97 - Radical Authenticity w/ Erin Hatzikostas

Today on She Sells Radio, Elyse is sitting down with Erin Hatzikostas to talk about elevating your business through radical authenticity. Erin is a former Corporate CEO turned Professional Pot-Stirrer. She's the CEO & Founder of b Authentic inc, and a best-selling author, TEDx speaker, career coach, nationally-published thought-leader, and podcast co-host of b Cause with Erin & Nicole. In February of this year, Erin released her first book, You-Do-You-ish: Unleash Your Authentic Superpowers to Get the Career You Deserve. Erin spent her first 22 professional years in the corporate world, stepping into huge roles and finding massive success. Just as she was at her best, she had the itch to do something new. When she made the announcement that she would be leaving her position at her corporate job, many of her colleagues commented that they would miss her authenticity. This was a lightbulb moment. Erin wasn’t just walking around with an uninhibited version of herself, it was an intentional effort to be authentic. She had learned to use authenticity as her secret weapon--her superpower--and she wanted to show others how they could do the same. There is certainly a balance of authenticity and how much you share. Authenticity doesn’t mean full transparency. You’re not going to go into a Town Hall Meeting and talk about your cuddle sesh last night. Defining authenticity is vital--it’s much more nuanced than just being yourself. Erin boiled down this concept into an acronym--HUMANS: Humility, Unexpectedness, Modeling, Adapting, Narrating, and Sparking. Once you understand these principles (outlined in her book), you can see the difference between “being yourself” and being truly authentic. From there, there’s no limit to being authentic. There are factors that can hold people back from being authentic. Erin mentions that we tend to emulate behaviors we see around us. It’s easy to get caught in a vortex of following others because it feels safe. The question is how to get over that. It’s about the experience. One--it’s not about you. Authenticity is about how you can better connect with people. It’s getting people to recognize the similarities you share. Authenticity is also incredibly contagious. When you start to be authentic, you unlock a power within yourself. For most people, it’s more of a release than a pivot. You no longer have to be rigid! The underlying message is you can do things your own way. This isn’t about changing people, it’s about changing their addictions. You can ignite fires for others with your own authenticity. Women have an advantage when it comes to authenticity, Erin says. She says often, women have been conditioned to shy away from higher positions. There is a fear of compromise--sacrificing family time, health, and other important factors. When you start to empower authenticity, it cuts through the fear and allows you to commit to what you genuinely care about. In sales, authenticity is massive. Of the six principles Erin talks about, Narrating plays a huge role. Trying to sell through traditional means doesn’t always work and sometimes, just doesn’t feel good. By incorporating storytelling and a certain level of sharing vulnerability, you open a window for relatability. Erin's final tip is the 50/50 rule. Take 50% of everything you learn, and fill in the rest of the way with your own work. Innovate and evolve! LINKS bauthenticinc.com https://www.amazon.com/You-Do-ish-Authentic-Superpowers-ebook/dp/B08W5C9HV7/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8
@ErinHatzikostas