Room recording - Aug 25, 2025
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[00:00:00] What's good? What's good? It's the Jeremy Haselwood show. What's good? What's good? Let's get ready to go. Welcome to the Jeremy Haselwood show. Plug in, turn it up. Let's go. Hey, hey. Welcome to the Jeremy Haselwood show. Push play, let it roll. Let's go. What's good? Welcome to my show. In three, two, one. Let's go
Jeremy: Hello and welcome to season three of the Jeremy Haselwood Show. This podcast is all about exploring a wide range of topics that spark curiosity, build community, inspire action, and deepen our understanding of the world around us. Each season we'll dive into a new theme, offering fresh perspectives and insights that are practical.
Informational, entertaining and thought provoking. Subscribe to or follow this podcast now by tapping the button on whatever platform you are seeing or hearing this. My whole mission with this show is to [00:01:00] create a space where we can explore the questions and ideas that matter, bringing together knowledge from different fields of experiences.
Throughout my career, I've been passionate about connecting people with the resources and ideas that empower them. To make meaningful impact. This podcast is an extension of that passion where we can learn together and grow together.
In season three, we're shining the spotlight on women business owners, the trailblazers, innovators, and leaders who are redefining what it means to build with purpose. Each episode will bring you stories, strategies, and inspiration straight from the women who are creating businesses that make an impact.
This season, we're going to celebrate and learn from the powerful voices of women in business. Today's guest is Theresa Ward, founder and chief Momentum Officer with Fiery Feather. Welcome to the show, Theresa.
Theresa Ward: Hey Jeremy. I'm really excited to be here. Thanks for having me.
Jeremy: Yeah, I wish I had like applause. I need to find like a button where I can hit applause in a second when I introduce folks.
Theresa Ward: I
Jeremy: Ahead.
Theresa Ward: buttons. It's tucked
Jeremy: [00:02:00] No way.
Theresa Ward: right now. But as a facilitator of workshops and group events I find myself pulling out tools like that. Get the boo
Jeremy: Oh man.
Theresa Ward: button, whatever you
Jeremy: Yes.
Theresa Ward: that
Jeremy: Oh my gosh. Those would've all been incredible for this conversation. The applause, the boos, the yays, that would've all been amazing.
Theresa Ward: Season.
Jeremy: yeah, next season, we'll, we'll be ready to go, but tell me a little bit about Fiery Feather. First of all,
Theresa Ward: Fiery Feather
Jeremy: I.
Theresa Ward: effectiveness consultancy, and so we work with professional teams, any industry, any size business, we help them strengthen the two pillars of team effectiveness, which are structure things like. Time management and goal setting and prioritization, role clarity, and also soul, right?
The softer side of things. Empathy, emotional intelligence, communication skills. So we do that through short term events like [00:03:00] lunch and learns, speaking engagements, workshops summits, retreats, and also longer term engagements like communication labs and ongoing, more immersive consulting opportunities.
Jeremy: Yeah. That's great. It sounds like work with a purpose and making industries and teams better, which ultimately makes companies better. But what made you decide to start this company? What's the genesis of it all?
Theresa Ward: so I always say that I'm an accidental entrepreneur. So
Jeremy: Okay.
Theresa Ward: a lot of business owners, I did not have this secret dream to one day be my own boss or to lead an organization. I came up in a pretty traditional corporate structure. I did. Sales in the financial technology space. And then I helped with sales training. I did product and product innovation in that same industry, and then ended up developing and leading the product and the innovation training. So training and facilitation I found was really [00:04:00] a superpower of mine, and I wanted to explore what it would look like to apply those skills. Outside of a very specific technical industry and more like exploring meta skills. So what are these transferable elements of our professional work that every human wants no matter where you are? Early, late stage career startup. Big government agency and everything in between. so yeah, I just ended up here through some explorations, some good friends of mine in the business who said, yeah, we need help on a project and we don't really know what you wanna do, but we're gonna give you a chance anyway. And I think my entrepreneurial journey, what I just shared with you about what I do that's draft. 174. It
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: based on what I am interested and energized by what I need to learn, what the industry needs. I had to completely pivot during the pandemic [00:05:00] like a lot of us did.
And I'll probably have to pivot again in the next year or
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: Yeah.
Jeremy: Do you remember like that day that you were like, I'm starting this business? The reason I ask is because as you're talking to me about your business and kind of the changes the previous work life, because that's what. I guess a lot of entrepreneurs, it doesn't matter if you're young, mid-career or older career, it's like you had a different life or career before you started this, and I, I literally remember like the day that I started my business, what was going on in my head and what was like, I'm doing it.
