"My biggest lesson learned is to be ready to pivot and expect the unexpected."
At the heart of her work, Alka Howard is a teacher, coach, and mentor. She has served over 50,000 families in the span of her 20-year career as an education leader. She has coached and mentored students, parents, teachers, counselors, psychologists, social workers, educational leaders, and teams to expand their capabilities, achieve progressively challenging goals, and overcome obstacles. In addition, she has coordinated and led over 200 conferences, including keynotes.
In December of 2020, Alka resigned in the midst of the pandemic so she could be a better mom to her kids and a better human to herself. She used restorative practices and the tools and techniques she has learned to patch and fill her own bucket, find joy again, and be the best mom possible.
Alka Howard decided to pursue her lifelong passion for empowering women to transform their lives for the better. She envisions a world where every female feels valued and there is no gender bias. She has the knowledge, training, and tools to help you accomplish your goals and live your life with joy.
Alka obtained a master’s in counseling from Johns Hopkins University, and a post-graduate in education leadership from Towson University. As a Master Mindset Coach, she can help you harness the power of your incredible mind to tap into your limitless future by banishing your limiting beliefs and negative thought patterns. Her area of expertise is Cognitive Behavioral Techniques, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy Techniques, Emotional Intelligence, Confidence Building, Women Empowerment, and Life Purpose.
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Table of Contents
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company.
Alka Howard: Hi! I’m Alka. I’m a mom, immigrant, and advocate for women and kids. I am the founder of Warrior Mindset Solutions LLC. I am on a mission to empower women to find their purpose and live a life full of joy by unlocking the power of the mind. I envision a world where every woman has the tools and techniques to accomplish her goals and dreams. As a career professional and mom, I know what it’s like when life is completely out of balance. I was burned out, going through the motions and living life on autopilot.
Only after going through mindset practices and using the tools and techniques I have learned did I find my purpose, my joy, and become whole again. I want to help other women called to careers, marriage, motherhood, and entrepreneurship live their best life.
2020 and 2021 threw a lot of curve balls into business on a global scale. Based on the experience gleaned in the past couple years, how can businesses thrive in 2022? What lessons have you learned?
Alka Howard: Compassion, empathy, and flexibility are three traits that come to my mind immediately. Employees stay with organizations that they feel value them and view the employee from a holistic lens. Companies must consider offering flexibility for remote work and/or hybrid work options. They will attract more highly qualified applicants. Remote meetings etiquette is another one. Wearing more casual attire and kids and fur babies unexpectedly joining the meeting is the new norm. Businesses need to be comfortable with this aspect and it goes back to being compassionate.
My biggest lesson learned is to be ready to pivot and expect the unexpected. Had it not been for the pandemic, I may not have started this business. I learned to have a positive mindset and learn from the highs and the lows.
The pandemic seems to keep on disrupting the economy, what should businesses focus on in 2022? What advice would you share?
Alka Howard: Solving customer problems is a big one. Businesses that thrive have phenomenal customer service and they focus on the customers’ pain points. They go above and beyond in making their customers feel valued. This is more important now than ever before as it is related to customer loyalty.
Marketing efforts need to be strategic during an economic downturn. Using an evidence-based and data-driven approach will be key to figuring out where to spend the money and where to cut costs.
Companies need to evaluate what can sustain them over a long period of time. Be ready to pivot and adapt. They should not ignore the economic disruption.
How has the pandemic changed your industry and how have you adapted?
Alka Howard: My previous industry as an educational leader has gone through numerous changes. Educators are leaving the profession in large numbers. They are unhappy with working conditions and the demands placed upon them are not sustainable. University teacher programs have shut down due to low enrollment. We need an overhaul at the national level to retain and attract top educators. I’ve thought about homeschooling my own kids, but value the teachers that are teaching them and want my kids to maintain regular social interactions. Both my kids and I have adapted and appreciate the difficult position schools are in with additional requirements.
As a Master Mindset Coach, I am so excited about the possibilities that lie ahead! I believe there is more of a need now than ever before for women to support each other. I can help women tackle any curveball life throws at them. My biggest adjustment personally has been to carve out a home office for myself and ensure that each day is planned out with purpose.
What advice do you wish you received when the pandemic started and what do you intend on improving in 2022?
Alka Howard: We all fear the unknown, especially a global pandemic in the 21st century. Our brains are designed to protect us and fear can be a good thing. The advice I wish I had received is to continue to be resilient and adaptable because we will find a way to move past this together. I believe in the power of meditating, whatever that looks like for an individual. I use the box breathing technique in the morning and the 4 to 5 minutes in the morning really ground me for the day. I also use a journal or my cell phone to write down my thoughts.
This is helpful as it removes the clutter from my mind. I intend to improve both these practices. I need to work on rewarding myself as I achieve personal goals. Nature is very restorative for me and I need to carve time out for this activity on a weekly basis.
Online business surged higher than ever, B2B, B2C, online shopping, virtual meetings, remote work, Zoom medical consultations, what are your expectations for 2022?
