Gayle Carson Minisode

Dr. Gayle Carson built and scaled a 350-person business as a woman in the 1950s and 1960s, balancing entrepreneurship, marriage, motherhood and a gig as the TV spokeswoman for Clairol. Now she’s busy with her first love as a podcaster and owner of SOB Radio Network, and yes, SOB stands for “spunky old broad”.  She shares her advice on how to overcome adversity and why your mindset is the key to success.

Melinda Wittstock:         Gayle, welcome to Wings.

Gayle Carson:                    Thanks so much for having me, Melinda.

Melinda Wittstock:         I am so excited to have you on my podcast. Of course, we spent a little bit of time together at the New Media Summit with some amazing podcasters. I always love to talk to a fellow podcaster, as well as shining light in business. I want to start the conversation by asking you what’s inspiring you right now.

Gayle Carson:                    Well, I think I’m always inspired by learning something new. I think that’s the important thing. So, I would say generally trying to get others to buy into the vision that I have that everybody needs training in how to speak. I train people to how to get on radio and television. One of the things that I noticed at the summit we were just at that a lot of the people who did their presenting rambled a lot. If they were really trained on how to present, they could get it out in the amount of time, maybe 30 seconds, maybe 45 seconds, but they don’t have to go on past that, and many of them did, as you know. My inspiration is getting people to present themselves well, to make sure that I wake up every day happy and learning new something, and loving my cats. I do love my cats.

Melinda Wittstock:         Oh, that’s wonderful. Of course, we all have challenges on our journeys as entrepreneurs, as business women, as wives, mothers, all the different roles that we have and we juggle. What are some of yours right now?

Gayle Carson:                    Well, my challenges are couple. Number one, after 60 years living in Miami, Florida, I’m going to be moving permanently to California. My base will be Palm Springs, although I also have a home in San Diego. That’s going to be something different because I have a whole network of people in Miami after all these years, and I’ll be starting something brand new in the Palm Springs area, but that is fine. I mean, I’ve always done it, and it will happen again. So, that’s a challenge, though, because it’s a whole new beginning, but I’m excited about it.

A second thing would be another health crisis I’ve got at this time. I was diagnosed a week ago with my fourth case, not first, not second, not third, but my fourth case of breast cancer. So, I started treatment on Monday.

Melinda Wittstock:         Oh my goodness.

Gayle Carson:                    But interestingly, everything that they’re doing this time wasn’t even available three years ago. He has great confidence that everything will go into remission. We don’t know for sure, but we hope. Then, I think the third thing is knowing that … You know, I’m a big workout person. So, I happen to work out two hours a day. I’ve been only working out for the last month for an hour a day because of the pain that I’ve had to be myself back once we start treatment into the physically shape that I was in.

Melinda Wittstock:         My goodness. Gayle, listening to you with a diagnosis like that, how strong, and upbeat, and happy you seem, I think most people would not be like that. What is your secret? I just, first of all, I mean, my heart goes out to you. But, I’m also so inspired by how you’re handling it.

Gayle Carson:                    Well you know, Melinda, this is not my first trip to the rodeo, so to speak. This is the fourth time. But, I’m a very positive person. It is very, very hard for me to get depressed. If I am depressed, I mean, maybe it lasts 30 seconds and that’s it. I just don’t stay there. I think it’s mindset. I think it’s the way you think about things. I think it’s the positive aspect that you bring to your life. This is just one more thing that I have to get through.

Melinda Wittstock:         Oh my goodness. That’s so inspiring. I think so much of the key to success that we discuss so often on this podcast is having that right mindset, really understanding that you have the ability to choose your thoughts and that your thoughts have power. I mean, your thoughts are energy.

Gayle Carson:                    Exactly. Everything is energy, and that’s what people have to learn. Your thoughts are energy. Money is energy. People are energy. Everything is energy. If you don’t keep that thought in your mind, you’re just really not going to get to the next step, which is what’s important.

Melinda Wittstock:         Oh, this is so true. Well, what a beautiful segue into the advice section of our Minisode. Gayle, you’ve been doing this for a long time. Women, you know, the … Sorry. I’m just going to pick up there. I’m just going to ask that again. I’m sorry. Beauty of tape. What a perfect segue into the advice section of our Minisode. Gayle, I mean, I’m so interested in your perspective because we see women changing over the generations. If you were to really focus in on your top three pieces of advice for women in business, wherever they are in their entrepreneurial journey, starting one, or growing, or scaling a business, what are the three things you think are the most important that you would advise them based on everything that you’ve been through?

Gayle Carson:                    Well, because I did build from a very nothing business up to a very big business, at least a big business for me … I had seven office and 350 people working for me. I would say, basically, that you should study as much as you can, read as many books, listen to as many people, go to as many seminars, and webinars, all of those things that you should do. But in the end, let your own gut be your deciding factors. So, that’s number one, listen to yourself first, as long as you’ve studied and gotten as much advice as you could possibly get.

I think the second thing would be to look at what you do really, really well and play on that. That’s such a change from when I started. You were always taught work on your weakness and learn as much as you can about what you can’t do. And it’s just the opposite now. Delegate what you don’t do well. That’s so easy now with VAs, you know, virtual assistants and so forth. So, I would say to work on your strengths and delegate your weaknesses. That’s number two.

Then, number three, have a plan. It doesn’t have to be engraved in gold, because you can’t really plan to far ahead today with all the changes that are going on. But, I would say have a plan. So when somebody comes to you and says, “You know, here’s this opportunity … ” Because we do get sidetracked my bright, shiny objects. If it’s not to do with where you want to go or what you have planned in your future, say no. I heard from a very wise woman, not to long ago, no is a complete sentence.

Melinda Wittstock:         I love that. That’s applicable on many levels.

Gayle Carson:                    Exactly. Exactly.

Melinda Wittstock:         But what wonderful advice. I mean, really, just being more of who we are, not less of who we are, doubling down on our strengths, hiring our weaknesses. This is such, such important advice. So, Gayle, how can people find you and work with you? I want to give a shout-out to your amazing podcast. But also, I know you have a couple special offers for our listeners today, too.

Gayle Carson:                    That’s true. Well, my website for everybody is spunkyoldbroad.com.

Melinda Wittstock:         I love that.

Gayle Carson:                    Exactly what it says. I have three different podcasts. I have a podcast on SOB radio, which is sobradio.com. I have women over 50 doing shows for women over 50. But, that is a show for women 50 plus. I have a Living Regret Free show and a Women in Business show, which is on the radioearnetwork.com. There’s a couple of different ways of reaching me.

Melinda Wittstock:         That’s wonderful.  And you have a special offer?

Gayle Carson:                    Oh, yeah. I have two offers. One is if people are interested in the radio and TV, if they will go to www.sob6, the number six, tips.com, they’ll get six secrets that they should know for their TV and radio interview. Then, I have the sobmindset.com. That is for people who really want to learn about mindset, and how to get it, and how to practice it.

Melinda Wittstock:         Oh, that’s wonderful. That’s so generous and so important that we all find our voices and communicate effectively. It really makes all the difference. So Gayle, I want to thank you for putting on your wings and flying with you today. My heart goes out to you. Wishing all the best that you’re going to beat those cancer cells. I know it. You got the right mindset. My gosh, I just all the best to you.

Gayle Carson:                    Thank you.