Do you remember that day and what was going through your mind where you're like, I'm starting Fiery Feather?
Theresa Ward: I think it was like different levels of the video
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: unlocked over time. I wanna hear about your, big light bulb day, but the first
Jeremy: Okay.
Theresa Ward: I'm going to get out of corporate, right? I'm gonna leave
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: and I know I need to go
Jeremy: Yes.
Theresa Ward: I just don't know what it looks
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: Then there
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: oh, I'm freelancing. Oops. Should I have an LLC? Should I have a logo? Should I [00:06:00] have a business name? And then there
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: that, you know the name, fiery Feather kind of came to me. then later on it was. Oh, I'm a productivity consultant. And then
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: oh, I'm a team effectiveness consultant.
So I don't think it was
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: day. But
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: for that. I'm grateful for all of those little, lily pads. That I was leapfrogging on this journey. What was your day like?
Jeremy: well mine actually, I've started two companies and both of 'em were connected to being laid off. So, you know, my first company was actually a music production company, and I was gonna start that anyway, but I worked for a telecom company. Everybody that worked for this company got laid off at this specific location, so there were like hundreds of people.
So I was like, you know, I'm gonna start this. It's a fresh start and let me try this music production company. The second one was working for a marketing agency, working with nonprofits, and really loving that work and [00:07:00] being laid off there. And I really love that work. So like the very next day I was like, I'm gonna start my own.
So that, that was what it was for me.
Theresa Ward: Yeah.
Jeremy: What I like about what you said, like I've been going to a lot of events here in Atlanta as you'd know. 'cause I've seen you at some of these events and talking to a lot of people, especially marketers and, but not just marketers, but people in general who are experiencing layoffs and trying to figure out that next move.
And I listen to what you said and even what. My background is, and just like I am, am, am I a freelancer? Do I need a company? I don't really wanna work for a company again, I wanna work for myself. Some people have resolved that they are going to work for themselves. Some aren't really sure. What would you say to those people who may have gotten laid off or they're working at a job and there's like this itch to start their own thing?
, What would you say to those people?
Theresa Ward: Yeah, I think it's give yourself grace and permission to try on different identities because the identity of a freelancer, a [00:08:00] contractor, someone who has a side hustle, but is also, just. Building that bridge with their stable paycheck. Those are all. Acceptable and great places to be. The identity of an entrepreneur is a very specific, type of hat to wear., It's got a, or a very specific shoe that, you kinda have to Cinderella your foot into over time. And
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: biggest blessing, I think in my own journey is my. Comfort with sales because I started my career fundraising in a call center and then selling software in a call center. So the
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: with sales and business development skills is something that I see. In the way of a lot of very competent potential entrepreneurs, they just hate asking for business. They hate networking. They hate being out
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: themselves all the time, and you [00:09:00] have to do that hard work and have those real conversations. You can't just, Instagram and TikTok are not gonna do all the work for you. I don't
Jeremy: Yeah. And shout out.
Theresa Ward: I know you've got
Jeremy: No, no, no.
Theresa Ward: marketing
Jeremy: It.
Theresa Ward: with those platforms, but that was my experience.
Jeremy: No, but that, that it's all relevant. And shout out to the call center folks. 'cause I've worked in call center. That's how I started my career, if you want to call it as well. That was like my, my job. Smiling and dialing. That's it. You know, I was in college and worked in a call center way longer than I wanted to.
And then when the. The great recession hit and there was no work. I found myself just in need of a job and it's the last place I wanted to end up, but I also had a family, so I'm like, guess we're doing this again. And the sales piece is definitely helpful. There's certainly a lot of people that are entrepreneurs that don't have that.
Sales piece. But I do think that especially if you work in a call center, there's some kind of training that a lot of 'em provide that is, at least the companies I work for, that's really top-notch [00:10:00] and help you understand sales, how to talk to people. So it does give you kind of this, you're taking so many reps in sales that it does make you a little bit more comfortable having those conversations, even if you aren't necessarily a salesperson.
Theresa Ward: totally. You learn how to hear no a lot, which
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: for life, whether you choose an entrepreneurial journey or not.
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: that when you're verbalizing these conversations and pitching the value to these potential prospects or donors, whatever, over and over again, you really
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: How it feels and how it sounds when something authentic comes out of your mouth
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: oh, this is
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: which I think is
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: for self-awareness and just being genuine and passionate about whatever you're selling.
Jeremy: Yeah. And I, I like to call sales a career in rejection. 'cause sales are what happened the least. Like you get like one sale depending on your industry, out of every 100 calls [00:11:00] or 500 pitches. So it's like, it's a career in rejection and you have to really. Have thick skin. 'cause if you don't have that, you're just not gonna survive enough, you know?
