From Marketer to Leadership Alchemist with Asmâa Methqal

[00:00:00] LuRae: Today, I have a special guest with me, Asma Methkal, she's the founder and CEO of Fire Flow, a leadership alchemist, transformational coach, soulful change maker, and gift to the world. So Asma, welcome to the show.

[00:00:55] Asmaa: I'm so happy to be here. Thank you for having me.

[00:00:59] LuRae: Yes. Share a little bit around your background and how you got to the point of launching Fire and Flow. I know there's a lot there, but share some of your story.

[00:01:10] Asmaa: Of course. So my story started in Morocco, where I was born and it was a beautiful, it's a beautiful country. It's incredible. I had amazing parents that were like very versed into I've been a life experience and discovering more than just one culture. And then I was very lucky that I was able to come to Canada to study and do my master's degree there.

[00:01:37] Asmaa: And while bathing in a new country, it was just so amazing to see the things that I loved about my origin country and the things that Fits me off a lot of it. And, you know, at the same time, like you're discovering yourself and you're discovering who you are. And so I was in the world of marketing from my degree to, uh, like different like jobs that I had all across Quebec.

[00:02:02] Asmaa: And then I moved to the West coast in the island of Victoria at that time, Vancouver Island, and I was just like doing marketing and I'm just enjoying it. But what was interesting, like through that whole process is that. I was feeling that something was missing, that something was not there, but I just didn't know what it was because exactly the trajectory that I've set up for my life was exactly, I was following it to the T, uh, to a point that I started my own marketing agency company and I was working with the businesses.

[00:02:34] Asmaa: I wanted to work with, I was having different subcontractors that I was hiring, that I was working with. And so everything I've dreamt of, like it was like, okay, it's all done. But then it was just like feeling. deeply unfulfilled.

[00:02:47] LuRae: Mm hmm. Mm

[00:02:49] Asmaa: I'm here, but there's a bigger party happening here that I'm not invited to.

[00:02:55] Asmaa: And it's my own party and I just don't know what's happening. And so it was just like this, there's something missing. I didn't know what it was. And it was until I was having a conversation with a healer that I just said, Hey, you know what? I'm thinking about changing my name. Did we have a conversation?

[00:03:12] Asmaa: It was like, so random. And, uh, he was like, no, after like, checking your name, your neurology is really good, but I will tell you one thing. You are going on a path, but there's a way better path for you that you're meant for in this lifetime.

[00:03:27] LuRae: hmm. Mm hmm.

[00:03:27] Asmaa: what does that even mean? Like, I studied very hard to be here and I'm like now an expert and I'm renowned in what I do.

[00:03:34] Asmaa: Like, what the hell are you talking about? And so, It really like made me a little bit like angry and like agitated and I was like, Oh, well, that's interesting. Why what's behind the truth that's behind that feeling. And it was true that process I finished that year, it was my best year, like money was in the bank.

[00:03:53] Asmaa: The clients were happy, everybody I worked with, like the employees, everybody was happy, but I ended up like having five to four, four infections at one time. Like at once, I couldn't smell, I couldn't hear, I couldn't taste. I couldn't almost not see. It was just weird. It was just like, it's like my body shut off and I just heard a big scream, an internal scream that said, stop.

[00:04:18] Asmaa: I was like, Whoa, what's happening here? Like, and it was in that. Epiphany moment that I was like, okay, I just had the best year. I heard, I feel like there's a party that is happening on the other side that I'm not invited to. So maybe this is my wake up call that I need to change my path. And so that was the wake up call.

[00:04:40] Asmaa: And I was like, okay, so if I need to stop, I mean, I need to slow down and I haven't slowed down since I moved to Canada. And making that decision was not hard, but what was hard was like all the judgment from other people. It's like, what do you mean? Like, you are the pinnacle of your career. Like your agency is doing so well.

[00:04:59] Asmaa: You were just going to sign this huge contract. Like that's so stupid. And so I was like, well, you know what, if I don't do it now, then when? Like, so this is the plan, right? And so, um, Yeah. So I jumped and I said, no, I'm going to slow down. I made enough profit money that I'm going to invest it in myself.

