Aww Shift

In today's episode, our guest is Zee Clarke. She is a Harvard MBA who went from leading teams at Fortune 500 companies and startups in Silicon Valley to teaching mindfulness and breathwork to people of color. Trained in India, Zee leverages her toolkit of yoga, meditation, breathwork, sound healing, and Reiki to ensure that all people of color have the tools to thrive despite any challenges that race, gender, or sexuality might present. [2:55] Why should I listen to you? If you're a black person, you should listen to me because I can share with you tools that can help you deal with racism and racial profiling and also help your mental health. But if you're an ally or aspiring ally, you should listen to me for education about the reality of the experiences of people who look like me in this country. [4:56] When did this torch become something you wanted to carry? So I grew up in Washington, DC, also known as the "murder capital" of America. I grew up in a low-income, predominantly black neighborhood, and I went to a fancy private school in the suburbs of Washington, DC, where I was the only black person in a school filled with rich white people. So the first time that I experienced this feeling of, "Do I belong here?" I'm not good enough. What is happening, why is nobody speaking to me, and why are people treating me differently? That was the first day of school when I was eight years old. I share this with you to say that this feeling continued throughout my education. I went to Harvard Business School. I worked in financial services early in my career, and then after business school, I went to the Bay Area, where I worked in Silicon Valley in tech. And so during that entire time of my corporate career, I would be the only woman in the room, sometimes in tech. My mental health was in the gutter. I wasn't eating, and my doctors were like, "Something's got to change your stress levels; they're causing your current state of being," so I quit and I went to India. I joke that I did the black girl version of Eat, Pray, Love because I was meditating. I'm doing yoga, and I've never felt so good in my entire life. I did not know that this was possible. And so I felt very passionately that I needed to share these tools with others, particularly black people and people of color because we have higher rates of high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and all sorts of other things that now medical research is showing are a direct result of racism and microaggressions. [8:00] How would you define microaggression? A microaggression is a comment or action that unconsciously or unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude towards a member of a marginalized group. It can also be when people question your competence, when you don't feel seen or heard, or when they mistake you for somebody that looks nothing like you. There is a long list, but in short, we are being treated differently because of what we look like. [9:45] Where do you think this came from? I think it's a lack of empathy. A lot of people who commit microaggressions might have good intentions, and that is why the definition means "unconsciously" or "unintentionally." They might have good intentions, but the impact is usually negative. Some of these things come from parents, too. When you hear your parents speak negatively about a certain group of people, you think they are right, but the truth is they also learned it from their parents. [11:56] What do you think should be the first thing we think about when these things happen to us and when we choose to respond to them? Well, my book is called Black People Breathe because breathing is very critical to regulating our nervous system. When these things happen, we get triggered, and that is when our systematic nervous system kicks in, and when that happens, your heart rate tends to go up. You might start sweating, you might clench up, your shoulders might come up, and all of that kind of just depends on how your body reacts to that. But that is the sympathetic nervous system kicking in, and when that happens, we aren't rational people, and we might say or do things that come from an emotionally charged place, which could hurt your job. So my recommendation is that when you are triggered, be intentional about breathing so that you can regulate your nervous system. [16:35] What are the things someone can do when stuff like this happens? I think what happens is that when you breathe, you can speak from a more calm and rational place. Nelson Mandela has a quote that states that "resentment is like drinking poison and hoping for your enemy to die." When somebody says something offensive, take a breath and ask yourself if it's good for your mental health. Sometimes I'm not okay, but for my mental health, I choose not to engage. I get that sometimes you might want to educate others, but it will be preferable if you don't. You get to sleep better because you didn't get to fight someone at work. [22:00] Can you dive

In today's episode, our guest is Nick Sonnenberg. He is an entrepreneur, Inc. columnist, and guest lecturer at Columbia University. He is also the author of "Come Up for Air: How Teams Can Leverage Systems and Tools to Stop Drowning in Work." He is the founder and CEO of Leverage, a leading operational efficiency consultancy that helps companies implement his CPR® Business Efficiency Framework. [2:27] Why should I listen to you? You'd listen to me because the stuff that I'm interested in is the most valuable thing that anyone could give someone, which is the gift of time. [3:55] Can you walk us through your journey? I called my book "Come Up for Air" because the first thing I hear people say is that they're drowning in work, especially in recent years. I've been drowning in work for a long time, so everything I talk about is not from theory but from what I have experienced as a person. I know the pain of growing a company and working 100 hours a week; before then, I worked as a high-frequency trader on Wall Street, where I worked my ass off too. But one thing I've done exceptionally well is training myself. I know what drowning in work feels like, so my company does operational efficiency consulting and training for teams and other companies. We brainstorm with the team and come up with a new technology. It could be a new way to use that technology and it could have nothing to do with it but for me, time is the most precious resource and it's so easy to fall into the trap of doing things the same way in an inefficient manner because you are used to it. [6:20] How did you balance that? I've always been passionate about time. As a high-frequency trader, I build algorithms for computers to trade stocks at micro and nanosecond speeds. I gained an appreciation for the value of time because a microsecond could mean a million. I decided to leave finance after 8 years, and I developed a freelancer marketplace where we do tasks and projects for people under the umbrella of giving back time. In the first year, we grew to 7-figure revenue with 150 team members fully remote. It sounds good, but under the hood, we had three-quarters of a million dollars in debt and almost half a million in losses. I was close to bankruptcy, but I decided not to because I knew where we were. I had a game plan on how to fix it. I stuck to it and things started turning around. After a while, I decided to pivot that company from a freelancer marketplace to leveraging operational efficiency, consulting, and training, which is the core of my book. I was able to do that because I know what it feels like to be drowning. [11:45] How does somebody build into releasing? I think part of it is a systems issue and a people's issue. Trust comes in different levels. You can trust someone on an ethical level but not on another, and that causes a lot of friction and anxiety. You have to be aware of the lack of trust coming from an ethical issue, a competence issue, a poor process, or a system issue. But documenting the right way to do something is a great way to kind of lessen the stress. They are not going to do it the same way you do, but as long as you've built some kind of process and SOPs, they will get it right. Some things are harder to outsource to others, but you can probably get rid of 80% of your plate. Just invest your time in documenting things the way you want them done. [16:10] How does one decide whether to keep tasks in a submission on the board or off the board? I think anything that gives you joy or taps into your unique ability should be kept, and anything outside of that ain't a good candidate. I think there's a famous Ink magazine article about Mark Cuban, who likes doing his laundry. Now, his hourly rate is much higher than whatever it would cost to outsource. But if it gives you joy, then you're not touching that. One of your unique abilities can also be hosting a podcast, and that's a really good use of your time. However, there may be other things about the podcast that you don't feel great about, like editing, and you can So that's the way I like to think about those things. So it's like buying back your time. [18:10] Do you think people can expand beyond their points? I think that if you get more breathing room and free up time, you can be very efficient. Sometimes you're so constrained because you're just so inefficient. You're on a scavenger hunt looking for stuff, and you're working 60–80 hours a week, and you know, that affects the quality of your work. It affects your mood. So, if you can make work easier, do better work, take on more new projects, and be a better business partner, employee, spouse, and so on. [19:45] What are some things that you've seen people practice throughout the last few years and does your book provide a solution? I think that there are some personal preferences with some of the individual productivity stuff. I think that there's probably something in general with time blocking. However, I think t

In today's episode, our guest is Jenn Lim. She is a global workplace expert, bestselling author, speaker, executive coach, and the CEO and co-founder of Delivering Happiness [DH], a company that grows purpose-driven organizations with more profitable and sustainable approaches to business. Jenn launched two bestselling books—Delivering Happiness in 2010 and authored Beyond Happiness: How Authentic Leaders Prioritize Purpose and People for Growth and Impact. [3:40] Why should I listen to you? I just love real talk. I simply prefer to dive in sooner than most people, and I enjoy getting to know people on a personal level. So the only way I think I can do that is by expressing myself from the core. We had meaningful conversations where I learned a lot of things. I learned more about how to implement sustainable scientific happiness in my company. [5:28] Where did that pop out for you? I think multiple levels, but the most important is my inner circle. We had to sit and talk to ourselves; some saw this as a good thing, while others saw it as a bad thing. We had conversations about setting the right priorities, doing the right thing, and lots more. [8:48] Can you break down the birth of this idea? I launched a book with Tony Shea, the late CEO of zappos.com in 2010 and the book was titled delivering happiness. We didn't have an idea about how well it did and realized there was a demand for happiness in the world. Tony co-founded a company called delivering happiness and the purpose was to help other organizations focus on how to create happy environments for the staff and customers. If there is happiness in an organization, you'll have a more sustainable profitable business. At the end of 2020, I lost my co-founder and one of my best buds. It's not just about sharing all these stories but how we made all these organizations happier, more productive, and more profitable. Right now, it's more than just happiness but reinforcing the perception of happiness. [12:35] Do you mind sharing some of your lows? There was a time I lost my job, lost my title, lost my status, 911 happened and in that same year, my dad got diagnosed with stage three colon cancer. I eventually lost my dad and that shaped me into figuring out what is meaningful to me and I found out that it's a misalignment of values. So I shifted from money to the values that are dear and near to me. I had meaningful relationships that got me into the place of exploring. It wasn't even happiness at that time but how to ground and stabilize ourselves in a world that is uncertain and unpredictable. [15:15] What do you recommend for people who are currently going through their darkest and low moments? When Tony died, the book was already due, but luckily the publisher gave me a little bit more time. But during that time, I was too weak to do anything. I was at my lowest and depressed. When you talk to people about it, they try to cheer you up and recommend some quotes that will help you, but that does not really help. What really helps is picking up a mirror, looking inward, and seeing what you've done in the past when you were at your lowest. Reflect on how you got through those times. So processing and reflecting on your own abilities helps you get your resilience back. [20:25] How would you define happiness, and then go beyond it? We kind of base happiness on scientific research and data, and we try to bring academics into real life. What we've learned from that is that there are different types of happiness, including pleasure and all those things related to it. However, the most sustainable form of happiness is purpose. We hear that all the time, so it's basically being part of something bigger than yourself. From a scientific standpoint, there are various ways to increase internal happiness, such as having a sense of autonomy and development. So if you are thinking of what you may do, have more control, more progress, more connections, or enhance that sense of greater purpose. [23:12] In your journey, did you find something that can also lead to happiness? When I completed the book, it was a moment of pride. I was able to complete it in an honorable way, which is like an achievement, and that is a natural part of what we want to do as human beings. It's just good to look at what you've accomplished and be proud of yourself. [31:03] What has the work turned into over time? We are still helping organizations, companies, governments, and hospitals around the world implement change. One of the silver liners is that we can now embed conversations about mental health. The last few years have deepened the stuff that we've done so that people understand that it's not just rainbows and unicorns. People want to show up as themselves. Authenticity is the number one happiness and then we feel that sense of progress and purpose and how we can do that on a day-to-day basis. A lot of people are obsessed with leaving a legacy, and to me, that's not what it's all about. It's

In today's episode, our guest is Jamie Bronstein. She is a relationship therapist, coach, host of "Love Talk Live" on LA Talk Radio, wife, and mama. She was also named the #1 relationship coach transforming lives in 2020 by YahooFinance. For the past 20 years, Jaime has guided people from around the world as they navigate the peaks and troughs of dating and relationships. [2:50] Why should I listen to you? You should listen to me because I have a lot of value to offer and I can change your life. I can also expand on it if you want to know how and why I can change your life. [3:42] Can you take us back to where you navigated through life? I've been a psychotherapist for 20 years. I also have the fact that I didn't meet my husband until I was 34 years old. Being "in the field," as I call it, entails a lot of dating experience. So I had to go through trial and error until I met my husband, and I've also been on a spiritual journey, so I have a certificate in spiritual psychology. Putting all of this together—my own experience, hearing my client's stories, and just practicing,I feel that, as well as my spiritual stuff, is genuinely life-changing. [5:12] How did you drive into the realm of spirituality after psychology? I have an undergraduate degree in psychology and a master's in social work. I'm a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), and I got 3000 hours before I was even a licensed clinical social worker and did clinical work for years. All of a sudden, I discovered spirituality. I thought I was going to start a school or some kind of movement in psychology and spirituality as I went along on my spiritual journey. Then, I found something called the University of Santa Monica, which is a spiritual psychology program. I was drawn to spirituality, and some of the reasons were because it helped me not suffer anymore. It helps you learn how to rise above and see life through a different lens of perception. [7:30] In your opinion, what is love? Love is first a feeling and intuition and until you've experienced it, people settle. So I always try to inspire people to not ever settle for less. True love sounds cheesy, but true, authentic, deep connection, and romantic with your soul mates. Your birthright to have this kind of love does exist, and until you experience it, it's hard to explain. But the only way to explain it is that it is a feeling that feels like home. [9:38] How do all these pieces of stuff come together? I would say one of the main reasons why I wrote my book is to inspire people. It is to let people know that it is their birthright to love and what my book helps you do is to figure out what is that missing piece between you and finding that love. There's unconditionally loving yourself. There's believing it's going to actually happen. It's getting very clear on what you are manifesting. As humans, we're always manifesting and if you aren't manifesting love you're manifesting something and you may not like that thing you're manifesting. [11:30] What does manifestation mean to you and how is it showing up in people's lives currently? The truth is you're not only just manifesting love. You are manifesting positive and negative things. So I mentioned that unconditional Self Love is a really important part of manifesting anything and. It all starts with the fact that our outside experiences are a reflection of our inner reality. We're constantly manifesting people in our lives that have a reflection of what's going on inside of us. So I help people to resolve their unresolved issues, to heal those unresolved issues and negative limiting beliefs. Sometimes, our negative consciousness makes us believe that we are not good enough and we don't deserve love. People go through this a lot and that is why I decide to bring the truth to them. What is the truth? The truth is you are worthy of love, you're capable of love. People indeed have trust issues, and it doesn't happen overnight. It takes time. It takes practice. It is a practice and that's how I would define how we are always manifesting even when we're not even trying to. [14:10] What's the first step for manifestation to take place? You have to admit there's a problem first and it takes awareness. So first you need to realize there is a problem and then you start getting aware of these negative thoughts. Some people claim to be fearless and void of negative thoughts. That's not true because we are humans. We have a human reign and a mind. What matters is what you choose to do with those thoughts and feelings. So the thought comes in, is this true? This is not true. This is just my ego trying to keep me safe. It's Fear-based. It's not the truth. Right at that moment, what is the truth? So it's catching it and like I said, it is a practice. [16:15] How does somebody face the negativity phase of life? I always say that life happens for us, not to us. If you look at things in that way, then you know that everything that happens in life is an opportunity

In today's episode, our guest is Fran Maier. She is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and fundraiser responsible for five successful business ventures. She's also a former co-founder of Match.com and the founder of a new company called Baby Quip. She has gone through a journey of world-changing businesses, so if you want to create a great business idea and do things differently, this episode is for you. [2:05] Why should I listen to you? You should listen to me because I am a fun conversationalist, I'd probably ask you what you're up to and eventually get around to introducing myself as the CEO of Baby Quip and the services we render as a startup business. [3:10] If you were to break down baby quip in its basics, what would it be? Baby Quip is the largest baby gear rental and delivery service in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Australia. We are the Airbnb of baby care, and we have over 1400 people (mostly moms) who own baby gear, and they are the ones who deliver it to families who are traveling to their local area. This isn't moms renting their extra cribs, strollers, or seats. Most of these moms are building a real inventory of strollers, car seats, cribs, toys, baby monitors, and all kinds of other things. Because of the bombs, they get a lot of gratification from serving other families who are trying to have a good vacation. Baby quip is the one who connects the parents to the providers and parents can choose among providers their destination. [5:22] How long has Baby Quip been around? We launched it in May 2016. I finished my fourth startup sometime in 2012, and between 2012 and 2016, I got on the Airbnb craze, so I bought a house in San Francisco and was renting rooms on the top floor of my house. Afterward, I went to Santa Fe, where my mom was at the time, bought a couple of vacation rentals there, and started to think about how travel is changing. I didn't have a 9 to 5 job; instead, I was running properties and had a gig job. Then, I met somebody in Santa Fe who was doing the baby rental business, and we connected and joined forces in May. We launched pretty much immediately on the first platform. Almost seven years later, we survived the pandemic on Shark Tank on March 6, 2020. We were expecting our business to just take off, and then the pandemic came, but we are still standing and stronger than ever. [7:00] What was the aww shift moment? I had already been an Airbnb host, and I knew I did not want to store, clean, or provide the range that I saw families traveling with. I had a few families bring babies, and there was no way I wanted to do this. So when I saw this idea of baby gear rentals, the first thing I tried to find out was if anybody was into the business, and all I found were some small regional players. So I saw that nobody had the intention to build a national brand. When I saw the ideal vision for baby quip, I knew we needed to create trust because we are dealing with kids and babies. I also looked into liability insurance. Every piece of inventory was aimed at the baby. It also requires us to get background checks on all the quality providers, and we have a whole lot of things that we call trust and safety that give our providers, customers, and parents a piece of mind. We train our quality providers on cleanliness, safety, hospitality, and social media. That's how we've done it, and we are still the only national brand that is sold to babies all over the world. [12:39] How would you navigate the next few steps to getting a life? I think it's surprising that many people don't necessarily go through the steps. One is what problem you're solving or trying to solve. Then, who is your target market? You need to understand to whom you're selling this solution. You've got to refine it. Okay, there is a target, there is a problem. What is one aspect of the solution? What are the unique benefits that you can bring? Of course, you have to think about how you're going to reach those people, and that is daunting because it takes years. It takes time. Your audience must see your content over and over again. [16:06] What are some of the hidden pitfalls that we don't see? Let's face it, the pandemic trumps all. When we were declining and also refunding orders in March and April of 2020, it was super painful. I wasn't sure we were going to make it, but fortunately, I had raised some money, and then we got government money, which I've never had in my entire life. I think getting the insurance was a big lift, and not only was it a big lift to qualify, but the premiums are super expensive. Now that we are expanding, not every place is like the United States. For example, we recently expanded it to Australia. It's a fairly well-to-do country, and middle-class moms can afford to buy baby gear, but Mexico has a different demographic. So, we are looking at some of these challenges when moving into a new market. [18:10] Do you choose the right ideas yourself or do you bring other people in whenever y

In today's episode, our guest is Lorenzo Alexander. He is a former American football linebacker who played in the NFL for 15 seasons playing the majority with the Washington Redskins. He played college football for the University of California and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Carolina Panthers in 2005. [4:25] What are the things you've found beneficial to your life as an athlete that you wish non-athletes would experience? Sports are like simulated adversity that you experience every day. You either have success or failure and then you find out how you can grow in those moments. How do you get better? How do you become a better version of yourself? Human nature is to be in a place of comfort. We all want to find an easy flow. But we really don't grow in that because the human condition is also to be complacent in many ways, and if you're not pushed or challenged, you kind of just stay the same and let people pass you by. So, I wish more people would play sports, engage, and get into a space that is going to stimulate adversity that they can learn from and then apply to who they are and the people that they impact on that day based on agreement. [7:25] What's the easiest, stress-free path to something? I think we have the same mental health issues when it comes to sports and culture in general. We have the perspective that men don't cry, and we shouldn't tell our sons that we love them. But I think there needs to be a little bit of balance. We should be able to acknowledge our feelings and build mental toughness. There are a lot of different things out there that you can do to create balance in your life. But we are different, and that is why you have to know the loudest voices that you hear often. To be effective, we must strike a balance somewhere in the middle. If you are always in a state of crisis and you just try to chill out, beat yourself up, and not practice self-care, you are not doing anything. So building the skill set that you need in that space is really important. [12:30] Can you walk us through the experience you had as a kid that led you to this point? I went to St. Mary's High School, did well in school, was one of the top players in the country, and eventually decided to go to Cal Berkeley. So one of the things my parents and uncle always instilled in me was having a plan B. I was taught that I could do multiple things at the same time. I always had my identity because I was a good student. I was a good football player who was ready to serve, and they created this structure for me that I was just participating in. I didn't quite understand it at the time, but when I look back at it, I realize why I am here today. I'm passionate about certain things because of the individuals that I've had in my life. Much of the work done, primarily by my uncle Steve and mother, benefited me greatly. My uncle had a family of his own and was married, but he still found time to sacrifice and serve not only his family but also to ensure that I had the structure I needed in addition to what my mother provided. I have people who are more talented than I am but didn't have the structure and support that I had, so they ended up taking different routes. I had a great example of what that was supposed to look like and followed it as closely as I could. [25:10] Can you share with people your day-to-day activities and where you see yourself in the next three to five years? Well, the big thing, as you just mentioned, was finishing up my Master's program at Grand Canyon University. One of the things that I was also blessed to learn was psychology, with an emphasis on life coaching. I was taught a growth mindset, and this is not something that I learned in grad school from an academic perspective, but something that I heard from Sean McDermott and how he applied it to football. Everybody, I think, is inherently given certain skills and is gifted at certain levels, and we can be intentional about cultivating those within us as well. There is something that I have started doing over the last couple of years, and people know it as Exco, a training facility. Guys, former players, current players, and future NFL players go and train with some of the best in the business, and it's a big-time company that does a really good job. They have one here in Phoenix, and I work with the linebackers every year. I'm always concerned with preparing you for life. We talk about football stuff and how you need to navigate the business, but at the end of the day, I want you to tackle these things and apply them to life because if you are a better man, you will be a better husband, father, and other things. [30:58] What has driven you to dive back in at this emotional expenditure level? Living in Paradise Valley is probably the most Ranchi. I see myself in these young men, my sons and daughters, who are obviously black in America. I see myself in these people and all the trauma that a lot of people have to endure, no matter wh

