011. The Impact of Vulnerability in Business with Alyssa McNally
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I don’t know about you, but when it comes to my personal business, it can feel so scary to get real and raw. That’s honestly one of the reasons I started the Small Business Big Heart podcast. I knew the stories would tug at some areas of growth and give me the courage to share my own ups and downs along the way. As business owners, it’s so important to have those moments of authenticity with our team or business besties, because that’s where REAL connection thrives, right?
Well, today’s guest is just another example of that power in vulnerability, and I could go on and on about how much this interview impacted me! I know you’re going to feel the same. I’m so excited to introduce you to my dear friend Alyssa McNally! Alyssa specializes in marketing in literally every capacity. She is a pro, you guys, and to hear her talk about how she connects with clients is so inspiring!
Today Alyssa and I discuss her experience moving from a 9-5 agency to creating her own business helping companies bridge the connection gap between executives and creatives. We talk about why it’s so important to honor the humanity of every team member or client, and why it can reshape your entire business to lead with grace. Alyssa shares why her definition of success has shifted over the years and what it took to get the courage to step out and build a business she loves.
We also chat about how Alyssa uses the Enneagram in her strategic process and how it’s affected the way she works with clients. She gives us a glimpse into the power of community and why real connection is the secret sauce to business longevity. I learned so much from this interview, and am still processing all the little truths that hit home for me and my business.
I can’t wait to dig in today, so let’s get to it! I know you’re going to love Alyssa’s heart and be sure you have a notebook handy today! This one is FULL of wisdom nuggets!
Meet Alyssa.
Alyssa specializes in marketing at every capacity. She's never met a stranger as her approachable attitude and friendly smile present her to be a trusting character immediately. Alyssa and her team help create custom, unique content strategies and marketing plans by fully immersing themselves in the heart of your business. In every client relationship, she promises to provide lasting, visible results and a solid return on your investment, like she has done for Three One Three Coworking, Affirm Health, Relode, Poly and Bark and so many more.
Alyssa’s career is full of diverse knowledge, similar to a Swiss army knife, she is a go-to person to fulfill creating, building, and scaling results for your business. Alyssa is agile to transform her services to fit exactly for each clients’ needs — making her a desirable resource for any start-up business.
She enjoys traveling, drinking coffee and exploring art museums with her husband Sean and their two year old Piper. Buy her a drink to chat about anything existential, mental health or political. She loves a good idea, a challenging problem and a fresh perspective.
“I think it takes failure to set yourself free.”
The heart behind her business.
Alyssa’s experience may be marketing, but her real gift lies in understanding people. She regularly partners with high level executives that may need some extra help working with the creatives on their team. If they lack the ability or approach to communicate with their creatives, Alyssa steps in to create a safe space for all to connect and deliver.
To know Alyssa is to feel seen and heard, and she offers this gift to every one of the companies she partners with. I love how Alyssa describes her job, “I get to come in and call out the gifts of people.” Isn’t that powerful? Her day to day is connecting, revealing, and reimagining a work environment, and she does it with so much heart.
When asked about her core values, she says, “I will always mess up and the people I work with will mess up, but if we can be honest about that and stay true, stay vulnerable, and authentic — I believe the best work is created in those environments.”
Own every failure.
When it comes to failure, Alyssa understands how it can affect everything — from business, to relationships, to health. When we get caught in a negative mindset, it can deplete and detract from our original purpose, our WHY. Alyssa says, “I think there are ways to fail well and own it.” When she says “own it”, she truly means to take that fall and take the responsibility. This is when the real vulnerability comes in.
“When you say the vulnerable thing, it gives other people the freedom to do the same thing. The beauty of humanity is we all have failures, but we tend to connect with success because it’s so much easier to share,” she says. By owning your failure and allowing yourself to get raw and real about it with your team or community, you give others permission to be just as vulnerable. And that sharing, that openness, allows for deeper connection all around!
Don’t do it alone.
On this episode, Alyssa and I talk a lot about community and the power that real connection brings to your life. For Alyssa, that community is what gave her the courage to move forward in her business. “Build in the context of community and people who want to see you succeed,” says Alyssa.
Asking for help and surrounding yourself with those supportive voices can be difficult sometimes. It’s hard to trust and even harder to open up. Alyssa’s advice for overcoming that fear? “Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and start by going to therapy. I truly believe everyone needs to go to therapy.” So maybe that’s where you begin! Therapy is a great place to get the tools you need to succeed, and it’s also such a safe place to process your business and life balance.
Best Advice to your younger self.
Alyssa’s advice for a successful business? Seek out community wherever you can find it! “Sometimes it helps to find people who do things parallel to you vs, in your industry. Only networking within your industry limits what you learn, and it can often create barriers to connection,” advises Alyssa. Seek out new experiences and put out ALL positivity when you do. “Don’t force it,” Alyssa says. “Be open to what other people can teach you and how other industries can inspire you. Theres power in diversity.”
“We allow culture to define success for us sometimes, but everybody’s success looks different.”
Connect with Alyssa.
So how does Alyssa build her community and feel safe being vulnerable with those around her? How did she learn to fail well, and what keeps her motivated throughout the year? I know you’re going to learn so much from this wise friend this week! Press play to listen to the full interview and hear more about owning your failure and the impact of vulnerability with Alyssa McNally!
Connect and check out the links mentioned in the episode below!
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