[00:05:17] Asmaa: And I'm going to invest it in getting like another location for my office. Why not me? Right. I'm like, I'm like the face of the company anyways. And so I did that. And then the slowing down was huge. very hard. It was like everything that you never like sit down to really like deal with was just like showing up and it was like feeling like feeling through everything and then also understanding the reasons behind every decision you've made to that point and where where it was coming from.

[00:05:50] Asmaa: Was it coming from from a place of love? Was it coming from a place that you wanted love? So is it from or for, right? Like, is it for love or from love? Is it for power or from power? Like, and so I realized that a lot of it was like, like for, like, I wanted like the love and the appreciation. And through that process, I realized that I was leading my life in a way that I wanted to prove contrary to my culture, to my dad, that a woman can do it. And by doing that. Even though that worked for me at a certain point, my heart said, Hey, it's my turn now. And with that moment, that's when I realized that, okay, my true essence is deeply feminine and there's all this creativity, all this flow of creativity and connection and ingenuity that wants to come out.

[00:06:48] Asmaa: But I was only staying at a very, like, hard place of like, I need to hit the goals. I need to meet, like, this is the next deadline. This is this. And so through that, I was like, Whoa, so really what's inside of me is this beautiful duality. There's this dance of my feminine and masculine energy, or I prefer to call it my fire and flow.

[00:07:11] Asmaa: And it's never about really balance because you can not balance your own life, even though that's a very trendy word that's like put out out there. But for me, it's about harmony. It's like how I can create my own harmony. I've led my whole life from fire. Well, how can I bring in a little bit more flow into the way I'm being?

[00:07:32] Asmaa: And even in an ideal world, how can I live from this harmony of fire and flow throughout my whole day, throughout my whole week, throughout all my interactions with people and also with myself? So that way I'm honoring my body while I'm honoring also my mind. But I should not give my mind all the power and completely discounting anything neck down. that's what we've been taught. And so that's when like fire for really birthed it, like really from this place of inner discovery. And then through that, I started seeing other people. I'm like, Oh, You're me six months ago, so let me teach you, you're leading more from your fire. Let me bring you, and I've been seeing this a lot with women, right?

[00:08:14] Asmaa: They've been just leading from their fire the whole time and just make money, make money, make money. And then when I ask about their personal life, they're like, Oh no, it's not going well. Like I'm not having a good time. conversation with my kids. It's like this. They're like mad at me because I'm working all the time.

[00:08:28] Asmaa: It's like all of this, right? It's like, okay, so how can we create this harmony for yourself, like in your own leadership? So that way you can still be a boss babe, like that, like the trendy word that people are using now, but also like be like an amazing woman that is connected to your own. So many need to your own flow and same thing for men as well.

[00:08:47] Asmaa: So how can you still be a CEO at a company, but at home, like you are in this beautiful, like sacred masculine energy that you're bringing into your place. So everybody feels safe and they can be themselves and excited. And so that's one of like the key element that just realized like throughout my own life, like when you lead from one side, there's a whole other side of just waiting.

[00:09:11] Asmaa: So I finally joined the party.

[00:09:13] LuRae: Yeah. And that's so good. That's so good. There were so many things you said there that took me off on tangents and one thing that I just read just this week, and it's so true, they said, and hopefully I'll repeat it correctly, that stop listening to people who've not, who aren't doing what you want to do.

[00:09:35] LuRae: Like stop listening to the advice of other people who've not done what you're wanting to do. So, and then I think I've also like. Don't listen to people who, who aren't, haven't walked your shoes. No one else knows, just as you were saying, people challenging, like, why would you want to stop doing what you're doing?

[00:09:52] LuRae: You're, you're at the pinnacle. I mean, that same thing was said to me when I was in New York and my response was, and I want to jump because I'm so unhappy, I am not fulfilled at all. And. To the point of what you said, if we don't listen to the whispers, then we get a

[00:10:09] Asmaa: Feel the slap.

[00:10:09] LuRae: yes, a bigger wake up call. So, for anyone listening, we're going to be giving some tips and advice on what do you do, how do you take the steps forward, because that is so important to listen to yourself and Not get caught in the cycle of, Oh, because I've done this forever or because what are people going to think who cares what anyone else thinks it's your life and you have to be true to yourself.

