Empathy in Business

Adrienne Barker, MAS, is a business coach, fractional CMO, visibility strategist, and podcast host with more than 35 years of experience helping entrepreneurs and professionals grow their brand, authority, and opportunities.

In this episode, Adrienne shares the transformative power of empathy in business — how leading with genuine human connection can elevate your brand, deepen client relationships, and create lasting impact in today's competitive landscape.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:34

Welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome to Live Your Legacy, the conversational podcast where we explore how life's defining moments shape the legacy we leave behind. I'm your host, Patricia D. Fordenberg, also known as Patty from New York, and this show is rooted in simple truth. Grief is not always about death. Sometimes it comes through life's changes, losses, detours, and new beginnings. And here we speak with entrepreneurs, authors, leaders, and creators who have turned life's defining moments into meaningful work and lasting contributions. Because legacy is not what we leave behind, it is what we are shaping right now through vision, impact, and purpose. And today I am honored to welcome Adrian Barker to the show and to the stage. Welcome, Adrian. How are you? And for those of you who who may for those who are who may be meeting you for the first time, would you take a moment to tell us who a little bit about what you do, who you are, and what work do you do? Adrian, thank you for being here.

SPEAKER_00 1:42

Who is Adrian Barkhart? Um, Adrian is a thought I would just read it from my book. Hi guys, so Patty, thank you for having me. Thank you for making space. I grew up in the logo merchandise promotional products industry. Branding was what I loved doing for businesses. And now I love branding the people behind the businesses and not just a business. So I am a visibility strategist, or you call me the architect authority, and making sure that my clients shine, that they get booked on podcasts, that they get booked on stages. We get them into books, number one, which I love doing. And uh, and behind everything, I'm a podcast producer, which I love, and so glad that you had an opportunity to be a guest on Rebecca Green, host of Winy Palooza Top 10 Parenting Podcast that's out there with so many other categories. She's uh trending to the top. So, Patty, how are you today? Thank you. Amazing.

SPEAKER_01 2:47

That that first of all, a great production, great show. Uh, and and she's very entertaining too, because I have been watching her show as well, besides being honored to be a guest. Um, but you also have you know other podcasts. Um, could could you could you name, could you name, could you talk about the the titles in case and look them up?

SPEAKER_00 3:08

I'm a podcast producer for Grow Your Business and Grow Your Wealth with Gary Helt. Gary, uh Gary has so many guests that he's got them airing into July. Sorry, Gary. I say it's his fault because he's such a wonderful host. He's so good. And uh Daryl Burrow crashes claims in clarity. Daryl's amazing out of Georgia.

SPEAKER_01 3:29

And a great producer, by the way, and a great producer.

SPEAKER_00 3:31

Great producer. Daryl um talks about you know car accidents and what to look for. So he's got a great podcast. And then for myself, I have Adrian Barker speaks, no prep needed. I go live like you are with zero prep. And I have my daughter, my friend, with my daughter Alana, exploring can mothers be friends with their daughters? Can daughters be friends with their mothers? How does that all work? Love it, and then I have uh professional global etiquette, that podcast, which is two AI hosts debating topics of etiquette, and then I have the promo playbook where it is with uh myself, Lisa Fostic, and uh Kimberly Ballerine, and that is for the promotional products industry. We highlight supply boutique suppliers, so that is uh what's uh all what's on the table.

SPEAKER_01 4:23

Just just amazing, just amazing. We're gonna get into it. We're gonna get right into it, okay? So get ready, um, put your boots on or take your shoes off, whichever whichever tickles your fancy. Uh, was there a pivotal moment that changed the direction of your life's work? Because you do a lot. So, you know, like tell me a little bit, tell me a little bit more. Tell me.

SPEAKER_00 4:45

There is, there is. So I was I used to be uh served on the board of Meeting Uh Professionals International, the South Florida board, and I absolutely loved serving on that board, it was so much fun. And we had an event one day, and we had a comedian out of Canada, and I don't even remember his name now, but he was talking and he said something. If you want to learn something, teach. And I was like, I want to learn corporate etiquette growing up in the family business. I felt that was a piece that I was missing, and I just I knew that I didn't actually know how to uh be comfortable in a setting with business professionals. I felt like I was uneasy. I remember it was dinner one time, and Roger was sitting next to me, and I was like, Roger, can I order salad? Everyone's ordering a salad. Is that okay? The salad is extra. Roger, everyone's ordering a soup. Can I order a soup? Would that be okay? Roger, everyone's ordering like a$14 martini. Can I order a$14 martini? Wait, everyone's order lobster and steak. Can I order lobster and steak? Like I just I wasn't sure, and neither was Roger. So at the end of the day, I was like, ooh, if I want to learn something, teach. And I felt like I really wanted to learn corporate etiquette. And that's when the pivotal moment when I realized I want to go into learning something, but I also want to be a teacher of it because I knew how much I needed it to be successful in business.

SPEAKER_01 6:12

And a and a lot of life experience too. And you don't see that a lot. Um, I you're you're actually the first person I know they might do it some somewhere in the world. I never heard uh you're that's amazing. Um, I I love that you found that gap. Um, and now this question might might might really be an extension of what you just shared. But what challenge uh or or transition shaped you the most?

