Meet Lisa L. Baker | Founder of Ascentim

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lisa L. Baker and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lisa, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
Funny you should ask. It is my lifelong belief that our habits can drive us from ordinary to extraordinary. I’m so passionate about this topic that I literally wrote an eBook all about it – The 9 Success Habits: Ordinary Habits that Create Extraordinary Results. (PS – You can download it for free at my website!)

A key factor in my success has been setting a target. That might look different for different people; for me, it includes the selection of realistic yet challenging goals and defining what success means for each of them.

The 9th habit that I discuss in my eBook is to focus on improvement. I have found that it is essential to understand that progress doesn’t always come in great leaps and bounds. Taking small steps every day and maintaining consistent progress toward the target is what matters most. Incremental improvements add up quickly and motivate you to keep going.

Once I’ve set my sights on a target, it is consistency, not intensity, that helps me succeed.

What should our readers know about your business?
My goodness, how much time do you have?! The entire reason I launched this coaching practice is that I have learned so many lessons along the way. I am incredibly grateful to have overcome my own set of challenges – including career setbacks, bankruptcy, and divorce – and to have found a life of abundance. But it took a lot of hard work, trial and error, and rethinking my approach to get to this place.

At this point in my career, I feel a calling to share the light with others who are on their way to the top and might just need a little guidance to get there. There’s so much I wish I had known before I set out on my journey, and it’s inspiring to be able to help someone else ascend faster. In my coaching practice, I focus on the three things that I have found lead to a successful and fulfilling life: connections, careers, and finances.

If I had to share one of the lessons I’ve learned with you all today, it would be to find your people. Build your own personal board of directors by connecting with others on a deep and authentic level. Relationships are everything – and they make amazing things happen!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
There is nothing better after a long, hard week at work than a girl’s weekend in the city. If you were coming to visit me here in Baltimore, we’d have a glorious itinerary. Here’s what we’d do:

Friday night, you’ll roll into town. We’ll get dressed up and head over to dinner at BLK Swan. We’ll catch up on each other’s work lives, love lives, and everything else while we enjoy the grown and sexy vibes, and perhaps a signature cocktail. Saint/Sinner anyone?

Saturday is all about indulgence. We deserve some pampering, so it’s off to the Inner Harbor for a facial and a Diamond Life Massage at the Baltimore Spa-Four Seasons Hotel.

We’ll keep that relaxed and refreshed vibe going as we have lunch outside on the waterfront. I think lobster and crab cakes at Loch Bar Restaurant – Maryland Seafood House will do nicely. In the evening, we’ll head to Fell’s Point where there are several fantastic restaurants to choose from, like the Thames Street Oyster House for fresh seafood. Then we can hop over to the Cat’s Eye Pub to cap off our evening with a live blues band.

Sunday morning, we’ll head to Jazz Brunch at Gertrude’s Chesapeake Kitchen for more live music. Happily, Gertrude’s is located in the Baltimore Museum of Art, so we may as well walk off our meal and check out the incredible exhibits.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Harriet Goldhor Lerner said, “Only through our connectedness to others can we know and enhance the self, and only through working on the self can we begin to enhance our connectedness to others.”

I’m better and more successful than I ever imagined I could be because of the power of connections. Most important is a spiritual connection. I thank God – every good and perfect gift comes from Him. My husband, Clarence Baker Jr., is my partner in purpose and my number one fan. His love and encouragement help me soar. I am so grateful for my Personal Board of Advisors. This informal group includes family, friends, mentors, and sponsors who help me navigate my career and keep my life on the right path. They do so by offering me their guidance, asking me the tough questions, holding me accountable, connecting me to their networks, and opening doors so I can walk through them. I endeavor to honor them by paying it forward.

Website: https://ascentim.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ascentim

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascentim-coaching

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/HereYouGrow

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ascentim

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfj1xAzL9Vh4arqsEoU5uJQ

Image Credits
Kim Steward Photography
Lisa L. Baker
Photos by Terri