[00:10:35] LuRae: So share a little bit about what you do now in helping leaders and you mentioned a bit about. Women and then men. So share a little bit about what you do to help empower people to live more balanced lives. I think that's key with you. Yeah.

[00:10:53] Asmaa: Yeah, it is key. And, and to answer what you just said earlier, how I was able to jump Is exactly this is a lot of people hear advices from proximity. Like you just have people the closest to you, but you really need to hear advice from relevance again. So the people who walk the path. And so it was because I joined and I invested in masterminds and in different groups.

[00:11:18] Asmaa: So that way I can be with people that speak the same language as me. Understand what my dream is and where I want to go and how I can create it. Right. But for a lot of people, and even with the clients that I work with, they don't have the right advice around them because they're sticking with proximity.

[00:11:36] Asmaa: But it's like that, my favorite quote is like, don't share your dreams with other people because God gave it to you, not to them. So they won't even understand like the magnitude of what you're supposed to be creating. Right.

[00:11:49] LuRae: That's so true.

[00:11:51] Asmaa: And so like, yeah, in a nutshell, like I call myself a leadership alchemist

[00:11:55] LuRae: Mm-hmm

[00:11:56] Asmaa: it's literally like helping people really like bring this elements of like their fire and their flow, because there's a lot of people that will be in their flow, but then don't bring fire, more action into what they're doing more.

[00:12:09] Asmaa: They need more driving more that they all have it. It's just finding the right, you know, mixture of things to alchemize and to get them to take a purposeful action and inspired action and aligned action, because maybe you were taking the wrong actions and then you're just doing it just for the paycheck or just so you can prove other people you can do it.

[00:12:30] Asmaa: But that's not really maybe you're meant to be an artist. Maybe you're meant to create music that people listen to it and the frequencies help them heal, right? You're supposed to be that CEO who's going to create like this next generation of AI or something that will help and serve humanity like there's so many things right but people just get stuck into what's in front of them and then the proximity of their network and this is this is the thing and this is what I'm supposed to do or the where I got stuck for myself.

[00:13:04] Asmaa: I've been doing marketing for 25 years. Why would I change now?

[00:13:09] LuRae: right, right.

[00:13:10] Asmaa: you know, 25 years of expertise and experience on this, like, I'm not going to shift now, you know, but that's when people don't realize is that we don't shift. We just accumulate one thing on top of the other. And it's like a legal and at the end, it all.

[00:13:26] Asmaa: Anything that you were ever interested in, it just makes sense. And so for me, I work, I started working with women like that was like the calling that I felt like when I started Fire Pro Academy is that really like helping women tap into more how they can create businesses, the feminine way, how can they lead their teams from their essence, from their true essence.

[00:13:47] Asmaa: And when I say feminist, like. Inside out like that's all inside out where masculine is very, this is the goal. This is the market. This is the competition. This is what this is where we need to go. So everything external how we can hit it versus in China is like, okay, let's find what is your genius zone.

[00:14:06] Asmaa: Let's uncover your true essence. And then from there, let's. Create, not even build, let's create a business from that place. And so I truly enjoyed doing that. I even get to a point that I delivered that program across Canada. A lot of organizations hired me to do that. I even spoke at it at the UN earlier this year.

[00:14:24] Asmaa: Like they were interested, like the things that I've delivered, like the changes, transformation that happened for women. And what was interesting is that the youngest people sometime I have in my programs are 22 years old. And then the oldest one I've ever had, she was like 80 years old. So that shows you, like, there's no age for when you want to have an entrepreneurial spirit to create something, create a legacy.

[00:14:46] Asmaa: And so by doing that, what I started realizing is that when I was having women, their biggest, uh, hurdle was the men in their lives. Uh, they were the one, like, not understanding or stopping them. It's like, why are you doing this? Again, proximity versus relevance. And so it was like, oh, no, no, I need men to join this conversation.

[00:15:05] Asmaa: And anyway, my goal was never just women only was both, but I was just going gradually, but now I got into this phase of life that's like, no, no, it's gradual because men now it's like, can I join the conversation? I want to learn how to be more in slow. I want to increase my own emotional intelligence. I want to have a better relationship with my wife, with my kids, with my team, how I can empower them, how I can help them.

