Michelle Florendo

*for those local to Irvine, CA* I'm hosting an in-person emotional tapping workshop with the wonderful Alison Keiper! Master Your Stress, Master Your Work: Daily Practices for Professional Women Daily workplace annoyances? Manageable. The accumulating weight of unresolved stress? That's what transforms your workday from manageable to overwhelming. It's a common misconception that starting each day with yesterday's stress is just part of the job. We're here to challenge that notion and offer you a solution. Introducing our Emotional Tapping Workshop: Join us for a transformative experience where we'll dive deep into somatic, mind-body techniques designed to not just manage, but master workplace stress. Why You Can't Miss This: - Learn Emotional Tapping techniques. - Experience real-time stress relief through somatic exercises. - Connect with like-minded professionals seeking growth. - Leave with practical tools to navigate stress with confidence. 📅 Date: June 20th 🕒 Time: 6:30 PM 🌐 Location: Irvine, CA This isn't just another workshop. It's the opportunity to transform your workday stress and solve burnout. ✨ Spots are limited to ensure a personalized experience. Secure your place now. 🔄 Feel this could benefit your network? Share this post and let's spread the power of transformation together! #StressManagement #PersonalDevelopment #EmotionalTapping #MindBodyConnection #ProfessionalGrowth

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This NYT article sheds some light on a new trend in the Silicon Valley and the Bay Area. About 10% of my clients also want to become a career/executive coach after a few sessions with me. I welcome that. https://lnkd.in/g27_9NzE

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Last Wednesday I went to my first TEDxSanDiego event. I learned a valuable lesson. I was there to watch my friend Stacey Lauren give a TED talk! Stacey is one of the most inspiring people I've ever met. Last year she said she wanted to give a TED talk and in less than 12 months she made it happen. How did she do that!!?? Stacey possesses a special skill that makes her extraordinary. The good news is that we can all cultivate it. Stacey's secret superpower is this: The gap between her saying she wants do something and her actually doing it is microscopic. She doesn't let resistance, self-doubt, and fear slow her down. She still feels all those things (she's the first to admit it), but she takes immediate action and doesn't let anything stop her. This is very different than how most people approach their goals. Many of us mere mortals say we want to do something, get all fired up about it, and then procrastinate for months (or years!). We let excuses and the busyness of life keep us from starting. We wait for the perfect time to start. We take the first "no" we hear as a sign we should do something else. Not Stacey. One of the most inspiring part of Stacey's TEDx journey is that she actually got rejected multiple times before securing her speaking spot. But she didn't give up. She was persistent, diligent, and kept taking bold action. After spending time with her last week, I'm certain that the most important skill we can cultivate is this: Start shrinking the gap between you saying you want to do something and you actually doing it! Stephen King says: “The scariest moment is always just before you start. After that, things can only get better.” Let's make today the moment that you start taking action on your biggest dreams. After today, things will only get better. P.S. If you were to give a TEDx talk, what would your topic be?

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One week until the next cohort launches, four spaces left! I could tell you all about it, but I'd rather give that space to the incredible Anna Gasparian (Manager, Reporting & Analytics) to share her experience from the last cohort: ****************** I highly recommend Claire Fry’s Vocal Confidence course. Each session provided an incredible opportunity to learn from Claire’s expertise as a voice actor. Over eight weeks, she taught us strategies and techniques aimed at communicating impactfully and effectively. Breathing techniques, voice warm-ups, setting the right tone before a presentation or meeting, and aligning message content with its delivery—these are just a few areas where I gained a wealth of knowledge from Claire. During each session, I practiced what I learned, pushed myself out of my comfort zone, and received immediate, professional, and constructive feedback. I appreciated how Claire focused on helping each participant leverage our unique strengths. My favorite take away from the course is that “vocal confidence is not about sounding like someone else who’s more confident than you; it’s about having the confidence to sound like yourself." This is the best self-development course I've ever taken. ****************** If you're ready to show up, work hard, practice diligently and grow your communication skills fast (the way Anna did) then you can find more information at the link below. #VocalConfidence #LearnToLoveYourVoice #PublicSpeaking #CommunicationSkills #SpeakerTraining #Testimonial

