Eclipse Group LLC’s Post

From the Aisle Seat to the CEO's Chair: My Journey Inspired by Chance Encounters at 30,000 Feet As I buckled up for my career as a flight attendant right after business school, my eyes were not just on the safety demo but on a distant dream: running my own successful business. Back then, my music business was a budding side hustle, but my ambition stretched further, fueled by the countless hours I spent observing successful entrepreneurs in transit. I'll never forget the CEOs on their BlackBerrys in first class, the driven frequent flyers, and the vibrant personalities I encountered - actors, rappers, and singers, each sharing a snippet of their journey. Among these was George Stroumboulopoulos, a prominent media figure in Canada, whose words would leave an indelible mark on my aspirations. During one memorable flight, George and I struck up a conversation that transcended the usual small talk. When I confided my dream of entrepreneurship, he offered insights that echoed through my subsequent ventures: "Chris, if you get focused enough, write a plan, set the goals, develop a strategy, you can do whatever you want." He shared his own transformation from a university radio host to a national TV personality, reinforcing that dreams do evolve into reality with dedication and clarity. This exchange was more than inspirational; it was transformative. It affirmed that the boundaries of my current job didn’t define my potential. Today, as I guide manufacturers' rep agencies in honing their visions and building high-performing teams, I carry the essence of that conversation in every strategy session, every goal-setting workshop. To those reading this, remember: every interaction has the potential to pivot your path. Keep your dreams in clear sight, and let the wisdom of those who've walked before guide you. Let's embrace our ambitions and work tirelessly toward them, inspired by those who show us it’s possible. #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #Inspiration #Networking #CareerDevelopment

Another unbelievable and inspiring Breakthrough weekend with Dr. John Demartini in London. Each of these signature and mind-blowing Breakthrough Weekends shaped me to better version of myself and made me realise that - I’m in LOVE with my LIFE! ❤️ It took me some time to find myself … and to realise it…but I didn’t stop - I was keep investing in my personal growth and I kept asking myself: What is it that I can do to make a difference in life? What would I love doing? - simple questions!? I kept looking for the answers elsewhere until I looked deep down into myself, into my hierarchy of values, and everything that inspires me within. We all know that life has a remarkable way of shaping us into the best versions of ourselves and leading us towards success in both personal growth and business endeavors. Soooo…… If you are still looking for one person to change your life - LOOK IN THE MIRROR! 💫😉 #drjohndemartini #breakthrough #inspiration #vision #mission #personaldevelopment #personalgrowth #success #businesswoman #lovewhatyoudo #happiness #entrepreneurship #besuccessful #world #leadershipdevelopment #training #mindset #london #loveyourself

While visiting my daughter in London this spring, we got the chance to reenact the iconic Abbey Road album cover. What an experience! Did you know? This isn't just a photo op - it's a live, bustling street where fans dodge real traffic to capture their moment✨ 𝘗𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴: ➤ One person shouting directions and snapping photos ➤ Coordinating unspoken turns with complete strangers ➤ Frustrated drivers and buses navigating the chaos ➤ Crowds of people, year-round, all for that perfect shot ➤ Often taking multiple attempts to get it right As we waited for our turn, it struck me... 𝘌𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘈𝘣𝘣𝘦𝘺 𝘙𝘰𝘢𝘥: → Sometimes, you need to step up as the leader to guide your team's vision → Collaboration with new partners or team members can lead to unexpected wins → You'll face endless obstacles and relentless "traffic" trying to derail your progress → The business landscape might seem crowded, but that's where exceptional teams rise above → Success often requires multiple attempts and persistence 𝘙𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳: Just like at Abbey Road, breakthrough achievements in business are worth the challenge. You've got to navigate the chaos, work with others, and keep trying until you get it right. Not everyone will see your vision or want to be part of it, and that's okay. Our kids wanted no part of it, so the photo features just me, my husband, brother, and sister-in-law—but we still created our moment! Was it worth it? Absolutely. Some experiences are simply too iconic to miss. What's your Abbey Road moment in business? How do you handle the chaos and persist in creating something memorable? Share your stories in the comments ⬇️ Repost this to inspire your network & follow me @Heide Olson for more insights on entrepreneurial growth and seizing opportunities. #EntrepreneurialSpirit #IconicMoments #Persistence #BusinessLessons #LeadershipInsights #AIOA #Accountinuity #Veracitypros

Great insights on business ownership and being an entrepreneur.