[00:15:27] Asmaa: How can I, when I enter a room, I can understand their energies and know exactly what they're doing. Or ship the agenda mid because I know what the team or what they need. Right. And so that's like being in your flow versus like being in your fire. Like, okay, this is the drive. This is the goal. But let's do it from a shared purpose from a collective wisdom.

[00:15:44] Asmaa: Let's do it together. It's not bottom down. And also, it's not you taking everything on your shoulders as well. Right. And so it's all these different elements. And so people come to me either through taking my programs or like, Like one on one coaching, which I really truly enjoy, uh, which is like, okay, there is a goal, or this is like my dream that I want to do.

[00:16:07] Asmaa: Like sometimes people don't even say their dream out loud. Right. And for me, it's about your heart knows what you're like, that you cannot just speak it. So let me help you speak it. So let's find what are the blockages and then let's speak that. And then from there, let's. Set up a plan. Let's get it to our fire because once your fire have things set up, then you can be in your flow because if you're outspoken, you can hit that vision.

[00:16:35] Asmaa: You can hit that goal easily, but with more sustainability, you're more sustainable in terms of like who you are as a leader. And as we know, like, Every time we say something, every time we do something, we inspire people around us without even realizing that we do. And so you embodying the true authentic version of your leadership.

[00:16:58] Asmaa: It's an invitation for others to do the same, but it's also a way for you to respect yourself and be like, I am who I am. I am uniquely who I am, and this is my heart, soul purpose that I'm going to go and try and achieve it, but achieve it my own way. And that's when the harmony piece comes in. And so everybody's different.

[00:17:22] Asmaa: So some people, they just want to be better leaders. Other people want to create a legacy. Other people would just want to start their own business and create like more sustainability for themselves and their families. But it's just telling people like. Nothing is impossible, but let's just do it from this aligned place.

[00:17:38] Asmaa: It's not, you're not doing it for power or for love, but you're doing it from your own silent, soft power. And you're doing it from love because that's what you want to create around you.

[00:17:52] LuRae: I love that so much. I mean, there's just, I just feel like your background and all of the steps and layers that you've gone through to get to the point that you are, you have the business acumen, you have the dynamics of political environments and corporate environments. You've experienced various different leaders.

[00:18:13] LuRae: You've been a leader. You, you know, so you're in a perfect place to help people align with what is true for them. And I love the relevance. What did you say? Proximity versus yes, which is so powerful because we don't stop to think about that. Just talking to the people around us is, is just a, yeah, repeat of.

[00:18:39] LuRae: Whatever they view of us, they're going to reflect that back. And to break out of that and be more than that, you have to see and hear other feedback outside of ourselves. So, so good. So good. So what is most exciting for you right now that you have on the horizon that you're, that you're approaching doing?

[00:19:04] Asmaa: working on finalizing my book, the farm for leadership. Um, and it's, it's an exciting journey, uh, to do it, right? Because then you pour your soul into it and then. Every chapter that you write, you're like, okay, there is a reason behind it. There is a reason why you had to go through exactly what you said, why you had to go through the thing you went through so you can get to this element here and the book for me again, it's all about embodiment.

[00:19:33] Asmaa: It's like how you can embody the best version of you as a person and for me like as a leader and the reason why I choose to use the word leader is because if you change even 0. 0001 percent about you and how you show up, that will like Escalate into everybody and like twinkle around everybody around you and people don't realize that power that they have Um, and we all have it like just walking in the streets and just smiling at somebody like you can make their day You can just give someone a compliment that costs you nothing, but that can make their day And people like I feel like especially like after covid it's like we lost that Basics of connection

[00:20:20] LuRae: human elements,

[00:20:21] Asmaa: human element is missing, and it's getting worse and worse, like people are standing their screens and doing the things.

[00:20:27] Asmaa: And so that human human becomes difficult, uh, asking deeper questions, getting to know the person having deep conversations. And, and it's so key. And so it's just so interesting. So that I'm. I in the book, because I just want to bring this like methodology all around, like, again, it's not even mine, right?

[00:20:46] Asmaa: Like it's something that you channel that you're supposed to

[00:20:49] LuRae: right,

[00:20:50] Asmaa: but then your life experiences just makes you that the right conduit for it because you speak it and then you leave it. And then what do we know? We know that the highest frequency that you can even embody is the frequency of authenticity, And so that's when. What you live brings you what you, when you take your mess and make it into a message and then you are able to speak it, then people resonate with it, understand it, and that frequency of authenticity helps other people to do the same. And that's when you create your ripple. effect and you're able of impacts and maybe so key.