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Getting to Yes is foundational for San Diego Angel Conference, yet for 98% of founders in the competition, the answer was no, at least for funding, at the moment. There are other many other Yesses to take away: *Say Yes to all you learned *Say Yes to the feedback received *Say Yes to nurturing the relationships started with founders and investors (it often leads to follow on investment) *Say Yes to receiving feedback and making changes *Say Yes to what’s next What an impressive cohort it was. Founders filled with purpose and commitment to make a positive impact, and the grit to see it through. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gG5Hf6Z3 #startups #angelinvesting #entrepreneurship #resilience #leadership

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Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of meeting with DEI and social impact leaders at Genentech, a leading biotech firm in the Bay Area, often regarded as the founder of biotech. As these leaders work boldly to advance health equity within their company and the broader field of health research, I was reminded of the crucial relationship between diagnosis and treatment. The reality is that treatment follows diagnosis—if you can't effectively diagnose due to flawed or incomplete data (especially data that disproportionately focuses on one demographic, like white people), then the solutions or medications that follow won't be as effective or inclusive. This insight really resonated with me in the context of my professional area of focus—career advancement and leadership. So often, I meet professionals who are struggling with career clarity, goal setting, and/or complex leadership challenges. Much like the flawed data in healthcare, many of these challenges stem from a misdiagnosis of the real issues. If the root causes of these professional struggles aren’t properly identified, the steps taken to advance one’s career or leadership skills will be misaligned and ineffective. Just as biotech needs diverse, accurate data to treat health issues effectively, professionals need clear insights and tailored strategies to upgrade their careers and leadership impact. Accurate self-diagnosis—understanding your true strengths, areas for growth, context of your environment, and the unique factors influencing your career—sets the stage for more targeted and successful interventions. In both fields, the right diagnosis leads to the most effective treatment. #Leadership #CareerGrowth #DEI #HealthEquity #CareerClarity #LeadershipDevelopment #ProfessionalGrowth #Biotech

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Hindsight is 20/20. Imagine the power of the advice you'd give your 18-year-old self today. In this week's episode of Unscripted Pivots, I explore this thought-provoking question and share the incredible insights I gathered from career women at ULI San Diego-Tijuana and CREW Orange County. Their responses were raw, real, and filled with the wisdom that only comes from years of experience and growth. These women shared their journeys, the dreams they had at 18, and the pivotal moments that shaped their paths. Common themes emerged: the importance of believing in yourself, trusting your instincts, and being fearless. 🎙️ Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gUnFtvJM Our lives are filled with "unscripted pivots". It’s not until later that we play a more active role in deciding our paths. Reflecting on these stories reminds us of the power of mentorship and the impact we can have by sharing our experiences with the next generation. Think about your 18-year-old self. What would you tell her? And how do you support the young women in your life today? Join the conversation and let’s continue to lift each other up. 🌟 #Podcast #UnscriptedPivots #CareerAdvice #WomenEmpowerment #Mentorship #PersonalGrowth #Leadership #WomenInBusiness #ULI #CREW #WTFLady #ExecutiveCoaching Feel free to like, comment, and share your thoughts! 💬

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This year, I started an awesome new role. I'm a Facilitator and Leadership Coach for Braven and their Career Accelerator Program. Specifically, I lead a cohort of college students at San Francisco State University and help accelerate their career progression. Two tips that have made me especially successful in my facilitation: 1. Don't be afraid of silence. If you ask for sharing or feedback, and no one speaks right away, allow the silence to be there. -Keep breathing. -Create spaciousness for people to share. -Offer patience so those who may be slower to share can feel the invitation. Your comfort with silence will invite others to speak up. 2. Support participants in fully arriving. I start each session with a 2-3 minute guided meditation. This reason I do this: I hear from my students that they are sometimes overwhelmed by the volume of homework, studying required for exams, stress about their grades, and just not enough time in the day. Some of them also work nearly full time jobs in addition to being in school. This works well because: -Sometimes people are joining directly from their last class, and it's helpful for them to have a distinct end to the last one, and the beginning of mine. -Taking a pause in the middle of a busy day, especially at the end of the day can make a huge difference. -Calming the mind and guiding people to a relaxed, psychologically safe state enables them to be fully creative and optimally receptive to learning. Agree or disagree? Especially if you're a facilitator or work with facilitators, I'd love to hear your thoughts. What are your best tips for engaging a group of learners? #Facilitation #LeadershipDevelopment #CareerAcceleration #Meditation #Mindfulness #EngagingLearners

