Journey To Mastery

Elzie Flenard engages in a dynamic conversation with Tonya McKenzie, Founder of Sand and Shores, a leading communications and leadership firm. They delve into the pivotal role of PR and podcasting in business success. Tonya emphasizes the importance of crafting a compelling brand narrative, drawing inspiration from challenges, and aligning business values for growth. She provides practical insights into PR budgeting and consistent branding. Tonya also shares her journey in launching the Empowered Podcast Network, creating a platform for meaningful conversations. She highlights the therapeutic and educational power of podcasting, especially for survivors of challenging experiences. So, tune in for a transformative discussion on storytelling, PR strategies, and seizing opportunities in business. Episode Highlight:05:19 - I think it's really just a lack of understanding the importance of that. And then there is, particularly with women, not understanding your value and what who you are brings to the business. That is a part of the story–how you got here, how you founded this organization. But even the story behind that. What led you to solving this problem? Whether it's jeans that fit a different shape of woman, like where did that idea come from? Talk about that. It was probably some failure. It was probably some lack of ability to be able to find it somewhere else for yourself. And those are the things that connect people to your brand.10:40 - Let's be fair. Everybody is not good at what they say they're good at these days. It's like, "I'm amazing," but you're not. So, we have to be cognizant of that and be very diligent about where we're spending our money. So, I would suggest if you have a marketing coordinator, a marketing director, that you invest in training them, getting them some training on PR strategies. Because the truth of the matter is, an integrated strategy is the best. You need all of it. You need PR, you need marketing, you need advertising. You need it all.19:37 - My podcast network is really just another way of giving my clients and my business partners opportunities to find spaces where they are seen as credible. Every time we open our mouth and someone hears what we have to say, that elevates your brand. Everything you say these days, or type, or tweet, they become a part of your brand. So, allowing for these spaces to be used to elevate people's brands, their message, their stories, I think it was very important. It's called the Empowered Podcast Network. You'll learn something new. You'll have the opportunity to have a discussion about some difficult stuff. And it just feels good sometimes to be able to get it off your chest and have thoughtful conversations about things that everybody ain't ready for. But if you're subscribing to the show, you clearly like what they're delivering, and you're trusting that podcast host to continue to deliver you quality content.21:28 - You don't think people have gone through what you've gone through. I think everybody feels kind of isolated in their stuff until you start talking about it, and then other people that you're talking to will be like, "Oh yeah, well let me tell you what happened to me." So, it was mind-blowing to me because I thought the things that had happened to me were isolated to me. Well, why is that? Well, because we never talked about it, especially when things happen in Black families. We aren't supposed to talk about it. But I realized once I wrote this book, listen, you gonna have to talk about it. So, I started to talk, and that made others feel like they had a safe space to talk about some difficult things.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Connect with Tonya McKenzieLink

Tonya McKenzie opens up about her journey as a gun violence survivor and author. Discover how her interest in podcasting was driven by a desire to create a safe haven for discussing challenging topics.Tonya has encountered a community of individuals who have faced similar experiences. By listening to the stories of fellow survivors, she has gained profound insights into the diverse ways people navigate trauma and adversity. Join us in this powerful conversation as we explore the therapeutic and educational value of sharing our experiences in order to heal and grow. Don't miss this episode, where personal stories become a source of strength and resilience. Episode Highlight:01:11 - You don't think people have gone through what you've gone through. I think everybody feels kind of isolated in their stuff until you start talking about it, and then other people that you're talking to will be like, "Oh yeah, well let me tell you what happened to me." So, it was mind-blowing to me because I thought the things that had happened to me were isolated to me. Well, why is that? Well, because we never talked about it, especially when things happen in Black families. We aren't supposed to talk about it. But I realized once I wrote this book, listen, you gonna have to talk about it. So, I started to talk, and that made others feel like they had a safe space to talk about some difficult things.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Connect with Tonya McKenzieLinkedInWebsiteFacebookXSand & Shores

Elzie dives into the world of podcasting with Tonya McKenzie, the podcast host of My Morning Coffee and Leaders & Learners, and the mastermind behind the Empowered Podcast Network. Find out how Tonya strategically incorporated podcasts into her business, providing a platform for thought-provoking discussions and valuable insights. Discover the diverse shows featured on the network, from candid conversations with influential leaders to addressing sensitive topics in a safe space. Learn about the power of credibility in public relations and the impact of having your voice heard on a reputable platform. Tune in to uncover the secrets behind building credibility and elevating your brand through podcasting. Get a glimpse into the Empowered Podcast Network and how it's changing the game in thoughtful, engaging content. Episode Highlight:03:29 - My podcast network is really just another way of giving my clients and my business partners opportunities to find spaces where they are seen as credible. Every time we open our mouth and someone hears what we have to say, that elevates your brand. Everything you say these days, or type, or tweet, they become a part of your brand. So, allowing for these spaces to be used to elevate people's brands, their message, their stories, I think it was very important. It's called the Empowered Podcast Network. You'll learn something new. You'll have the opportunity to have a discussion about some difficult stuff. And it just feels good sometimes to be able to get it off your chest and have thoughtful conversations about things that everybody ain't ready for. But if you're subscribing to the show, you clearly like what they're delivering, and you're trusting that podcast host to continue to deliver you quality content.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Connect with Tonya McKenzieLinkedInWebsiteFacebookXSand & Shores

Tonya Mckenzie provides invaluable advice on PR strategies tailored for small businesses. Discover why allocating approximately 20% of your budget to PR is a smart move. Tonya emphasizes that smaller businesses need not rush into outsourcing their PR efforts. Instead, she highlights the importance of establishing a strong message and maintaining consistent branding across all platforms before diving into PR initiatives.Investing in training for your marketing staff with fundamental PR strategies can also yield enhanced results through an integrated approach. So, tune in for expert guidance on navigating the realities of PR, ensuring your investments are both strategic and effective. Episode Highlight:01:28 - Let's be fair. Everybody is not good at what they say they're good at these days. It's like, "I'm amazing," but you're not. So, we have to be cognizant of that and be very diligent about where we're spending our money. So, I would suggest if you have a marketing coordinator, a marketing director, that you invest in training them, getting them some training on PR strategies. Because the truth of the matter is, an integrated strategy is the best. You need all of it. You need PR, you need marketing, you need advertising. You need it all.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Connect with Tonya McKenzieLinkedInWebsiteFacebookXSand & Shores

Join Elzie Flenard and Tonya McKenzie in this insightful episode as they dive into the often underestimated realm of brand storytelling. They underscore the pivotal role of elevating your message, a piece that frequently eludes business owners in comprehending the profound impact of their brand story. Tonya sheds light on the prevalent misconception surrounding the value of a brand narrative, emphasizing the necessity for individuals to reflect on their identity and its significance. Especially for women entrepreneurs, recognizing their inherent value and contributions to the business proves pivotal when crafting an authentic brand story. Tune in to discover the wisdom of drawing inspiration from established brands and integrating personal trials and triumphs into your narrative for a more compelling connection with your audience. Uncover the transformative potential of your brand story, embark on a journey to forge deeper connections, and elevate your business through the art of storytelling.Episode Highlight:01:12 - I think it's really just a lack of understanding the importance of that. And then there is, particularly with women, not understanding your value and what who you are brings to the business. That is a part of the story–how you got here, how you founded this organization. But even the story behind that. What led you to solving this problem? Whether it's jeans that fit a different shape of woman, like where did that idea come from? Talk about that. It was probably some failure. It was probably some lack of ability to be able to find it somewhere else for yourself. And those are the things that connect people to your brand.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Connect with Tonya McKenzieLinkedInWebsiteFacebookXSand & Shores

Let's dive into an enlightening conversation with Stacey Brown Randall, award-winning author, speaker, podcast host and founder of the Brown Randall Group, where she helps business owners generate referrals without asking. Stacey's entrepreneurial path, from an HR consulting firm to her thriving coaching business, is a testament to resilience and learning from failures.Discover the critical role of tracking referrals, a practice that doesn't demand complex systems. Stacey's straightforward approach involves a simple spreadsheet, offering invaluable insights into lead quality and referral sources. Explore her powerful insights on focus and clarity, which have transformed her coaching program and client results. Stacey's journey is a reminder that asking for help and embracing failure can lead to unforeseen beauty. So, tune in for actionable advice on business growth and self-improvement. Remember, every failure is a stepping stone to success!Episode Highlights:06:04 - The business was successful. This is the biggest thing I learned, it didn't have a sustainable way of filling that prospect pipeline. There was always feast or famine. There was always the entrepreneurial roller coaster of the highs and lows of like, "Hey, I've got a client. Yay, I'm doing something for the bank. Let me put my head down and do the work." And then look up and be like, "Oh, snap, the work is done and there's not another client." Except for I kept saying, "Oh, snap, the work is done and there's not another client" for four years, for over four years. Just didn't ever figure out that prospecting piece, that filling of the prospect into the pipeline piece.11:51 - When we ask people for referrals, we're actually violating the science, which is why people run away from us when they see us coming at networking groups. Like, "Oh, I don't want to be that person." And when we just wait for it to happen, we're using hope as a strategy. Hope is a beautiful thing, but it is not a business strategy. And so these things we've been told, they violate the science behind what makes referrals actually happen, and it was just me figuring it out and uncovering that. And to be honest, it was over time that I was teaching it to my clients, that I was like, "Oh, yes, that is working." It's not a fluke. It's not my personality. It's not that this just works for business coaches. It's not that this just works for extroverts who have as much energy as I have. It's not about being female. It's not about being younger. I like to think of myself as younger and probably considered older, but whatever. It's not about those pieces to generate referrals. And so, when I could eliminate all the things that made it about me, and then I could have people who are very different from me in very different industries with different genders, and different extroverts versus introverts, and it worked for all of them, then I was like, "Okay, it's just a strategy." And that's what we need to understand and deploy. But it's got to be rooted in all the ways that referrals actually happen.22:04 - Any of the applications for people to work with me, they have to tell me, "How did you hear about Stacey?" It's a standard question that's required. And sometimes they don't know, and so we take, "I don't know." That's fine, but you should be asking those questions through your processes. Or just when you're in that first conversation with a prospect, you could be like, "Hey, by the way, I don't think I know this, but how did you hear about me?" It's a simple question. Most people kind of expect it, but tracking it should be super simple. So, we're talking about four columns in an Excel spreadsheet or a Google spreadsheet. What I'm looking for is the date. I think it's important that you track the date. Now, one of the reasons why I tell my folks to track the date that that prospect entered their world is because you're not going to close every prospect. And we teach a strategy inside our coaching program at the beginning of every year. We remind our coaching clients exactly how you go back to anyone referred to you the year before that didn't become a client and the correct way to follow up.28:11 - The number one thing that every single person who works with me, who decides, "Yes, I want to take control of my referrals. I want to get more referrals. I want to build a referable business," the number one thing they all have to do–it's why it's also available for free, like I talk about on my podcast, it's in my book, it's on my website in our resources link–is identifying your referral sources. And most people don't come to me with that tracker I just talked about for the last five years. Most people come to me and they're like, "Oh, I don't know, some people refer me. It's great. I wish I could have more of them." And so I then have them recreate that data from the last three to four years. You could just avoid that headache if you started tracking.33:18 - If I don't want to start unti

In this candid discussion, Elzie delves into the profound impact of focus and clarity on referral quality and close rates with the insightful Stacey Brown Randall. With a diverse array of business experiences, Stacey reveals her journey, highlighting the absence of passive income models.As a devoted mother, she places immense value on quality time with her children, working from a small office at her driveway's end to maintain a strong presence in their lives. Through trials and tribulations, Stacey has meticulously crafted a coaching program that not only brings laser focus and clarity to her own business but also empowers clients to achieve their optimal results. Join us for this illuminating conversation that unveils the transformative power of focus and clarity in referral success. Tune in now! Episode Highlight:01:37 - If I don't want to start until 9:00 a.m. in the morning because I want to be present to getting them out the door and then I want to work out, I want that. If I want to be done at 3:00 p.m., because usually I'm just tired and my kids are starting to come home from school or the Uber mom driver has begun, I want to be present, and I don't want to be on my phone every time I'm in the car with them. So, I have built a business that has satisfied my financial desires. I think you can work as little as you want and make as much money as possible. Fundamentally, there's nothing wrong with that. But, for me, I have made sure that the business has always fit the lifestyle, and I learned that through trial and error. So, I went from one-on-one coaching. You're going to tap out when you run out of hours to sell. Then I went to the online course model and while it's, I was going to say fun, but I would be lying. It's like kind of fun. That launch model is really, really hard and I lacked and missed the connection with people, and then through a few other trials and errors landed at this coaching program that I have. My online programs are still available. If the coaching model is not right for you, you can certainly come into one of my online programs and learn a strategy and go implement that and have success.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Contact Stacey Brown RandallWebsite

In this insightful episode, Elzie poses a crucial two-part question to Stacey Brown Randall on maximizing referral data. Stacey emphasizes the paramount importance of identifying one's referral sources, marking it as a fundamental step for every individual working with her. By meticulously tracking this information, patterns begin to emerge, empowering businesses to make more informed decisions. This includes enhancing closing ratios and directing attention towards high-quality leads.Moreover, the data serves as a cornerstone for crafting comprehensive yearly plans, ultimately nurturing and prioritizing referral sources. Don't miss out on this valuable advice that can revolutionize your business strategy. Tune in now!Episode Highlight:02:00 - The number one thing that every single person who works with me, who decides, "Yes, I want to take control of my referrals. I want to get more referrals. I want to build a referable business," the number one thing they all have to do–it's why it's also available for free, like I talk about on my podcast, it's in my book, it's on my website in our resources link–is identifying your referral sources. And most people don't come to me with that tracker I just talked about for the last five years. Most people come to me and they're like, "Oh, I don't know, some people refer me. It's great. I wish I could have more of them." And so I then have them recreate that data from the last three to four years. You could just avoid that headache if you started tracking.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Contact Stacey Brown RandallWebsiteLinkedIn

Stacey Brown Randall introduces a straightforward method for monitoring referrals that requires no complex CRM or database system. With just a basic Excel spreadsheet or Google Doc, Stacey recommends four essential columns: date, prospect's name, source, and outcome. The "source" category encompasses a wide range of channels, from Facebook ads and networking events to specific referral sources' names or even LinkedIn followers. Meanwhile, the "outcome" field serves to indicate whether the prospect converted into a client, or if applicable, the associated revenue. By implementing this uncomplicated tracking system, business owners gain valuable insights into the most effective referral sources, ultimately streamlining their approach to generating referrals. Tune in now to learn this practical technique and elevate your referral game!Episode Highlight:02:24 - Any of the applications for people to work with me, they have to tell me, "How did you hear about Stacey?" It's a standard question that's required. And sometimes they don't know, and so we take, "I don't know." That's fine, but you should be asking those questions through your processes. Or just when you're in that first conversation with a prospect, you could be like, "Hey, by the way, I don't think I know this, but how did you hear about me?" It's a simple question. Most people kind of expect it, but tracking it should be super simple. So, we're talking about four columns in an Excel spreadsheet or a Google spreadsheet. What I'm looking for is the date. I think it's important that you track the date. Now, one of the reasons why I tell my folks to track the date that that prospect entered their world is because you're not going to close every prospect. And we teach a strategy inside our coaching program at the beginning of every year. We remind our coaching clients exactly how you go back to anyone referred to you the year before that didn't become a client and the correct way to follow up.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Contact Stacey Brown RandallWebsiteLinkedIn

Stacey Brown Randall unravels the prevailing myths surrounding referrals that many entrepreneurs and business owners often fall victim to. Through extensive research and hands-on experience, she has uncovered the underlying scientific principles that truly drive successful referral generation. Contrary to popular belief, relying solely on delivering excellent work or directly asking for referrals may not yield consistent results. Stacey's findings emphasize the need for a customized, adaptable approach tailored to each unique business. What's more, her discoveries have shattered the notion that referral success hinges on specific personality traits or industry types. Join us in this enlightening discussion and unlock the secrets to building a robust referral network, regardless of your business background or personal disposition. Tune in now to revolutionize your approach to referrals and watch your business thrive!Episode Highlight:03:42 - When we ask people for referrals, we're actually violating the science, which is why people run away from us when they see us coming at networking groups. Like, "Oh, I don't want to be that person." And when we just wait for it to happen, we're using hope as a strategy. Hope is a beautiful thing, but it is not a business strategy. And so these things we've been told, they violate the science behind what makes referrals actually happen, and it was just me figuring it out and uncovering that. And to be honest, it was over time that I was teaching it to my clients, that I was like, "Oh, yes, that is working." It's not a fluke. It's not my personality. It's not that this just works for business coaches. It's not that this just works for extroverts who have as much energy as I have. It's not about being female. It's not about being younger. I like to think of myself as younger and probably considered older, but whatever. It's not about those pieces to generate referrals. And so, when I could eliminate all the things that made it about me, and then I could have people who are very different from me in very different industries with different genders, and different extroverts versus introverts, and it worked for all of them, then I was like, "Okay, it's just a strategy." And that's what we need to understand and deploy. But it's got to be rooted in all the ways that referrals actually happen.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Contact Stacey Brown RandallWebsiteLinkedIn

Stacey Brown Randall, who is a successful author, podcast host, and entrepreneur, shares her inspiring journey through the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. She unveils how a pivotal setback in her first venture led to profound insights that paved the way for her subsequent thriving business. Tune in to learn the invaluable lessons she gained about sustainable growth and discover the secrets behind her remarkable transformation. Listen to this episode that is packed with wisdom and strategies that every aspiring entrepreneur needs to hear. Don't miss this chance to glean from Stacey's journey and be inspired to navigate your own path to success.Episode Highlight:01:14 - The business was successful. This is the biggest thing I learned, it didn't have a sustainable way of filling that prospect pipeline. There was always feast or famine. There was always the entrepreneurial roller coaster of the highs and lows of like, "Hey, I've got a client. Yay, I'm doing something for the bank. Let me put my head down and do the work." And then look up and be like, "Oh, snap, the work is done and there's not another client." Except for I kept saying, "Oh, snap, the work is done and there's not another client" for four years, for over four years. Just didn't ever figure out that prospecting piece, that filling of the prospect into the pipeline piece.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Contact Stacey Brown RandallWebsiteLinkedIn

Elzie Flenard delves into the world of Public Relations (PR) with seasoned expert Andrea Pass, founder of Andrea Pass Public Relations. They uncover the vital role PR plays for small business owners, offering valuable insights and actionable tips. Andrea's journey from high school PR chair to thriving entrepreneur serves as an inspiring backdrop. They emphasize the significance of earned PR over paid strategies, providing a roadmap to PR success. Whether new to PR or seeking to enhance existing strategies, you'll find this conversation invaluable. From initiating outreach to boosting engagement through active listening and collaboration, the episode guides aspiring entrepreneurs on harnessing the power of PR to elevate their businesses. So, tune in to gain access to practical steps, ensuring you don't just stay in the game, but thrive in it. Listen to discover the transformative potential of PR that will leave you eager to unlock its benefits for small businesses. Episode Highlights:06:12 - I see a lot of podcasts that they're not posting on social. There isn't an engagement. If they are posting, no one's following it except the PR person like me. And so, if there's no engagement other than to say, "I think I have X number of listeners," then what are you selling to the potential audience? So, there really is a challenge in that. In the world of public relations, I consider Andrea Pass Public Relations is a client of mine. So, I'm my own client. So I'm out there like I am today, getting featured on your particular podcast because you reach an audience of business experts and entrepreneurs that would be appropriate clients for me. But it's all part of a process. Is it cut and dry on how it can work? I don't really know because clients are waiting for those analytics. And in a podcast, you don't know the analytics until the podcast could be out six months or a year.09:36 - I think it's about establishing that relationship and seeing where it could go. That this worked out really well. We'd like to have you back. Can you be a sponsor? There's got to be a create the relationship first, because there are so many podcasters today and so many homegrown journalists, people that did not necessarily go to journalism school or have an internship at a TV station, or what have you. So, I think there has to be that recognition that, yes, I might want it to be a business, but let's take the steps necessary.11:41 - In my opinion, podcasters need to listen. You might have a list of questions, but it doesn't mean that question number three has to come after question number two. If the answer to question number two incites something in an effective podcaster, then that could warrant another question, and there should be that comfort level to not have to go down a laundry list of questions a certain way. So, I think that's one of the things. The other thing, I believe that podcasters need to make sure their engagement on social media is up there. And if that means all of your friends and family, and I would have no idea that these are your friends and family.21:23 - I've also flipped things. It is my life-work balance. Work isn't first, life is first. And I think because of that, I'm able to provide a service to my clients where they see results and see results quickly. So, being a solopreneur is exciting. I'm really loving it. I'm a kid in the candy store that if I click with you and you want to hire me, great. If we don't click, that's okay, too. Not everyone is going to be everyone else's cup of tea. And that's all right.25:16 - I don't spend months and months strategizing. I start working with you, day one, I'm securing background information, images, biography, book jacket, company specifics, what your service does for other B2B companies. Day two, I'm pitching you. I'm not wasting time. I'm not dillydallying. And that's where I'm different from other PR person and people and agencies that will waste six weeks writing fancy, pretty documents. My clients don't need my fancy PowerPoint document. They need to know I'm working and getting the job done, and they want to know I'm working quickly. And that's where it's a different approach in public relations.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If y

