Melissa Urban is the co-founder and CEO of Whole30, and a six-time New York Times bestselling author. She is is a prominent keynote speaker on social media and branding, health trends, and entrepreneurship.

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  • “I’ll Go First” — As Leaders, it’s on us to do the hard thing first. Be vulnerable first. Trust first. That mindset will serve us well
  • “I decided to look for evidence that I was already a healthy person with healthy habits.” and that helped form her identity.
  • Whole30 — The Whole30 is not a diet, a weight-loss plan or quick fix – it’s designed to “change your life,” the founders say, by eliminating cravings, rebalancing hormones, curing digestive issues, improving medical conditions, and boosting energy and immune function.
  • “You can think of the Whole30 like pushing the reset button with your health, habits, and relationship with food.”
  • “For 30 days, you’ll eliminate the foods that scientific literature and our clinical experience have shown to be commonly problematic in one of four areas — cravings and habits, blood sugar regulation and hormones, digestion, and immune system, and inflammation
  • “The food you eat either makes you more healthy or less healthy. Those are your options.”
  • “You cannot “out-exercise” poor food choices and the resulting hormonal disruption.”
  • The diet culture has been beaten into our heads and can make us feel disempowered
    • This helps you take back the power. It’s not a diet. Not a quick fix. It helps you figure out what works for you.
  • Melissa always buys herself flowers… Take care of yourself first.
  • Must-Have leadership qualities in someone Melissa hires:
    • “I hire for talent, not skill.”
    • Entrepreneurial spirit — “I want them to take ownership.”
    • Ambitious – “They need to want to grow and learn.”
  • Sharing pictures on social media that are not airbrushed or edited:
    • “It is me existing in my body. It’s not courageous to exist in your body. I shouldn’t be seen as brave for posting those pictures.”
  • Grey Rock – This is how you respond to a narcissist or complainer… Don’t react to them pushing buttons. They are trying to get you to react. Don’t give them that gift.
  • Boundaries are essential life skills – We learn about these in times of crisis. “Clear is kind.” Example: “When my parents attempt to parent my child, I have to sometimes tell them that that’s my job and they need to stop. That’s setting a boundary.”
  • How to be a great CEO?
    • “I have figured a lot out as I go. It helps to have mentors. I’ve hired a lot of talented people.” It’s about surrounding yourself with excellent talent and trusting them to do the job.
  • How to have high self-awareness
    • A lot of therapy
    • Self-experimentation
    • Committed to working on empathy
  • Life/Career Advice:
    • It’s easy to tell someone to follow their passion, but that’s not always good advice
    • “Whatever job you do, overdeliver. Do it well.”
    • Be known as someone who goes the extra mile.
    • Be kind. Go first. Be vulnerable. Get it done.
  • Be part of my Leadership Circle

Resources:

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