Ep. 4: Making Your Mark In Your Industry in 2023 & Unexpected Friendships With Jordan Gill

Sonja Thompkins: Hey everyone. Thanks for being here today. Welcome back to the show. Today is a day of first. I’m really excited because for the first time ever, I am interviewing a guest for the Art of Self Mastery podcast, and we are kicking it off with a super amazing person, the illustrious Jordan Gill.

Jordan is a seven figure business strategist whose mission is for high achieving business owners to prioritize rest without sacrificing revenue. She’s helped over 400 coaches and consultants work with clients only four days a month with a VIP days. When she’s not spreading the gospel of VIP days, she’s working on one of her thousand piece jigsaw puzzles or traveling the world with her husband and bonus son.

By the way, I also peep Jordan many a times on Instagram with her beautiful dog, Vivian. So make sure you check her out on Instagram. But for right now, tune in. Give me your ear, open your heart, open your mind to the wisdom, the wonder, and kind of wacky conversations that Jordan and I have that we are now sharing with you.

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Today, I am so excited to have as my first guest on the Art of Self Mastery Podcast, the illustrious Jordan Gill. 

Jordan, listen, I’m so glad to have you here. Like I started to say, I’m so glad to be talking to you today, we be burning up the Voxer chat. We, we are like Voxer vixens, but I am glad to have you on the podcast so that it’s recorded, right?

Jordan Gill: Yeah. 

Sonja Thompkins: So this beautiful dance that we do, this very like, sarcastic truth telling dance that we do verbally gets recorded so that eventually the masses know how remarkable and relevant we are. But thank you so much for being here. 

So let me just take folks back a little bit. Not to when we first met, but just 

Jordan Gill: mm-hmm. 

Sonja Thompkins: to where I was like, we have to record this, right?

Jordan Gill: Yeah. 

Sonja Thompkins: So we were having one of our most fabulous Voxer moments.

Jordan Gill: Yes. 

Sonja Thompkins: And you started talking about your upcoming conference. 

Jordan Gill: Mm-hmm. Yeah. 

Sonja Thompkins: And you were just saying like, we started off this way. So for those who don’t know, Jordan Gill founded Systems Saved Me. You run, how often do you do or havehad you been doing the virtual conferences under that? 

Jordan Gill: Twice a year. Twice a year. March and September. 

Sonja Thompkins: Yeah. So how many years did you do that? 

Jordan Gill: I did that across three years. 2020, 2021, and 2022. 

Sonja Thompkins: Yeah. 

And you’re a boss. Like your Virtual Summits are just like, so full. 

Jordan Gill: Oh, thank you. 

Sonja Thompkins: Like, not in the, not in a busy way. Just, yeah. So full, you know what I mean? Like encompassing. 

Jordan Gill: Yeah. 

Sonja Thompkins: So we’re talking on Voxer, you’re, we’re talking about, you’re changing it up a little bit this year.

Jordan Gill: Yeah. 

Sonja Thompkins: And you started getting into the why. All right. Not, not only why you’re changing it from virtual to in person, but also the name, the change of the name. 

Jordan Gill: Mm-hmm. 

Sonja Thompkins: So tell, let’s just take people to that point where you were like, yeah, this is, we’re making a transition from this, you know, System Save, excuse me, Done in a Day.

Jordan Gill: Yep. Mm-hmm. 

Sonja Thompkins: right? Which is what the virtual conference was called to Make Your Mark Live. And go.

Jordan Gill: oh, uh, that was a really good, uh, like backstory, so I don’t have to share about, you know, the virtual conferences and things like that. 

What I want people to know and understand is that, when you do something twice a year for three years in a row, it becomes an expectation. Just like when you maybe do open cart launches every year at certain dates and all of that, it becomes a habit. Our affiliates always marked it off on their calendars every year. 

And it was, it was working really well. There was nothing wrong with the way that we were doing things as, as the virtual conference. In fact, it was quite lucrative. 

So, we did make the switch to in-person and that was a team decision and it was because we just have a really awesome community and I was like, we were ready for in-person, you know? Like I think that it just, it’s time. 

And so we were moving forward with Done in a Day conference without the virtual, we dropped the virtual. And at, in that same moment, additional things were happening where I, you know, am no longer enrolling people into my Done in a Day program and it’s now in self-study. 

And that was the reason why we did our virtual conferences and it was going to be the reason we did Done in a Day conference. And so if the reason for that conference is gone, what are we doing?