Alka Howard: Online businesses are here to stay and they are the new normal. I’ve personally attended online webinars, done online shopping, and had a virtual medical appointment.
And you know what? It was super easy and convenient. I have also held Zoom and/or Google Meet sessions and they have been engaging and convenient. Something unexpected happened for me though. I got to meet with individuals from all over the world and this is not something that happened before. I truly appreciate the diversity and believe that the pandemic has brought us closer on a global level and expect this trend to continue.
How many hours a day do you spend in front of a screen?
Alka Howard: I spend more time on the screen than I should. I would say around 8 hours a day. I know that’s a lot, but it is what is needed. And that is the downside of virtual learning, virtual meetings, and a virtual business. I take frequent brain breaks by walking away from my phone and computer. I go outside and take my pups for a walk or go for a walk by myself. Getting some Vitamin D by going out in the sun and it really helps me.
The majority of executives use stories to persuade and communicate in the workplace. Can you share with our readers examples of how you implement that in your business to communicate effectively with your team?
Alka Howard: The story I share is a personal one and not easy for me to talk about. But it’s my story and its authentic.
At the age of 14, I moved to America and at 18, I left home to pursue a life of joy and purpose due to a difficult home environment and gender inequality. I decided to pursue a career in education and counseling so I could help young adults prepare for their life goals and help them navigate difficult situations. I completed my education while working full time with zero support from anyone. I have dealt with many setbacks and hardships throughout my life. I learned that mindset is everything and resiliency is a skill that can be learned. To overcome adversity, I had to learn to reframe my thinking.
At times I was working 70-80 hours a week. My emotional bucket wasn’t just dry, it needed a patch job. My kids were getting droplets of my emotional support. I thought I could do it all. The reality is I just couldn’t do it all. I was burned out. I knew it was time for reflection, restoration, and rejuvenation. In the midst of the pandemic, I took the leap and resigned from a 20-year career in educational leadership.
I did a deep dive into my values, beliefs, and my why. In the back of my mind is that 18-year-old female who left home to pursue a meaningful life filled with joy. I decided to pursue my lifelong passion for empowering women to transform their lives for the better. I envision a world where every female feels valued and there is no gender bias. I inspire and empower women to deal with any curveball life throws at them.
As a Master Mindset Coach, I help women move from where they are today to where they want to be. I help them work on their goals so they can create a new path in life. With me as the coach, they will find and maintain self-compassion, resiliency and GRIT, confidence and emotional strength, stress relief techniques, and gratitude and joy
Business is all about overcoming obstacles and creating opportunities for growth. What do you see as the real challenge right now?
Alka Howard: My number one challenge is that I need to remember that balance is one of my core values. I am a mom first and foremost and raising two kids who are kind and compassionate and can make a difference in this world is my top priority. I also want to support as many women as possible and teach them to tools to live their best life. Finding that constant balance with time and energy will be my top challenge.
In 2022, what are you most interested in learning about? Crypto, NFTs, online marketing, or any other skill sets? Please share your motivations.
Alka Howard: I am a firm believer in life-long learning. I definitely want to learn more about online marketing and using digital platforms to create courses. I also want to continue taking professional development courses related to coaching as it is the only way to grow and move forward.
A record 4.4 million Americans left their jobs in September in 2021, accelerating a trend that has become known as the Great Resignation. 47% of people plan to leave their job during 2022. Most are leaving because of their boss or their company culture. 82% of people feel unheard, undervalued and misunderstood in the workplace. Do you think leaders see the data and think “that’s not me – I’m not that boss they don’t want to work for? What changes do you think need to happen?
Alka Howard: The companies that will survive the great resignation will absolutely analyze these numbers. They will assess, implement and reassess strategies so their employees feel valued. For example, there are many educators currently feeling unheard and undervalued in their workplace.
Unreasonable demands are being placed on them that are simply not sustainable. This is happening in other industries as well. Companies have to form a partnership with employees and make their well-being a top priority or there might not be a business.
On a lighter note, if you had the ability to pick any business superpower, what would it be and how would you put it into practice?
Alka Howard: I have a superpower! It’s listening to understand and paraphrasing. This one superpower has served me well over the years as it has allowed me to be laser-focused when supporting others. I also believe I am mentally tough and can handle most challenges in life.
The superpower I would love to work on is continuing to take risks as an entrepreneur. This superpower will allow me to continue to feel the excitement and my passion for serving other women will remain ignited.
What does “success” in 2022 mean to you? It could be on a personal or business level, please share your vision.
Alka Howard: Success means:
- Feeling joy and contentment at a deep level
- Continuing to make special memories with my kids and raising them with empathy and compassion as their top core values
- Empowering women to tackle any curve ball life throws at them with GRIT and grace
Jed Morley, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank Alka Howard for taking the time to do this interview and share her knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Alka Howard or her company, you can do it through her – Linkedin Page
Disclaimer: The ValiantCEO Community welcomes voices from many spheres on our open platform. We publish pieces as written by outside contributors with a wide range of opinions, which don’t necessarily reflect our own. Community stories are not commissioned by our editorial team and must meet our guidelines prior to being published.
