Questions about Dr. Swinney and her industry
FWM: We’re so happy to catch up with you! Please… Introduce yourself to our audience.
BS: Hello! I am Dr. Barbara Swinney, Your Life and Holistic Leadership Expert, Coach Trainer, Author, Speaker, and Founder and CEO for DEEPER Women™️ Lead Global; a platform established for women in leadership to heal, lead, and LEVERAGE their stories and strategies for life, love, and leadership.
…we put on our Ruby Woo lipstick, our finest suits, and stylish heels, paint a smile on our faces…and we walk—confidently insecure—bound by the expectations of others, paralyzed by self-judgment, and completely afraid to give any indication that we, are not OK.
FWM: What circumstances led you to your industry?
SB: In a period of six months, I got a divorce, experienced a major involuntary shift in my career, bought a house, sold a house, sent a child off to college, adjusted to a single mom lifestyle, and started a life and holistic leadership coaching business to help women in leadership transition through life changing events that occurred right in the middle of their leadership; helping them LEVERAGE what they thought was lost.
All of this in the middle of experiencing the roller coaster ride of my own healing process, and fastening the seat belts of my two adolescent daughters as they navigated the new reality of what they had known as family. I felt alone and isolated and nobody could help me.
I trusted no one to give me the grace that I needed should my performance fall below the level of excellence to which I had become accustomed. So I suffered in silence…I powered through-mostly left to wander through this crisis alone.
I knew that this was not just my story. As I started this journey of healing and leading, I learned that was the story of many women in leadership. Instead of having a place to process our personal pain, we stuff it; we put on our Ruby Woo lipstick, our finest suits, and stylish heels, paint a smile on our faces…and we walk—confidently insecure—bound by the expectations of others, paralyzed by self-judgment, and completely afraid to give any indication that we, are not OK.
This…is my why! This is why I became vigilant about helping women, like me, transition through life changing events, while managing the demands of leadership; teaching them how to use the pain as a platform for their “next”.
FWM: How did you decide to make it your own?
BS: Making it my own all started when I came face-to-face with myself while waiting for my therapist to enter the room for our appointment. As I sat there pondering what was happening in my life. I engaged in the mental banner in my head. I could hear myself saying things like, “I gave him my all…I know I’m smarter than this…How could he do me this way after I…”. The diatribe went on and on.
Suddenly, I felt a slap on my face that felt like a strong but nurturing hand on my cheek; like a hand that loved me too much to really hurt me. It was me! Hearing myself saying “I” so many times made me realize that I was in the middle of it all. I have given too much power to my career and to my marriage.
I knew that if my life was going to be different, I was going to have to start leading it. I had given up all of my rights; handed over my executive functioning to too many entities outside of me. I had to take full responsibility for where I was in my life; I had to regain custody of myself.
FWM: What has been your greatest challenge in your industry? Why?
BS: For the last 6-8 years, I’ve been building my business quietly; to myself with not many people involved. As I have continued to grow and expand as a business owner, I’ve had to work to establish a team to support me and the vision I have for the business. This has indeed been one of the toughest stretches for me.
Working with a team is not new for me. As a leader in education for almost 30 years, I’ve led teams most of my career. Until now, I’ve considered communication one of my strengths; but I’m learning that representing and communicating someone else’s vision (like that of a school district) has been far easier than communicating what I see in my head for myself.
I’ve been doing this alone. If I wanted something done, I did it; no questions asked; no one challenged my thinking; no one shared a different perspective; no one objected. So, I’m learning to delegate, ask for what I need, and advocate for the vision of the business. I’m also learning to trust the people who are here to support me, do just that! I was once growing my business. Now, my business is growing me!
Questions about people involved
FWM: Who else has helped you evolve into the person you are today?
BS: My family has played a huge role in my healing and leading journey. As the youngest of ten siblings, I’m blessed to have nine mirrors that I can look into at times when I need to be reminded of who I am. My two daughters remind me of why I am. Modeling positive and progressive thinking, resilience, strength, and femininity for them certainly keeps my sights set on establishing an enduring legacy.
FWM: Can you share a time that forces were working against you? How did you overcome the challenge?
BS: In 2016 I experienced my own, personal pandemic. I felt like my life was falling apart. The two things with which I most readily identified, were stripped away. I found myself right in the middle of an identity crisis. I had no clue who I was with them. I started doubting EVERYTHING…who I was, what I had been taught, what I believed about who I was pretending to be…EVERYTHING! This, apparently, was the money spot! This is where the magic started to happen.
One of my favorite quotes by Miles Monroe is “When you start doubting, is when you start believing.” I started doubting everything I learned on the outside and started learning who I was on the inside. I found me. The real me. The me that God chose before the foundation of the universe. Now I fully understand what it means to sit in the authority of who you truly are.
Questions about Dr. Swinney’s expertise
FWM: What sets you apart and makes you/ your gift truly special?
BS: Living the DEEPER Life is not just a hashtag for me. Teaching women in leadership how to heal, lead, and leverage their stories and strategies for life, love, and leadership is something that I have done and actively practice.
Not only do I help women LEVERAGE their stories by helping them craft their stories into a speech; use their stories to create a platform and monetize; or partner with other platforms to create collaborative networks to expand their influence-through my coaching programs and empowerment events, I walk them through a step-by-step process that leads them to the DEEPER Women™️ Lead Stage. I teach them how to use their stories, then provide the stage for them to tell it!
FWM: How can others work with you?
BS: Currently conducting speaker interviews for my signature event DEEPER Women™️ Speak 2023; Vending and Sponsorship Opportunities at www.deeperwomenleadglobal.orginfo@deeperwomenleadglobal.org
FB: @drbarbaraswinneyIG: @drbarbaraswinney
LinkedIn: Dr. Barbara Swinney
YouTube: DEEPER Leader™️ TV
Apple Podcast: DEEPER Conversations with Dr. Barbara Swinney
Text “LEVERAGE” to 770.525.7422