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🎯 Discover Productivity- 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘗𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦 Like you, I'm often feeling overwhelmed by...everything.  For over ten years, the way I've been able to find meaning in the chaos is through The Bullet Journal® Method. It helps me align my daily tasks with my deeper intentions and stay true to what truly matters.   Here's how this system has changed my life: - Take 15 Minutes a Day: I am more aware of my thoughts and feelings. - Reflect Without Shame: I evaluate my thoughts, moods, and actions honestly, but with compassion for myself and for others - Uncover Patterns: I identify behaviors and situations that hinder my goals. - Act Intentionally: I use that insight to make better choices - Purpose and Meaning: I have less FOMO, better boundaries, and more satisfaction with how I spend my time and energy. 𝗔𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 Bullet Journal® 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗮, 𝗜'𝗺 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗼𝘀 𝗔𝗹𝘁𝗼𝘀, 𝗖𝗔 𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟭𝘀𝘁, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟱:𝟯𝟬 𝘁𝗼 𝟴:𝟯𝟬𝗽𝗺. Space is limited and seats are going fast! Please join me and my friend, our hostess Elena Krasnoperova- founder of Women of Wisdom Bay Area- to learn how to align your daily tasks with your deeper intentions. All you need is a notebook and pen(or your digital notebook,) and a willingness to commit to the process. Are you ready to focus on what truly matters? Let’s start journaling! ✍️ #BulletJournal #Productivity #Mindfulness #PersonalDevelopment https://lnkd.in/gBn3KHef

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If you've been feeling like every day is a struggle, you might be carrying more trauma around with you than you think. Join me in this scary (but enlightening!) Halloween episode where I chat with Sr. UX Designer Prescott Perez-Fox, who opens up about his past difficulties with burnout & job-trauma. We discuss: 🤯 What happens when you’re constantly operating in survival mode 🚧 How this can create invisible limitations in your future creative career 🎨 The difference between misalignment and burnout 🥰 Ways to begin recovery and heal from this experience 😫 The phases and signs of what this feels like even after you’ve left a job 💕 How to successfully transition from a traumatic job into a safe space Listen to EP75 of Rock That Creative Job podcast on Apple or Spotify and please share with all your creative friends! 🎧 #creativejobs #creativecareers #careergrowth #burnout #designjobs #creativelife #creativeindustry #designerslife #mentalhealthmatters #anxiety #jobsearch #mentalhealth #rockthatcreativejob 

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San Francisco CDAO Executives: Can you believe this lineup?!?! I'm honored to be announcing this year's Discussion Leaders for the exclusive San Francisco CDAO Inner Circle Dinner happening on April 18th in Menlo Park. Join your executive peers and Discussion Leaders Graeme Thompson, Bala Sahejpal, Kiran Mysore, Francesca La O, Zoher Karu, Anahita Tafvizi, Sharad Mathur, Flo Oswald, and Deep Ratna Srivastav as they tackle a topic on everyone's mind: Succeeding in a World Fueled By Generative AI. More details below! 💡 Succeeding in a World Fueled By Generative AI 💡 With the debut of generative AI, the world of work has changed forever. This new cutting-edge capability transforms operations for data and analytics leaders, but also disrupts all organizational functions around the globe. According to Gartner, by 2027, the productivity value of AI will be recognized as a primary economic indicator of national power. And by 2026, Gartner predicts the chief data and analytics officers' ability to deliver data and AI literacy, culture and a skilled workforce will be a top-three determining factor in supporting business strategy. How can the CDAO reset D&A governance and influence culture to execute successful D&A strategy? In this interactive discussion, CDAOs will explore strategies and best practices in building a robust foundation to drive business and innovation with AI. 💡 Topic 1: Resetting your D&A governance framework for AI 💡 Topic 2: Supporting a data-centric culture by inspiring fluency Are you registered to attend? Current community members can register using the MyEvanta app. New to the community? View the entire agenda and apply to participate here: https://lnkd.in/gQyeeYTa Thank you to our partners at Informatica, Dataiku, Granica, and Pryon for making this dinner possible. If you are interested in learning more about the San Francisco and/or Southern California CDAO Governing Body and community, please reach out to me at: [email protected]. #sanfrancisco #data #analytics #cdo #chiefdataofficer #CDAO #GenerativeAI #AI