Sonja Thompkins: Okay. So initially the Done in a Day Conference was, was in place to sort of set the stage and open enrollment into the Done in a Day program. 

Jordan Gill: Yes. 

Sonja Thompkins: We’ll keep each other on track, but what was the reason why you decided to put that on like, which came first deciding to put that on self-study?

Jordan Gill: Mm. 

Sonja Thompkins: Or deciding to do an in-person event?

Jordan Gill: Yeah. We knew going into the September virtual conference of 2022 that we were gonna do in-person in 2023. 

Sonja Thompkins: Gotcha. 

Jordan Gill: Um, so yeah, that, that was there. And then shortly after that I had a doctor’s appointment and my doctor was like, your cortisol levels are through the roof. You need to sit all the way down. 

And so I was like, okay, we’re gonna kind of adjust how we offer the program so that it was less stressful for me. And so we added a self-study in October of 2022, and then in January of 2023 was the decision of, actually, I don’t wanna open the doors to Done in a Day again. 

And again, that was kind of scary. That’s 90% of our revenue. So, it was, it’s a big decision to, to make. And so yeah. So self-study came bef, so we knew we were gonna do a conference, then self-study, and then a couple months later it was like, actually I’m not gonna open the doors to the program again at this point.

Sonja Thompkins: Okay. 

Jordan Gill: Is the timeline.

Sonja Thompkins: Okay. 

I’m kind of upset right now because, uh, I have, I have my brain right now with questions. I’m like, hold on, hold on, hold on. What you mean? I didn’t, you didn’t, I don’t remember hearing about some of this stuff, but that’s okay. Yeah, that’s okay. All right. I’m gonna try, let’s keep it on track.

We’ll see if we have time to come back to, to, to some of those questions. 

Jordan Gill: Totally. 

Sonja Thompkins: Okay. But, but kudos to you for taking that cue, taking that, that piece of awareness, right? Hey, cortisol’s through the roof. 

You’ve shared openly, you know, you’re like me, like there were certain aspects of your life and your business that you have intentionally adjusted because of your awareness of who you are and you continue to do that obviously with this. So, and, and I just wanna congratulate you and. Because I think people need to understand that we get these cues in life. 

Jordan Gill: Mm-hmm.

Sonja Thompkins: whether it be a health cue, a message that keeps popping up, being treated a certain way repeatedly

Jordan Gill: Mm-hmm.

Sonja Thompkins: like all of these things are there to get your attention. And so then we then have the power to make choices

Jordan Gill: Yep. 

Sonja Thompkins: about what we’re gonna do moving forward. Okay. So cortisol is high. You make the choice. Okay.  So then you decide, okay, we’re gonna go in person. 

Jordan Gill: Mm-hmm. 

Sonja Thompkins: self-study. Then, oh, you know what? We’re gonna keep it on self-study. Okay. So you’re there. 

Jordan Gill: Yeah. 

Sonja Thompkins: And then, so you already know you’re gonna go live and do an in-person event. 

Jordan Gill: Yeah. 

Sonja Thompkins: And then what happened that, that we went from Done in a day, maybe live to, ooh, nope. Okay. Whole different ballgame. 

Jordan Gill: Yep. It was, it was a brick wall and, and it was actually the same week of my team annual reviews, which was interesting.

Because I’m basically like, hi, like last year was what it was, and also like, we’re changing a lot of things, but I also don’t have the answers. So like stay on the team. 

And my team thankfully, you know, is, is gracious and they’re like, great. We’re on the train. Like, let’s go. I’m like, you all are very trusting, um, and I appreciate that. But yeah.

Sonja Thompkins: don’t who love having like a team. Don’t you love having people in your corner? Not just a team, but 

Jordan Gill: right.

Sonja Thompkins: but the people, the right people in your corner that are just right on. Like, like you said, like, I don’t know where we’re going with this. Just secure your air mask, Put your mask on first. I’m gonna put my mask on first. Cuz I, I’m, I’m definitely hyperventilating, and you know where yours is just in case. And they’re like, okay, we’ll go down with you. You know, to a certain extent.

Jordan Gill: right. Yeah, exactly. So yeah, it’s, it was, it was wild and it was hard to admit out loud. It’s one thing to say it between me and my husband, right? But to be like, yeah, I’m, I’m essentially turning off the entire faucet of our business, to the people whose livelihoods, depend on that, including mine as well. But I, I, yeah, I’m a little bit more comfortable with risk. 

