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Balancing Acts: Navigating Marriage, Entrepreneurship, and Mental Well-Being with Chantel Cohen
The Business of Meetings – Episode 213 – Balancing Acts: Navigating Marriage, Entrepreneurship, and Mental Well-Being with Chantel Cohen.
The Business of Meetings Podcast, listen to the episode here:
Chantel Cohen: The Mindful Entrepreneur: Prioritizing Mental Health for Success
In this episode, I sit down with licensed therapist and business coach Chantel Cohen to explore the often overlooked intersection of entrepreneurship, mental health, and leadership.
As a therapist and coach, Chantel has observed that entrepreneurs are at high risk of mental health challenges, with many struggling with self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and broken relationships.
In today’s conversation, Chantel and I discuss these unique challenges that we face as entrepreneurs, and offer practical tools and insights to help us prioritize our mental health and well-being.
Key Takeaways
00:00 – Introduction
More about our guest today
Chantel Cohen is a multi-faceted therapist, life coach, and executive communications coach with a diverse background in assisting individuals, couples, and groups in both therapeutic and corporate settings.
She holds a master’s degree and coaching certification in executive coaching and counseling from Columbia University, and now owns and operates CWC Coaching and Therapy in Atlanta, Georgia. Chantel has worked with a diverse group of clients from all walks of life, including corporations such as Coca-Cola, Google, and Discovery Channel.
Her unique blend of skills and experience enables her to provide holistic support to her clients, helping them achieve personal and professional growth.
08:37 – Common mental health themes in entrepreneurs
As entrepreneurs, it’s crucial to take a holistic approach to addressing personal and professional challenges. Common issues such as feeling unheard, disconnected, and struggling with self-doubt and imposter syndrome can significantly impact our well-being and success. In this discussion, Chantel and I explore the interconnectedness of personal and professional well-being and the importance of addressing both for optimal success.
14:28 – Mental health and self-care for entrepreneurs.
Chantel and I go deeper into the complexities of balancing personal and professional identities, offering practical advice for combating negative thought patterns and achieving mental clarity. We examine the impact of entrepreneurs’ personal psychology on productivity and anxiety levels, offering valuable insights on avoiding burnout and enhancing focus.
This is a must-listen for entrepreneurs seeking to prioritize their mental health and well-being.
24:14 -Mental health stigma in entrepreneurship.
We explore the importance of mental health support within our communities and the need to break down barriers to seeking help. Chantel also shares some insights on the significance of social connection and purpose in combating loneliness and depression.
Overall, this section will provide you with valuable perspectives on mental health, stigma, and the importance of self-care.
32:01 -Conclusion
This episode sheds light on the often-overlooked connection between entrepreneurship, mental health, and leadership..
By implementing the tools and strategies we’ve discussed, you can build resilience, enhance your leadership skills, and thrive in your personal and professional lives.
The Entrepreneur’s Roadmap to Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
5 practical tips to silence doubts and foster a mindset of growth and resilience.
EXPERT OPINION BY ENTREPRENEURS’ ORGANIZATION @ENTREPRENEURORG MAR 11, 2024
This article’s full text is published on: https://www.inc.com/entrepreneurs-organization/the-entrepreneurs-roadmap-to-overcoming-imposter-syndrome.html
Brief Summary:
In “The Entrepreneur’s Roadmap to Overcoming Imposter Syndrome,” Chantel Cohen, an EO Accelerator member and CEO of CWC Coaching and Therapy, offers actionable advice for entrepreneurs struggling with self-doubt.
Despite their skills and achievements, many entrepreneurs face imposter syndrome, a psychological challenge that can hinder their growth. Cohen shares five practical tips: challenging negative self-talk, distinguishing between confidence and competence, avoiding harmful comparisons, prioritizing learning over perfection, and connecting with peers for support.
These strategies help entrepreneurs transform self-doubt into strength, fostering a mindset of growth and resilience essential for their personal and professional development.
The Workers Who Do Everything on Their Phones—Except Answer Calls
This article was first published by The Wall Streat Journal here: https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/hybrid-workers-phone-calls-telephonophobia-8697a451
Your co-workers Zoom, Slack, email, and text with ease—but good luck getting many of them to make or answer an old-fashioned phone call.
Phone avoidance is so pervasive it has a clinical name: telephonophobia. A lot of bosses just call it aggravating.
Phone use, or disuse, is an intensifying battle in the Hybrid Work War. On one side are people with sore thumbs and Zoom fatigue who are trying to resurrect voice calls, arguing they occupy an important middle ground in business. Sometimes a video meeting is overkill, they contend, and a typed-out message isn’t enough.