[00:21:30] Asmaa: So yeah, so that's what I'm doing right now, trying to finalize that book, hoping to launch it in 2025.

[00:21:36] LuRae: so exciting. Yes. We've now spoken it out into the universe. So advice for people who are obviously you and I both have had such interesting, like common paths of, you know, going down the marketing path. And then one day you realize this isn't it. Like there's something more that I'm meant to be doing. You still use the skills and we, you know, talking about skill stacking.

[00:22:02] LuRae: That's so key because everything you and I, everything we've learned, we're using it today with what we're doing. What advice would you give to people who are hearing the whispers and maybe haven't gotten to the slap yet or the shout? What advice would you give for people?

[00:22:20] Asmaa: Hmm. It's such a beautiful question. I think the main advice I'll have for someone that is in that place of like, they hearing the whispers, they're feeling there's a party happening on this side, but they're invited to it yet and they don't even know they're the host of it.

[00:22:44] LuRae: Hmm.

[00:22:44] Asmaa: Their higher self is having a It just needs to like, get there. Um, I think the main thing for me and that I wish I'd done for myself as well.

[00:22:54] Asmaa: It just, uh, journal more.

[00:22:56] LuRae: Hmm.

[00:22:59] Asmaa: I think, again, we forget to do that. And that's why I love the five minute journal, because it's just like simple and easy, because exactly what you said about us, everything we've done, you don't know why we've done the thing or why we were passionate about leadership or passionate about positive intelligence or passionate about like, like business or white person about marketing. And then when you end up and dancing, and then after that, you end up doing the thing. That connects all of them together and you're like, Oh, it was just my pad to get me to where I need to go. And, and it starts with self awareness. And so when you hear the whisper, write it down, just write it down, just put a note, open a note on your phone and call it whispers or whatever.

[00:23:45] Asmaa: And then just write it down and, and, and then again, you hear another one, just write it down. Or like if you hear three people telling you the same thing that week. Write it down because that's like a very clear path. Right. And just starting to trust in magic. And I know like for people who are like, this is woo woo, but it's just coming from this place that Nothing happens randomly. It's just like a series of patterns that don't link down the same link together, but they're linked. And so if you hear a whisper, and sometimes for me, I will listen to a song and then I will just stop and learn, listen to the lyrics and be like, are you talking to me? It literally just happened to me this morning. was like, what? Like, uh, sometimes you ask for something. And then a friend calls you and it's not telling you something and really that message was for you But something happened to them that it was really for you So that's when I talk about magic. It's just like trust in the magic of moments And that your life it's magical in that way.

[00:24:51] Asmaa: And so if you hear the whispers First of all, congratulations for hearing the whispers because there are some people that don't even hear the whisper yet because they're not tuned into their body and their own intuition. And then if you hear them, just writing them down because there's some synchronicities there that will show up.

[00:25:08] Asmaa: And then if you are more intentional about it, the path will get clearer and clearer and clearer because now you're intentionally. Like, they're looking for them and when they happen, you can grab them, they just not fly you through, pass you through, right? Like, I have friends that tell me, I just thought about my dad, like, who died two years ago, and I stop at the red light, and then, literally, like, the, the car in front of me like it has a little like collage that said exactly how my dad calls me like and then just just little things but then again if you're busy and then you're doing something and you're checking your phone you're not gonna see even the message that is right in front of you so that's what i'll say just like start journaling those synchronicities and trust that they're like

[00:25:57] LuRae: Yes.

[00:25:57] Asmaa: in every day that you do you know

[00:25:59] LuRae: Yeah. It's interesting because I've consciously chosen, and I've stopped this now months ago, taking my phone with me when I walk the dog. And it's shocking to me, the number of. Neighbors, people that I will run into who they're out with their pet, but they've got them on a very short leash and they're on their phones and missing the birds singing and the struggle.

[00:26:25] LuRae: The leaves on the trees, because the things that are the most precious in life, we can lose sight of by digital devices. I mean, I think they're almost created for that purpose to distract us. So having a conscious, making a content intent and intention of being present so you can see the way, hear the whispers, notice.