So it's something where you, yeah, you build up this resilience over it , I'm curious not necessarily for you 'cause you just shared it, but like with other entrepreneurs, like what their background was like because. I wonder if there's something about entrepreneurs or people who start their own business that have experienced like that rejection or perseverance, like how are they tested to start their own thing and just have either a confidence or knowing enough that if I keep going rejection, the, the numbers of rejection say that there's eventually going to be a yes, like in sales.
So if I'm starting my own path with my own business, it may be really hard upfront, but eventually it's going to happen because maybe a. Career in sales or something has taught them that. Just something to ponder.
Theresa Ward: and I have seen the opposite where you have somebody
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: extremely competent in their craft, whether that's,
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: [00:12:00] know, graphic design or architecture, and they're such a deep, wise subject matter expert that. Of course, it seems obvious that people would want to work with them and want
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: them for the value that they can provide, because they're not confident in sales or networking or just any extroverted activity, then they tend to bring on. partner. And there you have a
Jeremy: Right.
Theresa Ward: dynamic and a whole other challenge, which is one person whose burden is purely the sales aspect and marketing and commission, and then the other person whose job it is to do the work. And I don't know if this is, I guess just like a beware, message
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: 50, I don't know what your experience has been, but I see a lot of 50 50 startups with those two partners.
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: Go south really quickly because work
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: you're running your own business or a small business is pretty much never 50 50. Yeah.
Jeremy: [00:13:00] I've seen that and I've also seen friends go into business together and sometimes it doesn't end well. You know, almost like a relationship, whether it's a, a marriage or just a really good friend. Like you come in, you have this vision, but then things fall apart and it's really kind of sad 'cause this relationship that you have with this person to start it.
Business impacted it because you've never done business together. All that aside, well, let, let me, I'm, I'm gonna switch it a little bit. We're not gonna dive into that. But so challenges, I do want to talk about challenges. So when you started your business, like what challenges did you experience?
Theresa Ward: Saying yes to too much,
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Theresa Ward: really have. I wasn't picky enough. I spread myself really thin I think I did need that experience. I needed to figure out where is my sweet spot and. Where is just more on the periphery of the value that I can [00:14:00] add. What kind of clients do I want to work with versus, ooh, that's not really my style, that's not really my value set. But
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: yes to everything because of my own scarcity mi mindset I spread myself really thin and then I started dropping balls, right? I would disappoint my clients. I didn't deliver excellence. And had to have some really hard conversations and say, Hey, I'm sorry I messed up. It's gonna be late.
Can we delegate this to somebody else? Really did not like the way that felt and then
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: a commitment to say, okay, fewer. retainers is gonna be the way to
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: versus, just this scattershot approach. that was one big challenge. I think the other was just not having the muscle memory around things like and
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: metrics.
Now that I have a template you ask for help, you get the [00:15:00] template. Shout out to Young and Scrappy. Michelle Meyer,
Jeremy: Okay.
Theresa Ward: fantastic financial planner for small business owners, could not recommend her
Jeremy: Awesome.
Theresa Ward: but once I had the template, it was fine. I don't mind doing the books. I know you can
Jeremy: Right, right.
Theresa Ward: of that stuff, but I just didn't have that template up front.
Yeah.
Jeremy: Yeah. And I would say, when people ask me what's the least favorite part about having my business, I think it's the bookkeeping piece. 'cause I still do it in-house, but I just I I, I keep moving it on my calendar, like it's blocked off. I'm like, eh, I'm gonna do that next week. Yeah. 'cause I just, I don't enjoy it.
Yeah. It's not hard.
Theresa Ward: I get to
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: did I meet my goals? 'cause I have a weekly
Jeremy: Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: I meet my
Jeremy: Yeah. Yeah.
Theresa Ward: goal? What's coming down the pike? What were my billable hours? And it's, I don't know. It's a little bit of a, not a competition or a game,
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: you have really clear metrics, it makes [00:16:00] it less of a
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: and more of a I don't know, it's like a really strong check mark on Friday afternoons
Jeremy: Right.
Theresa Ward: into the weekend.
Jeremy: Yeah, it's like check the box, clean the hands, and either it's been a good week or we gotta do better next week. And sometimes it's both.
Theresa Ward: That's true.
Jeremy: It's an and.
Theresa Ward: That's
Jeremy: Oh, speaking of, and I said, and this is the Yes. And I know you have some background in improv.
Theresa Ward: Yeah. You did your research, huh? Or did we talk about that
Jeremy: Hey. I, I think both. I think I saw it somewhere, and you may have mentioned it, but yeah. So I have to bring it up. So tell me about your improv experience and then tell me how you've taken that into the business world.
Theresa Ward: Man, it's such a like strong visceral memory for me. The season where I took a bunch of improv classes, like back to back, and that transition from the paralyzing [00:17:00] anxiety of, what do you mean I'm going to be on a stage in front of people with zero script, no preparedness. 'cause I'm a type A, scripted out kind of gal. I even got nervous getting on this podcast 'cause we didn't have our script written out. Just
Jeremy: Yeah,
Theresa Ward: the
Jeremy: it's right now. Here we go.
Theresa Ward: but I'm prepared now. I can do it better. I think what it really taught me was. collaboration with other people the moment where you don't know what's gonna get thrown at you, which is just happens all the time in the professional space. all of a sudden somebody says, oh what's that panda doing in this hospital? And you just have to roll with it and to witness the chemistry of collaboration and. To not take that burden on yourself to ask for help to voice I don't know, what is that panda doing in this hospital, as a signal to somebody else to say, I need you to step up here.
I can't always be in
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: can't [00:18:00] always be prepared or be in control of the situation. it made me a more dynamic professional. I think it made me a better person in just relationships, a better conversationalist, the give and take.
Jeremy: Yeah,
Theresa Ward: Yeah. So I
Jeremy: yeah,
Theresa Ward: an area of my life where it hasn't applied.
Have you done it?
Jeremy: yeah. Actually I did improv for a couple years. Shout out to whole world. Where'd you do your improv at?
Theresa Ward: Highwire? I don't think it's around anymore.
Jeremy: Wire.
Theresa Ward: was great though.
Jeremy: Okay. Gotcha. Okay. Yeah. So yeah, I did mine at Whole World and was there for about two years. Very similar to what you're saying though. It's certainly there's a teaming aspect to it because you rely on the other people in your scene to work with you to make it something that's great.
And at times when . You're not up to your optimal performance or someone throws something at you to say, and they get, they serve it up to you and it's perfect, and then you blow it. Someone else can jump in and help you out. It's also for me, is very [00:19:00] helpful in just listening very intently understanding the surrounding what's going on really before you respond.
And then also the whole negating piece. 'cause you know, like. Improv. Like you just don't negate someone. If you're talking about a panda over there, like I don't say, that's not a panda, that's a something else. Like you lean into it. So in, in doing that, it just helps you to be more of a support to the people around you.
So even in my relationship, it's like understanding when someone's telling me something, my wife's telling me something, it's let me not negate it and, and give a different perspective. Let me just lean into that and see where we can go with this. So, you know, I think it's helpful.
Theresa Ward: agree.
Jeremy: [00:20:00] Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Theresa Ward: what I got trained in. As a organizational relationship systems coach is in the professional space to just see what's the aura of a team. Those are not the exact words that the certification program uses, but it is
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: that any system of five actors on a stage or five team members working on a project, it has its own energy and its own intelligence. And if you step back enough and listen closely enough, the system has its own answers, right? It has its own intelligence and you can as a facilitator, like the work that I do, let the intelligence reveal itself, which is really fun. I
Jeremy: Yeah, dear listener, check out improv. Don't run away from it. Just take a class, see if it will help you out. If anything, it'll help you be more comfortable speaking to people and I wanna hope that you won't be as fearful [00:21:00] when it comes to speaking or having anxiety on stage.
Exactly. Yep. Embracing the discomfort and having that help you challenge yourself and push yourself through the discomfort. So let's shift back to, to business. Tell me what you love about running your own business.
Theresa Ward: naps.
Jeremy: I wasn't expecting that. Wow. Yes, us.
Theresa Ward: the ability to control my schedule based on my body's energy is
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: down the best part. So being able to start my day and schedule my meetings. Where I know what's gonna work for my workout schedule, my sleep schedule my meal schedule walking the dogs, you know
Jeremy: yeah.
Theresa Ward: that,
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: the arbitrary nine to five, 30 to 60 minute meetings, lunch break, 12 to one is. [00:22:00] Just, I can't, I cannot imagine going back to that again. And I'm really glad that the
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: sort of loosened a lot of
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: that we had about how our,
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: need to flow.
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: want us do scheduled send and do all your emails at 10 11 at night, go for it. you need to take
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: in the middle of the day right, to reset your
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: go for it.
Jeremy: Yeah. Yeah.
Theresa Ward: the corporate teams that are embracing that. But yeah, personally that's
Jeremy: Sure.
Theresa Ward: favorite thing.
