Val Margarit, Ed.D is an award-winning educator, entrepreneur, author, speaker, and community leader. She is the founder and CEO of Val Margarit Consulting Services, a consulting and leadership organization committed to personal empowerment, excellence, and achievement. In December of 1996, she left her family and friends behind and moved across the globe on her own in search for a better life – “the American Dream.” Educational accolades include a Doctor of Higher Education Leadership, Education Specialist, and a Masters and Bachelors in Sociology.
A committed advocate for global education and women’s empowerment, Dr. Margarit gives back to world communities as a teacher, volunteer, and benefactor. She coaches women to overcome self-limiting beliefs and discover the power within to achieve greatness; dream BIG; take chances and speak up. Val just published her new book “WHY NOT YOU? How to Become an Empowered Woman, “ which is a little book with a BIG message: YOU have the power within yourself to create your own destiny and live your life with intention and purpose. To create a better tomorrow, YOU have to take action today.
Val has been teaching sociology and education leadership for over 15 years and serves as a dissertation and capstone adviser. She facilitates workshops and webinars on personal leadership, motivation, and success and speaks on topics from education equality to women empowerment and gender equality. Dr. Margarit is committed to empowering women to achieve their goals through education and personal empowerment. She believes that education is the answer to achieving equality and justice for all. Her vision is to live in a world where ALL people have equal rights and opportunities to live a meaningful, happy life.
What motivated and inspired you to start your own business?
I always knew I wanted to start a business and make a BIG impact. I see too much inequality in the world and as a global citizen; I have a responsibility to do my part. I needed to be a part of something bigger than myself. Women have been paying a heavy price for far too long as inequality persist worldwide. I want to be part of the solution and close that gap. It starts with self-empowerment – being in control of one’s life, making informed decisions, being accountable and responsible for the choices we make and believing that we deserve and are able to achieve nothing but the best.
My mother has also been my motivation, whom, like many women, didn’t have an opportunity to get an education and pursue her goals. I wanted to change that. I realized that education is the gateway to freedom and in order to help others, I needed to educate myself first. I want to reach out and help as many women as possible have access to education and acquire the skills they need to make informed decisions and live their lives with purpose and intention. Knowledge is power when we apply it to improve our lives.
We do not want others to make decisions for ourselves or tell us what to do. No one knows what’s best for us but ourselves. However, to achieve personal empowerment we need an education, confidence, high self-esteem, motivation and the belief that we can do it no matter the circumstances.
“If we believe it, we will achieve it.” That’s how Val Margarit Consulting was born.
Tell us about your business.
Val Margarit Consulting transforms and empowers women to dream BIG and to take actions toward a better, fulfilling life and not settle for anything less than what they deserve. We meet women where they are and provide unlimited support and training to overcome adversity and resistance and create success and wellness in their personal life, career, and business. We provide group and individual coaching, classes/workshops, webinars, and self-paced online courses on key areas toward self-empowerment, which I also discuss it in my book, “WHY NOT YOU? How to Become an Empowered Woman.”
The key topics are:
- Emotional Empowerment – Are you in control of your emotions? Are you confident?
- Financial Empowerment – Without financial independence there is no freedom.
- Career Empowerment – Do you love your career? Or is it just a paycheck?
- Health Empowerment – Without health nothing else matter.
- Political Empowerment – Do you have a voice in the policies affecting your life?
- Group and individual coaching are available NOW HERE.
Are you currently running any promos/contests/giveaways that you would like our readers to know about?
- I am running a promotion on my individual single session coaching until November 30, 2017. Readers can sign up HERE with the coupon code: “Iamspecial” for 50% off.
- I am offering a FREE 15-minute coaching consultation when booked by October 30, 2017. Please book it now HERE .
- I am also offering my “10 Secrets to Achieve Success” available on my WEBSITE upon signing up. Go get it now.
- My book “WHY NOT YOU? How to Become an EMPOWERED Woman” is available HERE for 25% off and on Amazon. The discount only works HERE.
List awards/certifications/accomplishments.
- Member of the Professional Women’s Network International Advisory Board (an organization dedicated to women’s issues)
- Ran the New York City Marathon and countless of other races
- Traveled solo, backpacking, to over 20 countries
- Earned a Doctor of Education Degree in Higher Education Leadership
- Became an Education Specialist – Administration Leadership
- Earned Masters and Bachelor’s Degrees in Sociology
- Won Teacher of the Year and Excellence in Teaching Awards
- Became a Teacher Training Specialist
- Won Toastmaster Speech Award
Where is your business based?
Deerfield Beach, Florida where I live now. My business is primarily online; however, I do in person coaching, workshops and speeches. I love using technology to connect and help people around the world.
What were the first few steps you took to get your business up and running?