In today's episode, our guest is Thomas D'Eri. He is an expert in autism employment through his experience as the founder and COO of Rising Tide Car Wash, a social enterprise that employs more than 80 individuals with autism. He is also a recognized thought leader in the autism employment field and a 2019 Forbes 30 Under 30 list-maker in social entrepreneurship. Tom regularly speaks at Fortune 500 companies, international conferences, leadership development programs, and universities. [3:16] Why should I listen to you? I have the type of personality that is looking to learn much more than to tell people what to do. And if I were to talk to you in a coffee shop, I can promise you that I'd be asking many more questions than speaking. [4:45] Where did you develop the desire to be curious about other people? A lot of experiences come to mind, but the one that comes to mind most frequently is my experience with my brother, Andrew. Andrew has autism, and that is why we founded our business, Rising Tide Car Wash. Growing up with him and getting to know other people, I learned that people have all different types of struggles that you may not see on the surface. I think that has always been interesting to me, and it has also made me empathetic. [7:20] Tell me how the carwash came to be. My father, John Dre, and I founded the business in 2013. At this point, Andrew was turning 22. And at that point, in the autism community that means you are kind of out of the school district, out of the support system that you have through your childhood. We knew we had to act for a couple of years, but before then we had been doing research and testing different ideas to see what would work best for Andrew and what we felt could be a viable business, and we settled on a car wash. We opened our first location in Parkland, Florida, in the year 2013. It was an old kind of struggling car wash, we renovated it and we put it in our brand and our concept. When we bought it, it washed about 35,000 cars a year, and now it's washing over 170,000 cars a year. Because of the progress, we were also able to build two more. [9:20] Can you share how that kind of system operates and functions? We take the approach that our employees with autism are extreme users of organizational systems. So they have the same needs as everyone else. They're just more parents, and by designing for and with them, we've learned how to build more systems that are clear, streamlined, more inclusive, and that work better for everybody. So instead of letting go of employees, we take the approach of designing a system that they're chafing up against in a way that works for them. Typically, we end up with a more innovative, better process that works better for everyone. Not every way works perfectly, but this approach works well for us. [11:06] What are some of the challenges you faced in getting this off the ground? When we were doing our research, there were not a lot of examples of non-profit businesses that designed and employed people with autism as most of their staff. Some nonprofit organizations have had some success but nothing we were trying to do was a consumer-facing business. We talked to a lot of experts and they told us it wasn't going to work. My dad had been an entrepreneur before then and he was like, we will go into it and test it. We'll take feedback but we will try and see if it's going to work or not. I spent so much time figuring out how we will employ people with autism, how to train them, empower them and make them great employees. [14:23] How do you tweak the system? About 16% of the autism spectrum has a significant intellectual disability and half of the autism spectrum has no intellectual disability. It's very wide and that is why we adopted the approach of figuring out who is having the biggest difficulty. So when we find out our team members just can't do the work, we try to figure out where they are being challenged and we fix it. We also designed a sign that says drive forward, car in neutral that way they find it simple, and directional and that made it easier for our team members to navigate the process. [18:03] How do you expand the business into multiple locations? The first thing we do is by figuring out the challenges of a particular team member and we proffer solutions to them. We are also always at one location with only a couple of people to start. We expand it from there to one whole staff and then company-wide if it's working well. [20:17] In your own words, what was the inspiration behind you writing a book? Throughout the business, we have had a couple of "lightning in a bottle" moments where we've caught the attention of the media, magazines, and so on. Every time these things hit, we get an outpouring of parents who come to inquire about how we started the business and how they'd love to build something like that too. We can't help all of them individually. So our first inclination was to build entrepreneurship training for

In today's episode, our guest is Isa Watson. She is an entrepreneur, author, skydiver, and classical pianist. She is the co-founder and CEO of Squad, the fun way to build a world of your closest friends--away from social media. Named top 100 MIT Alumni in Tech in 2021, Isa is a physical scientist turned social scientist, building the next generation's social connection tool. [3:50] Why should I listen to you? You should listen to me because I have a great smile. [4:38] Do you mind walking me through your human experiences as we progress through your book? I don't know many, and I didn't grow up on social media in the same way that a lot of kids today did. I came from a big Caribbean family. I grew up in North Carolina, Chapel Hill. My dad was a computer engineer who migrated to the US, and his mentality was if you can't build it, then you shouldn't be using it. From the time I was seven, my dad would buy me the parts of a computer to build them, and that morphed into me loving building things with my hands. I worked in the research labs at UNC Chapel Hill for a chemistry professor starting at 14 years old. I became one of the youngest published chemists in the world at 19 years old. I fell into Wall Street after, but I pivoted to finance via my MBA at MIT. I also started a tech company called SQUAD, and our thesis is that the future of social media is deeper. [9:05] How can someone relate to the emotions you felt in those moments when you realized that you were a different person online? It's interesting because it wasn't just that I liked who I was online; I was a much broader person with broader interests. What happens with the feedback mechanism is that you get feedback online from the people who engage with you. You allow them to narrow the mental model of who you are as a person, and that can be an incongruence. I'm human; I've evolved, and I am not the same person that I was five years ago. But there is some kind of permanence on the internet sometimes that makes people expect that, and for me, it became jarring. I got off all social media for two years because it was something I had to resolve. [10:50] What do you see about people who try to be someone they are not online? Another thing that we do is confuse our online friends with our real friends. We assume that the person that is liking our content all the time and consistently gassing us in our DMs is one of our friends when they are not. One of my friends told me that she doesn't interact with any of her friends on social media, and I think about that too. I rarely interact with my friends on social media, so I don't think it's a necessity in the way that a lot of people think. [13:05] What is the name of your social media company or brand? What is the thesis, and what do you see this thing becoming in time? With Squad, we say that we are the easiest and most fun way to talk to your close friends every day. You can only have up to 12 people in your squad, which reinforces the idea of staying connected. We released a new version, a new take on the phone experience. A lot of our users describe Squad as a corner of their phone where they can go to disarm and just be with the people they want to be with. But the whole idea is that you get a lot more joy from being consistent with a handful of people as opposed to trying to broadcast to a ton of people you'll never laugh in the same room with. [17:48] Where did you get the idea from in your internal conversations about creating another solution that the rest of the world could have access to? After my dad died, I realized that I was in a kind of friendship deficit, and it was because I had underinvested in those relationships. I also think that friendships are active and not passive investments. One of the things I did was rejigger my core friend group, and I started to invest in the handful of people who were bringing me joy, and I felt the most aligned when I did that. I realized that where I was three to four years ago is where a lot of people are right now, and they are experiencing this friendship deficit because they assume that they are grown up. They are spending time with people that they are just rolling with, and so that was when I realized that, and we did a lot of focus group work. We have taken a big research and experimentation approach to build this product. It was something that was filling a need and a gap that is continuing to grow, and I'm personally excited about it. [20:10] Who do you think SQUAD is meant for? Our user base is about 60% women and 40% men. The whole concept of friendship is rooted in vulnerability, and so for me to be your friend, you have to see me, and vice versa. I think that we have this concept of masculinity in this country and around the world where there is a kind of conflict with the whole notion of being vulnerable. [22:00] How did you break the addiction of not going to the mass media and just talking to 12 people? The interesting thing about it is tha

In today's episode, our guest is Jeff Lerner. He is a former jazz musician turned 9-figure entrepreneur passionate about helping people unlock their potential and create their dream lives by believing and developing themselves. [3:20] Why should I listen to you? Because I don't want to sell you anything other than what is possible for your life. [4:10] What do you frame for people regarding what is possible for their lives and their inability to see past the first branch? Initially, it's about getting calibrated on the voice you are listening to. We're born without a voice, surrounded by people that have agents. We can wail and make sounds, but we can't articulate words. We can't form our ideas immediately when we are born, but we are immersed in other people's ideas. We develop the ability to formulate our ideas and our own vision for our lives but by then, we're probably on other people's programs. There is this concept that if you just hold on till you are 65 years old and you do all the things you're supposed to do, eventually, we will give you a few years where you get to live your own program. [6:04] How does a person realize they're in this kind of matrix-ish program situation? I don't think it takes that long. I think that everybody could probably discover a completely different version of themselves within probably 24 hours. Walking alone, you change your life. You just gotta create some stillness. If you look at the world we are living in right now, if there is a decrease in anything, I think it is stillness. Just create some intention in getting to know yourself. Also, reduce the external noise so that your voice can actually be heard. [8:58] What was your journey? Before I say anything else, I'd like to encourage anyone tempted to jump to conclusions to at least suspend judgment. I grew up around a fair amount of money, and I'm an only child. My parents worked all day and I just had the house all to myself, reflecting on the prosperity and security I was surrounded by while also developing a relationship with myself. There is a lot more to it than that but what can I say that,out doing too much revisionist or retroactive? I will just for whatever reason by the time I was a teenager, I had decoupled the idea of money and happiness. Those two were not the same for me and I think that alone gave me a different truck in life. [12:45] Where did the grit come from? Everybody has got grit but they don't succeed. So I grew up with that orientation. For me, the harsh answer is that grit comes from pain. Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Whatever we endure over time can transmute into grit. One of the books I come back to a lot is a book by C.S Lewis called the "Problem of pain" and it talks about why a just God would allow so much pain and suffering in the world. I don't presume to have that answer on a universal scale but I can say for myself, that I have suffered a lot. I suffered from bullying, weight problems, psychological abuse, and scorn for the choices that I made. I won't say the world turned against me but I think they quietly rooted for my failure and I could feel that. The Latin word for suffering is patio which is the root of the word passion and I think that for some people, suffering can transition into a passion and drive and it can also break a person. I am fortunate that it went the former way. [16:18] What was one of the first things that you faced and overcame back then that was the catalyst for the rest of them? Probably the biggest one happened right around 18. I look back and it was a sort of out-of-body time form. I dropped out of high school around 16 and I was really my former declaration to myself and the world that I am not going to travel the ordinary path. I'm going to go the road less traveled. My very rational idea was to find something to do. Essentially, academic credentials play no part in one's success and as a dropout, it depends on my performance. I came up with the idea of playing the piano. My parents not only agreed but also bought me the piano to get started. From age 18 to 20, I taught myself everything about music and I got 10 years of college paid for on a music scholarship as a high school dropout who was self-taught the piano for three years. I think from that, I proved to myself that if I bow down and don't let down, I can do some kinds of stuff and I have to ride on that ever since then. [20:34] How do we get to the role of what you do now, What were some of the lily pad frog jumps that got you here? Being a musician, you are at the bottom of the hill that rolls down. Then You learn to fight if you're ever going to get paid. Being in a band is like being an entrepreneur, where you're trying to create harmonious energy among a group of people, and there is a much larger group of people called the audience, that you're inviting into the energy that you as a tight-knit group are creating. That is a small business opening its doors to customers, an

How to Create and Achieve Your Goals with Jon Acuff In today's episode, our guest is Jon Acuff. He is the New York Times bestselling author of seven books, including his most recent, Soundtracks, The Surprising Solution To Overthinking. For over 20 years, he's also helped some of the biggest brands tell their story, including The Home Depot, Bose, and Staples. His fresh perspective on life has allowed him to write for Reader's Digest, Fast Company, The Harvard Business Review, and Time Magazine. He lives outside Nashville, TN, with his wife Jenny and two teenage daughters. [3:57] Why should I listen to you? I think you should listen to anybody, and that's brave enough to start talking. I think many people are interested so whether it's me or somebody else, let's go… [5:28] Did you always have that kind of calm desire? I was a jerk in college, like in senior college, and I got involved in raves like so and so. No, but I wouldn't say that was a good decision. That was not a great period of my life. So no, I think the older I get, the more I go. I want to do a small degree of things I love, not a bunch of things I kind of like, so as I, you know, talk about it, people say they don't have enough time. But you usually have enough time for the small degree of things. It's just that you're spending a lot of time on things you kind of sort of like, so let's narrow that down a little bit so you can really focus. [6:15] How did you figure out what you loved? Well, a lot of it is self-awareness; you can't achieve any goal or any sort of accomplishment without a degree of self-awareness. Because if you don't know how you operate, you just continue to make mistakes. An easy example would be that if you don't know you're a morning person, you'll schedule difficult tasks later in the afternoon and wonder why they're so hard. So for me, I don't do breakfast. because breakfast is too expensive, and that is self-awareness. It is paying attention to yourself. [8:13] How can someone get into the flow of even knowing what to test and try? I'm going to brainstorm as many things as I want. But then, as I get closer to actually doing the things I start to eliminate, I'm going to try experiments. I'm going to say, I've tried this for 30 days. "What really happened?" Was it worth it? Did it go the way I wanted it to? If there was a business function in which I felt fulfilled, where I served and helped real people but did not see progress,? If I don't, I'm going to eliminate it. The average American watches two months of television per year. Two months, dude. If you only watch one month of TV a year, you will still get to watch a whole month. There's a whole industry dedicated to you not doing things like Netflix doesn't want you to write a book. They care about your time, and their whole business is designed around maximizing your time. [10:34] Did you have to go through some kind of crazy to find this nuance out? So for me, the big shift was in my early 30s. I started a blog, and the blog started to gain a little traction, and I realized that it was important to me. I had a full-time job, two kids under the age of 4, and a beautiful wife. So I had to start stealing time. I had to get up at 5 a.m. I would practice speeches because I do probably 50 to 60 gigs a year. I would practice speeches on the drive to work. I just decided I'm going to be disciplined, I'm going to have grit, I'm going to have willpower, and I found something I wanted more than what I currently had. People change for two reasons: a lot of pain or a lot of desire, and I'd rather it be a lot of desire. So once I had, like, a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel, I started sprinting toward that tunnel. That's what changed it for me, I think. [15:10] When I want to film videos, I mentally switch between things. Have you ever had to train yourself that way too? 200%. I call those ginger moments. So the reason they serve ginger at sushi restaurants is to cleanse your palate between bites. So what I do is I need a "ginger moment" between these two activities because it's such a big switch, so I do a quick three-minute walk around the neighborhood or I listen to a song or whatever the moment requires. So that gives me time to think. I think it's also the same way. So I'll say this: We're about to transition in this podcast. We're going to need to write down whatever the two warnings are, but I think about it like that. I'm not naturally great at switching, but I'm getting better at using tools that I've developed over time. [17:20] How do you look at your life in harmony and have everything moved together smoothly? Well, I love that work. That makes a ton of sense. Again, I think we agree on so many different things. It's such a fun way. It's why it's fun to have this conversation. I love harmony. You're right about balance. It's a myth. It doesn't exist. And so for me, the way I look at it is that I kind of look at it in seasons. So I know what one of my goals

In today's episode, our guest is Dr. Alex Wills. He is the owner and a psychiatrist at PERMA Mental Health. He is a native Idahoan but has also lived and spent time in over 30 countries, which gives him a well-rounded approach to his patients. He is happy to be serving the community of Boise. He has seen patients in Sun Valley and his hometown of Twin Falls, and he continues to see people via telepsychiatry, no matter where they are. He has experience treating all forms of mental health concerns including Depression, Anxiety, Mood Disorders, Schizophrenia, PTSD, ADHD, ODD, Addictions, Personality and Eating Disorders, etc. [3:38] Why should I listen to you? Wow, that is a great question. I definitely like to go deeper in conversations with people. I'm not really a big fan of this kind of surface stuff. I get bored pretty easily, which is a great job for me in psychiatry because I meet people and they go really deep and tell you stuff they've never told anybody before. So I guess I kind of like that level of engagement. [4:35] So where do you develop the skill to even have those conversations, let alone the desire to have them? Yeah, I guess I've always had an interest in psychology since I was a kid. I've always just been fascinated with the way people act. It's always been this great mystery, and the deeper you get, the more mysterious it becomes. So it's like a gift that never stops being interesting. [5:30] Are there any studies that show that the depth of my ability to be vulnerable creates a depth of connection to a human? Yes, there is Brene Brown material available. Emotionally Focused Therapy is available for couples, and the research is so compelling that if we choose to be vulnerable rather than defensive and raise our shields, we can disarm the other person as if we were tapping into neurons. This physical level is where we can actually elicit empathy from others for those of us who have empathy. [6:35] Is there something people should worry about? Yes. That hits on a core concept that I talked about, which is that all of the emotions we have are good. For example, if you are afraid of being vulnerable to someone, they may use that against you. Then that's a very valid threat to be aware of. As a result, we don't want to go around throwing our deep personal stuff around at random. We want to make sure that we have someone we can trust with whom we can discuss something. [7:30] What's the best way to enter new situations and conversations with people? Do you listen to their conversation and add to it? I think the approach I take with my patients is to test the waters. You don't have to plunge in right away. You could share something vulnerable or personal with them and observe how they handle and respond. If they respond in a way that develops more trust, then you might take another risk, but you're right, it is scary, and that's part of life. Although it is scary, that doesn't mean we shouldn't do it. But we should be aware that, while there is some risk, it may be worthwhile. It might be worth it to take the risk. I think that at this point in my life, I've realized I can survive worse situations. I can get around, but it's scary for a lot of people. That, I believe, has become a barrier. People put their feet up and walk around all day long. [9:15] What comes from something you don't want to hear? How does somebody give you an "F," you know, in that space without actually damaging your relationship? The concept is that we don't need to think of our emotions as a problem. If we realize that all of our emotions—the scary ones, the painful ones, the happy ones, and the disappointing ones—are all trying to help us, then we can make the best decision based on our emotional wisdom. So sometimes the correct choice is to maybe not say anything and not act. Or perhaps it's to be daring and say something too, but you're going to make the best choice if you're tuned into your emotional wisdom. [10:40] How can somebody in today's world show up in ways that make it clear they give f actually about somebody? Yeah, I think it can be big things and small things, and making someone else aware of what your emotions are is very powerful. Perhaps you're at work and, for whatever reason, you're not having the best day, and you decide to let your coworker know that, and with that, you might feel more drawn and more human to him. Because I believe something similar occurs frequently, man, and people simply say, "I'm fine, I'm fine." and I think that that leads to vastly more. I think enjoyment, connection, and fulfillment. Even at work, I believe there is some space because people are constantly surrounded by others. If I'm not connected to them, they end up saying, didn't know, you were like that outside of work. [10:50] So how does somebody dive into that? When you first start living a life that's not emotionally suppressed, you're probably going to feel a bit awkward. It's going to be weird and different, and you'

In today's episode, our guest is Jason Yarusi. He is an active Real Estate Syndicator and Real Estate Investor. Jason and his wife, Pili, founded Yarusi Holdings, a multifamily investment firm with over 2000 units acquired since 2016. Jason also hosts The Multifamily Live Podcast, which provides actionable content and tools to build and strengthen your multifamily business. He is also the founder of the New Jersey Multifamily Live Club, which focuses on Real Estate syndication and MultiFamily investing. [6:20] Why should I listen to you? You know, that's a good question. Right? And maybe you shouldn't, and a lot of times in life, you have to understand the best value you can get so that you can really go out there and serve others. It's fun to meet a lot of people. If we sat down together and talked honestly from us, we could replace where we built a lot of where we are today. [12:50] Where did that kind of muscled develop? Was it before this construction gig or at a childhood level? My dad has a business where he lives in lost buildings. That is what he does. So my brother and I helped him at one point, and it was the serving notion that we were just stepping from one service to the other. It was great to help dad, but I knew it wasn't the direction we wanted. [15:10] What best way to set someone up for success when delegating? It's divided into two parts. One, you want to know if you want to do that. Because if you're going to delegate and you're going to be on a part, and then you're going to dictate every move of them, well, you might as well not even delegate because then you're dictated being the dictator and just controlling every motion. You're going to only empower them to do if you're going to be a task giver at every point. It's not going to help you. so at every point, you hired 10 people but for every single step they need your approval. They need the next step for you. Well, then, you're defeating the mission. The point of delegation is to have roles and responsibilities and trust me. We could have improved at this. And it took us a minute to set up the roles and responsibilities. And we found that we hire people who fit well with us. And for them, we empower them to help us build with the role needs to help us with the roles and responsibilities. [18:03] Where was your aww shift moment that constitutes a catalyst to this next stage of your life? Yes, and it was the combination of doing a lot of activities. We were running the construction business and also doing 12 to 13 jobs. Again, we had our first baby and the second one. We wanted to get into real estate; however, we didn't know what that meant, so we did what we thought was right. We started flipping houses started wholesaling and doing some Airbnbs. However, we were just stacking the construction activity with more activity of running all these construction projects because here we are in the middle of that. It came to a point where my wife went to a real estate meeting where she met someone who was buying out-of-state rentals. And that was when something went off and we decided to buy this rental out of state, empowering teams to get through. [21:35] What was that journey to dive into this new venture? Yeah, I told her about it. I told her all the reasons why they let her sit there with them in it. So we do go to different places. I'll go 27 steps, but I realized that is bad. One of my failures as a husband that I've constantly worked better at is that I talked a lot and then answered for her but we need both sides and that's the power of our success here. However, I had to stop speaking and then answer a different question. I asked her a question and then answered the question before she could answer it. So I let her unravel with that. So I aligned to get mentors around other people that could show me just the steps and the basics. Find a market, find a property, and put a team together. But the power of mentorship is that all these little intricacies are in between that can just destroy you. [26:46] What has been your journey? It's a great question, and the honest answer is we had to learn more about the relationship, and we did the work side because we spent our first ten years working together. So that's come more naturally, and all of our disagreements are just a lack of communication. It's not easy raising a family and also running a business. Being your boss is fantastic, but you can never shut off. You can spend all your time working and you have to choose when is that on and off. There's going to be certain times where there's going to be seasons where you have to be all in with certain things too. My wife and I have worked at a bar where they would have on a Saturday 20,000 people and so now it's almost like I'm like this is quiet. So our energy has changed so much, that work pressures are always pressures. [32:12] What is your routine and how does it allow you to take control of your day? You know one of my goals is that I'm

