Our COCOBelle of the Month is living her life like it’s golden. Wendy Credle, an Executive Coach, Entertainment Attorney, Real Estate Agent, Author, TV Producer and Mother has found her purpose in life and enjoys sharing it with others. We chat with this Entrepreneur Powerhouse about her secrets to success, happiness and how she balances her busy lifestyle.
I love my life! Even though it is action packed, it is full of the sweetness of life’s simple pleasures. Meditation, exercise, and nature are a huge part of my success and my happiness. Even though I have five jobs (Executive Coach, Entertainment Lawyer, Author, Real Estate Agent, and TV Producer) I try to live in the present moment and smile and say hello to everyone I encounter. It helps that I love my work. I love helping people fulfill their dreams and that is the common thread in all of my work.
My son Gianni is 22 now and graduating from college in Paris in one week. I love when he calls me in his deep voice and says “Hi Mom”. What I am most proud of is the fact that he is such a loving human being. He is so confident and independent and that is a direct reflection of how he was raised. My philosophy is that children should be heard, seen, and believed. At every age and stage of his life, Gianni was always able to have his own opinion and it was always respected. His dad didn’t always agree with this philosophy when he was a rambunctious little boy, but he is grateful for it now.
I made the conscious choice when Gianni was 3 years old to leave the law firm I was working at and open my own firm. I have worked from home and owned my own business for the past 19 years. I wanted to be there when my son got off the school bus to prepare dinner and help him with his homework.
Meditation and spirituality are the blueprint for my life. I’m not religious at all, but I respect everyone’s religion and their choices - as long as it is positive, loving, and non-judgmental. My spirituality helps me keep life light and joyful. It’s my ego check on myself and the world. I believe in the greater good of all and humanity, so it helps me focus on that good, radiate positivity, and expect the best for and from everyone else. It’s a much more joyful perspective.
I’m a Gemini so being a serial entrepreneur comes naturally for me. The inspiration for all of my endeavors comes to me organically in that moment. For example, I was in Charlotte for a premiere, where I met all these beautiful, professional, African American couples. They were all happily married for years, even though they were young. Meeting them inspired me to create a TV show in Charlotte about marriage. That’s the way it is for me. Being present is my catalyst to creativity. Also, even though having four or five different jobs sounds like a lot, it’s not all going on at the same time. Also to be honest, it helps that I’m single and my son is grown. I think it’s harder to balance the demands of a marriage and young children than it is five careers.
Spanda is my executive coaching company and it is my number one passion right now. It’s different from life coaching because I work only with professionals and a lot of the coaching is centered on career and leadership. I prefer workshops and seminars to one-on-one coaching because at the end of the day, unless the team is aligned, you’re not going to achieve your goals no matter how great of a leader you are. I started Spanda five years ago as I became less enamored with the music business. I wanted my work life and the results to be more reflective of my inner, spiritual life.
I believe that a lot of lawyers talk too much and they make everything seem so complicated. I love talking to a client and educating them about the law in a simple way that is easy to understand. Therefore, they can actively participate in the decisions. I love to empower my clients and help them understand law and how it impacts their choices.
I balance my workload by compartmentalizing my work. I know that I am most creative in the mornings while having my two cups of coffee; therefore I reserve all of my creative writing and thinking for the morning. I’ll then set out blocks of time after I exercise for other projects or assignments. Also, it is so important for me to stress the fact that I have only my schedule to think about now that Gianni is grown, so it makes it a lot easier to do it all. It is also important to stress that I love what I do so it never really feels like work.
I’m just beginning to delve deeper into the reality TV industry and I’m really enjoying it. As an Executive Producer, I realize the power of TV to change the narrative and uplift the status quo. It’s so subtle and there aren’t very many African Americans in reality TV. It’s important as an African American woman that I own my seat at the table and communicate my unique point of view effectively. Just because production companies and TV Networks have been representing our images a certain way in the past and having a tremendous amount of success, doesn’t mean that it has to continue to be done that way. I want to change the perception of African Americans on reality TV. Right now that is the challenge that I am navigating and enjoying.
