Episode 31 — Dafna Michaelson Jenet speaks with us about the importance of community, the value of being yourself in this world, and the relevance of focusing on solutions vs. problems. Dafna shares what she learned in her journey to visit 50 states in 52 weeks and how she, as a single mom, battled her own inner critic and the aggression of strangers and the loss of close friends while pursuing her dreams.
Dafna interviewed over 500 people across the US and discovered first hand why it really does take a little crazy to make a difference! Making decisions, looking at problems, and creating community requires us to do something outside of the norm – often in spite of what others say. Ready to step into your own business or take yours to the next level? Learn how to grow by understanding ‘What’s in it for me’ and taking it to ‘What’s in it for we’. Finally, Dafna shares the important role Jerry Springer (yes, you read that right) played in her life from a young age.
Show Notes:
1:30 – It takes a little crazy to make a difference
4:32 – 50 states in 52 days journey
6:05 – Don’t complain about a problem unless working on a solution
7:45 – Doing something out of the norm to make change in this world
10:20 – Unexpected aggressive backlash and how she handled it and why losing friends along the way happens
15:09 – Creating a healthy community as an entrepreneur at home. Finding, identifying and creating your community
18:45 – How do you want people to talk about you?
20:20 – What’s in it for me and What’s in it for we. Turning what’s in it for me into a business
25:15 – The surprising role Jerry Springer played in Dafna’s life
About Dafna Michaelson Jenet
Founder and Journeywoman behind the 50 in 52 Journey in which she traveled to all 50 United States and Washington D.C within the 52 weeks of one year to find, highlight, and elevate ordinary people doing extraordinary things, solving problems and building community.
As an Author, Speaker, TEDx speaker and TEDxCrestmoorpark Curator, Dafna continues the work she began with the 50in52 Journey to inspire others to action. She does not simply speak to her audiences, she elevates, empowers, and engages them through storytelling, motivational recounting of her nationwide journey, and inspires them to action so that they too can be empowered to make changes in their communities, their workplaces, their families, and their lives.
Dafna has been interviewed by the late Maya Angelou and has been featured by CBS Sunday Morning, the Denver Post, NPR and CNN.com. Her book “It takes a little crazy to make a difference” won the 2015 International Book Award in the Social Change category. She has traveled around the world to empower people of all ages into action.