In today's episode, our guest is Felicia Romero. She is a coach who helps other online coaches to sell and scale their online coaching business to create the freedom and wealth they desire. [4:22] Why Should I Listen to you? First, I love meeting new people, so I'd be the person in the coffee shops talking to the person next to me. [8:00] Can you take me back to the moments when you experienced the aww Shift moment that helped you create and build your skill set? I was a kid in School that didn't make eye contact with a teacher. I was in a perpetual state of not being wanted / side of attraction. You don't have to be confident before you show up but showing up builds confidence. For me, the first state was doing something scary in college. My path was going down a completely different way than it is now. I opened up my first gym at 22 but was a law student before that. I have a bachelor's in political science. I took my LSAT for law school & got an internship where I beat out hundreds of other students, and I got an opportunity to be an intern at the House of representatives. I got different opportunities to speak at events. It's not because I'm confident or there's some hierarchy. It's because I choose to show up even when things are difficult. [10:36] What did you do to jump into the moment most people might be scared of? Preparation is key. I was prepared. I had my notes and did a lot of research, but I also know that I only know some things. I also know failing is okay because it's a stepping stone to the next level. You have to also be okay with not knowing everything. You also have to be OK with everything not going to be perfect. I remember being in front of all legislators, not knowing the answer to a question, and instead of coming up with solutions, I said I don't know but would get back with the correct answer. [13:35] What's the fearful thing you didn't see that opened up a more excellent door? People tend to set realistic goals. They know they can make it, but they never want to think more significantly because many of us are afraid to claim our desires. It's easy to go into the limiting belief of not dreaming bigger because we fear failure. We're scared to let ourselves down and don't think it's possible. That's why I love mastermind. I'm part of a mastermind, I host it, and I am there with women doing big things. [37:13] What is the unique source or particular part of you that makes what you do different from everybody? I wanted to help wellness fitness coaches because I was in that space. Someone who has got her car repossessed was not thriving and didn't have plans for legacy wealth. When I sold my gym, I got questions from wellness fitness coaches and made them realize they could be the CEO of their businesses and life. They can think bigger. I teach wellness coaches to hone their core values. [43:27] Why is it essential for someone to transit or at least add online to their repertoire? Changing our perspective is essential. The online space is going nowhere, and one of the things holding people back is how it's so saturated, but as we discussed earlier, you are you. People are attracted to you for a reason. Why try to resist when you can just adapt? That's just entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is being flexible. When people think online, they often think of Instagram, TikTok, and social media reels, but you don't have to be like everyone else. But you shouldn't expect results if you're not creating and don't create. [51:25] What promise did God make to the world when he created you? The promise was to be generous and kind and pour belief into people who don't believe in themselves. Key Quotes [16:45-16:47) The group you're in elevates your level of perception. [30:10-30:14] The first million is hard. The second million is inevitable. How to connect with Felicia Romero Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/feliciaromero/?hl=en Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/FeliciaRomeroOnline/

In today's episode, our guest is Case Kenny. He is a Chicago-based writer, podcaster, and recording artist behind the New Mindset Journal. His drive and passion for growth inspired him to start the New Mindset, Who Dis podcast in the summer of 2018. [1:10] Why should I listen to you? I think for me, I've always lived by a prove-it mentality. If I gave you any advice, it would be backed up by my story, which I take pride in. [4:50] What was the thing that gave you the drive to go down the rabbit hole that many people would never go down? Honestly, it just felt good to do something different because I think I was just stuck in this turnstile of the key to being happy and fulfilled. I was always under the assumption that to get those things life is about more and better. I had to work harder to get better. I had to work harder to create better, larger outcomes in life. From how I've been taught to think, from what sales had taught me, from what relationships have taught me and it was just very freeing. I was like, this is just so different from how I've felt in the past. And maybe that's something to continue to explore. And then of course, through doing, I was like, this is therapeutic. This is my therapy. I was just giving myself the catalyst to do it. Mindfulness is a muscle. The more you practice it, the better you get at it. [6:40] What was that place of comfort? And did you have those areas where you had a little apprehension to lose those things? I built an entire character and brand around being successful in sales. I started at this company, as an account executive worked my way up to the regional vice president, and did very well for myself financially. It was very great and it's very easy to delude ourselves with money. Like I'm making good money so I don't need to worry about these little things like happiness or fulfillment. But to answer your question, what I had to let go of was an identity around that thing. But then you know the term of start over, we're very averse to it. Because when we think about starting over or reinventing ourselves, a lot of the time we think about how we've messed up and how we are going to start back from zero. And what I've realized is in a sense, maybe, but you're never starting from zero. You're never ever, ever starting from zero. You're bringing all these things with you. And I learned a ton about myself in sales. I learned a ton about myself in my 20s through, quotes, and failed relationships, and I was bringing all that with me. And that gave me a little bit of wind in my sales. [8:53] How did you handle that? I work in sales and people count on me for sure. I remember my parents and I love them. They love me to the moon and back. Of course, we do anything for each other, but I remember a comment that my mom made. She's like, you're gonna throw that all away. And she didn't mean it like that, but just that word, and just like really? So of course, I had massive doubts from time to time but I had to stay very rooted in the fact. In my life, I've always proven that anything worth having is on the other side of fear, failure, rejection, or some type of friction. It's always been true. I think impostor syndrome is what everyone struggles with so it's not a linear line. I'm constantly up and down, for sure. [11:08] Do you mind in your own words, expressing what mindfulness is and how you used it to get to the position of even just starting before you get to the point right now? I'm very passionate about the topic of mindfulness. I was always very cynical towards the self-development industry. I thought it was for people who go on silent retreats and have crystals in their houses. But what I came to realize, maybe through growth or just maturity is that mindfulness is the most simple practical thing you could do in life when you break it down. Mindfulness is self-awareness. Mindfulness is radical self-honesty in the form of why. That's how I've defined it for myself. When I sit down and I talk about mindfulness, all it is is the application of asking yourself why and challenging yourself to answer the best you can now with a permanent blueprint for your life. The more you practice why the better you get at it, and I always say that if you practice why you practice mindfulness. It gives you two things in life that I think if you're constantly in the pursuit of these things, you're going to have very few things to regret. Those two things are closure and clarity. It's like when you practice why you get a sense of closure from your past, maybe not closure, but more like peaceful acceptance. And in the present, you get clarity. You can say yes or no. [18;48] So tell me about the podcast and how it came to be? I've been writing online and with some variety for a couple of years but I wanted to do something a bit more vulnerable. There's something more vulnerable than writing, which I think is spoken words. There's more emotion to it and that's literally how I started the

In today's episode, our guest is Jasmine Star. She is a photographer and business strategist who empowers entrepreneurs to build a brand, market it on social media, and create a life they love. [3:06] Why should I listen to you? I have the unique ability to hear a story and the end of the story. [3:36] Where did that come from? I didn't realize that this was a source of power for me until adulthood. But what I realized growing up is that I'm a brown girl and the daughter of an immigrant. I grew up obese as a child. I wasn't the kid that someone's like, wow, that kid's spectacular. I believe that I'm a professional. People watches, dial in, and drill down on who this person is, what drives them, and what they want. I'm not special. I just pulled a mirror up to what somebody wants and can't find the right words and I make them feel very seen and known and understood at that moment. [7:24] What was the transition of going from being a quiet person to being more outgoing and speaking up? There are two distinctions and that is there's the girl from the hood, who will do whatever it takes to get where you want to go, and then there's the human that realizes the purpose and power and being 100% who you are. I will do things other people want to get results that other people don't. My approach is different from anybody else's approach. I find myself in is, I've always learned that I will get more genuinely interested in other people than trying to get 1000 people interested in me. And it is the people who I talk to on the periphery that are never the ones who are the most captivating, but those who are the most powerful. Good things happen when you are not the center of attention and trying to get other people interested in what it is you do. [10:42] Was there something as a kid or teenage years where you experienced a transformation? For me, it wasn't a transformative moment. I did not have the scales rising. I didn't have a family with a deep sense of self-love and purpose. It was like a style. It was just a muscle that I realized the people who had the thing I wanted and the power in which they possessed. I noticed that they would do certain things to get to where they were and I thought to myself, am I capable of doing a little of what they have done? and the answer to anyone asking that question is if you're asking the question, you have the ability, it's just whether or not you'd have the courage to deploy against the very thing you desire. For me, it wasn't overnight. I just realized that every time I exerted a bit of effort. I fell on my face, swallowed my pride, and then continued trying again. I just realized that one of the mantras that have carried me through life is I can't lose if I don't quit. [13:29] Can you walk us through when you started and what the journey is like? I got a full-ride scholarship to UCLA law school and while I was there, I was sad, stressed, and overwhelmed. My mom had a relapse of brain cancer during my first year of law school and then everything got flipped upside down because she had battled for eight years at this time. The doctor said her time had come and so in addition to being depressed about being in Moscow, I found a deep depression around life, purpose, and God, and I quit law school. I had three years to go back to reclaim my scholarship. But I said I need to take a medical leave because I need to be with my mom. I moved back home with my parents, and I don't know which way is up but all I know is that I want to marry my high school sweetheart. Someone I've been dating at this point, for about nine years, and I wanted my mom to see us get married. We plan a wedding in like three months. The doctor said she won't walk but she was able to walk down the aisle with me. After the wedding, my husband asked me if I was still going back to law school and I said no. He asked a singular question: if I could do one thing and be happy for the rest of my life, what would it be? And I said, I would be a photographer and within the first year, I built a six-figure revenue stream on photography. I started teaching other photographers how to build better businesses. And then slowly thereafter I started teaching other creatives how to build better businesses. And then I started consulting with medium-sized companies and in every iteration of this career, I slowly started realizing I have a skill set of breaking down a big idea into small actionable steps. So then I started creating digital courses that changed my life, and my career. My financial objectives then created a membership on the back of continuous education, and then in 2021, decided to turn the membership into a full-on SAS tech platform where we empower small business owners with the marketing resources that they need for their business. [18:37] What advice do you have for people that are deadly afraid of creating a business? As I went through the journey of choosing a photographer for my wedding, I realized that I was no

In today's episode, our guest is Amberly Lago. She is a leading expert in resilience, transformation, and health wellness. She is the best-selling author of 'True Gift and Grace' and empowers people worldwide by sharing how she turned a tragedy into triumph. She is a former professional dancer and athlete, bringing a new perspective on what it takes to persevere. [4:10] Why should I listen to you? I love connecting with people. I love talking to strangers and anybody that I meet. It's my favorite part of my whole journey. And you should speak to me because I've been through so many different experiences, overcome many challenges, and could probably relate to one thing or another. [7:30] Can you share with us your journey? I was probably the healthiest place in my life mentally, spiritually, and physically in every way. I had a successful fitness career doing fitness videos and fitness modeling sponsored by Nike. I recorded a fitness video the day before and thought life was good. I'm married. I've got two kids that are healthy things. One day, I was coming home from work and driving down Ventura Boulevard, and an SUV shot out of a parking lot. It boned me, and I was thrown 30 feet sliding across the asphalt. When I stopped, I looked down at my leg, which was completely broken into pieces. And what's so crazy is, well, I immediately had pain. But I looked down and thought one of the first things I thought was, wow, this can't be good. I might have to train clients on crutches for a while. I had no idea how to adjust because it would completely change my life. So I rushed to the hospital. My organs started shutting down because I had lost so much blood. I was in so much pain that they couldn't control it, so they had to put me in an induced coma. And when I woke up from a coma, I learned you have a 1% chance of saving your leg. This is basically like a war wound. There's not much we can do for you. We're going to have to amputate. There was a 1% chance, and that was my glimmer of hope that I held on to that got me through 34 surgeries and months in the hospital. A lot of pain, and they saved my leg. But then I was diagnosed with complex regional pain syndrome, which is a supposedly incurable nerve disease. I've tried every kind of treatment for it. That's one of the reasons we had, you know, $2.9 million worth of medical expenses. [11:30] What was the thing that made your mind go like, there's a shot, like when most people would get rid of it? Growing up as an athlete and a dancer helped me with my mindset. And so I was like, if I want something, I will have to work for it. I was never the best dancer. And so I knew I could be better if I took more dance classes. So I just knew that we get to define our future, and it's up to us if we want to be resilient or thrive in life. I was little when my stepfather sexually abused me. After my parents divorced, my mom remarried, so I learned at a young age that if I focus on the things that bring me joy, life tends to get better. If I focus on the results that I want instead of the ones that I don't, then I will do better in life. So I think that some of the challenges that I went through helped me. [14:20] Who are the people around you to help you climb out, or were you kind of solo on your own? I couldn't do it alone. I had an army of people that came to support me. First of all, my husband was my rock. He was doing everything except paying the bills. We learned a valuable lesson concerning our bank account. We had two separate bank accounts, and my bank account did not have we didn't have our names on each other's bank accounts. So, when I was in a coma, he couldn't pay the bills because he couldn't access the report. So we learned to put each other in everything we own. We're both on the bank statements. During that time my clients showed up for me. I needed my clients more than they needed me, and they were there for me. They showed up for me in the hospital, bringing me food and flowers, and then I was still able to give them exercise. I was still being of service, and that helped me to be able to provide the nurses with exercise tips. When they learned, I was a trainer. They came to me for help on what they could do to work on their body. I was in service even though I was stuck in a hospital bed, Even though I didn't know if my legs would be amputated or if I would make it through surgery. They gave me a purpose and allowed me to keep pushing forward. [17:19] Can you walk us through the points where you felt it wouldn't work out? Like I said earlier, I survived this horrific accident only to be diagnosed with a nerve disease. I had never done a drug in my life, and all of a sudden I'm being induced with ketamine to try to reboot my nervous system. I was doing Eastern Western medicine at one point. I was on 73 homeopathic pills and 11 different prescription medications. I was on oxygen. I was on every kind of pain pill you could imagine. I even had a spinal stim

In today's episode, our guest is Corey Yeager. He has navigated his ups and downs. He is a licensed marriage and family therapist, meaning he spends more time with people. He used to have a tie. [4:00] Why Should I Listen to you? It will be intentional if I try to talk to you. You should also speak to me because you might sense I have wisdom in my conversation. I would jump into curiosity about your life. My life is to be curious about people's lives, not change anyone's life. [5:06] Where do you see wisdom coming from? My grandmother, who died at the age of 96 years, had a sixth-grade education but was the wisest person in the world. She taught me the process and gift of discernment, which I utilized in my life. She taught me the difference between wisdom and knowledge. Knowledge is gaining information, while wisdom is the application thereof. It is how I take my information and apply it to benefit myself and others around me. Knowledge is just something on a shelf, but if it's utilized well, it is wisdom. That's how I see it. [7:12] Where did curiosity come into your life? I think I have always been curious, and I will have to relate this to my grandmother. When I was ten, she took me to her side and told me I had the same gift as hers: the gift of discernment. She began to teach me what wisdom is. She told me to pay attention to what people are doing, be curious, watch and don't tell anybody you're doing it, and see if I can predict what's going to happen with that situation, and I have done that my whole life. I watch people, sit back and watch how events will unfold in their life. So curiosity has grown in my life since a very young age, and I utilize it in everything, and I think it serves me well. [9:50] How do you handle people that are close to you but don't listen to you? I am not sure I can help with forcing anything at all. I think I've settled on saying that it's not my job to convince you to do something or not. I will give you my version, and you can choose to do whatever you want. You can choose to ignore me, and I will watch the situation while you look at me and tell me I was right. [11:00] How did you become a marriage and family therapist? I went to Long Beach State and played football. I thought I would be a multi-millionaire offensive guard in the NFL. I had no degree, nor did I have anything to fall back on. I had a friend who bonded well with each other; after football, I met my wife. She saw something in me that was invincible to me, and she kept drawing it out. I followed her lead, went back to school, and fell in love with the academic ground. I got my degree in psychology, went back to school for my master's, and ultimately Ph.D. at the University Of Minnesota. So I kind of fell in love with that rap out. Meanwhile, as I got my master's degree, I became a therapist and deeply fell in love with the therapeutic adventure-engaging and supporting others. I wanted to be in the helping profession, and it drew me to people. I got to hear people's stories, experiences, and feedback. That drew me into it and sustained me because I want to be in the helping space. [13:30] What's the state of the world's family base right now? I think it's ever-shifting and ever-evolving, so if the state of the family and how we see it is evolving. We will miss a lot if we have the same mindset that we had 40 years ago. So we have to grow with thinking along with the family. The family by choice is something nobody talked about 40-50 years ago, but if I choose to have you as my brother. That is just as strong a bond as if we were biologically connected because I chose you as my brother. So this family evolution begs us to evolve our thinking with it as well. If we also see the importance of a nuclear family as a family unit, that's a unit. There is no normal when you talk about family. It is only normal within the family. If you start to compare families, it becomes abnormal. So if we can understand that the most critical family is my family and if I can finalize and stand on what normal means for us, I don't have to compare because it's not my job. If I can make my unit understand how I operate. [16:00] How do individuals affect the collective family? I think it starts with the concept that the sum is greater than the whole and is greater than the sum of its parts. Individuals are critically important. In the book I'm currently doing, I talk about individuals better understanding themselves. If you as an individual understand yourself, you become a better husband, friend, brother, and so on. So the understanding and curiosity we should have within the individual serve the greater whole. Make sure you understand yourself. The individual is important, but that whole line moving together in unison is much more important than an individual. But it doesn't diminish the importance of that individual either. One of the struggles is that multiple agendas are competing. [19:10] How does somebody get to know themsel

In this episode, our guest is Susie Moore. She is a confidence coach who helps people love their temporary, fleeting life. She is also the author of three books. Everybody who is bright and joyful has had some bad times. Today, we will go through her bad times and how she has been able to make successful shifts. [1:45] Why should I listen to you? Do you want to feel better? Hang out with me. My foundational intention everywhere I go is to be an uplifter, so if somebody approaches me, I take them seriously. [3:45] Can you guide us through the journey that allowed this mentality? We teach what we need to learn and write the books we need to read. When I was growing up, I had a lot of changes. I grew up with my mom and sisters and saw a lot of chaos. There were constant changes. If you have been abused or have an addiction, you will know what you experienced is about humans not feeling safe about how tomorrow will turn out. As a young adult, I thought I would get a job, have a husband and live a normal life. I thought I would figure out everything in my twenties. I was cool at first, making 500k a year. I got married and divorced. I got married to a new husband, but I was constantly feeling anxious at any moment. I was unable to take a breath, and I think this is very common for a lot of people. We try to control things. We are scared about how things are not in place, and I just don't look at life from that perspective anymore. Knowing that this is safe and I consciously tune into it, it's helping me, and there is no going back. [7:25] Did you ever feel like you didn't deserve the success you have? Yes. First, when we grow up with a lot of anxiety and change. We can create expectations in our lives that are familiar. Even if it's not good, we are comfortable because we are used to it. Secondly, I allowed myself to enjoy whatever it is I create. You need the courage to be happy. Maybe everything good that is happening, I can want while solving other problems. We can look at our background, but it should not be an excuse not to create something different for ourselves. You can choose to decide what your life will be, and for me, this is where the real magic starts from. There is magic available for you to be robust and create something different. What do I believe about this situation? Is it true? What else is true? I look at my younger self and just want to hug her. I have met a lot of women who use the word tierce, and strong but what about a relaxed woman? You can achieve big things in that way too. [13:22] How did you figure out navigating your experiences, and why did you start teaching others? I remember when a lady asked a guest speaker how he's always available for events despite his busy schedule, and he said well, my body is busy, but my mind is still, and I saw that as a revolution. It's possible. It's just that we don't think it's available. The one calm, simple practice that allows me to retain my steadiness when I experience a negative emotion in my body, I always ask myself what I believe at that moment. Because at that moment, I'm rejecting reality. I think something is wrong or needs to be fixed, but whatever it is, I ask myself what I believe in that situation, whether it is positive or negative, and then like a detective, I will lovingly look to if something is wrong. [18:42] What's the first time that happened to you? I remember having a coworker always flying off the handles when the management changed things. Whenever there is something wrong, she's always like a machine gun. I was curious about it and noticed her when she was stressed. Through that, I began seeing how I act when stressed. It's possible to have different reactions to things; through that, I became obsessed with learning different responses. In relationships, I was like, maybe there is something I can pay attention to and see what I'm creating. I have a relaxed husband who helped me get through my fears of something going wrong in my marriage. Sometimes, we are just not paying attention and learning by paying attention to things. I just want to live life and be happy at all times. [22:35] Do you have a big goal in life? I have goals, and I remember working towards them. I do my best because my dreams are apparent. What I know is that the actual accomplishments are very short-lived. Whether it's your wedding day or you just got a new job, these moments are important but short-lived. Life is the same. The actual win we get, we become so used to them that it doesn't make us happy as we think it should. So I think about different situations in my life-being present, being available, having great relationships, being silly, trusting my intuition, and being spontaneous. At this stage in life, I've promised myself to be at peace with myself no matter what happens. [26:00] Do you mind sharing what your book is about and who it is meant for? The book is a sensual collection of chapters talking about different topics. I speak about g