I met my mentor and asked for business advice. I studied my target demographic – women who struggle to overcome personal and professional challenges to achieve personal and professional success. Next, I built my website, wrote articles, and set up a system that would work for business. I learn and adjust as I grow. Nothing is set in stone. I also invest a lot of time reading business, leadership and management books. Each day is a new day full of challenges and opportunities.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness of your business and getting new customers?
Time spent networking, calling and sending emails. Word of mouth is also imperative. However, marketing and social media are critical, and I am learning how to use them effectively. Also, I am learning about video production and business strategies.
What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Marketing and advertising as well as finding like-minded people for support and collaboration. I am working on it every day. I believe in my purpose and with hard work and persistence, anything is possible.
How did you overcome these challenges?
I live with intention and design how I live my life each day. I know I am in control of how I react to what happens to me. Two things I do on a regular basis are:
- I take care of myself – my mind, body, and soul. I can overcome any challenge and make good decisions when I take care of myself by sleeping well, eating well and working out. I never skip my workout routine. I begin my day with meditation, which allows me to visualize my day and make it amazing. I also have affirmation quotes around the house.
- I strategically organized my office so that everything in it inspires and motivates me to be and do my best each day. The wall in front of me has several quotes and two vision boards.
These quotes are in my office:
- “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” – Colin Powell
- “Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits.” – Thomas Jefferson
- “The Happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.” – Marcus Aurelius
The two vision boards in my office:
- One vision board has my S.M.A.R.T. goals strategy.
- The other has my MIT (most important things) – ROT (return on my time) goals strategy. I discuss both strategies in my book, “WHY NOT YOU? How to Become an EMPOWERED Woman”.
I am also working on delegating some of the tasks so I can focus on creating and delivering the services my customers need. I am also reaching out to other women entrepreneurs for support and collaboration.
How do you keep motivated through difficult times?
Difficult times? There is no such a thing. Difficult times are just opportunities to learn and grow. There is always a positive side to every situation, and I deliberately choose the best in people and situations. Growing up in Romania without a cellphone, indoor plumbing or TV set, and then traveling solo to over 20 countries (much worse than my own) taught me that we always have a choice.
It is up to us to decide how we want to feel about and respond to certain situations. If we want to be happy, then we have to live with intention and choose happiness. It is a state of mind. We cannot control things or events, but we definitely can control how we feel and react to them.
How do you distinguish yourself from your competitors?
My competition is myself. I have to create my “blue ocean” of an untapped market. We have one BIG amazing world and we are here to help each other become our best selves. My passion and purpose drive my desire to make the world a better place, which cannot happen unless all women become empowered to dream BIG and take actions towards personal and professional success and happiness.
In my book WHY NOT YOU I share my journey of sacrifice, persistence, and determination to succeed against all the odds. I say, “If I could do it, anyone can” and that is my purpose – to guide you toward self-empowerment. Together we are much stronger than apart.
What is the best advice you have received recently?
Live my life by design, which means I am the designer, so each day I make decisions and decide what I want to accomplish. Embrace and learn from failure. Always invest in yourself. You do not need to ask anyone for an approval to live your best life. Success is predictable so as my Mom and Dad used to always say “Never let anyone decide for you. It is your life so own it. Be responsible and accountable and live each day with intention and purpose.” That’s what I do.
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs?
- Live with intention every day. Have a S.M.A.R.T. plan and take action. Do not be afraid of making mistakes and failing – they are just lessons. Move on.
- Invest in yourself – every successful person has an army of people around to help and support them grow and become even better.
- Think BIG and get out of comfort zone.
- Surround yourself with people you admire and respect.
- Live your life based on your own choices not on what other people want.
- Let go of negative people and choose your friends and relationships wisely.
- Learn to love and value yourself first.
- Live your life by design, not by chance.
What are your favorite business tools/resources and why?
- Buffer to manage my social media
- Canva for beautiful images and graphics
- Flipboard for all my readings interests
- Scrivener
What is a good article or book you have read recently?
I am reading “Blue Ocean Strategy” – it is transformational. I also read “Designing Your Life” by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans
What are you currently learning about for your business or looking for help with?
I am learning about the social media and marketing. How to run a Facebook ad campaign, sales funnels, and how to streamline my business processes. There is so much to learn and I love it.
What are your goals for the next few months and how are you striving to achieve them?
My goals for 2018 are:
- To have transformed and empowered 500 women living their lives by design NOT by chance.
- I will be launching several signature online programs so I am so excited to get started.
- I will create a Mastermind Group for women empowerment.
- I will seek to collaborate and get help.
What social media outlets do you use? List them below.
Website www.valmargarit.com
Email valmargarit@gmail.com
Twitter @valmargarit
Facebook @drvalmargarit
Instagram @valmargarit
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