Young people are near and dear to my heart. When I was in my 20s and 30s I made so many mistakes as a young executive, so I wrote Business Lessons for Tomorrows Leaders a book I wish I had. I would have done so many things differently had I had more guidance.
I think it is my humanity first that allows me to connect with all of my clients. We’re all on a journey, some further along than others, but still on a path nonetheless. I think it is my life experience that helps as well. I have been rich and I have been poor. My life, like most of ours, has been full of ups and downs, death, divorce, highest of highs and lowest of lows. Now I’m in such an amazing space. I’m spending a week next month in the Catskills at my Guru’s ashram and it feels like the God’s are smiling down upon me. You have to receive a special invitation in order to participate so right now I’m on cloud nine!
I believe my key to success is not always measuring it in terms of numbers but in terms of the amount of joy and peace you experience on a daily basis. I love helping people experience simple life shifts just by shifting their perspective. Your joy is all about your perspective. People spend too much time thinking about themselves and all their stuff. Stop thinking about yourself and think about someone else. I don’t think about what other people think of me very often either. I’m sure that helps. It’s easy to stay focused when you’re not distracted by other people’s noise.
This question is a big part of my executive coaching work. At any age and any stage of our lives for many of us, there comes a time when we are no longer fulfilled with what we are doing. That’s the time when you have to do some soul searching. We all have something unique that we have to offer the world that we can monetize. It comes down to the basics. What do you love to do? What is your heart’s deepest desire and how can you monetize it?
I love my life right now! It’s simple and joyful. I don’t want or need a lot of stuff. I’m grateful for my health, my beautiful friends and family, and my awesome son – Gianni.
My Top three beauty must-haves are my Mary Kay face cleanser and moisturizer, some fake eyelashes. I love eyelashes! They are so sexy. I also love everything Nars!
To keep up with Wendy, you can follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
Tell us about a day in the life of Wendy Credle.
I love my life! Even though it is action packed, it is full of the sweetness of life’s simple pleasures. Meditation, exercise, and nature are a huge part of my success and my happiness. Even though I have five jobs (Executive Coach, Entertainment Lawyer, Author, Real Estate Agent, and TV Producer) I try to live in the present moment and smile and say hello to everyone I encounter. It helps that I love my work. I love helping people fulfill their dreams and that is the common thread in all of my work.
What do you most enjoy about being a mother?
My son Gianni is 22 now and graduating from college in Paris in one week. I love when he calls me in his deep voice and says “Hi Mom”. What I am most proud of is the fact that he is such a loving human being. He is so confident and independent and that is a direct reflection of how he was raised. My philosophy is that children should be heard, seen, and believed. At every age and stage of his life, Gianni was always able to have his own opinion and it was always respected. His dad didn’t always agree with this philosophy when he was a rambunctious little boy, but he is grateful for it now.
How have you managed to balance motherhood and your career?
I made the conscious choice when Gianni was 3 years old to leave the law firm I was working at and open my own firm. I have worked from home and owned my own business for the past 19 years. I wanted to be there when my son got off the school bus to prepare dinner and help him with his homework.
You have committed your life to conscious living, how has that helped you balance your mind, body and spirit?
Meditation and spirituality are the blueprint for my life. I’m not religious at all, but I respect everyone’s religion and their choices - as long as it is positive, loving, and non-judgmental. My spirituality helps me keep life light and joyful. It’s my ego check on myself and the world. I believe in the greater good of all and humanity, so it helps me focus on that good, radiate positivity, and expect the best for and from everyone else. It’s a much more joyful perspective.
In addition to being a mother, an attorney you are also an Executive Coach, Author, Real Estate Agent, A & R Executive, and TV Producer. What inspired you to expand your career in those other industries?
I’m a Gemini so being a serial entrepreneur comes naturally for me. The inspiration for all of my endeavors comes to me organically in that moment. For example, I was in Charlotte for a premiere, where I met all these beautiful, professional, African American couples. They were all happily married for years, even though they were young. Meeting them inspired me to create a TV show in Charlotte about marriage. That’s the way it is for me. Being present is my catalyst to creativity. Also, even though having four or five different jobs sounds like a lot, it’s not all going on at the same time. Also to be honest, it helps that I’m single and my son is grown. I think it’s harder to balance the demands of a marriage and young children than it is five careers.