Elzie Flenard explores the diverse lanes within Public Relations (PR) with expert Andrea Pass. Andrea emphasizes a practical approach to PR, steering away from over-analysis and extensive strategizing. She highlights that getting clients involved from day one and promptly pitching them to media outlets can yield more effective results than prolonged strategizing. This insight provides a fresh perspective on navigating the lanes of PR and seizing opportunities without unnecessary delay.Tune in now for a dynamic take on PR strategies!Episode Highlight:01:10 - I don't spend months and months strategizing. I start working with you, day one, I'm securing background information, images, biography, book jacket, company specifics, what your service does for other B2B companies. Day two, I'm pitching you. I'm not wasting time. I'm not dillydallying. And that's where I'm different from other PR person and people and agencies that will waste six weeks writing fancy, pretty documents. My clients don't need my fancy PowerPoint document. They need to know I'm working and getting the job done, and they want to know I'm working quickly. And that's where it's a different approach in public relations.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Contact Andrea PassWebsiteLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagram

Andrea Pass delves into the dynamics of being a solopreneur, shedding light on her transition from a long-standing career in public relations. Motivated by persistent inquiries from clients about her solo ventures, Andrea now manages a carefully curated client base of four to six, ensuring optimal service delivery. By prioritizing life over work, she maintains a healthy work-life balance while swiftly delivering results to her clients. With a discerning approach to project selection, Andrea aims for client relationships to culminate in positive testimonials, a testament to her commitment to excellence. Tune to discover this microcosm of Andrea's journey which highlights the harmonious blend of entrepreneurship and personal well-being.Episode Highlight:02:52 - I've also flipped things. It is my life-work balance. Work isn't first, life is first. And I think because of that, I'm able to provide a service to my clients where they see results and see results quickly. So, being a solopreneur is exciting. I'm really loving it. I'm a kid in the candy store that if I click with you and you want to hire me, great. If we don't click, that's okay, too. Not everyone is going to be everyone else's cup of tea. And that's all right.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Contact Andrea PassWebsiteLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagram

Andrea Pass provides invaluable advice on enhancing podcast engagement. She stresses the significance of active listening and maintaining an open dialogue with guests. Additionally, she emphasizes the importance of a robust social media presence, including tagging individuals, fostering subscriber interaction, and promptly addressing feedback. Lastly, Andrea advocates for collaborative efforts between podcasters and their guests as an effective strategy for expanding listenership. These insights collectively offer a comprehensive approach to cultivating a more engaging and interactive podcasting experience.Episode Highlight:00:47 - In my opinion, podcasters need to listen. You might have a list of questions, but it doesn't mean that question number three has to come after question number two. If the answer to question number two incites something in an effective podcaster, then that could warrant another question, and there should be that comfort level to not have to go down a laundry list of questions a certain way. So, I think that's one of the things. The other thing, I believe that podcasters need to make sure their engagement on social media is up there. And if that means all of your friends and family, and I would have no idea that these are your friends and family.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Contact Andrea PassWebsiteLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagram

Andrea Pass offers valuable insights on podcast engagement, shedding light on the unique challenges she faces due to client budget limitations compared to larger PR firms in Manhattan. She emphasizes the critical step of building a strong client relationship before delving into discussions about potential sponsorship opportunities. Andrea underscores the significance of professionalism in business podcasts, commending Elzie for his adept presentation skills. This discussion highlights the importance of rapport and professionalism in podcasting, setting the stage for mutually beneficial collaborations. Episode Highlight:01:34 - I think it's about establishing that relationship and seeing where it could go. That this worked out really well. We'd like to have you back. Can you be a sponsor? There's got to be a create the relationship first, because there are so many podcasters today and so many homegrown journalists, people that did not necessarily go to journalism school or have an internship at a TV station, or what have you. So, I think there has to be that recognition that, yes, I might want it to be a business, but let's take the steps necessary.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Contact Andrea PassWebsiteLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagram

Elzie delves into the challenges faced by podcast hosts who find themselves at the lower end of the income spectrum in the podcasting industry. Joining the discussion, Andrea Pass offers valuable insights on the dilemma faced by PR firms and podcast hosts regarding engagement in pay-to-play arrangements to generate revenue. Andrea highlights the significant time investment PR professionals dedicate to researching suitable podcasts for their clients, making compensation a pertinent consideration. Additionally, she suggests that podcasters who can demonstrate substantial engagement metrics and foster strong relationships with guests are more likely to secure income through their shows. Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation on navigating podcast income struggles and exploring potential solutions.Episode Highlight:02:11 - I see a lot of podcasts that they're not posting on social. There isn't an engagement. If they are posting, no one's following it except the PR person like me. And so, if there's no engagement other than to say, "I think I have X number of listeners," then what are you selling to the potential audience? So, there really is a challenge in that. In the world of public relations, I consider Andrea Pass Public Relations is a client of mine. So, I'm my own client. So I'm out there like I am today, getting featured on your particular podcast because you reach an audience of business experts and entrepreneurs that would be appropriate clients for me. But it's all part of a process. Is it cut and dry on how it can work? I don't really know because clients are waiting for those analytics. And in a podcast, you don't know the analytics until the podcast could be out six months or a year.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Contact Andrea PassWebsiteLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagram

Join us for an invigorating episode featuring the dynamic self-made entrepreneur, Dwan Bent-Twyford, who transformed personal upheaval into a flourishing real estate investing venture. From laboriously handcrafting foreclosure lists to renovating her first house, Dwan's journey is a vibrant testament to her unwavering determination and passion. Elzie uncovers the pivotal moments and priceless lessons of her journey, highlighting her commitment to aiding distressed homeowners and rehabilitating buildings. Dwan's story serves as a beacon of encouragement, not just for real estate enthusiasts, but for anyone with a dream and determination. Ready for a dose of inspiration? Tune in to witness the transformative power of real estate investing and the indomitable resilience of the human spirit! Episode Highlights:06:50 - I sold the house. I made $22,000. And I was like, "Oh, my gosh, I have $22,000. I am rich." To me, I was rich. I'm looking at my bank statements. I have $22,000. People didn't even make that in a year. Thirty-four years ago, that was a year's salary for people. And I was like, "Oh, I have $22,000. Oh, my God, I'm so rich. I'm going to do it again." And I did another house and would move in. I would fix them up, bring the daughter with me, sell it, move, fix it, sell it. And I did that until she started kindergarten. And by then, I had money, and I understood what fixing up was. Rehabbing. I learned a lot in those first couple of years, but by then, I had enough money and I could have a crew here and have a crew there and work on a house here. And then I just started killing it with real estate.12:52 - We were encouraged to go get a factory job because all the car factories were there. So, it was like, "Get a factory job, get married, have kids, work for the man, retire when you're 60, and do that." So, my very first job out of high school, I actually got a factory job. And after a week, I thought, "Oh, my God, why would my parents want me to work in a factory? This is the worst thing that's ever happened to me. Who would want this for me?" I remember being mad at my dad like, "Why would you want me to work in a factory? It's so hot. It's so miserable. There's no air conditioning. I got to stand all day. I'm dirty. I'm sweaty. Why would you want that?" So, I was like, "Okay, that's definitely not going to happen for me." People still weren't pushing women to go to college. It was more like get a factory job, get married, have kids, and, it was the 70s. It was still kind of that way.21:37 - So, I started delegating things that I did not enjoy but are necessary. So, I just found good people, and then I started doing three and four houses at a time. I had to have other rehabbers because I can't do everything by myself. I don't have the skill set to do every single thing. So, I started finding crews, and then I would micromanage my crews. So, then I found a contractor. I'm like, "Okay, you micromanage the crews, and I'll just micromanage you." So, I just had to slowly peel my fingers off of things until I was doing what I really like. And what I really like is, I still to this very day, like talking to homeowners in distress and helping them.24:18 - To be a successful entrepreneur, it's not a solo act. You have to have a team. I can't find the houses and be the mortgage broker, the title company, the rehabber, and the bookkeeper. And it's not even delegating. You have to have other team members that have their own part. Like a title company has its part. My contractors, they have their role. Like podcasting, for me to grow my podcast, I have to meet other podcasters like you. And we get on each other's shows, and we talk, share, and go to podcast events. For me, my biggest thing was entrepreneurship is not an individual sport.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conv

In this impactful episode, Dwan Bent-Twyford, who is an entrepreneur, author, motivational speaker, podcaster, and real state investor, shares her journey of overcoming adversity and achieving success. Drawing from her own experiences, Dwan emphasizes the importance of teamwork in entrepreneurship and resilience in the face of hardship. Tune in to discover how to bounce back stronger from hard times and the key role collaboration plays in reaching the pinnacle of success. Don't miss Dwan's inspiring story. It's sure to motivate you to strive harder and reach higher!Episode Highlight:00:32 - To be a successful entrepreneur, it's not a solo act. You have to have a team. I can't find the houses and be the mortgage broker, the title company, the rehabber, and the bookkeeper. And it's not even delegating. You have to have other team members that have their own part. Like a title company has its part. My contractors, they have their role. Like podcasting, for me to grow my podcast, I have to meet other podcasters like you. And we get on each other's shows, and we talk, share, and go to podcast events. For me, my biggest thing was entrepreneurship is not an individual sport.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Contact Dwan Bent-TwyfordWebsiteLinkedInFacebookTikTokYouTubeInstagram

Dwan Bent-Twyford delves into the art of delegation and how it's crucial for scaling a business. Elzie shares how maturity and the realization of the unsustainability of doing everything on his own prompted him to embrace delegation as a means for business growth.Dwan's delegation journey began unexpectedly during a long layover at an airport when she came across a mini-book. Recognizing the need to delegate, she started by handing off tasks she disliked, such as paperwork and managing monthly books, as well as the extensive paperwork required for real estate deals. Over time, her delegation efforts expanded to include hiring a transactional coordinator, rehab crews, and a contractor.Despite her 30 years in the business, Bent-Twyford still finds joy in working directly with distressed homeowners and revitalizing properties. These tasks, fueled by her passion, remain close to her heart. Tune in to gain valuable insights into effective delegation strategies and how it can help your business thrive.Episode Highlight:02:17 - So, I started delegating things that I did not enjoy but are necessary. So, I just found good people, and then I started doing three and four houses at a time. I had to have other rehabbers because I can't do everything by myself. I don't have the skill set to do every single thing. So, I started finding crews, and then I would micromanage my crews. So, then I found a contractor. I'm like, "Okay, you micromanage the crews, and I'll just micromanage you." So, I just had to slowly peel my fingers off of things until I was doing what I really like. And what I really like is, I still to this very day, like talking to homeowners in distress and helping them.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Contact Dwan Bent-TwyfordWebsiteLinkedInFacebookTikTokYouTubeInstagram