So that was, that was hard to like admit out loud, but at the same time it was like, this is what had to happen. And, and oddly enough, everyone, there was some surprise, right? But at the same time, a lot of my team was like, you know, like your ability to do business the way that you do is so much more than VIP days and 

Sonja Thompkins: mm-hmm. .

Jordan Gill: So it makes sense. Like there was a, okay. Yeah. Like we, you, the way that you do business overall is different than a lot of people and just focusing on VIP days doesn’t allow you to fully flex your gift. 

And so that was really lovely and a great reflection from my team. And I was like, all right, well we got this. So now I’m selling to a conference that has no point, has no like end game to it. And I’m like, well, and again, I hadn’t signed any contracts, so could we have technically been like backed out of it entirely?

We could have, but I, I just knew that I was still gonna do an in-person conference. And so then I started to like really explore, okay, what do I enjoy? What are the things that I am really good at? What are people always intrigued by learning about me? Whether it’s in like a mastermind format or I’m speaking in front of people and they’re like, like, you do business so interesting. And that’s just the feedback I’ve always gotten. 

And so I was like, okay, well I think I’m really good at positioning, like I am actually phenomenal at positioning and I’m also really good at compelling offers, so I know how to, again, it’s partially positioning, but it’s also like the promise and, and all of that. But I’m really good at how to create compelling, intriguing, different offers and then also connection. 

Sonja Thompkins: Yeah

Jordan Gill: like, I love to connect. I’m obsessed with it. It is everything in my business. It is why I am here. I don’t pretend like I know it all. I don’t pretend I built this by myself. Like it is a hundred percent connection, connection, connection.

Whether I’m connected to the right people on team, connected to people at events, podcasts, whatever the case is, and so,

Sonja Thompkins: mm-hmm. 

Jordan Gill: I’m like, okay, if that’s, if that’s my sphere. Then that’s what I wanna talk about. And I had a few different ideas as far as the event was concerned from a naming perspective, cuz that was the biggest thing my team was like 

Sonja Thompkins: mm-hmm.

Jordan Gill: like bro, like, you gotta figure out a name cuz we can’t just be selling tickets to the conference. 

Sonja Thompkins: Yeah. 

Jordan Gill: Like people will love you and will want to come, but also like you kind of gotta get it in gear. 

Sonja Thompkins: Yeah.

Jordan Gill: And so I, the word remarkable was floating around with me and I brought that up to my leadership team. And then my project manager actually said, oh, like, make your mark. And I was like, yes. Like that is it. I’m here for it. 

And then I actually, the next day was on a call with somebody about positioning and, and whatnot. And I was like, you know, I just wanna like float this name out to you. It’s, it’s, I think I wanna call it Make Your Mark Live. And she was like, literally right before your call, I changed the footer on my website to say, make your mark boldly. 

And I was like, Done. Buying the domains. Get my trademark attorney over here. Like, we’re, we’re going full force. And I was just like, that’s what it’s about. 

Like, because when you connect with people, you’re leaving little imprints. You’re leaving little marks and crumbs along the way. And that’s, that’s the conversation I wanna have, and I wanna have it with people who are more established in business, who have the bumps and bruises and awards and all the things in between, and that really 

Sonja Thompkins: good battle scars. 

Jordan Gill: Yes. That really is who I love talking to and who I think I can help the most because I like data.

I don’t like a blank sheet of paper or a blank screen of like, we’re just starting out. I’m like, you can follow me, I guess, but like also don’t, because I’m just not great at that. I’m much better at like, okay, here’s the data you’ve had for the past three years, five years in your business. How can we leverage and reignite and maximize what you have in order to like move forward in this next space.

So that’s where Make your Mark Live came to be. 

Sonja Thompkins: Wow. So how much… Do you recognize, like when you just mentioned there like, so you were the word remarkable

Jordan Gill: Mm-hmm. 

Sonja Thompkins: has sort of been floating, by the way, when you said that I got goosebumps because I literally said that just now. When we first start talking, I was like, people are gonna remember, and I’ve never heard you say that before, like that’s where this came from .So like those kind of things just like, give me little tingles, right? It’s like, yes, girl. Yes. 

And then so you had already said, sort of remarkable. You were chewing on that and then you had that conversation with person and person was like, oh, I’m already on that bandwidth. For me, when I see, when, when those kind of things happen, those are the sort of like the external affirmations almost, if you will, that, yep. Going in the right direction. Yep. Like you ain’t even talked to me and now we’re on the same wavelength. 