In this episode, our guest is Josh Whalen. He is the CEO and founder of Joiwellness. His story is about saving his marriage and how he found a passion for helping others save their marriage. Today, we will learn about his aww shift, how it's shaped his life, and how we can learn from his personal experiences. [4:30] Why should I listen to you? Whether on a podcast show or a coffee shop, or we are running into each other for the first time, I think I'm an honest, authentic guy, either good, better, or ugly. [5:21] Can you guide us through your journey to this point? We have two versions of our brand. We have the men's side, books, and joy on the women's side. Stepping back to how the company started was my struggle. I'm one of the men whose wife told him to get his shit together or he's going to receive a divorce letter, and mine happen to be my sex drive. I was in my early thirties trying to figure out why. I went through my journey, which was a challenging and exciting story. And I finally figured out what hormones, testosterone, are and how important it is for men. I found that there are more accessible ways for many women to get therapists, and that's how my brand was born. [7:33] How did you find a solution to this? I have been an entrepreneur in healthcare for 14 years. I like business, adventure, creating, and solving problems. As my struggle started, our clinic shut down for about seven solid months. As that happened, I knew I had to find a way out, and it felt amazing. It changed my life, my wife, my children, and my marriage. With business failing and a lot happening, I had to take advantage of it. I was driven to save other men because I knew I was not the only one going through that. I hate divorce, and luckily, what our company does now keeps divorce. I saw massive opportunities, and it was indeed a combination of many things. [10:33] What was the initial point of doing this entrepreneur thing? There are quite a few. One is compliance, knowing health care. This is not my first time in the healthcare industry. Also, knowing that you need a license in each state, a DEA to prescribe and control substances. Everybody knows that we are different. We don't sell pills alone. We solve the problems from the inside out, but if you need pills, we can help solve those issues. But we are genuinely here to optimize individuals and solve those problems from the inside out. It is a challenge, and you have to conduct in-depth research, and we do that regularly. It allows us to build a solid rapport with our patients, and we do nothing less than 30 minutes call with each patient. So many chemical reactions in our bodies tell us how to act or feel every day. [15:40] What are the physical benefits of having a sex drive? If I look at the testosterone rate, there is an optimal range, and you don't want to be on that side. Both the low and high have significant health ramifications. We evolve on what we know about optimal testosterone and how it helps with the heart, energy level, cholesterol, and mood swings. Uch is a pol tool, and we are still evolving to it. [16:35] How do you know how much is low and how much is high? This is the kind of issue I have with western medicine. Everything in terms of what we know now is a range; we are based on that range of many other individuals in our general market. For example, healthy testosterone starts from 300 to 1000, and you know when your levels are good or bad. I can tell you that there is a massive difference between 300 and 1000. What we try to do is take a lot of symptoms-based questions and combine them with verifications and confirmation of blood. Most of our guys are somewhere between 700 and 11000 regularly. We don't like to see people because of what the general population defines. We want the best for every guy out there. [18:35] How does somebody know when to make this decision? I think that decisions lie with every individual. I look at testosterone in two buckets: needs and wants. Some guys are genuinely on a spectrum, and some may not feel themselves. Maybe they've gained some belly fat, are not working out as much as they want, and so on. You know your body, and sometimes your partner might know you better than you know yourself. She might be giving you these nudges. That happens to me; I think it's an individual or family decision. In my own opinion, there is a lot that goes on with masculinity. We are not taking care of ourselves, and that's because we are being taught to toughen up, and I think we need to start talking about it more. [33:10] How did the joi concept come, by the way? To dive back into my own story and why my testosterone level dropped, my wife and I had four miscarriages in about four years. Little do people know that when a woman goes through this process of having kids, the men's hormones change automatically. I went through the process of trying to make things work. My wife conceived and breastfed the child and wanted to return to her re

In today's episode, our guest is Jason Harris. He is the co-founder and CEO of the award-winning creative advertising agency- Mekanism and the co-founder of the creative alliance. He is also the author of a National best-seller, the Soulful Art of Persuasion, and today we will be unraveling how he has been able to make aww shifts happen for himself. [3:13] Why should I listen to you? I think I have a read on people and give quality sound-based advice based on each individual's experience. [4:05] What made you comfortable about giving quality advice to others? I've gone through a lot of personal and professional experience. I have done a lot of therapy and love mentoring people. One belief I discussed in my book is that every interaction with someone is meaningful. That's my mindset when interacting with anyone. [5:15] What were the lessons that taught you that? When I started as an entrepreneur, I hoarded my contacts. The way you network with people, the way you connect with people, and the way you look out for people. Everyone wants to succeed. It should not be about your success only but your network's success. It's about your community's success. That idea boomerangs effect of giving things freely to others, whether it's advice, counsel, connections, or mentoring. You're giving something to someone but getting something back when you do that. You're getting the power of influence and giving, which is good for your soul and spirit. It was a learned skill for me. I had to practice generosity until it became a habit, which has done so much for me. [8:15] How did Jason develop as a human to eventually become a CEO in life? Many still struggle with figuring out their passion and what they want to do. I was fortunate because I was a high school kid and knew I wanted to go into advertising. I knew my passion, enabling me to work in other companies. I'd carry a notebook and learn from the people who managed the company and me. I knew I was an entrepreneur at heart. I was eager to learn from other entrepreneurs before starting my company. When I set up my company 17 years ago, I set up values that the company would uphold. I didn't know I would become the world's best CEO, but I see how you treat people and how they feel at your company is essential. That was the culture. It's about talent and culture, which served me well. I also believe that the other most important thing in leadership is transparency. When things are good and evil, changes you have to make, where you want to go, and what the vision is-the more, you talk to the company along the way, bring them up to speed, not taking decisions with people beyond closed doors. That's transparency. [10:55] How did you get to the point where you feel comfortable opening up to others in your company? I think you have to get over your ego. There is an old-school leadership style where you always feel like you're totally in control, but I don't think that resonates today. I think what resonates today is being honest about problems you're going through in the company. You can have a plan on how to get through it, but everybody responds to being in the know. I think that's a foundational way of being transparent. You don't have all the answers; you need help as a leader too, which allows other people to be true to themselves even when communicating with a client. [14:18] Why is taking care of people beyond work important to you as a CEO? I'm a big proponent of leading with vulnerability and transparency. I want each of our foundational values to be weird. Weird in that we want people to show up as who they are. We do not want a work persona and an outwork person. We want them to come in with their point of view. But in terms of mental health, I think it's essential for leadership to show the importance of healthcare. Mental healthcare is as important as physical healthcare. We're at a time when we went through a pandemic. A lot is going on out there. I schedule my mental health and encourage my leaders to do the same. I have two slots weekly to take care of my mental health through meditation or therapy, which helps flex my emotional muscles. [18:10] Have you seen the company grow since this was infused? It has created a more collaborative open environment with a feeling of togetherness. There is enough hardship in the world. There shouldn't be battles inside you. We hire professionals, but we fire them if we find out they are working against the company culture. [20:30] What led to choosing values for your company? There wasn't a sort of one key catalyst that I could point to. I just got to a point in my career where I know what I'm doing and asked myself if I'm genuinely fulfilled. I started figuring out through therapy what success means to me and how I can balance my personal and professional life. I did group therapy with nine people once a week. It's about learning how to deal with yourself and people's notions about you. [26:40] What prompted you to write a boo

In today's episode, our guest is Vishen Lakhiani. He is a creator, developer, and entrepreneur who has created things for the benefit of others. He is not just a dreamer but an implementor of ideas. His ability to create something and impact lives are incredible, and today we will be unraveling his journey. [4:40] Why should I listen to you? Because I get America and Astonia, I probably have done all the most fantastic and fun things in Astonia. [8:00] What is the origination of your impactful combination? To provide a better education than 99% of the world's universities. You have to know that education is inaccurate, and better education and understanding how we are doing that. It's not worth building upon the whole foundation. You've got to create a new foundation that is entirely different. Let's talk about the first five pillars. First, most schools inarguably teach nonsense. Most of us get stuck in life with our relationships, jobs, and careers, but we do not learn this. So we first look at how humans can be better and make that a curriculum. We currently measure 300 different aspects of human development. We also look at relationships, health, mindset, and spiritual aspects. We believe that if these areas are well concentrated, the world will provide better kids. We also offer the best teachers with beautiful books with a license. [16:20] What are the innovations that got you here now? It started in 2001. I moved with $30k to move a company and had this community tech idea on how to go about it. I figured out a way to launch it and felt like I had wasted a lot. I started working in a company at 25 and figured out that it was more complicated than I had thought. I was to sell books, and nobody was buying them. Somewhere I got on google, and I started searching for help. I attended a class I was the only one who attended, and the first thing I learned was intuition. Now, I'm using my intuition. I guessed who to call, and I only called who my mind was on, and my sales doubled. My sales doubled, and I keep going down into it through that. I became the vice-president of sales with no prior background. I stayed in the company for 18 years till I had the intuition to leave. One of the things we do is collaborate with the growth marketing team, and when we find excellent stuff, we work hand in hand and put all of these programs on one platform, and the company starts skyrocketing. [25:55] What was the process behind writing your new book? I decided to study meditation deeply and learned every aspect of it. I went deep into it and found out that most people quit out of boredom. It is different from the kind of meditation that wants you to stop. You can't calm an entrepreneur's mind because their mind is always creating. But someone believes you must clear your mind and focus on your thoughts. There are six phases of meditation. The first three things are compassion practice, gratitude, and forgiveness. Forgiveness is essential, and studies have shown that it helps to improve our brains and daily lives. The subsequent three phases visualize your future, commanding your day perfectly, and phase six, asking for support from a higher power. I see God as someone I can turn to for higher capacity. When you do it every day, it changes the way you show up in the world. [31:45] How do you master your day? Most of the time, when we wake up, we are not intentional about how our day will unfold. It depends on where you are, but if you are on the negative side of life, being deliberate works best. Most people start their day on default, but if you believe you have power over how you experience life, you are good to go. It all starts with your brain. You will be in charge when you command how you want your day to be. When you go to a restaurant, and something terrible happens, you might not be upset because your mind already believes you will have a fantastic lunch. It goes on and on. Meditating leads to a perfect day, and a perfect day leads to an ideal month, an excellent month to an outstanding year, and a perfect year to an ideal life. [45:03] What promise did God make to the world when he created you? I would be a person who would connect thousands of people in business partnerships, marriages, friendships, etc. Key Quotes [22:35-22:37] If you want to change the world, change education. [36:14-36:17] Commanding your day puts you in a fantastic place of power How to connect with VISION LAKHIANI Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vishen/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vishenlakhiani/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/vishen?lang=en

In today's episode, our guest is Michael Brandt. He is the creative product founder of Ketone IQ. This is not an ad, but today, we will unravel how he figured out the product and its whole process. [2:32] Why should I listen to you? When I meet people, I try to make them smile or laugh. I don't think you should talk to me because I am a CEO or successful. The reason why you should speak to me is that we are hitting it off at the present moment. [4:10] How did you become the human you are today? I didn't always fit in at school. I got a lot of check marks on my report card for areas to improve my behavior. I never felt like I was doing something wrong. I did my homework. I wasn't a bad kid, but I got a lot of beef marks against me, which gave me an exciting stance regarding the authorities and system. My parents didn't like that I always got check marks on my cards, but they were generally with me. They believe I'm not a troublemaker and always advise me not to upset my teacher too much. They didn't overly scold me but understood me and the school system. That's part of what made me back in the day. [6:19] What was your journey through high school/college like? I had the good fortune of getting into Stanford for college. I was surprised that I got in because I don't think I have the intellectual caliber, but my grades were solid. I did a lot of extracurricular activities. I took advantage of all the resources I could and majored in computer science. I'm not coding in my day job, but it taught me complex principles about good system designs. I have always been interested in new technologies coming out of the world and the user experience they offer. I also worked at Youtube as a product manager, and I also worked on the autoplay feature. [9:12] Was it something you mind doing, or did you have to build the failure? I'm not afraid of failure; it has helped me step into a new area in my life so many times. People try to tell us that we are not good at new things, which can have significant cognitive dissonance with our sense of ego. Everyone has general self-confidence, and I think everyone is good at at least one item. As you get good at that thing, it contributes back to your pool of confidence. After graduating from college, I realized that the human body is the next platform for innovation. I got into biohacking, and I was into nootropics, trying many different things. I started getting into marathon running. And I got good pretty quickly. I started taking the engineering approach to my own body. [16:55] Can you unpack your journey on this path? For me, it was essential to go into a macro space with other factors that contribute to the success of that space. We launched a company called nutribox, which was one of the first nootropics company shark tanks. We got covered in the New York Times, Bloomberg, and businesses everywhere. [23:23] Can you break down the benefits of ketones in somebody's life? Humans are unique species in life. Your body has two energy systems, which are the sugar energy carbohydrate energy system and the fat ketone energy system. Your body can store so many carbs; if you don't eat for a day or two, you will run out of your carb store. An interesting fact is that babies are the only primate that has fat. Primates don't have fat as infants, and the reason is that humans don't always have carbohydrate availability. Your body needs to be able to supply your brain with energy, and that energy comes from fat/ketones. Whenever your brain is doing a high degree of activity and stress, you need power from somewhere, and when you have ketos, you can strengthen yourself with it. It doesn't stop your body from producing its ketones. It's for refueling your body when required. [32:22] What was your AWW shift moment like? I do not consider myself the best, but I can communicate effectively. My aww shift moment is figuring out that I am good at all the languages in the stack. My special talent, which I realized at a certain age, was the ability to translate across all of those languages, making sense for me to be a CEO. I was able to connect with different people. I don't need to be the most intelligent person in the room, but I hire the smartest people in a particular field. Even as a kid, I wanted to be a technologist, and right now, I am into ketones, which is my happy place. I do not know the future, but I'm cool with it if it's my lifetime work. [53:48] What promise did God make to the world when he created you? Whatever is positive and beautiful in the world, I will amplify them every day. Anything that is of good energy, I will amplify it and help other people see it. Key quotes [44:22-44:24] People are always looking for an end place [45:39-45:42] No matter what you accomplish, there is always a level above it How to connect with Michael Brandt Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bdm_runner/?hl=en Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/thebenazadi/posts/529855252260461/ Twitter: https://twitter.co

In today's episode, our guest is Amy Porterfield. She is an online entrepreneur and also helps other entrepreneurs build successful online businesses and profitable digital courses. She has been able to make successful shifts happen by building a business and a family. Today, we will be unraveling her journey and how you can also implement her ideas on how to be better. [3:35] Why should I listen to you? You should listen to me because if you are interested in starting an online business, you need to hear from someone in that field first. If you are looking for honesty and want to know what the online business looks like, I'm your girl. [4:10] Where did you get the strength to dive into this business? I would say that I'm a corporate girl turned entrepreneur. I left corporate for entrepreneurship. When I became an entrepreneur, I held back my experience, struggles, challenges, and pains because I felt like I was a professional person and I should keep it that way in my business too. No one wants to hear about the struggles behind the scenes, just the good sides, and I began to realize that I was wrong. My audience didn't really know me, and it affected the kind of connection that I wanted to build with them. There was a podcast video where I shared my deepest secrets with my audience, and my audience turned out to love them. They love it, and I realize that people love genuine human connections. [6:30] What was your experience of recording and posting your first video like? There were so many moments that I decided that I was not going to post them. I reached out to one of my friends, and she said that I was not being honest enough. I needed to be real and share where I was emotionally ill. She said I should tell my whole story, stress and all that affects it. There were many times that I felt like not posting the video, but she encouraged me to be real and share it with my audience. At first, it was scary, but at the same time, I felt relieved. I felt like something was taken away from my shoulders, and that was the point where I started to love myself more. [8:30] How did your journey from being an employee to an entrepreneur take place? I struggled with my doubts and fears. I worked for Hally Davidson and I was at the marketing level and I moved over to work for Robbins. I was the director of content, and I was privileged to travel around the world with her to create quality content on stage. It was incredible, but something happened. One day, Robbins brought some marketing guys into the office. She asked me to come in and take notes. This is very humbling and, through that, I was able to learn from their business. All I heard was freedom. These guys talked about how they are their bosses and how they are doing what they love. For the first time in my life, I realized that I was not free. I have been working for someone else ever since I got my first job. From that point on, I decided to learn and took the lead. At the time, I was doing social media for small businesses, but over the years I have been able to transit into something I love. [10:50] Did you start as a side business or did you quit your job first? I'm a really big fan of the side hustle. I got clients when I was still working with Robs. I also had a few clients when I left, but it was a step of little faith. I quit at a point and, for two years, I did service work. What I hated about it was that I wasn't working with people one on one. I could not keep up with their dominance. I didn't gain the freedom that I thought I would, but I didn't stop the process. I continued to try until I was able to figure out everything. [12:35] What gave you hope that changing something would create what you would love? I am really big on getting clear. What do I want and why do I want it? I left Robins because I knew I wanted to be my own boss. It was very clear that when I got into the business that I hated, I didn't go to get my job back. I tried to figure it out until it was clear to me. I often tell my students that my why was selfish. It was all about me because I didn't want to answer to anybody. [14:20] How did you navigate your personal life with your family life? My husband was all for it because he needed me to be around, but the secret behind it was that I got into my business and I became obsessed with it. It was my baby, and three years into it, he called me down and told me about how I was engrossed in my business. I wasn't focused on my family. I was barely around. My marriage is my everything and that talk was a wake-up call. I had to do something about it, so I retraced my steps. I started to think of how I could run a business that wouldn't hurt me or my personal life. It took me many years, but today I can work perfectly well without hurting myself or my family. I struggled with it, but I had to get clear on what my priority was and how my work wouldn't affect it. [20:34] How do you teach other people and what does the journey look like for

He is a speaker and author and has also been featured on Forbes, TV shows, and business blogs. In this episode, we will uncover how he has been able to make successful shifts happen. [3:30] Why should I listen to you? I was eight years old when my mum died. I knew what life was like before she died and what life was like after she died. There are tiny little things she did when I was young that still profoundly affect me today. [4:40] How did you handle that experience at that age? When I was a kid, I drew trees with branches, but I changed my style at one point. I started to draw them in the way that the other kids did. I followed them just because I wanted to fit in. There was also a time when I went out to play league with the other kids, and when I got back home, mom suffered from a severe headache. I remember hugging her and telling her that I loved her. I was scared and anxious till the following day. The next morning, when I woke up, I saw only my dad with many friends and neighbors. What happened was that mom had a cerebral hemorrhage, and a blood vessel in her brain had burst. She was declared dead and was on life support. The life support was taken off, and she was declared dead. How do you think I draw trees now? I pull them the way my mom wants. I draw them in a way my mom would have loved if she had been alive. I've learned that what we do in our homes as dads or parents in our families will be more profound than what we do at work. Our grandkids won't care about what we did at work but what we did as a father and a parent. Our roles as parents affect us so much that the generations will do them. [14:50] Do you think there is a part of her that still lives in you through how you parent your kids? Well, I hope so. Not everything I learned from my parents was 100%. Some were painful experiences, but I think that the things she did affect my kids today. I think they will affect many generations, my grandchildren, and it will go on for a very long time. [16:10] Do you mind sharing your family dynamics? I have a wonderful wife, a spiritual supermodel, and five great children. I have realized in parenting that we try to punish them when they don't do something right. However, if you want a behavior in your kids to grow, you water the behaviors you want to see grow with attention. I was horrible at parenting for the first few years, but I learned. One day, my daughter walked up to me and told me about how she made her bed, prepared her lunch, and all. It was a behavior that I would love to see grow in her, and I praised her for what she did. Fortunately, she did it again. Anytime she did, I acknowledged those behaviors, and she did them again and again. As dads, we have a unique ability to find strength in our kids. I think it's appropriate for us to acknowledge the excellent behavior of our children. It does not have to be every time. It is more effective when it is staggered. [28:09] How do you navigate being a father of five kids? It's fascinating. If we look for opportunities, kids want to do hard things. But sometimes, they are quashed by us. I will tell you a story. When she was five years old, my daughter told me she would love to hike a mountain with me. I could have stoldher that she couldn't, but I asked her why she wanted to do it, and she said she just wanted to. I told her she could do it if she wanted to. I told her we were going to hike for so long that she could feel pain at some point, but she still wanted to. She followed me, and we walked. She walked 15 miles, and when we got to the top of the mountain, there were people up there, and they applauded her. From there, she got the confidence to do a lot of stuff. [48:23] What promise did God make to the world when he created you? I do not know if I know the answer quite yet, but I know that I am on a mission to help as many marriages and families as possible because it's the thing that will benefit society more than anything. We need enough excellent parents and dads. Key Quotes [17:00-17:10] The best way to influence your kids is to catch them doing something right. [21:40-21:47]. If you don't consciously look for the good all the time, the default is to find what's wrong all the time. [32:36-32:40] As a dad, our job is to help our kids be tough enough to survive life even when we are not there. How to connect with Eksayn Anderson Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eksayn_anderson/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/EksAyn/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EksAyn/

In today's episode, our guest is Joel Green. He is the national director of Mickey Sports Games. He is also a speaker, and today we will be unraveling how he's been able to make aww shift happen for himself. [2:55] Why should I listen to you? I have seen things go around the world. I have seen a lot through multiple lenses, not from a subjective bias but from honesty and facts. [5:20] Can you take us back through your journey? My journey was excellent, but a fundamental shift happened. My brother died, which made me have a different approach to life. When it came to my brother's death, I wished it had not happened. However, I don't know if I would have accomplished all of these without that incident happening. I'm sure I would have found a way. When he passed, it was a moment that I carried with him. I realized that life is real. In my family, nobody had died a tragic death before him. Many things clicked, and I finally started to do something I needed to. I wish it hadn't happened, but with all the other stuff surrounding my growth, I'm glad it happened—no regret whatsoever. [8:50] How did you get the support you needed to escape that situation? My parents are preachers. I grew up in a place where faith exists. You have to have faith. When I was eight years old, I got into trouble for saying that I didn't have faith. We were not allowed to use the 'i can't' word. So, having parents trained me to have faith and believe that I can be my support. My faith and my parents were my support system. [20:40] What's your college journey like? I've been competing professionally since after basketball. I grew up with my brother. He did everything to make sure that I was protected. My parents went into the military, a journey for me as a child. I'd say that I went to 14 different schools as a toddler, but I enjoyed every bit of it. I was loved, cherished, and well protected. [23:13] What was your post-college journey like? The main struggle was ensuring I was wholly balanced on all sides. The reality of life dawned on me. There is a situation I can remember. My coach pulled me out of the gym to ask me what was happening. I discovered that I appeared calm on the outside, but I was struggling with who I was. My identity wasn't fading away. My coach and I talked at length. It was the most challenging time. I didn't want to be seen. I had an identity crisis, but I pulled through. [33:18] What do you talk about when you are invited to a conference/seminar? I've done several keynotes on goals. I speak so much on "Despite." There are many opportunities out there, but people lose them because of what they are going through. The fact is, even in times of distress, there are still opportunities. I encourage people to work hard to get where they want to be. No matter how hard it is, you have to move forward. You have to push forward. [37:38] What are some things you did in your hard times that people can benefit from? I make sure that I take another step. I make sure that my movement does not stop. It does not mean that I can't express my emotions. I do. But I do that while moving. I try to figure out what is going on, but I do not get stuck in it. I get rid of the pain while driving. The mistake we make is trying to get rid of the pain without figuring out what caused the pain. You must figure out why it happened before permanently removing it. [41:07] What is the giant picture of what you are doing now? It is a life of impact. I was impacting others with my ways of experience. Everything is working out for me, but I feel my purpose is influencing others. I have been through depression, pain, and struggles, and I pulled through. I believe that I didn't go through that alone for myself but for everybody else I might come into contact with. I want to help people mentally, physically, emotionally, and so on. [43:10] Do you still have trouble sharing certain things? My journey wasn't easy. It took years before I started opening up to others. It is hard for me to open up whenever I'm going through stuff. But at a point, I began to share my pain with others. The first time I shared my journey was the first time I cried publicly. It was a teary moment, but I knew I wanted to do it again. Not just for myself, but because it was helpful to others. [47:28] What promise did God make to the world when he created you? That the world will be better through me. Key Quotes [40:50-41:00] Figuring out why a problem happened is the key to solving it. [37:15-37:30] You must keep moving no matter how hard it is. How to connect with Joel Green Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaygreenplt/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/joelgreen? Twitter: https://twitter.com/jgreenplt?lang=en

