mary
Barra, the CEO of General
(16:30):
Motors, transformed GM by shifting
the focus to customer experience.
She believes that the definition
of innovative and innovation
is providing value to the
customer, full stop. Because
when you create something people want to return
(16:50):
to, they do. And when they return,
they consequently bring others
with them.
Let's talk about the backbone of it all
operations. Without structure, without
systems, even the best ideas
collapse. And I know what you're thinking, but I don't
have time for systems. I have a business to run.
(17:10):
Exactly. And that's why
we all need them. Yours
truly also accounted for that.
Because when things go wrong, and they will
also, Yours truly, can attest to
that. We need to be prepared.
Sarah Blakely, for example, the founder of
Spanx, learned this lesson the hard way. She
(17:33):
once shared that if I knew then what I
know now, I would have done better. Due
diligence on key manufacturers from the
beginning. In the early years, one of her
manufacturers went under and gave her only
four days notice. Four days.
Imagine having to unravel
and create that solution to that
(17:56):
problem when your entire business has less than
a week to solve a
manufacturing problem. And that's why
systems matter. They don't restrict you.
They give you the freedom to focus on that big picture.
But what made Sarah Blakely
truly successful as one of
(18:16):
a few female self
made billionaires, it
wasn't just her resilience, it
was her ability to, to challenge the status
quo. In an interview with
Virgin, she said in her
words, smarter thinking for us at
Spanx was always started with asking
(18:39):
the question, why? Why can't we
do this and it will turn out we can.
Why can't we put shaping inside of
jeans? We did. Why does it have to be
done this way? It doesn't. The it's
that level of curiosity. Bold thinking
and refusing to accept limits
(18:59):
is what accelerates action.
It's just not about having a great
idea. It's about asking, how can this
be done better? What if we did it
differently? Those questions are, what
can drive real change?
And finally, let's talk about crisis
management. Because if there's anything
(19:21):
business have in common with life,
it's that things will go
wrong. Frieda knew this. She lived
through physical pain, political turmoil
and of course just heartbreak in her
relationships. But she didn't react
in panic. She adapted. She
painted through it. She created art.
(19:44):
And through that, here we are talking about
Frida today. The same applies to business.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
When she faced discrimination in law school,
she didn't just accept it. She strategised.
She planned. She built a case so strong
that she rewrote the laws that had been
(20:06):
holding women back for generations.
Her advice and the best quote that I found
from Ruth. Fight for the things that you
care about, but do it in a way that will
lead others to join you. Because action
isn't just about making change. It's about making
change that lasts.
And speaking of Ruth Bader
(20:27):
Ginsburg, if you want to truly feel the impact of
her legacy, as it turns out,
another freaky thing I wrote and I
and I read about Ruth and then I in my
Google search find that literally
this week another incredible
art experience has opened up at the
Melbourne Art Centre, bringing her story
(20:50):
to life on stage in
rbg. That's what the show called her
initials. Of Many One
is what it's called rbg, of Many
One, which is a powerful play that
explores the pivotal moments of her life
and her work. So I'm looking to get
myself a ticket to this because it's like, wow,
(21:11):
what's another serendipitous moment.
So her journey from a young woman fighting
for a place in a male dominated world to
Supreme Court justice who changed the
course of history is a reminder that
resilience, strategy, and bold action
can alter the world. It's not just a
(21:31):
play, another masterclass at
what it means to take action in the face of
adversity. So these are, five
ways that we can all accelerate action.
Not by waiting, not by hesitating, but
by stepping boldly into what's
next. Because if Frida had waited, if
(21:52):
Madame C.J. walker had
hesitated, if Sarah Blakely had stopped
questioning the why, they wouldn't have left the
legacies that they did to inspire all of
us coming after them. The
lesson, let's not wait for the world to
permit you. Take it, own it, make your
mark.
(22:12):
so let's wrap up with what's your
own kinesis? What's your own
Kinesi movement? If there's one
thing that we've learned from frida,
Amelia, Madame C.J.
walker and Ruth, it's that
action shapes history. These
women didn't wait for permission. They didn't sit on
(22:34):
the sidelines hoping the world would change. They
didn't sit there complaining. They made
the move. They ignited the
Kinesis. The movement turned
their visions into legacies. And
now it's your turn, my dear friends.
Because the right moment, it isn't somewhere
in the distant future. And now it's your
(22:56):
turn, my beautiful tourism brothers and
sisters. Because the right moment, well,
it isn't somewhere in the distant future
waiting for the perfect conditions. The right
moment is when we decide to
move. When we stop
hesitating, stop overthinking,
and start stepping into
(23:18):
what is next for you.
So here's the challenge. Choose one
action today. Maybe it's
pricing your worth. Maybe
it's doing something that
tells a part of your story with conviction,
like Frida. Maybe it's questioning
the status quo. Can this be done
(23:40):
differently? And who says why not?
Or maybe it's fighting for something bigger
than yourself, like Ruth.
Whatever it is, like, let's look at
starting something now, within the next week.
Move forward, create momentum. Because the
world doesn't just change on its
(24:01):
own. It changes when
we have Kinisi. If
this episode, my friends, resonated with
you, let me know. Share it,
subscribe to it, leave a review. You
have no idea how, like,
yeah. What it does to my energy and my
kinesis. When I hear
(24:22):
someone say that they've listened to this
episode and that it resonated in
a way, shape, or form, and caused you to
act. It all just will go a long,
long way. And it keeps me coming back to
deliver something of value for you.
And if you're ready to take bold
action in your business,
(24:44):
connect over at
instituteofexcellence.com with
me and check out our range of
courses and look at ways that we could potentially
work together. Because your movement, your
kinesi, starts today. Until next
time, my friends, Be bold, be brilliant, be
excellent talent. And, let's all channel our
(25:05):
Frida and make your
mark. Relax.
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