Jordan Gill: Right. 

Sonja Thompkins: Like, I’m like, do you get, do you, do you make that kind of connection or do you, are you like, oh no, that’s just coincidence? 

Jordan Gill: No, I make that connection for sure. Like you can’t ignore those things because it really, that’s where I think people miss out. And that’s what happens when you’re like this, right? Yep. When you’re head down

Sonja Thompkins: Mm-hmm. 

Jordan Gill: like trying to make everything work. Like you miss all of the clues and cues and validations and whatnot that are all around you. And again, that’s why connection is so important. Like, I stay connected, I stay plugged in. 

Sonja Thompkins: Yep. 

Jordan Gill: Even when it was so hard, I just recently posted some reels about, literally around this time again, beginning of November of last year in 2022. And like, it was a hard time for me. And, my team actually sent me this like 16 minute like, love fest. 

Sonja Thompkins: yeah, I saw that that was so good 

Jordan Gill: and it was so sweet, so needed in that moment. And it was too raw at the time for me to post that because I just was like, oh my gosh. I’m like in the thick of it. But I, I’m posting it now because like, that was the time that I did not wanna talk to anybody. I did not want to face, you know, all of these details and stuff that were going on. 

And even still, again, I leaned on my team and allowed them to, and I opened myself up to be connected to them and they were able to pour into me as a leader, which was so beautiful and I’m so grateful for. And that’s, that’s what people miss. 

Sonja Thompkins: Yeah. 

Jordan Gill: When you’re not connected, that’s, you don’t get those little, like, oh, you just changed the footer to your website. Oh. Like you think this is, like you miss all of that because you’re not engaged. Yeah. And so whatever you produce is coming from such a stifled…

Sonja Thompkins: It’s coming from a very, like one dimensional 

Jordan Gill: Yes.

Sonja Thompkins: It literally is one dimensional. 

Jordan Gill: Yeah. 

Sonja Thompkins: And I’m so glad like that you are bringing that up because… so you’re saying like connection and I totally resonate with that. And that’s what’s really important to me too. And when I share with people, like, it doesn’t matter, you know, how you identify or your energy type in the world, right?

Jordan Gill: Yeah. 

Sonja Thompkins: You’re introvert or extrovert, whatever. But I think specifically for people who would identify as being more introverted, right? 

Jordan Gill: Mm-hmm. 

Sonja Thompkins: Or people who are, you know, high achieving, you know, all these labels that we take on or people put on us, right? Some of them we like. Some of ’em feed our ego, some of ’em we’d wanna dismiss, but when you are going through a transition, a transformation of any kind, even though the individual person has to do the work…

Jordan Gill: yeah.

Sonja Thompkins: You not, we’re not meant to do it alone. 

Jordan Gill: Agree. 

Sonja Thompkins: And people miss that so much. When I talk about self-discovery, you can be on a self-discovery journey. That doesn’t mean figure it out by yourself because you can’t. 

Jordan Gill: Yes. 

Sonja Thompkins: Because you are looking at it from one side, one dimension with your own emotions, your own limitations.

Jordan Gill: Mm-hmm. 

Sonja Thompkins: and by allowing, being vulnerable enough, doesn’t mean you have to share it with the whole world, you know, do a reels on it, like you said, but you’ve gotta have somebodies around that you can really talk to, that you can burden, you know, for lack of a…

Jordan Gill: mm-hmm. 

Sonja Thompkins: you know, I’ve been watching a lot of new Amsterdam, right? So it’s like how can you burden me? You’ve gotta have somebody and some support systems in place where you can share that.

Jordan Gill: Yeah.

Sonja Thompkins: So that now you can get different perspective, more insight. 

Jordan Gill: Yeah. 

Sonja Thompkins: Doesn’t mean you have to follow what they’re telling you. 

Jordan Gill: Right. 

Sonja Thompkins: But damn, can you bounce something off of something other than your own four walls in your head?

Jordan Gill: Yep. Yep. 

Sonja Thompkins: Yeah. I love you’re using connection. I, I, I always, I use different language, but it’s the same thing. It doesn’t matter. Support, connection…

Jordan Gill: Mm-hmm. 

Sonja Thompkins: you know, stop doing it by yourself cuz you can’t. Yeah. You’ll, you’ll drive yourself. Crazy. Literally trying to figure it out on your own. 

So that’s where sort of like the name came from and also the concept, you know, just you tapping in to the broader you and the gifts that you have and, you know, another high five there, you know? Great. 