In this episode, our guest is Evan Carmichael. He is a Youtube master and runs a Youtube channel for entrepreneurs with over 3 million subscribers. He is also the author of 4 books and speaks globally. [6:00] Why should I listen to you? If I sit next to you, I'm probably asking you questions about yourself, or I'm just by myself. [8:00] What has your personality been over the years? I'm super shy and don't like the camera, so it takes me sometimes on youtube. My biggest fear over the years was becoming famous. The more people know you, the more they get your message, and for me, the note is more important than my face being somewhere. For the first five years, it was essential. I know what people are interested in, so I started teaching "believe." Most people just need encouragement to keep moving on. Most of what I do is encouragement. For the achievers, they need more support. They want to know how they can get better. [11:30] Why is "believe" your primary core value? Everybody has a significant core value, and it allows you to live an intentional life when you figure it out. When you are bringing on a team, you make sure they share the same values as you. If your core value is integrity, your team's core value must be integrity. It changes how everything shows up. Everybody has a critical core value, and you define what it is for you. For me, it is believed to have become a brand. I want people to live everything I make with more " believe." [18:00] What are the things that helped you on this journey? The thing that helps me is having role models and learning from them. I put on my website how much I've grown over the years. I'm not naturally talented. I had to sort out role models and mentors. I want to share with the world, and when I meet someone with integrity, I connect with them. [21:20] How did you get the idea of compiling clips of people you admire? There are two reasons for that. First, I wanted it for myself. People like Steve helped my business when I first started. I have never met them, but I learned from their stories. I was doing a lot of research, and my team helped me put clips of people together. Some great entrepreneurs are not great communicators, such as Elon Musk. I'd watch his 4-hour video and get 20 minutes of great content. I wasn't sharing them at first because it was just for me to learn. [26:00] What was the thing you were doing before you got into this? I went to the university because I wanted to become a banker. Entrepreneurship wasn't my thing. But I connected with this entrepreneur at the university, and I was offered 20% of their company and $300 per month as my salary. I don't think it's going to work. I felt like I could always get another banking job. The first year was the first year of my life. I was super hard on myself, too. My role was the chief operating officer, but I was into everything. I was trying to grow the company, and I did pretty well. At a point, I created a website, and I got collaborators for content. [28:30] What allowed you to stay stable at that age? My parents were in the middle class. They enrolled me in a private school and spent all their resources on me. It all happened so fast. I do not know how I stayed stable, but I did a lot of traveling and realized that I didn't want just to travel and sit by the beach. I didn't want to sell the company, even though my partners wanted to. They went to the US, but I stayed back. I felt lost because I didn't know what I wanted to do next, but I was curious, leading to the website and then youtube. It was an identity shift for me. [34:30] What was going on in your head that kept moving you in that direction? I wasn't charismatic or had thousands of followers, but the only thing that kept me going was focusing on who I was rather than who I was not. The singular focus was on getting people to watch the videos. When 50 people watched it, I was excited. I'm ambitious and want to have a considerable impact. It's great to chase huge numbers, but I focused on who I was helping. That helped me to be satisfied and connected to impact. If I saw 50 people, then I've affected 50 people. [37:13] How did you keep that energy over the years? My parents, I guess. I'm grateful for everything. There is still a considerable journey ahead, but I get to do everything I need daily. I want to solve the biggest problem- people not believing in themselves. [47:18] What promise did God make to the world when he created you? It is to show up to people-Service. Key Quotes [32:05-32:08] Passion is something that comes out of curiosity. Curiosity is the first step. [38:20-38:22] If you don't have a comparison, you will remain a big fish in a small pond. [39:00-39:03] Comparison should be used as an inspiration to kick yourself forward. How to connect with Evan Carmichael Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evancarmichael/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EvanCarmichaelcom/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/evancarmichael?lang=en

In this episode, our guest is Chris Norton. He is a cool individual with a heart for God and loves football. He has been in phases of life where most people shut down, but he was able to pull through. He reached a different moment in his life that changed his entire trajectory. He has used this moment to build success not just for himself but for his family and the rest of the world. He has also appeared on multiple network television shows, and a documentary on Netflix called 7 Yards. [2:50] Why should I listen to you? I'd say you should listen to me because I've got a lot of life experience, and it is always great to hear other people's perspectives. You should learn things from my experience because it will help your life. [4:00] Can you give us a quick synopsis of what trends back in your life? I was just an 18-year-old college boy who was plain and had dreams for himself. I wanted to be a football player, meet my life's love and make a lot of money. But on October 16, 2010, I got injured when I was playing with my teammate. I suffered from a severe spinal cord injury and lost all movement. I had different surgeries, and I was given a 3% chance to be able to move or feel again. I had to do everything in my power to take control of my future, and that was the beginning of my rebirth. [7:00] What were the emotions you felt at that moment? How long did it take you to know that you could move past this? It was a long process, and that was the beginning of being emotionless. I wasn't in any pain. It just felt like a regular football attack. I was numb, and I could not feel any sensation. Nothing worked, no matter how hard I tried to squeeze my hands. The more I say no when I'm being asked to make a move, the more I feel detached from my entire body. I was afraid, but this part of me reminded me to stay calm. I couldn't do it, but I gave it time. At that point, I decided to face reality, closed my eyes, and blocked everything I didn't want to see. I told God I wouldn't play football again if he gave me the chance to be able to walk again. Little did I know that God had a bigger plan for me than I had for myself. [10:20] Where and how did you get the mentality to be honest with yourself? It's a gradual step. It is not one day at a time, but one moment at a time. During therapy, I decided to make the most of each hour. I took responsibility. What I call "radical responsibility" is taking responsibility for all the outcomes in your life, such as good and evil, success and failure, and so on. Making excuses for yourself just keeps you stuck. They prevent you from doing what you ought to do. My power lies in my response, and that's where I channel my energy. I asked myself different questions because I didn't know what to do or the next step to take. But I decided to get out of that situation, which is the same for everyone. Focusing on what you can't do is more accessible, but you can make the impossible possible. [13:17] What are the things that I can use when I face a vessel like this? Every night, I called myself to sleep because I was terrified about my future. At night, when I had nothing to distract my fears from rushing in, it was always my darkest and most challenging moment. I didn't have anything to work on, so it was hard to distract myself from these fears. At a point, I could distract myself by engaging in things that challenged me physically and mentally. I indulged in so many things, which helped me, and I believe it can help anyone too. I always think there is a way forward, either by deviance, acceptance or so on. There is a way you can get through this, and there are also a lot of solutions. You just need to accept, define and take responsibility for it. [19:13] Was your faith in God present before the accident, or was it after the accident? I have always been with God. My parents dragged me to church every Sunday. They brought me to church, and I showed up. I was listening but wasn't living my life to the Christian standard. It was an emergency case kind of faith. I held on to my faith at that moment because I knew that I needed something. When my injury happened, it was a time of complete loss, worry, and uncertainty, and I turned back to my faith. I had always been independent outside of God, but I grew my faith by having a dependence on God. God wasn't in control of my life when it happened, but I turned to him, trusted him, and believed in every one of his words, which turned things around and helped me move forward. [22:25] How did the whole thing with your family work? My wife, Emily, was passionate about kids, especially kame from unloving places. She knew from a very young age that she would do that. It was different because I thought everyone had parents like mine. I grew up without realizing how blessed I was to have a family as I do, but she opened my eyes to see how naive and oblivious I was to the facts. She introduced me to the 17-year-old girl she mentored, and we took her in. Sh

In this episode. Our guest is Jessica Zweig. She is an award-winning entrepreneur, personal branding expert, the founder and CEO of SimplyBe Agency, and author of Be- A no Bullsh*t Guide to Increasing Your Self Worth and Your Net Worth by Simply Being Yourself. She is big on how to increase your net worth by being yourself. You are suitable for success when you can figure out how to navigate yourself. [3:09] Why should I listen to you? Because I genuinely love to know you. I take an interest in who you indeed are. I don't do small talk. I prefer to talk deeply about your trauma and challenges in a soul-to-soul discussion. I create a window for authenticity, so you should listen to me. I don't know if it's a skill, but it has always been my craving. That is what I am attracted to; it has always been a massive shift for me and my life. [7:45] How do you define great success? I can only speak from my experiences and the people I have been reasonable to work with. Success isn't about accolades, numbers of social media followers, or wealth but true fulfillment. It is a feeling of joy that aligns with who you are born to be. But to be who you indeed are to succeed, you have to activate yourself—activating your life, living your life, and performing your roles despite what people say. Living in integrity is essential, and I don't think you can live a life of success without activating that part first. We are into personal branding, but we do more. We permit our clients to be themselves. [10:15] What journey led you to the person who does this for others? I grew up in a place where I was not cool. I was cocky, but I fell in love with theater. I went for an audition. At age 27, I became an entrepreneur and launched my first online business. For most of my life, I was cocky and gooky. I thought I was someone after starting the business. I was calm and all, but a few years later, the company fell apart, and I became financially broke. No money was in my bank account, and I was in debt. I disassociated myself with the person I was working with for the magazine. I disassociated myself from all and started from scratch and did the work. I had to heal and come to terms with who I am. Long story short, I started doing the work. It was when I was 32 that I figured out what I needed to do. I have always been a spiritual person and started to go on a more spiritual journey. I began to figure out my relationship with the divine, and that is how my life started to change. [13:35] What is the work you are talking about in this conversation? I learned to take radical honesty and accountability for my mistakes, opportunities, trials, and errors. No one can do that for you. For a long time, I did something wrong. I realized that, and I work in that aspect. I took a lot of retreats and figured out that I needed to take responsibility and be accountable for everything that happened in my life. Feedback is essential, but it has to come from people who want the best for you cos they will tell you the truth. I intentionally invested in people and the environment that will give me Feedback, and I still do that. So that is the work I'm talking about. [20:54] When you go on this journey with people, what are their unexpected experiences? We don't ask them about their trauma first. Asides from giving them what they want, we offer them what they need. People hire my team to do a lot of work depending on their goals. We create a methodology and take them through a process that helps them gain clarity. We are majorly into branding, which is clarity. Talk about who you are in a few sentences. So we aim to achieve a crystal clear point on who the person is and what he can bring to the table. That is where we start, and the only way we can begin is if we ask a series of questions about their expertise, being, and all that have shaped them. We are into building their websites and all that defines the brand, but we start by defining the person's core values. We have to ask those questions to get there. [24:35] What do you truly live for in this whole process? What is your goal? I started my podcast with people that I have worked with. I make a joke with this saying. If you come into our offices for branding and we don't make you cry, then we are not doing our job. We must crack people up, not because we want to make them cry. We have a moment when we make them feel tense when we read to them about their brand after the whole process. I also feel good when a client reaches out to me to tell me how their business tripled after the branding process. That is one of my favorite moments that reminds me of what I do. [29:45] What would you say to someone in this terrible situation? It is a couple of different processes. One of the things that I did was activate. It's so noisy, and our brain is wired to adjust. So it's essential to be quiet so that you can hear your thoughts. It would help if you had personal time. It would help if you were alone. That hel

In today's episode, our guest is Nathan Chan. He is the CEO of Foundr magazine and is on a mission to create one of the largest brands that support and fuel entrepreneurs worldwide. He also loves to connect with leading entrepreneurs. He also loves to connect with leading entrepreneurs. He believes life is too short to do the work you have today. We will unravel how he made a shift happen and how we can learn from his journey. [2:48] Why should I listen to you? I love this question. I think I have unique experiences about what it takes to build and grow successful businesses because, for the past eight years, I have been fortunate to meet people who create life-changing products and services that shake the world. That is something I do not take for granted. The fact that I have been able to speak with millionaires and multimillionaires is enough reason for you to want to hear from me. [4:38] Do you mind sharing how you entered this space? I have been on many journeys. I did a lot of deep work on myself beforehand, especially personal development and growth. I read many books about masculinity, and I discovered that I needed to find my life purpose and what I am passionate about. I went back to university and studied marketing. I did some work, but I didn't find it fulfilling. After completing my studies, I was unable to get a job. I started a magazine at one point, taking it with me to every job interview. [9:05] What was the thing that you were most curious about? I traveled around the world, and I dreaded going back. I dreaded going back so much; that was where I knew something had to change. I didn't realize I wanted to start a business. Then I found this thing, I found love with it, and I realized that this is what I am meant to do, and that is the case for curiosity. For me, it is just about finding and doing what you love. [10:39] Why are so many people living a 9 to 5 role? I was reading an interesting statistic that states that 50% of people in North America have a side hustle, which is a sign. I think the internet has changed the game and you can create things. You can develop products and services that help somebody and also work again. The internet has enabled us to have a voice, build a community, and so on. More than ever, the internet is giving us the ability to be able to change careers if we want to, and that doesn't mean starting a business. You can create a company with no experience whatsoever, and you can change your life with it. [13:48] What are some things you experienced that people don't know? In the first year of starting, the magazine wasn't called Foundr. It was called something else, and we were sued by one of the biggest companies in the United States. That was tough, and I can never forget one of my building mentors in those early days. My mentor asked me what I was worried about and what was the worst thing that could ever happen. It was tough at the beginning. I started to build the brand, which entails the products, great design, and ambassadors. I found out that having successful business owners share their stories in the magazines made the brand credible. That is why we have been able to interview more successful founders over time. [19:46] What is the progress and stage of the brand right now? I started the business with 2000-3000 USD Dollars, and even in the first 12 months, I used the power of Upwork to work with contractors to fulfill various aspects such as the design. I used to get my mum and dad to help me in their capacities for the magazines. I had a copywriter on Upwork too. I reached out to people who would like to feature in the magazine, write articles, and so on. I didn't know what I was doing, but I continued. For the team, it happened from gaining more leverage from the content. One interview may be a podcast, blog post, article, or content. We are currently looking to build big brands and relaunch membership products. We started as a small business but have grown into an online educational company. [25:10] What are you launching, and who is it for? As I was developing the magazine, I read a blog post about how I grew Foundr's Instagram followers from 0 to 10,000 in two weeks. That post went viral. People started to ask me if I could do consultations for them, which I didn't. I just want to build something that helps a lot of people out scale. I did a course on Instagram, and the results people got were terrific. We have been able to pull together a community and launch several studies. We will be launching founder plus, which is full membership access. You get access to the former courses and one new course per month. It is ideal for a business that needs a team, knowledge, and growth. [34:08] As you look at the next stage, are there some things that you as a person must grow into before this business can take place? Yes, I agree. Foundr wouldn't have been where it is today if not for the people around me. I have an incredible team, and I am forever grate

John Lee Dumas - Finding Your Fire In this episode, our guest is John Lee Dumas. He is the host and founder of Entrepreneur on fire. He is a remarkable individual who is one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world. He shows the entire thing of what he does. He is also living a life that people want to emulate. He is enjoying his life but still maintaining a high level. Today we will unpack how he made it, the values we can extract from him, what he has experienced, and what we should do to succeed. [1:58] Why should I listen to you? You should listen to me because of the message you passed across in the introduction phase. I am not brilliant, but I'm one of the world's most successful entrepreneurs. I have been a mentee for years, and I have learned a lot of things. I may not have original things to say, but I have much impactful knowledge to share. [3:40] What things made you feel confident to take the first step of interviewing someone? It has been said that you are an average of the five people you spend the most time with. I surrounded myself with people that I look up to as mentors. I begin to listen to podcast interviews of hosts that I admire. But a question popped: Why can't I be in the room? Being challenged by that question helped me in taking a step forward. I started talking to people, and through that, I gained control. I started my podcast journey in 2012, and here we are in 2022 with a lot of incredible success. [8:00] How does it feel to be successful at this level? There was no revenue in the first year that I started. I had no experience with entrepreneurship and how it works, but an individual reached out to me. He told me I have a fantastic audience who loves to hear me speak, and he decided to sponsor the entrepreneur shows. He did that because of the podcast's quality and the niche. I picked a place. Then I stuck with it. [11:00] When did you find out that you are moving fast? We got to a phase of sponsorship deals, and everything was going well. I had coaches, and I decided to launch a product. I decided to teach people how to grow and monetize their podcasts. I have always believed in investing in mentors, and I still invest in them. My mentor then advised me to write an email list and tell them I was about to launch a product. The strategy was to open the door for this product for $250, and after that, the fee increased to $500. I had it in mind to give 20 people, but 35 signed up over the weekend. It is important to make hay while the sun shines but remember that the sun will not always be shining. [15:28]How did you think of having a team to support you on this? It was a process. At first, I wanted to do everything alone. I found every guest and did the social media pages' recording, editing, posting, and handling, but I got worn out. I couldn't handle it again, so I sat down and wrote the most important things I should do. I figured out what I'm good at the most and picked a group of professionals at what they do. We have different people with different roles, which helped me push my business forward while my teams do their best to get things done. [20:30] How do you deal with people's differences when building a team? That's tough, but a mastermind is okay. People who know and understand what you are doing are critical. They have done it before, bringing in their strength and weakness. They have done it before, so that you can leverage that. If they do not know something, be assured that they know someone who does because they are in that field. You've got to help one another to get things done. I have mentors, and they are significant to me. They give me the information, tips, and answers to questions I can't fathom. [25:38] Was there a time when you didn't like your successful person? I'd say that in my ten years of building this person I am, there is no point when I regret becoming the person I am. I have no regret. I did get to a point where it was my best year. We had over 5 million revenues for the year, but the expenses were quite much. I had to pay workers, fees, and so on. In all, I never regret being the person that I am. [36:24] Do you think the journey you've gone through can't allow you to work six days per week? Everything I did was part of the process. It was getting through the fire. I made mistakes, tried again, and I put in the wraps. If you want to be better, you must be consistent. Nobody is good at something the first time, but it gets better with hard work and consistency. [42:13] What promise did God make to the world when he created you? The ability to choose my destiny is my biggest dream. I want to show people that they can be in control of their lives. You can live a life of your choice. Key Quotes [10:30–10:37] Doing it right with a bit of risk will be great. How to connect with John Lee Dumas Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnleedumas/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnleedumas1 Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/johnldum

In this episode, our guest is Jen Sincero. She is an American writer, speaker, and success coach. She's one of New York's Bestselling authors. She's also known for the "You are a badass book series." Today, we will unravel why she started writing, how her journey was, and ultimately learn from her. [1:35]Why should I listen to you? I believe that certain people resonate with others, so I found that my books have been successful because my readers resonate with how I write. [3:07]How did you find your voice and confidence? Keep writing. Finding a writer's voice isn't easy, but you've got to keep doing it. If I like something or I find it funny, I put it into writing. I also have a rule that if something is too scary or vulnerable for me to say, then I have to put that into writing. [3:07]How did you find your voice and confidence? Nobody wants to read something from a guru or somebody who is entirely unrelatable. They feel you can relate to the trenches if you've been to the channels. They think they can relate to you if you've experienced what they are going through. I'm all for privacy as well for the private person, I don't capture everything, but if it's something that I'm scared to share because it is so true and makes me look stupid, I put it in too. [5:07]How did you guide people through that? Well, my whole journey started around money because I had a lot of things going on in my life, so I was always broke. So in my 40s, I was living in an alley, a garage, and driving a car. Being broke is boring, and each time, I feel disturbed because I know I can achieve more. Then, I started focusing on making money. Permitting myself to make money was the first step, and I write a lot about that in all my books. [7:55]How did you come out of the broke mentality because most people don't? The first step was that I made the decision to make money, and I think that is so important. What people do is a fake decision. People make decisions, but when it gets hard, they begin to compile excuses of why they don't need to do it. An actual decision means you're looking for ways, not reasons not to do it. So, that was my first decision, and I started to read money books and self-help books even though I was afraid. I started attending money seminars and hired a coach, which was a big piece. [10:12]What were some of the biggest obstacles your coach helped you to overcome mentally to start making money? I returned to the bank to return my credit card, and my coach said, this could be the most essential $7000 I've ever spent, and just do everything I say. She promised to stick right by my side to get me where I wanted to be, so it was a financial investment and doing every terrifying thing my coach told me to do. She told me that I had only two options which were broke and cool or rich and cheesy. I still found my marketing voice, so I signed up for classes. My focus was on making money, so the longer I wrote my marketing stuff, the more I found my authentic voice. [13:30]Did your books do well as expected? I was a writer before I was doing any other things. So when I started reading all the self-help books, my write-up was exciting and was like taking all this information and putting it in a different voice but also sharing my journey. If my broke ass can get rich, then other people can. [14:30]In your journey, what were the other kinds of stuff that you uncovered beyond it? I wrote badass habits at the pandemic's peak, and I am today. Your habits create a reality. Your thoughts create your belief. Your belief creates your actions, your action creates your patterns, and your habits create a reality. If you are broke and you keep making brokeass decisions, that is your reality. Most of our habits are unconscious, so wellness is the first step in any transformation. Becoming aware of your bad habits and consciously working on them. It said, "I can't afford it" to "I can do it." When I was intentional about making more money, I had to discard the negative belief about money. What comes out of our life comes into our life. [21:20] What do you say to people scared of not being accepted? A lot of my friends supported me. Some didn't, and I had to let go of them. If they are not ready to support my growth, I should let go of them. [22:50] What should be the next step in finding real friends? Reading books, educating yourself, attending entrepreneurship programs, coaching classes, and so on will help you meet new people. [24:20] What are the anchor points of everything you discuss? Try out crazy and amazing things. Do something crazy in the direction of what you want to create. You are still in your comfort zone if you are not doing crazy things. [30:00] How do you create something that will make you know your infernal values? The truth is you've to be excited. If you are not excited, others won't be excited. When I started my online business, I didn't know what I was doing, but I still did it anyway. Even though I didn't know what