SPEAKER_00 6:39

So I so the first of all, the challenge was that I was uncomfortable. I didn't know what to do, but I also had a good feeling that um watching, so what was happening is the suppliers were coming in and they were making sales calls, but they weren't being um they weren't being professional. And I thought, oh, if I was doing this, would I stand up to make a presentation? Would I be so friendly and make things, you know, jokey all the time, or would I be more serious? I get, you know, being lighthearted and I love having fun, but how can you combine the two so that you're still professional? And in the meantime, some reps were coming in and they were saying some outrageous things. And I was like, there is such a lack of corporate etiquette in a lot of businesses. In this particular business, I could just see it, you know, day to day with with myself wanting to make sure that I was doing everything as right as I could, because I understood that empathy in business and etiquette in business could really help to support your sales, right? And before the family business, I worked for Muscular Dystrophy Association for 12 years and also as a fundraiser, having etiquette and business and empathy made sense. And so, you know, I understood Robert Rules of Order and I loved having meetings because I could do that, and that's what I wanted. I wanted to put order in some of the different things that were taking place around me. And so it wasn't that long ago, Patty. It was only 11 years ago that I made the decision. I had already been 35 years in the family business. Um, I was losing my mojo for selling, and I thought, you know what, it would be a really great thing for me to um start professional global etiquette with a goal to go to China and teach Western etiquette. I love that idea. I was still young enough and I knew that I could do something like that before I hit the retirement age in China. And so I studied like what school to go to. That took time. I landed with the Protocol School of Washington with um uh that was a school, Dorothea Johnson, whose name is very well known in the industry. But uh Pamela Iring has a course now, so it was really fun. It was in Virginia and she trains like uh cabinet members, ambassadors around the world. So, you know, we took our time to learn how to even do a proper handshake, which was like half a day.

SPEAKER_01 9:00

Well, I was gonna, I was just you, I was just you must be reading my mind, Adrian, because I was gonna ask you, it sounds you're so enthusiastic about this course. Uh, was it practical and theory combined? It's it sounds like it was a little practical and theory combined.

SPEAKER_00 9:14

Those are it really was. I found that like what was harder for us is you know, obviously giving a good handshake, which I felt comfortable with, uh, but also making a proper introduction, uh, you know, uh how you write off, you know, labels, invitations, um, you know, all of that if you're having an event, being that protocol officer that we don't have right now in the White House. I don't think that the president has a protocol officer, um, or you know, corporate etiquette, someone who can guide conversation and help, you know, whisper in the world, Patty. That is Chief Ambassador So and so from so-and-so, and his favorite cake is Dubai Chocolate Cake, and you'd say hello.

SPEAKER_01 9:56

I would love that person too, by the way. I could use that person too, by the way.

SPEAKER_00 10:02

Me too, me too. I love Dubai Chocolate. But you know, and then my favorite part was wearing makeup and getting ready for um, you know, getting on podcasts and getting on interviews, which is so funny back then. But we I loved it. It was uh it was intense, it was a you know, it was expensive and it was a lot of time together to make sure that we all understood it. Then we graduated. Um, beautiful plaque, beautiful award. And then I went right on. I think I had my first article, it was less than two weeks in the uh promotional products association international business magazine. So nice big magazine, and I was on the front cover of it, the power of corporate etiquette in business. Yep.

SPEAKER_01 10:43

Wow, and and you know, the first is always such a like special, you know, uh thing. It just really is, you know, it really, it really is a milestone. I are you still affiliated with anybody from from that time from when you took the course? Any affiliation?

SPEAKER_00 11:01

You know, we share all of that, we share, and I follow Facebook. It's so funny. My first, my first social post, I thought I will do like 50 days of 50 country etiquettes. Like, so the idea was if you were going to go to Brazil, oh, that's clever need for Brazil, and then you know, so we'd kind of talk to you about what you would need, how what time looks like there, what what you know, food looks like, when you're going to eat, all of that, how you talk with them. And so I did that. So it's so fun now. I still have it on my uh on everything. So professional logo is red and purple. I still kept my logo because that is to me, it's the red and purple of royalty, and I love it. So it's it's shaped everything that we are today, including manner shift, my book, manner shift, and my young professional. So this is the full one for us adults.

SPEAKER_01 11:55

We're gonna we're we're gonna we're gonna get into that. We're gonna get into that. I I'm really excited to learn more about that. I know a little bit, people's, uh, but I'm excited for you to share with the world. Was there a revelation, a lesson, a personal model, uh motto that that helped you in your journey?

SPEAKER_00 12:14

Was there like, you know, yes, because I always knew um that it was important to leave your hum leave your ego at the door. You know, humility is only 30 seconds away. I do believe in being humble, uh being authentic. And then as life would have it, uh during the last 10, 11 years, especially this year, it's been all about being being credible, being trustworthy. Are you who you say you are? And that was another commitment that I made to myself is to fulfill all my obligations to the end. So with score, I was the I became the VP of Southern Arizona Score and loved that and uh completed that assignment. I have that time.

