We were lucky to catch up with Rebecca P. Cohen recently and have shared our conversation below.
Rebecca, appreciate you joining us today. Can you tell us about a time where you or your team really helped a customer get an amazing result?
A wonderful outcome of ShareMyJourney are the authentic relationships that have developed among people who otherwise would have never met. For example, two women who lost their husbands suddenly in their early 30’s, one in California and one in Ohio, developed an instant connection. Two women who lost their sisters to brain cancer at an early age, one from New York City and one from Washington, DC, knew exactly what each other had been through. A newly divorced mom was open to advice from someone who had been in her shoes, and they subsequently have both started their own businesses and also collaborated on workshops. ShareMyJourney’s two simple new member questions: 1. What have you been through that you would be willing to talk to someone else about? and 2. What are you going through right now that you’d value a conversation about? lead to instant open and honest communication in the people we connect that otherwise might not occur.
Rebecca, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m a social impact entrepreneur, which means that I create businesses that help people. While I spent many years in the corporate world, ever since I got my MBA at night while working full time, all I thought about was wanting to launch ideas for the greater good.
I appreciate brilliant yet simple ideas that improve our daily lives and increase fulfillment. I started with my parenting book, “15 Minutes Outside: 365 Ways to Get Out of the House and Connect with Your Kids.” At the time I had a young family, and I made a secret promise to get outside every day with my kids, no matter the weather and even when I or they didn’t want to. Time outside was not only good for us, our adventures just beyond our doorstep brought us closer together. I then created an early children’s reader series, PJ’s Backyard Adventures, that allowed children to explore literacy and their imagination by playing in a book, which also piqued the different learning styles of kids.
I waited eight years to start ShareMyJourney.org mostly out of fear! I wanted there to be a way of connecting people who have life experience with those who want to speak to those who have already been through similar situations. Many people feel stuck with whatever challenge they are facing; why not speak to someone who navigated that situation? We are all experts in our own lived experiences.At ShareMyJourney, I connect people wanting to talk with others about a situation with those who have already faced it. All matches happen with the permission of both people. You enter into a conversation wanting to have it. Our members have shared their experiences navigating many types of life transitions, from career and family to health and other life events. It has been an honor to witness the personal growth that has taken place with each of our members. Some members have started businesses, written books, launched podcasts, moved to their dream location, started new careers, and taken action to increase their daily fulfillment in life. ShareMyJourney not only connects members 1-1, but also has weekly circles over Zoom, 1-1 coaching, and hosts journey-sharing events online. Each of us has wisdom to share, but also needs help.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I’ve learned to maximize my strengths with several income streams, which started out as a necessity, but it has really been an amazing opportunity for my personal fulfillment. I had a dear coach for 10 years who has since passed. She taught me to remember that some opportunities don’t have to be one or the other – you can have both (or many). She would say, “what about AND?” One of my personal goals has always been to have multiple income streams, and while most of my income has been active versus passive, I am surprising myself to no end by not fitting in a box of “this is the one thing I do.” I consult for companies, coach individuals, facilitate, teach English, write books, volunteer, serve as a Board Member, and teach French. I can pivot in a moment to fill a need, which also fills my bucket and my pocket book.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
There was a time when I worked directly with toxic executives. They would put people down in meetings and employees were terrified to have to present in front of them. During one of our regular meetings that I facilitated, their behavior started to turn on me. I went straight to their and my boss and told her it was unacceptable. She arranged for a meeting with all of us and HR, and we had to each share our experience with each other about each other. It was terrifying. But I said to them, “If I can’t figure out how to work with you, how are the other nine hundred and ninety-nine people in this division supposed to?” I received an email from an executive who hadn’t been present for the others’ behavior, but joined the meeting with HR. He wrote, “You clearly know what leadership is; I wonder if I could have done the same in the circumstances.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sharemyjourney.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebeccapcohen
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShareMyJourney.org
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sharemyjourney-org
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/rebeccapcohen
- Other: https://www.beoutsideandgrow.com/
Image Credits
Headshot: Andrea Flanagan