Jordan Gill: Yeah. 

Sonja Thompkins: You’re amazing at doing VIP days. Yes. You’ve mastered that, right? You’ve mastered that now what? There’s other things. All of us have more, more than one talent, right? 

Jordan Gill: Yeah.

Sonja Thompkins: God is abundant that way. The universe is abundant that way, like, right? 

So take us through how you went from the sort of awareness, cuz I know when we were talking in the Voxer, right, when you first let me into this whole world and I was like, girl, what? I’m planning something too, right?

And you were talking about also sort of like with the, the idea and the concept of make your mark, like people need to show up for themselves, like the visibility piece. So it was a lot of connection.

Jordan Gill: Yeah. 

Sonja Thompkins: But also the visibility piece. And if you’re not being seen or if you feel like you’re not being seen or you’re not being, you know, allowed in the room per se.

Jordan Gill: Yeah. 

Sonja Thompkins: Then you need to figure out a way to do it basically. Hello, self-advocate, right? 

Jordan Gill: Mm-hmm. 

Sonja Thompkins: So how did you just come from the awareness that this is a, this is also a challenge. This is what some people are experiencing running up against, you know, not being in the room, not… 

Jordan Gill: mm-hmm.

Sonja Thompkins: not making their mark on their, you know, just themselves.

Jordan Gill: Yeah. 

Sonja Thompkins: Coming from just the awareness of that to sort of like the self-actualization or the actualization of, we’re gonna make this, the conference. Like, was there a thing or a few things that was like, oh, that’s an awareness too. No, we about to actualize this into something. 

Jordan Gill: Yeah. So there were a few things at play. Something that we, we’re saying a lot in our team around this conference is like being the representation that you wanna see. 

Sonja Thompkins: Mm-hmm. 

Jordan Gill: Because I think that a lot of times we get into this, I don’t know, rut or just thought process of like, oh, like I’m waiting until I see more black people in that room.

So then I’ll be in that room, or I will wait until I see more X in that room before I step into that room. 

Sonja Thompkins: Yeah

Jordan Gill: and I feel that tremendously because as somebody, I’m biracial, so my mom’s white, my dad’s black. And so I have a whole slew of identity issues around like not belonging. 

And so I, I have, I just had to get comfortable being like different than a lot of people in the room and settling into that and not making it mean more than it is and being okay with, again, I’m gonna represent in that room then like, if I’m gonna step into that room and be the only, I’m gonna like 

Sonja Thompkins: yeah. 

Jordan Gill: Be the only, only and like, 

Sonja Thompkins: yeah

Jordan Gill: be, be here.

So and that was the same even with operations people, like, you know, I’m speaking to my systems gals who like are totally good behind the computers. And like, good on the visibility stuff. You know, I was the only Ops P person in a lot of the rooms that I was in, and I got a lot of business being the only ops person in that room, right?

Sonja Thompkins: Mm-hmm. 

Jordan Gill: So what my event is really coming together is, is I wanna like equip, you know, folks who are used to being the onlys in a lot of rooms to then go out and spread their impact in rooms that again, either may not be familiar with what they’re bringing to the table, or they again, may have different perspectives.

And again, cuz you have to equip yourself like there are tools and again, this is where you can go talk to Sonja. I’m not, I’m not the person, but like, equip yourself with just like the tools of awareness and like the tools of like, here are my strengths. Here are not my strengths, you know? 

Here’s where I feel safe. Here’s where I don’t feel safe. Like, you have to know those things about yourself to then be able to go in and be great in those rooms. 

So I, this, this event really is for people, again, I, I work best with people who are more established and who have done some things and are, not cool with failure, but like, they don’t get hung up about it.It’s just another chapter in the book, you know, so that’s, that’s who I really want and what’s been awesome to see, honestly, Sonja is like, that’s who’s coming.

 Like, you know, it’s like, okay, like this is who I’m trying to position for. 

Sonja Thompkins: Imagine that, imagine, imagine you desired a thing and that’s what’s showing up. Oh, wow. That happens. That’s a, that’s, that’s what really happens? 

Jordan Gill: And I appreciate that. You know, and you know, because I think, and a lot of people are like, man, like you’re having all these certain types of people coming to your event, like, how are you, how are you doing that? 

And I’m like, the intentionality behind everything I do is immense. Like if I was to sit here and talk to you about the intentionality behind color choices, theme, messaging, like the speakers that we’re choosing, like all of that stuff is extremely intentional like depths of intention. 