In this episode, our guest is Rabbie Mannis. He is an author, rabbi, philanthropist, public speaker, and philosopher. Philosophy helps us gain clarity in life, and he has gotten vast knowledge not from the schools he attended or what he has done to become a rabbi but from thinking from a great process that allows us to extract great lessons that we apply to the world. [2:12] Why should I listen to you? There is no way you should listen to me unless you've heard something you are interested in. If I say something that has meaning for you, then OK. [3:11] What is your life, and why are you the one who wrote the book? I happened to be very fortunate. The book for my education wasn't acidic philosophy. Among observing orthodox and practicing Jews, there are different philosophies. The philosophy I was given and raised with is so unique that I couldn't wait to share what I learned as a teenager. I can stay more before sharing, but this information is dynamic. I've got to get out there and share. I couldn't wait to start teaching, talking, and sharing. Before the internet, I never thought it would go worldwide, but the internet is a blessing. For this purpose, it is the greatest. So, philosophy is the major shift. [5:00] What is unique about your philosophy? Earthquakes shift both religion and psychology. Let's start with psychology. For all of history, what made people do something is needed. You've got to plant, or else you will starve. You have got to make a place safe for you, which makes us do the necessary work. In recent years, needs have increased dramatically, and in austere times, there was only one need: don't die. You need to survive, but today's requirements are so countless. We need it so many times. You have to have a lot of things that cause depression. But psychology comes in and offers a solution to your depression. But what psychology says is pretty simple. You don't know some of your needs. You have subconscious needs and suppress conditions, which are much more severe than the needs you are depressed about. So out of desperation, I turned to Religion for help but found out that you will still have requirements even after death. So, here is what I think is the future of psychology, and this is the major shift in the philosophy I was raising. If you search deeper within yourself, you will discover that you don't need anything. You have no needs. [9:54] How do you reach that phase of getting deep? Reaching isn't easy, but it is there, and I think that is what we mean when we say, why can't you just accept me for who I am. But figuring out who we are isn't an easy task too. You don't know who you are because it's not a bunch of needs but a need free of conditions. We are free of markets. We didn't ask to be born because we don't need to be in the world. People who are not born do not complain, so all the needs that drove us up to this point are the need to survive. But today, there is more. People want to live. So all of a sudden, death is not the significant threat it used to be. The solution for people who get easily depressed is to help somebody else. [18:20] How do you live with the mentality that you don't need a thing if you've chosen to stay alive? The other thing we are learning from is a challenging experience. People worried about life and living high would tell you they are still disappointed. The suicide rate among this set of people is very high. So the pleasure that we do get from these things in life. Suppose I'm not here to survive, then why I am here. This question is no more extended philosophy but a desperate question. For thousands of years, every religion has told you that you are in trouble and need God to give you what you need. So you have to beg him, offer sprayers before he gives you what you need, but the truth is he needs nothing. He is God. You don't need to beg. Don't threaten people. Just tell them why they should be here. [21:30] If it is a faith-based thing, then you believe that you need eternity? The only logical answer is if I don't need to be here and didn't ask to be born, then why am I here, and why was I born? I can't tell my parents because they also reproduce without their consent. I now know it's not out of my needs, and I have to figure out whose needs. So, here is the second shift, and it is that we get the whole thing backward. Humans are needy, and God needs nothing makes no sense. Only God needs because he is the creator, and how can someone who created the entire universe not need anything. The person who says he needs something acts like God, and only God lives. God is your creator. You are just a guest who can come and go anytime. But the positive side believes that you are not needy but needed. The logical conclusion of why I am here is that someone needs me. I am here for someone else needs. That is the motivation. I can live a meaningful life without satisfying my needs, which is incredible. But religion saying that we've got to live a life of

Today, we have two guests and are Mike and Angie Lee. They are brother and sister, and they have been able to build a wellness brand called "SOUL." In today's discussion, we will find out the Aww shift moment they have had individually and together and what they have been able to do to put their experiences out in unique ways as influencers, business owners, and impacters. [4:08]Why should I listen to you? That is an excellent question. I think someone should listen to me because I have interesting perspectives and am inquisitive about many things. This has helped me have some exciting conversations, and I believe my gift is bringing that level of curiosity to others. Mike said he has a lot of empathy, so he chose to help people for a living. I feel I can relate to a lot of people because I have been through a lot. [7:00]What are the Aww shift moments you have had in your career? The main thing is the genesis of when we started our awareness company. In 2013, I was on top of the world, young, undefeated, but my body started shutting down. I was sick and in a hospital for almost two years. I started having systemic information and migraine, and I was shutting down. It was one of the darkest times in my life that I still deal with, but I think that moment was a massive shift for me because, to be honest, before that, I was all about the ego. I was doing well. Everything was all about me but getting sick and being knocked down changed my perspective on things that changed me as a human being and set me on a new trajectory in life. I started diving into a lot of work, including mindset, draft working, and outside medication. It changed me into a better person. [9:50]Tell us about your journey and some of the Aww shift experiences you have learned from? I think the battle I have always been fighting, which has been difficult for me, is my career. Life happens, but my job is what I struggle with. It's like my gift, but it is also something that I battle with, and maybe that is why I'm so committed to expressing myself and empowering women. [11:54]What advice would you give people during an emotional battle? That's a great question. I think for me, the biggest thing is to have fun and laugh. When I was in that state, I was more miserable than ever, so from that, I learned that it's not about that minute. You have got to have fun, laugh, and find ways to enjoy the moment. We take these experiences seriously and end up being hard on ourselves, making things more difficult. We should wait until something massive happens before we can find or experience joy. We should see joy as a necessity. [16:55]As siblings in the same business, how do you find a place to keep mutual respect and work ethic? I know what she loves doing and the things that don't interest her. So, it will be unfair to make her do the things she doesn't want. We sometimes get annoyed at each other because we want to do things differently. Understanding what each person is good at and keeping them in their lanes. Being honest and thoughtful is very important too. [19:44]When you have moments when you are not doing so well, how do you communicate things that the other party doesn't want to hear? There's no point in using a tool that won't help the problem. Empathy is needed. You should put your emotions in check and come out with compassion. I think this resonates with people. [25:00]What is your journey of building a brand together? Our secret is that we still have a lot of personal time. I attend to customers' messages. I show up as much as I can. These days, companies don't show the face behind their products, which significantly helps us. People are craving intimacy. They want to know and connect with the owner. People will buy from someone who shows up consistently, shares their story, and so on, and I'm grateful for that. I've learned that it is community and customer service first, followed by the product. If you can build a community, it will be easier to sell your products. The mistake most people make is focusing on the products first. They are not getting feedback on what their customers will prefer, which is wrong. [28:10]Who is the person that you want to help? Our biggest three pinpoints are anxiety, sleep, and stress, and we found out that the people we are trying to help now have a lot of pressure and focus right now, and I think there are so many reasons for that. We know how essential sleep is, but people still find it has to have a good sleep. Those are the three pinpoints that we came in and addressed. I think I was taking CBD because I had anxiety caused by the medications and the tough time I was going through. [36:20]What are some of the things that have allowed you to build this eight figures business, and how did you feel when you wanted to start? The birth of something is fantastic. Seeing an idea of nothing burst into something that I receive a lot of DMs about is astonishing. We didn't know if it would work, but we tried it. W

In this episode, our guest is Zack Windahl. He has helped thousands of people understand the Bible better and grow closer to God. He runs the brand Sunday and is the author of several books, including the Bible Study, the Bible Study: Youth Edition, and the Sunday Journal. He has gone through a cold journey being a man of faith. He is someone who has been able to use his confidence and also help others in their journey. [1:50] Why should I listen to you? I think I have a unique perspective about life-based on how I was raised, what happened to my family, the kind of process I went through, questioning many things, questioning my faith, and figuring out what I wanted to do with my life. [2:20] How were you raised? My mom is a 4-time cancer survivor. When I was four years old, she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and had only a 5% chance of living. When I was 15 years, she had breast cancer. Literally, from 4 to 15 years, I saw my mum on a deathbed, which is years of transformation. She would always look at me and say: "Zack, it could be so worse, and I may not be here today, so you need to appreciate every single day for what it is and always look at how God is moving in your life because that is going to get through anything that comes your way." I had a vast, aww shift moment. God performed miracles after miracles, but I still questioned my faith and tried to figure out what this was about and what I wanted to call myself. [4:00] Was faith always part of the family? If there was, why did you begin to ask questions about it? Yes, my parents were believers earlier, and when my mum had cancer, they dedicated their lives to God. I experienced God moving in many ways for most of my life, but I still fell out of my faith. Even though I saw God moving in incredible ways, I also cared more about what was happening in the world and what people go through. I tried to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. [5:00]What called you into curiosity? When I graduated from college, I got involved in many entrepreneurial things. I allowed other people to impact my relationship with him, which I think many people do right now, and that is why people are deconstructing their faith because they allow other people into it. Everything fell apart, and I was at a crossroads in figuring out what I wanted to do with my life. I was a Christian who knew nothing about the Bible, and I went to Australia to study the Bible in-depth as much as possible. I learned until I knew I'd gotten hold of something I could help others with. [11:09] What was the process of saying that I get this note and I'm going to package them up for people? I think I knew I was going to do some sort of entrepreneurial things. I was leading a small group at a time. I was learning and getting my content set, and I felt like I was supposed to help people because so many people read the Bible but don't understand it. I prayed about it, spent nine months adding to my notes, taking down a lot of opinions, asking questions, helping someone read through the entire Bible, and also figured out what the book means to themselves, and so I had this product, but I don't know what to do with it. I didn't know how to make a book, but people started to give me money I wasn't expecting. I reached out to Christian leaders about my idea but was told not to do it. I made up my mind to do it, and I started. I printed the first thousand copies, but it didn't do well after it came out. I kept pushing forward, ran ads, connected with the right people, started a team, and over the next few years, we grew the business. We've shipped over 300,000 packages and over a million books sold. We did everything independently until recently, when we reached out to distributors to shift to the next level. [14:35] What were some of the things necessary for you and get your team and have a vision they could buy into? Everything we created was to help people grow their relationship with God and understand their Bible better. When building out this team and getting people behind it, I kept a full-time job I was paying people before paying myself a dollar. Every dollar that I made was mainly for the business. I realized that I knew what was good and bad at some other things. I hire other people who are suitable where I'm evil and always focus on the level I want the business to attend. [18:00] What do you do at the moment when you feel overwhelmed? That is why it is essential to be surrounded by the right people. My wife is of great help and impact in my life, especially when I'm going through challenging moments. [19:30] What are the other products in the brand? We have a book called: "The best season planner," a 90-day planner. We also have another book called: "Launch with God." This book helps people to launch their businesses in partnership with God. I'm a massive advocate for mental, physical, and spiritual growth and growth in other areas. We have a new book coming out this year that talks abo

In this episode, our guest is Cathy Heller. She is a business coach, spiritual coach, and best-selling author. She is also the host of a podcast called: DON'T KEEP YOUR DAY JOB". She is a successful person who has a cool journey of navigating life and doing so much stuff having great business success. This is an individual who has a calling and has been able to do more with it. [1:30] Why should we listen to you? I'm pretty sure that people are going around in VR headsets all day, and it's presenting a false illusion for them that's controlled by 96 percent of our brain, which is our subconscious mind, and it's telling us how limited we are. I want to show you that there is no such thing as thinking beyond the box. The illusion is the box. [2:40] How did we get to the point of not realizing that 95% of this is the base number? I spent years in meditation and learning how to be a witness to what was happening on my path to obtaining the answers that I was looking for. I began my self-discovery journey when I was fifteen years old. It's not just what you think, as you probably know, every thought is accompanied by feelings, and feelings produce chemicals in the brain. What truly happens is that we think something, feel something, and get ahead of ourselves, which leads to stress, and then our cells produce negative things, and we withdraw. As a result, we have people who say they aren't good enough, or that they aren't capable. This is a fake feeling that appears to be genuine. As a result, we must adopt a mindset of overcoming that feeling as quickly as we can each day. [7:25] What is the catalyst that drove you into this area of understanding? My mother had been depressed for a long time. My father married three times throughout his life. There was a lot of disturbance, and I found it to be very depressing. I began my search for happiness and discovered that many individuals believe that happiness is the polar opposite of depression. Happiness has a deeper meaning. It's a place where your soul takes control and you realize you have more potential than you realize. That's what we're looking for. We're all looking for ways to improve ourselves. So, because of my parents, I had to find new ways to feel alive, and now I'm on a mission to help individuals who are walking around with a fake feeling that they believe is genuine. [12:30] How do we unravel this? We unravel it by realizing that we need to start asking new questions. "What do I need to do?" is the question that everyone is asking. "How do I need to be?" is the true question. The question of how must be addressed. Realizing that you don't have to accomplish anything is the gateway to your expansion. The coherent signal is the most powerful force on the planet. We are conditioned to believe that love must be earned, and that is not true love. You don't give love for the sake of giving it. The only thing people/the world asks of us is that we love them. Take a look around you, at your family, your career, and everything else, and you'll notice that everyone just wants to be happy. [15:30] How do you trigger this energy and express it in a way that allows your life to change outside? When I teach someone, 98 percent of what I teach them is energy, and only 2% is physical. Let's take a closer look at this in more detail. There are three solid steps to follow if you have a job and want to start a side hustle like a business. Select it, sell it, and skill it are the three options. You must select. It doesn't matter if you try multiple things; in fact, you should, and once you've chosen one, make sure you give it away for free to people to test before selling it. Most times, what people have is a courage problem, not a business problem. There is no failure. It is rather called feedback. When a customer gives you a rating of 1-7, it's not that impressive but a 9-10 rating means that they'll recommend you to others and that is a pathway to having a successful business. [23:18] What makes a 9-10 rating? There are just two words and they are radical and perceiving. You must be making things, listening to your customers' needs, and making them feel that energy. Why does Amazon do more business than other online stores? It's because they are studying you differently. Business is the bedrock of any relationship and what this means is thinking of what the other person wants. [25:40] How do we get someone to take these concrete steps and apply them? When we look, we look for a greater vision and that is where the energy comes from. If you can't see your business growing to be a successful one, then your customers can't see it. It starts with you. The positive thought and mindset must start from you and this is what gives you the whole energy that you need. The combination of that energy and your vision won't make you lose and it will make you become what you're meant to be. [31:57] What promise did God make to the world when he created you? God said, "She's going to s

In this episode, our guest is Gabby Bernstein. She is an American author, motivational speaker, international speaker, and podcast host. She genuinely cares about life and other people. She is not just a product of business success but self success, and through that, she has been able to help other people achieve success. She is also the author of nine different books and is the No.1 New York best-selling Author. [1:55] Why should we listen to you? It would help if you listened to me because my presence makes you feel good. My presence enables you to recognize your authenticity and how to stay in your authentic truth. I believe that it is not by my words but by the presence that I bring. [3:30] When you connect with people, do you really open up to them? Whatever the reason may be, I try to connect. I'd love to answer this question with an example. I went for my regular treatment, and I connected with the woman in charge of my treatment. I started asking her questions out of curiosity, and she opened up. Through our conversation, the beautiful truth came through. She talked about her addictions, finances, and her family. She didn't know who I was, but we spent hours discussing how she could navigate her family and her habits. It was a beautiful moment. I'm not recommending that we go about discussing our lives with random people, but I'm recommending that we should be real and share our authenticity with others. [6:58] Where did you get the energy for that? I energetically decide when I'm going to open my door and when I'll shut it. I choose when to talk and when I'm not going to talk. Sometimes, I'm consistently elevated depending on the kind of connection I get during the conversations. It is not always the hour. It may be a brief encounter of happiness or pleasure that people derive when they meet it. I make sure I reply to every person I meet with kindness and compassion. [10:08] Why is this the right book right now? Happy days: The guided path from trauma to profound freedom and peace, the book is called. Moving from somewhere to Happy days is a journey, and I had the privilege of undergoing the trip and coming out the other side. I went through a series of mental breakdowns and pain. I was doing all the beautiful things in the world but still going through pain inside. At a point, I had a dream, and I remember being a victim of child sexual abuse. When I woke up from the dream, I was tensed and terrified. I was afraid, but that dream opened me up to the journey of freedom. Through the plan, I discovered why I was always scared and went through a series of mental breakdowns. In that moment of undoing the emotional abuse that had caused havoc on me, I knew I would write a book. [14:15] Why don't some people know how to confront this situation? Many people find it hard to shut down those experiences, some do not even remember, and some do not want to talk about them. Unfortunately, your body remembers it. The way you brush your teeth is even a response. People tend it walk over it rather than face it. Pretending to get over it will only cause a wreck rather than healing. [19:05] How many times do you find people punishing themselves because of their trauma? A chapter in that book talks about shame, and it is named: "Speaking the Unspeakable." The reason why people don't talk about their trauma is because of shame. Shame shuts us up and makes us think that we are not good enough. Shame makes people believe that they are a piece of shit, and nobody will accept them for who they are, and in a bid to avoid this, people shut up. A lot of people experience this, and I also did. The trauma makes us believe that we are inadequate and unworthy, and we believe it. Unfortunately, thinking it only leads to self-punishment. [21:20] When can I expect to have any bit of freedom from trauma? It would help if you were willing. When you have even the tiniest willingness, that is when God can enter. That is when you are open to solutions on how to help yourself. Willingness is the first step to happy days. You must be ready to help yourself. Willingness will help you to know that you did it for yourself. Even when the journey is rough, willingness will keep you going. When you are willing to help yourself out of trauma, God will open doors for you. He will give you the time, energy, and resources. You must be ready. [24:13] What keeps you on happy days as you help other people? I feel grateful every day and feel like I have an extraordinary life doing this. Whenever I feel disconnected, I practice the principles I talked about in this book and find peace. I have been able to show up at different times because it is like a mission. When you are on a mission, you are not alone. I know that I am not alone and that God is in me. I know that God is working through me, and I must allow him to work in others through me. People are going through a lot, and the country's situation isn't helping, so I wrote this book to save people.

In this episode, our guest is Ryan Blair. He is a father, husband, and business leader who was able to navigate craziness into impacting millions of lives. He has successfully created something that impacted millions of lives not just from the aspect of the business but from the heart. He is now in the direction of taking what he has experienced, and what he has learned and bringing it to the world of entrepreneurship and humanity. [3:10] Why should we listen to you? I speak from love and when I talk to people, I do it with love. Love is my energy. My energy is love and so when I speak to people, I speak with love. [5:26] What is the story that progressed you to the level that you are right now? I grew up in a household with low vibration. I had a difficult childhood, growing up in an atmosphere where my basic needs were not provided. I last saw my father when I was 13 years old. My mother struggled with alcoholism. I was dissatisfied, but I eventually channeled my urge to be powerful into a street brawl. I was imprisoned for four years. I wrote the judge a letter appealing for mercy when I was 17 years old. The court signed the letter, I was freed, and that was the start of a new progression in my life. [7:38] What was the reason why you wrote the letter? I wasn't a good writer, and I had a hard time spelling, but I was determined to speak with the judge. What I told him was that I accepted responsibility for my mistakes and expressed regret, as well as writing to the judge pleading with him to release the other convicts out of love. He read the letter and agreed to let me go to college, but cautioned me that if he saw me again, I would be sent to prison. I had to adjust my entire life at that time. [9:44] What was the moment you decide to venture into entrepreneurship? I was assigned to a mentor who was a successful entrepreneur. My father came from a working-class family. All three classes had been seen by me. The poor, the wealthy, and the middle class, which was where I started. I made the decision to become an entrepreneur at one time. I understood I didn't need to be a lawyer or a doctor before I can employ others. [11:40] How was your first business and what are some of the things that made you successful later on? My first business wasn't very successful but it taught me a lot. I got it to about a million dollars but it wasn't a scalable business. I was into computer repairs but nobody was ready to invest because it was not scalable. I was so pissed off that I swore to learn what scalability is all about so that one day a venture capitalist will invest in me. My next business was skpe pipeline which failed and I had to start all over again [13:40] Where did the idea for visuals come from and how did you grow it to be such a conglomo impactful business? Sky Pipeline cut the two founders of vice house and nick started calling. Black mullen asked I'd love to help them build their business. I fell in love with the research guy named Dr Michael Seidman and his products and I thought to myself that I could be a part of this project and help them bring it to the marketplace. I brought a venture capitalist and we raised 100 million dollars for the business. We then turned it into a 600 million dollar business. I must say that I was a strategic and conditional partner more than the others. They possessed strong fields in marketing and sales and the combination of all of us is what made that company a special company. [16:23] With this new venture, why was it the next call for you? I went through a major correction in my life. I lost my mother and mentor to the cold hands of death. I channeled all of my energy into success and status-seeking which was a great strategy to get my mind off the pain that I was suffering from. My mother's transition made me look into the corner of my soul, shadow, and psyche, and I looked for every piece of anger, and unhealed trauma. I spent two years of my life reemerging with some new wisdom and a new way of life to share with my fellow entrepreneurs. I went deeper into meditation, and psychology and when I emerged I found out that I could help a lot of people with this newfound knowledge that I've received. [20:40] As you navigate, what do you see are some of the pitfalls that as your work kind of dials in that you're uncovering that most people do not realize they are battling with on this journey? The majority of individuals are unaware that they have a lot of hearing to do. You know, the way most of us were raised didn't meet our needs• We may have had excellent parents, but in many cases, our parents didn't know any different because parenting as a whole is still a relatively new idea. Most people have closed their hearts so the formula I use is to help them heal. I go deep into their healing, they grow through healing and when they grow, they have to heal again. I will tell you that an entrepreneur's job is to solve a problem in the external marketplace and the way you s