“I love technology, but it creates a cognitive load when you’re looking at 32 face boxes on a screen or clicking between multiple chat windows,” says Bill Cox, who works remotely from Seattle as vice president of corporate and product marketing at Lyra Health, a mental-health company. “When you jump on a phone call, it’s like, ‘Aaah. Relief!’ ”
Cox, 51 years old, is evangelizing for …
For the full article, go to https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/hybrid-workers-phone-calls-telephonophobia-8697a451
How to Make the Most of Your CEO-CFO Partnership
Written by Chantel Cohen
As leaders, we understand that the strength of our businesses often hinges on the quality of the relationships at the top. The dynamic between a CEO and a CFO is especially important, acting as the backbone of strategic decision-making and financial stewardship. When these roles are in sync, the partnership not only enhances organizational agility but also facilitates risk management and the development of robust growth strategies.
However, maintaining synergy can be challenging, even under the best circumstances. Communication breakdowns and misaligned visions may stifle growth and erode trust. These issues typically arise from a lack of clear and open dialogue, leading to competing priorities and missed opportunities. Ambiguity in responsibilities can also spark conflict, further complicating the collaborative process. Mutual confidence is essential for productive teamwork; without it, the decision-making process can become fraught with hesitation and second-guessing, undermining the effectiveness of your entire leadership team.
As a licensed therapist and business coach, I know that the foundation of any successful executive relationship is built on a blend of empathy and trust. I meet with business leaders time and time again who express frustration about getting these relationships right, often due to the mounting pressure to grow and change along with the marketplace. After all, 45% of CEOs and 62% of CFOs rank growth among their top three strategic priorities. These numbers highlight the need for strong leadership dynamics in which executives are not only equipped to handle the pressures of their roles but also navigate the complexities of their relationships to drive the company forward.
Signs of Healthy vs. Troubled Partnerships
In navigating the intricacies of the CEO-CFO relationship, being able to recognize the signs of both healthy and troubled partnerships is crucial. A healthy relationship is characterized by several key indicators:
- Open Communication: The two of you engage in frequent, candid discussions not only about business strategies but also about any concerns in order to prevent misunderstandings and promote transparency.
- Mutual Respect: A strong partnership is built on respect for each other’s expertise and roles, in which both the CEO and CFO value each other’s input and appreciate the unique perspectives you bring to the table.
- Aligned Goals: Despite potentially different approaches, a healthy CEO-CFO relationship includes aligned long-term objectives, where both parties work collaboratively towards shared goals.
- Supportive Interaction: You support each other through challenges, whether it’s providing reassurance during high-pressure situations or being understanding of stressful times.
On the other hand, signs that the relationship may be under strain include:
- Frequent Conflicts: While disagreements are normal, persistent conflict, especially over core responsibilities and strategic directions, may be indicative of a deeper issue.
- Lack of Trust: If either party feels they cannot rely on the other to fulfill commitments or keep confidences, it undermines the partnership.
- Avoidance Behavior: Regular avoidance of discussions about key financial or strategic issues can be a sign of underlying tension.
- Inconsistent Messages: When the CEO and CFO give conflicting information to stakeholders within the company, there may be a lack of coordination and communication.
Key Strategies for Success
If you feel like your relationship with your CFO is more of the latter, don’t worry! Here are a few tips to help you strengthen this partnership:
- Schedule a regular check-in meeting where the two of you can update each other on key priorities, challenges, or concerns. Use a shared document to track these updates, so both parties have continuous access to the latest information. To enhance your connection, start each meeting with a personal check-in. Share highlights from your weekend, upcoming plans, or anything outside of work that might impact how you show up. I like to do this with each of my team members and find it helps strengthen our communication.
- At the start of each fiscal year, dedicate a full day to a strategic alignment workshop. During this session, both of you should present your vision and strategic priorities. Follow this with breakout sessions where other executives can provide input and help refine these goals. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos attributes much of his success to regular strategic alignment sessions with his executive team. These sessions ensure everyone is working towards the same objectives and can adapt strategies as needed throughout the year.
- According to Patrick Lencioni in “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team,” engaging in productive ideological conflict produces the best solutions. So, try implementing a “Red Team” approach for major strategic decisions and ask your CFO to challenge your ideas to identify potential weaknesses. In turn, this role-reversal exercise fosters a culture where your executive team can bring up any concerns they might have about business operations.