And so I’m not just throwing up something and being like, come to my event. Like even though it was a short time span between like, oh my gosh, you need to figure out the name and what the heck we’re doing, to now we’re selling tickets.

Sonja Thompkins: Yeah. 

Jordan Gill: I, I figured it out and I did again, the deep work and so again, it comes from that, that deep knowing of who you are wanting to attract and then therefore using that as a lens and perspective in everything you do, versus just being like, it’d be cool if, or like, I don’t know if I’m there yet.

 Like, you know, you can tell yourself all sorts of stories, but it’s, it’s really about keeping that as top of mind as possible in every aspect of the offer or the event or whatever it’s that you’re doing, and that’s who you’ll attract.

Sonja Thompkins: Let me ask you something on, on that one, on that piece right there. So, okay. First of all, would you consider yourself, or how do you consider yourself, would you say you’re more spiritual, more religious, or neither? 

Jordan Gill: I feel like I’m in between. 

Sonja Thompkins: Okay. 

Jordan Gill: Yeah, I feel like I’m in between

Sonja Thompkins: you, you balance 

Jordan Gill: yeah.

Sonja Thompkins: Both. Spirituality and religious.

Jordan Gill: Yep. 

Sonja Thompkins: Okay, cool. I like that. 

Jordan Gill: Mm-hmm. 

Sonja Thompkins: All right. So when you say. I’m very intentional about all the decisions that I make. 

Jordan Gill: Yeah. 

Sonja Thompkins: Early on when you were talking, you talked about how you’re a data person, right? 

Jordan Gill: Yep.

Sonja Thompkins: So numbers, right? So that’s very like logical brain thinking. 

Jordan Gill: Mm-hmm. 

Sonja Thompkins: Like brain thinking. 

Jordan Gill: Yeah. 

Sonja Thompkins: So when you’re making these choices about like colors and names

Jordan Gill: mm-hmm.

Sonja Thompkins: and you are going through Jordan’s individual process of going deep. 

Jordan Gill: Mm-hmm. 

Sonja Thompkins: are you going deep in the data? Like when you say, I’m intentionally going deep, are you going deep in data or are you going deep in feeling, body…

Jordan Gill: mm-hmm. . 

Sonja Thompkins: Where, how are you doing? How are you doing it? 

Jordan Gill: Right. So in true biracial form, I’m always in the middle of everything. So it’s data and feeling like literally I can’t, I live in the gray. You wanna talk about like, I, black and white is very hard for me. 

Um, so, you know, I think that, I definitely looked at the data of just like, okay, who’s in Done in a Day? Who did I enjoy working with most? Who? Who took the learnings that I had and like went and made their mark.

And I actually talked to a few of my alumni and they were like, yeah, like VIP days, like helped me build my authority and helped me to like then like make my mark from a visibility standpoint. And I was like, that’s dope. 

And so I did the data, did a little bit of, again, chatter and all that stuff, and then I would allow myself to sit with the data, right?

Sonja Thompkins: Mm-hmm. . 

Jordan Gill: And I think that’s again where that’s the not so black and white part of just like, okay, the data’s very black and white. 

Sonja Thompkins: Mm-hmm. 

Jordan Gill: But then again, I could have gone down so many different paths for what this conference was. Again, I have a, a very, I’m good at a lot of things and so I, but I had to, I had to have like the, the gut of like, like, yes.

And it’s, it’s, I’m not a generator, I’m a projector, but sometimes I gotta like reach in there sometimes and just ground in what I wanna move forward in

Sonja Thompkins: mm-hmm. 

Jordan Gill: And so that’s where I’m like, okay, I kind of get the feelings and get the excitement and get the butterflies and, you know, that’s, that’s. The like, I guess body part that, that I do.

Sonja Thompkins: Yeah. 

Jordan Gill: Or body check, I guess. 

Sonja Thompkins: Yeah. And I love that. And, and by the way, just cuz you’re a projector doesn’t mean every, you still have sacral. Everybody has sacral. 

Jordan Gill: Yeah, that’s true. 

Sonja Thompkins: You know what I mean? Some, but if you’re a generator or manifesting generator, it’s, it’s like considered to be more intense. But everybody should be listening to whatever gets tingly and warm in your body.

Or sick and twisted in your body because that’s, those are the best decision makers cuz the brain will tell you any damn thing. It’s like, oh yeah, that makes all the sense in the world. But not for me or not for right now, okay?

Jordan Gill: Right. 