Dwan Bent-Twyford shares her remarkable journey from factory work to entrepreneurial success. Growing up in Ohio, she graduated high school in 1977 and initially took a factory job. However, Dwan quickly realized she aspired to achieve more in life. Driven by determination, she delved into the world of business and investing by devouring books on the subjects. With unwavering commitment, she gradually amassed enough funds to hire an accountant, further enhancing her financial knowledge. Tune in to hear how she got into wholesale real estate and how she later pursued courses on rental property investments. Her ultimate goal was to create a career that allowed her to work from home and raise her daughter without relying on daycare. Listen to hear Dwan's inspiring journey of resilience and entrepreneurial growth.Episode Highlight:00:42 - We were encouraged to go get a factory job because all the car factories were there. So, it was like, "Get a factory job, get married, have kids, work for the man, retire when you're 60, and do that." So, my very first job out of high school, I actually got a factory job. And after a week, I thought, "Oh, my God, why would my parents want me to work in a factory? This is the worst thing that's ever happened to me. Who would want this for me?" I remember being mad at my dad like, "Why would you want me to work in a factory? It's so hot. It's so miserable. There's no air conditioning. I got to stand all day. I'm dirty. I'm sweaty. Why would you want that?" So, I was like, "Okay, that's definitely not going to happen for me." People still weren't pushing women to go to college. It was more like get a factory job, get married, have kids, and, it was the 70s. It was still kind of that way.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Contact Dwan Bent-TwyfordWebsiteLinkedInFacebookTikTokYouTubeInstagram

self-made real estate entrepreneur. Her story is a testament to resilience and determination in the face of life's unexpected turns. Driven by her entrepreneurial spirit, she stumbled into the realm of real estate investing, a decision which proved to be life-changing. Emerging from humble beginnings, Dwan’s initial pursuits involved handwritten foreclosure lists and property visits. Her first investment was a financially-challenged property in dire need of repair. Despite the hurdles, she took it upon herself to learn the ropes, demonstrating the power of a self-starter attitude.Her actions led to a profitable sale that exceeded some people's annual income at the time. Dwan's journey didn't stop there, as she continued to grow her real estate empire, refining her strategy and building a team of experts. Tune in to this episode to get a glimpse of Dwan's impressive journey and achievements in real estate investing.Episode Highlights:05:26 - I sold the house. I made $22,000. And I was like, "Oh, my gosh, I have $22,000. I am rich." To me, I was rich. I'm looking at my bank statements. I have $22,000. People didn't even make that in a year. Thirty-four years ago, that was a year's salary for people. And I was like, "Oh, I have $22,000. Oh, my God, I'm so rich. I'm going to do it again." And I did another house and would move in. I would fix them up, bring the daughter with me, sell it, move, fix it, sell it. And I did that until she started kindergarten. And by then, I had money, and I understood what fixing up was. Rehabbing. I learned a lot in those first couple of years, but by then, I had enough money and I could have a crew here and have a crew there and work on a house here. And then I just started killing it with real estate.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Contact Dwan Bent-TwyfordWebsiteLinkedInFacebookTikTokYouTubeInstagram

Elzie sits down with Meng Chen, the founder of Portfolio Bay, a software designed to help early real estate investors transition from full-time work to full-time investment pursuit. Meng talks about his experience in real estate investing and how he struggled with managing properties, tenants, and accounting. He created Portfolio Bay to automate his processes and handle payments automatically, leading him to see the potential of creating a business out of it.They discuss the Lean Startup methodology and how it allows entrepreneurs to approach uncertain outcomes in steps, through building, measuring, and learning. They also dive into the importance of validating assumptions, the role of failure in success, and the idea of using real estate to build a financial runway before jumping into entrepreneurship.Tune in to listen to Meng share how his transition from a full-time employee to a full-time founder was more about having personal conviction that what he was doing would work and seeing value from his product among users. They also talk about how people without software engineering skills can take steps to build a platform and how Meng manages competition by focusing on solving user problems rather than differentiating from competitors. So, don't miss out on this episode on real estate investing and how Portfolio Bay is changing the game for early real estate investors.Episode Highlights:14:07 - I would say I will keep working on it. There might be pivot in terms of solution, in terms of what the product is, but I'll keep working on it until it becomes a successful company. And that's just the value of real estate. It brings in to me like my own personal life. It's not just about investing in real estate and make some money. It's about having the flexibility, like financially, to pursue things that you are more passionate about. And eventually, if you stay long enough and you have the passion to go really hard on it, you're going to be successful. So, that's my belief.17:15 - I learned everything myself. I didn't come up with the right framework in the very beginning, and the first version of the product isn't perfect. I actually went through multiple iteration and at some point, I had to rewrite everything in three months to make it under a more sustainable and a better framework that can be extended better, easier in the future. So, I definitely made a lot of mistakes like in the web development side.19:10 - For me, as a founder, I'm no longer just focused on the engineering. Because as a founder, you have to look at every part of the business. Engineering is one part of it, and there's an even bigger part that I don't have the background on it, is the marketing. And the marketing has multiple component, like the SEO. People spend their whole career and be expert just on this one thing, so you can go really, really deep on it. And for me, I have to spend a lot of time learning whenever I'm driving, whenever I'm just not working on Portfolio Bay. I'll always have something just like a podcast or listen to a YouTube video either talking about SEO or talking about marketing in general, because that's my short weakness in all the skill set for doing the Portfolio Bay things.26:49 - From my point of view, funding is kind of an amplifier on the success and the failure of a startup. So, if your startup is working and are in the right trajectory, having the funding really amplifies your success and it can make your success much bigger and it can make you go faster. But if you don't have the right idea or like there's some flaws in the business model, having the funding, it just amplifies the failure because you're going to spend the money but not getting enough traction to the next stage and get the next round of funding. And that's why startups die.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools,

Let's discuss funding as a potent accelerator of success. Elzie dives into the topic of funding for Portfolio Bay, prompting Meng Chen to share his perspective. He enlightens us on how funding can serve as an amplifier, capable of magnifying both the success and failure of a startup. Meng unveils his current focus, which is firmly centered on product development and fostering gradual growth. At this juncture, Portfolio Bay isn't actively in pursuit of funding. Instead, Meng's strategy hinges on nurturing the product and its expansion. When momentous growth is achieved and demands additional resources, that's when the idea of seeking funding will come to the forefront. Tune in to discover more about the pivotal role of funding in the journey of Portfolio Bay's success.Episode Highlights:01:07 - From my point of view, funding is kind of an amplifier on the success and the failure of a startup. So, if your startup is working and are in the right trajectory, having the funding really amplifies your success and it can make your success much bigger and it can make you go faster. But if you don't have the right idea or like there's some flaws in the business model, having the funding, it just amplifies the failure because you're going to spend the money but not getting enough traction to the next stage and get the next round of funding. And that's why startups die.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Connect with Meng ChenLinkedInWebsiteEmail

Explore the art of outsmarting competition with Meng Chen as he discusses measuring progress and results. In this episode, Meng shares his multifaceted approach to business, emphasizing the significance of thorough measurement and learning. As a founder, he navigates various aspects, not limited to engineering but also encompassing marketing, like SEO. Meng reveals his strategy of enhancing marketing knowledge through user feedback and interactions with real estate agents. Quantitative metrics gauge SEO performance, while qualitative feedback shapes agent partnerships. Documenting priorities and maintaining a backlog help him stay on course. In a refreshing twist, Meng discloses his secret to tackling competition: focusing on user problems rather than differentiating from rivals. Tune in to gain insights into effective progress evaluation and strategic competition management.Episode Highlight00:33 - For me, as a founder, I'm no longer just focused on the engineering. Because as a founder, you have to look at every part of the business. Engineering is one part of it, and there's an even bigger part that I don't have the background on it, is the marketing. And the marketing has multiple component, like the SEO. People spend their whole career and be expert just on this one thing, so you can go really, really deep on it. And for me, I have to spend a lot of time learning whenever I'm driving, whenever I'm just not working on Portfolio Bay. I'll always have something just like a podcast or listen to a YouTube video either talking about SEO or talking about marketing in general, because that's my short weakness in all the skill set for doing the Portfolio Bay things.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Connect with Meng ChenLinkedInWebsiteEmail

Discover how Meng Chen, Founder of PortfolioBay, launched his platform from scratch in this episode as he sheds light on how even those without software engineering skills can embark on building a platform. Meng emphasizes the wealth of online resources available for learning web development. Drawing from his experience transitioning from software engineering, he highlights the importance of determination and conviction. He recommends starting with a minimal viable product, focusing on functionality to validate ideas. Once traction is gained, professional skills can be incorporated to enhance the product or secure funding. Tune in to explore the journey from novice to platform creator and how embracing imperfection can lead to ultimate success.Episode Highlights:00:57 - I learned everything myself. I didn't come up with the right framework in the very beginning, and the first version of the product isn't perfect. I actually went through multiple iteration and at some point, I had to rewrite everything in three months to make it under a more sustainable and a better framework that can be extended better, easier in the future. So, I definitely made a lot of mistakes like in the web development side.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Connect with Meng ChenLinkedInWebsiteEmail

Let's explore the world of real estate as a stepping stone to pursuing passions and entrepreneurship with Meng Chen, Founder of PortfolioBay. He discusses the financial challenges of starting a business in this episode and how real estate can serve as a pre-entrepreneurial runway. Meng shares his perspective on real estate, emphasizing that it offers more than just financial gains. For him, it provides the freedom to explore passions and create a successful business. He also believes that having financial security allows ample time for pivoting and achieving success in one's endeavors. Tune in to discover how real estate can be a strategic foundation for aspiring entrepreneurs, providing both financial stability and the space to pursue meaningful goals. Episode Highlights:01:23 - I would say I will keep working on it. There might be pivot in terms of solution, in terms of what the product is, but I'll keep working on it until it becomes a successful company. And that's just the value of real estate. It brings in to me like my own personal life. It's not just about investing in real estate and make some money. It's about having the flexibility, like financially to pursue things that you are more passionate about. And eventually, if you stay long enough and you have the passion to go really hard on it, you're going to be successful. So, that's my belief.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Connect with Meng ChenLinkedInWebsiteEmail

If you're intrigued by the intersection of technology and business growth, this episode is a treasure trove of wisdom. Join Elzie in an engaging conversation with Yanev Suissa, Managing Partner and Founder at SineWave Ventures, a leading firm that invests in early-stage commercial technologies with a unique focus on the public sector. Apply the wisdom Yanev shares to make informed decisions in your entrepreneurial journey. Assess the potential of your tech innovations and focus on meeting customer needs for sustainable growth. Emphasize relationship-building to foster a strong team culture and align with strategic investors. Leverage your strengths to overcome challenges and remain persistent in achieving your goals. Tune in to gain valuable insights into the world of revolutionary tech, customer dynamics, and market leverage. Uncover Yanev's expert advice on team building, strategic planning, and navigating the ever-evolving business landscape. Learn from his experiences as he shares the secrets of identifying revolutionary tech, diversifying customer bases, and leveraging market dynamics. So, whether you're a startup founder, investor, or business leader, these insights will transform your approach to technology, customer relationships, and strategic planning. Episode Highlights:06:03 - I think one of the most important things an entrepreneur can do early on is find a design partner. So, you always have customers, but there are customers who will put in the sweat equity with you because they see what you're doing is so important to their business and could drive so much value for them that they're willing to give you feedback and spend time with you, and try different things. I think that's really important for understanding what you're building and building it the right way. Caveat being, you need to have your own vision. You don't want to build just for one customer. You have to remember this has to be a platform or a technology that applies to many. But often one customer will give you enough of a framework that it'll apply to many different folks.12:22 - In the venture world and in the startup world and the entrepreneur's world, we sell what could be the vision. But a customer wants what they can use now that drives ROI now that brings them a return and value now for the problem that they're experiencing. And so, I think that that's a really important thing. When you're going into a customer, you could sell a vision. You could sell a tool set that they could do a million things with, but they're not going to think for you. So, at the end of the day, you want to be able to say, "I know you have this pain point. I can solve this now." 16:55 - Make sure that it's not as valuable to them or not useful to them, whoever the attacker is. And so, that was really where we came to Endpoint Security, which will be the next revolution. Basically, taking that paradigm and realizing this is the new paradigm. Let's think about it this way and build the best solution for that. And so, that's why we invested at SineWave and Sentinel One, which ended up being the biggest cyber IPO ever. They did great. And then what's the next revolution? Not just we can Whack-A-Mole this new bug, or we can add a nice feature onto what Sentinel One can do in Endpoint. What is the next paradigm shift that requires people to architect their systems or think about the industry differently?26:24 - It's a marriage. I'm going to be around longer than some of your wives and husbands are going to be, especially if you build a second company after the first decade, first company. And so, you want to make sure that you're really working with the people you want to work with. I say that at SineWave all the time. We are a team that has a particular culture that works for us. We care about each other, and that's our model. And other firms work well with very different models. So, find the place you fit, find the people you fit with, and I think that's the most important thing. I think it actually makes you more effective at the end of the day. And the most important thing, if it doesn't go well, you still feel realized and you still feel like you did something worthwhile.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re re

We dive deep with Yanev Suissa, a tech industry veteran, where he shares his approach that prioritizes authentic relationships, emphasizing compatibility and shared vision among team members, partners, and venture capitalists. Yanev highlights how at SineWave, fostering team growth and development is a core principle. He advocates for providing avenues for team members to take on new roles and acquire skills. Moreover, he addresses mismatches by guiding individuals towards environments where their talents align better. Tune in to gain insights into nurturing empowered teams and creating a culture of authenticity, growth, and collaboration. Whether you're a leader, a team player, or an entrepreneur, this episode offers invaluable lessons in effective team empowerment.Episode Highlight:01:30 - It's a marriage. I'm going to be around longer than some of your wives and husbands are going to be, especially if you build a second company after the first decade, first company. And so, you want to make sure that you're really working with the people you want to work with. I say that at SineWave all the time. We are a team that has a particular culture that works for us. We care about each other, and that's our model. And other firms work well with very different models. So, find the place you fit, find the people you fit with, and I think that's the most important thing. I think it actually makes you more effective at the end of the day. And the most important thing, if it doesn't go well, you still feel realized and you still feel like you did something worthwhile.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Connect with Yanev SuissaLinkedInEmail

Elzie delves into the concept of revolutionary tech, prompting Yanev Suissa, a tech expert and visionary investor, to provide an illuminating breakdown. Yanev paints a vivid picture of how revolutionary tech signifies the next phase of technological advancements. He uses the field of cybersecurity as an example, highlighting its evolution from traditional perimeter defense strategies to more sophisticated approaches like endpoint security.The episode also showcases Yanev's firsthand experience as an investor, shedding light on his involvement with groundbreaking companies like Sentinel One, which achieved the largest cyber IPO in history. Yanev's investment philosophy revolves around identifying paradigm shifts and groundbreaking concepts that transform industries from the ground up.Tune in as Yanev shares his belief on how the next revolutionary frontier lies in the realm of identity and explains how this shift to the identity level represents a fundamental change that requires industries to rethink their architecture and strategies.Episode Highlight:01:10 - Make sure that it's not as valuable to them or not useful to them, whoever the attacker is. And so, that was really where we came to Endpoint Security, which will be the next revolution. Basically, taking that paradigm and realizing this is the new paradigm. Let's think about it this way and build the best solution for that. And so, that's why we invested at SineWave and Sentinel One, which ended up being the biggest cyber IPO ever. They did great. And then what's the next revolution? Not just we can Whack-A-Mole this new bug, or we can add a nice feature onto what Sentinel One can do in Endpoint. What is the next paradigm shift that requires people to architect their systems or think about the industry differently?Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Connect with Yanev SuissaLinkedInEmail

Yanev Suissa explores the art of leveraging market dynamics as a founder. The episode also ventures into the realm of artificial intelligence (AI) as a transformative tool for your business. Uncover the potential of AI in driving growth and innovation, while also acknowledging the short-term gains that customers may seek from this cutting-edge technology.Learn from Yanev's invaluable advice on diversifying your customer base to create a resilient and thriving business. Discover the power of seeking counter-cyclical market players and offering solutions that precisely address your customers' pain points. Embrace the key principle of focusing not only on your "vision" but also on delivering tangible ROI and value to your customers right now.Are you wondering how to expand your customer base and forge impactful partnerships? Yanev Suissa has the answers. Looking for real-world examples of diverse customers? He discusses a range of industries, including Fortune 480 companies, the public sector, technology, healthcare, commercial, and international sectors. Tune in as he shares strategies for working with investors who offer diverse networks of contacts and collaborating with strategic investors who bring something unique to the table.Episode Highlights:01:30 - In the venture world and in the startup world and the entrepreneur's world, we sell what could be the vision. But a customer wants what they can use now that drives ROI now that brings them a return and value now for the problem that they're experiencing. And so, I think that that's a really important thing. When you're going into a customer, you could sell a vision. You could sell a tool set that they could do a million things with, but they're not going to think for you. So, at the end of the day, you want to be able to say, "I know you have this pain point. I can solve this now." Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Connect with Yanev SuissaLinkedInEmail

Yanev Suissa unravels essential tips and tricks to help founders gain a deeper understanding of their market and customer behavior. Discover the key to unlocking success as an entrepreneur by identifying your customers' pain points and understanding what truly drives ROI and lowers costs. He also shares valuable insights into honing in on these crucial factors that can make all the difference in your business's growth and profitability.But that's not all. The episode delves into the importance of finding the right design partner. Learn how having a reliable and collaborative design partner can be a game-changer for your product development journey. They provide invaluable feedback, help build your vision, and become an integral part of bringing your ideas to life.So, are you ready to gain the edge in understanding your market needs and customer behavior? Tune in to this power-packed episode with a goldmine of strategies that every founder should have in their arsenal. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting, these insights will steer you towards success.Episode Highlights:01:35 - I think one of the most important things an entrepreneur can do early on is find a design partner. So, you always have customers, but there are customers who will put in the sweat equity with you because they see what you're doing is so important to their business and could drive so much value for them that they're willing to give you feedback and spend time with you, and try different things. I think that's really important for understanding what you're building and building it the right way. Caveat being, you need to have your own vision. You don't want to build just for one customer. You have to remember this has to be a platform or a technology that applies to many. But often one customer will give you enough of a framework that it'll apply to many different folks.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Connect with Yanev SuissaLinkedIn

Are you ready to explore the extraordinary journey of a purpose-driven entrepreneur? In this inspiring episode, join Elzie as he sits down with Brandon West, the Chief Purpose Officer and Founder of PHOS Creative, which is a remarkable marketing agency with a mission to restore dignity, purpose, and freedom to those impacted by extreme poverty and sex trafficking. Discover Brandon's unique insights on entrepreneurship, from building a successful business to intertwining profit with a profound mission. Explore the concept of the "care matrix" model, where revenue generation and meaningful impact converge at local and global levels. Dive into the essence of leadership, the importance of purpose, and making a difference both at work and at home.Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur seeking a purposeful journey or an established leader aiming to create a positive impact, this episode holds valuable insights. Brandon's profound experience as a purpose-driven entrepreneur offers a blueprint for intertwining business success with transformative missions. Learn how to align your heart with your skills, discover your true purpose, and create a meaningful legacy through leadership when you tune in!Episode Highlights:03:57 - I have found that neither one of those are all that exciting for me. Neither one of those ideas of building an equity business to sell it out or a lifestyle business just so I can go play a bunch of golf, I hate golf. Top golf is like the best–I don't like fishing, like I love what I do. Neither one of those two perspectives on business have been enough to sustain me. We have built something exceptional and different at PHOS. It's a different type of business. It's not equity, It's not lifestyle. We call it business as a ministry. BAM. Business as a ministry. What if business wasn't just about equity and you living a lifestyle that you wanted to live? What if your business and your life and your leadership was actually about other people?10:52 - We had grown to such a size that I had delegated so much of my roles and responsibilities away. I was walking and going, "What do I do here again?" I had delegated so much away and people are like, "Oh, well done. A leader worth following. Delegation is such a great leadership quality." Until you're looking at it and you're just like, "I don't even know what I'm supposed to do when I wake up tomorrow morning." I went to my leadership team. I shared this with them, my executive team. I said, "Here's what I'm struggling with." And they were like, "We know exactly what you're supposed to do here, Brandon."  I was like, "Well, please tell me." "You're supposed to guard our purpose." 15:19 - That's why leadership is hard. In the middle of all that, you're trying to figure out purpose. You're trying to figure out, how am I supposed to do? What am I called to? What an interesting blend of roles and responsibilities. For me, as I've tried to answer that question about purpose, one of the best tools I've seen for doing so, Andy Stanley, great leadership guy in my life, he says that purpose is found at the intersection of three things. What breaks your heart? Start there. You want to understand your purpose, then be willing to go on all. It took me years to answer that question.20:07 - I have more potential inside of me, and I choose not to pursue that because of the things that that potential for business or for leadership, or for influence or for growth, or for revenue, or for impact, or for ministry would threaten the things that are most acutely I'm called to in life. I would willingly lay aside potential for the sake of purpose, and people who God's called me to minister to. The life most wasted is not the one who wastes the most amount of potential but spends their potential on the things that they were never meant to spend it on. 25:14 - I want my life to count for something and not just because I gave my money. We talk about at PHOS, the acronym, LIFE. You gave it to me. Didn't you give me this acronym, LIFE? I don't know. Maybe you did. LIFE, Labor, Influence, Finances, and Expertise. If you're to give away your LIFE, it's not just about you opening your wallet. Sometimes that's much easier for me. Sometimes it's easier for me to take out my wallet, write a check, and just say, "I've done my due diligence for the day." I'm supposed to give my labor, my influence, my finances, and my expertise away. As much as that's hard because it fights my selfishness, it's also so life-giving because it leans into my purpose.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Jour

Step into a transformative episode and prepare to be inspired by Brandon West as he talks about the powerful lessons and goals that drive his life and leadership. Discover Brandon's profound realization that leadership at home should be just as much of a passion project as his work. Explore the profound impact this perspective shift has had on his personal and professional life, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing family and creating a positive influence within his own household. Brandon shares that they are opening three care centers in Rosita, Nicaragua with the aim of serving 500 children annually. His commitment to this cause is a testament to his unwavering determination and desire to bring tangible change to communities in need. He is also off to Guatemala with Compassion International, where he will explore existing care centers and seek opportunities for further involvement. Get ready to be amazed by Brandon's goal of launching 30 care centers worldwide to support women and children affected by extreme poverty and sex trafficking. Learn about the passion that fuels this mission and the unwavering dedication to making a real difference in the lives of those who need it most. Tune in to gain insights into the incredible work being done on the ground and how individuals can make a meaningful impact on the lives of those in vulnerable situations.Episode Highlight:04:33 - I want my life to count for something and not just because I gave my money. We talk about at PHOS, the acronym, LIFE. You gave it to me. Didn't you give me this acronym, LIFE? I don't know. Maybe you did. LIFE, Labor, Influence, Finances, and Expertise. If you're to give away your LIFE, it's not just about you opening your wallet. Sometimes that's much easier for me. Sometimes it's easier for me to take out my wallet, write a check, and just say, "I've done my due diligence for the day." I'm supposed to give my labor, my influence, my finances, and my expertise away. As much as that's hard because it fights my selfishness, it's also so life-giving because it leans into my purpose.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Connect with Brandon WestLinkedInWebsite

Brandon West shares the importance of embracing purpose and prioritizing family amidst the pursuit of success. Let's explore the poignant realization in this episode where being present as a father holds more significance than seizing every opportunity that comes your way. Tune in to hear the transformative wisdom Brandon derived from his wife when they discussed the delicate balance of building a business without compromising family relationships. Reflect on the notion that faithful leaders are willing to set aside potential in favor of purpose. Gain a deeper understanding of the true essence of leadership, one that encompasses not only professional achievements but also the cultivation of meaningful connections and nurturing of personal relationships.Join us in this thought-provoking episode as we challenge conventional notions of success and inspire a paradigm shift towards purpose-driven living. Together, let's embark on a journey of purpose, growth, and creating a lasting impact in all aspects of our lives.Episode Highlight:03:32 - I have more potential inside of me, and I choose not to pursue that because of the things that that potential for business or for leadership, or for influence or for growth, or for revenue or for impact, or for ministry would threaten the things that are most acutely I'm called to in life. I would willingly lay aside potential for the sake of purpose, and people who God's called me to minister to. The life most wasted is not the one who wastes the most amount of potential but spends their potential on the things that they were never meant to spend it on. Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Connect with Brandon WestLinkedInWebsite 

Get ready to navigate the complexities of leadership and the pursuit of purpose as Brandon West delves into the complexities and challenges of being a leader. Discover the often thankless nature of leadership, where leaders continuously pour themselves out for others without always receiving the same support in return.Explore the skillset required for leaders to navigate the delicate balance of understanding and guarding their purpose, not only for themselves but also for the organization and the people they lead. Uncover the importance of being led while leading others, a tricky concept that requires intentionality and self-awareness.Tune in as Brandon sheds light on the tension that exists between leaders and followers, acknowledging that even the best leaders are subject to criticism and differing perspectives. Discover the transformative power of purpose and let's explore the challenges and rewards of leadership and discover how to face difficulties with resilience and determination. Together, let's empower and inspire one another on the journey of leadership.Episode Highlight:02:32 - That's why leadership is hard. In the middle of all that, you're trying to figure out purpose. You're trying to figure out, how am I supposed to do? What am I called to? What an interesting blend of roles and responsibilities. For me, as I've tried to answer that question about purpose, one of the best tools I've seen for doing so, Andy Stanley, great leadership guy in my life, he says that purpose is found at the intersection of three things. What breaks your heart? Start there. You want to understand your purpose, then be willing to go on all. It took me years to answer that question.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Connect with Brandon WestLinkedInWebsite

Finding Your True North with Brandon WestBrandon West explores the deep introspection and self-mastery required to embark on a purpose-driven journey of building a business and executing a vision in this episode. He also shares the evolution of his company's mission statement and the constant refinement of their "why" over time, as they strive for deeper meaning and significance in their work. Learn from Brandon's journey as he highlights the importance of self-mastery and embracing the role of a leader, as well as the crucial responsibility of guarding and reinforcing the organization's purpose, keeping every team member focused and aligned. Brandon's analogy of flipping the reeds in a diffuser serves as a powerful reminder that leaders must consistently remind and realign their teams to the core purpose, as it tends to leak over time.Discover how a clear sense of purpose and unwavering commitment can drive your organization forward and inspire others to go above and beyond. Together, let's uncover the transformative power of purpose and forge a path to success and fulfillment when you tune in to this episode.Episode Highlight:03:15 - We had grown to such a size that I had delegated so much of my roles and responsibilities away. I was walking and going, "What do I do here again?" I had delegated so much away and people are like, "Oh, well done. A leader worth following. Delegation is such a great leadership quality." Until you're looking at it and you're just like, "I don't even know what I'm supposed to do when I wake up tomorrow morning." I went to my leadership team. I shared this with them, my executive team. I said, "Here's what I'm struggling with." And they were like, "We know exactly what you're supposed to do here, Brandon."  I was like, "Well, please tell me." "You're supposed to guard our purpose." Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Connect with Brandon WestLinkedInWebsite

Are you ready to discover a revolutionary approach to commercial real estate? Join Elzie as he explores the world of efficiency and transparency with special guest Adam Sharif, the Founder, CEO and Chief Strategist at nxtCRE. Adam shares his insights on leveraging technology to transform an illiquid market and provides valuable advice for overcoming challenges in the industry.Adam's journey in commercial real estate began as an investment broker, and his experience in the field led him to identify opportunities outside of traditional areas. One of the key challenges Adam faced was getting lenders to understand and embrace this innovative concept. Through perseverance and a can-do attitude, he overcame skepticism and successfully attracted lender partners across the country. He emphasizes that when pursuing something of value, roadblocks are inevitable, but maintaining a positive mindset and a strong commitment to execution are crucial.Discover the importance of bridging the gap between debt and equity in commercial real estate. Tune in to a discussion about the power of perseverance, the significance of execution, and the need for trust in building successful partnerships. Episode Highlights:02:22 - I knew I wanted to be in commercial real estate, and there are two paths there on the transaction side. One is you can become a leasing broker where you represent either the tenant or the landlord, and negotiating leases and that sort of stuff. The other one is being an investment broker. And I said, "I'm going to be an investment broker." I'm committed to doing that and just made a lot of calls. I was a little lucky. One of the largest brokerage firms in the nation was expanding into Chicago at that time. I interviewed with them, and they hired me, and I learned a ton from that experience. In fact, anyone that's interested in getting into commercial real estate, I highly recommend, if you can get it, start out as an investment broker. 04:44 - When I first started in commercial estate, the debt guys were debt guys, the equity guys were equity guys, and  they didn't talk very much to each other. They didn't communicate, and in many cases, they didn't even like each other. I mean debt doesn't go anywhere without equity. Equity is supreme no matter what. Yet the way it was set up, depending on your definition of the equity side, there was a sort of a caste system in place. What I discovered is that you can't do one without the other. Yes, equity is king. I knew that. Without equity, nothing happens.14:40 - Our challenge probably is not too dissimilar from anyone else starting something that's never been done. Something that people ask, "Well, if this is great, why hasn't it been done before?" Those are some of the challenges we have—getting commercial estate lenders to understand that what we're saying is actually true. They scratch their head, like this sounds almost too good to be true sort of thing. And sometimes when people think that, they start thinking maybe they shouldn't be the first one. In fact, our biggest challenge was getting the first lender to sign up, and then our second challenge was getting the first lender to start using us.17:41 - I'm just saying, "Listen, you're trusting me. If you're going to jump on board, you've got to trust. You're doing it because you trust my ability to execute." Everyone thinks it's a great idea, but every idea doesn't work and every great idea doesn't get executed. But it's all about the execution. I mean, the idea is great, but you only want to join me if you are confident in my ability to execute. When you start attracting people based on just that, you're not getting paid or anything like that, then you know that what you're trying to do isn't just you. Other people are seeing it and also are confident that it, too, will be successful. I guess they look at me and say, "This guy is committed to this concept. And so, I don't have to worry about him six months from now ditching this whole thing because he got discouraged and I just wasted six months of my life."Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk abo

Are you ready to unlock the secrets of turning your ideas into action and achieving remarkable results? Adam Sharif explores the essential ingredients for success and the power of perseverance. In this fast-paced world, ideas are abundant, but it's the ability to execute that sets individuals apart. Adam shares valuable insights on how to navigate the challenges that arise on the path to transforming ideas into tangible outcomes. With a can-do attitude and unwavering perseverance, you can conquer roadblocks and overcome obstacles that may come your way. Discover why staying positive is crucial in the face of adversity as Adam emphasizes the importance of maintaining a mindset that embraces challenges and sees them as opportunities for growth. One key indicator of the viability of your idea is the confidence people have in your ability to execute. Learn how to evaluate and leverage this feedback to validate your concept and gain the necessary support for its realization. Tune in as we dive deep into the realm of idea execution and uncover the secrets to overcoming discouragement and maintaining focus on your goals. Gain insights into the pivotal role that perseverance plays in your journey and learn how to embrace the challenges that come your way. Episode Highlight:01:42 - I'm just saying, "Listen, you're trusting me. If you're going to jump on board, you've got to trust. You're doing it because you trust my ability to execute." Everyone thinks it's a great idea, but every idea doesn't work and every great idea doesn't get executed. But it's all about the execution. I mean, the idea is great, but you only want to join me if you are confident in my ability to execute. When you start attracting people based on just that, you're not getting paid or anything like that, then you know that what you're trying to do isn't just you. Other people are seeing it and also are confident that it, too, will be successful. I guess they look at me and say, "This guy is committed to this concept. And so, I don't have to worry about him six months from now ditching this whole thing because he got discouraged and I just wasted six months of my life."Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Connect with Adam SharifLinkedInWebsiteEmail

Are you ready to be inspired by an incredible story of resilience, determination, and overcoming skepticism? Adam Sharif shares his remarkable journey of building a project that defied expectations and proved the naysayers wrong.As Adam embarked on his project in the commercial real estate industry, he faced numerous challenges. He talks about one of the biggest hurdles and how he refused to be discouraged. He narrates how his achievement marked a significant turning point and opened doors for his project's success.Discover the strategies, insights, and unwavering determination that propelled Adam to turn his vision into reality. Gain inspiration from his unwavering belief in the face of doubt and skepticism, and learn how you too can overcome obstacles and achieve success against all odds. Tune in to this episode to uncover the power of perseverance and the rewards of defying expectations. Episode Highlight:00:27 - Our challenge probably is not too dissimilar from anyone else starting something that's never been done. Something that people ask, "Well, if this is great, why hasn't it been done before?" Those are some of the challenges we have—getting commercial estate lenders to understand that what we're saying is actually true. They scratch their head, like this sounds almost too good to be true sort of thing. And sometimes when people think that, they start thinking maybe they shouldn't be the first one. In fact, our biggest challenge was getting the first lender to sign up, and then our second challenge was getting the first lender to start using us.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Connect with Adam SharifLinkedInWebsiteEmail

Are you tired of conforming to the norms of your industry? Are you ready to break free from the confines of the status quo and carve out your own path to success? Adam Sharif shares his inspiring journey of thinking differently and finding success by venturing into uncharted territories. In the realm of commercial real estate, Adam highlights the divide between debt guys and equity guys, with little communication between the two. Adam, however, sees the value in bridging this gap. Despite facing initial skepticism and misunderstanding, Adam persists and carves out his own lane. Adam also talks about the importance of thinking differently, seizing opportunities, and embracing innovation. Learn how Adam's unconventional approach helped him achieve success in an industry where conformity was the norm. Gain valuable insights and inspiration as he shares the challenges he faced and the triumphs he experienced along the way. If you're ready to break free from the traditional mold, tune in now and discover the power of carving out your own lane and embracing your unique perspective. Episode Highlight:01:37 - When I first started in commercial estate, the debt guys were debt guys, the equity guys were equity guys, and  they didn't talk very much to each other. They didn't communicate, and in many cases, they didn't even like each other. I mean debt doesn't go anywhere without equity. Equity is supreme no matter what. Yet the way it was set up, depending on your definition of the equity side, there was a sort of a caste system in place. What I discovered is that you can't do one without the other. Yes, equity is king. I knew that. Without equity, nothing happens.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Connect with Adam SharifLinkedInWebsiteEmail

Are you fascinated by the world of commercial real estate and dream of becoming an investment broker? Adam Sharif is here to uncover the secrets and insights of becoming an investment broker as he delves into the essential skills, strategies, and mindset needed for success.Adam shares his own journey and the pivotal decision he had to make between two paths: leasing broker or investment broker. Discover why he chose to become an investment broker and the bold steps he took to secure a job in that field. Get ready to be inspired as Adam recounts his stroke of luck, landing an interview with one of the largest brokerage firms in the nation that was expanding into Chicago at the time. Tune in as he shares the invaluable lessons he learned from that experience, emphasizing why it was the ultimate learning ground for anyone interested in commercial real estate. Whether you're a seasoned real estate professional or just starting out, this episode will provide you with a strong foundation and arm you with the knowledge to thrive in the industry.Episode Highlight:00:30 - I knew I wanted to be in commercial real estate, and there are two paths there on the transaction side. One is you can become a leasing broker where you represent either the tenant or the landlord, and negotiating leases and that sort of stuff. The other one is being an investment broker. And I said, "I'm going to be an investment broker." I'm committed to doing that and just made a lot of calls. I was a little lucky. One of the largest brokerage firms in the nation was expanding into Chicago at that time. I interviewed with them, and they hired me, and I learned a ton from that experience. In fact, anyone that's interested in getting into commercial real estate, I highly recommend, if you can get it, start out as an investment broker. Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Connect with Adam SharifLinkedInWebsiteEmail

Elzie Flenard interviews business support expert Daniella Genas, who is the Founder and Business Growth Strategist of Be The Boss International, to explore the keys to business growth and success. Daniella talks about her personal journey as a business owner and how that led her to develop a holistic framework. Drawing from her MBA studies and empirical research, she shares the pivotal lessons she learned and how her framework has helped clients achieve remarkable results.Explore the VISSA model, a five-step process that starts with envisioning a three-year vision for both life and business. Daniella's emphasis on vision, innovation, strategy, systems/processes, and accountability provides a roadmap for success. Learn from Daniella's own experiences as she highlights the importance of clarity, client-centered approaches, and business model innovation. Discover the significance of automation, delegation, and outsourcing to create a sustainable and scalable business.Whether you're a B2B service provider or a SaaS entrepreneur, Daniella's advice on building a business on solid systems and processes will revolutionize your approach. Tune in now and gain the tools you need to unlock growth, achieve time independence, and build a business that thrives even in your absence.Episode Highlights:03:02 - What I also found when I started this business is that you can do the consulting bit and give them the big report and say, "Go away, and now go and implement." But actually, business owners are busy. What happened, and it happened with me in my previous business, I had quite a few consultants come in and do these big pieces of work. They'd make these recommendations. They'd give me the report. The report would go in my bottom drawer, and it would be great at the time when I read it. But then now I'm back into operations mode. I've forgotten all about it and actually, nothing really gets actioned. So, then that's where the accountability piece comes in and the coaching piece, because actually we've got these strategies, and this is what we're going to do. And I'm going to support you with the process and get it done. So, it was kind of desk research, then I started to test the concept and realized actually that's exactly how I thought it was going to go, is exactly how it went. When I implemented the other elements is when I started to see the clients really excel and grow their businesses, and scale their businesses.11:05 - For each individual area, I have a separate kind of package. As I said, I've got Vision:20. I've got "build my strategy", "guide my vision", so there's a variety of different areas. When we take clients through that, the whole thing, we see amazing results. We've had clients scale very low four figures up to six, seven figures and still climbing. Actually, what my clients often say is the most impactful piece is that vision piece. Because really what I also encourage them to do, which is more of a coaching element, is around the idea of thinking big. 15:51 - As much as you want to be doing all of these things, life happens. Giving examples and case studies of this also is usually a big eye-opener for them. Some of them come to me because they've experienced severe burnout because they're tired. They're exhausted. So whilst for some people it is that kind of I want to be the be all and end all, I think sometimes physically, mentally, practically, they recognize actually this is not sustainable. Me taking them through the process of asking them questions and kind of shining a light on that makes them realize how unsustainable actually and we need to do something about it.17:12 - Biggest life lesson, I would say my motto, which is think big, take action, keep pushing. I talk about this a lot. And actually, what has enabled me to grow my current business at a much faster rate than my first business and to be in a much more stable position, to have a business that is less reliant on me than my previous business was, is through that. It's kind of thinking big, having a really big vision and actually being audacious with the pursuit of that and not allowing anyone or anything to tell you that you can't and you won't, and actually even yourself.21:35 - Build the business to be reliant on systems and processes, not on you. If you're able to systemize your business, your business can scale. You will get your time back.  You'll be able to onboard team members at a much faster rate. The team members will perform much better because you've got documented processes that tell them how to do things. You will be more profitable because if your business is efficient and running efficiently, then obviously that's going to lead to increased profits, and you'll be happier. So, I will say that's the kind of main advice that I would give.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created

Are you ready to revolutionize your business and unlock unprecedented levels of efficiency and scalability? Elzie asks Daniella Genas for her top advice for listeners considering a B2B service or SaaS provider. Daniella shares her invaluable insight: build your business on systems and processes, not on the individual.Discover how systemizing your business can unleash a multitude of benefits, from enhanced scalability and faster onboarding to improved performance, increased profitability, and reduced stress. Daniella reveals the transformative impact of mapping processes and automating tasks, even if your business is just starting out. It's never too late to embrace the power of systems and unlock the potential for extraordinary growth.Elzie and Daniella dive deep into the strategies and techniques that will help you streamline your operations, optimize your resources, and propel your business to new heights. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just embarking on your journey, this episode will equip you with the tools and mindset to systemize your business for unparalleled efficiency. Tune in now and harness the power of processes to revolutionize your business and unlock the key to sustainable success.Episode Highlight:00:31 - Build the business to be reliant on systems and processes, not on you. If you're able to systemize your business, your business can scale. You will get your time back.  You'll be able to onboard team members at a much faster rate. The team members will perform much better because you've got documented processes that tell them how to do things. You will be more profitable because if your business is efficient and running efficiently, then obviously that's going to lead to increased profits, and you'll be happier. So, I will say that's the kind of main advice that I would give.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Powered By Podcast Town We Help B2B Brands grow their revenue through podcasting. Podcast Town is a full-service, white glove podcast agency dedicated to helping B2B brands grow their podcast show, grow their audience and podcast easier. - We help you launch, Grow and Maximize! Grow With Podcast Town Connect with Daniella Genas LinkedInWebsiteInstagramCompany Instagram

Are you ready to unleash your full potential and achieve extraordinary success? Daniella  Genas talks about the biggest life lesson she has learned. She shares her life motto, "Think Big, Take Action, Keep Pushing," which has been the driving force behind her accelerated business growth. Discover how adopting this audacious mindset has transformed her journey and enabled her to achieve results beyond her wildest dreams. Through personal anecdotes and invaluable insights, Daniella encourages listeners to embrace audacity and believe that anything is achievable. Learn why taking consistent action is the key to unlocking your full potential and overcoming fear and doubt. Find out how pursuing your passions and doing what you love can bring joy even during challenging times. Tune in and get ready to ignite your entrepreneurial spirit, overcome obstacles, and unlock the path to extraordinary success. Embrace the power of audacity as you embark on your journey of personal and professional growth.Episode Highlight:00:27 - Biggest life lesson, I would say my motto, which is think big, take action, keep pushing. I talk about this a lot. And actually, what has enabled me to grow my current business at a much faster rate than my first business and to be in a much more stable position, to have a business that is less reliant on me than my previous business was, is through that. It's kind of thinking big, having a really big vision and actually being audacious with the pursuit of that and not allowing anyone or anything to tell you that you can't and you won't, and actually even yourself.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Powered By Podcast Town We Help B2B Brands grow their revenue through podcasting. Podcast Town is a full-service, white glove podcast agency dedicated to helping B2B brands grow their podcast show, grow their audience and podcast easier. - We help you launch, Grow and Maximize! Grow With Podcast Town Connect with Daniella Genas LinkedInWebsiteInstagramCompany Instagram