SPEAKER_01 13:00

Wait a minute. Wow, that's like I mean, is that like philanthropy? I'm I know what score is, but that's like very giving. Um that's that's a really uh a work of a work of service above self for sure. Um wow, um, great, great, great stuff. Um, great stuff, Adrian. Well, I didn't mean to keep you off there.

SPEAKER_00 13:23

Thank I became the first woman um chairwoman here in Volusia County for score. So in 2021, I was able to uh my father had passed away. I moved to Daytona Beach to open up my family's fifth art gallery, and then I my father had passed away, so set everything up and I uh got re-engaged with the score office here. Um, and I commit, I you know, committed to my two years to be a score chairwoman. Uh I had Sheila came in in the last year. We I had her co co-chair, and then she succession is so important in any of these organizations. And so then Sheila took over as chair, and I did a five-month road trip with my daughter, um, and we completed that in 2023. I've done five leadership programs through the chambers: Leadership Orlando, Leadership Hollywood, leadership Port Orange, Leadership Daytona, Leadership Aceola, uh, completed all that, served on board, served on committee, was chairwoman. But I've always made sure just you know, if you're gonna serve, commit, and then it's okay to end it, just end it at the time you're supposed to be ending it and make it better than you left it. And as a cub master of um over a couple hundred boys, I made sure that that was a commitment too, um, even as a cub master. I'm like, I have to hike the three miles with the boys up to done a lot. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 14:44

Congratulations, thank you. I mean, that's just um, you know, so you you also you you mentioned, you know, leave your ego at the door too. Uh stay committed, um, leave your ego at the door and and and just follow through. Um, that's that's really like something really obviously it works. Uh you just named a lot of things. Um, that's just amazing. You're a real inspiration to me and and so many. Adrian, what would you say to your younger self?

SPEAKER_00 15:19

Well, I tell if I only was able to tell my younger self uh because a couple of things. One is, and I wrote a book for my younger self. It's not my secret to share the power, the burden, and consequences of secrets and how tough they are. And I think I would have said, don't share too many secrets because they kept me up all night long sometimes, the ones I shouldn't have shared. And it's okay to say no if someone wants to give you a secret. So that was important. Um, also, I would tell myself, you do not need to have the last word, Adrian. It's okay. Let someone else have the last word. I don't have to always have the last word. And that was a lesson that I was taught at uh, you know, not that young of an age, but in my 40s, I recognized that and made it a point that I didn't have to have that last word. I didn't have to have that feeling that I had to have that last post and last sentence that I had to it had to come from me, that I was going to be okay. Let them think what they want to think. I'm okay with that.

SPEAKER_01 16:24

That's really good stuff. You know, you see you it's it sounds simple, but it it's definitely an ego challenge, right? Uh, I don't know if that's even we even need to use the ego. That's just a human dilemma, I think, right? We we I think by default it's like we just gotta say what we have to say. Um, but being able just to walk away um and being okay with it, not having the last word. And that book, Adrian, uh I you did, I remember you did mention it now, it's coming back to my memory. That book we could talk about about it for like three hours. I think we could talk about that book for three hours. Um, that's really, really good. What was the aha moment? Um, or or is it a secret? Pardon the pun. What was the aha moment for that book?

SPEAKER_00 17:15

My my son was sharing with me that he was getting married and it was going to be a very quiet wedding. And he he wasn't, you know, he wanted to keep it quiet for a little bit and he didn't want me to say anything. And I said, Sam, it's not my it's not my secret to share. And then I'm like, oh my god, that's a great name for a book. He's like, What are you talking about? I'm like, it's not my secret to share. I've always there's no books out there telling kids what to do with secrets, like you know, a birthday party secret, that's a good secret to keep, right? Like that's a fun secret. Um, and you don't want to spoil the party, you know. Um, a secret that your, you know, mommy smokes cigarettes in the bathroom at night. Well, that may not be such a great secret to share. You may not want to tell the doctor when you're, you know, with your mom. Like, why did she smoke cigarettes? Like, like just the little things in life, and some of the bigger things. And growing up in a family business, there were a lot of secrets, and there were secrets that I had shared that I probably shouldn't have shared, and knowing that I shouldn't have shared them would keep me up. Um, and my mom knew secrets of employees, and I'm like, why did mom? How do you know secrets? Like, what's going on here? And I just recognize that there is the the burden of secrets and the power of secrets, and it all goes into that consequence of secrets. And I'm like, there's no book out there. So I'm very proud to say that this book is more for middle school. It also is based on um, it's based on a doctor, so it does share some wisdom on actual secrets. Do you know that there's a certain age when you're old enough to really understand that you can when you can tell a secret? You know, like little kids will go, Mommy, mommy, that person looks funny in that skirt. And you're thinking, like, why are you even telling me that kid? Like when they understand.

