Special Guest Expert - Jean Marie Russo: Video automatically transcribed by Sonix

Special Guest Expert - Jean Marie Russo: this mp4 video file was automatically transcribed by Sonix with the best speech-to-text algorithms. This transcript may contain errors.

Brigitta Hoeferle:
Here's the big question. How is it that most entrepreneurs hustle and are always busy and struggle to take just one step forward, only to fall two steps back? They're dedicated, determined and driven, but only a few finally break through and win. This show uncovers those quantum leap patterns of highly successful people so you can simply model what they do and apply to your future success. That's the question. And the answers are right here. My name is Brigitta Hoeferle and this is the Success Patterns Show. And you are here at the right time, at the right place because it is always perfect the way it is. Welcome, everyone to the Success Patterns Show. My name is Brigitta Hoeferle, and I feel honored to be here with you today and our guest expert. I am the CEO of the Center of NLP and I am the mover and shaker and founder of the Success Patterns Movement. And people ask me, Brigitta, why success patterns? And by the way, what are success patterns? Very simple. If we know what to model, when we know the pattern, when we know the sequence, we can encode that sequence and then decode it to our own success. However you may define success. And we have incredible guest experts every week for you, so you don't have to figure out stuff. You can actually tune in, model and apply it in your own life. So today, as we are as humans, are hardwired to learn hands on from living, breathing teachers. And all of our leaders and guest experts that are on the show are teachers. And I learn from them. I'm inspired from them, and I sure am pretty sure that you will do the same and you will feel the same way here. Grandmasters at work and today you are in for a treat. As I say this every week and it is true every week. I don't just bring on just anyone that I meet on the streets. These are high net worth, highly successful people that have come to this place of whatever their definition of success is, because they have done something consistently. And it's probably not just one thing, but they have been persistent and consistent in the way that they work, in the way that they live in, the way that they do things, breathe and show up in the world.

Brigitta Hoeferle:
Today, I have an incredible woman, and when I say that she made everything work to be on the show today, I don't mean that lightly. Like she literally moved everything so she can be on the show today. Her mantra is it's about people making a difference because she says we as you at home or in your office or wherever you're at, at your work, you influence daily. The question is, how do you influence? Do you influence in a good way? Do you influence in a not so good way whenever she speaks or when she is part of your there, her global speakers and influencers, she knows that there's an aha moment. She knows that people are going to walk away with something that that one of her global speakers says. We're going to hear more about her story. She is an incredible heart centered leader. Her name is Jean Marie Rousseau. She's a single mom. She took an early retirement from the global pharmaceutical corporate world after 25 plus years during which she cared for both her parents until they passed and she began her own corporation. Speaking of Success Inc, which is a global high profile speaker bureau in 2019, right before the pandemic, she's an international speaker and contributing author of The Art of Risk and Reward. She's a proud nana of three grandsons. Jean Marie embraces life and her mantra. It's all about people making a difference. Ladies and gentlemen, help me welcome Miss Jean Marie Rousseau. Jean Marie, Thank you for being here.

Jean Marie Russo:
Oh, my goodness. Birgitta, it is such a pleasure. And it is my honor and I'm so humbled to be in your presence and to be acknowledged and shown such a warm welcome. Thank you. Thank you.

Brigitta Hoeferle:
Thank you. Thank you for making the time. And Jean Marie, the past few weeks, we don't want to give away too much information, but the past few weeks have been challenging for you, to say the least. And. And you show up anyway.