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🎉 Just launched! 🎉 Check out the new, rebranded website for a fabulous Bay Area wedding florist! 🌸 This project has been a true labor of love, and I'm thrilled to share it finally! We met at a networking event last year, and she wanted to elevate her brand. Our journey together began last year with 1:1 brand coaching sessions, during which we started uncovering her unique brand story. Believe it or not, everyone has a story waiting to be shared. Ihinio, an incredibly talented immigrant entrepreneur with a flair for creating dreamy weddings, is the magic behind those stunning florals. Her new website perfectly captures her unique identity and entrepreneurial spirit. If you're in the Bay Area and need a florist, she's your go-to! This rebrand wasn’t just a facelift. We started with a solid foundation in storytelling, and then I helped her establish her visual brand, craft compelling marketing copy, capture professional headshots, and develop engaging social media content. Getting to know Ihinio deeply enabled me to integrate her distinctive narrative effectively throughout her marketing. Considering a website makeover or need a brand refresh? I’m here to help you craft a site that not only looks fantastic but also turns visitors into clients. Drop me a message to chat! P.S. I'm especially thrilled about this launch—it's my first project since expanding my services to include complete branding solutions. How do you like the new look? #brandstorytelling #brandcoach #brandphotographer #entrepreneurs __________ 👋🏼 Hello, I'm Alpana Aras I help founders, CEOs, and entrepreneurs like you to craft magnetic personal brands with impactful headshots and strategic branding—engineered to set you apart, make an impact, and boost your sales. Schedule a complimentary call | Check out my website

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DEI, when woven into core strategy, drives results. If an organization treats DEI as a side project, it misses a huge strategic lever, a proven path to financial gains and market edge. Today’s challenges—attracting top talent, fostering innovation, boosting performance—require more than traditional thinking. It’s time to integrate, elevate, and reap the rewards. Explore how DEI Practice Bundles can elevate an organization in the article below. #DEI #strategy #business #diversity #equity #inclusion

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🔊OC Employers! 🧠 Did you know that nearly 6 million American’s are currently living with Alzheimer’s Disease? The number of those diagnosed here in Orange County has doubled in these last 10 years. Even if someone is not directly impacted by ALZ, chances are they know someone who is. Millions of caregivers are full time professionals, and the stress of balancing caregiving and work can significantly impact one's stress levels and overall well-being. Although these numbers are staggering, it illustrates to employers how vital it is to be strategic about available awareness resources and support offered to employees not only affected by dementia, but also interested in learning more about it. The Alzheimer’s Association offers FREE Education Programs and Awareness Trainings to local organizations in our community, and would love the opportunity to speak to your staff on one of the below topics. These programs are designed to support those affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementias, as well as those interested in brain health and caregiving. They cover a range of topics, including: • Healthy Living for Your Brain and Body • Effective Communication Strategies • Understanding Alzheimer’s and Dementia • Recognizing the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s • Managing Money: A Caregiver’s Guide to Finances • Responding to Dementia-Related Behaviors We can provide these programs virtually or in person for your staff, including any other community members who might benefit from these insights. Each session is available in 30- or 60-minute formats, offering flexibility to fit your schedule. We can even take 10-15 minutes in a staff meeting, etc. We would also be happy to tailor the programs to the needs of your group. Please refer to the attached flyer for more details on the services we offer, contact me for more information & scheduling! 💜

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"Startups simply must scale faster than all but the rarest of human beings can acquire emotional intelligence." I so appreciated this article shared with me by Eric Goeres, PCC. I talk about this concept a lot, the fact that in many cases, startup or not, leaders find themselves in the predicament where they are managing others through situations they aren't sure how to handle. They haven't had the grace of many years of trial and error to develop the self-awareness and coaching skills that make them effective and inspiring leaders. They are... winging it. The article goes on with a quote from Alexis Ohanian Sr.... "any executive who thinks he doesn’t need coaching must think he is not just the Tom Brady of his industry, or the LeBron James or the Serena Williams, but that he’s better than that." I'm not sold on the "hack for therapy" concept. I believe both coaching and therapy have distinct value to add. But I am in 100000% agreement that all leaders need and deserve coaching. The earlier the better.

