Episode 59: Building Connections with Megan Dowd

Heart Hustle and Humor

Today's Guest: Megan Dowd

Megan Dowd is a neurodiverse entrepreneur, business strategist, coach, and storyteller. With her human-first biz second approach, she is helping new and seasoned business owners build a better human connection with themselves and their clients, leaning into who they are and what they stand for. After nearly a decade as a professional actress and a Jill of all trades in that industry, Megan decided to go into business for herself. There she learned that the skills she acquired in acting reciprocated into business. Megan started MD and CO in 2018 and celebrated leveraging her client's strengths, transparency, values, and building a connection. She also made Hello, CEO in 2020, to help support neurodiverse entrepreneurs to build where they can thrive in a business world that isn't one size fits all. It's so true. She is also the founder of the original Spicy Soapbox, where she candidly discusses various topics. Offline you can find her cold drinking brew cuddling with fluffy cats, and eating plenty of snacks.

https://withmegandowd.com/

From this episode:

"I think many people are leaving corporate America because they are coming up with really good ideas to help with the current environment; the ideas have to be different. You cannot do business the same anymore. I don't care what industry you're in, and I think people are going in having these ideas and constantly being shut down. And that, to me, affects people on an intense emotional level when they know this could shift a business." Dr. T

"One of the things I do with clients is rather than starting with like, what are the things you value, we begin by digging into their stories, we start by digging into peak experiences, we start digging into moments of transcendence, and what are the actions? What are the behaviors? What experiences made you feel like the most human you are? And from there, what is the language? This is where the acting comes in, and I get to get really nerdy about it. My acting training was in classical theater. So, give me all the language, and let's dig into the language. And the most significant thing is, it doesn't matter how I define the word; how does it feel in your mouth? How does it feel in your body? So, it's semi-somatic work because it doesn't matter what it feels like, to me, it doesn't matter how it sounds, to me, it doesn't matter what connotations I have, it matters to you, it's the cause we can always finesse the external expression, that's easy. Find the internal expression first, and get your version of that language in your body. And then we can finesse the external. That's complex, but it's in the grand scheme. It's easy. It's complex, but it's easy." Megan Dowd