Podcast: When trusting your instincts pays off

By Jessica Salerno, OSCPA senior content manager

Listening to your inner voice is sometimes easier said than done, but Danetha Doe credits much of her success to doing just that.

“It’s definitely intimidating (to do so) and it’s scary, too,” Doe said, founder of Money & Mimosas, a financial website and resource for women. “It pushes you to be in a place of trusting, trusting the unknown, trusting you’ll figure it out, trusting the opportunities will arise even if you don’t know where they’re going to come from. And trusting you may go through a period that is really uncomfortable but it’s going to be better for you.”

Doe, who joined us on the most recent episode of “The State of Business” podcast, will be the moderator of OSCPA’s Women, Wealth & Wellness Conference on June 27 in Columbus.

When she began her career as an entrepreneur and offered bookkeeping and accounting services to businesses within the beauty and fashion industry, Doe said she soon realized she wanted to do more with her clients. The catch was she didn’t know what that “more” looked like. When one of her clients mentioned needing funding to expand from online to brick and mortar, Doe helped her despite not knowing what that process looked like. Then, she realized the work she was doing was, in effect, consulting, advising and outsourcing the duties of a CFO.

“That experience helped me reshape my business to offer more of those types of services,” she said. “It was listening to that inner yearning of wanting to do something different and being open to exploring something new that helped me change.”

She said clarity should be your goal when listening to your inner voice. Understand what you really want before coming up with a plan to get to a certain place. She said everyone’s process is different, and that might mean getting out of the office, writing in a journal or seeking the advice of those you trust.

You might experience moments of insecurity, especially if you’re pursuing something new or risky. Doe said when she experiences self-doubt, she remembers all the times that she’s proven herself right and succeeded through challenging times.

The things you want and the way you define success might have changed in recent years, and Doe said it’s important to be honest about that. Give yourself permission to allow your goals to evolve over time and let your instincts be the guide.

“Even if a certain path is how everyone else defines success, know if that’s not for you,” she said. “It worked the best for me when I was honest with myself and confident that I knew what made sense for me. Expressing it is freeing and gives other people the freedom to share their truth.”

Hear more about trusting your instincts on this week’s podcast episode.