Jeremy: No, it's actually interesting because I've found that I still follow pretty much like a nine to five. Like my hours are a little bit different, but I, I'm still very regimented. I don't know if it's just because I've been institutionalized over the years. That's what I've always been up to, but I still, start work depending on the day.
It may be eight o'clock, it may be nine o'clock, but I'm finishing around five or 6:00 PM and then my evening is free. [00:23:00] But it sounds like with you, it's like you have more, maybe fluidity throughout the day. You know, maybe you'll take some breaks, maybe you'll finish at like a nine or 10 o'clock. Is that what you're saying?
Kind of your, that's your, your schedule's just kind of
Open like that as opposed to traditional?
Theresa Ward: so my day typically looks like this. So in the morning, journaling is my sacred first hour. Brush my teeth, have my coffee, do my journaling, and that used to be something that would happen sporadically if I had time, if I had something to write down, maybe five to 10 minutes. And then I'd get into my work because I knew that
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: energy was my best energy. But now. slow myself way down first thing in the morning and be really intentional about how did yesterday go? What dreams did I had overnight? Have overnight? What do I want to be intentional about today? What do I really wanna prioritize? There's always gonna be 17,000 things on my to-do list, but that first thing in [00:24:00] the morning, journaling helps me identify like what's really gonna be. know, meaningful for today.
Jeremy: Yeah. Yeah.
Theresa Ward: I do that, then I try and eat the frog. That technique where they say do the thing you most don't want to do first thing in the morning.
Jeremy: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah.
Theresa Ward: or 8:00 PM at night. But it's also
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: for me to reopen my computer that late at night. So that's when I'll give, my fiance like that kind of, that, that is where my energy goes. It's dinner or it's an evening social activity with friends.
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: so yeah. And Daniel Pink. Has a really good book called When and he talks
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: know, our natural ebbs and flows of energy [00:25:00] and it changes. But yeah,
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: There's usually a nap in there somewhere. Like
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: minute power nap. Heck yeah. I need it.
Jeremy: Yeah, there's a couple things you said that like one is like that first hour of the morning. 'cause I found myself doing that and I really started when I finished up my last book 'cause I was trying to find time to write and you know, trying to find time to write it was never happening. So I was very intentional.
Like I'm like Monday through Friday, I'm working it into my schedule. So from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM. Well, yeah, that, that was actually the first books. But when I got up to finish the digital fundraising blueprint, that's when I was getting up at 4:01 AM but the second book, yeah, I didn't wanna do that again for the second book 'cause it was great while I had, I did that for a few weeks, but I was like, I'm not a morning person.
And I was also working another job then I didn't work for myself at that point. So when I did work for myself and I, you know, still do, I blocked that first hour to do writing. And I did that for, [00:26:00] gosh, maybe two months. I don't remember exactly. But once I got into that flow, I was like, I'm gonna protect this first hour of my day.
I'm not checking email, I'm not doing any work. So I'll either write, I might do some research you know, I usually do like some social media posts. But it's just kind of my way to ease into the day. Clear the brain and then I'll start. But the other thing that I like what you said was with the flow that you have, and I think this is for just entrepreneurs to know you don't have to work 80 hours.
A hundred hours a week to be an entrepreneur. Like I know, like that's what's glorified the hustle culture. And, and there's people who I've met that I've asked 'em about starting their own bus business, and they have specifically said that they don't want to, because they don't want to have to work that much.
And by by that much, their perception is they're going to just have to work. 24 hours a day. And I've told people, you don't have to do that. Like I work probably less now for myself than I did when I worked for corporate. And [00:27:00] I have more freedom, I make more money. I'm happier. And so you, you don't have to work 80 hours a week like you work whatever schedule you want to, you have to have that balance.
In fact, I don't think that you should work that many hours a week. That's what I appreciate about what you said.
Theresa Ward: Yeah, and I find I do end up working a lot on like Saturday and Sunday mornings.
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: fiance also has a non-traditional schedule, so he's working on Saturdays and Sundays.
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: to me it's. Yeah. It's again, that natural flow. Yes. I probably don't take weekends the same way that other people do, right?
That living for Friday at five o'clock kind of thing is not really what I but I can
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: not take any work for three weeks and not really have, the repercussions of coming back
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: that's full of a bunch of obligations. So
Jeremy: Right, right.
Theresa Ward: offs. There are trade offs
Jeremy: Yeah. So we talked about what [00:28:00] you like about your business and entrepreneurship. What would you say is the, the dark side of entrepreneurship that nobody talks about?
Theresa Ward: Ooh, that nobody talks about. I feel like there are lots of dark sides that people do talk about. The rollercoaster of work
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: you just learn to ride and know that there are gonna be seasons where you're really busy and then there's gonna be seasons where you're literally worried about paying your mortgage the next month.
And I've experienced that as recently as three months ago. Just to
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: I've been
Jeremy: Yeah, for sure.
Theresa Ward: years and there's. You that literal feeling that you get when you drop in a rollercoaster, you can't
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: not to feel that way, even if you've
Jeremy: Yeah. Yeah.
Theresa Ward: of rollercoasters.
So you're always gonna feel
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: you know, that visceral,
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: oh no. Freak out. To put it
Jeremy: Yeah, yeah.
Yep.
Theresa Ward: the, maybe the dark side that people, I don't hear people talking about as much is [00:29:00] the long term trajectory when you let go of a 401k match,
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: short term income is one thing.
It's, oh wow, look at
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: but I don't know if everybody factors in taxes and retirement and
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: those longer term things.
Jeremy: Yeah,
Theresa Ward: Again, I
Jeremy: that's actually a good point.
Theresa Ward: like a commercial for my financial planner, but one.
Jeremy: Yeah, for sure. No, that, that's actually true. I would say for me it's kind of the loneliness of entrepreneurship, especially if you're a, a solopreneur, like you and I are because you don't have a team. Like I thrive best in teams and I love like being a part of a team. So even like my clients, I'm an extension of some of those teams, which is great.
You know, you have the comradery. But when you're working on your business and business ideas. There's not someone as invested in your business as you, like, if you [00:30:00] were to have a partner or a team surrounding you which also kind of opens the door for maybe like coaching or mentorship or something like that.
I don't feel like you're ever too late in your in your career or your business to have those resources. I don't currently have one, but that's the piece for me where it's like, it'd be good to have someone to bounce ideas off of. And I guess there's chat GPT now, but someone who. Who, who knows you?
That's not a bot. Someone with a heartbeat and a pulse.
Theresa Ward: I think there are a decent amount of entrepreneurial communities out there, right? Where you
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: of
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: I love that you're even doing the
Jeremy: Yep.
Theresa Ward: to stimulate these kinds of conversations. I, that's such an interesting thing that you bring up because I think I do thrive. Best when I'm doing independent and autonomous work,
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: but because solo entrepreneurship empowers me to stay in my, stay in my cave, I lose the muscle memory of collaboration. And then when I do get engaged in a [00:31:00] team project where, we're all working on a thing and I gotta delegate and collaborate more than I used to, it's I'm a little stiff, right?
I'm a little out of
Jeremy: Yeah, get back on stage. That improv into it.
Theresa Ward: for sure.
Jeremy: so let's talk about like your workshops or speaking, like what is your favorite service or workshop that you love doing, and what are some of the responses that you get from your clients?
Theresa Ward: my, I'll say my most popular workshop this year is how to navigate unwelcome change,
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: none of us have experienced in 2025, I'm
Jeremy: Of course, none, no.
Theresa Ward: the way that our brains, from a neuroscience perspective, the way that our brains react to change is the same way that they react. It reacts to grief. So I'm gonna say that one more time. The, from a neuroscience perspective, the way that our brain reacts to change is the same way it [00:32:00] reacts to grief. So you've heard of the Kubler-Ross stages of grief. There's denial, blame, anger, depression, and then ultimately you get into acceptance you go through any unwelcome change.
Oh no, we're out of toothpaste. Or, I just lost my biggest client. your brain goes through those waves. And so I've been teaching folks different teams in that workshop. Self-awareness skills of where do you go first? Where do you tend to get stuck? And even if you're an individual contributor, that self-awareness is great, but especially if you're a manager or you're a leader.
To navigate that. 'cause we, you hear a lot about change management, right? So how can you manage change if you haven't yet internally processed how it's affecting you? You can't get excited about the CEO's reorg. And be a rah factor for that [00:33:00] you have
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: gotten through your own anger and blame about it.
Period.
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: it's the
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: of the change curve. Kubler-Ross, change curve, and then three techniques, the BLT sandwich, that's my acronym for the three techniques to strengthen your resilience and get through change smoother and faster. Yeah.
Jeremy: What is, what is.
Theresa Ward: all right, so we'll walk through the makings of the sandwich.
B is, what's the benefit of the change? So we all hear this cliche thing about oh, let, there's just a silver lining in this, which is sometimes true and sometimes not. But I think if you could be hyper-specific about, is there a way that this can help me with my life purpose or my earning potential, or even creating a sense of play in my life. So there's three P's within the b. And then the l the lettuce. Gotta put some fiber in that sandwich. So the lettuce stands for
Jeremy: Okay.
Theresa Ward: of control, that's those
Jeremy: Okay.
Theresa Ward: it's like the three concentric [00:34:00] circles. That's like the smallest circle is what you can control. The next
Jeremy: Yep.
Theresa Ward: you can influence.
The biggest circle is. Everything. You have to surrender and let go of taking
Jeremy: Okay.
Theresa Ward: of that so that you don't waste energy complaining about
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: cannot control. That's the second tool. And the third, the T, the tomato in our sandwich to top it off is. Taking the long view. So this is an exercise where you ask yourself, okay is this gonna matter tomorrow?
Is this gonna matter in a week? Is this gonna matter in a month? Is this gonna matter in a year? And you keep zooming
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: and further until you get to a place where you're like, okay, this is gonna take me probably six months to process and get through. So it helps you discern. How bad is the spilled milk?
You know what I mean?
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: overreacting to, I was 30 minutes late for a meeting and comparing that to, [00:35:00] I had a major disruption and my half my projects got canceled or whatever.
Jeremy: Right. Right. Okay. No, that sounds interesting. Thank you for sharing. The BLT. It sounds like a good workshop and something that, especially like you say, like change management, people who are going through reorgs or layoffs or whatever the case they need to plug in with you. I wanna talk about like this entrepreneurship journey. What have you learned about yourself?
Theresa Ward: Oh wait, how many more minutes do we have?
Jeremy: Hey, it's open. We, we can let it run for the next hour. No.
Theresa Ward: No,
Jeremy: top things, 'cause I'm sure you've learned a thing or two. What are the most important things you've learned about yourself through this whole journey?
Theresa Ward: , I've learned a lot about my own personal energy when you don't have the restrictions of a commute, a nine to five other people's scheduling a bunch of meetings on your calendar. It's been really interesting
Jeremy: I.
Theresa Ward: the ebbs and flows of my own energy. I have learned a lot about my [00:36:00] need to be liked. So Rejection bootcamp, that's one thing I don't mind hearing. No. But if
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: In a room and I'm facilitating and I make a joke and it doesn't land, or I get a bad review, right? That people didn't
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: style.
Jeremy: Right?
Theresa Ward: been quite a journey to accept and be hungry for
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: feedback and to discern like Brene Brown talks about this. just throwing comments from the cheap seats where you
Jeremy: Exactly.
Theresa Ward: to listen to that critique versus, oh, this is important and I really need to dial into this pattern, that I'm finding that's limiting me in my own growth, and here's something I need to grow and change. And sometimes solo
Jeremy: Yep.
Theresa Ward: is like trying to cut your own hair. Where you're like,
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: see what it [00:37:00] looks like in the back. with the
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: Don't give yourself
Jeremy: Alright.
Theresa Ward: So
Jeremy: Yeah, it's true.
Theresa Ward: be asking your peers, your clients, like anybody in your community, be hungry for feedback so that you don't get stuck. And don't limit yourself by
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: Yeah.
Jeremy: Yeah. No, that's good. And I, I've found like with the, the haters who are gonna make the comments from the cheap seats, like that inspires me as well. Like I am, I'm motivated by encouragement, people who like what I do, and then the people who. Have something to say about it. I'm like, okay. Because both of 'em, like both ends of that spectrum, like really pushed me to work harder.
It's like the haters don't make me say I shouldn't be doing this, or am I doing it this way? It's more like, no, I'm confident in what I do. So you're saying this, let me show you, let me show you what you might be missing. So I'm,
Theresa Ward: that you're
Jeremy: I use both end.
Theresa Ward: when you're big enough to get haters. Like
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: a sign of success in and of [00:38:00] itself, right? If you have
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: Maybe you've made it.
Jeremy: True. True. So speaking of just resilience in general, not just necessarily your own, you talked a little bit about that. What would you say resilience looks like?
Theresa Ward: Someone during the pandemic. Resilience was a word that we used a lot, right? Coming out of the
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: and someone said, oh, it, it isn't getting knocked down and then standing back up again and trying to go back. 'cause that was what we heard during the pandemic. Oh, go back to normal.
Go back. Go back. It isn't going from standing to getting knocked down to going back to standing. I think resilience is like. Going from standing to getting knocked down to, I'm gonna completely shape shift and maybe now I'm sitting or I'm kneeling, or I'm doing jumping jacks or I'm doing a handstand. And so I think it's evolving into a different shape than a new season of life [00:39:00] requires.
Jeremy: Yeah. No,
Theresa Ward: think?
Jeremy: that. No, I, I actually love what you said because there's a lot of people who, during the pandemic, because the pause button was hitting, they were like, I don't really like what I'm doing right now. And either people lost their job or they were like, I'm. Not doing this anymore and quit their jobs.
Yes, and because they had a moment to just pause and think about what they wanted to do and trying something else that has been on their heart for a long time. You know, I talk about a lot about passion and purpose, and I think the. Pandemic allowed a space for people to reset and really go towards their lean, into their passions and try to discover that purpose and that calling that they have in their life.
And on the other side of that, are people that are starting businesses or shifting careers or doing something that they never did because they had the opportunity now and they realize, oh. Precious life is maybe in that time is not [00:40:00] guaranteed, and there's no better time than now, so let's go after it. , That's what I like about You.
For me, perseverance is no matter what you're up against, never letting go of hope and acting upon that hope. That is perseverance. I've been through plenty of ups and downs of my life and, without hope, I wouldn't have been able to persevere. I have to hope that there is something better than what it is today.
Because if I don't, then it's, it's done. What am I, what's my motivation? But if I believe that today's circumstances are not tomorrow's fulfillment, the, I'm going to continue to seek what tomorrow is, and that, that's the perseverance that's driven me
Theresa Ward: I, I agree
Jeremy: so.
Theresa Ward: I tend to be an optimist.
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: After you go through that locus of control exercise. So
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: here is what I can influence. Here's what I have agency over. That's where I'm going to channel my energy I,
Jeremy: Mm-hmm.
Theresa Ward: and setting those expectations of what can [00:41:00] I impact of, oh, single handedly, I don't know, gonna solve climate change or something like that. It's, yeah. What are the realistic where's your sphere of influence, right? Where can you make a dent in the universe? And then seeing those tiny wins, I think right, gives you that ongoing hope and momentum. Yeah. Oh, I like what you said, Jeremy. Thanks.
Jeremy: Thank you. So last question here. If you could instill hope in another woman who's seeking entrepreneurship or considering starting their own thing, what would you say to her?
Theresa Ward: What a lovely question. It's easier to think of one person in your mind than thinking
Jeremy: Right. Yeah. Yeah. That's why her think of her. This one person I.
Theresa Ward: Your strengths and weaknesses are both wonderful assets for you to take the next step of your journey. I think that. For all of my own flaws and you know what? A terrible manager I was in the corporate space and [00:42:00] a terrible listener or collaborator or whatever, fill in the blank. I think those weaknesses really me. entrepreneur. So
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: don't worry about one, fixing yourself or fixing your flaws or waiting until you have that specific degree or certification or title or level of experience. I think as long as you're willing to commit to a very gritty, never ending self-development journey than whatever you have already with you in your suitcase. Is great to start walking on the path.
Jeremy: Great advice. Thank you for sharing that with her. So, so we have reached the crucial time of the podcast where we're breaking out the clarity cards.
Theresa Ward: I'm ready.
Jeremy: Okay, and I'm gonna pull one. This is this question is, what is your biggest distraction?
Theresa Ward: [00:43:00] Ooh, wedding planning.
Jeremy: Oh yeah. That's the distraction though. That should, that's the focal point isn't
or maybe that's a good distraction. Who am I to judge your distraction? I'm just digging in. That's all.
Theresa Ward: It is. I think it's a distraction. From when I want to focus on, I don't know, just house projects, writing my book getting strategic, entrepreneurial things done, and then the
Jeremy: Yep.
Theresa Ward: will send me a message about a vendor or a checklist. So yeah, I
Jeremy: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Theresa Ward: distractions as good or bad. It's just
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: that will. Snake its way into my brain. And then I'll get latched on to a detail like the seeding chart. And we're recording this in August and I'm not getting married for another 10 months, so I 100% [00:44:00] do not need
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: this level of distracted about it. But
Jeremy: Yeah.
Theresa Ward: for your,
Jeremy: it's all good.
Theresa Ward: listeners, I'm sure. This is an understandable experience. So yeah, not good
Jeremy: Yeah.
Good.
Theresa Ward: just like a thing that's there on the edge of my brain.
Jeremy: yes. Well, thank you. Thank you for answering that with such authenticity, 'cause that that is a real distraction. Yeah. And also thank you, Theresa, for joining the podcast today. Where can people get ahold of you and or your company?
Theresa Ward: fiery feather.com is my website, so you can check that out. LinkedIn is the social media platform where I am most active. It is the only social media platform where I am active, so would love to connect with folks on there as well.
Jeremy: Okay, and that's Theresa Ward with Fiery Feather. So thank you all for tuning into the Jeremy Haywood show. If you enjoyed today's episode, don't forget to follow or subscribe, so you're always up to date when each new episode drops. Until next time, keep following your dreams to find [00:45:00] your purpose.