Drawing from her own business experiences, Daniella Genas shares her biggest lesson learned – the importance of having clarity on your vision and putting the client at the center of everything you do. She also reveals the dangers of being heavily reliant on oneself, recounting a time when everything fell apart due to her absence.Listen as Daniella emphasizes the transformative power of automation, delegation, and outsourcing in building a thriving and resilient business. Discover why relying too heavily on one person can be risky, and how diversifying your resources and responsibilities can safeguard your business against unexpected challenges. Learn practical strategies for implementing these practices and discover how they can lead to increased efficiency, productivity, and ultimately, long-term success.Are you ready to take your business to new heights and achieve sustainable success? Do you want to unlock the full potential of your business and create a sustainable framework for growth? Tune in now and discover how automation, delegation, and outsourcing can revolutionize your business and propel you towards the success you've always dreamed of.Episode Highlight:01:38 - As much as you want to be doing all of these things, life happens. Giving examples and case studies of this also is usually a big eye-opener for them. Some of them come to me because they've experienced severe burnout because they're tired. They're exhausted. So whilst for some people it is that kind of I want to be the be all and end all, I think sometimes physically, mentally, practically, they recognize actually this is not sustainable. Me taking them through the process of asking them questions and kind of shining a light on that makes them realize how unsustainable actually and we need to do something about it.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Powered By Podcast Town We Help B2B Brands grow their revenue through podcasting. Podcast Town is a full-service, white glove podcast agency dedicated to helping B2B brands grow their podcast show, grow their audience and podcast easier. - We help you launch, Grow and Maximize! Grow With Podcast Town Connect with Daniella Genas LinkedInWebsiteInstagramCompany Instagram

Ready to take your business to new heights and maximize your profits? Elzie dives into the VISSA model with Daniella Genas. The VISSA model is a game-changing framework that has helped numerous businesses scale from small figures to six and seven figures, and beyond. They discuss the five key steps of the VISSA model starting with vision, where business owners are guided to create a clear three-year vision for both their life and business. From there, they delve into the areas of innovation, strategy, systems/processes, and accountability. Each step plays a crucial role in driving growth and profitability. Daniella shares insights on a powerful tool within the framework that helps clients gain clarity and focus on their vision. With this newfound clarity, businesses can make strategic decisions and take actionable steps towards achieving their goals.Discover how the VISSA model has had a profound impact on businesses, with the vision component yielding particularly transformative results. Whether you're just starting out or looking to take your business to the next level, this episode provides invaluable guidance on growing your profits using the VISSA model. Tune in and unlock the secrets to success.Episode Highlight:02:26 - For each individual area, I have a separate kind of package. As I said, I've got Vision:20. I've got "build my strategy", "guide my vision", so there's a variety of different areas. When we take clients through that, the whole thing, we see amazing results. We've had clients scale very low four figures up to six, seven figures and still climbing. Actually, what my clients often say is the most impactful piece is that vision piece. Because really what I also encourage them to do, which is more of a coaching element, is around the idea of thinking big. Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Powered By Podcast Town We Help B2B Brands grow their revenue through podcasting. Podcast Town is a full-service, white glove podcast agency dedicated to helping B2B brands grow their podcast show, grow their audience and podcast easier. - We help you launch, Grow and Maximize! Grow With Podcast Town Connect with Daniella Genas LinkedInWebsiteInstagramCompany Instagram

Elzie speaks with Daniella Genas about her approach to scaling businesses. Daniella's background includes running her own business for eight years, earning her MBA, and conducting research on key success factors for growth businesses.  Daniella discovered that combining support through accountability coaching and consultancy was more effective than relying on just one area. She observed that business owners often forget or don't implement recommendations given by consultants. That's where her approach differs, as she supports businesses through creating strategies and then following up for implementation. Daniella explains how her experiences inspired her to create a framework that fills the need she had in her first business. She says her MBA taught her the consultancy part, and learning how to be an effective coach was through informal coaching with other business owners. Daniella's framework includes meeting with clients regularly and covering a bit of consultancy, coaching, and mentoring. They work together to achieve the strategies and goals for the business. Daniella believes this approach is useful and important for businesses to have a 360-degree support system.Episode Highlight:00:45 - What I also found when I started this business is that you can do the consulting bit and give them the big report and say, "Go away, and now go and implement." But actually, business owners are busy. What happened and it happened with me in my previous business, I had quite a few consultants come in and do these big pieces of work. They'd make these recommendations. They'd give me the report. The report would go in my bottom drawer, and it would be great at the time when I read it. But then now I'm back into operations mode. I've forgotten all about it and actually, nothing really gets actioned. So, then that's where the accountability piece comes in and the coaching piece, because actually we've got these strategies, and this is what we're going to do. And I'm going to support you with the process and get it done. So, it was kind of desk research, then I started to test the concept and realized actually that's exactly how I thought it was going to go, is exactly how it went. When I implemented the other elements is when I started to see the clients really excel and grow their businesses, and scale their businesses.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios.Powered By Podcast Town We Help B2B Brands grow their revenue through podcasting. Podcast Town is a full-service, white glove podcast agency dedicated to helping B2B brands grow their podcast show, grow their audience and podcast easier. - We help you launch, Grow and Maximize! Grow With Podcast Town Connect with Daniella Genas LinkedInWebsiteInstagramCompany Instagram

Are you curious about the media industry and how to gain exposure for your brand? In this captivating episode, Elzie talks to Tam Lawrence, an industry veteran with over 30 years of experience and the CEO of Exposure Magazine. Together, they dive into the world of media, sharing valuable insights and strategies for entrepreneurs and business owners.The conversation explores the differences between earned, owned, and paid media. Tam emphasizes the reliability and truthfulness of earned media, which is based on empirical data and also highlights the importance of public relations in building a brand and making it newsworthy. Tam offers practical advice on leveraging publicists and marketing together, stressing the need to understand brand leadership and messaging. Tune in as they delve into demographic targeting, seasonal campaigns, and cause marketing as effective approaches to reach the media and make a positive impact in the community. Tam is passionate about sharing knowledge and facts often overlooked by mainstream media, so don't miss this episode filled with valuable insights and practical strategies to gain exposure for your brand.Episode Highlights04:32 - It's so important for our children to know who we were and the contributions in which we provided in society. And so a lot of times, we don't see that narrative written in media about African Americans. And for me, following the footsteps of my parents, my daddy always told me, choose your weapon. And so for me, this media is the choice of weapon.06:12 - I would always have to go with earned media because earned media gives you the accountability or the credibility that you need in order for you to get the consumer's trust. To earn the consumer's trust, earned media is always going to probably trump all the others.07:33 - In public relations, we're able to help business owners really formulate a message that speaks or resonates, not just with consumers. Because when you're going into earned media, like 4, 6, 12 or 58, whoever you're going to go to, the thing is that they have to see, how does this fit for their consumer? How does it impact the end user? How does this not seem like an advertisement piece? And so a lot of times where people try to go at it themselves, it's an advertisement so they send you back the rate chart. Whereas when you're going through a publicist, you're going through a protected or entrusted source. And so we work to help reporters find stories and so if we can take that story and make it newsworthy, then it gains earned media versus having to pay for media. So I think that's the difference.09:03 -  If I look back 30 years and I said, what was the first thing that I wish I would have had? I wish I would have had an opportunity to sit down with a PR person and really just put it all on the table and get the help to really break apart all of the facets of my business so that I could be able to build a Coca Cola, build a clientele. That would be longevity, not just a short term trendy or viral campaign because traditional values are Polo, Pepsi. So if it was me and I could go back 20 years and reshape my business, I think I would start with consulting with a publicist.16:16 - There's so much that a brand can do to create amazing and phenomenal content today. And so, you do want to take a look at more than just the holidays, and I would definitely say backtrack even some of the content or some of the things that you've seen out there. And I'm sure if you started a business, your business is about impacting people, you saw a big problem, and you said I got the solution. So, stay knowing that 24 hours a day. As a business owner, I've never had a job. My whole entire life was always chasing problems. I used to say to myself, "You're a solutionista, girl. You better figure it out. Chase the problem." If you keep chasing the problem and then if you are really good at what you do, the money will follow. So, it's never been about vanity with me in business. It's always been, I'm a solutionista. I need to find a problem and I need to solve it, and I need to solve it for 2 million people. And then I need to solve it where 2 million people spend $1,000 to get it.Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? I

Elzie speaks with Tam Lawrence, a PR and marketing expert, who shares her insights on how to approach marketing for a brand. She emphasizes that marketing strategies should be customized to each brand and its unique offerings. Tam suggests that brands should collaborate with people in their industry and plan their campaigns according to the calendar of events that are relevant to their brand.Tam recommends cause marketing as a great approach to gaining media attention quickly, especially in the post-pandemic world where people are paying more attention to how businesses operate. She notes that brands can also create impactful content to address local community needs and make a positive difference in people's lives. Tam emphasizes the importance of being problem solvers and chasing problems as a business owner to create sustainable solutions that benefit millions of people.Tam also offers valuable tips on creating impactful content, cause marketing, and addressing local community needs as part of a marketing strategy. Tune in to learn more. Episode Highlight:02:19 - There's so much that a brand can do to create amazing and phenomenal content today. And so, you do want to take a look at more than just the holidays, and I would definitely say backtrack even some of the content or some of the things that you've seen out there. And I'm sure if you started a business, your business is about impacting people, you saw a big problem, and you said I got the solution. So, stay knowing that 24 hours a day. As a business owner, I've never had a job. My whole entire life was always chasing problems. I used to say to myself, "You're a solutionista, girl. You better figure it out. Chase the problem." If you keep chasing the problem and then if you are really good at what you do, the money will follow. So, it's never been about vanity with me in business. It's always been. "I'm a solutionista. I need to find a problem and I need to solve it, and I need to solve it for 2 million people. And then I need to solve it where 2 million people spend $1,000 to get it."Ready To Go Deeper?If today’s episode resonated, don’t just move on to the next one. The next step isn’t more content. It’s context, clarity, and formation.That’s why I created the Journey Feed.Inside the Journey Feed, you’ll find:Mentorship Notes: Honest reflections, Elzisms, and faith-driven insight to help you align your life and leadership.Behind-the-Scenes Perspective: The thinking, lessons, and real-time discernment shaping the Journey to Mastery.Weekly Focus & Reflection Prompts: Simple tools to help you slow down, get clear, and lead with intention.Early Invitations: First access to gatherings, workshops, and live experiences.If you want to grow God’s way, this is where the journey continues. 👉 Join the Journey Feed (free)Want To Go Deeper on Self-Mastery? If you’re ready to work from the inside out, Flame Starter: The Art of Self-Mastery lays the foundation for everything we talk about here. It’s about learning to live and lead In Purpose. On Purpose.™ 👉 Learn moreSupport The MissionJourney to Mastery is an independent podcast created to serve faith-driven entrepreneurs.If this show has helped you grow, your support helps us continue building tools, spaces, and conversations rooted in faith, clarity, and purpose. 👉 Support the missionJourney to Mastery is produced by EF3 Studios. Powered By Podcast Town We Help B2B Brands grow their revenue through podcasting. Podcast Town is a full-service, white glove podcast agency dedicated to helping B2B brands grow their podcast show, grow their audience and podcast easier. - We help you launch, Grow and Maximize! Grow With Podcast Town Connect with Tam LawrenceLinkedInWebsite