SPEAKER_01 19:04

Yeah, so oh, I think I'm gonna have to get that book for my I think I'm gonna have to get that book for my excuse me, my granddaughter. Uh, she's in middle school now. Oh, yeah, and then this is a little older for age appropriate. She'll be 12. Okay, yeah. I I love I love how much work you do with the youth. I mean, that's just so beautiful. Yeah, I could yeah, the cover you can tell that one's more mature.

SPEAKER_00 19:27

And there's a work.

SPEAKER_01 19:28

And does that one talk about like temptation? Because temptation is that's all about temptation, like wanting to tell a secret, like oh, you know something, like the temptation. It's like, oh yeah, yeah. Oh my gosh. That's why I I I know I I sometimes like you said, uh, don't tell me, just don't tell me, don't tell me because it's not mine, you know. Like, don't don't tell me. Oh my gosh. That's that was really smart of you, though, because I think that's necessary, because like whether you're an adult, a child will learn it, um, you know, before they get in trouble, uh, or making something, you know, wrong. But as an adult, it's like it's like a reinforcement, you know, a reminder. Hey, think twice before you speak, or you know, when you're when you're having a conversation, be honest and tell them, you know what, I I love you, but don't tell me because I I don't feel comfortable. So, with that being said, what wisdom would you want your future self to keep holding on to?

SPEAKER_00 20:31

And by the way, I did turn that into a course. It's not my secret to share. Um, if kids of course if it's easier than to navigate some scenarios than it would be to read a book that's I figured that would make sense. Um, what kind of wisdom do I do share?

SPEAKER_01 20:47

That that uh what yeah, what wisdom would you want your future self to keep holding on to? What you know, maybe it was just that, but you know, I'm just gonna ask you the question anyway.

SPEAKER_00 20:56

No, I love that. I love that. Be be authentic to yourself. I think that's really important to know yourself and understand um all the emotions that can come with it. Uh, give yourself grace, I think it's really important. I have a hard time with taking a sick day or being sick. I I, you know, if I'm laying in bed for a couple hours because I'm not feeling well, I'm I'm I'm feeling guilty about it. I gotta stop doing that. I gotta remind myself. Um, take say yes to opportunity and figure it out later. I've always said that. That's something that has scared me and some of my great friends uh really well saying yes and figuring out later, like what you did with the podcast. You just said yes and move forward with it. And um and share your knowledge.

SPEAKER_01 21:46

Yeah, that's beautiful. That's absolutely beautiful. Wow. So this one this one's a question that is a staple. Uh, who has been the most memorable mentor in your life? And if maybe you could give us a little bit of water. You know, that's a hard one. It's probably a lot. You can name a lot if you want to.

SPEAKER_00 22:06

But who comes to mind up for my mom? My my mom, my mom definitely taught me a lot. They they both taught me. Like they taught me to yes, I love the necklace that they told me to give to you. Uh it's crazy. They my parents gave some great advice. Like, I'm not allowed to say I'm busy, and that carried me through. My mom would say, you know, the first time I ever said I'm busy, I got a lot on my plate was like, don't ever say that, Adrian. First of all, it's a turn off to other people. So if I'm on here telling you guys, I'm so busy, oh my God, Patty, I can't think straight. I'm busy, busy, busy. You may be like, well, then I don't want to give her any business if she's so busy. You know, I'll find someone else. So um always be excited, always be excited to get new business. Um, never say you're busy because a woman at home with her baby is busy. That's busy. Um, so that's a lesson that I learned from them. Uh, be careful of your tone. Read emails, watch what you're saying, take the tone out of it. They were the first ones to say, write it, but don't send it, you know, get it off your chest, but don't do anything drastic. Give things 24 hours to think about it. My dad taught me you got to know enough about something in order to hire someone. You can't hire someone to, you know, paint the wall if you don't know anything about painting a black wall white, right? You need to have some information. So equip yourself with knowledge so that you can know the right questions to ask if you're looking to hire someone. So that is uh was always great advice. Pay your suppliers first. My parents always said that, and uh just a whole bunch of you know, making sure I I love providing um uh unrecognizable hospitality, going above and beyond, making sure before I uh ask a question of my client that I look and that they haven't answered it before. So if I ask you a question, at least know that I I've done my research to try to find it. If I say I've looked everywhere, I can't find it, it's because I actually did look everywhere. I don't get lazy and looking, I don't want to give other people work to do.

SPEAKER_01 24:07

That's awesome. Oh gosh, I want to get into that, but we'll have to do it on a different platform because I now now things are making sense because I I I I caught that where uh in your producer in your producer uh uh mode. Um, when I was on the show, I'm like, oh, Adrian has something to do. Okay, okay. Uh, but that's awesome. That's great advice. And uh shout out to to your parents in heaven. Um, you know, I I know you shared uh a little bit about them if you want to. Um, this is the opportunity. If you want to give a shout out to your to your mom and dad and and their legacy, I love that. Next question is what does legacy mean to you?

SPEAKER_00 24:44

Yeah, so my mom would say, uh, I wish I had all the money in the world to give it away. They were very generous. There was never a time if I said to my dad, I need a piece of artwork for, and whatever that four was always gave me artwork. Always. When I first moved down here, made sure I had artwork to donate um to the galleries. Matter of fact, the first 250 people that came in the doors of the gallery when we opened in um October of 2018 got beautiful angels, beautiful figurines that were angels. My parents were incredibly generous. They wanted to make sure that the community knew that we weren't just another boutique store or gallery that we were giving to the um community. So um I donated artwork for the um Hotel and Motel Lodging Association, and uh, you know, just they they taught me how to give and how to care and how to serve on committees and boards. And I, you know, I started a young age serving. I was lucky enough to work for Muscular Dystrophy Association, raising about a million dollars a year for MDA, uh putting on the telethons. That was like a great life experience meeting um Jerry Lewis a few times. I just loved like that memory.

SPEAKER_01 26:03

I remember Jerry Lewis telephons. That's great.

SPEAKER_00 26:08

It was so great. I I I have uh even my year with American Cancer Society in Tucson was amazing. So they coming from families that you know just love to give. My dad after 9-11, my parents after uh the World Trade Center went down, and my dad learned of all the kids that have lost their homes, lost the you know, daycare centers losing all their artwork. My dad uh got some artwork from Melanie Taylor Kent, and it was the Statue of Liberty, the rededication. And my dad got them all, had her sign them all, framed them all, and then donated them to various hospitals, public service. Um, he was still donating in 2017 and 18. And if you Google art from the heart and barker, it'll pop up Gloria. My dad always put my mom's name first. Gloria and her barker. He'd get mad if he said her barker first. He's like, it's Gloria and Herb Barker. He was very particular. Oh, that's so beautiful. Never wanted to take the credit itself. Yeah, they're beautiful people. So thank you, mom and dad.

SPEAKER_01 27:13

Yeah, thank you. Thank you for teaching Adrian so much um wonderful, you know, etiquette and and and ways to to live and and modto to live by. I I mean, seriously, that's just all so beautiful what you're saying. I I'm you know choked up. Wow. So uh what what do you hope people remember most about the way you live, work, and serve? I mean, so it seems like you're a lot like your parents, but just same.

SPEAKER_00 27:42

I Patty, I I have one big regret, and that is why didn't I think to put my dad on a podcast? That is so I I'm so annoyed. It wasn't like podcasts didn't exist in 20 uh 12, 13, 14. I should have got him on a podcast, should have like created a YouTube channel for him and did YouTube for him. I wasn't thinking that, like to me, social media was just like LinkedIn and Facebook, uh you know, X-Mate, Twitter. I I really wasn't thinking of any of that, and I I have videos, but they're not that great. Um, so for me and my legacy, well, the kids do have uh they'll have hours and hours and hours of video to watch. That's for sure. If they just Google Adrian Barker Speaks, no prep needed, they'll see all of my videos right now. I have over 200, so maybe they'll have more to see. Um, more of the shows that I've been on, like this, so that they watch uh the books that I have, so it's not my secret to share. Um, and these all have a dedication to my sons, and I have a dedication page, Mannershift, the young professional guide, and I have my to my husband, to my oldest son Alexander Coleman, his wife Corey Coleman, my grandchildren Michaela and Axel, Samuel Coleman, Julianne Coleman, granddaughter Sophie Coleman, Rudolph Barker, Erica Barker, my daughter and best friend Alana Intel. I make sure that each of my books do have them in it. And then, of course, my anthology book, which I'm very excited about. I'm working on my third one right now. And thank you to all the authors that have said yes. I'm very excited about that. Um, I am putting them in my book, my next book, which will be a different color because I have Christina Baca. My books will always have some. And you also have this book. Yes, that book has Summer Woods in it, and you wouldn't know who Summer Woods is. Um, unless you read the book and then you realize she's a very lovely young singer from Pasadena. She's making it, she's working really hard, and she has a great article in there. And here you have Christina, the new book. You'll have Christina Baca, you'll have Patty, you'll have uh Noel May. Um, so I always try to make sure I have some that I can um offer to do at no charge. That was important to me to make sure that's a gift that I can do.

SPEAKER_01 29:56

I have my courses, my and that's a really clever. And these books are really clever because they're they're they're from like your interviews, you know. So they're just like it's just so clever that you made them into books. Um, I just want to remind everybody. We do got some we got some love going on on LinkedIn here by Rhonda uh Palmer. Um uh and thank you for joining us. And she says you're both wonderful ladies. Thank you. I'll I'll receive that. Thank you. I appreciate that. Thank you. Uh blessings to you as well. Uh Adrian, this is so I I love uh everything you've shared so far, from the etiquette to the mottos to the books, like you're so creative. It's just it blows my mind. I I love it. Um, I love how creative you are. But with that being said, uh, before we get to your website and where people could find you, because we're gonna get to that too, people. What is something about you and your journey that most people would be surprised to learn?

SPEAKER_00 31:03

You know, when you were just saying different, I'm thinking to myself, wait, I forgot to tell you about my SWOT and order book. I I I want to do things that are different. I I just want to do things. So when she so these books are created by podtobook.com, POD to book. It's an amazing program that Sheila Slick created. She's the founder. But when she was when she did it, I thought, Sheila, what if we did podium to page? What if we actually took an event, a speaker's event, and showed how that can be turned into a book? And Sheila's like, absolutely. I'm like, I'll do it, I'll do it. I'll do SWAT and order because I love strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in a business, swatting out a business. And then in the beginning, I thought, oh, I'll do it. Because I forgot to tell you, I'm the co-host of Debate the News True Crime. I don't know what I'm thinking, forgetting that sorry person.

SPEAKER_01 31:51

I I'm like, it blows my mind, but at this point, you're not surprising me anymore. I'm like, I'm like, she she she's you know, um, Secret Service. No, no, I'm just kidding. It's amazing. It just you really are truly an inspiration because I I'm I'm so I know this is all about you, but I I must say that you inspire me because I like to do a lot of things, and sometimes people will um give their advice and say, I think you're doing too much. And I'm not asking them to do any work for me. So I just always wonder like, why are they stressed out about what I'm doing? Um, you know, but here you are here you are, perfect example of somebody who's doing doing it all. Um, oh we almost lost you and did a lot. So, you know, I want to say thank you. Thank you, because it it's not just for Patty that you're inspiring. There's so many women or men or children or or or or whatever age you are that need to hear this message. Um, so thank you. We got another another some love coming in from Bella Unplugged. This is Bella, um, our friend Bella from uh BWC on Clubhouse. Uh she has Bella Biz. Um, she is also like you know, a change maker. Um she's this amazing conversation. Thank you for the love. We appreciate you, Bella. Appreciate all the support. Thank you for being here. Um, we got Adrian Barker doing a way lot, but but go ahead. Um, I I left you off with the question. Okay, uh, what is that it? What what are what are you doing that most people would be surprised to learn?

SPEAKER_00 33:20

So SWAT in order was a two-day 21 speaker event. Everyone came on time, all the speakers were amazing. Within 24 hours of the event ending on October, it was October 14 and 15, 9 to 6. The speakers all had their manuscript in their hands. Sheila worked on it, she did an amazing job, and that book is available by Amazon on Amazon, SWAT S W O T and Order. Originally I was going to do it like true crime, but um I realized that that just wasn't gonna work for that. Mixing true crime, I didn't want to murder people's businesses. No, but anyway, so that um so if someone said let's do something, Adrian, um, I say, How can I do it differently? I don't want to do the same thing, but I also want to just express one thing to you. So I don't know what episode it is, but in professional global etiquette, the two AI podcast hosts that I have, they actually debate about giving opinions, right? Do you share your opinion with everyone? Patty, I've got a sore throat. You need to drink this and you should have this to drink, and or do you not share your opinion? I was it was a conversation I wanted them to be so badly, right? So that is one of the chapters, is that that's great, right? Because there's sometimes where I have I catch myself like people don't always want advice, and you've got to know how to like read that room, right? And we learn so much on social audio that you it's like an eye-opening experiment. You just want to join us on breakfast with I do Thursday mornings at 7:30 Eastern. But anyway, so I think that um that I like to do things differently. So if you ask me what to you know to do something for you, I'm gonna look and see how can I do it a little differently to make sure that you're standing out in in a crowd. Um, I think that's really important. So I do have spots open for my Barker brand amplifier program where I get your LinkedIn looking great because hosts want you to have a good LinkedIn, right? You like my LinkedIn?

SPEAKER_01 35:18

Yep, sexy LinkedIn. Yep, and I already knew this from I already knew because I go to your segments, I go to your segments and you do teach. I mean, you wear your teacher's hat. Um, and I encourage everybody to come and and and follow you wherever you are. Let's put some of your um socials on here because you know you want to follow Adrian. Um, check her out on Facebook, and we also have her website. And we're gonna we're gonna actually we're gonna go right there now. Um, yeah, uh before we go to the website. Were you an artist when you were younger? Like, did you like do art? I I feel like it's just such a creative. Did you do like um drawings and stuff like that too? Or you just like creative with like ideas?

SPEAKER_00 35:58

Creative with ideas. My dad was creative with ideas too. No, I can hardly write, I can't even read my own writing. No, creative with ideas, but always had an artist to actually like literally had artists my whole life growing up because we had that's what you did when you're branding a company is you have artists, so I could by creativity. Sometimes they're like, nope, can't do it nowadays. They would be able to, but uh, this was okay. So Alana and my daughter is 20. So Alana is 20 and she's just going into the workplace, and immediately situations happen. And the first thing I notice is that, and this is actually advice. I'm gonna give this advice and be a little strong. If you are hiring employees, get back to them and let them know if they're not being hired. Don't forget that you may have a business that they want to go in. So, for instance, um, a restaurant in Ormond Beach, a fast food place, chick Chick-fil-A chicks or whatever, chicken salad chicks. Okay, my daughter went in there, she hired, they were very nice to her. She went back in again. She was like so sure. Oh my God, they really like me. They never even bothered writing to her, but why not? Why not take that opportunity to make her a fan? They could have said, Alan, I'm sorry, you know, we're not we we're not going with you, but we'd love for you to come in and try our fries at 50 cents off. You don't even have to give a lot, but just be smart enough to know that you're either going to make them a fan or not a fan, right? So every time I hired at the gallery that I ran, I used Indeed. They make it so easy. You press a couple buttons, you can send like not interested, you could send messages. But I knew that these people, they lived in my community. They would come into my gallery. I didn't want them coming into my place of work and being like, oh, they never got back to me. And that's what happens. People, employees will remember. So, how easy it is at the start of when you're looking to hire that you show that you are, you know, a company that really cares about people. And then I thought, well, poor Alana, like she doesn't know either. So I need to teach her in the workplace. And manner shift got developed. It was the idea that now that she's 20, she's going into the workforce and their workforce scenarios. So things that have happened, I I practice a little bit on um on, and I think we'll do go back and do this Thursday, some more of it because it's really fun. But it's teaching us too the scenarios. What do you do when you're being interrupted and you're running a meeting? You know, what does business casual mean? Our young professionals they graduate from high school, they graduate from college, and then they're thrown in the workforce and they don't understand. And and some of us leaders don't understand. Yes, make them a fan if not employee, right? Well, Anita, how are you? I think that makes so much sense. I mean, they could have given her a cake pot like dollar off.

SPEAKER_01 38:38

And I you know what I love about the story too. You know what I love about that story too? And it really like it's so complete for the show. From something that wasn't so good, something good came out of it. You know, something that wasn't so good, something good came out of it. And we're gonna share right now the the website. I didn't, I didn't I didn't want to distract, uh, but here's your website. And uh thank you, Janita, for for being here. And we we got we got a a few a few fans and and people supporting uh great idea, make them a fan, not an employee. Uh if you're not if not an employee, and you're right, and reputation is everything. I mean, once you have a bad reputation, it takes so much, it takes a my my sister always says it takes a hundred rights to fix one wrong. Um, so much truth. But uh we're gonna go through the website here, and I just want to bring up where we can uh find this website, which is right here. And uh this was beautiful, and this is what you're you're speaking of. So I'm gonna go through here and uh just go ahead and blurt out anything you want while we're scrolling. Uh if you see it's affordable, um, this is and look, you could even you know try it for a free pre preview. Go ahead, Adrian. It's all it's all yours.

SPEAKER_00 39:44

Yeah, no, I I wanted to make it, it was$19. I'm like, I don't know, same price as my LinkedIn course, which is an amazing course. People are charging$1,500. I'm giving it for$19. Here's all the things that you will learn. It's a nice, easy dashboard for the kids. It's just scenarios, which I love. It's easy, you know. They they're not gonna get like you know tested at the end, but there's scenarios if they answer the scenario wrong. Then if you want to go back and do a quick preview, we could do a real quick one just to kind of give that idea if you show. Yeah, let's go.

SPEAKER_01 40:14

I don't know if I don't know. Let me know. Let me know if you could see it because sometimes sometimes it will it will do you see. Do you see the preview? I just opened it up. Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_00 40:25

Uh, and this is a preview. Yep, and we see the future of manners and then the interactive, and then uh, do you want to read that?

SPEAKER_01 40:33

Yeah, uh, I got the future of manners core principles, uh, lessons content. This lesson covers the essential principles and practices of the future of manners. I I love that, and you'll learn through real workplace scenarios that challenge you to apply, uh, that challenge you to apply professional judgment and etiquette knowledge. Because you know, etiquette is like sometimes you you think it's common sense, but common sense is not so common, right? Uh, um this is my my thought, it's not on on the website here. Um that's you know, uh the the virtual we got virtual meeting into interruption, um, and you got you know right over here. Uh, you got punctuality problems. Oh, yeah, that one's important. You got the email tone crisis, um, the dress code dilemma. Oh, these are great. The social media slip, oh boy, the active listening test. Um, this is great.$19. I mean, that's like going to Starbucks uh with a coffee and a and a bagel. Exactly back to the top.

SPEAKER_00 41:35

Oh, yeah, go back because I'll show you. So the other thing is so now Alana's in the workplace, and no, I'm not gonna tell you where she works, but she comes back. So the first day she's like she was uncomfortable because one of the um co-workers, oh, go to front go back to the homepage for a second, and then I'm gonna have you scroll down. So go back, okay, and and then scroll down to Alana's lessons. So, you know, this kid's like, you know, asking her personal questions and there was, yeah, so then Alana's lessons. So this is like real life lessons, you know, of you know, when is asking too many of your personal questions? You know, is is is that a nice thing? What um taking a you know, when you're in a text group and then the manager says, don't text outside the text group, but that person does that, you know, when do you share that information with the manager? So these are the first three blogs that we have. These are just really real life lessons that you can read. Uh, this is really a great program for anyone that is looking for work or going into the workplace. So I would think for your seniors, even juniors working because kids are working younger nowadays. And also here in Florida, they can work and then there's no like breaks or you know, when we were spoiled, you work four hours, you take a 15-minute break, and you look forward to that. There's none of that either anymore. So we want to make sure they understand their expectations. And this is at your own pace. This is at your own pace, yeah. This is at your own pace, yes. Okay, that's that's also and I think managers should buy it for their staff. You don't get to finish it. Yep, yeah. No, you do it in your own. But I think managers leaders should do it. Absolutely, absolutely love it. Thank you. I do too. Absolutely love it. Here's all the modules. Yep, scroll all the way down to the to the to the all the way down to the bottom. And then do you see where it says main website? Click the main website there underneath it should say, do you see that? Um, nope. I think up a little bit up under the about. What is that? The last one. I think that says. Wait, hold on.