- Use tools like Gallup’s Clifton Strengths to assess both your strengths and those of your CFO. Schedule a dedicated session to review the results together and discuss how to leverage each other’s strengths in day-to-day operations. Revisit these strengths in quarterly performance reviews and adjust responsibilities as needed to align with them.
I like to say that “everything great begins with a conversation.” So, I encourage you to take action today and schedule a candid discussion with your CFO to set the groundwork for an amazing working relationship that can directly impact the overall success of your organization.
Originally published on: https://www.americanbusinessmag.com/2024/06/how-to-make-the-most-of-your-ceo-cfo-partnership/
The “Theracoach” Is In for Founder Therapy
The “Theracoach” Is In for Founder Therapy
Hypepotamus
Chantel Cohen Has Worked With Over 2,500 Founders On Their Mental Health
Originally published 2/20/24 on https://hypepotamus.com/community/startup-resource/the-theracoach-is-in-for-founder-therapy/
When founders going through Google’s prestigious Black Founders Fund need a therapist to talk about the hard stuff, they turn to Chantel Cohen.
Cohen, a therapist and founder/CEO of CWC Coaching and Therapy, has held over 2,500 sessions over the last five years with founders going through Google for Startup (GFS). As a therapist and a certified business coach, Cohen told Hypepotamus that she jokingly refers to herself as a “TheraCoach.” And for founders, having a therapist that understands the difficult founder journey is important.
Chantel Cohen – founder therapy Chantel Cohen, founder and CEO, is a therapist for founders
“People think entrepreneurship is sexy [and] I think that it really puts entrepreneurs in a box because they can’t talk about the struggle,” Cohen said. “70% of entrepreneurs have some sort of mental health challenge or crisis during their tenure as a founder. They have higher rates of depression, higher rates of ADHD, substance abuse, divorce.”
CWC works with founders on work-life integration, EQ (emotional intelligence), anxiety, depression, and how to improve the most important relationships in their lives: the one they have with a significant other and the one they have with a co-founder. The goal is to talk through problems and then what next steps might be, be it coming up with a new hiring strategy, a new scheduling system, or a new team communication strategy.
One of the big things she talks with founders about is getting enough sleep. That is counterintuitive to the ‘burning the midnight oil’ mentality that is typical for early-stage founders.
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE
https://hypepotamus.com/community/startup-resource/the-theracoach-is-in-for-founder-therapy/
Marriage and Business Guru
Simply Buckhead
January 2024
Buckhead resident and owner of CWC Coaching & Therapy Chantel Cohen is both a certified business coach and a licensed therapist.
Full article published on https://simplybuckhead.com/marriage-and-business-guru/
Buckhead resident and owner of CWC Coaching & Therapy Chantel Cohen is both a certified business coach and a licensed therapist. She opened her practice in 2011 to bring both skills together in support of business professionals and entrepreneurs, especially those from underrepresented communities, including people of color and women. As an African American woman, she felt there was a need for her services. Black therapists represent just 4% of the psychology workforce in the United States, according to a report from the American Psychological Association.
“I look at what we do as vitally important. Our work contributes to families staying together and to the economy by helping their businesses. Entrepreneurs are more likely to divorce and deal with unique struggles,” Cohen says.
CWC’s goal is to create a paradigm shift by supporting clients on a personal level with their relationships to self, business, co-founder and/or spouse, which in turn has positive repercussions for their businesses. Cohen often starts with individual therapy and then brings in the client’s partner in life or business as needed.
Cohen provides a hypothetical example of an entrepreneur struggling with delegation to describe American Psychological Association: “If you’re in corporate America, you have to trust and grow your team to grow your business. So we would talk about times when somebody may have failed them. It doesn’t necessarily have to have been in childhood; it could have been in another work situation or with a business partner or significant other,” she says. Cohen says if the professional isn’t willing to delegate, they might feel resentful, overworked and burnt out with no time for themselves.
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE
HOPE Global Forums
Idea Lab “Defining Wellbeing”
12/11/23
“Defining Wellbeing” panel at HOPE Global Forums, featuring Chantel Cohen, Brian Peckrill, and Shannah Stephens, moderated by Claire Angelle.
Excitement guaranteed! Buckle up for Chantel’s media blitz of 2023!
Forget boring recaps, dive into this action-packed video where Chantel takes you on a whirlwind tour of her media domination from the past year. You won’t want to miss a second, from “red carpet” moments that sizzle to jaw-dropping interviews that spark. Witness her conquer the airwaves, charm the press, and leave audiences begging for more.
Ready to experience Chantel’s media magic? Click play and prepare to be dazzled! ✨