In this episode, I am humbled to have Erin Skye Kelly. She is an award-winning and bestselling author who has helped thousands of people pay off millions of dollars in consumer debt and ultimately change their lives. Despite her terrible stage fright and general Canadian awkwardness, she has shared the stage with legendary motivational speakers such as Tony Robbins, Phil Town, and Gary John Bishop. Erin's seminars and workshops are judgment-free zones of equal parts personal growth, rock concert, and love. She is hired to work with ordinary humans who want to achieve extraordinary things. Because of her track record of helping people create a trajectory of success, the phrase she most often hears when people meet her for the first time is, "Wow. I thought you'd be taller." [03:18] Why should we listen to you? When it comes to finances, the person you should listen to is yourself. Your instincts will always tell you if the financial decisions are correct. Another thing is to research and find resources that connect with your financial situation. They will help you a lot. [05:57] How do you deal with people in debt/financial instability? Self-Awareness is the key when you know how to interact with money and how it works all around. It is also essential to understand how the financial systems work and how they are designed to put us in an unhealthy economic environment to make profits. In this case, I make them look a step back, realize how they got into debt, how the system is designed to get them there, and how to face the situation and change their mindset. [08:22] How do you take that kind of thing rooted? Self-awareness is still essential in this part also, knowing what matters more than the other will assist you in staying away from debt. It would help if you also were cautious about what we put on social media because there is no extend to what we can consume. The pressure that comes with social media can highly affect our decisions regarding finances. [11:00] What is the essential thing that drives your thoughts? When reality hits you, you open your eyes and see what is important to you. It is the core relationships around me, my kids, the things that are aligned with me, and my spending. Many go through horrible experiences to find their worth which is okay. [16:43] What is the tie in the book, and how does it help with debts? The book is about emotional debt that privileged people have on their credit cards, and they don't want to settle, how emotional debt is taking away from life, and when we can reverse engineer it. The book also talks about removing shame, living authentically, living more interesting, and creating your identity. [22:07] Erin explains the four categories of experiences It's basically where you take everything that you do in terms of habit or behavior in a given week. You divide them into four categories. Class four experiences are things that don't feel good, and they're not good for me. Class three experiences are things that feel good, but they're not good for me. Class two experiences are things that might not feel good, but they are suitable for me. Class one experiences are things that feel good and are suitable for me. [33:31] How much do you think accountability matters to someone in debt? Accountability depends on trust. It should always be the person you know and trust. Because laying down your financial status to anyone is not safe. Financial infidelity among partners is normal, and this is because it may not be safe for partners to open up their financials to the other because of their behaviors. And so the accountability. [41:00] When was the book first written, where did it comes from, and who was it for? I wrote the book for the 20-year-old version of me that ought not to have gotten into debt in the first place. So the way the book is divided, it's three phases. The first phase is the financial foundation, Understanding how to pull all the pieces together and everything that I wish I had known when I was younger. Phase two talks about consumer debts and paying off debts aggressively and effectively, and finally, phase three words about wealth building. [47:04] What promise did God make to the world when he created you? Without this question, we all wonder aimlessly, and if you are struggling with money or finances, this question is critical. The promise that God made to the world when He created me is my entire purpose. In the book I have, I say, as I quote, "God, let my life be a love letter to you." The goal is about making everybody feel seen and heard and loved wholly and completely for who they are today and able to call them into who they are created to be. Key Quotes [35:23] "Accountability is critical, but it matters who it is." [38:17] "cutting the expenses is to its lack of mentality and thinking." How to connect with Erin Skye Kelly Website - https://www.erinskyekelly.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/erinskyekelly/?hl=en Twitter - https://twitt

In this episode, our guest is Brian Dawkins. He is a coach and also the author of a book titled, "Blessed by the best". He has successfully climbed to the top of the success level but the cool thing is we are going to talk about the things that happen behind the scenes, how he became successful, and also pass the message to other people. [2:48] Why should I listen to you? My personality is really to listen more than I speak. I know how to be in my workspace and when it's time for me to speak, I know what to do with it. Being blessed to have had some of the success that I have in life, I understand the significance of framing/reframing a situation and what that situation can bless you within the present to have your future. The level of success that I have also attained helps me to know that I have wisdom that should be shared with somebody else. [4:58] What is the moment that shifted you to where you are now? While growing up, I was the smallest kid in the neighborhood and I always thought I had to fight which I did. I went through diverse of pain and disrespect and at some point, I had to use those things as a platform to grow. The majority of success that I have had in my life has come out of pain and that pain has taken me to different heights that I would never reach if I had not made use of the pain and disrespect to grind and work harder. I was able to make use of the negative things that happened to me as part of my growth process and that is one of the main ingredients for success. [8:50] If you think it wasn't supposed to be you, where did you get the ability to attain the height of success? I was blessed to have my parents around me. My father not only played the role of a parent but also proved to be a man. One of the things he taught me was that whatever you start, you must finish. He developed in me the mindset that I should always give more than what is expected of me. What I learned from him became a part of me and also a major principle in my life. My mum also taught me that you don't start a fight and not finish it. You must fight in a way that they have to pull you off the person. So my dad taught me how to grind and my mum taught me how to fight. [13:26] How did you show up differently whenever you make a mistake? I'm extremely hard on myself so I am brutally honest with whatever I see. I wasn't solely a perfectionist but I expected a whole lot of myself. Whenever I make a mistake, I am extremely hard on myself and I make sure that I get back to practice. So, I always make sure that I never make the same mistakes whenever I recognize them. I was treated badly by my team and as time pass by, I begin to love them and develop the mindset of never letting them down. [20:25] Did you ever experience the fear of being judged by people when you want to talk about what you are going through? What I'm going through is not for everyone. I call it cerebral wellness and it is important to me. First, I can not do it alone. As men, we were made to believe that it is wrong for us to be emotional. We should always bottle up our emotions but at a point, l had to speak up. I begin to talk about what is affecting me without the fear of being judged. [22:48] How did you navigate to the shift moments especially when you don't have an outlet? When you think you don't have an outlet, you do. There is at least one person you can always communicate with. [33:05] What are the things that help you get back on track whenever you make mistakes? If you expect to always have success without a fall, then you are already in the wrong space. You will fall short and you have to pelf to fall short at some point in life. You are not trying to fall but you will at some point. If you fall and it hurts you, you might have to take a count. I might need to take a little time but I will definitely rise. [36:13] What are the things that work well for you? The first thing that works for me is the power of the pause. I breathe a little and then explode. During this process, I begin to express gratitude for the things that I'm grateful for. I recognize that the things I fail at don't make me a failure. With gratitude, I learn that failure is temporary and it shouldn't last. It is just for a season. With this, I learn to recognize what I can learn, how I can grow, ad, how I can get better. I recognize that I make mistakes but I do not dwell on them. I make room for it to move on and replace it with powerful thoughts. [43:45] How did you know it is time to give back to the world through a book? I never thought I would write a book. In the book, I talked about how I had speech impairment which is stuttering, and how it got worse. I was emotional and sometimes I go far than my tongue and mess up the whole speech. So I couldn't think that I would become a public speaker and also write a book. The book isn't about football even though it has football in it but it will show you how I developed a positive mindset and principles that helped me.

In this episode, our guest is Emmanuel Acho. He is one of New York's Bestselling Authors and also the creator of Uncomfortable Conversations with the Blackmen. Emmanuel Acho is part of the people who don't set defense. He knows what he stands for and what he stands against. He is not just someone with a strong opinion but with a strong set of experiences that leads to opinions that have weight. [2:53] WHY SHOULD WE LISTEN TO YOU? I picked up a football and I made it into the National Football League. I picked up a pen and I became a NO. 1 New York Best Selling Author. I picked up a microphone and I won an army. So, my works and credentials truly speak for me. I barely talk but when I do, then I must be saying something very important. [6:00] WHERE WAS YOUR IDENTITY CREATED? While growing up, I watched my parents work hard and progress through their hard work so I can say that is where my identity came from. To me, success is oftentimes a more committed dedication and opportunity while luck is when operation meets opportunity. While luck is relevant without operation, it is also irrelevant without opportunity. I don't believe my identity is in my athlete. My identity is truly in my character and work ethic. [11:45] Whenever things fall apart, why was it one of the most painful moments, and what do you take from it? I learned that it is important to keep going to work, keep excelling and keep getting better. Sometimes in life, you have to choose not to see what you see. You just have to choose not to believe your eyes in some situations. [14:13] I do not believe in it that all your goals kind of fall apart, what is your perception about this? Chapter 11 of Illogical, my latest book in partnership with Oprah is called goals are dumb. Goals are stupid. If you set a goal and achieve it, congratulations but what if you could have done more? If you set a goal and do not achieve it, you will ruin your self-esteem and self-efficacy. Instead of setting goals, have an objective with no limitations. [22:18] Where do you know when to listen to some people? It takes a lot of discernment. The apple air pod has a transparency function and a noise cancellation function so do we humans too. We have to ultimately live life with both. Sometimes, you have to completely cancel out any form of noise while sometimes you just have to let in some feedback so that you can improve as a human being. [25:30] What promise did God make to the world when he created you? I am not super talented, or super skilled but I'm obedient and I think God's promise is that he is going to bring forth someone obedient enough to use his skills to try to change the world. KEY QUOTES [17:40-17:41] A goal is an end at which energy is aimed while an objective is simply energy aimed in a direction. [20:35-20:36] All we focus on in life is what we can see and what we can quantify not realizing that some of our biggest hardship moments are unquantifiable. Learn more about Emmanuel Acho Twitter - https://twitter.com/EmmanuelAcho YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/Acho/featured Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/emmanuelacho/?hl=en Linkdin- https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmanuel-acho-ba35a2b9/

In this episode, our guest is Dr. Robbin. She is a Pharmacist, entrepreneur, podcaster, and social media influencer who encourages fitness and full expression through her brand. Robbin uses her knowledge in the medical field to create amazing products for fitness and also add value to others through her social media platforms. Dr. Robbin has successfully combined the medical field and social media to influence lives positively. She has created something great in life and still doing that. Today, she shares her journey of being a pharmacist, social media influencer, and adding value to others. [3:05] Why should we listen to you? I am a product of my environment and living has made me gain experience. If I'm going to talk to you or share advice, it is going to be about something that I know. We live in a world where people try many things which I have done too but the most important thing is trying and succeeding and this can only happen with discipline and consistency. [4:42] Where did Dr. Robbin begin? I love medicine and have always been good at science so I started working as a pharmacist technician. I was good at graphic design, and website building so social media came naturally to me. There is a difference between being an influencer and being influential so I take my time to give back to students by adding value to them and also mentoring them. [9:00] Did you know you were going to step out and do socials or did it just happen? It's funny I have the same amount of experience and ambitions as a social media influencer and a pharmacist because I did everything at the same time from high school to now. You must have leadership qualities to apply to medical school, which prompted me to launch a business of which I was the owner and which also served as a platform for community development. [12:33] What are your intentions when bringing up content? I think it is important to create organic content. Videos are also a way of showing who you are and this is so evident. Your followers want to know you, they want to know what you can offer them and before you can achieve this, you have to put yourself out. I would advise anyone to make use of reels, trending audios, and hashtags, and also have something educational to teach. [14:08] What was the building of your brand and how do you get to it? It came to me as a vision. Some people go to pharmacy school to become pharmacists, while others want to use their skills to help the business grow. For me, it's the other way around as I consider how I might use my understanding of medicinal ingredients to create things that can change people's lives. I'm a busy professional who understands that most people don't have time to look out for themselves. So, I created the face wipe product to streamline the routine of skincare and fitness. [16:30] What are the things you've gone through to keep this business running? This is the most difficult for me. All because of what I do, it appears to be a full-time job; I manage everything myself, including social media, advertising, and everything else, but that's something I'd like to change this year. It's also crucial to have someone on your team who believes in you. It's not a good option to hire folks that don't share your vision. You can't do everything. Work hard, gain new skills, and hire someone to do the work for you. [18:08] How do you know when it's time to bring a team on? I would say when you are into the product business. You need more hands. You will want to add more aspects like a newsletter and this will require a marketing person. How fast you want to go will determine if you need someone or not. [29:54] How do you make someone attached to your brand? It is not about the title but what you represent. If you know a specific field well enough and you educate your followers, they will become attached to you. People are paying attention to great content and they will become attached to you if you can offer that. Add value to them. Be a big supporter of them. Continue creating content so that you can be seen. [34:00] What is that abundance you are trying to get for your audience? The first is to allow people to have the same transformation that I do. When I was in pharmacy school, I took discipline from it and I applied that in everything that I do. So, my mission is not only to create but give people the opportunity to coach them, communicate with them, live calls and all. In short, build a healthy relationship with me. [42:20] What promise did God make to the world when he created you? I believe God made a promise of representation. A lot of young women get scared of their profession because they don't feel like they can be themselves but it is not that way for me. I am living on the belief that you can successfully graduate, be a doctor and also live all your dream. You can be anything. You can use all the talents that God has given you. Don't let anybody put you in the box. You can be whatever you want to be. Key Qu

In this episode, our guest is Sara Lovestyle. Sara is a Lifestyle Influencer and Social Media Expert who inspires power at the intersection of health, beauty, and consciousness through her "Lovestyle Movement!" She champions The Lovestyle Movement by channeling her fitness goals to elevate as a Lovestyle Warrior in all areas of family, purpose, and play for the everyday modern woman. Sara has crossed many finish lines in ways that most people wouldn't get past and still create something great in life, let alone give it back to the world. Today, she shares her journey of being a mother and creating an impact on others. [1:52] Why should we listen to you? I have this strange ability to make you believe that you are the exception because my faith is so important to me. We live in a really tough world right now where people need encouragement, love, and compassion. This is where the lifestyle part of my brand comes from. I love to pour into people. If we're having a conversation, the idea that something is a dream isn't possible. I'll probably bully you into believing that it's real because I am going to challenge you, but also have a conversation that is hopefully enlightening, where we can learn from one another and share experiences. [3:20] How would you explain who you are? Many times, we go into either characteristic, or people will go into their titles. But the reality is who you are at the core. For me, I am compassionate, kind, smart, and brilliant. I believe in doing items every single day. But also, I am faith-filled. I truly believe in everything I tell myself, even if I don't always believe it. Having that conversation about everything I am, even the parts that aren't necessarily the best, is okay, because those are who I am. [4:45] Self-Affirmations My parents are incredible. Very early on, my father would instill in me, "Listen, you are kind, you're smart, you are brilliant. You tell yourself this stuff every single day until you believe it." Then you become an adult, and you realize life is an interesting journey. I do affirmations every single morning for 10 minutes. It may sound dull, but I have them written on my mirror and my vanity, in my bathroom, and my office. If I ever have moments where I'm not feeling beautiful, I can look up and tell myself I am beautiful. [11:39] What was your journey to getting a message refined that resonated? I started as a beauty influencer because I thought I would like it. That was the cool thing to do six years ago. I realized quickly that the power was in my storytelling. The second I started talking, everything changed. People were receptive. My brand is a lifestyle brand because the fitness element is important because I was overweight and heavy during my heart attack. As a mom, there's the self-care element where I needed to give and give, and I forgot about myself. Then there's the part about telling the story of motherhood and that journey, and talking about my son was hands down the most difficult part for me. Everyone was receptive, and the brand grew quickly because I didn't have to pretend to be something I wasn't. [15:52] Nothing is Impossible I was afraid of imposter syndrome. I was afraid that I would not be accepted if I could be honest because I started as an influencer. The reality is that you can influence one person, or have one follower, and still be identified as an influencer. I want to show people what is possible, truly limitless. [17:49] Journey of investment return What's interesting is it started with the investment of a relationship. There's also an assumption that an investment has to be money, and it's not. I realized quickly that I could use the leverage of my platform to get a board seat. I could leverage a company that maybe did not have the funds to pay me as a creator. But you have some shares, though. There are so many aspects of an influencer that could begin. But there are routes to getting a seat at that table. It was about bringing someone to have a relationship that could be mutually beneficial for the company. [22:02] Allow Yourself to Fail We are so afraid of taking risks. And we're afraid of what people think. We are afraid of what if it doesn't come back? Or what if I don't come back from it? My dad used to ask me as a child, and it used to get on my nerves, and he would ask me, "What did you fail out today?" And it used to make me so mad. But what he knew that I didn't realize at the time is that I never gave myself the opportunity to fail. [26:40] What Shifted Sara The catalyst for my ultimate shift was my divorce. That's the one piece I've never talked about. I know that it is important that I create a stable life for my children. But was I okay with this thing that happened to me? Or am I going to allow it to happen through me? And it's not that it's easy. And it's not that life isn't hard. It's not that there aren't hardships. The scariest element for me is to be at the end of my life and be filled with regrets.

In today's episode, our guest is Sal Frisella. He is the President of 1st Phorm International, an established premier supplement leading brand in the industry. Their mission is to change the world one person at a time. Built by creating thousands of positive and fun relationships, 1st Phorm strives on being people-focused and helping people become the best version of themselves. Today, Sal talks with us about the importance of building relationships with people. Why should we listen to you? [2:38] I try to give you an option to not listen to me because I keep pestering until you walk away. I've learned a long time ago that life is about the company you keep in the people you surround yourself with. Having a great conversation never goes out of style. I've met great people in random places that I'm still connected with to this day. I think that's the beauty of today's world. A great opportunity that we all have is social media. Learning to have that conversation and be comfortable getting uncomfortable with another human, you realize is that we're all the same. I'll give you an option to not listen to me. But I do have a good story in relationships. Understanding Others [6:06] Our stories are all uniquely different. However, they're all strangely the same. What you struggle with is very similar to what I struggle with. I've been fortunate enough to understand how humility plays a great role in having those conversations. I may not have gone through every struggle that everybody has, but I felt insecure, defeated, and felt I was not enough. I understand all of those things that everybody struggles with too. Helping Others Change their Lives [8:36] I got through many struggles in my life by having other people listen to me. I realized that I could provide that same service to other people, listening to them and letting them know that they're not alone and let them know that it's okay and we'll get through it. As long as we're willing to put in the work and make an adjustment, we can get through anything. I think that progress in life just steamrolled into what we do for a living now, which is help people change their life. Being a Leader to Others [11:24] I realized I wasn't giving my life and baseball the respect it deserved because I wasn't paying my dues the correct way. It took the gift from me, and I had to process that. I think that shift allowed me to go through that struggle and realize that I couldn't go through it alone. I needed other people who I talk to and can listen to me. It wasn't some special gift that they gave me other than just the ability to listen to me and help me process some information. It changed my life so drastically that I realized to be a good leader, I had to possess those abilities to listen and help people through struggles. Greatest Gift in Life [15:21] Experience is the greatest gift in life. In order to have experience, you have to go through some of the things that you don't want to go through. To help an individual go through it; you have to relate to them and tap into what they want to be. Taking the Harder Path [19:01] We are conditioned to take the lesser path, the easier path. Earning your respect for yourself is by taking a hard path. I have learned that through conditioning myself to take the path less traveled; I've learned to become a little bit harder, more mentally tough, and more sensitive. Lessons for a Man [21:32] I had to learn about not knowing the answer. And that's a hard thing, and being able to ask somebody and rely upon somebody else, realize that they might have the answer, and be able to express enough humility to ask that question is another shift in life. When you start asking these questions, these are great transitions of life because that's a progression as a man, as a leader, and it's a progression of learning to trust and build those relationships so that you can go through the journey together. Allowing your Tribe to Grow [24:23] To allow your tribe or your pack to grow, you have to be willing to relinquish that power to the lead man, and they have rotated it around, and you get a better pack because you're sharpening and building these guys to be better tools in the toolbox. They give you respect because you're giving them the keys to the kingdom for a little while, and they have a deeper respect for you. Now you're getting to test their limits and that ego checks down. Prioritizing what is more Important [40:08] Your kids don't care if you're rich or not. Your kids care that you're there, your kids care that you're present, that you kick the ball with them and you play catch. I had a hard time transitioning out of that because I wanted to succeed for my family, and I realized that my family needed me to be present. And when I found that internal hole I had to make, I had to adjust. I had to prioritize what was most important to me and I attacked it. [41:21] By prioritizing what's important and attacking that, I'm able to progress faster. I

In this episode, our guest is Mally Roncal. Mally is a makeup artist, founder, and president of Mally Beauty. She has worked with many A-list celebrities such as Beyoncé, Knowles, Rihanna, Celine Dion, Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Lopez, and many more. She also served as a spokesperson for Sephora before founding her company. Mally regularly appears on The Wendy Williams Show, The View, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Rachael Ray, and today as a beauty expert and pens editorials for the New York Times, Huffington Post, and iVillage. Catch her in this episode as she shares her journey of how she got into the beauty industry and finding her purpose. Why should we listen to you? [3:04] You should listen to me because not everybody feels everything as much as my heart and my soul. I always have this blessing and curse that I feel everything a hundred times more than the regular person. I need to digest all the crazy things that go into this world that we all as humans live in the same string. We all have different life experiences. But we all go through these feelings. How did you get into beauty? [17:24] I originally wanted to be a doctor because that's what my parents were. I realized very soon that that was not going to be my career. My purpose was not to be a doctor because I wanted to do my hair. I fell in love with fashion and beauty and glamour and all that. It's just something that my mother and I shared. What are the aspects you saw that most people didn't see that allowed you to grow? [23:16] There was artistry or people in the fashion and beauty industry. There was always an amazing universe where they had all the actresses, and I could see what they were doing. I became so passionate about transparency in that. [28:46] I love that there is an incredible opportunity right in front of us. Everything that is happening has a reason behind it, and the universe has a reason behind it. What are you trying to do? [33:53] I am no longer worried about everybody's feelings. I realized that I had to take my time. I sometimes think I'm good at telling other people what to do. But I realized that I had to practice what I preach. The premise is that both my husband and I are very similar in that way. The point is you can choose positivity, and you can choose to be happy. You can choose to find joy. You can choose joy. You can cry or get sad. You can do all that, but then you have to get back up and get to work. Finding yourself [47:43] This whole COVID situation has been a terror. All of us are trying to find the silver lining. Personally, it stopped me dead in my tracks. I was on the road working when I realized that I had to learn to accept myself. I wasn't able to take care of myself spiritually and physically. That made me realize what was more important. What promise to God make to the world when He created you? [50:41] God promised that He would bring the most loving human. And that I strive to show love. Remember that you are what you see. We do what we do, and we do it with heart and passion. Key Quotes [30:44 – 30:54] "It's not about the time after what it is. I realized how fast it felt. That's where the fear came where it felt like it was a blink of an eye." [33:19 – 33:26] "The creation process is the only thing that exposes you to the nuances of something new that creates a difference." [35:15 – 35:36] "You can choose positivity. You can choose to be happy. You can choose to find joy. You can cry or get sad. You can do all that, but then you have to get back up and get to work." [45:09 – 45:11] "We always have more. The biggest room in the world is the room for improvement." Follow Mally Roncal: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mally-roncal-38a5279 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mallyroncal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mallyroncal/ Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/mallyroncal Website: https://mally.com/