SPEAKER_01 43:39

Um uh the about uh it's there's about there's Alana's lessons blogs.

SPEAKER_00 43:47

Nope, nope, go back and I went to the back.

SPEAKER_01 43:48

Alana's lesson blogs.

SPEAKER_00 43:50

Nope. Okay, let's go back down. Go okay. What's the what's the bottom one? Alana's lessons. What's the other ones that I I can't see, but what does that say?

SPEAKER_01 43:59

About Adrian?

SPEAKER_00 44:00

No, main website. Oh, the main website. Professional global edit. No, click the main website.

SPEAKER_01 44:09

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 44:10

The one that says main website.

SPEAKER_01 44:13

Is it clicking? Okay.

SPEAKER_00 44:14

That one, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 44:15

Yeah, it's clicking. Do you see it? Did it change on your end?

SPEAKER_00 44:19

Oh no, not up yet.

SPEAKER_01 44:22

Oh, okay. Because you know what? I think because I have to share that page now. Um that's what happened. I just have to share it if you're going to be able to do that. So I'll remove that, but it's okay. So what this is. What are you gonna say about it while I grab it?

SPEAKER_00 44:35

This is the companion website. So this is for this is some more scenarios. Um, it's not a it's not a quiz, but this is if you woke up, oh Alexa, stop, Alexa, stop. Alexa, stop, please. You're so pretty, Alexa. Talk nice to your AI.

SPEAKER_01 44:51

Just absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 44:54

So so this is absolutely this is actually pre-prompted. I I kind of love this site. Oh, that's my okay. So let's go to where it says manner shift on the top. That's my professional global etiquette site. And then see where it says manner shift, and then it should open up to so I have a main page. It I have a main page that allows you to like if you just woke up sick and you're like, I gotta write a letter, or I don't know how to tell my boss that I wasn't happy with what he did yesterday. It's um it's a main site that you could go in and it's pre-prompted, so you don't have to like say, Here's my situation, it already knows all the situations, and then you could type something, it'll give you a professional email to uh to write. So just kind of a professional email writer.

SPEAKER_01 45:39

So yeah, and that's um so if we go to manner shift.com and we scroll all the way down, um, it will it will be there under global etiquette. Is that what you're saying?

SPEAKER_00 45:48

Yeah, so if you scroll down, it's it says main website, and then here I'll put it in the thing, and then the main website is interactive, and I will post the comment right here, and there it is right there. Yeah, so it's it's all the way in the footer and it says main website. So, yeah, so I love it. It's it's just a nice little site that you can have for free that kind of just shows. Um, it's a companion to the to the actual it rewrites your message in live professional tones instantly.

SPEAKER_01 46:19

I love it. Wow, that's awesome! Thank you. I I love that you just keep on giving. Um, you're you're such a giver. Well, um, we're coming to the end of the show. Uh any any closing remarks, Adrian uh Barker, my dear friend. Uh, thank you so much for being here. And there's so much more. We're gonna you're gonna have to come back. You're gonna have to come back, especially when uh your other books are are out. You're gonna have to come back. Uh, I'm gonna ask you to come back one more time. But anyway, uh give us some closing remarks, my dear friend.

SPEAKER_00 46:46

Thank you. No, thank you for your time. My phone number is on LinkedIn 386-631-4577. Would love to help you get you booked on podcasts, or just if you how is your LinkedIn, by the way? Because my LinkedIn course is really great, and you can find that under AdrianBarker.com. I'm just saying because it's$19 and you have nothing to lose. I'll refund the money if you don't really like the course. But I think it's a great course and it teaches you how to do your lead generation, and you get 50% off being with me too. Um, so buy my books, Unscripted Brilliance, Mannershift, Mannershift, the Young Professionals Guide. It's not my secret to share. I want to see every student have this book, it's really important, and the courses. And if you want a course, you're thinking about creating a course for yourself, call me. I will help you do that too. So there's not much I can't do, Patty. And thank you so much for having me as a guest on your show. I love it. You're doing everything perfectly.

SPEAKER_01 47:43

And and and we got this one too. We got so check her out. There's your Facebook again. Thank you so much, and thank you all for being here on Live Your Legacy with Adrian Barker today. Professional global etiquette, beautiful, beautiful stories. Thank you so much and giveaways. Thank you for so much information uh for us to implement. And with that being said, this show is produced by Mr. Graham, a global solution to cope with grief, morning at the speed of life. This show is Live Your Legacy, and uh we talk about life here and what we're doing with it. Thank you so much, Adrian. It's been a pleasure. And with that being said, until next time, have a wonderful, wonderful day, and God bless. Thank you.