[00:26:49] LuRae: Hear what's happening, notice things that you see, because without doing that, we're pretty much sleepwalking and on autopilot. Another. thing that I've, I've been seeing a lot of too, which I believe is also a wake up call for people are a lot of people on LinkedIn writing about toxic work environments.

[00:27:09] Asmaa: oh a lot yes

[00:27:10] LuRae: and, and it, that is one of the biggest wake up calls. Like why Sedate your soul or stay in an environment where you're not respected, appreciated, valued, rewarded financially, what you're worth, like, get out. So people have this illusion of job security, having a job, which is, Technically, J O B, just over broke.

[00:27:35] LuRae: It, it is an illusion because there's only like, you know, people will give two weeks notice, an employer will let someone go via text or email or get everyone on a Zoom call. So people really realize that, be true to themselves because an employer cares enough to keep you there and pay you just enough that you don't leave. There's probably a lot more important things that people could be doing with their lives, or to your point, being in greater alignment, like working with someone like you, if there is a change that they could make in their current environment, having that perspective and reflection from someone outside themselves can help them step into their power and shift a work environment because they're showing up differently.

[00:28:26] LuRae: I'm sure you have thoughts and experience on that.

[00:28:30] Asmaa: Oh yeah. Big time. Because what I've realized too is like, not everybody's an entrepreneur. And that's totally okay. And so a lot of people that I work with, they're like, yeah, I love my job. I love people telling me what to do and just like getting clear. And then some people love autonomy and others like, no, I need more direction.

[00:28:47] Asmaa: And so that's totally okay. Again, that's when it comes with this idea of harmony,

[00:28:51] LuRae: Right.

[00:28:52] Asmaa: do you need more fire than in your business? Right. When maybe at home you need more flow. So that's when I'm saying, and, and things like that, and somebody like me and you, I'm sure it's like, no, no, give me full freedom.

[00:29:02] Asmaa: Just tell me where we're headed and love me a lot. Get you there. Right. But don't micromanage me at all. Right. So, so everybody is different, but that's what makes it beautiful because we are all different and we connect with each other. And so when I start like with people, especially when people that come into my program, like before they even joined, especially the one that wants to launch a business, I really have like a first conversation with them just to get clear in terms like, are you really an entrepreneurial or like, do you want to just do this just to escape something?

[00:29:31] Asmaa: Then you're not doing it from a place of, I want to be empowered, but it's like from place scarcity that I'm, you're chasing like money. You're not like, created from a place of like, this is what I'm meant to be doing. Right. Um, so that's like one key element that we started as, you know, it's really hard to do it with ourselves.

[00:29:50] Asmaa: Like, that's why you need like an expert that comes and talk to you and can have like a BS radar. It's like, no, no, no, this is not it. You're answering with your head, not with your heart. Let's ship the question. Let's get you to where you need to be and things like that. So like, I think for me, like that's one key elements and yeah.

[00:30:08] Asmaa: And, and I believe, like I said earlier, like the impact on each one of us can create, and yes, unfortunately I'm seeing that a lot and what scares me even more is like when some, and a creator makes a skit about really bad manager and what I'm seeing in the comment, Oh my God. Yeah. You should put a notice.

[00:30:28] Asmaa: This just triggered my anxiety. This skit just triggered me. I can, and I'm like, what's happening? And then thousands, 5, 000 likes on that comment. And you're like, why do we live in a world where people are triggered by skits? Right? It's just so scary. So that also shows a hidden problem

[00:30:47] LuRae: Mm-hmm

[00:30:48] Asmaa: toxic culture out there.

[00:30:51] Asmaa: Again, like when I look at the skit, I laugh because I'm like, this person is fully on her fire.

[00:30:56] LuRae: Mm,

[00:30:57] Asmaa: She's just sort of about drive and this and then goals and this and this. I don't care. You should not use your PTO. Like the one who's going to use the less PTO this year will win something and like, what? Like it's their, it's their right.

[00:31:09] Asmaa: Like what? And so it's, it's all this things, right? And it's like, okay, so this, so this manager is this, but that's when you have that self awareness about yourself and you're like, no. I have a boundary and I'm not going to do this challenge because I know my rights and I know that I'm going to use my PTOs when I want.