In this episode, we have Josh Landan joining us today. He is the founder of Saint Archer, a craft brewery sold in 2015, and he is the founder of Ashland Hard Seltzer. Josh started his career telling stories from behind the lens – filming, directing, writing, and producing films and documentaries featuring some of the world's top surfers, snowboarders, and skateboarders. Today, he shares his journey on building his business without any business knowledge and background! Why should we listen to you? [1:17] If you're a sports fan, you'd probably enjoy talking sports, which is what I would probably bring up. The last thing you'd get for me is business talk. [4:23] I don't want the attention. Just like an athlete, you don't get to the top level, not needing recognition to compete at the highest level and be the best. I'd be lying if I said that the ego wasn't there, and I wasn't trying to get approval in some way. I have those insecurities as everybody does, and I went the other way. I didn't want to go anywhere and didn't want to go out, and if anything, I got more introverted. Wanting to Win [8:18] When you come from doing it yourself, and you're at the speed in which you're most comfortable, then you go into that corporate structure, you might want to win, but the speed isn't there. You're fine with things taking a long time, whereas that wasn't conducive to my personality. Entrepreneur vs. Business Owner [9:26] There's a big difference between employees, business owners, and entrepreneurs. Entrepreneur to me means that you have this burning desire to continue to create from scratch. I didn't know that about myself until I put myself through that. I see people calling themselves entrepreneurs all the time, but they only own a small store or business. But they are a business owner. So there is a big difference. Learning Experiences [14:27] The way I've handled certain situations and looking back, I probably could have dealt with that better. Maybe firing certain people or leaving businesses and the way things are handled and at the moment is always more emotional. Hopefully, when you look back, you learn from that, and the next time, you do it better. I just would have maybe handled it with more maturity and professionalism in some cases. Building a Business [15:43] I just had the idea to do a beer brand. But I knew nothing about beer, and I didn't even know what a capital raise was. I had no idea about starting a business and somehow raised $3 million, and moved my family to San Diego, and we built a 20,000 square foot brewery. But right before that, I fired three people that weren't the right fit for me. I would never apologize for that because that was the right thing to do. You can't beat yourself up for your experiences. You can beat yourself up if you do these things repeatedly, and you never learn from them. [17:35] The biggest key is being self-aware. Many people have a hard time with being self-aware. I'll be the first to tell you I was not passionate about beer. I was more passionate about getting some approval than I never got when I was young. I just took it to the craziest ridiculous level of building these multimillion-dollar businesses when that's going overboard. Luckily, the approval was probably the motivating factor that made me do things. I fell in love with building brands. So that worked out. I think where it's scary is when you're doing something for approval, then you get it. Work in Progress [25:03] I'm a work in progress like everyone else. What I'm looking for now is more so contentment, and I want to win to the highest level at all times by any means necessary. You can separate that from your personal life. The reality with Managing a Business [28:10] You have people's money on the line, and you have people's families that are depending on you that work for you. You have all these things and like you have to look at them. It's not all rainbows and unicorns, and they make it look like on these magazines or podcasts. I can think of 10 business owners from the top of my head that are on their third marriage and are completely miserable and have no relationship with their kids. I didn't want to be that man. What People see as Amazing [30:21] You might show up at work, and you can leave everything at the door. If your home life is a tornado, that's hard to focus on. I can't focus on the people that I care about most. But society celebrates the asshole. I would turn on this show for the investors where they want you to be, a hard-charging prick who doesn't care about anything wants to win. It's funny that that's the person they see as amazing. [33:30] I would rather be more myself that is more compassionate and warm, and I can be sympathetic to what everybody else wants to write. I've found on the all the way around, that's how you get the best out of people. That's how you get the best out of the staff. If you're not great at many things, you hire the best. If they want to be around you

Life is full of wonders that entice you to stay a little longer—standing up for what you believe in offers you meaning in life and allows you to make your presence felt and known all across the world. Chef Bren Herrera is a dynamic bilingual, award-winning celebrity chef, TV personality, spokeswoman, and host. Today, Chef Bren shares her struggles, how she took the risk of following her heart's desire, and how she dedicates her presence as a beacon for those who don't have a voice. [01:58] Why should I listen to you? Because I'm a wacky, entertaining person. I lived by the #liveandlove slogan. You act in love when you live and love yourself. I'm a social butterfly because I find myself talking to people who don't want to be bothered. It's always a pleasure for me to make folks happy. [03:02] Many years ago, a buddy of mine taught me the platinum rule: treat people the way you want to be treated. It's always about getting to know the person you're spending time with and then pouring yourself into them, whether it's a stranger like you at a coffee shop, restaurant, or anywhere, my goal is to make you feel like you're the only person in the room. [04:28] How did the foundation of the heart come about? I believe I spent a few years purposefully going into myself, attempting to unpack why I chose that path. You take stock of your life about who you are, and you understand what has transpired in your life to bring you to this point. I grew up in a family environment that was highly attentive to only the needs, and the primary wants that humans have. [06:19] Simply being exposed to and reared in an environment where my parents continually reminded us not to waste food because others are hungry. Now that I'm an adult, I'm in charge of my own life, and I take those issues seriously because I've recognized that not everyone can afford the same things. [07:08] I'm a classic empath, and I sometimes wish I wasn't an empath because it's exhausting. Everyone plays a role in the world, and I've accepted and owned that that's just who I am, and that's fine. [15:31] What deterred you from making choices? I was always self-assured and understood what I wanted as a child. For example, I adored Whitney Houston, and I used to think to myself, "One day, I'm going to be a singer performing on stage." I adored the way she made me feel. I was insanely motivated. But I didn't always outperform my peers. So, when I made that decision, I had no finances, and I had no idea where I would go physically. Work-wise, you're not going to stay in DC because DC was already pricey at the time. [19:11] I started organizing this charity event in Atlanta to benefit the AIDS community there, and it stems from the pro bono work I did in DC when I went to speak. That charity event, dubbed Creative Cause, brought together many creative people for a good cause. [21:32] I lacked the necessary infrastructure. I decided to let life take its course. I didn't have that advice, and I take full responsibility for it. I didn't realize I should have gone to someone. [25:05] What was the turning point that led you to this path? Everyone who had something to say and wanted to share it got a blog because it was new. I believe Blogspot was one of the original platforms. People were looking for recipes, and therefore food blogs were becoming extremely popular. They also wanted to use food to connect with family and friends. And it made sense to me because I could continue to share these fascinating cultural stories through cuisine while also introducing people to new foods. I began writing about travel approximately a year and a half before starting the food blog. As a result, I incorporated all of my trip experiences into my culinary blog. [27:00] Blogging wasn't sustainable. You had to monetize it for it to make sense. And I was seeing and finding that many bloggers had full-time jobs. Thus, blogging was their side hustle that made a few coins off here and there. But I was so determined not to go back to work. I was pressed to make this work. I was doing private events, catering, and writing for some fancy glossy travel magazines. I used to do some food columns for different magazines online. [30:24] What do you create that pushes yourself and keeps moving? In 2012, I returned to DC. Because I was done with that land, I felt like I had tapped out. I had done everything I was going to do, and my music career did not pan out the way I had hoped. Rock Nation approached me twice, offering me the position of a private chef for one of their best players for the Yankees, as well as one of Nike's top athletes. I discussed it with my team and lawyer, and we discussed the deal. I didn't like it because the money wasn't quite right. A family friend who's a big name in the boxing world told me, "You should have taken the job, Sis. Because although that job didn't pay you for what you're worth, it might have opened so many possibilities for you." [40:15] Were there thoughts of

In today's episode, our guest is Kailee Scales. Kailee has been on multiple national publications and now sits at the top of running Pencils of Promise. She served as the first Managing Director of the Black Lives Matter Global Network and supported the development of a solid infrastructure around the decentralized organization, allowing it to grow from a hashtag to a political and cultural powerhouse for Black people worldwide. Stay tuned and learn more about Kailee! [2:18] Why should we listen to you? As a stranger in a cafe in the middle of a pandemic, I have something very important to say if I talk to you. I like to kind of keep to myself. Once we start talking, we could talk. But I'm not one to strike up a conversation. [2:48] I'm a strange paradox. I am very engaging, I love people, and I love talking to people. But I can be nervous. I think all of us have a bit of a paradoxical little part of our personality. [4:00] Kailee's career First, I'm a mom. First thing when I wake up in the morning, it's school. Then I go right into my work, and sometimes I just kind of look at my work a little bit as I'm getting ready for school because I love what I do so much, particularly with Pencils of Promise- the organization that I lead. It is just so empowering, especially when we feel a little uncertain and all over the place; it's great to be able to do something to help the world. [5:22] World movements All the things that happened in my formative years just pointed me toward a world change of transformation. I realized I was familiar with a lot of the world's issues, and I was always mobilized and had opportunities to volunteer and do things. As a result of that, I realized that we all have a part in this world; whether or not we like it, we all have a part. We can affect change. I wanted to make a shift to making sure that that happens. So the process of contributing to Big World Problems makes me feel better. [6:58] Making it happen It's always about identifying the North Star, identifying what you're trying to accomplish, and being firmly resolved to accomplish that thing—and then being open to realizing that there are many pathways to that thing and not judging. The way it happens will be strategic, will be exactly the way it's supposed to happen, will teach you lessons along the way, will allow you to purposefully take a different pathway to see if it'll work and see if it will fail. If it does, you fail fast and move back the other way. You won't be as connected to how you're doing it as you are to what you are trying to achieve. [18:49] Building a platform to have a communication channel We want to create these things to end these personas, platforms, and brands to appeal to others. We forget that each of us has high value and each of us has gifts. We all need to stay centered, honor, expand and expound that because no one can be you, and no one has what you have, even if you're a twin. [19:34] It's always really important to me to know who I am and discover that and not be afraid of the things that I may not like. The North Star analogy also pertains to us as individuals; what is our individual North Star? [28:03] What would you attach your success in the area you are to? It was the skill, acknowledgment, and awareness that change is possible. I shared the commitment with many of my colleagues throughout my career and found those like-minded people who understood that change is possible. [29:05] I value myself, know I have gifts, and honor those. I value you and I know you have gifts, and I honor that. Along the way, sometimes, we need help. Sometimes we need support. Sometimes we need to be seen. Sometimes we need encouragement and comfort. We always need love. That's the spirit in which I engage all the time. I treat others as if they engage that way all of the time. I think that's what brings me in these environments with like-minded people who also value themselves and value their gifts and want to make sure that the world sees that and that helps the world promote that. [31:04] Handling people that will come with inflammatory words or statements These questions go unanswered because these disparities exist because there are people who inherently disagree and want to keep things the same way. When you do this change work, you are changing. You are raging against a machine and institution, individuals who disagree with you, which is why you have to dismantle those feelings. You have to flat already just out commit to that. [35:23] When do you know you've won? It's one step at a time. It's one person at a time. It's again, back to that whole Northstar self-actualization: your goal is your peace and joy and your ability to appreciate the process, whether or not it's working because you feel fulfilled. We also have to calibrate our goals, desires, dreams, and hopes with finding those interim moments of fulfillment, those interim moments of feeling peaceful, love, grounded and leaning into that and abso

You must take chances to transform your life. You attain your objectives by taking risks. It's difficult to imagine yourself failing during the process, but it's more difficult to regret not trying in the first place. Craig Siegel discusses fundamental components of life that we must remember entirely and why we should never lose hope in the face of adversity and welcome difficulties. Gift of Communication [04:39] I believe that one of my greatest gifts is the habitual capacity to communicate and have things registered in a way that you and your audience agree throughout this conversation. That you don't just want to hear it, but you want to encourage inspired action immediately. [06:21] Everyone believes that I was always enthusiastic and passionate, but the reality is that I was not. It took 35 years for me to discover myself. As I grew older, I was constantly pursuing something and believed there was something more out there for me, but I wasn't sure what it was. I discovered that personal development is not always indicative of who we can become. I began delving deeper and realizing that we can alter our associations with pain and pleasure, that we have options and can change our perspective. And I began to develop confidence and discover myself. Wall Street Journey [10:29] It was first quite enjoyable and was a thrilling experience. I was in finance to make money and suddenly, it ceased to be enjoyable. So, to say, the worry began to outweigh the joy. And thus, while remaining on Wall Street, I established my own business. In essence, we sold loans and cash to enterprises around the country. However, albeit less stressful, the second one had the opposite effect of setting my soul on fire. It felt like I was waking up every day and heading to work. That is not how life should be, as we always choose. [12:16] I'd been miserable for years, and I despised the direction I was taking. I wasn't even in love with myself. I didn't enjoy waking up every day, and I was genuinely miserable, and I accept whole accountability for that since everyone has a choice. I became entangled in the rat race. I know I am meant for something greater, to make a difference, to make a mark in the cosmos, to do something extraordinary. [14:26] People constantly ask me whether I was afraid to leave a secure position and start something new. This is somewhat complicated. However, once I identified the CLS concept and vision, the most significant concern was failing to take that shot and returning to a job that made me miserable. Now that I finally got some clarity after 35 years of searching for myself, I was like, let's do this. And I developed a comprehensive plan vision. After that, I began reverse engineering it and so on. Failures [15:19] Everyone appears to believe that this is what precisely I was born to accomplish. And, fortunately, it's a nice fit. Additionally, those that consume the content may not necessarily collaborate with me, and however, they are inspired and elevated by merely viewing the content. As a result, many people who previously worked with me are delighted and supportive. [17:12] I recognized that it could fail. I could live with that, but I could not live with not taking a shot and returning to be miserable. I have entirely disassociated myself from my old business on Wall Street dealing with loans and such. As if I were publishing content. I had a strategy. I was generating that Hollywood excitement and people began to appreciate it, share it, and so on. [18:20] There was some danger in the beginning because when you start something new, you don't make money immediately, but I just purchased and bought, working 20-hour days. I adore this material. To me, this does not work. And this is the first time I've ever felt this align in this manner. We're like, "Yes, this is what exactly I should be doing." As an entrepreneur, and let me state unequivocally, it never goes straight up. There are setbacks, heartbreaks, and such things. However, for the most part, I was hell-bent on seeing things through, even if it didn't work out. [21:01] When I had that moment, at the outset of the epidemic, and gained clarity about my gifts and passion, I founded the CLS brand. CLS is an abbreviation for "Create Enduring Symphony." Additionally, it's a play on my initials. Symphony has always stood out to me. When I think about Symphony, I immediately envision an orchestra of musicians playing in time. I wanted it to be the last thing, like changing people's thoughts and viewpoints on what they are capable of, which is less lasting. That was the moniker. Personal Growth and Development [21:52] When I considered CLS, I thought, "Okay, so how does this look?" Because I am a firm believer in the maxim that if you are going to think, you may as well think large. Unless that is the case, what is the point? I viewed CLS as the apple of personal development, the market leader, and even if you're an Android user, you have to appreciate

In today's episode, our guest is Patricia Washington. She is an award-winning best-selling author, top rated podcaster, television and radio personality, international transformational speaker, brand influencer, national spokesperson and leading authority on personal finance, entrepreneurship and success for women. Patricia is known for her holistic approach to wealth management, she is proud to be one of few women of color who hold a Certificate in Financial Psychology. Today, we delve deeper into her experiences and the adversities that mold her into the best individual she can be. [02:01] Why should we listen to you? I'd say something completely out of the blue that would catch you off guard. Who is this crazy person insane lady, you ask? In the grand scheme of things, my life hasn't been that amusing. I often say that I consider myself fortunate for what I've been through, despite the fact that I've been through a lot. Then, if you go any deeper than that, you'll find out shortly. Despite my reputation as a finance specialist, I am not really enthusiastic about personal finance because to textbooks. [04:27] What happened in life that led to that business downfall and what do you think was your ability at that time to build that? I knew I wanted to be a business owner. My friends informed me in third grade that my father would always come to me, even though I didn't live with him. I asked my father what he does for a living because he always has time to come visit me whenever he wants, and I found out that he is an entrepreneur, which is a better way to make money than my mother, who had to get up early simply to be at the office and then leave extremely late at night. I knew then that I wanted to follow in my father's footsteps as an entrepreneur. [08:41] I stayed at her house when I was 20 weeks pregnant. But I was hurried to the emergency room, where I was told that I was in labor and that there was nothing the hospital could do to stop it. On top of that, I learned of the company's demise, which added to my already high level of anxiety. The doctor advised me that if I don't stop worrying about other things, I'll lose this child and be stuck in the same room for the rest of my life, going out without a child. [12:10] How did those moments transpire and go down? Take me back and guide me on this point. When I was released, I went straight to the mailbox and opened some mail that had been sitting there for quite some time. It included some crucial notices, particularly for properties that are now at risk of foreclosure. I eventually had to liquidate assets, lay off some employees, and pay some bills with my savings. Some of my possessions were repossessed, so I sold everything on Craigslist before relocating. [13:14] with having the last of my savings, I have decided to use that to purchase a house to where we have decided to relocate. I have been sending money to a broker that promised us a place to live in. When we got there, we found out there were squatters residing in the property, and the money that I have been sending all this time was taken by that person and he ran away. [15:16] After hearing all this, we were able to move into a 1 square foot apartment where I could not even been able to keep the lights running. It was then at that time that I looked at the mirror, self reflected and asked God for guidance. I cried heavily, but then when I felt better, I opened up the bible and it showed me a scripture that is found in Proverbs 17:16. It changed my life and my perspective, and that was where I had a clear vision going forward. [20:46] Were there any people who helped you get back on your feet? What was the next step? One way God showed me that he cared about me was by sending strangers my way, who assisted me by sharing their thoughts whenever I opened up about my family's circumstances. I was able to obtain excellent information from a variety of sources. This was also the time when I had the opportunity to learn more about the Mommy Bloggers when they gave my husband and me coffee at a fast-food restaurant. I had no idea what that was about at the time. [27:06] Tell me all the cool things that you have done I've written five personal finance books. With 18,000 copies sold, it was a best seller. I spent four years on Steve Harvey's morning show, where I answered financial concerns, had guest appearances, and was published in several periodicals. I got featured on the success magazine's digital cover. My four-year-old podcast has nearly a million dollars in revenue. [31:25] Were there times where you felt like super stretched, maybe super scared. Or felt not credible for the next stage but you stepped into it? Many of us are praying for the ability to accept and sustain information. In order to process childhood trauma, I have invested in a therapist and counseling. I didn't have a really happy childhood. My family was often in dispute, and I always felt like I was the undesirable one. It bec

In today's episode, our guest is Anthony O'Neil. He is the national bestselling author of The Graduate Survival Guide: 5 Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make in College and travels the country spreading his encouraging message to help teens and young adults transition into the real world. He is also a financial expert and a host of a new podcast called The Table. [8:32] Why should we listen to you? I grew up with four parents. I have two biological parents and two step-parents who raised and loved me just as much as my biological parents. I come from a life perspective, not as an expert nor preacher when I talk to you. I'm going to come from a real relevant and relatable perspective. [11:08] Where did you get the skills you work with? It took me a long time to figure it out. It was when my truck started traveling around the world. Then I started teaching young people how to go to school without racking up student loan debt. And then my mentor Dave Ramsey recruited me. [12:18] Do you find that sometimes it takes an extra level to be confident and teach someone? I think it's where I tend to attract and where I tend to go. This generation is looking for authentic, relatable, and relevant content. I just got to force myself into that world into their culture. And once they understand what I'm saying, then that's it. [13:21] What have been some of the most impactful groups or organizations that you've talked to? I had the opportunity to speak for NFL and NBA teams and go in there to help out with their rookies every year. I sit down with these rookies and mentor them. When I sit down with him, I say things that he needs to do. [16:16] How do I get people out into financial freedom to have freedom of life? You got to have a why and if your why doesn't make you cry, then the price of commitment, the cost to accomplish the goals and dreams that you want, will make you cry. It starts with the internal why. When your why makes you cry, then the price of commitment won't make you cry, and you will push through anything and accomplish everything you desire. [18:44] How does somebody get out of debt? Stop borrowing money. If you want to get out of debt, stop racking up debt, bottom line. I had to be patient and not worry about trying to blend in with the world. Use the Debt Snowball method; when you're paying off all your debt, on all your debt from smallest to largest, make all your minimum payments. But then when you're getting your extra income, and if you do a budget, and you cut out some additional expenses, all that extra income, you're going to put it on the very first one, why are you making your minimum payments on the others. [20:46] When you get done with the first one, take all of that money and put it on the second one. It's an efficient way to get out of debt. And when you do this debt snowball method, it's all about momentum. It's not about math. It's not about getting creative knows about when you see yourself paying off the first one, get to the second one, get to the third one. You saw your future change, and you keep moving. [21:47] What kind of indirect message passes the question of why they should go and start doing something? I'm always trying to go back to myself and teach from within myself. When you start avoiding debt, make sure you have an emergency fund. Once you have that emergency fund, take advantage of all the Roth plans out there. Be creative. Go out there and buy your plot of land and just let it sit there put it into the trust for your kids down the road. [25:27] What should be the amount of money for an emergency fund? If you're in a stable situation, three months of your average expenses. The bare minimum that I teach is three to six months of your expenses if you're in a commission-based job. It all depends on your situation. [29:09] What promise did God make to the world when He created you? You can get an authentic, relevant, and relatable conversation. You're not going to have an expert. You're going to have a person who is a student first and foremost, who loves God and who's going to be genuine, and who genuinely wants to see you win. Learn more about Anthony O'neil on: Website: https://anthonyoneil.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/anthonyoneal Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnthonyONeal