She Is A Leader - The Podcast

Yvonne Heimann [00:00:00]:
Welcome back to another episode of She Is a Leader with yours truly, your host Yvonne Heimann, a business efficiency and leadership coach for quite a while now that enjoys interviewing other female leaders about their journey and how they got there. How can we learn from my fellow female leaders? And today in my chat, my guest Hilda shares her journey from teacher to coach to author. And yes, the teacher might have been to her dolls. You're going to hear about all of that story in the podcast. She talks about writing her book in English, which by the way is her second language. And she wrote that during COVID when her clients paused their work. What a perfect timing, isn't it? What started as a seven week project in Spanish now turned into an even bigger journey in the English language too. You're going to hear how Hilda prepares her mind for different situations.

Yvonne Heimann [00:01:08]:
When writing her book, she focused on flow and joy. When helping clients through tough communication problems, she focused on things like clarity. She also shares her simple morning routine and the tools that keep her productive. What makes Hilda a special coach? She inspires her clients to love what they are working towards too. And she makes sure they leave with clear action steps. And while many coaches only focus on results, Hilda balances performance with happiness and well being. Join me as we get to hear Hilda's wisdom about designing your future self and making changes that last, not just a quick fix that fades away after just a few days. Get comfortable and enjoy this warm conversation about growth, challenges and creating the future you truly want.

Yvonne Heimann [00:02:09]:
And with that, I would like to introduce you to my guest today, Hilda Fainsod. She catalyzed personal and professional growth, striving to empower individuals and organizations to unlock performance and happiness. Specializing in coaching, mastermind and mental Fitness, Hilda holds 10 international certifications that validate her expertise in working with senior executives, their teams and organizations. For two decades, Fainsod has been a trusted partner on Leaders Transformative Journey. Her commitment lies in supporting those who invest in their growth and change, ensuring their choices and actions are important, amplified. As a leadership podcast and author of Power the Executive Roadmap to Transforming Life and Business, Hilda challenges individuals to achieve long lasting results. When she's not immersed in her work, you can find her exploring new destinations, taking leisure walks, engaging in meaningful conversations and cherishing time with her family and enjoying life. That is quite the bio Hilda.

Yvonne Heimann [00:03:28]:
Now I'm curious and my audience already knows which question is coming did little Hilda ever think she is going to be and doing what you are doing today?

Hilda Fainsod [00:03:40]:
This is a straight no.

Yvonne Heimann [00:03:45]:
That seems that seems to be the pattern There is only just once in a while, somebody. And they was like, yeah, I knew I was going to be an entrepreneur. What did little Hilda think she's going to be and who she's going to be?

Hilda Fainsod [00:03:57]:
Well, actually, part of my story began because I had these toys, these little dolls that I put in a bed, and I gave them classes. So I had a little blackboard and I wrote down some ideas and I presented to them. So I wanted to be like a teacher. And I became a trainer. So 20 years in my life, I became a trainer, and I was happy with it. Little Hilda didn't have the idea that I was becoming a coach. And never, ever in her life, she thought about becoming an author and creating impact and having a voice outside there and creating this big possibility for others.

Yvonne Heimann [00:04:56]:
How did your business as it is now come about? How did you decide to just write a book? How does that come about?

Hilda Fainsod [00:05:06]:
Yeah, maybe I had a book so many years ago, and in Covid, it was like, okay, my clients are crazy because we didn't understand a new reality. So my clients, they began to cancel everything or to stop all the projects and the coaching and all that. And I said to myself, maybe the excuses are down and I'm ready to write a book. So I wrote a book in Spanish because I live in Mexico and this is my first language. So I wrote a book in Spanish and I had this book and it was so easy because no work focus. Seven weeks, from 9 or 8 o'clock in the morning until 8 o'clock at night, and I wrote everything. And in seven weeks I created a book. And after two years, I enjoyed so much the experience and decided a bigger challenge.

Hilda Fainsod [00:06:15]:
And I wrote Power up in English. And I deal with my head all the time because my head was like, really? Do you want to write in English? But you speak Spanish? Why in English? Why so hard? Why you want to level up? Why you put yourself into those difficult challenges? And I wrote the book in English. I enjoy it very much. And I became more structured and fluid, fluent in a different language. And now we can have this conversation in English. Because I wrote a book in English.

Yvonne Heimann [00:06:56]:
I love that. I'm like, yeah, especially English being my second language too. I know how, what, what kind of journey that is, writing in your second language, working on getting across the same meaning, the same, wanting to get the same perception out of it that we get in our native language. And it's quite interesting, writing in a language that's not our native language and wanting to deliver the same kind of experience.

Hilda Fainsod [00:07:32]:
Oh, yeah.

Yvonne Heimann [00:07:33]:
My head is off to you.

Hilda Fainsod [00:07:35]:
Yeah. And I know you understand me perfectly. And now I. I do have English so well, stable in my head that I love the expressions in English and I love how I wrote some stuff in English and actually I translate them into Spanish and something is off because there are some expressions, they are not in your own language. Right?

Yvonne Heimann [00:08:10]:
Yep, yep. Yeah, it's. It's funny when. When I travel back to Germany, what I often do is my friends speak in. In German, I speak in English, and when there's something coming up where they're not quite sure what I'm talking about, I bring German in. But, yeah, there is. Like, it's been for me now, it's been 17 years in the States. English has become easier than the German language.

Yvonne Heimann [00:08:33]:
My mom would say, I don't speak German anymore. I get to prove her wrong every day when I call her. But yeah, like, especially because it's not just conversational style for you. You wrote a whole book in a second language, and that's just. That's just amazing. It's an amazing accomplishment. And I'm curious, you already mentioned it has helped you understand and speak better in a secondary language. Do you think it has.

Yvonne Heimann [00:09:05]:
Writing this book in English, do you think it has also had changes, implemented changes in how you coach, how you look at things, how you perceive things? Does it. Do you think it changed other things in your life too?

Hilda Fainsod [00:09:22]:
Yeah. Because you challenge yourself is not because the language is because the size of the challenge. So when you challenge yourself and you go through that journey and there's no straight line, this is bumping and up and downs all the time. So if you cross that finish line, that changes your mind, your beliefs, your barriers, the things that you can trust on because you have better capabilities. And that way you can support other clients when they're feared, because it's a huge, big challenge and they need to accomplish it.

Yvonne Heimann [00:10:12]:
Which leads us perfectly into my next question. How do you lead your mindset? How do you ensure you are staying your best self so you can deliver the best to your clients?

Hilda Fainsod [00:10:31]:
Yeah, I love that question because I do have a frame of mind, and I decide which one fits better in which occasion. So when I wrote the book, I had two personal resources in my head, and every morning I began like, flow and joy, because I need to flow and I need to enjoy, because if not, I will write from a stress level. I'm questioning myself, are you good enough for that? Joy and flow were my two resources. This morning, I had a very difficult challenge with two clients that they need to increase their level of communication and the way they approach each other because there's a lack of respect and not so clear boundaries. So this morning I was with okay, clarity and focus because I need to understand what they are saying with what they are dealing and how to bring them together in some agreements to have actional steps to move forward. Every time I'm in the face of a challenge, I decide what are my best resources and I put them as a frame of mind. That way I change my mindset because of the situations I'm going to deal with.

Yvonne Heimann [00:12:17]:
I like that. I like how you, how you approach it. Not just as a manifestation, as a however you want to call it, but it's really the idea of, okay, what are the resources I need today to accomplish what I want to accomplish. And I love the examples you gave where it's like, okay, writing the book, there needs to be joy in in there somehow, somewhere, or it's not going to turn into what we want it to turn into. And then dealing with other situation where it's like clarity. I'm like, okay, I need to get a clear understanding so we can eliminate the issue. I really like that that it's not just an affirmation, it's a focus.

Hilda Fainsod [00:13:07]:
It's totally a focus. And when I'm lack of focus, I use different resources and this is one of it. So I put that And I said, OK, the next 25 minutes, it's like the Pomodoro technique. In 25 minutes, I'm going to focus really in what I need to accomplish. And what is that? This and that. So I put myself 25 minutes and when the bell rungs it's like, okay, I have these five minutes to grab a coffee, see my WhatsApp, whatever I want, and after that again, my 25 minutes. So you can support yourself with a lot of apps and stuff to allow to be more productive.

Yvonne Heimann [00:13:58]:
Now I'm curious for everybody that's just listening to the podcast and not watching, what Hilda just showed on the camera is one of these cube timers. I'll throw a link for you into the description. Love these two little cube timers that are preset to specific durations, like 5 minutes, 10 minutes and 25 minutes. Now for my audience, do you have other tools or apps that you use daily or weekly that are kind of like your go to tools or apps to be productive, to be the amazing self you are?

Hilda Fainsod [00:14:36]:
Yeah, of course. In the morning I do have my 10 minutes of breathing. So I Use Calm and Calm. They have this app that every day has a different meditation. So when I wake up, the first thing is my app for 10 minutes, 10 minutes and that's it. And I use the to do list. That is an app in iOS. And I have another one that is Focus to Do.

Hilda Fainsod [00:15:11]:
So Focus to Do also is with the Pomodoro technique. And I use them because these two allow them to have priorities and also to have focus in what I want.

Yvonne Heimann [00:15:24]:
So I'm curious, what do you think makes you you? What makes you special? How do you show up and be the leader you are for your clients? That's a pretty broad question. Where I'm trying to go with this is we all have our different personalities, our different specialties. When clients come to me, they know there's going to be straightforward A to B is a straight line and we're gonna be walking a straight line. They're gonna know exactly that. I'm not necessarily the most nicely and emotionally, when it comes to getting things done, I'm the one that kicks ass. I'm the one that's going to be behind you. I might. I'm.

Yvonne Heimann [00:16:18]:
I'm gonna be a little bit more rough. I'm the German. I'm getting things done. What is your personality? What is your superpower when helping clients?

Hilda Fainsod [00:16:28]:
Yeah, I have two superpowers. One is inspiration. I want them to love what they are going to accomplish. I want them to want it. And the second one is I don't agree to finish the session without some actions, some steps. This is a nice conversation and a deep one. And maybe we can laugh a little bit and to make a joke, but this is quite serious. And you are going to have some actional steps to move forward.

Hilda Fainsod [00:17:11]:
So it's not okay, I will do. You will do what?

Yvonne Heimann [00:17:19]:
Tell me exactly what you are going to do. It's like we are not just out there, we are getting action, steps down. I love that.

Hilda Fainsod [00:17:27]:
Yeah. And also in the last few years I decided that is not only performance and I work with top executives in C levels and all those leaders, they want KPIs OK results, outcomes to go to the target, to deliver everything they wanted. But also it's what is the cost? So I allow them to think in terms of performance, but also well being, also happiness, also joy in the journey also. That fits you well. Not only that, you are going to take a decision that will take you further and you are going to be miserable. That's not a possibility.

Yvonne Heimann [00:18:24]:
I like that. I like that intersection of human and target. Because one of the most common stories we hear is the people that have accomplished everything they wanted. They got the perfect position, they got the house, they got the family, and they just, they don't like it. They don't feel fulfilled, they don't, they don't feel like they have a purpose. So I love how you work on that intersection between. Yes, we need data points, don't get me wrong. Because if we don't have data points, we don't know if we're going to reach them.

Yvonne Heimann [00:19:02]:
But it needs to align with your values, with. With your personal needs, with. With your emotions, with your personality.

Hilda Fainsod [00:19:10]:
Oh, yeah. And it's, it's really very important to think who do you want to become? It's a matter of design. Design that future.

Yvonne Heimann [00:19:22]:
Yeah, because if we don't. Yeah, because if we don't know who we want to become and plan based on that, we are just going to stay where we are because we are making decisions based upon today, not on what we want tomorrow.

Hilda Fainsod [00:19:41]:
Oh yeah. And we have this default future. You, Yvonne, you have in your agenda the whole schedule for the week. So you are going to move from meeting to meeting, from podcast interviews to the next one. And this is that kind of future that evolves and takes you to someplace. And the other one is the future that you create. It is important to think who do you want to become and how your future self will look alike in the next year, 12 months, six months, five years, whatever.

Yvonne Heimann [00:20:28]:
I love how you are leading perfectly into my next questions. Because my question now is going to be who is Hilda in the future? What are your plans? Who are you becoming?

Hilda Fainsod [00:20:40]:
Yeah, I'm becoming a voice of impact. So I'm going to keep my one on one coaching because I love to see transformation. Keep being an author of different kind of book, maybe in the same line that my expertise and my contribution can be better. And I'm going to be a creator of digital products to change the formula today. You know the formula, you change your time for money and well, you have eight hours. If you change eight hours, you are going to be well paid. But you cannot have 10 hours or 12 or 14 in the same day. So I'm changing the formula to create a bigger impact, to scale the business and also not to have to be always there.

Yvonne Heimann [00:21:49]:
That's where value comes in. That's where your traveling comes in. Of shifting the business to be able to do so.

Hilda Fainsod [00:21:56]:
Oh yeah. Yeah. Because I do have a son living in Mexico and a daughter living in Spain. So that's Why I love to be part of my time here and part there.

Yvonne Heimann [00:22:11]:
And that's the, that's the nice thing about building our own businesses. We get to build them how we want to. We get to decide. And it's, it's interesting looking around in general, it seems to be becoming more of the norm that we as coaches, as consultants still are boots on the ground plus than a group offer or a digital offer. It's been interesting. I've been deep in, in research as of late on, on. On business structures. You've seen a lot of coaches that went into digital products and group coaching and haven't actually done the work anymore one on one and stayed up to how things are changing, how interpersonal communication, where, where there has been new research done on better communicating and just all those things.

Yvonne Heimann [00:23:11]:
And I've seen a lot of coaches struggle a lot last year because they stepped away from the one on one. But again, as you said, one on one is a high touch offer. It takes a lot of time, which also means it's a high price tag. And it's interesting to see how the one on one and quote, the boots on the ground is coming back because some coaches have taught things that are, that are not working anymore. I'm like, when I, when I think of a lot of the group coaches that I follow, they, they talk about landing pages, they talk about how to sell your offers. They have a lot of that marketing packages within it, but they are talking on something that worked five years ago and I'm like, that it's not working like this anymore. So it's interesting to see how coaches that in the past have leaned heavily into digital and group coaching come back to one on one and the one similar to you that are like, okay, I want to broaden my reach and open up my schedule a little bit. Decide to do so without fully dropping the one on one.

Hilda Fainsod [00:24:25]:
Yeah. And also I think the one on one keeps you real in understanding business and trends and growth and companies and struggles and environment and new context. It keeps you real.

Yvonne Heimann [00:24:44]:
Yeah, I love that. Now you have some goodies for my audience. You actually have shared your power up roadmap with us. Do I see that right? Tell me about that.

Hilda Fainsod [00:25:02]:
Yeah. I love power up because we, we minimize what changes implies. We think we wake up in the morning and we have the motivation and inspiration and we are ready to go for it. And this time I'm so glad I'm laughing over here. Yeah.

Yvonne Heimann [00:25:27]:
As if you wake up every day with the motivation. Wouldn't that be Nice.

Hilda Fainsod [00:25:30]:
Yeah, that would be nice. But let's think for a moment that today happens and you are so excited and you say, this time I'm going to make it really. And you keep going a few days and a travel comes and you are in a budget and you need to deliver a proposal and you have so many things in your head, so you stop doing so inertia. Go back to the old habits. Inertia is part of the difficulty of changing and worse if you don't wake up with the motivation. Right. So power up. Allow you to understand how difficult is to change.

Hilda Fainsod [00:26:23]:
Is not a quick fix, is not a fast solution, is not something that you can implement in a few hours, maybe take months or years to really transform yourself. So it begins with a little awareness of what's going on with us. And after that, who gets in our own way. And when I ask my clients who is the one that gets in your way, they begin like, okay, look at me. And because of that, we need a coach, a mentor, accountability, partner appear, somebody that will count, make you accountable. Because if not, it's really tough. And you need to keep going with big goals, but small pieces that you are going to cover day by day. And there is another problem.

Hilda Fainsod [00:27:31]:
We love to jump high and to do it in one step. And here is small actions that you can put into practice with tiny steps every day. And you are going to move slow, slow. And we love speed. We love it.

Yvonne Heimann [00:27:53]:
We want everything done yesterday.

Hilda Fainsod [00:27:56]:
Yeah. So PowerUp allows you to understand all that in contrast with what you need to do with four steps, thinking about future and sustaining the change. It allows you also to begin a change with a 30 day challenge, to question yourself and to put into it. In 30 days, are you going to see the change? The answer is no. But you are going to begin a process and you will keep going and keep walking. And that's it. That's a beginning. So I love Power up because it's full of tips and tricks and all that stuff that you need to become better and stronger.

Hilda Fainsod [00:28:45]:
Yvonne, there is something that I need to say to your audience. We need to think in future and who do we want to become in different moments in life. Because we have different seasons and we don't want the same in our 30s or 40s than in our 50s, 60s and plus. So I do have young women clients that they say, I love your life, I would love. And I said yes, you have small children and I have these grownups that they married and they are not in home. So think about your future and your possibilities this decade. And after that, think about the next one and keep going with the question.

Yvonne Heimann [00:29:40]:
There's so many seasons going on in our life. And with that, another season is over. No, actually just an episode, not just a season. As always, guys, you're gonna find the links to everything and Hilda's social profiles right in the description. No worries. We got it. Easy for you, Hilda, thank you so much for joining me. I'm Mexico is actually on my to do list for my nomading, so I'm gonna.

Yvonne Heimann [00:30:09]:
When that happens, probably towards the end of the year, I'll reach out to you so we can meet in person.

Hilda Fainsod [00:30:15]:
Would love to.

Yvonne Heimann [00:30:16]:
And thank you so much for joining me today. And everybody else, you know the drill. If you haven't clicked the subscribe button yet, what are you doing? We have many more amazing women coming on. I'll see you in one of the future episodes. Thanks. Soda.

Hilda Fainsod [00:30:31]:
Thank you.