Starting out at age 25, Tanya Alvarez self-funded her first New York ad agency, using credit cards, and achieved zero to 1 million in revenue in the first year.

Along the way, she traveled to 42 countries, completing the Boston and NYC Marathons and a Half Ironman, all while battling a rare brittle bone condition. 

Her name is Tanya Alvarez, a classic underdog story, and she’s on a mission to help you own your life, not just your business. 

Through OwnersUP, Tanya aims to empower you to win at work without losing at home, utilizing facilitated accountability sprints to scale your business sanely and enable you to live your ideal life now.

In This Episode With Tanya You’ll Discover:

• Why she declined lucrative job offers at companies like American Express after college to forge her own path
• Her experience joining startups during the dot com “bust” where she worked hard to learn as much as she could, instead of going the MBA route
• The advice her Mom gave her when she was “so nervous” to start her own thing
• Her simple process for prioritizing goals when distractions are everywhere
• How to reverse engineer your best days, so you can have more days like that
• How to get the awareness of what is not the best use of your time
• An example of a simple process she uses to overcome how social media can hijack our focus
• Why you should hire a virtual assistant before you think your ready
• How AI can help you create SOPs (standard operating processes) fast
• Her “Focus Multiplier:” A simple yet potent tactic to supercharge daily productivity
• The importance of having the right person to hold you accountable (and not let you off the hook)
• How she has used accountability groups not only in her business, but to help her find her husband, start a family and create work-life equilibrium
• Why accountability doesn’t need to be hard, and can actually become a fun game
• Why getting feedback is actually the fastest way to get into action
• Why you shouldn’t worry even if there are so many others who do what you do
• Her two go-to tips for when you’re feeling discouraged 

Connect With Tanya:

About Tanya:

I started my first company at 25 and grew it to over $1 million in revenue in the first year. Since then, I have founded, bootstrapped, sold and invested in five companies. In my spare time I’m a runner, and I wondered why, as an entrepreneur, I didn’t have a coach to course-correct my stride and daily touch points to help me feel like I was a part of a bigger community. I wanted to start a company where people could have a team on their side to achieve their dreams.

About Your Host Christine Gallagher: 

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Almost 2 years ago now, the pandemic was still dragging on and I was feeling lost in many ways. I was feeling like an era of my business was coming to a close, I had been living in Florida for a couple of years but still still didn’t feel like I had really gotten to connect with anyone friends-wise. 

Covid, working from home, and being still sorta new after moving nearly 1000 miles away will do that.

I remember deciding to get serious about manifesting a local support network. One day not long after, someone who’s podcast I’d guested on years ago connected me with someone she had known in NYC – who’d also moved to St. Petersburg recently.

In turn, that person introduced me to a talented physical therapist, Tonya Olson! Not only did we discover we were both single entrepreneurs with a love of sparking Rose, it turned out that the apartment building I was moving to was right across the street from the one she had just moved into.

We got together and the rest is history – I had my first real friend in St. Pete. 🙂 

Tonya is not only a super interesting person, she’s funny, really smart and inspiring. I knew it would be a blast to interview her.

In This Episode With Tonya You’ll Discover:

Connect With Tonya:

About Tonya:

Tonya Olson is a Physical Therapist, educator, doctoral candidate, horse person, and entrepreneur.

She spent the first part of her career as a physical therapist working in a variety of settings in the medical model controlled by insurance companies. She started her own mobile, out-of-network PT business in 2018, and quickly realized that entrepreneurship was her future.

The confidence gained from her PT practice led to her niching further into her life-long dream of having a business targeting equestrians. She launched her Move Like A Rider online business Fall of 2022. Developing a style of business that combines clinical practice and one-to-one visits with the flexibility of online services make her businesses unique and accessible beyond traditional PT or equestrian settings.

About Your Host Christine Gallagher: 

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I had a wide-ranging and juicy convo with my long time friend and entrepreneur, Jenny Fenig, on this episode of the podcast.

Jenny and I go way back. We met at an Ali Brown event in 2010 and became fast friends. We’ve come up in this online marketing game together and have seen A LOT! 

Because of our connection, we were able to go deep in this episode and did not hold back. If you’re into behind the scenes details of the good, bad and ugly of entrepreneurship, this one’s for you.

After an intense decade in New York City elevating the visibility and message of the biggest brands and thought leaders in the world, she realized the path she was on wasn’t for her. She quit her 6-figure job, had a short stint as a yoga teacher, then founded her transformational coaching company to help women design a new way of working and earning by building their own brand.

Having three kids, a husband with a career he’s passionate about, and moving to a small town in the mountains has fueled her commitment to building a freedom-based business – and helping her clients do the same.

In This Episode With Jenny You’ll Discover:

Jenny’s Book:

Special Gift From Jenny: 

Jenny has generously offered her Reclaim Your Time template for free.  Just head here to grab it.

Connect With Jenny:

About Jenny:

Jenny Fenig is a women’s leadership coach helping you get confident, focused and paid doing what you love — without burnout. A successful business leader for more than 2 decades, Jenny offers astute counsel and masterful coaching to bring out the best in her clients. She’s passionate about taking people on a journey inward and upward.

Jenny is delighted to serve as a Guide at CHIEF (fastest women-founded company to achieve unicorn valuation status!), harnessing her dynamic skillset to create leadership development and connection experiences for senior executive women committed to their growth. She is the proud recipient of a Silver Stevie Award for Women in Business for “Coach of the Year” and the author of “Get Gutsy.”

She loves celebrating with her clients as they > sell out online programs, lead retreats, book speaking engagements + corporate contracts, get promoted, make more money, deepen relationships, free up time to focus on what matters most, get healthier, and feel good as they do good.

Her powerful presence and natural storytelling abilities makes her an in-demand speaker and podcast guest. In her work as a corporate workshop leader and motivational speaker, Jenny helps forward-thinking organizations solve challenges around balance, boundaries and burnout. Her presentations and teachings help redesign the paradigm around time, energy, relationships and results-driven priorities. She’s spoken to teams at organizations including Samsonite, Mitsubishi, Public Health Institute, Logitech, Sunrun, Shionogi, Barnard College, Hugo Boss, Vonage, Blackberry, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Public Consulting Group.

Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, Jenny was a public relations executive and business conference producer elevating the visibility and message of the biggest brands, thought leaders, and companies in the world.

She lives in the woods with her family in the Berkshires of Massachusetts. She loves running, riding on her Peloton, drinking tea, spending time in nature, traveling, and cheering on her kids at their many sporting events.

About Your Host Christine Gallagher: 

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If you’re a creative person who has struggled until this point to turn your passion and your calling into a successful business, then you’re going to love the conversation I had with renowned artist Miriam Schulman.

After witnessing 9/11, Miriam had a wake-up call and decided to leave her job on Wall Street to become a full-time working artist.

Since then, Miriam and her art have been featured in major publications including Forbes, The New York Times, What Women Create, Art of Man, Professional Artist, and Art Journaling.

Her artwork has also been featured on NBC’s “Parenthood” and the Amazon series “Hunters” with Al Pacino.

Her book with HarperCollins Leadership, Artpreneur: The Step-by-Step Guide to Making a Sustainable Living from Your Creativity was released earlier this year.

In addition to being a successful artist, Miriam is the founder of The Inspiration Place where she helps artists (from amateurs to professionals) develop their skills, tap into their creativity, and grow a successful art business.

She teaches her students through online classes, her business coaching programs and her internationally top-ranked podcast.

In This Episode With Miriam You’ll Discover:

Miriam’s Book:

Special Gift From Miriam: 

Miriam has generously offered the first chapter from her book Artpreneur for free! Just head here to grab it (or DM her on Insta with the word “believe.”)   

Connect With Miriam:

About Miriam:

After witnessing 9/11, Miriam abandoned a lucrative hedge fund job to work on her art full time. Since then, her art and story have been featured in major publications including Forbes, What Women Create, The New York Times, Art of Man, Art Journaling magazine as well as featured on NBC’s “Parenthood” and the Amazon series “Hunters” with Al Pacino. Check out her best-selling book with HarperCollins Leadership, Artpreneur wherever books are sold. When she’s not in the studio, Miriam splits her time between New York City and a farmhouse in the country.

About Your Host Christine Gallagher: 

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“Everything is energy, and the main lesson you are here on Earth to learn is how to manipulate energy.” -Dolores Cannon

Social media is a mixed blessing. It’s good for a lot of things, and then…

For example, I couldn’t imagine being a kid or a teenager right now. Growing up in the 90s we didn’t have any of this stuff, and it has to be intense.

Last August I stopped going on Twitter, because it’s so easy to find yourself in a state of continual outrage at all that’s going on in the world – especially there.

But a little after that, a suggested follow came up in my IG feed that took me down a path I’d never been before and opened my eyes to some big stuff.

It brought up a memory. Way back in 2008 Oprah did a multi-day livecast event with Eckhart Tolle, to talk about his then most recent book, A New Earth.

I remember being drawn to watching it, though at the time I wasn’t sure why.

Looking back, I probably wasn’t ready for it.

When this concept came back into my awareness this time, I wanted to know everything about it.

It’s some deep stuff, but stay with me here.

There is a new Earth forming, and the outcome will be a higher vibrational increase in Earth, affecting the whole universe.

The Earth itself is changing its vibration and frequency, and it’s preparing to raise itself into a new dimension.

This is already happening, and as we know, everything is composed of energy and the shape and form is only determined by the frequency and vibration. Energy never dies, it only changes form.

Some of the shifts are occurring naturally, and some are being caused by those who are making every effort to keep things the way they are.

But the fear is dissipating despite what we’re seeing on the surface.

The Internet has allowed everyone to communicate freely, allowing these concepts to be spread and shared.

The chaos we see is caused by belief systems being challenged and brought down to a place of a clean slate. Those who go on to the new world are comfortable with new belief systems, and therefore, will no longer struggle the way those struggle now.

In the simplest terms, it’s about moving to love over fear.

Fear is an illusion, yet it’s the strongest emotion that a human has.

It’s a good reminder that your world is what you create here. If every person creates harmony and peace – higher vibrations – in their own world, then that’s the universe they’re creating in that New Earth.

We all have a choice. Those that resonate with the old energy will stay in the old energy.

They can get free of it at any moment that they choose to, but they have to want to.

It’s clear to me what this has to do with us entrepreneurs who are of service – we leaders, healers, helpers, and creators of transformation.

I believe and what is believed by those who have taught and shared these concepts is that we all chose to be here at this time.

We heard the call. We’re the lightworkers.

We’re here to help raise the energy of the people so they can ascend with the Earth into the next dimension.

So long as you are here, it is your job to keep the grounded energy for those who are in confusion.

As I said in a previous email, I’m a pretty practical girl. Looking into all of this nearly had my head exploding, but it also fascinates me to no end.

On a personal level, I’m seeing lots of what’s been holding me back, just as it’s becoming more clear what holds my clients back.

I’m more in tune with following my desires and what I now see as my purpose, instead of following rules and “shoulds.”

These are things I want to talk about in the context of business, and I’m OK with that. The desires come from the divine, after all.

This isn’t about being in a place of peace and love all the time. I think it’s important right now to normalize human emotions, because contrast is necessary and shit is heavy.

But I’m clearer than ever that I’m here to help you carry out your mission, and you are here to help your clients do the same.

This is why your gifts are desperately needed, now more than ever.

Marketing, including social media, is just the vehicle for amplifying your work.

In other words, this is not a time to deny what you’re here for.

I’m reminded of the Neville Goddard quote:

“You are already that which you want to be, and your refusal to believe this is the only reason you don’t see it.”

It’s the honor of my life to help you see it – your own magnificent power, and the exquisite power you have to change others’ lives.

It’s what these past few emails have been about.

I’ll be sharing more soon about how I can support you around all of this, but for now, I want you to hear me:

Your vibration matters. Your clients’ vibrations matter.

You play a very important role on this planet at this exact moment in time, so never underestimate your light. It’s what will lead others out of the darkness.

You’re allowed to be BOTH a work in progress (Lord knows I am!) AND help others grow at the same time.

Everything starts with and how you feel about yourself. And that’s something you are 100% in control of.

YOU are the operant power. Assume it’s yours.

It is safe to trust the process.

Thank you for reading.

I love you.

Back in 2006 I was in a job as an intellectual property data analyst that was becoming more and more miserable.

When I started there the year before, the company was a start-up with endless Starbucks and a pool table in the break room.

Everyone had stars in their eyes and was talking future stock options.

Come the next year, the founders left the company and everything completely changed, especially the office culture. One day about 75% of the employees were laid off, including some good friends.

I escaped the cut and was told it was because I was “good with IT and computers.” Lucky me.

That same year I was side hustling doing some real

estate investing, finding clients on Craigslist when it was still useful.

I was in an investing forum one day and someone posted about the new movie “The Secret.”

I was immediately drawn to it, as I’d recently become intrigued with everything to do with changing your mind to change your life.

Manifestation, mindset, and other magical topics.

This set me off on a path of personal development which strengthened my interest in entrepreneurship and all things self-improvement. I was 28, about to be married, and seeking truth.

Neither my fiance at the time or my friends seemed to be looking to improve their lives. They seemed content in their jobs and caught up in the superficial.

Why was no one else as discontent as me?

That led me to Twitter in its early days, where I discovered a whole world I had no idea existed.

Entrepreneurs… women… they were working online out of their home or coffee shops in their yoga pants. And they were sharing all kinds of tidbits and behind the scenes stuff about what it was like. I was riveted.

Still in its infancy, Twitter was very different back in 2008. I got to have a lot of fascinating conversations with many of them, even people who seemed to be “big” names doing big things.

My mind was blown wide open and there was no going back.

I learned about the world of coaching and more about online marketing, and I hired a couple of coaches to help me figure out what the heck to do with my life.

In the depths of the recession the following year, I was promptly laid off 2 weeks after I’d hired a business coach for the year. It was a huge amount of money at the time, and I put it all on a credit card.

I’ll never forget the email reply my coach sent me when I told her I’d lost my job.

“Congratulations!!!”

She saw what I was not yet confident enough to, that this was a blessing in disguise and an opportunity to work full time for myself.

I was terrified and sure I had no idea what I was doing, but I hung out my virtual shingle as a social media consultant and hoped for the best. I was 31.

I started a blog and a newsletter, and didn’t get my first client for 4 months. When I got the notification that someone had bought my “e-coaching” for $150 I was giddy.

Possibilities.

2 years into my business, in 2011, I hit 6 figures. The next year, multiple 6 figures.

Fast forward to 2014 and I had split from my husband (great guy, but the wrong guy) and moved into a beautiful townhouse on a golf course. The following year I started holding a second 3-day live event on mindset, in addition to the other one I hosted annually on marketing.

It was called “Inside Out,” and I loved teaching the mindset side of things. I knew how much it had helped me start a business from nothing, and kept me believing even though things were often hard.

What I didn’t know at the time was that I was barely scratching the surface.

This time period is the one I wrote about in part 1 the other day. No need to rehash, but the experience really tested my beliefs in the Universe, in myself, and pretty much everything else.

I also started becoming really bored and restless in my business, which led to more seeking.

Truth be told, I was just going through the motions day to day.

I found it hard to break out of, because I was gripping so tightly to the way I’d always done things.

Why rock the boat? Things were stable, predictable, comfortable, and working.

And I was miserable.

Never one to not seek solutions for inner turmoil, my journey led me to the healing modalities I wrote about in the last email.

I thought I knew about “mindset” and the Universe. I thought I’d learned pretty much all there is to know about “manifestation.” I thought I had a pretty good handle on how the world worked.

I really didn’t know squat, and what I discovered rocked my world.

What does this have to do with you, and with being an entrepreneur?

Everything. If you knew the true nature of what we call “reality,” you’d never doubt yourself again.

THIS is what’s bringing my spark back in my business, and what I am now so passionate to bring to the forefront. It’s time.

After 13+ years coaching thousands of entrepreneurs, I’ve intimately seen, over and over again, what keeps people from what they want.

And it’s not a lack of marketing skills.

Most people know what to DO, deep down.

You learn the strategies and you deploy them.

Yes, you need to market to grow a business. I’m really, really good at it. But it’s what comes BEFORE that that is actually most important.

Without it, it’s what one of my mentors says is like “Putting ice cream on top of poop.”
Sorry for the visual. lol.

For most entrepreneurs, if you put all your focus, time, and attention on mechanics and how-to, you can certainly be pretty successful. I know because that was me.

I had it figured out and was chugging along.

But now I see how I was lacking self-trust, keeping myself in handcuffs and afraid to shift out of what had been the longtime status quo in my business.

I started to loosen my death grip on things, walking right up to the fear and staring it straight in the face.

I was healing, changing, and finally understanding what my purpose here is. I found out what it actually means to be awake.

I’m hardly “enlightened,” but I do know now where the focus now needs to be to help my clients truly reach the potential they’re meant for.

I know more deeply now why you can market til you’re blue in the face, but still be stalled or feeling adrift, not helping the amount of people you know you’re here to help.

It’s not good old “mindset,” it’s something much deeper.

Which incidentally has shifted me into the place where so much fear that had been the basis of my business started falling away.

I saw why there had been such a huge lack of motivation, stifled creativity, ridiculous levels of boredom, and overall malaise.

I saw why I was disconnected.

I saw why my clients could diligently put into practice everything I taught them, have a great offer nailed down, be showing up, building an audience… and still feel like something was missing.

I can help my clients create an incredible offer, messaging, and marketing plan in my sleep. I’ll always help them with that.

The difference is what I’ve learned about the foundation UNDER those things. How trauma factors in, and how conscious manifesting really works.

In thinking about putting this out there, I saw myself slipping into old habits of perfectionism and procrastination.

“I’m kinda re-branding. I have to do it by the book.”

No, I don’t. What I have to do is start talking and showing up from this new perspective.
Here’s where it gets a little woo.

We’re in the midst of shifting to a New Earth, and the role you play in this is so, so crucial.

Earth itself is changing its vibration and frequency, and it’s preparing to raise itself into a new dimension.

The turmoil we’ve been seeing get more and more intense in the world is by design. And there’s nothing to fear. The chaos is actually the breaking down of belief systems.

The fact is, you’re here to do big work.

We entrepreneurs who are of service – the leaders, healers, helpers, and creators of transformation chose to be here at this time.

So long as you are here, it is your job to keep the energy grounded for those who are in confusion.

It starts with what’s going on INSIDE of you.

And it’s what I’m here to do on the planet. I’m here to help you carry out your mission, and YOU are here to help your clients do the same.

This is why your gifts are desperately needed, now more than ever.

When you have the foundation, things start to REALLY work.

In part 3 I’ll get into the specific details of the awakening that’s occurred, and how it’s dramatically shifted me out of “business as usual” and into a place where I’ll be able to help you go much, much deeper into what may be holding you back.

I’m so excited for this.

Talk soon.