Tell us about Spanda and what inspired you to help others transform their inner work lives.
Spanda is my executive coaching company and it is my number one passion right now. It’s different from life coaching because I work only with professionals and a lot of the coaching is centered on career and leadership. I prefer workshops and seminars to one-on-one coaching because at the end of the day, unless the team is aligned, you’re not going to achieve your goals no matter how great of a leader you are. I started Spanda five years ago as I became less enamored with the music business. I wanted my work life and the results to be more reflective of my inner, spiritual life.
What do you love most about practicing law?
I believe that a lot of lawyers talk too much and they make everything seem so complicated. I love talking to a client and educating them about the law in a simple way that is easy to understand. Therefore, they can actively participate in the decisions. I love to empower my clients and help them understand law and how it impacts their choices.
How do you balance your diverse workload?
I balance my workload by compartmentalizing my work. I know that I am most creative in the mornings while having my two cups of coffee; therefore I reserve all of my creative writing and thinking for the morning. I’ll then set out blocks of time after I exercise for other projects or assignments. Also, it is so important for me to stress the fact that I have only my schedule to think about now that Gianni is grown, so it makes it a lot easier to do it all. It is also important to stress that I love what I do so it never really feels like work.
Which industry do you love the most and why?
I’m just beginning to delve deeper into the reality TV industry and I’m really enjoying it. As an Executive Producer, I realize the power of TV to change the narrative and uplift the status quo. It’s so subtle and there aren’t very many African Americans in reality TV. It’s important as an African American woman that I own my seat at the table and communicate my unique point of view effectively. Just because production companies and TV Networks have been representing our images a certain way in the past and having a tremendous amount of success, doesn’t mean that it has to continue to be done that way. I want to change the perception of African Americans on reality TV. Right now that is the challenge that I am navigating and enjoying.
What inspired you to write Business Lessons for Tomorrow’s Leaders?
Young people are near and dear to my heart. When I was in my 20s and 30s I made so many mistakes as a young executive, so I wrote Business Lessons for Tomorrows Leaders a book I wish I had. I would have done so many things differently had I had more guidance.
How has your diverse combination of career experiences prepared you to connect with your all of your clients?
I think it is my humanity first that allows me to connect with all of my clients. We’re all on a journey, some further along than others, but still on a path nonetheless. I think it is my life experience that helps as well. I have been rich and I have been poor. My life, like most of ours, has been full of ups and downs, death, divorce, highest of highs and lowest of lows. Now I’m in such an amazing space. I’m spending a week next month in the Catskills at my Guru’s ashram and it feels like the God’s are smiling down upon me. You have to receive a special invitation in order to participate so right now I’m on cloud nine!
What are your keys to success?
I believe my key to success is not always measuring it in terms of numbers but in terms of the amount of joy and peace you experience on a daily basis. I love helping people experience simple life shifts just by shifting their perspective. Your joy is all about your perspective. People spend too much time thinking about themselves and all their stuff. Stop thinking about yourself and think about someone else. I don’t think about what other people think of me very often either. I’m sure that helps. It’s easy to stay focused when you’re not distracted by other people’s noise.
What is your advice to women who are just starting their careers or those who are looking to reinvent themselves?
This question is a big part of my executive coaching work. At any age and any stage of our lives for many of us, there comes a time when we are no longer fulfilled with what we are doing. That’s the time when you have to do some soul searching. We all have something unique that we have to offer the world that we can monetize. It comes down to the basics. What do you love to do? What is your heart’s deepest desire and how can you monetize it?
What are you most grateful for?
I love my life right now! It’s simple and joyful. I don’t want or need a lot of stuff. I’m grateful for my health, my beautiful friends and family, and my awesome son – Gianni.
What are your top three products in your Ultimate Beauty Arsenal?
My Top three beauty must-haves are my Mary Kay face cleanser and moisturizer, some fake eyelashes. I love eyelashes! They are so sexy. I also love everything Nars!