[00:31:27] Asmaa: And also, you know what, I want to change departments or I want to, or you need to go into a training because this is, this is unacceptable. But if the company doesn't say this is not acceptable and acceptable, nothing's going to change. And so, I also believe like that you can take. Well, it's funny because I work a lot with like companies that's like, okay, we have a toxic culture.

[00:31:50] Asmaa: How can we shift it into a positive culture? But it's like, it's more than just like pushing numbers and putting like that. I like it's like a positive culture is about people,

[00:32:03] LuRae: Mm-hmm . Mm-hmm

[00:32:04] Asmaa: a core positive in the middle of it. That's it's like core system. It's like every conversation you have inside that company. Or inside that community.

[00:32:19] Asmaa: Yes. is appreciative, it's positive, it's about supporting each other, it's about uplifting each other, it's, it's, I feel safe speaking there, I feel heard, I feel seen, I feel respected, I feel valued, like those are like the core positive, but if you want another on the completely other side where it's toxic and it's just about badmouthing each other and it's about how I can like screw the system and how they can do this, of course you're gonna have a toxic culture because nobody feels And everybody's trying to use the system, but it starts with people and it starts with the people choosing one one saying, this is not the way we want to operate, then yes, a change is needed.

[00:33:02] Asmaa: And after that being okay with the change. And then started to implement the change, but for me, the change needs still to start with the top level. Unfortunately, there's still this very paramedical businesses doing things. I bark the orders. This is the goals we need to hit. Each team leader will make that happen, but then if the team leader is create a positive environment, and then you put team A with team B and team A is toxic, then of course it's going to affect the other team, right?

[00:33:35] Asmaa: So then, then after that, you better just, you know, Make Team B its own company, right, for it to work, but that's not what we want either. And so, yeah, so it's a very complex problem, but at the same time, it's just trusting that each person has the power to make a change. But it starts with you and knowing your own values and knowing your own boundaries and what we talked about earlier about presence, like you stay in presence.

[00:34:00] Asmaa: And every moment for me, it's one of the pillars of the powerful leadership anyways, because you need to have that self awareness for yourself to be like tribe in this environment is this environment challenges me enough that I want to change it. I'm going to change it from the inside out, or is it that I'm better suited to work with different company, or I really feel this drive to start my own. And so again, it's just that this little, this journey that people need to go through, but unfortunately, yes, we're seeing a lot of those toxic, but what even surprised me the most about those comments is people are accepting it. It's just like, oh, it's a done deal. Like, if I say something, I'm gonna lose my paycheck. And, and that again, it's run by scarcity. And that's what happened in those companies. It's all run by scarcity. Like, oh, I can easily replace you. Like, like,

[00:34:56] LuRae: Right.

[00:34:57] Asmaa: again, they don't feel, if your team don't feel valued or your members don't feel valued, why will they give you 110 percent then,

[00:35:05] LuRae: I love, I love the perspective and I love the looking within that at the center of the core is just like the tootsie pop, you know, it's like it's in the middle and we have to make sure that there's positive at the center. The core and there are so many ways to give feedback to someone who's on a team.

[00:35:29] LuRae: There's a, there's the constructive way and then there's the destructive way. And so, yeah, I think all of your experience and insight would be invaluable to a lot of companies out there. So please get in touch with us and have her come help you. So any final thoughts or words of advice to people out there with, we're in such an interesting time right now with personal lives and business and around the area being in, in alignment with themselves.

[00:36:05] Asmaa: yeah. Well, yeah, I totally hear you there. Like, I feel like we are in a leadership crisis right now. And, and that people see it everywhere, right? And people don't feel that they have even control over their own lives anymore. Now, like it's important again, like to go within and just to, to see like your whole path of your life.

[00:36:30] Asmaa: So this is this exercise that I do with my clients where I, I start like with the life path.

[00:36:35] LuRae: Mm hmm,

[00:36:36] Asmaa: And if you start right in your left, Life path and like the things you've done or what you have achieved or your best memories and who were you with and what you've created and dialects are to create a different image in terms of Oh.

[00:36:54] Asmaa: I've done so much. I'm so resilient. I've, I've created so much. I, I built something and it doesn't matter if you're 15 years old or feel like you're 50 years or you're 80s. Like we all have different life experiences that really build a lot. Again, that bit like that build your strength, but also that will. Indirectly show you your genius zone and for me the genius zone is that thing that you're supposed to be doing and that's the thing that you do so naturally that others need so much and you just need to be able like to connect with that. And so people don't see that people just live in this. place of comfort and a place of competence.

[00:37:40] Asmaa: I'm good at my job. I'm getting paid. I can do things. Uh, sales are hard for me. So I won't do sales. Oh, this is hard for me. I cannot do public speaking. I would never write a book. I don't even know how to write a paragraph. Like, and it's just all about limitations, but that. People just need to understand that just like your level of competence, but there's like another level of like your strength and then just another level even higher, which is your genius and each one of us has a unique genius and it's just.

[00:38:10] Asmaa: Your job is to unlock it and discover what that one is. And the best way for you to know that is your connections. It's so that's when you need to build your network. Like we are the, some of the five people we spend time with. So the big question I always hear people telling me is like, yeah, but I live in a small town and I don't know anybody and nor my friend are broke or this man always fighting with my husband.

[00:38:38] Asmaa: And it's like, that's okay. They don't need to be right there next to you. It could be the podcast you listen to like this one that could be like, Lori could be like your one, one person out of those five. It could be another person that you listen to or you'll follow on Instagram that have inspirational like reels and things like that.

[00:39:02] Asmaa: It could be an author that you like, and you can listen to their audio book. So there's different ways where you can create that five core People. So that way, when you do that and you add it, you stack it again, we call it skill stacking. So you take that and then you stack it with my life path. And oh, this is all the things I've done all the things that I've accomplished.

[00:39:26] Asmaa: And you add to that. Well, let's have a creative exploration about what is my genius zone? What is the thing I do so casually that other people's like, Oh, I can't believe you could do that. Like it will take me years to learn the thing that you do so naturally. Right? So that's the thing. And that was for me too.

[00:39:45] Asmaa: And that's why I shifted from marketing to leadership. Marketing was my zone of strength. Felt 25 years expertise to be able to create a strategy in my head in five minutes, where other people can take them two weeks. That's where expertise and experience comes from. But what I realized my zone of genius is transformation. If I can transform a room in one hour or two hours or three hours, just by asking the right question and getting people to get fired up. Why the hell am I sitting here, like, designing a brochure?

[00:40:22] LuRae: Right.

[00:40:23] Asmaa: You know what I mean? So that's for me, that's my truth, right? It doesn't mean for someone, I love beautiful brochures, don't get me wrong.

[00:40:31] Asmaa: But that could be someone else that they, their genius is being creative. Like I'm seeing now some artists that I'm following on Spotify. Oh my God. I put their song and something shifts in my body and I'm in a higher frequency. They were able to create this music.

[00:40:48] LuRae: Mm-hmm

[00:40:50] Asmaa: They're able to connect to some frequencies that brings that.

[00:40:53] Asmaa: And so that's in all of us, but we just lost that by being an autopilot. By not being present with ourselves and not being present with other people and also setting those boundaries that. I accept this and I don't accept that. So if somebody in proximity gives you an advice, are you like, what the hell?

[00:41:12] Asmaa: You bad? You want to take time off? Are you crazy? I cannot go off your career? I'm like, thank you very much for your feedback. I'm going to go this way. Because that's my life and I choose how to live it. So I'm going to follow relevance. And when I ask people from my work, they're like, go for it Asma, we're behind you 100%.

[00:41:30] Asmaa: You will never fail. Even if you fail, we have a net here for you if you fail.

[00:41:34] LuRae: Right,

[00:41:35] Asmaa: Those are the people you want to listen to. Those are the people you want to talk to. That's the podcast you want to listen to. That's the creator you want to watch the videos. And so create that because that you have control over.

[00:41:46] LuRae: Mm-hmm . Love it so much. Oh my gosh. I'm putting all of the links to get in touch with you in the show notes. Thank you so much for coming on the show. All great words of advice for people that everyone can be using in these interesting times we're in. So thank you so much. Asthma.

[00:42:04] Asmaa: My pleasure. Thank you so much for having me.