Sonja Thompkins: All right. So that was sort of like, that’s how we got from just concept Make Your Mark to actually like, this is gonna be, this is gonna, this is the event, this is what we’re putting it together for. I mean, this is what we’re putting, how we’re putting it together and who we’re putting it together for. 

Jordan Gill: Yep. 

Sonja Thompkins: So that’s perfect. While we’re talking about it, just tell people when it is and where and, and how to, and how to get there. Right?

Jordan Gill: Yes! 

Sonja Thompkins: Those right fit folks that you talked about. 

Jordan Gill: Totally. Yeah. So it’s called Make and Mark Live and it’s in Dallas, Texas. And the theme is Girls Night In, cuz we’re all about the comfy vibes. And again, just like business and leisure, like the juxtaposition, and it’s on September 21st and 22nd, which is a Thursday and a Friday.

And yeah, there’s still tickets left and should be for a little while anyway. There’s about 250 in person available, and then we’ll have probably, again, around 800-ish available virtual, but virtual tickets will happen a little bit later. 

Sonja Thompkins: Perfect. And we’ll make sure that we have a link to all of that in the show notes. And by the way, at the time that we’re recording it, that’s how many tickets Jordan has available, right? So…

Jordan Gill: yes. 

Sonja Thompkins: however, at the time that you are hearing this, may not, it’s not gonna be, not, may not like we already know, like tickets are selling, so it’s not gonna be that same amount. So go ahead. You know, ask yourself, respond to what we’ve been talking about with this Make Your Mark Live conference.

For those in my human design family who are… If you, if you’re that, uh, you gotta sit on it, those emotional authorities like me, you gotta sit on it and ride that wave for like four days, do that and then, you know, move forward. 

Jordan Gill: Right.

Sonja Thompkins: You know, may the Lord open, as they say.

So really quickly before we go, Two more questions for you. 

Jordan Gill: Yeah. 

Sonja Thompkins: If you don’t mind. 

Jordan Gill: Yes, absolutely. 

Sonja Thompkins: How old are you? 

Jordan Gill: I am 32. 

Sonja Thompkins: Ooh, perfect. I needed to know that before I ask you this next question. Okay.

Jordan Gill: Okay. 

Sonja Thompkins: The reason I ask is because you literally are wrapping up your first Saturn return. 

Jordan Gill: Oh, yeah.

Sonja Thompkins: Do you know anything about that?

Jordan Gill: Yeah, and I’m a 4/6 

Sonja Thompkins: okay. 

Jordan Gill: In Human Design, so I know like the thirds in life and all that. 

Sonja Thompkins: Yeah. 

Jordan Gill: Mm-hmm. 

Sonja Thompkins: Perfect, girl. 

Jordan Gill: I got a little bit of knowledge.

Sonja Thompkins: We, you, we… listen, so you’re 4/6 in human design. And for folks, if you don’t know a bunch about human design, send me a message. I’ll, right, we’ll, we’ll, we’ll get you caught up, but your profile lines are 4/6.

My profile lines are 2/4, but my life path number in numerology is a six, so I still carry a lot of that six energy. And like you said, that third, a third, a third of whatever number your life ends up being. You know that role model version. 

Jordan Gill: Mm, 

Sonja Thompkins: that energy is really strong, but Saturn return basically kind of signifies like that first third. For most people it’s gonna happen between the ages of 28 and 32. And Saturn is the ruler of like tasks and lessons, right? 

Jordan Gill: Mm-hmm. , 

Sonja Thompkins: so Saturn return means you’re in the same place where Saturn was during the time you were born. So what have you learned? Yeah. It means all the lessons, all the things that have taken place over this first third, right?

Jordan Gill: Mm-hmm. , 

Sonja Thompkins: what have…

I didn’t get that. Can you try again? 

Okay. Siri wants to tell us about her Saturn return on my watch. How? How she just come bust in my podcast episode. See, that’s a whole other… Okay. So, cause I have questions now for her.

But so what have, in knowing that you’re in the Saturn return period and which is a very reflective period 

Jordan Gill: mm-hmm.

Sonja Thompkins: What do you remember about yourself now that you didn’t, or that you used to hide from? So another way of asking is like, what do you embrace about who you always knew you were, but maybe try to hide, right? 

Because maybe it wasn’t understood or it wasn’t, you know, somebody said something and you got into survival mode so you put on a shield. 

Jordan Gill: Mm-hmm. 