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► For this week’s episode of 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 I had the pleasure of speaking with Dorsey Standish, who’s a mechanical engineer, neuroscientist, and wellness expert who brings evidence-based mindfulness and emotional intelligence to clients worldwide through her company Mastermind. Her personal mission is to help Type A people like herself slow down, de-stress, and optimize their performance through research-backed brain health training.   Here are some of the powerful topics we discussed:   ✷ Understanding mindfulness as a simple way of paying attention and common mindfulness practices that people unknowingly engage in. ✷ Start mindfulness and meditation small to build consistency, strengthen focus, and regulate the nervous system. ✷ How emotional intelligence (EQ) supports stress management, enhances relationships, and improves workplace dynamics. ✷ The importance of giving yourself grace during mindfulness practices and finding coping mechanisms that suit your needs. ✷ The power of committing to small, consistent practices like a one-minute daily and the 30-day mindfulness challenge. ✷ How mindfulness can help you become an expert on yourself, leading to intentional living.   🎧 Listen in! https://lnkd.in/gjJV4A82   Have you subscribed to the Inspirational Leadership Community? Head on over to www.kristenharcourt.com to sign up today!   #HR #leadershipdevelopment #mindfulness #meditation #mentalhealth #wellbeing #emotionalintelligence #humanizingwork #leadershippodcast

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🤓 I ALWAYS finished my homework growing up. My high school was intense (I think I worked harder there than at Stanford) and I was often up late trying to stay on top of everything. The thought of letting a teacher down filled me with existential dread 😱 It didn’t help that every day teachers would go around and check our books for annotations. If you hadn’t done the reading, you had to suffer the public shame of being called out. ❓ At the end of one office hours visit where I was stressing to my teacher about understanding something or another in Beowulf (oh, to be 15 again…), he asked me a question: Emma, have you ever tried NOT doing your homework? Um, no. Absolutely not. The horror. But then a funny thing happened – shortly thereafter, I fell asleep on top of my books and didn’t do my homework. 😱 The next day in class, I was stressing out as he went around checking everyone’s books. Halfway through, he reprimanded one boy who’d not done it. As he got closer and closer to me, I was sweating. 🤯 But when he picked up my book and rifled through it – clearly seeing that I’d not done my homework – he smiled. He put my book down, looked me in the eye, and merely said “Good.”  🎁 In that moment he had the great gift of understanding what I most needed to hear and learn: that it was ok to not be perfect. That failing to do one thing didn’t mean I was a failure. That empathy goes a long way (and I’m usually going to be my own harshest critic so piling more criticism on will likely cause me to shut down rather than motivate me). 💡 As a leader of teams, I thought about this lesson a lot. To be a great people leader, you need to understand what folks need at the individual level to develop and do their best work. And while you might be able to motivate yourself or someone else through fear in the short term, it's hard to sustain, it rarely leads to the best results, and it leaves a residue. It's like burning coal instead of a renewable energy source. When you combine the skill + will to tailor your leadership to what is actually most needed in the moment, that's when the magic happens. What powerful lessons did you learn from your childhood teachers?

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The biggest THANK YOU to my Trojan Family as I move on from my six incredible years at the University of Southern California as Director of Belonging. What a *dream role* to wake up every day, tie on my Docs, and innovate solutions to #loneliness with students themselves. We turned elevators into friendship incubators. We turned courtyards into story-telling campfire zones. We walked around in inflatable flamingo costumes handing out lollipops. There was no road map for navigating this new social landscape. I'm humbled by what you taught me, students, about the endless possibilities for connection, if we slow down enough to look for them. And I'm so hopeful for what comes next for all of us because I know, beyond the harrowing statistics, that each one of us is not only capable of connection, but can become a wifi hotspot of belonging for others everywhere we go. What's next? To be of more help to more people, I'm stoked to be expanding my work into writing, speaking, coaching + consulting, through by newly-launched effort, The Belonging Studio! As well, it's time to dust off some of my dreams. Since I was a little girl, I've wanted to have a talk show, even setting up stuffed animals as my guests. But as a single mom in the most expensive city in the country, it wasn't a practical path for me. Now, I truly believe it's one of the ways I can be of MOST help in the age of loneliness. So stay tuned for my podcast called Cat Chat. Think short coffeeshop chats with people from every walk of life so that we can use our stories to find our way home to each other. Thanks for all your support in this new phase! #loneliness #connection #belonging #college #career #culture

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