💛 Week 128 of full time #entrepreneurship was another humdinger, but I’m very cool with that. So exhausted that Netflix is watching me. A few things: 💛 Dust off those rare collaborations. Or start new collaborations. I promise this will take your business to a new place. Grateful that my “Business Besties” said yes and we are on our way to thinking outside the box. 💛 I found myself sitting around a table with people from Poland, Cote D’Ivoire, Colombia, India, and Korea, interested in what I had to say about inclusion in the workplace. Never doubt what you can do and why you are there. 💛 Oh yeah, 30 states have introduced or passed anti-DEI legislation. So the word “assault” for our profession is more than reasonable. If you are NOT in the DEI space, but know that your organization / association needs a DEI professional’s expertise, make the referral. There is plenty of work to go around. 💛 I recently saw an online ad for a major University’s Certificate in DEI. The comments underneath were past disagreeable. They were threatening and should be reported to FB. When you see such vitriol, report it. Not just things you disagree with, because we CAN disagree. What we cannot do is threaten violence. Report it to Zuck and nem. 💛 My book list for the year keeps growing. Three books on indigenous culture, one to prepare for the study tour in Japan, and another on language justice. 💛 Make mistakes, apologize, and course-correct quickly. We cannot wallow in business problems when solutions abound. 💛 Whatever you’re thinking? Think bigger. #entrepreneur #Entrepreneurship #GoHigher #blackownedbusiness #blackbusinesses

🌍✨ The Power of Collaboration ✨🌍 "If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together." — Cory Booker When I left corporate, I decided I didn’t want to do anything alone. Hence, over the last 10 years, I’ve… - 3Xed my yearly sales - Collaborated with 7-8-figure entrepreneurs - Built a community of 20K speakers, coaches, and authors  - Helped 50+ experts become best-selling speakers - Produced over 100+ events But I didn't do it alone. Out of the numerous lessons I’ve learned along the way... My network & collaborations will always be my foundation. Today, I want to celebrate 5 people who influenced me… Ellen Latham: Offered space for my 1st office & inspired me to write my first book. Nancy Mathews: Gave me a stage and introduced me to her thriving community. Vicky Townsend: The most thoughtful human (& gave me my first keynote)! Patricia Wooster: Became my publishing partner and now business partner. Lara Acostar: Showed me how to get consistent on LI It's been my experience, the journey of life and business, collaboration is the key to unlocking extraordinary potential. 🤝 Whether you’re a speaker, a coach, or an entrepreneur, joining forces with others amplifies your impact and expands your reach. Together, we can transform challenges into opportunities and dreams into reality. Let’s embrace the power of community and lift each other higher. 💪 What collaborations are you pursuing this year? Share below! ⬇️ PS: ♻️ REPOST if you love anyone on this list.. ♥️ #Collaboration #Community #LeadershipandEmpowerment #Entrepreneurship #SupportEachOther #GoFarTogether Nancy Matthews Vicky Townsend Orangetheory Fitness

How do you deal with the "in-betweens" in business? The valleys (and maybe even deserts 🌵) we go through before conquering mountains 🏔... We have all experienced them... those times in between big accomplishments: The months before your best revenue month ever, the seasons of hard work and preparation before a big launch, or the weeks of intense focus before hitting a specific goal. How do keep yourself motivated so that you're more likely to achieve these things? 🎯 I remember someone telling me after we celebrated our first "big" event to get mentally ready for the low I would feel after the event. He wasn't thinking about the success or failure we would achieve at the event, but the feeling after the event was completed. When you put so much energy into something and specially events where you are building adrenaline, stress, excitement, fear and a cocktail of emotions...your body gets used to thinking it NEEDS to keep that level of energy...and when it's done you can feel deflated. This is called "post-event blues" 💙 Today's Sunday theme at church was the concept of "Celebration" as a discipline. And the part of the message that hit me the most was the invitation to celebrate the "small things" in life as a discipline of our daily life. I've found that this is key as we navigate life, business, and whatever other area to keep us anchored to the things that matter the most. If you're a marketing agency owner, this is specially true for you. You've decided to set your own rules, and to risk more than most people would. Because of the nature of our business, our clients are constantly evaluating us if we are worth the investment, and we are fighting every month to bring them results, while balancing the complexities of being a business owner. You need to anchor yourself to things that really matter. I'm taking on the challenge of celebrating a small thing every day to build this discipline. And if this speaks to you, I invite you to do the same So....What's one thing you can celebrate today? 😀 #celebrate #entrepreneurship #digitalmarketing