Sonja Thompkins: What is, what is one of those things? That, that you, you remember now about who you always were, that you’re no longer hiding? 

Jordan Gill: Hmm. Yeah. Something that’s like blaring me straight in the face is that my voice matters. Oddly enough, now my voice is gonna go hoarse.

Sonja Thompkins: That’s how they do this. 

Jordan Gill: That’s how they do it. 

And the reason for that is because I grew up in a semi predominantly known family in the sports industry or arena, and my dad was a football coach all growing up.

And something that was taught to me at a very early age was you represent the Gill family. And so what that meant, and I had to say it every single day, and what that meant was that basically don’t do anything outta line or that will embarrass the family, or that is outside of what people expect of us, right?

So that was 18 years of my life, right? And then in college I went halfway across the country. Cause I was like, I don’t wanna be known as, you know, my dad’s daughter. I wanna be just Jordan. And about a year and a half later, God has a sense of humor. About a year and a half later, my dad becomes a football coach at the school that I go to. And…

Sonja Thompkins: God did. Where you going? 

Jordan Gill: Yeah. And it was, it was fi like my dad is awesome. So it’s not a, a knock on him by any means. He’s such a wonderful human. I admire him deeply. 

And I was like, okay, cool. So I’m going back into that identity. And what’s interesting about that, that experience different than when I was younger was that, again, it was on a much bigger stage. And, it was, there were so many levels to that experience where you know, he was coaching at a predominantly white school and my dad was black and so there were a lot of racial things going on there. 

There was also just this, I had to grow thick skin very much so during that period. And because people would just be like, oh, like he’s got a cute daughter. And so that means that like all the players are getting BJs before the game or like just all sorts of absolutely absurd things being said about me 

Sonja Thompkins: Wow.

Jordan Gill: And my family. 

Sonja Thompkins: Wow. 

Jordan Gill: And that, that really was tough because, again, as somebody who likes to, I like to be in control, but I do like to control the narrative of who I am and how 

Sonja Thompkins: sure. 

Jordan Gill: I’m being seen. That was tough to like swallow. And at the same time it’s also in this online industry world, like people saying things about me, which again, doesn’t happen that often, honestly. But when it does, like I’m like, I’ve had way worse things said about me when I was like 21. 

Sonja Thompkins: Clearly. 

Jordan Gill: So like you coming up here and saying this, like literally doesn’t matter. And so that has… that used to, I would say, kind of tailor me in in what I said and how much I put myself out there from a visibility standpoint, and I feel very strongly about this year standing like in my ground firmly and using my voice as much as possible and being completely unapologetic about it. 

And so yes, does that put me in more of a target? Does that allow for more people to judge me? Absolutely. And at the same time, like again, I, I have pretty thick skin and a lot of things don’t really shake me when it comes to that.

So I would say the, the biggest lesson I learned in the first 32 years was that my voice matters, and that again, like I’m pretty unshakeable and unapologetic. 

Sonja Thompkins: Yes, yes. Well, boom. Boom. I mean, yeah, that’s, that’s a perfect place to wrap this up with a bow. I mean, which is, I, listen, it ain’t broke. Don’t fix it. 

So again, like Jordan, I’m still glad this is, this is now, like, this is, we have history now, right? So this can, this is gonna be like pulled up, you know? 

Jordan Gill: Yeah. 

Sonja Thompkins: When there’s no longer even hard drives or Google drives. Like you’ll just close your eyes and you can like, pull up a podcast, a episode, some sort of, you know. 

Jordan Gill: Totally. 

Sonja Thompkins: This is gonna be for the ages. 

Thank you so much for sharing your voice, sharing your very unique insight. And for allowing me and others to get a taste of like what is happening, not just behind the scenes, but but deep in that, deep in that brain 

Jordan Gill: Yes. 

Sonja Thompkins: Of yours, you know what I mean? For inspiration and for permission, cuz I’m sure for some, you’re giving permission for them to give themselves permission.

Jordan Gill: Yep. 

Sonja Thompkins: To do whatever currently needs to be done for their growth towards their highest elevation. So I appreciate you so much. This was so great, so awesome. 

And you guys, make sure you check Jordan out. Again, follow her on Instagram. I know that’s probably, I feel like that’s where you’re most active. Is that correct? 

Jordan Gill: A hundred percent, yep. 

Sonja Thompkins: Okay, perfect. Grab your tickets to Make Your Mark Live. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And yeah. Come visit us on the next episode. Thank you guys so much. And that’s a wrap.