Automating Success and Living Authentically: Insights from Melissa Unsell-Smith
If we had to burn all the books in the world, but keep just 3… Which ones should we keep and why?
A New Earth by Eckart Tolle. I love how the author exposes our attachment to the ego and how that creates dysfunction that leads to anger, jealousy, and unhappiness. This book awakens readers to tap into a new state of consciousness and follow the path to a truly fulfilling existence by living in the present moment. I believe it's a tool for increasing consciousness in our society, a much needed enhancement to override our hustle culture.
Pitch Anything by Oren Klaff. This book transforms the way you pitch ideas, and any idea for that matter. I admire how Klaff leverages the neuroscience of the brain to develop his methods. It's changed the way I present most anything in my life and makes for a compelling way to hold conversation and pitch ideas. It provokes techniques that are unconventional and transformative. Everyone could use a bit of powerful storytelling and owning the frame. It's an excellent read for influential leaders.
In the Company of Women by Grace Bonney. This book if filled with quotes and stories of inspirational women. It's inspiring, uplifting and creates a sense of connection at moments when I feel like I'm going it alone.
How do you succeed in business without really trying? Aka: What are some of your best hacks and things you automate in your business?
The best way I succeed in business with minimal effort is by leaning into my authentic self. I courageously accept my true self and how I want my business to run around my desired lifestyle. I’ve noticed that by embracing my true self, I magnetize clients and opportunities to me easily and effortlessly. It also allow me to connect with others in a magical, meaningful way. Early on in my entrepreneurial journey, I did a lot of pretending and proving. I also mimicked the behavior of others. I’ve now learned that it is more efficient to design my own path based on my authentic desires.
I am an efficiency and automation expert, so I enjoy automated anything I can in my business. Here are some of my favorite automation hacks:
Automated scheduling
Integrating web applications with easy to use API hooks
Using an AI notetaker for meetings (and one that takes privacy seriously)
Hiring my amazing Executive Assistant to help me with business matters
Using a smart CRM with built in workflows and segmentation
Reviewing my business processes yearly and optimizing my sales process by cutting out superfluous steps
When did you consider yourself a success? Did you ever have to deal with the imposter syndrome?
I've always had a centered sense of self and an err of confidence from the day my personality flourished as a young child. Because of that, I've always felt successful. My relationship with success has changed over the years. Early on, my success was purely based on ego and the need for acceptance and validation.
Over the past several years, my relationship with success is much more of an inward journey. The more you invest in developing a relationship with your true self, the less you seek acceptance outside of yourself. Inner success is reflected in your outer reality. And when you do receive things from your outer world, you accept it with love and grace --- in a much more meaningful way because you don't seek it and don't require it to thrive.
I openly dislike the phrase imposter syndrome. It gives people permission to relinquish in it and use it as an excuse. I like to reframe it by using the word courage. Being courageous is about stepping through fear (of rejection, resentment, being disliked, judgment), and taking action despite the thoughts in your head. I'm of the mind, move through courage. Be courageous. That is so much more powerful than giving into imposter syndrome. Syndrome is a series a symptoms associated with a disorder. Humans are already made perfect and whole; we should not accept disorder. Rather, let's lean into courageous vulnerability and grow and flourish in that space rather than giving our power to some overly adopted term in our society.
What advice would you give to someone starting out or pivoting their business or their career?
Don't follow what everyone else does. When I first started my business I mimicked other people's process and pricing; only to find that those tactics weren't in alignment with my lifestyle goals. Build a business with boundaries that allows you to thrive; not survive. There are so many ways that can look, whether you are a solopreneur or have a scalable business with a team.
When you are in a moment of pivoting; you must invest the time to seek clarity and open up your intuition. Take the time to invest in a powerful pause so that you can tap into an ultimate gut check of what your pivot looks like. Honor that intuition and move forward with it. So many people ignore their intuition and spend years going down the wrong the path because of that.
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