What really matters is who you are not what you do... A couple of weeks ago, I met Vianney Garcia; one of the most authentic and genuine people I’ve ever spoken to. A true #leader with the strength to build her #CommercialCleaningCompany from scratch, even with the certainty of succeeding in her role as an employee, alongside “a perfect #team” and “an exceptional boss,” as she describes them. She visited our office, smiled, smiled again, we learned, talked business, and she smiled some more. When she left, she left us with a couple of lessons that, while not new, are rarely applied: 1️⃣ Entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone or for any moment: #Entrepreneurship is a calling, a vocation—it’s something you can’t avoid because it reflects your identity as a hardworking leader. But you must choose the right timing; vocation without #strategy is just a fleeting adventure. 2️⃣ Be kind: There’s nothing emptier than basing your business and relationships purely on chasing a coin. Recognize that on the other side of the table and the screen are #humans with aspirations, families, needs, and fears. At the end of the day, everything comes back around. It’s not a "cliché"; it’s physics. (Learned by Mark C Smith) 3️⃣Be #meaningful: Vianney’s company is called #VNA Cleaning Company. I asked her why, and she said: “My daughter’s name is also Vianney, but people who speak English rarely pronounce it correctly. So, to help them, she just asks them to spell it out: V-N-A. And there you go, that’s how our name is pronounced.” She then added, “Also, coincidentally, they’re the initials of my husband, my daughter, and me. There wasn’t a more appropriate name than VNA.” This post probably won’t get many views because neither Vianney nor I are famous. I don’t mind —well, maybe just a little— 🤷🏻♂️but I’m sure that anyone who reads it will refresh the idea that we’re just human beings. Our true #mission is to make life easier for each other, and #excellence is simply one of the outcomes of honoring your calling and enjoying it (learned by Jeff Burrows) whether you choose to start your own business or dedicate yourself as an employee. Expert Chemical & Supply #maintenance #facilitymanagement #leadership #operations

What does “making it” look like to you? I recently spoke on a panel for Amplify Her, discussing what it takes to break barriers in the music industry. One question that stuck with me was about defining success and what “making it” truly means. For me, I’ve made it. I may not be earning what I did at large record labels and companies, but I’ve gained something far more valuable - I’m running my own business on my own terms. I work with clients I enjoy collaborating with and I genuinely believe in. Most importantly, I’ve built a life where I call the shots and can focus on what truly matters to me. I decide how I spend my time and who I work with… and I’ve never been happier. For me, “making it” isn’t just about money, numbers or accolades. It’s about freedom, fulfilment, and staying true to what lights me up every day. So what does it mean to you? Are you putting unnecessary pressure on yourself, or are you allowing your goals to grow with you? Thank you Andrea Dee for creating such a beautiful environment, and Becky Wixon and Emily Dean for your energy and encouragement! #MusicIndustry #Entrepreneurship #WomenInBusiness #DefiningSuccess

Yesterday, I had lunch with an amazing business woman about value. We discussed how many entrepreneurs struggle to see the true value they create for others. Many view their products or services as singular, not realizing that what they truly offer is multidimensional and, in many ways, invaluable. I used to think this way too. As an event manager specializing in Indigenous experiences, I once felt that all I was doing was planning events. It wasn’t until later that I saw the deeper value I was creating—not just for my corporate clients but also for Indigenous entertainers, vendors, entrepreneurs, Elders, and every participant we serve at our events. I was impacting the next generation of Indigenous youth attending conferences and contributing to the Indigenous economy. I was providing opportunities that some might say are priceless, with no cost that could truly capture the value my company was creating. Imagine how I felt when I realized this. The value my company was generating—and the value I brought with my skills, life experience, and knowledge—helped me understand the broader economic impact of my services. I was no longer ‘just an event planner.’ This unique awareness is something I teach my Diamonds Mastermind students as well. I guide them to see that they are not simply selling a product or service—they are offering so much more. I help them uncover the value in their business and within themselves. Only when we recognize and charge our true worth can we fully serve those we aim to support. This alignment, this balance—the yin and yang—creates and sustains the flow of life. #indigenousentrepreneur #indigenouswomenrise #indigenousbusiness