Welcome to our interview with Charlene Day, president and chief educator at her company Charlene Day & Co.
If you follow this series, you know we like to start our interviews learning about the formal and informal educational experiences of our Moguls with Moxie. As a result of this practice, here’s what we know for sure: There is NO one path to becoming a successful leader. Experiences contribute to who we are and who we are continuously becoming. Now that you know a little about our philosophy, get ready to be inspired by the life’s journey of Charlene Day.
MogulMoxie: Let’s get started by learning about your formal and/or informal educational background.
Charlene: “I have always loved education. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry and Public Relations – and a Master’s Degree in Education. What inspired me to study Chemistry was my ninth grade teacher. He made me his classroom assistant. Imagine me, not the brightest student in the classroom, his assistant. I got to answer my peers’ questions.
This was significant to me being the first person in my family to go to college and completing two degrees, taking on internships and jobs with CBS and the Salvation Army, completing my Masters, and studying abroad at one of the most prestigious schools in Europe. The list could go on, but all of this is to say that this teacher who believed in me changed my life forever.”
MogulMoxie: Good, caring teachers are undervalued, more emphasis should be placed on building intellectual confidence in students. Tell us about a project you’ve worked on that made you feel motivated.
Charlene: “I enjoyed heading up a fundraiser initiative to celebrate couples who were still married after 25 years. This project included 25 selected couples in the community. It was a success, and a few of the couples agreed to mentor others who had been married for five years or less.
I’m also proud to host the Fear Goodbye Event. This project is near and dear to my heart because I lived in fear for so long and didn’t realize how debilitating it was. I lived with sleepless nights, zero dollars in the bank, and unnecessary headaches because I refused to get up and take a stand for myself. This event is put on yearly in April, helping hundreds of men and women to realize that their dreams do not have to wait if they wake up now and live them.”
MogulMoxie: Both events sound like awesome successes. On the flip side, tell us about one of the toughest things you have had to do in business and what you’ve learned from it.
Charlene: “One of the toughest things I had to do in business was to cut ties with someone I truly cared about as a human. This person was repeatedly showing signs of sabotage on people’s lives. It was very disturbing to watch. I had to shut down everything and pray. Being a teacher, I had to remember that everybody comes from different backgrounds. They hold onto habits and values that are not understood. Nevertheless, it should never stop you from speaking up and putting a stop to things that harm others. In short, what I learned is that people are people.”
MoguMoxie: Have you ever struggled with confidence or courage in your career? Tell us about it and how you’ve overcome the struggle.
Charlene: “Me and courage have got a thing going on. I call it self-belief. My mentor once said, ‘Charlene, the [Cowardly] Lion in the Wizard of Oz wasn’t lacking courage. He was lacking self-belief.’ I thought about it for a while and asked what he meant. He said, ‘when a baby wants to walk, it doesn’t take courage. It takes practice after practice after practice. Once the baby feels his groove, he soon bounces straight up to place one foot in front of the other and begins walking, then takes off running. Why? The baby is not worrying whether he can. He does it. No, he doesn’t know anything about belief, but there is a chemical inside the brain that releases and it is called ‘belief’. Very similar to the Lion, very similar to you. Every time you prepare and practice, you are triggering that chemical within yourself that activates belief.’”
MogulMoxie: Interesting! What has been helpful to you in increasing and managing your cashflow?
Charlene: “Being intentional. Networking through collaboration has been helpful in increasing and managing my cashflow. Manage your network and watch your revenue increase. This has brought me many financially-rich deals.
It’s pointless to just do things without a focus. When you are intentional you know exactly what it is you want and you will let nothing stop you. John Maxwell said, ‘Intentional living always has an idea. Unintentional living always has an excuse.’”
MogulMoxie: Well said. What awards have you won that make you feel the proudest?
Charlene: “The Power of Leadership Award. It exemplifies everything I believe and teach. As an educator and leader I tell audiences around the world that we are called to lead. Use your power and do it.”
MogulMoxie: What’s coming up that you want our readers to know about?
Charlene: “What’s next is the launching of my long-awaited PR Firm with lots of fun and goodies. Hint: I’m excited about the experiments.”
MogulMoxie: Fantastic! How can our readers keep up with you?
You can find me on all social media platforms at Charlene E. Day and on my website at www.bizandministry.com
We at MogulMoxie hope you have enjoyed our interview with Charlene Day. Here are a few key lessons from our time with her that you can implement into your life right away.
• Be intentional. Charlene quotes John Maxwell who says: “Intentional living always has an idea. Unintentional living always has an excuse.”
• Charlene reminds audiences around the world that they are called to lead. “Use your power and do it.”
Now that you’ve been inspired by our MogulMoxie® Maven – it’s your time. What are you going to do differently in your own life or business? We want to hear about it!”