Jean Marie Russo:
Absolutely. You know what? I live my life as an adventure. Every day I just wake up and it's an attitude. I wake up with a smile. I wake up with the sunshine, with a song in my heart. And and I always give gratitude very much, first and foremost, to my God or the divine or whomever it is for your audience to give gratitude is is first and foremost. I begin. And in my day like that. Yeah. And I feel I feel that it is nothing is ever as planned. We have a plan. But sometimes your your plan may not be the plan. And we have to always, always be flexible, always think, well, maybe this is going to even be better than what it was supposed to have been. And to have that excitement rather than frustration. You always have Plan B. I've done project management and went through certification, through Harvard in and in my life. I know what it is to have the opportunity to identify the goals, the milestones, the tasks that you need. But and and a point where we're trying to live our life and there's a bump in the road or we're told to turn. It's just like construction. And sometimes when you're traveling and you take the detour, oh, my word, you see the countryside or it may take you a little bit longer, but you have gained from that experience. And it is all about the experience. And anyone listening out there I just share with you to embrace it, to to say what's what can we see today and what can we do and and take that little bit of knowledge. And I think the biggest word is to pivot, to have the ability to pivot. And that is key.

Brigitta Hoeferle:
Now, I want to come back to pivoting, because you have done some serious pivoting in your life. And before we come to that, right before we come to that, I want to hear because what you have just described is a beautiful success pattern all in itself. The mindset, the the opportunity, no matter how I'm going to use a very technical term here, crappy you feel you you get up with a smile and you make the best of it. Were you always that way? I mean, did you grow up that way? How did that, as Jean Marie, share more about that pattern with us?

Jean Marie Russo:
Oh, absolutely. First and foremost, I will give you the Reader's Digest version of it. I grew up with my mother being Italian, so I have an Italian heritage and I was one of three. I was the youngest and my father was military and German. So I had discipline, but I had the Italian love and the Italian warmth and heart. And I think that that that was the gifts are part of the gifts that that were a part of me. I'm a firm believer in that we have a tapestry and the threads of our tapestry are there's gold and silver woven in there. And I was blessed with both. And I feel that I remember my mother always having music and in the house and and my father very much so. I think that the music brought peace, it brought it and inspiration and allowed me to be me and the discipline that my father had instilled in our household. It was it was so good. Sometimes you don't realize the value of something, but you realize it even more years later. I always appreciated it. I always loved the military, and it was a sense of of how I was brought up. A funny story because I feel that in every family and every person is an individual, even though I came from a family like like the Italian and the German and the love and the strength that that is there. My my sister and I were seven years apart and we were like, night and day. I'm dating myself. So the Mary Tyler Moore Show, if anyone ever Googles Mary Tyler Moore, you'll see it. My sister was totally Mary Tyler Moore and I was totally Rhoda. And it really Rhoda was more of a sixties person, but very free spirited and very much the ability to be respectful but be herself. And that was me. I guess maybe a person Nowadays it would be Sandra Bullock. I need my heels and my pearls and the Blind Side. I definitely can relate to how she is. Does that help? Did I answer the question or.

Brigitta Hoeferle:
I love I love the balance that you just portrayed of heart centered that you got from your mother. The music. The music is such a deep, deep anchor for our psyche. And then also the structure, not just the structure of the military, but the structure of your German father. And as Germans, as I and myself, we're very well known for our structure, sometimes a little bit too rigid.

Jean Marie Russo:
But you know what? Even though I and my father was a very quiet man and he was, bless his heart, he served our country for 42 years. And he was a wonderful mentor for my son, a grandfather, mentor, coach, buddy. So he had that heart in him. And and I had a way of bringing it out because I'm sure I gave him quite a few gray hairs, because in the military, timewise, you have to be on time. And if you are on time right at the time that you're told to be there, you're late. Yep, you're late. And we would have we would arrive places an hour early. And that to me, oh my goodness, I could do so much in that hour. And so. When I was able to at that age, I mean, I always fought it inside. And he would just shake his head because I would be able to do and still get there on time. But I didn't have to be there an hour at a time. So but that was it was just how our family was. And 5:00 dinner, you were at that table.

Brigitta Hoeferle:
So yeah, you totally acknowledge the and address the question and and answered it so beautifully. So it is something that you grew up with. And it is also something because when we grow up with something, we have it intrinsically. We have it, you know, not even intentionally. It's there. It's, it's intrinsic. But you have also over your over your life, learned to know what the pattern is to that joy, to teach it to others. And now I want to pivot a little bit and I want to hear more about you coming from a big corporate journey and success in the pharmaceutical industry. And you chose then to leave that behind, being a single mom, taking care of your parents until they passed. And then and then in 2019, right before the pandemic. Start your own organization. Tell me about that whole process. And we only have a few more minutes, but I know it's a big question.

Jean Marie Russo:
Oh, no, no, no, no, no. I can I can do this. It it was definitely I was blindsided, if you will. I had a great, great career. And definitely it prepared me for entrepreneurship. I never realized how much, but it did. I was in the corporation global meeting and events, but I was in various other areas as well. And after caring for my mother and father and putting my life on hold when my mother, she was the last to pass in 2018, I gave myself one more year and decided to take early retirement. And when I took early retirement the day I retired, I was given a non-compete clause, which meant that I could not do what I was setting out to do because I had done meeting and event planning and that was a part of my life globally. And the corporation felt that I was would be in competition with them. So I had to I signed a non-compete clause with them and as I was walking out the door day one, I knew I needed to quickly find what is it that I'm going to do now? And I ended up deciding and doing a real deep analysis of what it was that I liked and loved about meeting events. And because I called them my mini weddings and I just loved it, I felt and found that the key ingredient was the people. The people make the meaning. They make it a success. The speakers. That is key because you are going to a meeting to learn to be inspired, to be motivated. And I knew in my heart I could marry the two and just pivot and do what I wanted to do. Being in the environment that I wanted to be in and still do it globally. Because whatever I do in my mind, it isn't about a community. It isn't about a city, a state, a nation. It is global. People around the world need to hear, speak and understand what we're doing.

Brigitta Hoeferle:
Yeah. With all the success. Yeah, go ahead. Go ahead.

Jean Marie Russo:
No, I just wanted to continue. Just one more point to say with that understanding and becoming an entrepreneur. I did not realize how much all the other components that I gained throughout the years, how much that was going to be critical in the success of becoming an entrepreneur, because life is is so different. You don't realize it. You go from a world of a corporation. And I think what helped, literally helped and I'm looking at it positively was was the effects of COVID in a society, how we had to learn to be at home or with one with the virtual meetings or the computer or the phone, and to be able to function at home, motivate ourselves and come to a a schedule. How do you plan your day? This is different. You're in the house and your your time needs to be structured to a point because I know I find myself and it's just me. But you're there 724 and you need that structure. You need to make sure that you have that self care, that you have that time to be you and not just become a workaholic.

Brigitta Hoeferle:
Yeah, that's easy. It's easy to fall in the trap of just work, work, work, work, work. Because you're there and the computer is there and you got stuff to do, so why not just knock it out? Or to fall into a trap of. Oh, let me check what's going on on social media or let me check my emails or let me check, you know, YouTube and and it's easy to fall in all of those rabbit holes. True. May they be supportive or non supportive. So it takes real discipline. I don't know. Is discipline the right word?

Jean Marie Russo:
I feel it. It is because it gives you you have to be accountable. You have to be accountable not only to you, but to your clients, to the people that you report to. And in order to have that attitude, that accountability, that structure, that will be part of your stairway to success and having that discipline that lays the foundation.

Brigitta Hoeferle:
I, I have quoted this next quote many times. Motivation is something that happens when you're in the moment and when you're when you're inspired by something. It's it's external motivation is external discipline is actually doing the things that you say you're going to do when you don't necessarily feel motivated anymore, when you don't necessarily feel like doing it in the moment and that's discipline. Would you agree with that statement?

Jean Marie Russo:
I do. Discipline to me is also I look at it as the force. It's the wind beneath your wings. It gives you encouragement because at times you don't feel like taking another call or going on another meeting, but you have to find the strength. It also determines strength because it takes that to get through the moment, to get through the day, to get through the crisis. And and I think being motivated, but being disciplined, that's that's critical.

Brigitta Hoeferle:
And that's critical to success. Now you teach the pillars of success.

Jean Marie Russo:
I do.

Brigitta Hoeferle:
What are the what? How many pillars are there and what are the most important ones?

Jean Marie Russo:
You know, I like keeping things simple. I have three I have three pillars. I love the number three. So in my life, three, the pillars that I that I embrace are courage, because I feel that it's necessary to show up and to push through whatever it is that you're going through. And the next pillar I have is communication. And a lot of times people look at communication as. Talking. And to to tell everybody, share everybody the knowledge that they have and to be present and and that force. But. The next pillar that I have been connecting. Connecting and communication go hand in hand. And when you connect and communicate. You're not the one doing the talking. You have to listen. The listening is more critical than speaking.

Brigitta Hoeferle:
Right here. Listen to Relate. I love that. And it's a I like things. I like seeing things in triangles. Right. So there's the courage, the communication and the connection, the courage, communication. And and a triangle is a is is the sturdiest structure of all. But it is not sturdy when one of the elements within the triangle is weak.

Jean Marie Russo:
Yes.

Brigitta Hoeferle:
So it's not just courage, it's not just connection, it's not just communication. All three.

Jean Marie Russo:
It's all three. And if you look at it. Courage. That has to be with you, that that.

Brigitta Hoeferle:
Has to come.

Jean Marie Russo:
From you. And what happens when you have communication and connection? That involves other people. So your courage has to be that foundation. And and when you communicate, I'll give you an example. When you go into a room to network, the first thing people think of is. They look at the room. Who is it in that room that I need to be speaking with? When they connect with that person. It isn't about talking about yourself. You know who you are. You know the knowledge that you have and what you could bring. But what's important is stepping back and finding out what is the story with this person. What is important to this person? What is going on in this person's life? And I'm I'm not saying drama, but maybe there is a special significant event and maybe that person knows someone that you know, and there's a connection right there. And the minute you leave that room, that environment, or get to a point when you could just jot down. A few notes. The name, a date, the specific event, who they know, or what it is that you want to follow up. Because then you go back to within 24 to 48 hours and make sure that you send an email note or a text or go to LinkedIn even better and message them and say, It was such a pleasure meeting you and and list one of the items at least that that you connected upon. You're at least starting the rapport and starting that engagement and that individual is going to say, Oh my goodness, and they're going to feel important. And I think that is critical no matter where you go, who you meet, if it is the driver, the Uber driver, if it is whomever. Make them feel important.

Brigitta Hoeferle:
Connection begins when the other person feels heard and valued.

Jean Marie Russo:
Yes.

Brigitta Hoeferle:
If you had a magic wand, Jean Marie, and you could pass it out as a gift to everyone that's looking for the next level of success. What what could that magic wand do?

Jean Marie Russo:
Oh, my goodness. I would have to say that that magic wand. Would bring everyone. The dream that they have within their hearts. Hmm. Too many times people go through life just. Feeling that they have to work to live. Hmm. But you should. Or live to work. It's. It's giving you an opportunity to know that. My life comes first and I work maybe to bring in the income. But what I do is critical, what I know and share the competencies that I have. The it's it's all valid, but it's about the people. It's people making a difference, touching our lives. And that is bringing a dream to success. It's going to make you a happier person. And the people that you touch, you have no idea. And that satisfaction in your heart, the value that you bring on a daily basis. Success is a journey, not a destination.

Brigitta Hoeferle:
Ooh, that's a good one. Yes.

Jean Marie Russo:
And that and it's a quote that I just hang on to. And that's how you live or I live my life. It's a journey. And I look forward to every moment. Every day. Because we only have today. You only have this moment. And if you have a dream, as long as you have passion, you'll succeed.

Brigitta Hoeferle:
That's right. That's right. That is such a beautiful advice. And our connection is. Is is is a model for that. Right. We were connected by I think it was my ELISA that connected us.

Jean Marie Russo:
Yes.

Brigitta Hoeferle:
And and she was on the show just recently. And and she didn't just connect this. You and I started talking and I started asking and you started asking. And we started becoming in service to each other. And that's the beautiful thing about relationships. It's not about What can you do for me? No, what can I do for you? And who else can I introduce you to? That's that ripple effect.

Jean Marie Russo:
Absolutely. And the connection. And you never know where that will lead. And just quickly, I mean, this past year, from May until now, I spoke internationally at a castle in Ireland. I was there for a week. I at the castle, we had the book launch and I met one of my speakers through Heather Burghardt, and he is one of the co stars or had done an episode, I should say, with Blue Bloods. And prior to even knowing that when we connected, I saw the passion, I saw what his dream was and ended up having him come on board with speaking of success. And now from May or July until now, there's a movie in the making. A script was written. It's in the hands of of two highly, highly award winning directors. And I met Ron Howard through him and a screening for Ron Howard screening for 13 Lives. And it was just, you know, showing up. But imagine, you know, the sky's the limit and expect the unexpected. And that's how I live my life. And and when that phone rings, I'm like. I'm there. Where is it? And within 24 hours, people cannot keep up with me. And that's okay. I love it because I just love to see and to hear and to feel. But most of all, it's about the people making a difference.

Brigitta Hoeferle:
And yes, it is.

Jean Marie Russo:
And that's how life is lived or should be lived.

Brigitta Hoeferle:
In my mind. I agree and I agree 100%. And I'm pretty sure our listeners agree as well and our viewers. Now, you brought a gift. The Pillars of Success. Tell us a little bit about the gift. And and I will also put in how they can how people can get in touch with you to receive their gift.

Jean Marie Russo:
Oh, absolutely. And I've created it through my my courses, if you will. I created just the the pillars of success as I spoke to you about it today, the courage, the communication and the connecting. I have a PDF and and it is a tip sheet and helps you pivot and understand maybe a little bit of a process, if you will. And if you email me, I'll send you that PDF and if you wish, I will be happy to have a 15 minute conversation with the first 25 people that send me their their information. But email me and I will definitely reach out. And I answer I answer my emails personally.

Brigitta Hoeferle:
So that's beautiful. You will.

Jean Marie Russo:
That is from me.

Brigitta Hoeferle:
I can not just take one, but from Jean Marie herself. And that that that is valuable all in itself. So. Email. Send an email to Jean Marie. Jean Marie at speaking success ink incom speaking success ing so Jean Marie at speaking success Inc dot com send an email to her. Don't forget your name, your email address and in the subject line put in pillars of success success patterns show. So Jean Marie knows exactly where you're coming from. Jean Marie, thank you for taking the time. Thank you for sharing nuggets after nuggets. Nuggets. I mean, it's just beautiful. I can't wait to read the transcript and take some notes. And I do that with all of my guest experts because there's always beautiful insights that are being dropped on the success pattern show. So thank you for being here.

Jean Marie Russo:
Jean Marie Oh my goodness, It's been a pleasure And I always embrace this this time with anyone and especially with you. Brigitta Thank you. And thank you to your audience who's watching today, because I know your time is valuable and it is about people follow that dream and keep it in your heart.

Brigitta Hoeferle:
Those are great parting words. Thank you guys for tuning in to the Success Patterns Show. Tune in again next Tuesday at 130 Pacific Time, 430 Eastern time. Until then, Caio and bye for now. Thank you for tuning in to the Success Patterns Show at www.TheSuccessPatternsShows.com My name is Brigitta Hoeferle.

Sonix is the world’s most advanced automated transcription, translation, and subtitling platform. Fast, accurate, and affordable.

Automatically convert your mp4 files to text (txt file), Microsoft Word (docx file), and SubRip Subtitle (srt file) in minutes.

Sonix has many features that you'd love including world-class support, collaboration tools, secure transcription and file storage, advanced search, and easily transcribe your Zoom meetings. Try Sonix for free today.